I wanted to make this better, but I suppose this is ok.

GAMEOVER

Chapter 4 [Worlds Apart]

~~~~~

Adam slowly sat up without a word. He placed a hand on his forehead, he was still a little confused at what had happened. Jason peered into Adam's eyes and searched his face with curiosity.

"So....?" Jason started.

Adam looked at him blankly, "Huh?"

Jason's face twitched in annoyance, "How was it? Tell me what you experienced, anything seemed odd. Possible things I should fix?"

"Oh..." Adam thought for a moment, "Well, I heard voices. An argument, not sure. I've never heard those voices before, and I heard something that I think was supposed to be a name, but it was garbled and hard to hear."

Jason made a funny face, "I'm talking about the respawn, I don't need those trivial details!"

Adam flinched, "Right, sorry. It was fine. I pressed the button and woke up here, It was..." Adam paused, what was it like? Honestly it felt so weird to be here. Seriously, he should be dead. He was just a Human rank, he shouldn't be alive. He should be dead, "it was a surreal experience. It feels odd but amazing, dying and coming back to life like this. I honestly can't tell if I'm dreaming or if this is real--" Jason stood up and gave Adam a really hard slap on the back.

"Good! Good! That's great, see I knew my invention would work, they pretty much always do. Well, I'm done with you for now, Dr. Sparklez will explain the after steps, after that do whatever, I don't care just take care of that amulet," Jason waved his hand in a dismissal manner and left the hospital like ward.

That slap caused Adam to snap back into reality and he flinched and watched Jason leave barely a moment after he finished his recount of his experiences.

"Well Mr. Azure, it seems everything is working well for you and the AM77.32 R3sPaWn. I just need to go over a few pointers before I let you go, ok?"

Adam nodded, "Good," she smiled.

"First, as per the contract, you'll be staying here in the AHD base in order to allow us to frequently track your progress and make sure the AM77.32 is in good condition. Preparations for your enrollment into the AHD training program have already been filed, you'll begin Player training as soon as possible in order to increase your abilities to allow for optimal success with the AM77.32--"

"Wait!" Adam interrupted, "Did you say enrollment?" She nodded, "Into the AHD?" She nodded again, "As a Player!?"

"Yes, that is correct--"

"I. Can't. Believe. This!" Adam jumped up and shouted, he pumped his fist in the air as a celebration.

"Oh, a few other things, Jason stresses the importance in wearing that amulet at all times. Never to remove it otherwise it cannot force a respawn should you die. Also, if you look at the back there should be a set of numbers. The current value should be a 09, this represents the number of respawns you have left. Should that reach 0 you'll be a regular human, so work hard to not die." The doctor smiled before turning and leaving Adam in the ward by himself.

Adam felt himself reach for his amulet, his hand wrapped around it's golden frame and he held it up around his neck. The center which was filled with a mysterious purple liquid had been depleted a little, the volume was slightly less. He flipped the amulet over, a black screen that was not transparent from this side, but transparent from the other side had two numbers lit up.

09.

The Doctor was right, the number had changed, and this meant he had 1 less life... It was odd how this felt like a videogame to him. Nonetheless his heart was racing in anticipation of this whole new world that just opened up to him.

A dream that people told him would never come to pass was finally coming true. Here he was amongst legends, future legends, and now...his new team and friends. Adam could begin that life of a hero, that life he always fantasized about and read about in books.

A world he could now experience with his own eyes.

Adam breathed out a huge breath he'd been holding. He sucked in an even larger one, held it there and exhaled. His first breathe of this new life, new start, and new opportunity.

Adam made his way towards the door. He pushed it open and let the sights finally soak in. his eyes shined and he felt his heart beat race even faster.

He took a few steps out and let everything in sight filter in through his greedy eyes that soaked up everything they saw.

"Hey! Hey there! You with the yellow eyes!" Adam perked up. Someone was definitely calling to him. He glanced around until he saw a small group of people sitting by the ravine. Adam pointed to himself and made eye contact with a man with blonde hair.

"Yeah! You, come here!" He waved Adam over and Adam hesitantly walked over.

He approached a group of three people. A guy with blonde hair and a purple sweater. He had one leg stretched out in front of him with the other leg propped up and his arm resting upon his knee. He looked cheery and friendly, Adam's doubts were washed away by one smile the guy flashed.

Next to him was an unusual looking man, he almost would've called him a morvic, but this place trained mainly Players and a few OP's or Exceptions. So this man in front of him was highly likely an Exception, he was covered in purple scale-like-skin from head to tow, a large nose, much like a snout, and a simple dark green tee. He was lazily lying flat on his back sleeping the day away.

The last man never glanced at Adam, curly, sandy hair and soft grey fur, two ears poked out from his head. A bushy tail swayed slightly in the wind. This man sat with his legs over the ravine ledge staring out to the other side. He never turned to look. He was also very likely an Exception.

"H-hi!" Adam shouted and saluted in a silly way. The blondie laughed.

"I'm Jin, you are?"

"A-Adam sir!" These people were talking to him, they were talking to him!

"No need to be formal, we're just recently accepted trainees. The sleeping one is Barney, he's normally louder, but he's knocked himself out from being over-energetic. The quiet one is Ross, he's an odd one."

"Whoa!" Adam awed, "So you guys are trainees!"

"Yeah, aren't you?"

"Well..." Adam rubbed the back of his head, "Kinda. I'm kinda Human, you know...the rank. But the smartest guy in all of Rekrium choose ME to test out his new invention that allows me to respawn like a Player!"

Well, technically, Jason didn't want to spend the time looking for another, more suited candidate, but no need to burst Adam's bubble.

"Oh! That explains a lot," Jin laughed.

"Huh?"

"Normally a Player or an OP wouldn't have screamed as much as you did," Jin laughed.

"Not to mention the blood... Players don't bleed since they leave little trace after death. Instead they dissipate into dust and smoke." Adam listened as a new voice spoke up. It was Ross, he was quiet, his arm was held out and his finger pointed at something farther down the ravine. Large splatter of blood and other gruesome parts that won't be named or described.

Adam stumbled back from the gruesome sight, "Tha-That's me!"

"Yep, Seto just kind of flung you to the wall, it was funny to watch," Jin said.

"I would've liked to see how your amulet functions."

Adam looked at Ross warily, "He's joking" Jin said.

"No I'm not."

Jin punched Ross on the shoulder, "Ow."

"Anyways, sorry if any of that sounded rude, we're just trying to say hello. We've only been here a few days ourselves, so any new faces are welcome with us--"

"Really!" All feelings of suspicion vanished leaving his new friends(?) a bit relieved, well, only Jin. Barney was still sleeping and Ross hardly cared, "So you guys are like real Players, like REAL Players, right?"

"Of course."

"Oh wow, man I wish I could've been born a Player!" Adam fumed. He immediately realized that now he was like a Player.

Adam felt an arm around his shoulder and turned to see Tyler, "Look at you! Already making friends! And you're in one piece." Tyler was without his glasses and carried a fancy box.

"Wait, did you know what Jason would do??"

"No, he keeps specifics like that usually to himself, but knowing Jason it likely was something painful. He's weird like that, solely focused on his work, and hardly does anything else but further his studies." Tyler told Adam before stepping away from him, "Oh! Is there a Ross Owner here?"

"That's me." Ross stood up and walked away from the ravine. He faced Tyler.

"Oh good! I'm sure you know where Jason's building is, you mind taking this cake to him? It'll set a good impression on him of you, your application has been reviewed and though Jason has the final word, I'm sure he'll accept you as his apprentice," Tyler then added with a whisper, "Don't make him mad and bribing him with lots of sweets and coffee is a sure fire way to stay on his good side."

Ross nodded and took the box, "I'll be back later."

"Cool! See ya Ross!" Jin waved and sat back.

"Well, sorry Adam, I have some work to do!" Tyler ran off and traveled down the steep path along the ravine. Adam awed at the ease that Tyler had traveling down the ravine. He watched him quickly cross a bridge and enter into a doorway below.

"So Adam, where do you come from?"

"Oh, the capital," Adam decided to take a seat, the grass was soft and warm from the beating sun above. It was a little past midday.

"Dude! You lived there! I mean it isn't that special, but still neat, how are the parades? I hear they're are spectacular in comparison to my village or the other villages.

"They are! Oh man, it amazes me everytime I see it! The huge and sparkling lights, and the performers, you need to see one!"

"You'll show me around the city sometime?"

"Sure thing!" Adam exclaimed.

"Now if only Barney would wake up..."

"So what do you guys do here? What kind of training?" It was probably something epic. Like going bam bam ba-bam! And whoosh!

"Are you ok?" it took Adam a few moments to realize that Jin was asking him, and even longer to realize he'd been punching the air.

"Yes!" Adam shoved his hands behind his back.

"Ok...well, normally we wake up early morning perform hour long drills before eating. Soon after eating we split into groups to practice team lessons, and then...."

As Jin rambled on, Adam quickly lost focus on what Jin was saying and more on how long of a list it was. This didn't sound epic or cool at all.

"Oh! Afternoon drills are starting soon, why don't you come see for yourself?" Jin stood up, grabbed Adam's arm on the way and yanked him to his feet. He gave a momentary kick to Barney's side who responded with a groan but hardly moved. Jin then dragged Adam away.

"What about Barney?"

"Ah, he'll wake up eventually."

"Oh."

