It had been only two weeks since the MMORPG game called the Chronicles of Aldridge Mages came out and the entire world had already gotten amassed into it.
It is a game focused on simple mages from the kingdom of Aldridge taking on a journey to become the strongest person in the land.
Of course, the game supported multiplayers with various distinct characters, personality, powers and ranks. It was only two weeks old, yet it had grossed over a billion in market value.
Having over five million active players world wide, every single day. Teens from age thirteen to adults of age twenty-eight, were those recognized as the most active players.
There was no kid at the moment who wouldn’t want to play the game since everyone was indeed playing it, and Derek was no exception.
In a room of about one hundred and thirty square feet, there were two sofas facing each other separated only by a small glass table.
On the ground where the glass table stood was a small shaggy square shaped rug. It was about the same size as the table, so small that it didn’t reach either of the sofas at each side of the glass table.
The room was designed to be a living room even though the size was relatively small. It was well decorated with wallpapers and pictures that nearly covered the entire area of the wall where a flat screen television hung.
"Oh no, no, no, come and support me, I am about to die, no!!"
The words echoed throughout the living room as Derek was seated upside down. His legs rested on top of a sofa while his back was on the ground close to the glass table at the center.
He had his hands above his face, holding a PX7 portal remote, playing the now popular game, Chronicles of Aldridge Mages.
With jet-black black hair and crimson eyes he stared at the game portal remote in his hand with a displeased expression.
"Tsk, I died!" Derek clicked his tongue in disappointment while he removed his legs away from the sofa and sat upright. His back now leaning on the sofa.
"I have told these guys to always back me up when I am facing the midnight boss, they never listen. Now I have to start from floor once again."
The expression on Derek’s face became more disenchanted as he knew the difficulty that came with playing Chronicles of Aldridge Mages.
It wasn’t just a popular game because of its unique storyline and distinct characters, but because of how difficult and challenging it was to progress.
Even though this was indeed a problem that most players already hated, it was still one of the reasons why they enjoyed it.
Derek raised his left hand to the top of his head scratching his rough hair that looks as if it hadn’t been combed for ages.
At that moment, the door opposite to the sofa
Just then, the door opposite the sofa across him cracked opened and a woman in her early seventies entered the living room, carrying a knife dripping in red.
"If you don’t bring the entire building down, you wouldn’t learn to stop shouting like that." The woman said with a concerned expression on her face.
Upon hearing her voice, Derek raised his head. With his left hand still on his head, his lips curved up into an innocent smile as he apologized. "Oh sorry grandmother. Did I disturb you?"
Grandmother gave him an expression that indicated that he was definitely disturbing. Otherwise why would she utter such words?
"You will only learn when it actually happens. Ever since you got that game, it is as if you and the universe are having a battle."
Derek stood up from the ground, his left hand supporting him by leaning on the sofa.
He dropped the px7 portal remote on the glass table, with the game was still on, and walked towards his grandmother.
"Don’t worry, there is no way the building will fall. My voice is not a speaker that will cause such destruction. Let me help you with that."
Derek reached out to take the knife that she was holding in her hand, but she refused him, saying... "Have you had your bath today?"
Derek paused.
Grandmother’s gaze shifted past him to a clock that was hung away on the wall. "It is already past noon and you haven’t taken your bath?"
There was a sense of anger in her tone as if ready to dash him and Derek knew not to say anything that would incite that anger because he knew he was guilty.
Heh, if she knew that I haven’t bathed for two days she would be more furious. I better not give myself out... Derek mumbled within himself while a slight smile of guilt played on his face.
He was careful to hover his hands above the knife which she was holding so it wasn’t sent flying towards the wrong direction.
Grandmother knows how to do some crazy things when she’s angry... Derek backed up a little, his eyes still on his grandmother.
He turned away and was about to run when he heard her stern voice.
"Hold on there!"
Damn, I’m finished... He thought within.
Derek turned around and saw his grandmother placing her other hand which wasn’t holding anything, inside the pocket of the long gown she was wearing.
"Take. We are out of tomatoes. Go get some and be quick about it. That’s the last thing I’m putting into the stew." Grandmother said, holding a couple notes in her hand.
So that’s what the knife is stained with? Hold on, this could be a trap...
Derek approached grandmother carefully. With the knife still in her hand, danger was still real.
However, there was nothing to it. Derek collected the notes off her hand and said, when he realized that this day wasn’t going to be his last. "I’ll be back in a flash."
Grandmother went back into the kitchen without uttering a word. Meanwhile, Derek walked towards the corridor, in the entryway to put on his sandals.
The corridor of the building was at a corner separated from the living room. The door that led outside the building wasn’t visible if someone was seated at any of the sofas in the living room.
