"I just want to say something." the voice coming from my computer's speakers sneers.

On screen, the Primal Ape flails away at the streamer I'm watching as he skillfully dodges those massive fists without taking a scratch. The streamer throws out a casting of Soul Fire at the Primal Ape before going back to talking with his audience.

"People said it couldn't be done. Getting past the game's prologue." he snorts, "So I'm doing this to prove a point. No damage run for the entire prologue. Watch and weep."

The streamer's avatar backs away from the Primal Ape as it advances toward him, the camera panning to show a close up of the avatar model. Its a outrageously mustachioed man that looks borderline retarded. In the background, a woman pounds away at the Primal Ape's foot with her fists.

"And I'm doing this with just one NPC supporting me," the streamer continues as the Primal Ape turns to face the woman, "And its a support NPC, not one of the proper classes."

The streamer's Avatar runs straight at the Primal Ape, nearly brushing one of the boss's legs. He swings that pathetic default knife a few times, barely doing any damage, but diverting the Primal Ape's attention again.

"Its all about managing aggro." the Streamer explains, "Once you figure out how the combat system works, the boss is beatable, even if you're riding solo."

The Primal Ape raises both its arms, readying that assholish area of effect stun attack. I lean forward to the screen, curious how the streamer will get past this trick. Instead of dodging, the Streamer begins charging the Sorcerer's heavy melee strike. The moment the Primal Ape's fists slam into the ground, the player avatar lunges forward with the heavy strike.

"So yeah, the heavy attack?" the streamer laughs, "It has an invincibility frame. A single invincibility frame. Nothing can hurt you as long as it hits just as you release the attack key."

The streamer then runs through the gap in the boss's legs and sends another casting of Soul Fire out and beginning the dance again.

"Of course, to manage this, your timing needs to be spot on." the streamer says as he continues the fight, "And I'm not playing a moded game either. I'll show you guys the game's files in its folder later as proof."

The Primal Ape roars impotently as the streamer's avatar and that NPC woman run about the battlefield, chipping away at the boss's health bar. Its a fine balancing act, a single mistake would get the streamer's avatar killed. But he has already proven a point, the Primal Ape is beatable. You just need to put in a near perfect performance for the fight.

"So in conclusion," you can hear the smug oozing from the streamer's voice, "Git gud, scrubs."

..........

"Boop."

I feel something pressing against my cheek and brusquely swat it away. There's laughter coming from nearby, intruding on my beauty sleep.

"I think he's finally starting to wake up." Sam's amused voice snickers, prompting me to rub my eyes and give off a hearty yawn.

"Feeling better?" James asks, checking his gear one more time. Carol tries poking my cheek again but a scowl from me quickly sends her finger retreating back. Her pet fox yiffs in boredom, rolling about the floor of the Guild van we're all riding in.

"Yeah." I grunt while looking out of the van's window, "Needed that nap."

The van is cruising smoothly along the highway, having crossed the border of Crossroad City sometime back from the looks of things. Our vehicle picks up speed and drives past the border's monorail station, before takes the exit to the Winter Rift. Looking back at the station, I notice a large crowd of adventurers and travelling merchants huddled about, passing their time either in conversation or playing with their phones.

"Station doesn't look closed." I mutter, "Why is everyone just lounging around?"

"Its the Reality Shift. Everyone wants to enter the Winter Rift," Carol explains, flicking through the rift mapper's instruction manual, "But no one wants to take their chances navigating a constantly changing landscape."

"Except us, apparently." I note sourly.

"Duty calls." James says firmly, "Besides, we're prepared for the Reality Shift, aren't we?"

Carol nods energetically at this prompt, but I notice her smile waver ever so slightly. It doesn't inspire much confidence, to be frank.

The van pulls up right at the rift portal, the flickering gap in reality blasting out a blizzard's worth of cold air. As the van's passenger door slides open, each of us pick up a rucksack loaded with camping supplies for a few days out in the wild. James takes point, jumping out of the van, his feet making a muffled thump in the snow.

"Will we have enough food?" Sam suddenly asks worriedly, "What happens if we can't find the package within a few days?"

"No problem!" Carol chirps up, brandishing a bolt action rifle, "I've got you sorted there. I prefer hunting for the pot anyway."

"Is eating Rift game safe?" James suddenly turns around with a look of concern, "I've always tried to stick to the Guild rations whenever possible."

"I've hadn't had a problem with it." I shrug, "Well, I got diarrhea once, but that was because the person in charge didn't cook the meat properly."

"There's no proof that eating Rift game causes mutations." Sam says, fingering the butt of a blue steel revolver. Obsolete Guild surplus, most likely.

"That's worryingly specific, Sam." James makes an uncomfortable face.

"Wait till you taste my cooking," Carol suddenly presses close to James, the tips of their noses almost touching, "You'll forget all about plain old rations."

"Stop playing around," Sam grumbles and pries Carol away from James, "We're here to do a job, remember?"

