Reality overload

The hatch of the pod hissed shut, sealing me in with a soft metallic thunk. A low hum vibrated through the padding beneath me as the system booted, lights flickering like distant stars. 

My limbs grew heavy, consciousness slipping as the machine took over…

I was standing in the cave again.

Cold air brushed against my skin, sharper than I remembered. I looked down at myself… and immediately felt it again.

That weight.

That subtle bounce when I breathed.

That presence sitting on my chest like a reminder I never asked for.

A chill crept up my cheeks, blooming into cold embarrassment.

“…okay, it’s fine,” I muttered to myself. “It’s just… physics. It’s not weird. It’s just… anatomy. Temporary anatomy… until I thought of the changes IRL. Totally normal to… check. For… balance. For gameplay reasons.”

My hand hovered upward.

And I thought better of it.

“NOPE… what am I thinking!?!? Get a grip, Kris!!!”

My fingers inched closer anyway.

“Aaah— nonono.” I smacked my cheeks, leaving a little redness behind.

“I mean… it’s not weird. It’s literally just adjusting my equipment fit. People do that all the time. It’s—”

FLASH.

Two pillars of light burst into existence.

I froze mid‑motion, hand suspended in the air like I’d been caught stealing cookies.

Riley and Charlie materialized, blinking as the login haze faded.

They looked around.

Then they saw me.

My hand was still hovering near my chest.

I dropped it so fast I nearly dislocated my shoulder.

“H‑hey guys!” I blurted, voice cracking. “Goblins didn’t respawn! Lucky us!”

They stared.

Hard.

Riley’s eyebrows rose.

Charlie’s eyes narrowed like a hawk spotting a rabbit.

I could feel the judgment radiating off them.

“I WASN’T DOING ANYTHING,” I said immediately.

They hadn’t even spoken yet.

Charlie stepped closer, slow and predatory. “Kris… what exactly were you just doing?”

“NOTHING.”

Riley leaned in. “It looked like you were about to—”

“I WASN’T TOUCHING ANYTHING.”

“You totally were,” they said in perfect unison.

My soul left my body. “I swear I— it’s not what it looks like!!!”

They didn’t answer.

They charged.

“AAAH— hey— hey— personal space—!”

Charlie wrapped me in a hug so tight I squeaked. Riley grabbed my shoulders like she was inspecting a rare collectible.

“Aaah, I forgot how cute you are, Kris!” Charlie cooed.

“You’re like a little fairy,” Riley added, absolutely delighted.

I deadpanned, letting them get it out of their system before slipping away like an eel escaping a fisherman’s net.

“Okay… okay. Enough. We need to head to Hilguard. It’s at least a thirty‑minute walk through that creepy forest.”

“Wait,” Riley said, already prowling toward the shattered crates. “I need to check for loot now that this place isn’t a frozen death trap.”

Charlie shot her a glare sharp enough to make a boulder apologize.

“Hehe… sorry, too soon?”

“Well hurry up. The village of doom and gloom awaits.”

Then she turned to me, eyes narrowing.

“Kris… why aren’t you wearing your new gear? It’s important for your stats.”

She didn’t care about stats.

She just wanted to see me in it.

I sighed and opened my inventory. There was a quest item, Husband’s Memento.

“Oh… that’s right. I remember there being a side quest when that lady came up to me.” My thoughts drifted back to the town and the widow. “I need to remember to talk to her before we leave Hilguard.”

“Ah, that’s right… here. This one’s actually for your class.” I handed Charlie the sun pendant. “Boosts healing and willpower.”

Her eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. “Really?” She equipped it instantly. “Oh wow!! Plus 2 to willpower, 5% holy damage, and plus 1 to agility. Oh! And there’s a bonus perk for healers, 10% cooldown reduction? Kris, this is amazing!”

“It’s a rare item too. I got it from that crazy orc boss.”

She hugged me again. I endured it.

Meanwhile Riley rummaged through crates, making excited little noises whenever she found something that wasn’t complete garbage.

“So…” Charlie said, far too casually.

“Aren’t you going to try on your new gear? You need the stat boost too. What did you get, anyway?”

She was practically vibrating.

I stared at her. “Do I really have to? Isn’t the ice princess armor enough?”

Charlie flicked my forehead.

“Ow… hey! What was that for?!”

“Oh my sweet summer child,” she said, smirking. “We’re not leaving this cave until you put it on.”

“It’s two against one,” Riley added unhelpfully.

Charlie’s expression softened. “Now put your new gear on… every bit helps. We can’t have you triggering another weird cutscene. Plus, I remember a certain deal we had before getting to Hilguard.”

“Shit!!!! I forgot about that.” My stomach did an involuntary roll.

I got a smack upside the head from my big sister.

“Kris. Foul language will not be tolerated.” A vein pulsed on her forehead as she smiled sweetly.

“Aaah..! Sorry, Char.” I reacted automatically. The memory of her forcing us to log out resurfaced. I shivered.

“Uuuh… scary!”

“What was that…!?”

