- Thanks for the breakfast, as godly as I expected from the smell that woke me from the dead. Jokes a part, you said that my choice to leave is something you don't have, but what about the giant sea serpent outside?

- The first avatar of Ausas is different from this humans one, he can swim freely in the system's oceans, but it also have to periodically return here to "recharge". So practically he's also bound here with us, as he can't risk going to far.

We, on the other hand, can't leave this space. I would disappear without constant contact with a power source, and 'Sas must stay here to regulate the structure as its master.

- And in here he can freely "create" everything he want? A real gilded cage...

- There are some restriction, obviously, but yes our home can become almost everything.

Llanfil tone of voice was normal, but her smile seemed forced, maybe it was better to not refer to their home as a cage...

- What can you tell me about the outside? I mean, if sometimes you found information about the general outline of things. If I really choose to leave I want at least to know the place to avoid.

- I'm sorry to say our information are to few, fragmentary and old, to give you a reliable picture of the state of things. Also if you decide to go it's our belief that's fairy better to explore by yourself.

- ... Can I point to you that I arrived here on the verge of dying? Exploring can be fun, I agree with that, but for now I want only a safe, quiet, place possibly while not being used like a target.

Ausas, that until then was slouched on the couch, cut in our conversation. The face of pure bliss he had after he finished eating was now more like a smiling cheshire cat.

- Don't worry about safety, we have that part covered.

- What do you mean?

Llanfif answered my question while staring at the grinning man beside her.

- Well he mean that if you leave, as a gift, we intend to first help you grow a little. Some serious training can do a huge difference in dangerous situation. This topic is also linked to the a thing you need to know before going outside.

- Wait you sound like I've already decided.

- Didn't you?

- ...

The fact that they seemed to know exactly my thinking was really starting to get under my skin. The worst part was that they were absolutely right, I was really going to leave that "fake" heaven.

- So, if you go outside we predicted three possible scenarios. First, if the system didn't had the time to flag you as dead, the avatar we are restoring will remain alive, and you will have to swim to the surface. If otherwise for the system you're already dead, when you will reconnect to it, your avatar will be shut-down and your matrix will return to the starting point.

In the last case the system have two option, it can give you a copy of your this body, or a copy of the body that you will have coming out from here. In any case rest assured your matrix will always be left untouched.

- And I suppose an avatar trained here by you is going to be much better?

At my, almost rhetorical, question answered only the laugh of Ausas, followed by his words.

- Yes, that's going to be fun!

The grin plastered on his face wasn't reassuring, but I supposed that even in the worst of the hypothesis, at least my knowledge was going to stay with me. Also I hoped learning under two "gods" was as fascinating as it sounded. Never in my life I was so right, but also wrong, about my decision.

Because turned out that, other than the physical aspect of the place, they could change the time perception in the room. So the "little serious training" promised at the beginning, revealed to be the most excruciating years of my life.