Prolog

  My eyes opened slowly. The room was warm and sunshine streamed in from a nearby open window. I sat up and the straw of the pallet rustled underneath me. I looked down to see I was dressed in a rough cloth shirt. Simple cloth pants were rolled at the ankle. Looking around, I saw a pair of worn leather boots beside the pallet.

  I sat up and swung my feet over the side of the raised bedstead and reached down to grab the boots. I pulled them on and then rose smoothly to my feet.

  A part of my brain felt that this movement was unusual for me. I wondered for a moment how getting up in the morning could be unusual.

  I walked over and looked outside the window. I took in the smells of early morning and the sounds of birds near the farmhouse.

  My fingers gripped the windowsill as I saw a young woman walking below me. She was heading away from me carrying a heavy wooden bucket towards the barn.

  The sun was barely up, but I knew I had chores to do today.

  I turned back towards the bed.

  “Please return to the bed and lie down”, said a soft female voice. I knew the voice was coming from inside me and meant for my hearing alone.

  I complied, laying down and making myself comfortable.

  “Close your eyes,” said the voice.

  My eyes shut.

  “We are returning now.”

  Hands were touching me. I felt things being removed from my ears and mouth. A weight lifted from my body. My head was raised gently. A thick cord was disconnected from the back of my skull.

  “You can open your eyes,” said the voice.

  I opened my eyes.

  Above me were the white sterile ceiling and walls that screamed hospital. The friendly voice was attached to the face of an attractive doctor. It took a moment before the name came - Dr. Richardson. There were so many doctors I had trouble remembering them all. I started to get up, but…

  Nothing happened. My body sent commands to my muscles, but nothing moved. Memory came crashing back. The accident, the pain, the loss.

  Everyone else had died. Sometimes I wished I had. Now I was trapped, unable to move, in a body that refused to let go.

  “How did you enjoy the sample, Gabriel?” I recognized the voice. It was my lifeline. The mysterious benefactor who had offered me a second chance at a life. He was out of my peripheral vision.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Is that you, Dr. Simmons?” I said.

  “Yes. Try to activate your new display,” he replied.

  I issued a mental command and an image appeared in my vision. It resembled a translucent game screen.

  I imagined typing, and the words appeared as I thought them.

  “It was incredible. Totally lifelike. I couldn’t remember who I was or how I got there. But I was totally in the moment. All the senses were completely realistic, just the way I remember them.”

  “Excellent!” said Simmons. “That’s because the actions are based on your actual memories. It should feel exactly how you felt - before your accident.”

  “When can we get started?” I mentally typed, trying to sound casual. It was hard to keep the impatience out of my face.

  Another smile crossed Dr. Richardson’s face. “I’m glad you accepted the transition so well. We can begin the process of repair as soon as you decide on the venue you wish to spend your recovery in.”

  “Venue?” I asked.

  Her smile broadened.

  “Yes, Mr. Mason. We have several scenarios that you can take part in while you recover and we repair the damage to your body. You have excellent stem cells and they will provide the basis for new neural links between your brain and the rest of your body.”

  She sighed. “It will take time for your spinal cord separation to be repaired. However, the system will provide you with things to do while you are essentially in stasis.

  “As you engage in activities in the simulation, we will map the neural activity to the nerves and muscles in your body. We will also maintain and rebuild your muscles, strengthening them in line with your activities in the simulation so that when you finally emerge, they will be properly integrated.”

  “So, if I exercise in the simulation, I will build back muscle in the actual body?”

  “Correct. You have lost muscle mass since the accident, so we will be operating on a curve to bring your actual body up to the standard of your virtual one. Eventually, they will be in sync, but since you will use older memories initially, they will only form a basis. Things might feel awkward. You might have some minor balance issues, but they should go away quickly. In fact, the more activities you engage with in the simulation, the better your recovery will progress. The AI chip in the implant will provide you with a feedback connection and the special contact lenses will provide the visual feedback naturally.”

  Her face became more businesslike.

  “Most people take a vacation and travel the world. They visit places they have always wanted to see.” I heard a click as she tapped a key on a keyboard I couldn’t see. On my screen, a list of places appeared on my screen. I scanned the list.

  I frowned. I’d been to most of these places before the accident. The few that I had not visited held no interest in. However, as I scanned down the list, I caught one new entry at the bottom with an asterisk next to it.

  “Artifacts Online? Isn’t that a virtual reality game?”

  “Correct. Money from the Artifacts Online game actually pays for the research which funds this hospital.”

  “So I can play a game while my body heals?”

  The doctor nodded.

  “That’s correct. The connection is new and experimental. You live as a character in the game until you are repaired.”

  “Actually, the simulation you were in was from the game.” She added.

  “Can I explore and do magic?” I said.

  I heard male laughter.

  “Oh yes! You can become any class that is possible in the regular game. However, in order for the mapping to work correctly, you must be a human.”

  “And,” Dr. Richardson added with a wink, “for the same reason, you enter as a man.”

  If my body worked better, I would have blushed.

  Simmons spoke.

  “Also, skills learned in the game will be translated to the outside world… except for magic, of course.”

  “Sounds like a lot better option than lying on a beach for a couple months,” I said, “But I’ve never played the game.”

  Dr. Richardson spoke. “We can provide you with an in-game guide. It will teach you how to use the interface, monitor your progress, make suggestions, and keep you company while you play.”

  “OK,” I said, “That’s what I want.”

  He paused.

  “As fast as possible. The quicker I can leave this bed, the better.”

  The doctor smiled.

  “Signing the release forms on the screen will allow us to begin. We should be ready to go with the preliminary setup by the end of the day.”