~~~~~

This was exactly how Adam's day began and how he found himself in this hard to leave situation...

Group of Players, maybe 30 at max stood in an orderly line. 6 a row. He was the odd one out, standing on the side, not sure what to expect. More of a bystander or a spectator than a participant.

A woman stood at the front, she raised her arm, and then dropped it down to signal start.

The group of 30 immediately spread apart, keeping room between themselves and another Player. Swords, bows, axes, and all the like appeared in their hands. Before Adam knew it, everyone was fighting each other!

Was this normal?

What if someone got hurt??

What Adam needed to soon realizes was the harsh reality of the world. His first taste of a Player training exercise. The AHD was no place for that of a lowly human--a shrill scream, and explosion of smoke and dust--it was a place where death was frequent in order to survive the never-ending fight against them.

Adam watched one by one the Players killed each other. So much smoke, so much dust, a spray of items, but little trace of the people themselves.

"Wh-what--Why would you do that!" His cry was faint and no one heard it. The last of the Players stood injured and bruised. His triumph noted by the instructor.

"Good job, head to level B7 for care." The Player nodded and limped away. But where...where did everyone else go.

"Adam! There you are!" Adm still trembled but turned slowly to see Jin's waving and grinning face, he was perfectly unharmed "Sorry, did you wait long?"

Jin paused to see Adam's expression, "Are you ok?"

"Why would you do something so... so cruel?"

Jin tilted his head in a confused manner, "I don't understand what you mean. Death is quite normal, enjoyable no, but normal. Come on! We really should wake Barney up!" Jin beckoned for Adam to follow before running back to grab his sword and dashing back towards the spot Barney still slept at.

Adam didn't realize the large chasm that separated his world from theirs. His hero's, the entire kingdom's heroes, were completely different from what he'd believe the entire time. Only that reality hadn't yet settled onto his shoulders.

~~~~~

Well I hope that is good :D

Adam met Jin and Ross, and Barney (?) He also had his first taste of the AHD. O: Oh dear.