..::Iᴍᴍᴜʀᴇᴅ::.. [BᴏʙSᴀɢᴇᴛ & Iʀᴏɴɪᴄ]

[Ironic]

It was rumored that an online virtual reality game would soon be available to the public in two years. The source was anonymous and those who heard about the big topic of discussion stereotypically shrugged their shoulders, saying that technology wasn’t that progressive enough to be able to create something so elaborate. Those who fed into the rumors continued to keep the idea of this new gaming style alive while many had given up on the notion. A year later after the gossips had been sparked a light was when NerveGaming, a distinguished gaming company, finally publicized what everyone was waiting for… There truly was going to be an online virtual reality game. Swiftly after the reveal they announced they would allow 50 lucky individuals to test the game before anyone else, sending those blessed victors the headgear and console required for the new age styled gaming. The name of the game was under construction at the time, later being revealed as “Scheme Online”, a perfect name for a game that was just getting started. A month passed before the release date was distributed, February 19th, 2023. It was January 3rd and the tension couldn’t be more glorified. The night before Scheme Online was released there were lines that protracted for what seemed like miles outside of the gaming shops. Everyone wanted to get their hands on the updated new world gaming equipment.

Zira was one of those folks who couldn’t wait to try out the raved product, waiting in line herself overnight just to get her hands on her new toy. She couldn’t sleep for weeks, wondering about all of the infinite potentials that she could manipulate within her new virtual home. Inopportunely she wasn’t selected to become a tester for the game, and though she was hurt she left her imagination to fill in the blanks until she could check out the invention for herself. Once she acquired her NerveGaming equipment she hastened off to swiftly get home and try on the technology she had been waiting for since the rumors had germinated. The setup only took a half an hour to her astonishment before everything was ready to be playable. Once the adrenaline settled in a sense of surrealism soaked into her body. Was she really about to dive into this unknown world? She shook the lingering pessimistic thoughts out of her head. There was no time to be so negative when she was so eager for this game up until now. Taking a seat on her bedside she gripped at the headgear and inspected its details. The surface was smooth, the logo of the brand sliding against her fingertips as it was engraved into the headwear. She felt ready now.

Gingerly she laid down on her back and pulled away her snow-white tresses so it wouldn’t get stuck in the headgear or cause any discomfort as she was about to place it on. Another lingering thought made its way back into her skull, nagging at her to think this over a bit before indulging. She had enough of the judgments her mind was giving her and grabbed the headpiece reluctantly before forcefully capping it atop of her head. She laid her head back and let out a long breath of air to simmer down her boiling nerves. It took a second before the gaming device roared with wind from the fans kicking on, causing her consciousness to drift off into another reality.

The white loading screen burst to life, the words ‘Scheme Online’ spewed across before the login screen shortly replaced it. Since this was a new game she had to create a character along with her username and password. It was always so difficult to pick out a badass username for others to see, Zira pondering on the idea for longer than she should have. A unisex name would best suit her and finally she came up with the username ‘Ziv’, meaning ‘bright and radiant’ in Hebrew. The username is short and sweet, just how she likes it, and she was surprised that she was able to pick something so simple without it already being taken.

"Hello, Ziv, and welcome to Scheme Online! Please choose you avatar and we will get started!" Bold letters read on her screen before the two gender icons rotated around, awaiting for her to click on one. Since she was a female many males would poke fun of her or attempt to reward her with riches just because, and she wasn't about that style of gaming. To take the ease off from her first time playing she chose a male avatar, picking him out to be a dagger wielder, meaning he was a rouge, with an Indian-styled theme to him. No one would suspect her true identity.

"Alright, it looks like you're good to go, Ziv! Have fun and explore this new world around you. If you need help, swipe and tap on the 'H' for further guidance." the words filled her vision once more before everything faded to black...

---

Ziv fell to the ground, rubbing his head whilst letting out a small groan as it ached from the impact. His eyes were hard to adjust to the new lighting, his hands rolling into gentile fists to rub his eyes to see if that would help to see things more clearly. Slightly his eyelids opened, letting his pupils adjust to the bright light that was the sun above him. He had just realized what had happened in this instant, pulling his arms in front of him to see that Zira was actually a he!