“Nothing, I… I didn’t— that wasn’t— it was nothing. A‑anyways… I died like the rest of you, so how’s that my fault? I didn’t want this!! Plus it was only one skewer. That can’t constitute dressing me up like your personal mannequin, can it?!”

They both stared at me like underpaid interns.

“You might as well give in, baby sister. Your fate is already sealed.” My face paled like the dead. “Now put it on.”

“Don’t call…Uugh… fine I give up, But no comments from either of you.”

Charlie crossed her heart. Riley nodded way too fast.

“We won’t call you cute,” Charlie promised with a smirk.

I exhaled in relief.

“To your face,” Riley added.

“Nope… I’m logging out.”

“No you’re not,” Charlie said, grabbing my arm. “We still need to talk to Hestia….So put it on already so we can go.”

She was right. I swallowed and opened my inventory again.

Like a man about to drown…well, a man in spirit? I equipped the High Elven Circlet.

A halo of frost blossomed around my head. Delicate, crystalline, impossibly elegant. Two twisting branches of icy blue curved toward a downward point above my brows, framing a soft‑glowing azure gem. Not harsh. Not bright. Just… gentle.

A line of text appeared in my vision, but I didn’t get to read it.

Because the gremlins exploded. My trust meter dropped as they did so.

“Oh. My. GOD. Kris, you’re actually a princess now!” Charlie breathed.

“You’re all glittery and beautiful, your princessness!” Riley added.

My face ignited with frost.

“Nope. No. Don’t say that. Don’t—”

Charlie patted my shoulder. “Just accept it. You’re definitely a princess. A princess with… very scuffed armor.”

“Princess Kris of the Scuffed Armor!” Riley declared triumphantly.

“RILEY…!!!”

“What? It’s accurate.”

I deadpanned. “I despise you both.”

“No you don’t,” they said together.

I groaned. “Let’s just get out of here. This place creeps me out. Too many weird things happened here.”

Literally the first day logging in. Ever since, it’s been like I’ve become a cosmic tractor beam for trouble — and Scotty was accurate.

“Yeah, there’s nothing left anyway,” Riley said, holding up a knife that was more rust than metal. “I got like… two silver and a fast pass to a tetanus shot.”

Charlie started toward the tunnel, robes swaying. “We should hurry. I want to get back to the city soon.”

I jogged after her, Riley close behind.

“I also need my armor repaired. I can’t keep walking around like this.”

“That’s an easy fix,” Riley said, pointing at my chest. “Look, it’s self‑repairing. Just slow.”

I glanced down.

Sure enough, the chest plate looked slightly less destroyed. Not by much though.

But enough to give me hope for a fleeting moment.

“Woah… leave it to legendary armor to have a healing factor.”

It took a few minutes until we reached the cave entrance. The morning light hadn’t yet illuminated the west side of the cliff, leaving us stepping out into cool shadows.

Charlie and Riley were slightly ahead of me. My shorter stature forced me to walk fast to keep up.

Why did they have to walk so fast?

Do tall people just… naturally glide? Is that a thing?

“Can you two slow down? This isn’t a race, you know!” Charlie slowed her pace, covering the giggle threatening to escape her.

Riley didn’t even look back, she was already in full ninja mode, slipping between trees like she’d been born in the shadows.

I tightened my grip on my blade.

Great. The creepy forest. Low visibility, weird vibes. Perfect environment for something to jump out and ruin my day again.

The trees creaked overhead, swaying in a wind I couldn’t feel. A faint mist curled around the roots, clinging to my ankles like cold fingers.

“This forest is…” I muttered.

“Scary,” Charlie finished, her voice small. She scanned the surroundings, staff held close. Her fear was obvious.

I reached out and put a hand on her shoulder, giving her a reassuring smile.

“Don’t worry, sis. I’ll freeze anything that comes our way.”

Hopefully before it eats us.

Hopefully before I scream.

Hopefully before another weird cutscene decides to hijack my life.

We walked deeper, the canopy thickening overhead. The light dimmed to a muted haze, like the world was stuck between night and dawn.

A distant howl echoed.

Charlie flinched.

Riley didn’t.

I did.

Nope. Nope. Nope. That was not a friendly howl. That was a “you’re on the menu” howl.

A rustle to our right.

I spun, blade raised.

A level‑one wolf burst from the underbrush its fur matted, eyes glowing faintly.

Before I could even lift my hand to cast, Riley shot out of the shadows like a wraith. One clean slice to the back of its neck, and the wolf dropped instantly.

She flicked the blood off her dagger with a flourish.

“Clear,” she said.

I blinked. “Riley… you didn’t even give me a chance to—”

“You were thinking too loud,” she replied, already moving again.

Thinking too loud? What does that even mean? Do I have a thinking volume? Is that a thing now?

We continued down the narrow path, the forest slowly thinning. The air warmed a little, sunlight finally breaking through the branches in thin golden beams.

My armor creaked softly as it repaired itself, the faint glow of the enchantment pulsing like a heartbeat.

At least something in my life is fixing itself.

