There was a rumor.

An urban legend amongst all gamers.

Players all around the world knew about this: they called it the ultimate test for every gamer alive; a test that will determine who will have the chance to live and transcend the world of gaming.

A chance to be a true player. In another world.

The rumors simply started with the sudden disappearances of top performing players in many online gaming platforms around the world. For a while, the case brought fear among the players, deterring others to play any games for the mean time.

But in the midst of fear and panic, a discussion thread sprouted on the internet about some random special quests that suddenly pops up on player's screens while playing some game. No one knew who sent them. All they know is that these random quests can appear in any online game. But there was one similarity with all these quests: the condition for the completion of the quest was so difficult it was almost impossible to accomplish it.

They started to call it “impossible quest”, knowing that no one on the thread claimed to have successfully finished it. Of course, that was limited to people who’ve failed. Thus beg the question:

What if there are those who succeeded in completing it?

And what happened to those who do?

Those simple questions snowballed into theories and possibilities as to what these impossible quests entails. It didn’t take time for everyone to connect this quests to the disappearances of top players around the world. Because─

What if those top players received the quest?

And as impossible as it may be, what if against all the odds, those top players somehow managed to accomplish them?

One thing everyone agreed on is that, while everyone was playing, they were all being evaluated. In the sea of games and players around the world, those who were performing well above the others were called upon, and those impossible quest serves as the test. And with the disappearances of some top players globally, everyone deduced that somehow, those “impossible players” conquered the impossible quest and where taken somewhere; a place one can only imagine. These were all theories. But everyone already considered it as true. It was at that moment that the birth of the urban legend was made.

An urban legend that started the tale of the legendary players who conquered the worlds.

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

"He doesn't have long."

Nash stopped on his track as he overheard the conversation his parents and his doctor was having in the hallway. He felt himself froze as he heard his mother's silent sob, holding it in in hopes he will not hear it somehow, thinking he was still on his bed.

"How much time do we have?" he heard his father asked, his voice firm and composed, yet the trembling of the last word betrayed the facade he was trying to create.

"Days. Weeks if we'll be lucky."

Nash felt his heart stop with the sudden morbid news. His knees buckled as he heard her mother's weeping which was growing a bit louder, even how hard she tried to muffle them.

'Lucky.' Nash pondered with those words. With the life he was living, luck for him only amounts to few days of breathing. He fought the tear that trickled down his eyes as he quietly got back up and made his way back to his bed, struggling to move his feeble body to hide back under the sheets before his parents enter his room.

A couple of minutes after, he heard his door creaked open. He heard their weak footsteps and he acted as if the sound woke him up, turning his whole body towards their direction. His parents smiled the moment their eyes met, so Nash did the same. Nash’s chest tightened as he saw how old and haggard his parent’s faces were. They must’ve had a difficult life because of him and his decrepit body. Their faces obviously forced to look at him with bright expressions, smiling at him, albeit having red and puffy eyes. His mother was bringing a chocolate cake on her hands, lit candles sticking out on the top of it.

"Happy birthday, baby." Nash's mother greeted him, placing the cake on top of the tray laid down in front of him by his father. His mother kissed him in the forehead, now unable to hide the tears as she started crying once again.

"Mom, stop crying! It’s my birthday you know." he tried to console his mother with a forced smile of his own. He wiped the tears off his mother's eyes as she seated herself beside him.

"Happy birthday son." Nash father said after his mother calmed down a bit. Nash smiled sweetly at his father as his hands caressed his head.

"Thanks, dad." Nash said. Then his parents started singing his birthday song, before he blew the candles on top of his cake.

"What did you wish for?" his mother asked him. He wanted to tell them how he wished to continue living for a bit longer, but he knew he couldn’t possibly tell them that. That would break them, and he didn't want to give them any more heartbreak.

"Actually, there is something." Nash told them instead. "Is it possible to bring my capsule here?" Nash meant the gaming capsule he usually used to play Magus Continent. His mother and father looked at each other, hesitating if it was really okay to do that.

"Please?" He pleaded.

"We will have to ask your doctor first, son. But why?" his father asked him.

"I want to play one more time. Even just for the last time." he told them. Those words struck his parents hard, his mother's hand immediately clapped her hand on her mouth, as she tearily watched her son, who was making the request with a wistful eyes.

"I made close friends in my game, you see." Nash continued. "I want to at least properly say good bye to them."

"Oh son." the moment he said those words, his mother attacked him with a tight hug as she finally bawled her eyes without any restraint this time around.