"No way..." He muttered under his breath as he moved his phalanges around as if he never had them to begin with. His chestnut hues dropped down to his somewhat bare chest, wanting to cover his skin in a natural reaction but reminded himself that he was indeed a he and no one would tell the difference. Stumbling up to his feet he brushed off the dirt and grass that clung onto his clothing before taking in the sights before him. There was a city nearby while everything around him were grasslands and forests. Everyone had to be meeting in the city to check out all of the action. His heel pivoted around as he pranced off into the city's direction. Entering inside of the gates he would see vendors, taverns, inns, bars, everything that you could ever imagine. His face lit up with delight before rushing around, scoping everything out for the first time.

In his inventory he started off with 100 Gold, which wasn't a lot but could do him well starting off. He purchased a beverage to wet his whistle that had become parched during his walk, the cold drink hitting the spot all the way down until the last gulp. There was so much to do, Ziv going towards the quest boards to pick a couple of quests up to get his level up and to see what his abilities were and what he was capable of. He found out he could perform any combo or attack he wanted and as long as he practiced he would increase his damage skill as well as parrying.

Time passed by in a flash, the sun starting to set but not enough to cause the cotton candy colored skies to be replaced with cosmic darkness. He sat under a tree by himself as he ate an apple that had fallen from it, savoring the taste as he enjoyed this magnificent sight before him. There was no such thing as having this good of a day back in real life. He had to savor every moment before he had to log out and go back into reality.

Suddenly, his avatar pixelated as it was being transferred. He dropped his apple in surprise as his hands extended outwards as he tried to grasp on what was happening. Did he accidentally click on something? He blinked and before he knew it he was sitting down in the plaza in the city, everyone's avatars popping up alongside him. At least he wasn't the only one experiencing this abnormality. Maybe it was another announcement since it was opening day.

"System Announcement. System Announcement." a female voice chirped repeatedly until everyone arrived. Tons of voices filled the air, all of them asking the same questions that were rumbling through his mind. Why were they here? What is this announcement about? Why does everyone have to be here? It was getting late and Ziv didn't have time to listen to the announcement, knowing it'll be on the website for him to check later.

Swiping his screen he opened up the menu, clicking on the log out option until the button disappeared as soon as he touched it. His eyes widened before tapping at where the button use to be to see if it had become invisible; a glitch that could've happened. Nothing wouldn't budge.

"H-hey! I can't log out!" A female voice shrieked into the air.

"What are you talking about. See, it's right here... Wait, where did it go?! I just had it a second ago!" A male voice replied to the girls, only to find he shared the same issue as her. Before long everyone was talking about how their log out buttons disappeared before a holographic masked figure appeared out from the sky, hovering above everyone. He was so large that his shadow casted down on them, the once warmth from the light turning dark and cold from him blocking the way.

"Attention Players. Welcome to my world." The Grand Master spoke aloud, his voice booming with power as everyone quietly ceased their chatter to listen to what he had to say. "My name is Orion Vesper and as of this moment, I am the sole person who can control this world." The chattering began, those speaking to each other asking what does he mean by his words until he started to speak again. "I'm sure you've already noticed that the log out button is missing from the main menu. But this is not a defect in the game. It is a feature of Scheme Online."

"A Feature?" Ziv spoke under his breath as he placed a thoughtful finger on his chin, thinking deeply on why it was a feature. Doesn't the Game Master realize that it means they're stuck in here?

"You cannot log out of Scheme Online yourselves and no one on the outside can shut down or remove the headgear. Your bodies will be transferred here to remove all possibility of you leaving." The Game Master continued, the crowd breaking out in dismay.

"Come on. stop joking around. This isn't funny." Someone shouted near the back. "You're just being an asshole now!" Someone else chimed in their two cents. "What's he talking about? He's got to be nuts!"

"I hope you relax and attempt to clear the game. But I want you to remember this clearly." He continued, his voice deep in sound and tinted with sadistic traits. "There is no longer any method to revive someone within the game. If your HP drops to zero, you will be forever lost." Gasps and shrieks were sounded off as they realized he wasn't joking around. "There is only one means of escape and that is to complete the game. You are presently on the lowest floor of the game, Floor 1. If you make your way through the dungeon and defeat the Floor Boss, you may advance to the next level. Defeat the final boss on Floor 100 and you will clear the game."

"Clear all hundred floors?! That'll take forever! The Beta testers never made it anywhere near that high!" A male shouted loudly for those around him to hear.