After wearing his sandals, Derek opened the door and left the building.
Grandmother didn’t say how much or the quantity of the tomatoes he needed to buy. However, Derek knew that it was obviously the usual. This made him not to look at the amount of money that was given to him, since he had already concluded that it was going to be the same amount as always.
Derek walked down the street from his house. Every building was identical to each other, even the ones at the other side of the road. It was an experiment conducted by the government to have all houses identical in this part of the country.
After walking for about five minutes, Derek reached the market where he usually buys fresh food and vegetables. It was a local market where it was possible to bargain on the price of things.
Reaching the stall that sells tomatoes, Derek brought out the notes from his pocket and ordered for the usual. Just a fter it had been packed for him, did he noticed that the money which he had been given wasn’t enough to buy the usual.
Did grandmother forget the usual price again? Guess I’ll have to... Derek knew he couldn’t ask for it to be returned and he was left with only one thing... bargain.
..
It took over twenty minutes for Derek to bargain the price with the amount he had with him, and after several talks on lowering the price he actually succeeded.
"That was a whole lot. I can’t believe Grandmother made me do this."
Derek left the market and began heading home. As soon as he got home, he opened the door and was about to enter when he saw, in the entryway, two pairs of black shoes arranged together.
What? Is there someone inside? Was grandmother expecting visitors?... Puzzled, Derek questioned within, as he knew that it wasn’t possible for his grandmother to be expecting any visitors.
Grandmother doesn’t have visitors, the only person that has ever visited was her friend from two years ago, and that was only once. Regardless, these aren’t women’s shoes, they are men’s... Realizing this, Derek closed the door without making a sound, then walked slowly like a thief into the corridor.
He was just about to come out, when he heard the words proclaimed.
"I’ve already told you, there is no one here that fits your description!"
He paused.
That voice just now, it was grandmother’s. But who is she talking to, and what about a person that doesn’t fit a description?... Derek was wise enough to stay hidden and listen.
Since the corridor of the building was at a corner separated from the living room, where whoever was inside the living room couldn’t see the door that led outside, Derek used this as an advantage not to be noticed.
He leaned on the wall and moved closely, putting out his head just enough to get a glimpse of who grandmother was talking to.
As the living room came into his view, Derek saw two men, all in black. They wore black suits, black trousers and black ties. They were men in black.
While seated, they backed the corridor so it was impossible to notice him.
Who are those men? And why are they dressed in black?... Derek was perplexed by this and wondered in his heart... Are they the government? CIA? Or rather, private investigators?
In the past years, Derek had made it his life mission to focus on these kinds of people. He monitored and studied them as much as he could.
This was because... Ten years ago, his parents had been taken away from him and so he had been living with his grandmother ever since. After asking her about their return 299 times and got no solid answer, he made his life’s mission to look for them himself.
But that’s not possible, we haven’t done anything that would attract attention, this is a new apartment that grandmother chose nine years ago, and we have been living here ever since... Derek was deep in thoughts when he heard a thick masculine voice that seemed to have gone through a lot in life, speak.
"I don’t believe we are wrong ma’am, but if you say so. We will be taking our leave right now."
Derek placed his head out once more after hearing this voice speak.
The one that just spoke now, it’s the man in the over there isn’t it?... His eyes scanned the room and landed on the hands of the man that was speaking, and was certain.
At this moment, grandmother, who was facing these men, and could see the path to the corridor, raised her eyes up and immediately caught a glimpse of Derek. Seeing this, Derek quickly removed himself away from being visible.
Grandmother just saw me. Should I come out?... The thought crossed Derek’s mind but as soon as he wanted to come out, both men stood up while the one with the voice that seemed to have gone through a lot in life, spoke.
"If you ever see someone that fits our description, please give us a call." The man dropped his card on the table, looking at grandmother with a rather suspicious expression.
However, she didn’t flinch and only stood up to show them the way out.
Derek didn’t know the description of the person they were seeking, since he didn’t hear that part after he came in. This, however, made him puzzled. But with the words that his grandmother uttered when he came in, he was sure they were looking for someone.
If it isn’t grandmother they are looking for, then, am I the one?... Derek couldn’t think about this for long as he noticed the men approaching.
At that moment, he swiftly opened the door behind him and made his way outside. In that same second, both men in back reached the entryway and began wearing their shoes, while grandmother stood behind them.
Grandmother, who had seen Derek a while ago, was stunned not to see him here again. But she had already guessed he went outside.
Both men finished putting on their shoes and bade grandmother farewell. They turned around to open the door, and at that moment, to their surprise, the door opened by itself.
Derek walked into the building like it was his first time. His head was down, which made him bump into one of the men. "Oh sorry." He apologized, and quickly entered the living room without looking up.