Wish it worked on my dignity too.

Charlie walked beside me now, humming under her breath. Riley scouted ahead, her silhouette darting between trees.

The forest opened up at last, revealing a sloping hill and, far in the distance the faint outline of Hilguard’s wooden palisades.

Smoke curled lazily from chimneys. The distant toll of a bell drifted through the air.

A wave of relief washed over me.

“There it is…” I breathed. “Hilguard.”

Charlie smiled softly. “Finally.”

Riley sheathed her daggers. “Let’s hope nothing weird happens before we get there.”

I stared at her. “You had to jinx it huh couldn’t resist the temptation???”

She stared back.

We both knew.

Something weird was absolutely going to happen.

Because it was me.

And weirdness followed me like a lost puppy.

I saw Riley’s face twist in confused panic.

What’s wrong Rile-

The world dissolved—

Then snapped… Hard.

Like someone grabbed the connection mid‑render and twisted.

My stomach lurched. The ground disappeared beneath my feet.

Instead—

White, Endless, blinding white.

A void.

But not Hestia’s void. This one felt… artificial, Sterile, and wrong. My feet touched something solid, but I couldn’t look down.

I couldn’t move.

My body was frozen in place, locked like a mannequin.

Panic surged.

“Wh—what—?”

No sound came out.

My voice didn’t work.

My limbs didn’t work.

My breath hitched, shallow and fast.

Then

Five figures materialized out of the white.

Not NPCs.

Not players.

People.

Real people.

Wearing sleek black suits with glowing blue lines tracing their arms and collars. Their faces were blurred, pixelated, like the system didn’t want me to see them clearly.

One stepped forward.

A man’s voice, filtered and cold:

“Subject 07‑A. A pleaser to meet you… Kris  Hart was it?

My heart slammed against my ribs.

Subject?

07‑A?

What the hell—wait he knew my name!!!!

Another voice, sharper, female

“Identify your point of contact with the In‑Between.”

I tried to speak.

Nothing.

My jaw wouldn’t move.

My lungs felt tight, like invisible hands were squeezing them.

A third figure circled me, scanning me with a floating panel of code.

“Her avatar is unstable.”

“The anomaly is progressing faster than projected,” the woman said.

“We need to know what triggered the divergence.”

The man stepped closer, his blurred face inches from mine.

“Tell us what you encountered in the void.”

I screamed inside my head.

I couldn’t move.

I couldn’t speak.

I couldn’t breathe.

The man’s voice dropped lower.

“Who did you meet?” He snapped his fingers, it was like my jaw had been release.

Who are you people…what’s going on. Why am I he- he snapped his fingers again, and my jaw snapped shut once more.

“We will be the ones asking the questions.”

He fiddled with the holo tab. 

“I’ll run a location diagnostic. It should tell us where the pod is located.”

I began to panic. They were trying to find me?! 

“Something’s wrong… I’m being blocked? Impossible. Let me try again.” 

The white space trembled. Before he could move. A faint warmth brushed my cheek.

The devs froze.

The air thickened, shimmering like molten gold.

A voice Soft Warm,And furious. Exploded into being

“YOU TRESPASS.”

The white void cracked like glass.

The devs staggered back as golden fire erupted in the air, swirling into a shape—

A silhouette a woman made of light and galaxies… no a Goddess

Hestia.

But not the calm, cryptic version. This was Hestia in full divine wrath. Her voice shook the space.

“YOU DARE TO BIND MY CHILD?”

The devs scrambled, code screens flickering wildly.

“Emergency override—!”

“Cut the connection—!”

“She shouldn’t be able to—!”

“Abort—ABORT—!”

Hestia raised a hand, and the entire space froze.

Not like I had been frozen. This was different. This was domination.

Her presence pressed against my skin, warm and overwhelming. My breath returned in a rush, and I gasped, collapsing to my knees as control flooded back into my limbs.

Hestia stepped between me and the devs, her form blazing brighter.

“YOU HAVE MEDDLED WITH THE THREADS OF CAUSALITY.”

Her voice echoed like a thousand bells.

“YOU HAVE BROKEN WHAT SHOULD NEVER BE TOUCHED.”

The devs tried to speak, but their voices glitched, distorted.

Hestia’s flames flared.

“THIS CHILD IS MINE.”

My heart stopped.

Child?

Mine?

She turned her head slightly, and though her face was made of light, I felt her eyes on me.

“MY…CHILD.”

The devs recoiled as if struck.

Hestia faced them again.

“IF YOU CONTINUE TO TAMPER WITH THE VEIL BETWEEN WORLDS…”

The space darkened. Her flames turned blue.

Cold, and deadly.

“…I WILL BE THE LEAST OF YOUR WORRIES.”

The devs vanished.

Erased.

The white void shattered—

And the world of Divine Law Online rushed up around me.

Grass.

Wind.

Sky.

I collapsed onto solid ground, trembling.

I looked up, And Hestia was standing before me. Real tangible, and looking like a mother seeing her daughter.

“Oh crap this is bad.”