Lyra nudged him with her elbow. “Come on. You look like someone just ran you through with a spear. Let’s go grab a drink. First round’s on me.”
James raised an eyebrow. “You’re paying? What’s the catch?”
She grinned. “You have to drink until you stop looking like a moody bastard.”
James sighed. “That… might take a while.”
The Adventurer’s Guild pub was lively, filled with chatter, laughter, and the occasional roar of a drunk mercenary boasting about his latest kill. A heavy, smoky scent filled the air, mingling with the aroma of roasted meat and spilled ale.
James and Lyra found a table near the back, away from the loudest of the bunch. A tired-looking waitress dropped off two tankards of ale, barely acknowledging them before moving on.
James stared at his drink for a moment, then sighed and took a long swig. The bitterness burned down his throat, but at least it was real.
Lyra watched him. “Alright. Spill. What the hell happened in there?”
James exhaled through his nose. “You ever feel like a game is specifically designed to mess with you?”
Lyra smirked. “All the time. But that trial wrecked you worse than most.” She tilted her head. “Was it combat? Some kind of boss fight?”
James hesitated. “Sort of. It was…” He set his drink down, struggling to put it into words. “It was like a dream, but not. I got pulled into my own memories, had to face—” He shook his head. “Myself. My past.”
Lyra frowned, leaning forward. “Wait. Like, your real past? Outside of the game?”
James nodded slowly. “Yeah.”
She took a sip of her drink, clearly processing that. “That’s messed up.”
James chuckled dryly. “Yeah, no kidding.”
He told her about the hospital memory, his shadow self, and the fight—how it felt more like being punished than tested. Lyra didn’t interrupt, just listening as he spoke.
When he finally finished, she leaned back and whistled. “Damn. That’s some psychological nightmare fuel.”
James looked at her. “What about yours?”
Lyra took another sip of ale. “Nothing like that. Mine was just a combat test—some arena fight against a bunch of tough monsters. There was strategy involved, and it was brutal, but it wasn’t… personal.”
James narrowed his eyes. “So why the hell was mine like that?”
Lyra shrugged. “No clue. But if the test is supposed to measure what kind of adventurer you are, maybe it dug deeper because you’re…”
James raised an eyebrow. “Because I’m what?”
She smirked. “Completely messed up.”
James groaned. “Thanks. That’s helpful.”
Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
Lyra laughed. “I mean, come on. Everyone in this game dies over and over, but you? You die horribly, get your soul crushed, and somehow keep going. Maybe the test saw that and decided to hit you where it really hurt.”
James sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah. Well. I passed. So I guess I’m officially an adventurer now.”
Lyra raised her drink. “To horrifying trials and bad decisions.”
James clinked his tankard against hers. “I’ll drink to that.”
For a while, they just drank. The noise of the pub filled the space between them, but there was an unspoken understanding lingering in the air—like they’d both been through too much to just move on without thinking about it.
Eventually, Lyra broke the silence. “So, what was your life like before all this?”
James hesitated, swirling his drink. “You ever feel like the real world was just… a game you couldn’t win?”
Lyra snorted. “All the time.”
James sighed. “I was a dropout. College. Barely lasted a year. Spent most of my time playing games instead of dealing with real-life crap. One day, I just… didn’t log out.”
Lyra raised an eyebrow. “Wait. You mean, like, at all?”
James shook his head. “I don’t remember the last thing I did before waking up in this world. Just that I had nothing going for me. My parents were pissed, my friends moved on, and I just… I let everything slip away.”
Lyra studied him for a moment, then leaned back in her chair. “Huh.”
James frowned. “What?”
She smirked. “I was expecting something more dramatic. Like, ‘I was a secret government experiment’ or ‘I was an elite gamer chosen for a mysterious mission.’”
James rolled his eyes. “Nope. Just a loser who played too many games.”
Lyra took another sip of ale. “Could be worse. At least you were honest about it.”
James tilted his head. “And you? What’s your story?”
Lyra exhaled, tapping her fingers against the table. “I was… a nobody, really. Grew up bouncing between foster homes. Got good at running away, surviving on my own. Eventually, I figured out how to game the system—literally. Pick-pocketing, hacking, gambling, whatever I needed to make it through.”
James blinked. “You were a criminal?”
She smirked. “I prefer ‘self-employed problem solver.’”
James chuckled. “Right.”
Lyra shrugged. “Anyway, when I got here, I figured, ‘What’s the difference?’ It’s just another world with its own set of rules. Only this time, instead of sneaking past security cameras, I’m stabbing goblins in the face.”
James watched her, trying to piece together the kind of life she must have had before this. “You miss it? The real world?”
Lyra hesitated. “Not really. But… I do wonder sometimes. What happened to my body? Is it still out there somewhere, hooked up to some machine? Or did I just… disappear?”
James felt a shiver run down his spine. He’d never thought about that before. What if they were dead in the real world? What if this was all that was left?
He shook his head. “No point thinking about it. We’re here now.”
Lyra smirked. “See? That’s the spirit.”
James chuckled, but something about the conversation lingered in his mind.
After a few more drinks, James and Lyra made their way to the adventurer boards, where quests, bounties, and team postings were pinned in chaotic clusters.
James scanned the listings, rubbing his chin. “So, what now? We just pick a job and go?”
Lyra hummed. “Could do that. But if we want better jobs and higher rewards, we need a team.”
James frowned. “Can’t we just be a duo?”
Lyra pointed to a section of the board labeled TEAM RECRUITMENT. “Look at this.”
James followed her gaze. The best quests weren’t solo-friendly. They required teams—groups with specialized skills. There were listings from guilds, mercenary companies, and independent adventurers looking for partners.
One in particular caught his eye:
SEEKING NEW RECRUITS Experienced adventurers only. Strong survival skills required. No cowards. No dead weight.Looking for fighters, healers, and strategists.If you die too easily, don’t bother applying.
James raised an eyebrow. “That last line feels personal.”
Lyra grinned. “Looks like we’re not the only ones who think this game is bullshit.”
James kept scanning. There were guilds that specialized in monster hunting, treasure-seeking groups, and even a few rogue bands that seemed more like thieves than adventurers.
Lyra tapped a different listing.
LOOKING FOR A PARTY Group of three looking for a fourth. Must be versatile and adaptable. We take on high-risk, high-reward quests. If you’re interested, meet us at the Rusty Blade Tavern.
James crossed his arms. “Think we should check some of these out?”
Lyra stretched. “Might be worth it. Better than dying alone.”
James nodded, staring at the board a little longer.
For the first time since he entered this world, things felt less chaotic—like he finally had options.
Of course, knowing this game…
That wouldn’t last long.