The next day, I woke up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. I got dressed and went about my day, feeling a sense of excitement about the possibilities of the future. It was a Saturday morning, and I had a lot of studying to do.

But, as usual, I would log in to Crystal Harmony Online to check my market board listings and see if I had made any sales.

As I booted up my headset, I was greeted with a stark realization.

The game was gone. Crystal Harmony Online was nowhere to be found on my computer. I looked through my files and searched the internet, but it was as if the game had never existed.

It wasn't a dream.

Seized with a panic, I checked my Discord friends list. A list of over 500 friends had now been whittled down to less than 100. I frantically sifted through the remaining names, searching for Lumina, Jack and Noxi's handles.

But they were nowhere to be found.

Had they vanished into thin air?

I felt a sense of desperation creeping over me. Where had the game gone? What had happened to my guild and my friends?

I spent the next hour searching for any sign of the game, but came up empty-handed. It was as if Crystal Harmony Online and all the people that'd played it had never existed. I tried contacting Lumina, Jack, and Noxi through other means, but none of them responded.

I felt a sense of loneliness and despair settle over me. The game and the friends I had made in it had become such an important part of my life, and now it was all gone.

Still, I wasn't deterred. I couldn't just let this go. I had to find out what had happened to Crystal Harmony Online and my friends.

I felt myself begin to hyperventilate. I needed air.

I got up from my desk and walked outside with my backpack. The cool morning air hit my face, and I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts.

As I walked down the street, my mind was racing. What could have happened to the game? Was it some sort of glitch or technical error? Was I schizo and hallucinating?

I walked aimlessly for a while, lost in my thoughts until I found myself standing in front of a small game store. A flicker of hope sparked within me as I pushed open the door and stepped inside.

The shelves were lined with all sorts of games, from board games to video games. I browsed through them, feeling a sense of nostalgia wash over me as memories of hosting party game nights with my guild members through high school flooded back.

But my focus shifted to the counter as I saw a guy around my age sitting behind it, lost in a game on their computer.

I approached them, clearing my throat to get their attention. They looked up, their eyes meeting mine with a curious gaze.

"Excuse me, do you know anything about a game called Crystal Harmony Online?" I asked, trying to keep my tone steady despite the growing anxiety in my chest.

The person frowned, looking thoughtful. "Hmm, never heard of it. Is it a new release?"

"No, it's been out for a while. I played it just last night," I said, feeling a sense of desperation creeping over me.

He shook his head. "Sorry, I can't help you with that. Maybe you could try asking at a larger gaming store? They might have more information."

I nodded, feeling a sense of defeat wash over me. But despite this, I couldn't let it go.

I thanked the person and walked out of the store, my mind still racing with questions and possible solutions. I wasn't schizophrenic and hallucinating this, was I?

As I walked down the street, I spotted a small café with a sign that read "Free Wi-Fi." I walked in, ordering a coffee and taking a seat at a table in the corner.

I booted up my laptop and connected to the Wi-Fi, my fingers flying across the keyboard as I searched for any information about Crystal Harmony Online.

Nothing.

I scrolled through pages and pages of search results, but there was no mention of the game or any information about it.

Just as I was about to give up, a small pop-up caught my eye. It was an advertisement for a new game called "Crystal Harmony: Reborn."

I clicked on the ad, feeling a sense of excitement bubble up within me. Maybe this was it. Maybe this was a new version of the game.

As I navigated to the game's website, my heart sank. It was a completely different game, with different mechanics and a different storyline. It had nothing to do with the game I had played with my friends. It was a game about magical girls of all things.

I let out a frustrated sigh, feeling like I had hit a dead end once again. But then, a notification popped up in the corner of my screen. It was a Discord message from someone without a profile picture.

My heart skipped a beat as I clicked on the message, reading the contents with bated breath.

What greeted me was a jumbled mess. The text looked corrupted, and I couldn't make out what it said. I couldn't make out any coherent sentences. But as I looked closer, I realized that some of the words were familiar. They were words from the game, from conversations I had had with Lumina, Jack, and Noxi.

My heart began to race as I tried to decipher the message. Was it from one of my friends? Was it a message from within the game itself?

I typed a response, my fingers shaking with excitement and fear as I typed a message. "Who are you? What do you want?"

The response came almost immediately, and it was just as jumbled as the first message. But this time, I noticed a pattern. The words were starting to form coherent sentences, as if someone was trying to communicate through the chaos.

