Download complete. Ready to launch.
"It's done," I muttered. My thumb hovered over the icon on my phone screen. "It's actually done. Twelve years of waiting and a developer bankruptcy. But Chronicles of Odengarde VI is finally installed on my PC."
Gabe walked beside me down the campus sidewalk. He let out a low whistle. "I still don't believe it. I feel like you're going to boot it up and get a virus."
"Don't jinx it," I told him. I shoved my phone into my hoodie pocket. "I've been waiting for this since we were nine. Remember that sleepover at your place? We stayed up until four in the morning trying to beat the Water Temple boss. Your mom came in and unplugged the console."
Gabe laughed. "I still have trauma from that level. But yeah, the hype is real. I saw the trailer. The magic system looks completely different."
"They brought back the dual-class mechanics," I said. I picked up my pace. The wind was cold, but I barely noticed. Mentally, I was already sitting in my chair with my headset on. "I'm rolling a Spell-Sword. It's non-negotiable."
"You always play Spell-Sword."
Maya had been walking behind us with her face buried in a textbook. She finally looked up, adjusted her glasses, and glared at me. "You know what else is non-negotiable? Our Organic Chemistry final on Monday."
I groaned. My fantasy bubble popped right then and there. "Maya, why? Why do you have to ruin this for me? I was happy."
"If you fail O-Chem, you lose your scholarship. If you lose your scholarship, you drop out. Then you can't afford the subscription fee for your game." She tapped the cover of her book. "Benzene rings, Julian. Nucleophilic substitution. Do you remember any of it?"
"I know a carbon has four valence electrons," I said weakly.
Gabe snorted. "You're dead, bro."
"I studied all week!" I tried to defend myself, but it was a weak excuse. "I just need a break. It's Friday night. The servers just went live. I'm going to play for two hours. Just to create my character and clear the tutorial. Then I'll study. I swear."
Maya sighed. We stopped at the crosswalk. The dorms were to the left, and my apartment was to the right.
"Two hours," Maya said. "Set a timer. I'm serious. Velasquez fails people for fun."
"I promise," I said. "Two hours. Then I'll study."
"Good luck," Gabe said. He held out his fist. I bumped it. "I'm stuck at the library until midnight. Text me if the game's any good."
"Will do."
I watched them walk toward the dorms. They were good friends. They remembered the old games, and they made sure you didn't ruin your life.
I turned toward my apartment. My excitement came rushing back. I could practically hear the opening music. I remembered the feeling of the fifth game. The world was completely alien. Everything felt exciting, exploring the different regions, upgrading your weapons, even talking to the NPCs, and, of course, life was simple in Odengarde. You worked hard, and you leveled up.
In the real world, you could study for weeks and still fail an exam because of one stupid question.
Just two hours, I told myself. I needed to get the nostalgia out of my system before I tackled chemistry.
I reached the intersection near my apartment. The walk sign was blinking white. I stepped off the curb. I wondered if the sequel kept the old crafting system. I hoped the elves weren't as annoying this time around.
I pulled my phone out to check the game's server status one last time.
Server Status: ONLINE (Low Latency).
I grinned. Perfect.
I didn't hear the squeal of tires until it was too late. I didn't even see the truck. The driver had run a red light.
All I registered was a blinding flash to my left. An engine roared.
Then the world spun.
A sharp pain hit me, and then I felt completely weightless. The cold pavement and the chemistry final vanished into darkness.
My last thought wasn't about the exam. It wasn't about my scholarship, either.
I didn't even get to character creation.
The last thing I saw was that low latency notification.
At least the connection was good while I died.