...* * * * *...

“Slowly…”

Nash's father carried Nash from his bed and slowly lowered him in the capsule they just brought this morning. Nash made a small gasp as the cold metal touched his skin. The moment he was cozy inside the machine, his mother kissed his forehead and his father smiled before he closed the lid. Darkness filled Nash and waited as the machine started to vibrate to life. Then lights slowly filled the dark capsule as the scan begun. Then Nash closed his eyes as he heard the electronic voice welcoming him in the world of Magus Continent. Every cell of his body rejoiced as he felt the transition of his consciousness to virtual reality.

Finally, he was back in the world where he was never sick.

Nash opened his eyes and the bustling city of Retsel welcomed him. A faint smile parted his lips as nostalgia hit him. This place never changed. He let his eyes wander and took in the surroundings, thinking it will be the last time he could do so. The sound of the busy streets filled with NPCs and players alike, those small booths and stalls on the side, selling virtual foods and items, the smell of well-made cuisines in the Pigtail’s Diner and the remarkable monstrous fountain installed in the middle of the town, where lovers and tourist enjoy its majesty. The whole game never felt more alive. It even seemed like there were even more players around. Magus Continent was indeed growing bigger. He even wondered how big it will get, and the thought that he’ll never had the chance to see it weighed on his heart. But he immediately pushed the thought away.

'I'm home.' he thought. And that’s what mattered. He’s been gone for a few months so it took a few seconds before he remembered the basics. His hand immediately searched for a button in the air and his status window floated in front of him.

Name: Pan

Class: Saint

LVL: 300

Affiliation: Ego Mortem

His parents were unaware but Nash was one of the top-class players in the game. Like his name which was derived from Panacea, the Greek Goddess of Healing, he was one of the top healers in Magus Continent. Although his long absence deprived him of his former position being the no. 1 healer in the game, his name was still in the leaderboard. Nash hadn’t intended to be in the top and just enjoyed playing the game. But his guild became one of the strongest in the whole of Magus Continent that it became inevitable for them to be on the lead. Reminiscing those days always brought a smile on Nash’s face, even at the darkest of days.

He was still checking his status window when the guild chat suddenly roared with life after a certain someone bombarded the chatroom with messages in CAPSLOCK! It was Adachi, one of his guildmate who was stupid enough to use his real name in the game. He was also Nash’s closest friend in the game: a reckless warrior who often requires healing, which was why he and Nash became friends in the first place.

>Adachi: PAN!

>Adachi: YOU SHITTY BREAD! WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU????!

>Adachi: YOU’VE BEEN GONE FOR TOO LONG!!!

>Adachi: WHERE ARE YOU?

>Adachi: I’M GONNA TEAR YOU FROM LIMB TO LIMB!

Nash, or rather Pan, chuckled heartily with his friend’s antics. The messages of threats and aggressions were then followed by worried messages from his other guild mates. Then not long after, the whole chatroom was filled with banters and fights, which had Adachi in the middle of the ruckus, of course.

“I’m really home.” He thought out loud. Now, if only he could still remember his way to their base.

...* * * * *...

“I caught a burglar lurking around!”

A guard on duty, who could be easily recognized as a newbie, proudly presented the guild officers his new captive: a rather small brunette, who was wearing a royal blue robe and a spellbook way too big for him. One look and anyone would have thought that the captive was definitely not a burglar. He doesn’t even look close to an assassin or a thief class. The other new members of the guild looked pathetically at their new guard recruit, who seemed to be puffing his chest smugly. They were about to laugh at the novice guard and joked about the letting go of the lost kid, when all the guild officers suddenly stood up, stabbing glares directed towards the unsuspecting guard.

“You! Let go of him!” Aria the Queen of Thousand Needles, Magus Continent’s top assassin and one of Ego Mortem’s squad captain roared. The new members gulped as they watched Aria, who usually barely talked, exploded with anger; and the novice guard, who was shaking madly and looked like he was about to soil his pants. He immediately let go of the boy, who was quick to pacify Aria’s anger.

“It’s okay, big sis…it’s no big deal.”

Big sis? The new members thought.

“If the new members couldn’t find it to respect their founding members, don’t you think it’s time for the guild to be abolished to the ground?” A calm yet dangerous voice echoed in the guild hall. There was only one person in the whole guild who would talk ominously like this, and their eyes landed on someone who was casually leaning on one of the building’s pillars. It was Ego Mortem’s guild master himself, Moria. He gazed at the brunette boy whose lips immediately parted into a wide smile.