"Finally, I've added a present from me to your item storage. Please, see for yourselves." Everyone opened up their main menu and opened their storage up on their screens, a mirror hidden in there.

"When you complete the first floor boss it will change your avatar to what you look like in real life. That is when the transfer will happen." The deep voice rang in the air once more. The headgear covers players entire head with a high-density signaling device so it has the power to transfer ones body into the virtual world.

"Right now, you're probably wondering 'Why?' Why would I do all of this? My goal has already been achieved. I created Scheme Online for one reason... to create this world and intervene in it. And now, it is complete. This ends the tutorial for Scheme Online... Good luck players." And with that final speech he disintegrated into pixels, vanishing from their sight to leave them with nothing but the horror they are now faced with.

 

[BobSaget]

It had been about a month or two since the end of the beta test. The game was figured to be an epitome of new release, the pinnacle of technology in the modern age and to put it simply it was an excessive amount of time and work put into place for something that was simply interpreted as 'another game'. Yet, for the workers behind Scheme Online it was everything they could ever have dreamed for. The Beta Test went smoothly, seemingly without a hitch. The players that managed to partake and join the exclusive lot referred to as 'Beaters' were far and few between. Ranging from high ranking officials from multi-billion dollar corporations, professional gamers, and in the case of Ronan a professional lurker of message boards that had become renowned for their knowledge of 'breaking games' by min-maxing and combining abilities/traits that had not been seen before. As such they fixed small issues between combat methods in order to have better registration for combos, and minor glitches between monsters and creatures encountered within the first couple levels of the game. Yet, above all Scheme Online for the testers received nothing less than ultimate praise for the incredible advancements of gaming technology. Nothing of this magnitude had been attempted before, and for everyone involved it was a surreal experience.

Being a tester as thanks he was provided with the necessary equipment to play the game upon release. All delivered to his home in a neatly designed white box with the necessities included. A copy of the game, the Nervegear itself and a personalized note directly to Ronan stating their appreciation for his work done during the beta test itself. It was all common, especially considering this wasn't the first game he had beta tested, but to be gifted with a brand new nerve gear system was relatively impressive considering the cost of the device was quite high. Yet, of course Ronan wasn't one to necessarily turn down free stuff. Afterall, free shit was better than paid shit.

Ronan was a large figure in total standing about 6'3'' he wasn't the common 'beta tester' or 'gamer' depicted by gamer culture on forums and other outlets throughout the internet. He was broad shouldered with chiseled features and a relatively defined musculature across his body. He took care of himself both physically and mentally, and in the end it paid off. Considering his reaction times were much quicker, and he had a lot more energy for those long nights of gaming that he'd partake in quite often. With the full release of Scheme online, the only thing he could figure was that such practices and habits would only pay off...afterall how much would he really sleep in the next coming days? He wasn't one to generally play a game upon release for fear of bugs, but after being a beta tester for it...he figured it was safe enough for him to enjoy.

Within the span of thirty minutes he had managed to place everything into the correct positions. Connecting the nerve gear up to his system he placed himself within the confines of his leather bound seat before pausing for a moment. Well, here goes nothing. A sharp breath of air through his nostrils as he breathed out between the his thinly formed lips as he placed the nerve gear atop his head. Tufts of bright white hair pressed downwards as the casing of the helmet-like device encapsulated his dome, as his eyes went blurry for a moment.

A flash of bright light and then finally the welcoming screen.

Welcome To Scheme Online.

He paused for a moment allowing his senses to adjust to the screen and sudden influx of colors and sounds from the nerve gear and VR device before he looked forward. Settling his eyes on the text before him he was transferred to another screen posing the main question, 'Character Creation'. He settled upon a class archetype similar to his main one in other rpgs centered around blade usage on the frontlines. Commonly he took place as the damage center of many parties from his past gaming experience and thus he figured a sword wielder would do the job nicely. It was at that point he was addressed with a particular question that made him pause for a moment, it was possibly the most important decision of this characters existence that would surely decide the future of his adventures and ability to find apt party members for quests. Although, he was generally a solo player...you'd never know when you'd need a meat shield or two.

Gender?

