Temporal Pearls

Chapter 2: Asteroids Online!

Seth stared at the horizon he found himself at, the scery was fantastic and the graphics were amazing. He felt as if he was in the real world!

Sadly, he disliked the Game and the sole reason was that he is the same as in real life.

There was no Welcome Note, no Character Design. Heck, there was no Status Window. That wt against the rule of all VRMMO he played before!

But that wasn't his issue, because one might say it might be a new Style.

He has a rare disease that caused his legs and his overall body to be weak and that made movemt tedious. And here in the Game, he was the same!

He sat on a small hill as he watched many people appear in a flash of light. They too seem confused after trying to call the Status Window but nothing happed!

But only Seth was truly depressed. How could he move and play?

He was in that thought wh he heard his name being called.

"Ahh, really!" A young woman said as she stared at him. It was his sister Anna, a tall woman with a long neck and an oval face.

She looked younger than her actual age. Without a long introduction, she bt a little and picked him up on her back.

And people stared at them!

"I hate this game," Seth said. He was unhappy about the fact he was being piggybacked.

Some seconds later as Anna started running she said, "I despise this game. I will never play it again!"

Seth nodded without asking her why. She was one of the few people that hyped the Game to no d. And made their parts buy a Rank 4 Cabin for Seth.

But now she hated it as he does. Maybe she was sympathizing with him, but th, he noticed that eyes were on her and people were hush-hush whispering things!

The problem was from her, not him.

"The fucking Game is too realistic. Damn the developers" She was gre with embarrassmt.

"Where is Sam?" To disperse the tsion Seth asked her!

"We are meeting him!" She grumbled. Sam was her husband.

Seth observed the surings as they moved a. It felt so real, the air, the temperature, the sway of the trees, everything as if real, ev the chirping of birds!

Anna put Seth down and she sat in a corner while he pretded he was looking elsewhere.

"I found something you can use!" A man of the same age as Anna came carrying something!

Seeing Seth in a weird position he paused. "You too?" He inquired.

Seth smiled wryly, he was becoming a burd ev in the game too! Sam handed the thing to Anna, th he picked Seth on his back.

"There are no Monsters or Animals. No starter Villages or any NPC. It was just Players showing in a burst of light. Any ideas? Retired Gamer!"

Seth was good with VR Games but after an incidt that almost killed him due to the malfunctioning of his Head Gear, he had not played again.

But with the coming of the Asteroids Online which provides affordable safe Cabin, he was asked to play again.

His sister and her husband were office workers despite their young age and due to their financial situation, they have not joyed any VR Games in the past.

It's only now that the office made it mandatory for them to have a status in the Game. They have no idea why, but they comply since they got the Cabin on Loan with reduced interest.

Seth, Sam and Anna moved a the forest to familiarize themselves with it. In case an announcemt required them to do something.

No announcemt ev after 0 minutes. Another thing was the fatigue they felt and the sun that was blazing overhead was so real!

They find a place and sit, waiting for whatever may happ.

They didn't wait long wh the wind blew and swayed the trees. The Clouds began foaming and cold breezes made them shiver.

With thunder, it began to rain. But it was not raining, it was a egg the size of a football falling! It did not fall on the g but their head.

Kwat!

Seth felt his eyes watering since he couldn't dodge well. Anna ran but as if swayed by the wind the egg hit her theless.

Sam was the fastest and he managed to move away just in time. But th the egg vanished before it appeared above his head.

Kwat!

"Fuck!" He almost fell down due to pain.

Anna wrapped her hand over her head and cover her face as she tear up. Seth was trying to hold back his tears too.

It was really painful.

Kwat!

Aw!

Kwat!

Aww!

Kwat

Fuck you cloud!

From a distance, the trio were able to hear the sound of people screaming and complaining. It reminds them of wh they were little and being naughty. Their mother will sneak on them and hit their head with a stick. The unexpected pain was irritating.

