I huddled in a dark corner of the frigid, desolate alley, trying to ward off the cold seeping through my tattered clothes.
With each breath, the icy air reminded me how far I was from the dreams of my youth.
The city lay silent, lit only by distant streetlights flickering in the lonely night, in the blackness of the street. I leaned against the cold brick wall, closed my eyes, and let exhaustion embrace me. My thoughts drifted back in time (beautiful, nostalgic memories).
In that moment, my eyelids said, *It's time to sleep*, despite the deafening roar that shattered the night's stillness. My heart leapt, and moments later, my eyes shot open. I looked toward the noise and saw a blinding light descending from the sky. Unable to comprehend what was happening, I covered my head.
It landed close to me, the impact reverberating through my bones. As the dust settled, after emerging from the initial shock, I dared to look. The object was embedded in the ground just a short distance away.
*I could sell it; it'd probably fetch some money.* I reached out, and a strange surge of energy coursed through me. Startled, I pulled back—it was abnormal. The meteorite's light enveloped me… then everything went dark.
I regained consciousness in a comfortable bed—*Oh, darling, this is heaven.* I was in a hospital room.
I tried to sit up in bed, and that's when I noticed the change. A strange sense of vitality surged through me. I thought intensely about something random (the vitality reminded me of those guys on TV—young, athletic, in the prime of youth), and that thought came to life before me in the form of a human being. I was creating non-player characters (NPCs) in real life.
*My God!*
The man standing beside my bed smiled kindly and said, "Hello, Samuel. I'm your NPC. How can I help you today?"
I stared in awe at the man before me. I couldn't help but notice every detail of his appearance. He was tall, pale-skinned, with a playboy gaze, his curious eyes watching me intently. But what unsettled me most was that he was completely naked. *That tool is big.*
"Who are you?" I asked.
The man smiled again, showing no signs of embarrassment about his lack of clothing.
"I'm your NPC, Samuel. I'm here to help you with whatever you need."
My thoughts raced, my brain struggling to process what was happening. I suspected senile dementia.
"A naked person, with no clothes or belongings?"
"You need clothes," I said finally, aware of the curious glances from the nurses in the hallway.
In a blink and a flicker of my mind, the NPC was instantly dressed in a t-shirt and pants I remembered seeing in some +18 video game.
"Better. Now, what exactly are you capable of doing?" I asked, still grappling with the magnitude of my new powers.
The NPC, whose name I still didn't know, tilted his head in understanding.
"I can carry out any task you assign me, Samuel. I can find food, shelter, or anything else you need. My purpose is to serve you and help with whatever you desire."
My mind spun with the possibilities. If this being could make my thoughts reality, then I had the potential to change not only my life but also the lives of others who shared the streets with me.
"I need to think about this. But first, what's your name?"
The NPC smiled again, pleased by the question. He stood by the bed, motionless, with an almost inhuman calm.
"My name is Alex, Samuel. And I'm at your service."