He read over the option a few times in his head before figuring there was only one real option. He placed his bets on female as his appearance was regenerated. Altering the features enough to be unrecognizable from previous characters he donned a brunette haired woman with relatively defined features and a common armor set that left little to the imagination. The benefits of being a female in the stereotypical RPG vastly outweighed the males in his opinion. In PvP situations the smaller frame made it more difficult to be hit in combat, and many of the perverse and body crazed gamer boys were addicted to the idea of female companionship in video games. And thus, he could only presume he'd be showered with gifts and gear alike from the plethora of potentially horny male gamers throughout the Scheme Online's launch day. He figured that his name was uncommon enough that it wouldn't matter if it was placed on a female character and thus he placed the 'Ronan' as his players name of choice. In a matter of moments the flash of light that appeared before him once again hazed his vision. His senses dulled for a moment and within a matter of moments he entered the world.

---

Momentarily the slender female appeared mid-air, having played the game for a number of hours during testing he managed to easily regain his footing before finding herself on the ground below. With an elegant display, a little too elegant, he managed to land on the ground with a flourish of twists and turns. The male PCs around her looked towards the woman before them with eyes filled with a mixture of excitement, wonder and lust. As if this was the first time they had seen a woman. Imbeciles. The thought crossed her mind, as if to milk the attention she turned to the closest figure and winked in his direction only to view the reaction that soon followed. A small laugh escaped his lips as the male player beside her could barely contain the profuse rouge tint that developed upon his cheeks before Ronan began to part ways.

Figuring that some additions would've been made for combat he quickly made his way towards the fields on the outskirts of the beginner town he wasn't one to waste time and even as a solo player at a low level, the boars that surrounded the town were easily dealt with regardless of level for the average player.

Within a matter of moments the first unlucky batch of numbers presented itself before her. The 1's and 0's that made up the boar before her were unlucky to say the least as Ronan drew her blade from over her shoulder. The blade was lighter than he recalled during the beta testing, a nice change to the game for he recalled his arms were sore even leaving the game from having to lug the metal blade around for hours.

The boar didn't hesitate to strike as it charged forward, Ronan managed to tilt just in time to the side placing a hand on the back of the hilt whilst his right hand grasped the handle driving the tip of his sword directly into the side of the boar. The creature screeched, all too familiar to her from hunting boars during his beta days. Within a matter of moments the creature erupted into a pattern of mismatched blue and white crystals into the sky seemingly to disappear from existence altogether. The prompt that soon followed congratulated her for his first slay, and awarded her exp, gold and a partial quantity of the boars skin. A small smile appeared on her lips. It was as if the game allowed his muscles to remember reaction times, giving her a slight upper hand over the general population. After having been one of the top testers during the beta it was all too natural for him to jump into the game once more, to say the least...the world became suddenly significantly easier for her.

"This should be fun." The soft feminine voice that escaped his lips caught him off guard if only for a moment before she smiled once more. Realizing that she had taken the appearance of a female made it all the more natural for him to begin hunting, male PCs would allow her to get the last hit as if the hope of her joining there party would arise, yet of course Ronan had standards for party members. Afterall, he wouldn't allow just anyone to play alongside her for fear of being bogged down.

A single strike to a boar that had lunged towards him and the unfamiliar sensation of being lifted into the air occurred. Feet scrambling as if a futile attempt to regain footing only to find herself gone within a flash of light. Reappearing in the center of town she found herself uncertain and above all confused as to what exactly had happened. World event? The thought crossed her mind as she noticed the entirety of the server seemed to have relocated to the town center as well, it wasn't something that she had encountered during the serve event thus he wasn't exactly prepared for it. Yet, to have the players forcibly transferred to another location without something as simple as a prompt was unheard of, not only would it absolutely freak out the newbies, but the sensation would surely throw many players off their game.

The sudden appearance of a large overbearing figure caused her to stir internally if only for a moment. Ominous was almost an understatement as the large masked figure spoke, seemingly the only thing she could compare it to would be 'the grim reaper himself'. The words that came from the direction of the behemoth made very little sense to her, uncertain of what to make of them. Trapped. Forever. Body. Transfer. Death. Permanent. These were the few words that she latched onto mentally as the surreal experience of being in this game suddenly caught up to her....this was no longer a game. This was a means of life or death, this was a new world of which she was reborn into. Ronan had signed up for an enjoyable experience traversing dungeons and building new bonds as a potential leading figure on the game servers, not a life or death situation in which something as simple as a bad timing against a simple mob or monster could result in his permanent execution.

