Dimension Beta

The next day, Tom woke up feeling utterly exhausted. Pablo had kept him in the tavern until late at night, leaving him with barely any time to rest. Unfortunately, there was no chance to catch up on sleep, as it was Monday, a school day.

After throwing on fresh clothes and grabbing a quick slice of bread, Tom made his way to the bus stop. He was too tired to risk walking and ensured he caught the bus on time. The bus ride was uneventful, and it dropped him directly at school. Still half-asleep, Tom headed to his class.

The day began with Beta studies, a subject Tom usually enjoyed. Since Felix was running late, Tom rested his head on his desk to sneak in a few moments of rest. The sound of the bell startled him awake, just as the holographic image of their teacher appeared at the front of the classroom.

"Good morning, students. Today, we'll be discussing the various races within Beta and how you can become part of them. But before we start, I have an announcement," the teacher began.

Some students shifted nervously as he continued, "A few of you, no names mentioned, did not bother submitting your essay on "My First Class". If that applies to you, please see me after the final class today."

Tom's heart sank. He'd completely forgotten about the assignment. "I hope I'm not in too much trouble," he thought, shaking off his nerves to focus on the lecture.

The teacher's voice carried on. "As you know, Beta has a multitude of races, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages. Most players begin as part of the Human Race, which is the most common. Humans gain an additional stat point in every attribute upon leveling up, alongside the 10 free distributable points. This can be particularly beneficial for classes that utilize all stats."

A student raised his hand. "Teacher, does that mean if my class doesn't benefit from all stats, I should consider changing my race?"

"Good question," the teacher replied. "In general, yes, optimizing your stats is a good reason to consider a race change. However, there's more to it than just numbers. Races like Elves and Dwarves belong to humanoid factions, making them easy to integrate into the Human Domain. Meanwhile, Beastfolk, known for their mercenary work, may face prejudice in certain areas."

The teacher's tone grew more serious. "Now, if you decide to join the Undead faction, choosing races like Vampires or other undead creatures, you'll be barred from the Human Domain altogether unless you possess a disguise artifact. However, the Undead faction has incredibly powerful races. Vampires, for example, are highly sought after by players and inhabitants of beta, because of their regenerative abilities and longevity."

The teacher wrapped up with a piece of advice: "I'd recommend waiting until you're at least level 100 before considering a race change. By then, you'll better understand your class and how you want to specialize. Life in Beta can be unpredictable, and circumstances might force you to make difficult decisions."

The class wrapped up with a deep dive into the pros and cons of Elves and Dwarves, leaving Tom's mind buzzing. As the teacher's hologram faded, he reminded the class: "Don't forget, we meet tomorrow at 8 AM sharp in Beta at the marketplace!"

With that, the hologram disappeared, and the lesson ended.

The rest of the school day passed quickly. By the time the final bell rang, Tom was slouched in his chair, completely drained. Felix walked over to him, grinning as always.

"Yo, what's up, Tom?"

"Nothing much. Just tired," Tom replied.

"I feel you. I was grinding till 3 AM last night, haha."

"Same... same..." Tom muttered.

Felix smirked. "You wanna grab a bite?"

Tom hesitated but decided to be honest. "I can't. I forgot my homework and need to see the teacher."

Felix burst out laughing. "Damn, Tom! You've got guts, man. Good luck!"

Tom gathered his things and made his way to the teacher's office. Inside, he was surprised to see a Beta capsule instead of a traditional desk. Moments later, the capsule opened, and Mr. Bunwald stepped out, stretching casually before sitting across from Tom.

Tom fidgeted nervously, but Mr. Bunwald reassured him. "Relax. You're not in trouble."

Tom let out a relieved sigh.

"Just don't let it happen again," the teacher continued. "I understand Beta is exciting. It was for me, too. Back when I was your age, I even skipped school just to spend more time in Beta. I thought it was the peak of my life. But trust me, paying attention here will save you from making avoidable mistakes later."

Tom nodded earnestly. "You're right, Mr. Bunwald. I'll do better."

As the teacher's watch beeped, signaling their time was up, he climbed back into his capsule. "Remember, don't be late for tomorrow's session in Beta."

Tom left the office, the teacher's advice echoing in his mind. "What will he think when he finds out I already picked a class without consulting anyone?" he wondered.

At home, Tom reheated leftovers from the fridge and checked the forums before logging into Beta. Seeing no new interest in Pech's potions and remembering Pech's recent mood, he decided to skip visiting him today.

As he prepared to dive back into the game, a thought lingered in his mind: "Didn't Pech mention something about the Darkness?"

Tom began his search in the forums by typing "Darkness," hoping to find some clues. Instead, he stumbled upon a collection of cosplays. Though irrelevant, he decided to bookmark the page, just in case his research led him back here. For now, he resolved to ask Pablo later if he knew anything about it.

With a few hours to spare before his tavern shift, Tom decided to revisit the kobold cave. Thanks to his slightly increased agility compared to the day before, he managed to reach the cave in just 50 minutes.

