I slowly take off my helmet. My hands are trembling and I still can’t believe it. What if it’s not just the helmet’s or the game’s fault? What if I lost my immersion ability forever? VR was my only silent place where my mind could relax if I don’t count sleep. And also my source of income.

What will happen to me if it’s permanent? How will I rest when emotions of others overwhelm me? How will I pay for school, my apartment and food? I can’t return to Grandma, that’s out of the question. She has no responsibility towards me anymore, I’m an adult. And she wouldn’t want me back anyway.

I still need two years to finish my studies but they won’t give me any student loan because I have debts already. I’d have to find another work. But how many jobs don’t require any special qualifications? And would I be able to handle it with my telepathy? I guess I could start streaming retro games but there’s considerably less money in that.

My eyes start to water but I bravely hold tears in and cuddle under the blanket. I realise I desperately wish to talk to Erik but at the same time I don’t want him to see me this miserable. I want him to tell me everything’s going to be okay and hold me in his arms. I want to kiss him and forget about the whole mess. But he must be sleeping after his night shift and I don’t want to wake him up. I was selfish yesterday already.

“Uhm, stop,” I clutch my head as if that would actually help to turn off all those leaking emotions around me. I gradually got used to the minds of my neighbours to the point they almost didn’t bother me anymore but that was before my telepathy levelled up. Everything feels too damn strong now. It’s maddening.

My phone beeps which, thankfully, distracts me.

 YOU’VE BEEN INVITED TO A GROUP CHAT.

 I open my Vortex messenger and find that Liana and Gotrid are online. It’d be a good idea to add my other guild mates but I don’t have their Vortex IDs. I sigh. We’ve been too strict with the code of virtual conduct and never made any attempts to pursue communication outside Draconia. And now, if the game crashes altogether, we’ll lose all contact and that scares me. I do consider them my friends.

Ryuuto (6:43)

Guys, I can’t connect at all. Compatibility failure. My back is red and swollen. Permission to panic?

Liana (6:44)

Don’t. I’m ingame right now but, damn, it’s crappy. Dropped to 65%.

Gotrid (6:45)

60% for me, ingame with Liana.

Ryuuto (6:45)

You’re in?!

Liana (6:46)

Yeah, there’s a way to connect Vortex chat to the ingame messenger. You didn’t know?

I feel stupid. I’ve been using Vortex for years but I’ve never known about that function. Or maybe it was mentioned somewhere when I started using it but I blocked it on purpose because I was afraid people wouldn’t leave me alone and disturb me when playing.

Ryuuto (6:47)

That’s great! Add as many of our guild mates as you can while your immersion still allows you to log in. And other race rulers. Their immersion ability is also over 90% and it seems it drops more quickly for higher levels.

Liana (6:48)

Twyla and Werden contacted me already, we’ll be in touch. Aefener, how did you say it started for you except for fatigue?

Ryuuto (6:48)

Back pain, especially around my shoulder-blades.

Liana (6:49)

Shit. My shoulder-blades started tickling today but I hoped I was just imagining things. What about you, Gotrid?

Gotrid (6:49)

Tiredness so far but I guess it’s just a matter of time.

On one hand, it’s reassuring to hear that I’m not the only one developing symptoms. On the other hand, I wouldn’t wish it to anyone. I shiver and I hide under the blanket completely. Is my room getting colder?

Liana (6:50)

Aefener, what can we expect to come next?

I can’t see their expressions or feel their emotions but I just know they’re freaking out right now. Who wouldn’t be.

Ryuuto (6:51)

Redness, then swelling. Pain in your chest and fever. Also extreme hunger but puking at the same time. Not nice.

USER FEFNIR IS ONLINE.

Fefnir (6:53)

Immersion level 64%, guys. And my tailbone started tickling. I’m literally unable to stop scratching my butt. It’d be funny except it isn’t.

Gotrid (6:54)

What do you make out of it? We feel it in the spot of our virtual wings and Fefnir in a spot of his tail.

Fefnir (6:55)

That we stopped differentiating between the game and reality, the brain got confused and started to do weird shit to our bodies.

Liana (6:55)

I’m not nuts. I can differentiate the game and the real world just fine.

Fefnir (6:56)

Got a better explanation?

Ryuuto (6:57)

What if the VR helmet is powerful enough to do something directly to our brains and get us sick? It was being discussed when the full-dive technology started. People worried that some third party might come up with technology to control VR users.

Liana (6:57)

I smell a conspiracy theory. Besides, other VR users are fine. It’s affecting only players of Draconia. A design fault in the game itself? Maybe they changed something important to implement the upcoming story arc and made a huge mistake that messes with our helmets. Hopefully, it just confused our nervous system.

It seems to be the most reasonable explanation. I’ve never wanted to believe that my Mom’s tumour was caused by her testing VR games all day long, even though, there weren’t that many safety precautions in helmets back then.

Fefnir (7:00)

Well, I was thinking… what about meeting in the real world? I know that normally I shouldn’t be suggesting it but these aren’t normal circumstances. To be honest, I’m freaking out and need to see someone who’s going through the same shit. Also, and don’t take me as a sentimental person, the prospect of our beloved game crashing made me realise how I cherish our ingame friendship. I’d love to meet you, guys, for real. Fuck the code of virtual conduct.

I freeze for a moment. Meeting my ingame friends in the real world is an idea that has never crossed my mind until today. I can almost hear Erik berating me: What are you so afraid of? Right, what am I so afraid of? Overcome it, stupid me! Make some friends in the real world! At least try! I take a deep breath and type back:

Ryuuto (7:02)

Fefnir, you still in Prague?

It was a coincidence that I found out Fefnir is also from Bohemia. Three years ago he was considering different colleges and mentioned Charles University as his option. And then he boasted that he passed entrance exams. We were even talking about meeting IRL back then but I chickened out and Fefnir never brought it up again.

Fefnir (7:02)

Yop. I assume you too?

Gotrid (7:03)

Hey, shouldn’t we go to hospital or something?

Ryuuto (7:04)

No, thank you, I have a phobia of doctors. I’ll rather overcome my social anxiety by meeting you guys than face the white coats.

Fefnir (7:05)

Well, I’m generally fine with doctors but in this case I’m scared shitless. They’d definitely experiment on us.

Liana (7:05)

You watch too many conspiracy movies. They’d most probably just check our brains in a tunnel.

Yes, Liana’s right—that’s most probably what doctors would do. And what I absolutely can’t afford to undergo with my telepathy.

Fefnir (7:06)

You must be scared as well. Don’t play brave, Liana.

Liana stays silent for a while, almost certainly offended. But she’s not the type to stay offended for long because it isn’t efficient. And she’s a master of efficiency.

Liana (7:10)

Okay, let’s meet then. We sure are lucky—I live in Berlin so I can be in Prague around lunch time if I depart right away. I assume you’re both students without a car so I have to travel to you. What about you, Gotrid?

Gotrid (7:11)

I live in New York. T_T Oh, I won’t see my cute Emperor!

I can’t help it and chuckle. He must have done in on purpose to lift the heavy atmosphere a little bit. What a sympathetic flirt he is, I like him.

Fefnir (7:11)

So where shall it be? Preferably somewhere a little intimate but still public and where they serve food. I’m ravenous every two hours and I bet you are as well. Gotrid can stay in touch and we’ll call him when we get there.

Liana (7:12)

I know a good restaurant in Old Town with privacy seating. I go there on business meetings when I visit Prague from time to time. I can be there around eleven.

She sends us the address.

Liana (7:13)

Tell the waiter to take you to the table with the tag Draconia Online. Eat your fill, I’ll pay, no worries. See you there, have to hurry.