Chapter 106: Everyone is healing

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I struggle to open my eyes and I recognize that I'm still submerged in the hot spring. The sun is still high in the sky, I've been in here for a few hours so getting out is a must. My body still hurts, but I can actually move some of my limbs now. I try and lift my body out of the water, but I'm still to injured to do it on my own. I use my wings to bring me out, and the cool air makes me shiver. I look at my skin and see that I'm good and pruney, I think taking some time to heal my broken body is the only option I have. I wonder if anyone else is going through the same thing I am, I bet players are starting to get used to the idea of this world. However, this new pain and injury system is going to be a hard time for everyone. There is no doubt many players are hating this new system, but you got to do what you got to do.

I hope many of the young kids are not getting hurt, despite the age restriction parents buy games. I think that's perfectly fine, nobody could've predicted that we would get sucked into the game. So you cant really blame them, I cant imagine what parents who lost a child are going through. I use my wings to carry me to my clothes. They are still soaked in blood, while not as bad as earlier it is unwanted. I don't even know how to get blood out of clothes, one of the many things I never learned how to do. I guess I have blood soaked clothes for now, the leather look of the armor seems to work as leather. This look is just a copy and paste over the Hardened Tree Sap armor, so I wonder why its soaking up blood. Another thing that has changed I suppose, I go into the player interface and see that the copy and paste system no longer works.

That means I have leather armor that is actually Hardened Tree Sap that's been transformed. That doesn't sound right, if anything that sounds wrong. If anything its super strong leather armor now, but when I inspect it, it still says Hardened Tree Sap. This is very strange, perhaps a glitch. No, the system is to sophisticated for that. It wouldn't let something like this exist, unless it had no choice. These are all questions I don't have answers to, so no point in asking them. I would put my clothes back on and try to head west to find my parents, but my body cant handle that. My wings could no problem, but I risk more injury if I try. So I bring myself closer to the ground with my wings and lean my body against a tree that is close by. As Cera takes time to heal his damaged body, many players are doing the same as him. The ones that didn't die and resurrect are being treated by people with healing abilities. One of these men being Chris Adamo.

My body is in so much pain, and all I can do is lay here and try to heal. It may seem stupid to say this, but perhaps dying and getting a new body is better, but the rumors about the resurrection process are getting worse. I look over to my wife as she tends to Hailey, my daughter got hurt pretty bad. We are in a room located in one of the several skyscrapers, Violet has done an excellent job making this feel like a home. I look over to my youngest and see the worry on his face, I'm glad he didn't have to go through anything of this. My wife makes her way over to me and I'm enraptured by her beauty like always, she has always been the killer in terms of looks. While I'm handsome, I really lucked out with her. I notice that her skin is more vibrant, and her looks have started returning to the days of our youth.

Its strange, its like she is regressing in age. Now that I think about it, most of the older players have been going through it too. I have see that some of the people in their 50s and 60s are becoming younger by the day. Many are concerned about what's happening, all of the younger players are not experiencing the same things. By the rumors Violet has told me anyone over 25 is gaining their youth back, and this is both scary and cool. I don't know what it means, but it helps with the idea of getting older and I'm all for that. "Honey, I just want to say you look stunning. It reminds me of the times before all the kids, we have both been de-aging quiet well haven't we." I end my compliment with a joke. I know that's the first time anyone has said that, de-aging is a first here. 

My wife smiles at me, but it holds worry. I'm about to ask her what's wrong, but she brings her finger up to my lips and silences me. "I know you like the idea of us getting younger, but we don't know what this can cause. Not to mention we still have no idea where Cera is, and with both you and Hailey out of commission we cant search." She has been so worried about all of us, I know that we'll find Cera eventually. It might take a much longer time then she would like, and there isn't anything I can say to make that better. "Just focus on getting better, we have to take one step at a time from now on. This place is much more dangerous than anyone originally thought, I'll change your bandages in a couple hours." She gets up and walks over to our daughter, Hailey is in the same condition as me. She is a tough girl and she has made me proud.

She can feel my gaze on the side of her head and she turns towards me. "You know staring isn't going to get me to heal faster, and your making it hard to rest with that stupid smile on your face." Ouch, that's my daughter alright. She has much of her grandmother in her, when she passed the family really fell apart. I just sigh and look back up towards the ceiling as my two favorite ladies talk. As I'm thinking I feel a little hand grasp mine, I look down and see my son. He's never seen me so weak before, and it hurts my pride as a father he has to. I move my arm as best I can and place my hand on his head, I wonder what Marcus is thinking right now. We have been so busy with other things I haven't asked him how he's doing.

This has surely affected him, many of his friends are probably dead. I shudder to think he knows that. "How are you doing kiddo? Your mom and I have been so busy that we have barely checked in on you. If you have anything you want to talk about or ask now is a good time, we aren't going anywhere for awhile." I chuckle as I say that last part. This is a great opportunity for our family to spend some time together, I wish we could've been brought together under different circumstances. However, making the best out of a bad situation is what Violet and I have done for many years. I look towards my wife and she is listening intently, making sure her baby is okay.

Marcus hesitates to ask me something, I wont force him to talk if he doesn't want to. Just making sure that he knows I'm here is good. "How long are we going to be stuck here daddy... From what I heard there is no way home and we are stuck here now... If its as big as they say how will we find Cera..." I'm about to give an answer, but before I can Violet swoops him up in her arms and kisses his forehead a few times. Looks like mom is going to make sure I don't say anything stupid, hurts that she thinks I'll damage him like that. She sees the hurt look on my face and realizes what she did, she quickly brings him over and sits down on the makeshift bed while holding him. I'm glad that she caught on to what she did.

I look at my son and think about my words carefully, I don't want him scared to live and enjoy life. "Marcus, I don't want you thinking that your a prisoner now that we are all stuck here. You can go and play, as well as train your magic. We are going to be here for a long time, and you having fun is important. Do you think you can do that for me?" He gently nods his head yes, I'm happy that I could speak to him. He's intelligent like Cera, just like he was when he was young. It fills me with pride that I have such amazing sons, I know that Marcus will grow up to be a good man just like Cera. We all continue talking and having fun, its nice to get my mind off the pain for awhile. I wonder if Cera is in the same condition as us.