I_Am_Nobody
Supernova
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2011
The invitation had come a week ago, and it had been wonderful.
Congratulations, Alexis Sinclaire! You have been selected to participate in the Legends of Riallen Beta Extravaganza! Your high level of skill and excellent rankings in all arenas of Riallen has earned you the chance to compete with other players in a series of brand new, never before seen instances, dungeons, and quests for the Ultimate Reward!
It had continued with directions to one of Xanadu Games' offices in the city; the massive company had offices and arcades set up all over the world, letting people who couldn't afford a personal VR rig still enjoy the largest, most popular MMORPG in the past twenty years. Alexis was just one of millions of players, but the invite had been sent out to no more than thirty across the world. Already the net's forums were buzzing with jealousy and speculation; Xanadu had been completely silent about the event until the day the invitations were sent out, and no one had any idea just what might be waiting for the lucky few.
When she at last reached the Xanadu arcade, there was a remarkable lack of fanfare or celebration; Xanadu's security was well known for being virtually impenetrable, and they much preferred their players' security over ridiculous displays. Instead she'd been escorted to a private rig in the back of the arcade, the bulky suit and heavy glasses replaced by a large pod that she could lie down in. It had been mildly worrying when the attendant asked her to strip down before entering the pod, but after a very thorough examination revealed no cameras inside the pod or room, Alexis was finally convinced to step naked inside the rig. It was far more comfortable then most rigs, feeling more like lying down on a soft couch then a ridiculously expensive piece of hardware. "Good luck, Miss Sinclaire," the attendant said as the lid closed.
For a few moments there was only darkness. Yet slowly the sensation of the rig around her began to fade away, until it seemed as though she was floating in the emptiest of voids. Very quietly a female voice began to speak, from somewhere far away. "Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Logging in."
When at last her vision cleared Alexis, or rather, her character was standing inside the player home she'd meticulously filled with hard-earned trophies and decorations, built within the massive elven city of Sorinaes. Everything was exactly as she'd left it the last time she logged in, save for the large, glowing crystal that hovered just beside her front door.
Congratulations, Alexis Sinclaire! You have been selected to participate in the Legends of Riallen Beta Extravaganza! Your high level of skill and excellent rankings in all arenas of Riallen has earned you the chance to compete with other players in a series of brand new, never before seen instances, dungeons, and quests for the Ultimate Reward!
It had continued with directions to one of Xanadu Games' offices in the city; the massive company had offices and arcades set up all over the world, letting people who couldn't afford a personal VR rig still enjoy the largest, most popular MMORPG in the past twenty years. Alexis was just one of millions of players, but the invite had been sent out to no more than thirty across the world. Already the net's forums were buzzing with jealousy and speculation; Xanadu had been completely silent about the event until the day the invitations were sent out, and no one had any idea just what might be waiting for the lucky few.
When she at last reached the Xanadu arcade, there was a remarkable lack of fanfare or celebration; Xanadu's security was well known for being virtually impenetrable, and they much preferred their players' security over ridiculous displays. Instead she'd been escorted to a private rig in the back of the arcade, the bulky suit and heavy glasses replaced by a large pod that she could lie down in. It had been mildly worrying when the attendant asked her to strip down before entering the pod, but after a very thorough examination revealed no cameras inside the pod or room, Alexis was finally convinced to step naked inside the rig. It was far more comfortable then most rigs, feeling more like lying down on a soft couch then a ridiculously expensive piece of hardware. "Good luck, Miss Sinclaire," the attendant said as the lid closed.
For a few moments there was only darkness. Yet slowly the sensation of the rig around her began to fade away, until it seemed as though she was floating in the emptiest of voids. Very quietly a female voice began to speak, from somewhere far away. "Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Logging in."
When at last her vision cleared Alexis, or rather, her character was standing inside the player home she'd meticulously filled with hard-earned trophies and decorations, built within the massive elven city of Sorinaes. Everything was exactly as she'd left it the last time she logged in, save for the large, glowing crystal that hovered just beside her front door.