Frontier Online

Level-Up Part 31

Ryan stopped just long enough to take a shower. The clinic washed what they could reach, but the giant was still bloodstained. Rivulets ran down Ryan's body, cleaning the last of the blood as he scrubbed himself raw. 

Refreshed and impatient for his hair to dry, Ryan climbed into the new capsule.

Just as spacious as his original, the inside had more lines of energy passing through it. The "pillow" full of sensors used to transmit the diver's consciousness also featured a new design. 

Ryan assumed the differences were used to monitor his brainwaves. Additional technology crammed into the capsule would probably communicate directly with Mon-Tech's Research Servers.

As Ryan situated himself inside the cabin, the unit sensed he was fully inside and began to close. A cool pneumatic hiss announced when it was closed. The energy lines began to darken near his feet, quickly spreading until only the pillow beneath Ryan's head emitted light.

As soon as the transition finished, Ryan's head lay slack on the pillow. His mind faded to white.

*****

When Ryan gained awareness again, he stood inside his game lobby. Furniture from his previous improvements to the space was still where he left it.

At least I don't have to start from scratch.

A thought suddenly occurred to the Titan, and he twisted, feeling for his back. The smooth curve of his spine greeted him. After a moment, Ryan laughed.

It was fixed the first time I was in here. Why would it be different now?

The giant blushed in silence for a moment before he refocused.

Ryan rushed over to the desk and used the interface to send his completed assignments to his various teachers. Fortunately, the giant used the downtime from his first death to sort out the next day's work.

If it weren't for Ryan's foresight, he would have fallen behind on his coursework.

As soon as the giant finished sending his assignments, the door to Frontier Online appeared behind him. A soft glow announced the door's presence. 

Ryan slowly turned to look at it. Mist billowed from the edges and between the cracks of the ornate double doors. 

Even digitized, Ryan felt his heart begin to pound inside his chest. Excitement and nerves mounted as the giant walked up to the doors. As tall as Ryan was, the doors still dwarfed him. 

With both hands, the Titan shoved the doors open and walked through, wondering if his avatar was surrounded by goblins.

*****

Deep beneath the mine outside of Grotto, a pillar of light flashed. A brief glow lit up the inside of a gently glowing shaft, all the way to the top, where six tunnels spilled out.

Rydr appeared, expecting a rough stone floor underneath him. The giant let out a startled shriek when he suddenly dropped like a stone.

What happened?

Notifications buzzed against Rydr's senses as adrenaline pumped through him. Rydr tumbled through the air before he managed to orient himself, spread-eagle in the air. 

As Rydr looked down, a profound sense of vertigo assaulted him. The shaft seemed to be bottomless from Rydr's perspective, but it wasn't the height that bothered him.

A gentle glow illuminated the edges of the shaft, tracing spirals of ancient runes. As Rydr stared straight down, the combined glow and optic illusion of the spiraling runes mesmerized the Titan.