Chapter 75

　　"What`s this?" Kal asked as he entered the cabin. He had been on his daily walk, trekking through the mountain passes. His footpaths had been worn into the snow over the months he had been here. On returning, he noticed a white envelope on the cabin`s hardwood floor.

　　Kal bent down to pick it up. The creamy white envelope was sealed, the symbol of the Empire pressed into the red wax. His name had been elegantly written on the front.

　　Closing the door, he took off his jacket before sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace, letting the warmth drive away the lingering chill that had stayed with him. Cracking the seal with his thumbs, he pulled out a stylish invitation written on thick, high-quality paper that matched the envelope`s colour.

　　It was addressed to him in gold ink, inviting him to Princess Marella`s birthday celebrations in June. Skimming the information, Kal noticed that he could request a guest to join him, which would require careful consideration. He hadn`t had anyone around him for a while, but it would be good to have company.

　　Tossing the invitation on the coffee table, he shook his head at the words. He had no idea who this person was or why he would ever want to attend her birthday. He suspected it was part of Amelia`s plan to rehabilitate him, forcing him to leave the isolated cabin and interact with the world.

　　Ignoring the upcoming obligation, Kal relaxed before the fire, watching as the wood was slowly consumed.

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　　The lid of the VR system slowly closed around him. Rather than the expected anxiety and fear he thought it would create, Kal felt calm and steady. Amelia was beside him in the cabin, her presence reassuring him that he was safe.

　　The VR terminal had been delivered to his home on Terra several days before, and Amelia suggested that he spend some time growing accustomed to its presence first before entering. Their therapy sessions had been going well, and she wanted him to take another step in recovery.

　　It had been almost two years since he had last been in the VR system, but his time on Terra had worked its magic on him. He was no longer gaunt and sickly, nor did he grow tired from the slightest physical activity.

　　The only bodily effect the injuries had on him was the occasional spasm and cramp in his left hand, although the doctors suggested it was mental rather than physical. If those closest to him on Caledon could see him, they would agree that he looked nearly completely recovered, but he still had a long journey ahead before returning home.

　　The lid was sealed, the internal lights brightening slightly to drive away the darkness. The console in front of him glowed, waiting for his input. Taking a deep breath, Kal pushed the button to start the program.

　　The dim interior faded to black briefly before lightening into a familiar scene. Kal was in the virtual world, a cozy cabin in the middle of nowhere. It was strange how similar it was to his current location on Terra, although his home in the real world was much more extensive and less isolated.

　　The VR world felt both foreign and familiar, and it took him a moment to adjust. Kal expected pain or tension in his mind from the Neural Link, but he felt completely normal. In fact, the muscle spasms in his left hand disappeared, leaving his virtual body as soon as he entered.

　　Breathing deeply, Kal walked around the room, his virtual body graceful and sure. Unlike his first time here, he didn`t stumble or bump into anything.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author`s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

　　"How is it?" Amelia asked from outside the terminal, her voice slightly muffled by the sealed lid.

　　"Good, great even. I almost feel silly for worrying." Kal replied, only to hear Amelia scoff at the answer.

　　"You`re never silly, Kalen. After what you experienced, it`s natural to be apprehensive. Take it one step at a time. I`ll be here next to you." Amelia assured him. Grateful for her presence, Kal walked over to the table in the center of the cabin, where the miniature figurines that represented the various apps and functions of the VR world were situated.

　　As he had done several years before, he slowly reached down and picked up the figure representing Mechtech Battlewarrior.` He studied the small object carefully. Now that he was more experienced in Mech combat and their variants, he recognized it as a Scout,` the most common of the Light Class.

　　Holding it in his hand, he squeezed his fingers together gently. The figurine disappeared into motes of light, taking the cabin with it. The scene faded, and he found himself back inside the game world.

　　Looking down, he found he was wearing a black Pilot bodysuit with the small white circle he had chosen as Merit`s` symbol. Looking around, he noticed he was back in the warehouse storage room he had rented. Unlike the main in-game universe, this was a private and separate space no other players could enter.

　　When he had last been here, he had died in the world event of Beluth. He had logged out rather than respawn in another location, so he had no idea where he would end up after logging in. The penalty had been his removal from that system until the event ended.

　　The storage room was empty, and the Blade that he had used was destroyed in the event. Unlike him, it wouldn`t respawn. It was forfeited as a penalty. He didn`t even have the Golem or the Achilles Exosuit. Both had been traded in for better equipment.

　　Pulling up his in-game display, he looked for his currency and local events nearby.

　　In only a few weeks of gameplay on Beluth, Kal had earned enough credits to purchase whatever Light class Mech he wanted and all the equipment and transport he needed to his next contract. But the little symbol next to his name caught his interest.

　　Merit of Caledon (U - LCM)

　　The U` meant that he was still a rookie, far from the upper tiers of the ladder. It symbolized his rank in the ladder challenges. In fact, on Beluth, he had seen plenty of people with E` and F` ranks. They stood out, and many local teams tried to recruit them while completely ignoring Kal.

　　It had been a sore spot for him then, something that he always intended to return and re-attempt.

　　Maybe this was the perfect time to try. There was no penalty for a loss, and he could have some fun while trying to get back into the swing of things slowly. Before he made a decision, he asked Amelia what she thought.

　　"If you feel you are up to it, but don`t push it. Today is about adjusting to the Neural Link again and judging your reaction. You don`t want to set your progress back or harm your mental health by taking on too much." Amelia replied.

　　Kal nodded at the words, agreeing only to test how it went and stop if he had an adverse reaction.

　　He walked to a nearby shopping terminal with a limited supply of Mechs and equipment to purchase when in the storage area. More advanced, rarer or exclusive variants like the Blade or Golem wouldn`t appear here, but common Mobile Suits like the Scout would always be available.

　　Scrolling through, Kal found what he was looking for immediately. A brand new, never before used Scout Mech created by Hyperion Industries based on the most general design variant. Unlike the heavy Golem, or the agile Blade, this scout was mid-range in speed and mobility, adequately armoured and capable of being outfitted for close or long-range combat.

　　Clicking the Buy` button, Kal watched the credits decrease while the Mobile Suit appeared in the storage bay. An ugly grey colour, the Mech looked like a person wearing armour with no thrusters or weapons in its hands.

　　With a flick of his hand, he brought up the customization tab. First, he coloured the suit black, with streaks of red along its arms and chest. Finally, he placed his symbol, the white circle that represented Luna.

　　It shamed him that he had forgotten the tragedy of Luna City, even if it was only temporary. The memories had come crashing back on him during one of his therapy sessions, leaving him a mess for weeks.

　　Frowning, Kal shook away the unpleasant thoughts, focusing on the present. Turning to look at the Mobil Suit, he nodded at what he saw. It looked sleek and elegant, rather than the fearsome demon his Blade had been or the lumbering giant Golem.

　　Outfitting it with a heavy lasgun, a beam sword, a few other weapons, and a suite of thrusters and sensor upgrades, he closed the terminal with satisfaction. It was time to go back into the ladder, and this time he wouldn`t stop until he reached the A` rank.