Be:
Year 1 - 2024 - shortly after neutralizing the storm
“… how do you have so many emeralds on you all the time?” came a message on my server’s chat.
I rolled my eyes. “I’m using the beryllium badge effect, duh.”
Yep. This is what happens every single time I decide to go online multiplayer with any of my friends. The chat box pinged again, this time with a string of laughing emojis from Nick, who never seemed to tire of poking fun at my in-game strategies. “Beryllium badge effect, sure. And I suppose those aren’t cheat codes you’re using to build your fortress?”
I smirked, my fingers flying over the keyboard. “No cheat codes needed when you have elemental powers on your side. Besides, it’s called strategy, Nick. Maybe you should try it sometime.”
As Beryl, my online avatar, I navigated through the pixelated world with ease, the emeralds in my inventory glowing with an ethereal light. The Elemental Edition of the game allowed for some creative liberties, and I had taken full advantage of them, incorporating elements of my real-life studies into the virtual realm.
My screen split into two as I opened another window to check the server stats. Everything was running smoothly, no lag, no glitches. Perfect conditions for the upcoming in-game event. I typed a quick command to summon a golem, watching with satisfaction as the creature formed from blocks and came to life, ready to defend my territory.
“Alright, team,” I announced in the voice chat, “let’s get ready for the raid. Remember, we’re not just here to win; we’re here to learn. Each block, each item has its own properties. Use them wisely.”
Gallus’s voice came through my headphones, calm and collected. “Got it, Thalia. I’ll handle the defense mechanisms. Oddly enough, I have way too many iron blocks and pumpkins…”
“And I’ll take care of the aerial support,” chimed in Selena. “Since I’m the only one who has a farm for gunpowder, paper and stuff.”
“Right, but I can just raid it…” Aurelia replied. I could imagine her smirk.
“Oh, shut up, Aurelia,” Selena said with a groan, not into her mic, yet the mic picked it up. I assume it was said directly to Aurelia, seated on the bed next to hers.
Lead, who had been silently observing our banter, finally spoke up. “You guys never cease to amaze and/or amuse me, you know that?” He too, was using an original character, named Neon Berlin, a character who wielded neon and germanium.
I chuckled slightly, barely audible to the others. “Trust me, we never will.”
“Though, I wonder…” Nick mused, a distant tone in his voice, “how did you two meet? You guys were dates to the ball, but… before that.”
“I wouldn’t really say dates…” Lead began, “but our friendship is a pretty weird one. Don’t laugh. We met online… on a role-play server.”
I couldn’t help but cringe slightly as I imagined how my friends would react, but they all seemed silent, save for a few snickers from Aurelia. I didn’t mind though. She’s my oldest friend, and we used to laugh at each other as if there are jokes written on each other’s faces.
“It was before college started. I was using my OC, Beryl, while he was playing as Neon. On the server, I found out that Neon was supposed to be a dropout from Elemental University, studying Hardware Engineering.” I explained, remembering the days spent in front of my laptop writing up odd world drafts for this little world we group of strangers had created. “There were others, but somehow Lead and I seemed to really connect more than the others.”
He clarified, “Beryl and Neon are lovers. While she took on a more… academic path, he dropped out. They have a history together, so we ended up talking more than the others.”
“Yeah. Soon I asked him more about the Elemental thing and told him jokingly that I’m also doing Hardware Engineering in real life. Then he revealed that he also got accepted into Elemental University in elemental manipulation.” I continued, my enthusiasm almost at its peak.
“Wow, you did not tell me all this, Thalia!” Aurelia commented. “So, we gotta talk about that later.”
“But we never got each other’s names until college itself started. I noticed Nick rushing into the girls’ dorms while I was texting. He asked if anybody wielded oxygen - specifically, someone who could heal Gallus. I was naturally concerned, so I went over there to ask what had happened.” I went on, before being continued by Lead.
“I was the first person she saw, so she asked me what was going on. I had no idea at the time. Soon, somehow, she suddenly noticed that I was in the middle of a text conversation.” he said sheepishly. “With her. And just like that, we became friends. I mean, we already were, but… now we knew each other in real life as well.”
“What about the dates-to-the-ball thing?” Selena spoke up. “Is there more going on between you two?”
“Not at all! We decided to go together just for fun.” Lead answered her. “Because that’s what Beryl and Neon would do.”
I frowned slightly, but knew I’d snap out of it. After all, I’m not like my original character, falling for some guy I met online... even if we do know each other for real now. Any and all romance will remain confined to our original characters.
As the raid commenced, I glanced at the screen. Beryl and Neon fought side by side, their elemental powers merging. Lead’s voice echoed through the headphones, and I smiled. Our friendship was a blend of code and chemistry, pixels and passion. The server had given us more than a game last year—it had gifted us a lifelong adventure.
ns 15.158.10.207da2