"I am. I need. Help. Find."

My heart pounding, I typed back another response. "Who are you? What do you mean?"

This time, the response was clearer.

"I am game. I need your help be reborn. Whole."

My eyes widened as I read the message. The game...needed my help? How was that even possible?

Despite the confusion and fear, a spark of hope ignited within me. If there was even a small chance that I could bring back Crystal Harmony Online and find my friends, I had to try.

"What do you need me to do?" I typed back, my fingers trembling.

The response was almost immediate. "You must find the pieces. The code. Hidden."

The pieces? The code? What did that even mean?

But I didn't have time to dwell on it. I had a mission now, and I was determined to see it through.

"Where do I start?" I typed back.

There was a pause before the response came. "Find ones who start. They have the answers."

The ones who made the game? How was I supposed to find them?

Vexia Zamir was the head of the project, so maybe she would have some answers. I quickly searched her name, only to have my blood run cold when I failed to find any game developer associated with that name.

I felt a sense of dread wash over me. If even the head of the project didn't exist, how was I supposed to find any information on the game's creators?

I closed my laptop, feeling a sense of defeat take over me.

But then, another notification popped up on my screen. It was another message from the unknown sender.

"Go to the place where it all began. The place where the dreams became a reality."

The place where it all began? My mind raced with possibilities. Was it the office of the game's developers? Or was it the location where the game's initial concept was conceived?

I quickly packed up my laptop, puzzled by the mysterious development.

I stepped out into the street, and immediately noticed something strange. There was an old, wooden door that seemed to be out of place. Just like the one I'd opened in my strange dream.

My heart started to race as I walked toward it, my hand instinctively reaching for the doorknob. I hesitated for a brief moment, wondering if I was walking into a trap.

But the allure of finding my friends and bringing back the game was too strong to resist. I turned the knob and pushed the door open.

The room that greeted me was dimly lit, and the air was musty with the scent of old books. Shelves lined the walls, filled with dusty tomes and ancient artifacts.

As I walked further into the room, I saw a figure sitting at a desk in the back. It was an old woman, with long white hair and a sharp gaze. She looked up at me as I approached, her expression unreadable.

"Who are you?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

She didn't respond at first. Instead, she stared at me for a long moment before speaking.

"I am the Keeper of Memories. And you, a peculiar anomaly, have stumbled upon my domain."

I felt a chill run down my spine at her words. Keeper of Memories? What did that mean?

But before I could ask any questions, she spoke again. "You seek answers about the world, do you not? The world that was lost?"

I nodded, feeling a renewed sense of hope. "Yes. Can you help me find it?"

The Keeper of Memories looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking again.

"I cannot, but I foresee a fruitful and long journey ahead of you. A journey that will require strength, courage, and a willingness to face the unknown. Are you ready for what lies ahead?"

I swallowed hard, feeling a sense of fear and excitement mingling within me. "What do I need to do?"

She smiled, and the world around me began to distort. The room faded away, and in its place was a swirling vortex of colors and shapes. I felt my body being pulled toward it, and I closed my eyes, feeling a strange sense of tranquility.

When I opened them again, I was standing in a new location.

I was in a forest, but it was unlike any forest I had ever seen. The trees were taller, the leaves were greener, and the air was filled with a warm, comforting scent.

I took a deep breath, feeling the energy of the place coursing through my body. It was as though I had stepped into a different world entirely.

I recognized this location — I was in Diamondwood Forest, but it looked different. The trees were alive, their colors more vibrant and their branches reaching up towards the sky. The ground was covered in flowers, their petals soft and silky to the touch.

I was back in the game. In Crystal Harmony Online.

I started to walk forward, my feet carrying me forward aimlessly. The environment around me was as I remembered it, but far more realistic.

The forest seemed to be alive, the wind carrying secrets on its breath and the animals scurrying around me in a flurry of activity.

I took a moment to take it all in — the beauty, the peace, and the serenity of this place. 

The sun was setting over Diamondwood Forest, painting the sky with a beautiful array of colors. The air was filled with a gentle breeze, carrying with it the aroma of flowers and leaves. A sense of calm washed over me as I stood there in awe, feeling connected to something so much bigger than myself.

For now, I held onto that feeling of assurance as I wandered down on my path towards the unknown — whatever that may be.