A Love Unlocked

Chapter 6: Slaying Mobs

When they arrived home, Amy sent Rayder off to take a bath. He nodded, obedient as ever, and disappeared into the bathroom while she started on dinner.

"What’s for dinner, Mom?" Rayder asked as he returned to the table, now fresh and clean, smelling of his favorite kids' soap. He sat patiently, watching as Amy prepared their meal.

"Grilled chicken, but you have to eat your vegetables too," Amy reminded him.

"Don’t worry, Mom. If you cook it, I’ll finish everything," Rayder said proudly.

Amy laughed at his enthusiastic response. As she watched him sitting there, a thought crossed her mind—Dexter. The resemblance between Rayder and him was undeniable, but she hadn’t fully noticed it until now. Maybe she had been too busy to reflect on it, given all the recent chaos. But now, in this quiet moment, it was clear as day.

How could they look so much alike?

"How was work, Mom?" Rayder asked, his mouth full of food.

"Don’t talk with your mouth full," Amy chided gently. Rayder rolled his eyes but smiled.

"But it was a good day," Amy replied casually. She knew Rayder wouldn’t really understand the details, but his curiosity warmed her heart.

"That’s great! I hope you’re happy at your new job," he said, his voice full of sincerity.

"Thank you, Rayder," Amy said softly, touched by his sweet words.

They didn’t take long to finish their dinner. Afterward, Amy enjoyed some quality time with Rayder, playing and learning together. As the clock struck nine, she gently encouraged him to get ready for bed. Following their usual routine, Amy began reading a bedtime story.

“Now, Rocky lived happily with his friends,” she read softly. But when she turned the last page, she noticed that Rayder had already drifted off to sleep. A smile crossed her face as she gazed at him, feeling a mix of love and tenderness.

“Good night,” she whispered, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on his forehead.

Drrrt… drrrt...

Just as Amy closed Rayder’s door, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She took it out, and there it was—a DM notification from Delocia Adventure, her go-to mobile game.

Your_Princess33:

9:25 PM

Hey, @WestNomad. I’m logging in. Could use a break. Up for a team-up?

WestNomad:

10 min out… So where’ve you been hiding?

Your_Princess33:

Swamped with work, but I need to clear my head.

WestNomad:

By slaying mobs? Haha.

Your_Princess33:

You know me too well, “big bro”!

WestNomad:

Look at my little sis, all grown up and ready for battle.

Both were unknowingly in disguise, gaming side-by-side yet worlds apart.

_______

Who doesn’t love gaming these days?

Slaying mobs, grinding levels, taking down bosses—just a few minutes of it, and the day’s tension melts away. Dexter sighed in relief as he logged out. This was the reason he’d built his own gaming empire. Though Delocia Adventure wasn’t his own creation, it had been his go-to for more than a decade, the game that first made him fall in love with the industry. But instead of pursuing a path as a pro player or an esports athlete, Dexter was drawn to something deeper: the art of world-building. He wanted players to explore worlds of his own making, rich with detail and adventure. That’s how Neonverse was born, his most ambitious project yet. Today’s setbacks had tested his patience; the frustrations ran deep.

And as if things weren’t bad enough, Emily had managed to make his day even worse. Thankfully, gaming pulled him back to his senses, though a lingering thought still nagged at him.

Engagement? She wanted to get engaged to that jerk?

Why did she even bother telling him? Was she trying to make him jealous? If so, it worked—his mood had soured even more ever since.

He couldn’t understand why it was so hard for him to move on from her, especially after everything she had put him through.

Drrrt… Drrrt…

Grace.

Why was she calling him at midnight?

Did something urgent happen?

“What happened Grace?” asked him anxiously

“Nothing major, really. I just forgot to tell you about the family dinner tomorrow,” she replied casually.

Dexter snorted in displeasure. “I’m not coming.”

“You’ve been absent for so long, Dex. Just come home this time. Mom’s health is worsening day by day…” She paused, her voice dropping to a whisper. “… She’s missing you.”

To Dexter, Grace’s words sounded like a cruel joke. Since when had their mother cared about her children?

“I told you, I don’t want to,” Dexter insisted stubbornly.

“If you can’t come back home for Mom, then at least do it for Dad,” Grace pleaded.

His father's face flashed in his mind. He was someone Dexter admired and aspired to be, yet also someone he wanted to distance himself from. Their blood seemed to run thick, mirroring not just their physical traits but also their shared luck.

“Come for his sake, Dex!” Grace pressed.

“Fine, but I’m only stopping by,” he relented, his resolve softening.

“Okay, see you then,” she replied, relief evident in her voice.

As Dexter hung up, he felt a mix of emotions swirling within him. He had avoided family gatherings for so long, yet the thought of his mother’s declining health weighed heavily on him. Maybe this dinner was more important than he had been willing to admit.

Should he dive back into gaming?

His head throbbed, and his mood had soured once again. With an early start looming and a hefty to-do list waiting for Neonverse, he opted against it. Instead of getting lost in a game, he turned on his favorite playlist. The soothing melodies washed over him, lulling him into a serene state. As he relaxed, the music wrapped around him like a comforting blanket, gently guiding him into sleep. The challenges of tomorrow could wait; for now, all he needed was to drift away into the calming embrace of his tunes.

The music shifted to the sound of a gentle wind—chilling yet mixed with warmth. When Dexter opened his eyes, he found himself in a park. His parents were there, but as younger versions of themselves, chatting happily on a checkered blanket. Beside him sat Grace, looking around eight years old, playing contentedly with her doll. Dexter glanced down and realized he, too, was smaller, a child again.

Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted. An icy wind swept through the park, rustling the leaves with an ominous energy. Dexter looked up to see his mother, her face twisted into an unnatural grimace, her eyes glowing with a monstrous light. Before he could understand, she transformed into a grotesque creature, towering over him with sharp claws and bared teeth.

"Mom?"

Dexter's voice trembled as he stumbled back, disbelief and fear flooding his senses. But the nightmare escalated. The monster lunged at his father, swallowing him in one swift motion, leaving Dexter paralyzed. He had no time to prepare, panic taking hold as the creature turned its gaze on him.

Just then, a small figure dashed onto the scene—a young boy, no older than six years old, with tousled hair and a determined look. Wielding a wooden sword like a seasoned warrior, he stepped in front of Dexter, his stance bold.

"Hey! Leave him alone!" the boy shouted fiercely. Dexter blinked, stunned by the boy's bravery. The monster hesitated, momentarily thrown by the unexpected savior.

"Who are you?" Dexter managed to ask, still reeling from the surreal scene.

"I'm here to help!" the boy declared confidently, charging at the monster with surprising strength. With swift, precise strikes, he forced the creature to stagger back. Then, as suddenly as it had all started, the monster was gone, and his mother was back, looking weak, a tear glistening in her eye.

“You’re safe now,” the boy said, reaching out to gently touch Dexter’s face.

The touch felt so real. But as Dexter reached to hold the boy’s hand, he vanished, leaving Dexter with a jolt that pulled him back to reality.

He sat up, heart pounding. It had all been a dream—a strange, chaotic dream, likely stirred by the day’s stress and his late-night gaming. Yet Dexter felt an inexplicable connection to the boy, a feeling that lingered as he tried to piece it all together.

Who was he?



And how had he come to save me in this nightmarish dream?