"Wake up!?"

Someone was shaking my body. I slowly opened my eyes and looked into the person's face.

"Savia... Where... are we?"

I held my aching head and looked around. The room we were in was dark, and only little light came in.

“Welcome back to our world. We are inside the grave of origin."

“Grave of origin!?”

I jumped up and turned around. Behind me was the central light source, the crystal under the cone of light.

"...you know this place?"

Savia was surprised that I knew this place, but instead of wondering where from, she looked at the walls, to be precise, at the murals.

"Can you hear me?"

I put my hand on the crystal.

...

I waited, but nothing happened.

"There won't be an answer."

Savia was still looking at the wall paintings when she noted this.

"And who is in the crystal?"

Savia turned and looked at me because of my question.

"Father."

"Ah... father, ok, good to- what!? Father is inside of it."

I hit the crystal with my fist.

Fuck!

The pain ran through my entire arm.

“This crystal is a pure manifestation of magic. Nothing can break it, whether physically or mentally."

"The chosen person, hmm ..."

Savia nodded.

“Come on, let's go outside. Not far from here is the border with the kingdom of Tyrn and the border and trading town of Avuern."

Avuern... The first city from the game...

"Let's go!"

I was curious to see this world with my eyes.

Are the people the same as in the game?

Savia opened a double stone door. Immediately a light was seen at the other end of the corridor.

"Come on."

She pushed me in front of her, and we walked down the hall to the other side. The light fell on my face and blinded me. It took a short moment before my eyes got used to the bright light, and I could see what was in front of me.

In front of us was a wide field through which a single one led away from our position. Trees could be seen to the left and right behind the fields, but in between, where a path led to the city. The roofs of some larger buildings could be seen from here. To the best of my knowledge, these buildings were the church and castle of the city of Avuern.

"Should we?"

Savia asked me and had to suppress a smile.

"Yes."

We started to walk together and followed the path towards the city.

"Have you been here before, Siana?"

I shook my head at her question.

"Never, but I've heard of Avuern."

"What a shame, Avuern is known as the city of peaceful creatures, and so there are many tourists here, but I think you already know of it."

I stopped.

"Wait a moment. What do you mean? Peaceful creatures?"

Savia stopped too and turned her head to me.

“Well, let's take the blood wolves. They are an aggressive race, and everywhere they appear they attack, both humans and other races. The only place where that didn't happen-. "

“In Avuern.”

I finished Savia's sentence, after which she nodded, and we both went on again.

"These fields here are areas in which beginners can train without hesitation."

Savia continued to tell about this place, although I only heard half-heartedly because my thoughts were elsewhere.

This place is like in the game. The creatures are weak and neutral towards humans, etc. Do the characters from the game also exists? But if so, who is the developer of a game that corresponds to another world?

It wasn't the first time I'd thought about the game's origins. After all, Styx World was the first and so far only game the company released until that day.

"Hey Savia, is there such a thing as video games in this world?"

Savia thought briefly about my question before answering.

"Well, there is something like that, but it has little to do with the video games I got to know on earth."

"What's the difference?"

Savia's description made me curious.

“Well, halls and rooms have been modified with special rune circles. Originally, the technology was intended for special training units. The rooms or halls could create what would it be called on earth... a virtual world. Objects and creatures can be created, but they only exist and can be used within this space. With the help of this technique, people have learned and trained. But now it's a little different because the rooms are now also used for entertainment."

"Wait a moment! Is this virtual reality tied to the size of the room? And can you hear and smell the objects?"

“The room size can be expanded, but only the rooms with newer rune circles, the older rooms cannot. And as far as hearing and smelling are concerned, this has been there from the very beginning."

"Have you used these rooms before?"

Savia nodded.

“A few times, mostly as an exercise in fighting different creatures. The advantage is that the guest does not have to be the user. That is, the user, often an employee, has experience with different creatures, so he or she can make these creatures appear, and you can practice on them."

“Is it possible to make a whole city appear? A perfect copy of the original?"

“It is, but the person should know every person… Every street and where every house is. The possibilities are there, but just the idea of ​​creating and maintaining something like that would take a huge amount of concentration."

"So theoretically, it is possible."

"Theoretically, yes."

Create your own world...

Our conversation ended, and we began to stay in silence. That went on for quite a while before we were in sight of the gate. It was only a small side gate to the city of Avuern, as the path only led to the grave and back.

“If you are asked what you are, you are human. Don't tell them about your origin!"

I nodded at Savia's admonishing words.

"Do we need an ID?"

I was curious about this, as, in most novels and mangas, ID cards or something similar was required.

“IDs? No, identification is only required if you live in the city or a village included in the city. Entering a city costs. Without goods, we don't have to declare anything, so we will have to pay almost nothing, so don't worry, I have the money with me."

Savia pulled a pouch from under her jacket. I could hear the jingling of money with every jolt.

Now all she needs to do is have a dollar sign on her sack. Haha.

I had to smile.

Two guards were standing in front of the gate and were already watching us, after all, there was no queue in front of this gate.

We stopped a few meters in front of the gate before the guards spoke to us.

"Why are we stopping?"

"Because of that."

Savia pointed to the two towers to the left and right of the gate. Guards stood on both towers and watched us. Between them, I could see someone in a higher-ranking uniform.

The boss waved to the guards at the gate, and one of them approached us.

“Who are you!? Why are you coming from the direction of the grave of origin!?”

Savia looked between the guard, the man on the tower, and me.

"We are mercenaries, this is my sister Siana, a scout, and I am Savia, a magician."

“Mercenaries, huh? Why are you here? Who is sending you?"

“We are mercenaries, but we don't currently have any employer. But we're looking for one, maybe we'll find one in Avuern? "

"...Maybe. Weapons?"

Savia pulled a wooden stick from her sleeve. Then the guard looked at me.

"Weapons!"

He repeated himself, this time a little louder. I pulled the daggers out from behind my back, under my sweater. I let it hang by the handle between my fingers.

"The weapons will be handed over to my colleague. You will get them back after the inspection."

The other guard came to us, and we put our weapons in his outspread hands.

"Something happened? During my last visit, the controls were not so strict."

The guard glanced at her but said nothing. He turned away from us and led us through the gate into the city.