I awoke to see the sky except it was not sky, it was land. There were clouds and forests and seas and mountains. I blinked and looked above me again. There in the sky was a blazing ball of energy. A miniature sun, but somehow different. I am sure a physicist would be having a cerebral high looking at the sun thing. I just thought the concussion was flaring up.

As I stood I could see I was on a balcony of a large building, a sort of Greek temple architecture. I was at least four stories up which gave me an excellent view of the world, which off in the distance began to curve up to the horizon. And up and up and up. Guess those inner earth nutbars were right after all, at least Ingame. It was an amazing sight, really nothing could describe it, I guess if someone were to look at an open sky and see the stars for the first time they would feel the same.

It was clear that I was in the middle of the earth, and even more amazing was the fact I could see. I Could See. I reached up and closed my eyes and gently felt around my eye sockets and my eyelids. Something was wrong; there was no eyeball pressure against my eyelid, the sockets felt somehow wrong. What the hell.

Suddenly I was aware of a presence standing behind me. I could feel and sense the emanations of power and love coming forth from her. Turning I looked directly at the woman who now stood in front of me, she appeared to be in her mid forties, with the same beauty that all women had Ingame. I stood there staring at her until she spoke, “Hello my grandson.” “Gaiatoci,” I asked suddenly feeling small and not worth her attention. She smiled as she looked at me and then suddenly took my hand, and then said, “Welcome home, come walk with me we have much to discuss.”

Suddenly a game window opened and displayed...

World Boss Gaiatoci, the Earthmother.

The Gods have decided the Earthmother must go.

Do you a mere mortal, respond to the Gods?

Will you accept this chain quest?

Be warned the Gods are a fickle bunch!

Rewards are unknown.

YES or NO...

I stared at the screen and suddenly Gaiatoci spoke, “That is an interesting challenge, quite a quest. I stared at her. “You can see the quest window?” I was shocked, this seemed to go against all the rules of game play; I stood there and looked at her. “How” I asked “can you see that window, it is player specific and no one else should ever be able to see it.” She smiled at me and then asked, “How are you able to see grandson, when your eyes have been taken from you?”

I really wanted to know that myself, But she had the same aura that the unknown God had. Clearly I was not going to be flippant or a smartass. “I do not know Gaiatoci.” “Please call me grandmother, the eldest is my son, and it is his blood that is burning within you. We are all family.”

“Including the Gods, the ones who want you gone?” I asked losing control of myself for a moment as I thought about all the asses and especially the Jackass who was even now playing in the game. “Yes, including the Gods as they were. Not the beings that are demanding selfish worship and acts of crazed obedience and sacrifice. These are not my children. In my memories my children yet live. A mother does not forget her children.”

"So these Gods just wanted me to start a quest to destroy you, does that matter to you?” “Yes it matters, and it is hard. It is very hard for me.” “What do you mean,” I asked when suddenly another quest window opened.

World Quest

Gaiatoci, the Earthmother has asked for help.

If you agree, you must help protect the Earthmother.

Her children, the Gods have declared that they wish her gone.

Gaiatoci has asked for the Gods to be removed from the world.

Be warned once you lift your hand against the Gods they will show no mercy.

Will you accept the quest chain?

Rewards are Unknown.

YES or NO.

Her voice was so sad that it took my breath away as I listened to her. “The world is full of many races and peoples. I have seen what the Gods are doing. It will only lead to war and destruction and all well suffer. I would not see the innocents pay for the pride of the Gods. Well you help?”

I thought for a moment, this was all happening pretty fast, but there seems to be a connection here that began when I first entered the game. I did not want to back the wrong side, but looking at the situation I wanted the good guys to win for a change. Taking my time I reached into my bag and rolled a smoke, lighting it I looked at this world on the inside. It seemed empty and lacking, having no purpose and no people. “Yes grandmother, I will help you.”

Once the words were spoken I knew I was committed, at least for a year. “Thank you Grandson, now perhaps the world will have a chance. I bet you would like to know how you are seeing.” She said it with a smile. Looking at her I could only nod.

“It is all tied together, in this place so close to me the powers of the life-force grow ever outward.

“How does that help me to see?” “On the Topland, you and the others like you have come to the land, and been changed. You are not what you once were, but have become part of the land again. Some of you are sensitive to the life-force, and over time have developed a natural affinity to use it.

“Wait, are you talking about mana, the energy that powers spells and abilities?” “Yes it is called that, but that is just a weakened form of the life-force.” “Why is it weakened,” I asked. “Between here and the Topland, is the dark ironstone belt. That is an area that encompasses the whole of the world and draws all to it. Once there it captures all. Energy, gravity, light and the life-force. Only the life-force escapes but it is weakened and changed.”

I stood thinking about this; it made a crazy kind of sense in a way. I remembered a lecture from high school about why things do not fall off the far side of the world or go shooting off into space. Gravity, the core of the earth pulled everything everywhere downwards. Except as I could see the core was hollow, and clearly gravity was the opposite here. It made sense if somewhere in between the two worlds there was something so heavy, so massive, that it was what gravity was based on.

How I wished I had Twink here, I would have been perusing all sorts of crazy theories. Twink, I missed her, and Reona. I felt my chest catch as I thought of Reona; I had not forgotten what the Jackass had said. I had to get back to the surface. “Grandmother I must return to the Topland, there are those that I care for in danger.” Staring at me Gaiatoci spoke, “Worry not child, your loved ones are safe.” It was a no brainer, she was telling the truth or she was not, I had decided to throw my lot in with her and that was the end of it.

“So how am I seeing and why am I healthy hale and whole?” "It is the life-force, it is all around you and here it is at its most powerful. This power has flowed to you and empowered you; it is a part of you as much as your blood is. When you entered this world you received a weakened and altered form of the life-force at the Topland. Here in the Roundland you have been rejuvenated, and empowered. This has removed some of the humanness that was stopping you from using all you dragon senses.

“So I am seeing using a previously unknown dragon sense. Wow, so I have six senses now.” “Actually dragons have eight senses. But you will figure that out as you grow.” “So what do we need to do to help you, grandmother?” Hearing me, Gaiatoci smiled and then said; “first you must become strong, and then rescue the lost children.”

Lost children, hearing those words I felt a sense of urgency, but then I realized I had no idea what she was talking about. “The Kradula, the children of the orphanage, they must be brought here and freed from their prison.” Right, the shades and mists, the ghouls and undead. I stopped for a moment as I remembered the small hand trying to help me.

Damn right we would be rescuing them, I thought. “Grandmother, how, I asked?”

The quest window appeared, and I read.

New Quest.

Rescue the damned.

Clear the Kradula of all the evil.

Save the lost.

Cleanse the source.

Bring the Earthmother the lost children.

Will you accept this Quest?

Rewards to be determined.

YES or NO