"Tsk." The audible sound of dismay escaped her lips for a moment as the figure disappeared into nothingness. She redirected her gaze across the players as the echos and cries of their dismay roared across the scene before her. The bellows all resounded in one simple fact, no one was ready for what was to come and at the same time they were all forced into a world and situation in which they did not agree. Ronan did figure one thing...the last ones to escape would be at the largest deficit.

Ronan had not the time or luxury of waiting around to cry and whine. She figured the only way of escape was to clear the dungeons as quickly as possible, thusly waiting around would do nothing other than slow her down. Swiveling around on the balls of her feet the barely armor covered female charged backwards through the crowd shoving players aside that were in direct line onto the outskirts of the internal roads of the town center. Pushing figures ranging from all sizes until ultimately she met a figure of a male shrouded beneath a hood and face cloak. A rogue? Not common during the beta...they were too fragile to play...but maybe they made additions. The thought crossed her mind momentarily but in the end she pressed a hand against the slightly taller figures shoulder as she shoved her aside as well. Noticing that after taking the appearance of a female even Ronan's height had been altered significantly.

"Move!" She angrily exclaimed, her voice soft and innocent yet with the hint of a hoarse tone filled with anger and immediacy. High levels of strength allowing her to shove the rogue-like figure aside as she dashed forward within the depths of the town. She'd need to make it out of the starter town as quick as possible or she'd be heavily bogged down by the traffic of players scavenging the boars in the surrounding area. Leveling would be difficult with so many players fearing to explore into higher level territory and thus the availability of boars would be extremely scarce.

Metal shook with an excessive and loud clashing sound as she dashed forward through the streets, it was only a matter of seconds before she made it to the western gate of the town, a long winding road opened up before her that would ultimately lead to the next town on this level. In her case, this would be her upper hand. The knowledge gained from playing the beta allowed her to understand the game on a level that far exceeded the average player, and thus her advantages became all the more prevalent. A blade appeared in her hand as she pulled it from the sheath strapped across her back. The tip of the blade dragged across the stone flooring beneath her as she charged into the open field of boars before her. Slashing with ease. One. Two. Three. She counted the boars mentally as she struck them down in a flurry of blows and combos, allowing their fragmented existence and flashy orbs to drop to the ground as she acquired their essence and gold. She was well on her way to the next town, and like hell would she allow anything to stop her.

"I'll clear this game, even if I have to do it alone."

 

[Ironic]

How was he supposed to react? Disheartened? Exasperated? There wasn’t much time to respond to this new overwhelming surge of emotion the surged inside of his internal core. It was becoming harder to breathe, each inhale growing hoarser with every gulp of air. Everyone started to take off in the same route but Ziv stayed immobile. His eyes were engrossed on the ground as his thoughts trailed off. Innumerable opinions and strategies frolicked about in his cranium, trying to figure out the best way to advance in levels and become powerful enough to gain access to the First Floor Boss. He had grown so infatuated with his calculations that the players’ sounds around him reduced out from his eardrums.

“Move!” A girl bellowed in irritation before his side was vigorously pressed out of the way, causing him to stumble to the sidelines. The thoughts that once resided in his head soon vanished for him to forcedly come back into reality. He snarled before gyrating around to catch glimpse of the coward who dared to touch him in such an uncouth style. A chestnut-haired girl stormed away as her goal was obvious. His hues scanned her head to take note of her username, Ronan. She was far too gone for him to be able to spit fire at her ill manners. Moreover, he had more on his plate to be concerned about other than a idiotic player.

Shrugging off the encounter he felt no need to rush in wandering towards the fields. The Boars would spawn soon enough and he had increased a level previously before the game went down in history. Unconcernedly he ran his fingertips through his tresses, drawing in a breath of air before sighing it out. “What am I going to do…” He tapped a foot on the cemented floor beneath him. It seemed as if on que his inquire was answered, the chat popping up with a long array of text that read:

“Hello everyone. I and others are meeting in the town’s gazeebo right beside the fountain to discuss details on gaining levels and pairing up with teammates in preparation for the first floor boss. We will get in grave detail once everyone has arrived. Hope to see you there, we’re depending on it.”

