Day Without a Dawn

Kateresa stands on the deserted banquet grounds of Tribe Island. It’s a clear night, and a gentle breeze tickles the flowers and plays with her hair. She’s tempted by the idea of soft grass under bare feet, and flagstones still warm from the sun. But she just got these boots and won’t take them off for mere sentiment.

The island is lonely. The ghosts of hotheaded mages duel on the training grounds below, and there’s a faint whisper of past islanders chasing each other around the deities, making snowmen, flying kites, showing off their new outfits. Laughter, drama, celebration. The sounds of family, of home.

Kateresa is less than a year old, and she remembers nothing before pairing with her human soul from the Other World. But what a busy few months since then! She remembers the wondrous places she’s seen, the adventures she’s had. The thrill of catching her first fish. Taming wild creatures, chopping tons of trees for some reason. Watching her home island grow and prosper.

Running dungeons, joining a tribe, meeting more Other Worldly soul pairs. Their personalities persisting through the pixelated reality, forging connections one dungeon and 75 characters at a time. Human connections to people all around the globe, living and loving their complicated and infinitely variable lives. But all coming to the isles, to play. Together.

Her tribe, the gallant Ethan, wise Sirius, dadbot Vijay, passionate Raina, clever Lilian, trickster Luke, fun loving Mika, the lovely Olga, Starla, Vixen, the wanderer Brian, and more, too many to name, curious, witty, helpful, caring, fun.

And the chief, Verain, protector and provider. The heart of the tribe.

All gone.

First to leave were the shining ones, who spent their Other World money to be the biggest whales in the ocean. And the heartbroken, who couldn’t bear to play a game they knew would end.

The gates to the isles closed, and no new souls made their way in. Fewer people to help, empty arenas, empty chats. Nothing to buy or sell, no more quests to conquer.

The tribe gathered one last time to say their farewells. Kateresa and her soul pair were sending out a final ❤️❤️❤️ when the connection to the Other World was severed. In seconds, hundreds of voices went silent. Characters abandoned.

So now Kateresa stands, looking out across the island she’s come to love, the vast and endless ocean in the distance. She wonders, “Will I vanish too? All I learned, all I gained, will it all be lost and forgotten? What was the point of my existence?”

Little sparks in the distance, and the absence of data approaches, the Void swallowing each island, each dungeon, every home and decoration and cook pot. Kateresa feels for her trusty flame beetle at her side, for the soft lush fur of her warbear, ready to mount. But they are gone. Her wings disappear, the boots she was so happy to get, and the fans that became her identity, gone.

She’s not afraid. As the void takes over, she has a glimpse of beyond. She feels rather than sees the fragile threads of humanity, a web connecting the tribe people’s souls in the Other World.

Every intersection reveals time shared, stresses and boredoms relieved, injuries and minds healed, joy and purpose.

A beautiful web of belonging. Unique in the universe. And absolutely worth it.

❤️❤️❤️

*** Usernames were changed to protect gamer identities. This story is based on Dawn of Isles, an MMORPG released by Net Ease Games, and shut down in 2021. I’ve yet to find another game as good as this one.