“It’s been a long time, Pan.” Moria greeted the boy.

The eyes of the new guild members and the novice guards seemed to popped out of their socket after hearing that name…

Panacea, the Healing God of Magus Continent and one of the founding members of Ego Mortem, was the same scrawny boy that just came in?

“Master.” Pan greeted Moria with a bow. Then after such formalities, both of them smiled amicably and Pan dashed towards Moria, attacking him with a hug. The other guild officers, who immediately recognized Pan, smiled wistfully at both Pan and Moria. Moria was like a big brother to all of them, but he was especially fond of Pan. Well, they all were. He was a kind and sweet boy, who can be a bit mischievous at times. But on times they are in dire situations, it was always Pan who saved their asses. ‘No one dies on my watch’, was Pan’s favorite catchphrase, which may sound cheesy at times, but sounds totally reassuring on times of battle.

Moria and Pan seemed to be catching up, and some of the guild officers joined in, greeting Pan warmly. But Pan couldn’t seemed to find his rambunctious friend anywhere. Moria must’ve read Pan’s thought and smiled.

“Adachi must’ve been running around town looking for you right now.” Moria said, making the rest of the officer chuckle. Then he wrapped his hands around Pan’s shoulders and led him on the other room. “Come,” he said, “let’s catch up over some tea. I’m sure these guys would love to talk to you.” He said, referring to the other guild officers who were all waiting for their turn to talk to Pan. “I’m sure Adachi will return when he gets tired. Let him have his manhunt.”

“And Aria, stay behind.” Moria quickly added. Aria looked stricken with the sudden command. She wanted to talk to Pan too, so she felt a bit gloomy being left behind in the guild hall. “Go and teach that newbie a lesson.” Moria cocked his head towards the guard with a sly sneer.

Aria’s glare immediately turned towards the guard, who looked like he was just drained all of his blood.

...* * * * *...

Ripper’s Cabin, the meeting room intended exclusively for the thirteen founders of Ego Mortem, was furnished with a long table prepped in the middle of the room. Six chairs were on each side, with the throne right on one end of the table. One by one, those seats were filled by the guild officers, while Moria took the throne. With the exception of Aria and Adachi, all of the founders were now present in the meeting room.

Despite the morbid name of this room, the whole place was actually livelier than it seemed. Soon after, conversations filled the once silent room, and laughter rose in steady ascent.

“Pan, did you know?” Kirin, the guild best blacksmith, started to fill Pan with the updates on Magus Continent while he was gone. “Moria is now the number one mage in the whole of Magus! Isn’t that great?”

“Woah! Really?” Pan exclaimed. His eyes turned towards Moria, but their master’s expression turned sour despite the amazing news. Moria was a Death Mage and one of the most feared adversary in Magus. He was the reason why Ego Mortem became one of the strongest guild in the whole of Magus. But despite this feat, he always remained the second ranking Mage in the game. “What happened to Merlin?”

Merlin was the guild master of the Round Table, Ego Mortem’s closest rival. Merlin, known to be the Mage of Destruction, was the only player Moria couldn’t defeat. But now that Moria was the top mage in the game, doesn’t that mean he’s defeated Merlin already?

“Merlin disappeared.” Moria answered Pan’s query.

“Disappeared?”

“Everyone think….” Kirin continued. “We think Merlin’s got the impossible quest─ and that he passed.”

Silence filled the room with those words. Everyone knew how their master might have felt. His close rival was now on a different stage than him. He was left behind. Every eyes was now on Moria, but a pensive smile appeared on his face instead.

“I hope that idiot is okay.” was what Moria said instead. The rest of the guild officer couldn’t help but smile. Despite his morbid naming sense and sinister title, Moria was actually a good person. That was why Pan and the rest of the officers had deep respect for their master.

Conversations continued in the room, and Aria finally went inside, bringing beverages and food with her. She had a satisfied look on her face, suggesting that the guard must have suffered a lot. She took her designated seat right beside Pan, and engaged with excited conversation with him.

“So Pan…”, Moria interrupted. “There’s gonna be an event soon. Will you be joining us?”

“That’s right! We’re gonna be needing you on this one.” Blu, the guild’s main tank, said.

“It’s the Siege on Vladimir Castle.” Kirin said excitedly.

“Let’s go together on this one.” Aria invited him.

A faint and melancholic smile parted Pan’s lips. “Of course I will.” He said, bringing smiles to the rest of his guildmates. “After all….this might be the last time I’ve got to play the game.”