This time, Tom exercised more caution. Using the identification lens, he could quickly determine which kobolds to target and which pelts were worth taking. The lens saved him a lot of time and effort, allowing him to avoid unnecessary risks. Additionally, his new spatial pouch meant he no longer needed to lug around a massive sack everywhere. However, before heading back to town, he transferred the pelts into a regular sack. After all, he didn't want to raise suspicion by pulling items out of thin air.

After dropping off the pelts at Casper's shop, Tom noticed something unusual on his way to the tavern since there were significantly more soldiers patrolling the city than usual. This only fueled his curiosity about the so-called "Darkness." Was this increased security somehow connected?

When Tom arrived at the tavern, he was met with an unexpected surprise.

"Hey, BOY!" someone called out.

Looking over, Tom saw Dickson and his friends gathered near the entrance. Though still grateful for their help, Tom couldn't ignore the question on his mind.

"Don't you guys still have a few days left on your ban?" he asked.

Dickson and his group laughed heartily. "Oh, come on," one of them said. "Pablo could never stay mad at his best customers for long. We spend way too much here, haha!"

Just then, Pablo emerged carrying a tray full of drinks. He overheard the comment and couldn't resist chiming in.

"If you paid half as much as you claim, I'd have retired years ago, you loudmouths!" he shot back with a grin.

The table erupted in laughter, and even Tom and Pablo joined in. The mood was light and carefree until Tom innocently asked: "By the way, have you guys ever heard of something called the Darkness?"

The atmosphere shifted in an instant. It was as if he had uttered a forbidden word. The laughter stopped, and everyone froze, staring at him with wide eyes.

Pablo's expression darkened as he reached out and gripped Tom's shoulder with a firmness that was borderline painful. "Where did you hear that, boy?!" His voice was low and tense, his brow furrowed in a way Tom had never seen before. Not even when the tavern had been wrecked during the bar brawl.

"I… I overheard someone say, "The Darkness is coming". I didn't think much of it, but then I saw all the extra guards patrolling the city… I…I don't know anything else!" Tom stammered, his voice faltering under Pablo's intense gaze.

Pablo glanced around the tavern, ensuring no one else was eavesdropping. Then, without a word, he motioned for everyone to follow him. His gesture left no room for argument.

They moved to a secluded room at the back of the tavern. Pablo closed the door firmly behind them, the heavy click of the lock amplifying the tension in the room. Tom's nerves were on edge. What have I gotten myself into? he thought.

Dickson broke the uneasy silence. "He's going to find out sooner or later. Might as well tell him now."

Pablo's face was grim as he nodded. His voice was heavy, carrying the weight of old wounds. "Tell him."

One of Dickson's companions stepped forward. "The Darkness... it refers to the undead faction," he explained. "For the past year, the frontline between the human and undead domains has been steadily pushed back. It's only a day's march from this city now, right at the edge of the territories."

The words hit Tom like a blow. He blinked in shock. "But... why isn't anyone talking about this? Why keep it a secret?"

The man sighed deeply. "What do you think would happen if people knew? As soon as rumors spread, panic would follow. Citizens would flee westward, leaving the city crippled. The economy would collapse. With no food production, no weapons, no infrastructure. It would make this city a sitting duck, and the undead would overrun it. Everyone left behind would die, and the frontline would shift even further into human territory."

Tom's stomach churned. The reality of it all began to sink in. "Then how do you know about this?" he asked hesitantly.

No one answered. The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating. Finally, Pablo stood up and walked out of the room without a word. Tom stared after him, confused and uneasy.

It was Dickson who broke the silence. "We're not just random drunks, boy. We all came from a city east of here, around a week's march away. Twenty years ago, we lived normal lives there. I was in the city guard, along with these men. Pablo was part of a supply team, tasked with transporting food." His voice grew heavier as he spoke. "What's happening here now... it's exactly what happened to our city back then."

Tom frowned. "But you survived, didn't you? Why is Pablo so angry about it?"

One of Dickson's comrades spoke up, his tone grim. "What do you think is the first to fall when a city is attacked?"

Tom hesitated. "The citizens?"

The man shook his head. "No. It's the soldiers. The ones standing between the monsters and the people."

The pieces fell into place in Tom's mind, and the realization hit him like a hammer. "Then how did you…"

Dickson's voice was low, almost a whisper. "We deserted."

The admission hung heavy in the air. "We were only 18 years old back then. We joined the army thinking we could protect our city. But when the west gate fell, we abandoned our armor and ran. We left everything behind."

Tom's breath caught in his throat. For the first time, he understood the crushing guilt these men carried. "And Pablo?" he asked softly.

Dickson's face darkened further. "We all lost our families that day. But Pablo… he watched his little brother die right in front of him."

Tom's words caught in his throat, and the room was engulfed in silence. The weight of the past pressed down on all of them, suffocating and unrelenting. No one spoke for several minutes.