Ziv carefully read through the bold text before clicking his heels and marching off into the direction of the gazeebo. This would be marked as a great opportunity to meet someone and befriend them so he wasn’t all alone in this secluded world that was now deemed home. Briskly he walked until he entered inside the large gazeebo, others filling it up quickly as more arrived. Funny, how even though he was submerged in a room full of people he still felt like the loneliest person online.

“We will begin in ten minutes. I want to make sure everyone gets here before we start.” The party leader shouted above the prattle. Ziv took it upon himself to sit down on a nearby bench and waited for the meeting to commence. In the distance though, someone looks peculiarly familiar.

 

[BobSaget]

Ronan continued her trek forward, stopping even momentarily could prove to be a waste of time in the general necessity for him to level as quickly as possible. Levels created power, and power was what she would need to clear this game in the quickest time possible. She had already made the assumption that as long as she could clear all 100 floors he'd be able to let everyone return home safely without another worry. Yet, there were going to be casualties and the thought had crossed her mind in the aimless trek towards the next town...but she figured the sooner she could clear this game the more lives she would save. Ultimately, things were much different than what he had originally anticipated for this game, but adapting as quickly as possible was what would keep him alive.

Placing her foot she managed to dig her right toe into the ground as she bent as close to the ground as possible, her left leg spread backwards as she pressed it against the dirt beneath him. A small whirring noise almost mechanical resounded from her hips as she lunged forward once more, the blade seemingly not moving with the line of boars in her path remaining still momentarily. Then in a moments notice all four of the boars before her split in half, collapsing into nothing more than blue pixels and code. "Blade dash." She tossed the words over her tongue as if testing the sound of it after ascertaining the new skill. If an ability this useful was installed during the beta things would've been much easier. The iteration before this was a short line dash...but this one could be used almost akin to a gap closer given the right situation. The thought crossed her mind as she fumbled with the blade in her hand. Seemingly the blade grew lighter and lighter, a new mechanic perhaps? As she developed mastery with the blade it grew lighter and felt almost more agile without losing the strength behind it...the new addition would serve her quite well in the coming dungeons.

She was a good hours trip away from the next town over, thus she began her travel without another moments hesitation. It was evident the point in which the two areas separated themselves as the low level boars turned into menacing packs of wolves that traveled throughout the surrounding grass lands that eventually turned into a dense collection of trees and tall bushes. Yet, considering her skill at parrying and her overall knowledge she easily dispatched of packs of wolves singlehandedly without relying on 'aggro trading' as many parties necessitated when dealing with these wolves at early levels. Strike. Side-Step. Strike. Side-Step. Blade Dash for the finish and they would erupt into pixels similarly to the boars before, yet they provided her with a larger quantity of exp, and some gold to boot. She would make it to the next town before contemplating a next rest...but by the rate she was moving she'd be in double digit levels within the next ten to twenty minutes.

---

The figure that stood in the middle of the town amphitheater waited momentarily. Not necessarily the most powerful looking individual, but invariably they had this redeeming quality about them, this just powerful aura that drew attention to them when they spoke. It was almost this intangible asset commonly spoken about in history books and other ideologies about figures that have a skill for leading. Yet upon everyone looking in his direction he had openly disclosed his username for all to see. 'Asher'. From the looks of it he was a blade user of sorts as well, although the lack of armor plating and other defenses made it evident he relied more on the damage portion than being the average front liner, but considering he was the first to make an effort at uniting the players many had flocked over to see for themselves.

"I suppose this will be the turnout for now." The voice that boomed from Asher wasn't necessarily the deepest of voices, in particular to say the least it was quite high pitched for someone that commanded such power and attention. "As we all know the only way for us to escape this damned place is to unite forces and work together to ultimately complete the 100th floor. We aren't certain of how easily this will be done, but from my knowledge if we work as a unit we can prevent casualties and ultimately complete the game in a much more efficient manner." It was around this time that the crowd of about fourty began to speak amongst themselves, most were nodding in agreement and whispering amongst themselves about how they believed that the kid was right. Yet there was also some dissent from the players surrounding them.

"Why should we listen to you? The beta testers couldn't even clear 100 and they played for months! We don't stand a chance!" One of the figures from the furthest seats up yelled out in pure anger, yet it was evident when others would turn there was an immense quantity of fear that filled their eyes. "We're stuck in this world and that's it! If you want to go out there and die! Then be my guest!" The figure was extremely small, and seemed to wield a bow that was strapped across their back, yet from the high quantity of pouches and the mallet strapped to their belt it was evident...he was intended to be an artisan and a man of trade. Not necessarily combat. It was around this time many others had partially agreed, of the group of fourty that had initially been there was now a little bit smaller with approximately thirty or so members sticking around.