He didn’t mean to dampen the lively atmosphere in the room, but he had to do what he came here to do. There was a deafening silence in the room like everyone was waiting for him to say that it was all a joke, but it was not. “I…only returned so I could formally say good bye to all of you.”

“Pan, why so suddenly?” Aria frantically asked, her eyes already brimming with tears.

Moria watched Pan: his long absence, his sudden return, then the declaration of leaving─ he somehow deduced the situation. Moria closed his eyes and drooped down this head.

“I…” Pan strengthened his resolve and started to tell his guild mates the reason of him leaving. Dread immediately filled the room, and Aria started crying. Kirin, too. Pan told them what he heard from the doctor, about how he’s gonna be saying good bye for good in a matter of days.

“Pan, why haven’t you told us?” Aria asked.

“This is the only place I could run to when I had bad days.” Pan explained. “The only place I’m not sick and is not a patient.”

Aria was already forming a puddle of tears as she listened to Pan. Even the rest of the members were on the brink of bawling out. Moria had a pained expression with his hands locked together tightly.

“This is the only place I got to actually cure others instead of getting cured.” Pan said with a smile. “That is why I love being your healer. I wanted you guys to remain as healthy as you should be.”

That had done it. The rest of the members weren’t able to contain the tears. It wasn’t Pan’s intention, but he felt somewhat happy, knowing this people he considered as friends and second family, cared deeply for him.

“Does Adachi know about this?” Moria asked Pan, but Pan shook his head.

“He doesn’t.” he answered.

“When are you planning to tell him?”

“Soon. I don’t have much time after all.”

...* * * * *...

“It’s about time, where is that idiot?” Moria grumbled while waiting for Adachi to be in the town center. The portal was about to open to signal the start of the siege event, but he was the only one who was not here.

“I already sent him a message and he’s on his way.” Pan said with a chuckle. It was not Adachi’s style to be early after all. The countdown was now 30 seconds away from opening the portal and Moria kept on looking around for the troublesome idiot.

“YOU SLIMY LITTLE SHRIMP!!!!! WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU HIDING????”

That loud mouth and ear-splitting voice─ everyone knew who it was and they all turned towards Adachi who was racing towards Pan. The loud mouth immediately caught Pan in a headlock, choking his little friend with his arm. Aria worriedly came to Pan’s rescue and slapped Adachi’s arm away, before kicking him in the gut, making Adachi to double up in pain.

“Ahh, big sis…” Pan looked frightened by the sudden assault.

“W-What was that for?” Adachi trembled in fear.

Aria didn’t care to respond and just shook her head. Pan helped Adachi on his feet with a chuckle. “I was just in our base, you know.” He told Adachi, who was pouting in front of him. “You were the one running all over town like a headless chicken.”

“Shut up.” Adachi grumbled.

“Settle down now. The time is nigh.” Moria said.

Then the countdown finally dropped down to zero and a huge portal finally formed inside the majestic fountain. The dark abysmal wormhole signaled the start of the event, making everyone grin with excitement.

‘This is it…my last game.’ Pan thought.

Every participant of the current event stepped into the portal one by one. With the numbers of people entering the portal, there will be hundreds, even thousands of players joining the siege. Pan couldn’t help but be excited. Together with Adachi and Aria, they all went inside the portal.

The moment they stepped outside the dark abyss, the whole place changed from a bustling city into a dark, gloomy and sinister hill, with the sight of an abandoned castle in the distance. They were finally here, Vladimir’s castle.

Everyone started to prepare for the incoming battle: items, potions and skills, before the quest will be finally given. Pan was doing the same, when a sudden window appeared in front of him.

...[You have received a ‘Special Quest’]...

...Would you like to open it?...

...[Y/N]...

Finally, it’s here. Pan thought. He smiled and nudged Adachi.

“It’s finally starting.” Pan said, thinking that everyone finally received the quest window for the incoming siege. But Adachi only watched Pan with a confused look.

“What is?” Adachi asked.

“The event of course.” Pan didn’t hesitate as he clicked on the Y button. Then the quest window opened right in front of his face and his eyes widened with the content of the ‘special quest’ he just opened.

“What is this?” Pan stared at the quest window disbelievingly. He tried to read it again and again, but there was no mistake─ what he received was…

“Pan, what is it?” Adachi asked his friend. Moria and Aria approached Pan’s position too.

“Adachi…” Pan whimpered. “I think I just received one.”

“Received what?” Adachi asked him frantically.

“A-an…impossible quest.”