Two Princes
Prologue
I was sitting at my husband's computer, playing Prince of Persia – Warrior Within. My own computer's video card couldn't handle the game, so I had to use the other computer.
The prince had arrived at the end of the game, and I tried as hard as I could to beat Kaileena, but she was too strong. I growled at her, knowing perfectly well she couldn't hear me.
"Die, bitch. I want to know how the game ends."
My fingers abused the keyboard, but to no avail. I squeezed my eyes shut in frustration when the prince died again at her hands.
"Not again…"
Suddenly the screen went completely white.
"What the…"
I was hit by a tremendous force, throwing me out of my chair. Darkness took over and I lost consciousness.
I came to with a mind-blowing headache. Groaning, I opened my eyes. My surroundings looked oddly familiar, and the voice I heard was familiar too:
"Finally awake, I see."
Towering over me was the prince himself. I recognized the environment… Some power had transferred me into the game.
"Impossible…" I whispered. "You can't be real."
"You'd better believe I'm real, woman." His pale eyes burned right into my own. I crawled away from him until my back was to the wall.
"It's just a game," I said, still not believing what I saw.
The prince made a dismissive gesture.
"In your world it may be, but in here, we're real."
My brains slowly regained their function as I realized how horrifying that was, if it was true.
"You mean…"
"Every time someone plays the game, I'm used for the sheer purpose of entertainment. You humans don't give a shit whether I get hurt or die. You don't have the slightest comprehension of what it's like to be me." He clenched his fists at his sides, trembling with rage.
"I have died countless times at your hands," he growled. "Do you have any idea what death feels like, woman? And not just once, but over and over again?"
"I don't…" My body started to tremble as well, but with fear. "Wh… what do you want from me?"
"You are my ticket out of here. On your feet, woman, we have little time."
I got up, noticing that I wasn't wearing my regular clothes. Apparently I had become my game counterpart, which meant that I wore only a skirt and a short top.
'Not even shoes… Great,' I said to myself.
"Wait a second," I called out to the prince's back. He was already moving without looking back.
"Is the Dahaka still around?"
"Of course he is. You never killed him, did you?"
"I didn't… Shit!"
In order to fight the Dahaka, you had to retrieve get all the life bonuses. I was still working on it, but hadn't succeeded yet. It was too late now.
I followed the prince, knowing I wouldn't stand a chance on my own.