Logging off that day had a bitter taste for Klaus, Emma, Jayaa, Andrew and Mingmei. They had practically condemned a friend of theirs to a fate that was hard to believe. This wasn't the final scenario they had imagined at the beginning of the night, but perhaps it was the consequence for killing a god, or perhaps the consequences hadn't even begun yet.
When Klaus came out of the deep immersion capsule, Hollie Rees was awake with a large cup of coffee next to her keyboard. She looked at Klaus with a wistful expression.
"That was..." She said, but couldn't find the right words before Klaus interrupted her.
"You don't have to comfort me, Hollie. I'm fine, as far as I can be." Klaus said, but what was on his face was just a smile that didn't match the look on his face. "Og'tharoz didn't have the perfect ending, but I think we got a good ending for the character. Becoming the King of Hell shouldn't be too annoying a job when you have the soul you loved the most by your side. He'll be fine."
Hollie nodded in agreement.
"Now what? What do you intend to do?" Hollie asked. "The Eye of Hermodr no longer exists, Surtr has been killed and you no longer have any enemies."
"I think it's time I finally played my part as a Psyker. The Eye of Hermodr may no longer exist, but there are many insurgents and the problems caused by them will not be solved easily. Besides, something tells me that the problems with these gods have only just begun."
The caramel-haired woman picked up her coffee mug and handed it to Kaizen. At the same time, she asked:
"Why do you think that?"
"From what Charles Richards told me, I needed to make the decision to either save my friends and kill Surtr, or leave them to die and leave Surtr alive. He also said that killing a god would leave consequences that I may or may not be ready for."
Klaus stood up, placing the empty mug on the table. "I'm part of a guild, I'm not alone. We need to be united and ready for anything. And, above all, we need to be on the lookout for any sign that the gods are up to something."
Hollie smiled, a tired but genuine smile. "You know you can count on me, right?"
Klaus smiled back. "I know. And I appreciate that, Hollie. Now, I think it's time to face the real world for a while."
He said goodbye to Hollie and left the lab, his footsteps echoing in the quiet corridors of the building. As he opened the main door, he was greeted by the bright light of the morning sun. The campus was beginning to wake up, with students moving around slowly, some still yawning and rubbing their eyes, others already immersed in animated conversations.
Klaus took a deep breath, feeling the fresh air fill his lungs. He had spent the whole night playing, immersed in the battles and decisions that would shape the fate of a virtual world. Now, he needed to reconnect with reality, to find a balance between the two worlds he inhabited.
As he walked around the campus, the events of the previous night kept replaying in his mind. Surtr's death, Og'tharoz's transformation, Charles Richards' words... it all seemed like a whirlwind of emotions and uncertainties. But Klaus knew he couldn't allow himself to be consumed by doubts and fears. He had a role to play, both in the virtual world and in the real one.
The sun was high in the sky when Klaus reached the central square of the campus town. Students were spread out on the lawn, some sitting on benches, others lying on the grass, enjoying the first rays of sunshine of the day. Klaus found an empty bench and sat down, allowing himself a moment of rest and reflection.
As soon as he closed his eyes, however, he heard his name called:
"Klaus! Ah, what are you doing here at this hour?"
He opened just one eye and saw Lara Cavalcanti, his companion in the Archery Department.