"Well, I like all of us hanging out here," I put in my own two credits, "Just chilling, y'know?"

"Because you don't want to enter the Reality Shift." James cracks a smile at my dour countenance.

"Alright!" Carol pushes her way to the forward and confronts the portal, arms akimbo, "No Shift is going to get the better of this ranger! You're all in good hands!"

Buddy the fox yiffs in affirmation and I can't help feel somewhat encouraged by how positive this team is. There's just this nagging thought I just can't shake ...

"Forward!" Carol declares and marches into the portal, with the rest of us following suit.

..........

I shut my eyes, folding both arms up to shield to myself from the cold. Its already been four hours by my reckoning.

"I told you not to look at the horizon James," Sam sighs as he slaps our compatriot's back, "Staring at that constantly shifting haze will just make you queasy."

"I can't, I just can't help it!" James manages to choke out between dry heaves, "Did you see the clocktower over there, I'm sure its the clocktower from the city center!"

"A new landmark." I shrug, helping James back to his feet, "Bits and pieces of other realities seeping into the rift thanks to the Reality Shift."

"Focus on the trees James." Sam instructs, "They don't swim about like a mirage, so it shouldn't make you sick."

James and I take Sam's advice and stare at the soothing sight of a forest filled with snow covered pines. Other than the shimmering clocktower in the distance, our only other company is the featureless, snow covered ground.

Carol had initially led us through the Rift without issue, but then abruptly told us to wait here until she got back. Apparently this location was an oasis of stability in the Reality Shift, so we would be safe. Carol herself needed to explore further to collect more data for the mapper device. It all made sense when she explained it, but Carol has been gone for a worryingly long time. Dusk was already falling and we've not seen hide nor hair of her.

"How did the clocktower get into Winter Rift in the first place?" James coughs a few more times, but is more or less recovered.

"The theory is that a Rift is an alternate dimension." I explain, recalling the bullshit article I read on the train recently, "When a shift occurs, other alternate dimensions leak inside. So that clocktower wouldn't the one from our Crossroad City."

"You're well informed." Sam raises an eyebrow, "Not your first time inside a Reality Shift?"

"Pah." I scoff while exaggerating, "I like to be prepared. But my knowledge is just academic. Like I said, its just a theory. This is my first Shift."

"Same here." James agrees, "Its more trippy than I expected though. Much safer too. We haven't been attacked by bioforms yet."

"Winter Rift has always been rated as low risk." Sam hums, "Good thing too, since its the first time for all of us."

"Don't you guys find it strange?" I decide to just let loose with what's been bugging me all day, "The Guild sends a pack of greenhorns with zero Shift experience to collect a high value package."

"It is weird." Sam admits, pursing his lips.

"You guys are worrying too much." James responds airily, "Like the Grandmaster said, the real challenge is finding the package quickly. Our time in the rift so far has been more like a holiday than anything else."

"But there should be at least one experienced member." I insist, "A ranger who knows what he's doing."

"Carol knows what she's doing." James raises an eyebrow, "You need to have more faith in your friends, Adam."

"We've been left standing out here for hours." I grimly state, "What happens when it becomes dark?"

"We'll need to camp." Sam starts scratching his arm nervously, "And how will we get back to the portal without Carol? Or the mapper?"

"Look, everything will be -" James starts to speak but is interrupted.

"We'll be trapped!" Sam suddenly shouts, panic rising, "We'll never find our way out and starve to death!"

"I don't think it'll come to that though?" I try to reassure our team medic, "We can just wait out the Shift. It should dissipate within a few days. Not pleasant, but doable."

Then a gunshot resounds from the distance. James immediately draws his sword, eyes darting about, at full alert. My hands have Love and the casting focus at the ready. Both of us flank Sam, protecting the least combat capable member of the team. On his part, Sam fiddles with his revolver, while crouching close to the ground.

"Someone's coming." James says, getting into a combat stance.

"Hey guys!"

"Oh, its just her." I sigh, relaxing my posture. James merely shakes his head and sheathes his sword.

Carol emerges from the tree line, carrying a two headed deer's carcass on her shoulder. Buddy leads the way, sniffing at the ground.

"Miss me?" Carol asks as she draws closer to the rest of us.

"So, how did your scouting go?" James quizzes while scratching the back of Buddy's ears.

"Pretty good." Carol says, "There's plenty of unstable sectors about, but I charted a path through. And I found a safe place for us to camp for the night. Awesome, huh?"

"And the deer?" Sam pokes at the carcass.

"That's dinner." Carol unloads the carcass into my arms, "You guys can take turns carrying it. I'll be doing the cooking later after all."

"See, Adam?" James smiles and nudges me in the ribs, "Like I said. Faith."

"Sure." I agree as we begin to follow Carol's lead through the woods, the Rift's sun setting behind us. But with every footstep I take -

A cold fear stirs in my heart.