They looked down at the ball and it cracked, spotting something inside.

Seth was the first one to pick his hard ball-shaped egg. And with a bit of force, it was oped. Inside was a flat ctimetres rod with an oval depression that wrote.

[Asteroids Online]

Seth felt connected with it as if it was part of him. Though he did not get any information on what he could do with it.

He looked at his two companions and they too held something similar.

"Alright, professor. What can this do?" Sam asked as he looked at Seth?

"How would I know? I felt connected with it. As if it is part of me. But there was no description from the game!" He explained.

But suddly, the rod on Sam's hand glowed and burst with lights wh it dimmed, a normal-looking double-edged Sword was prested.

"Seem like I have a better imagination than the Old Veteran!'' Sam said with a smug face.

They asked him how he did it and he explained that he only imagined a sword.

Seth has done the same before Sam asked him but he gained no result, so he assumed it was something else.

With more imagination, nothing happs.

Pushhhhh!

Anna's rod burst with light and it turned into a normal-looking shield. She jumped with joy and she looked at her shield.

Th their eyes landed on Seth, he didn't transform his rod!

"Are you having an elaborate plan!" Anna asked

Seth shook his head and said, "Nothing ev after imaging things."

They gave him some ideas but nothing worked.

'Maybe I should think of staff that can support me for a walk!' With that thought, the rod burst with light and transformed into a normal-looking staff.

He felt that he could stand with it and walk. But it pained him that he can't do anything with it other than be a crutch.

He used it and stood but raising his head, he noticed Anna looking toward the south with a frown. Her husband Sam was looking a. It was th that Seth heard distinct gunshots.

Tata!

Tata!

Boom!

Boom!

The sound of grades exploding. Seth grabbed his cane and imagined guns, nothing, he imagined many other weapons but there was nothing.

"Don't bother. It seems we can't change the nature of our first weapon!"

Seth felt helpless. He didn't have a Shield or Sword but a stupid Staff that can only help him stand and walk. Worse than that, the momt he lifted the staff off the g he would fall.

Though he found it intriguing that by just holding the staff on the g his legs felt strong ough to hold his body. That means he doesn't need to exert extra force from his hand and support himself.

The sound of the gunshot keeps croaching.

"Sam, stand before me. Anna stands in front and holds your shield to your chest!" Seth asserted.

It was a basic formation that anyone can think of but based on how Seth felt about his Staff, he had a Grand Theory about their weapons.

The momt they spot the gunner he said. "Anna, think of your shield to be able to stop bullets with ease!"

Before the gunner reached them, Seth found a flaw in his strategy. What if the gunner aims at their legs or head. Anna can't be fast ough to shift the shield.

"Try to think of the shield expanding and covering your whole body. But wait until he aimed and was about to shoot!"

"Sam, rush out the momt he was about to reload the gun!"

The gun was heavy for the person holding it. He needed to stabilize his aim before pulling the trigger. And he always stood 0 meters away and shot the momt one rushed at him.

That was what Seth gleaned after observing the Gunner.

Anna did better, the momt the Gunner shot, her shield expanded. And better than that, the four bullet shot was redirected at the gunner.

Two holes appeared on his body and th he disappeared into dots of light.

"Wow! You are more creative! How did you do that?" Sam kissed and praised her.

"I just think!" She blushed as she was kissed in front of her younger brother.

Seth was in thought and had an elaborate plan. If what he thought about this weapon was correct th—one should decide carefully.

Boom!

Crackled!

The remnants of the clouds above trembled with thunder and lightning as it got darker.

A second letter a massive head the size of a car protruded from it. Its eyes were fiery red, with glowing red scales and it cast its gaze on the g.

Seth trembled as he fell on his butt staring at the monstrosity!

It might be a game but it's too immersive!

Roar!

A heavy hot wind blew as people felt their ears clogged and skin seared. Th fire descded from the mouth of the creature.

Dragon!

Fire Dragon!!