"Feck me sideways," Rhys groaned. In his mad run from his spawning location toward the distant city he'd come across five wolves, two raiding parties of players, and three jelly like creatures that reminded him of the old school slimes from some other games. 

Panic seemed to have taken up a permanent residence in his chest, a fluttering, terrified feeling that just wouldn't go away no matter what he tried. A cyber terrorist attack? Virus in the system coinciding perfectly with his login with a data stick containing who knew what for sure... he pushed down the immediate suspicion and shook his head as if to physically buck the terrified thoughts circling his mind. 

"How the hell could it have happened?" He muttered.  He ducked as a wolf lunged at him from the side and his right hand flashed back over his shoulder. He spun hard on one foot, arm lashing out just as the beast turned and lunged again. The edge of his blade cleaved through the creatures neck leaving a red line of digitized damage across it. The health bar dropped to zero and a moment later the creature exploded into a cloud of light as it died.  

"How did they get the virus into the system?" A chime echoed in his ears telling him that he'd just leveled up but he ignored it, preferring to keep running. "Introducing a virus into the games system should have been impossible."

All around him, people and monsters milled about. Many of the players looked lost, panicked as he felt, and the creatures seemed more menacing and frightening now, knowing that death was permanent once again in a world where it should have been nothing but an annoyance to die in battle. This escape from reality had taken a turn for the real, with lasting consequences.

He finally neared the city, walls rushing by on his right side as he ran while players and monsters dotted the rolling grassland to his left. He could hear voices raised in anger, fear, and dismay. The clash of steel rang through the air and the glass shattering sound of monsters and players alike losing their lives floated unerringly toward him. 

His vision blurred and he rubbed at his eyes, attempting to scrub away the tears that threatened. When he was finally able to see again, he looked to the path in front of him just in time to see an attractive young woman exit the city gates right in his path. 

"Lookout!" He cried just as he crashed into her, sending them both tumbling painfully to the ground. Rhys rolled several times on the rocky ground at the cities entrance and groaned quietly once he came to a stop. "Oh, son of a fecking... I'm sorry about that. Are you ok?" He pushed himself shakily to a kneeling position and glanced over, hoping she wasn't injured.