"I figured there would be some deserters, and I agree this mission is dangerous and potentially lethal. But there has to be a first group, an initial attack on the first boss, someone to break down that first door and serve as a beacon of hope for all of the other players and people trapped in this world just like us." Somehow the speaker went on unhitched, the interruption caused them no dismay and their collective thinking that had been slowly shifting towards desertion changed as Asher continued to speak. "It will be dangerous and that is serious, but with this book." Asher paused pressing his hand forwards as a book materialized with a red stamped label that simply read 'beta' across the leather bound cover. "We can utilize the notes and tips from the beta testers to increase our skills at this low level to increase our chances of success at the first boss. We can practice on the weaker mobs together to increase our chances of survival, and our ability to work with others as necessary. Together, if we apply ourselves we can beat this game and ultimately win back our freedom. So, I ask you all who remain. Who will fight with me!?" The figure that had gathered everyones attention exclaimed that last line raising their hand high into the air with the leatherbound notebook pressed between their index finger and thumb as they cheered with the residual shouts and chants of all who were around listening to the speech. It was at this point a message to all those in the area was displayed on the screen sent by Asher himself.

Group up with at least one other person and begin your practice on the boars on the outskirts. Create a party and practice the notes contained within your copy of the 'beta testers' notebook. We will be attempting to move to the next town by tomorrow or the day after depending on everyones capabilities or preparedness. The day following that we will attempt our first clear of the boss.

The message stayed momentarily until each player closed it after completing their own interpretations and reading. It was a good effort to change the pre-existing gloomy atmosphere that surrounded the entirety of the player population and thus many of the players agreed. Many nodded to eachother as they grouped up attempting to form parties and befriend their newly found comrades. Afterall, even though this was a game they would be fighting life or death beside one another.

"Hey, I figured you might need a party mate?" A tall figure with long locks of flowing white hair appeared from behind Ziv. A single hand raised in the air as he smiled politely. Across his back was a large axe with a menacing jagged tip that looked like it could do some damage even for a beginners weapon. Atop his head read the name 'Zeke'. A name and face Ziv recognized as one of her old classmates back from school. "My name's Zeke I'm a berzerker, but basically I just get hit and deal the damage back." The figure extended their hand towards Ziv unknowing that beneath that male face was a beautiful woman in wait. "Oh well...I guess you could tell my name already couldn't you...but that's beside the point. I figured that if you and I worked together we could definitely clear this first dungeon with ease...we'll probably need some practice though...I'm a bit slow on this whole VR thing."

 

[Ironic]

A considerate index finger tapped at the wood underneath Ziv as he was listening to Asher give his uplifting speech. Everything he was saying was factual and Ziv had grown fond of the fact he didn’t sugar coat anything. The heart that was lodged in his thoracic cavity pounded like war drums, the terror of the unknowing and uncertainty becoming more realistic for him. It wouldn’t be ostensible on the outside that his emotions were raging inside of him. Asher repetitively indicated the ruthlessness of this world and it made Ziv want to jump out from his skin. He felt a little bit of a recovery after the discourse died down and the aura of optimism and allegiance enclosed the air.

The accustomed face that she had detected earlier was none other than Zeke, a classmate she had infrequently gamed with on the weekends from time to time. Originality is what he lacked, always picking ‘Zeke’ as his usernames or characters names. Ziv, on the other hand, had to put a twist on things of similar nature. He would go unrecognizable, exclusively his inimitable gender swap. Should he tell him the truth or should he play it out insouciantly? Causality takes the cake!

“Nah, that’s fine. Obviously I’m Ziv.” His index finger pointed above his head which displayed his username. “I wouldn’t mind partnering up with you.” He played it off coolly as his hands wedged inside of his grey Aladdin-like pants. It was more arduous to act like a guy than he had believed, overthinking everything he done as being ‘too much’ or ‘too embroidered.’ Luckily Zeke didn’t seem to notice how hard he was trying and exchanged a hearty smile of appreciation. Zeke opened up his window to send Ziv a friend request before inviting him to join his party. He accepted both invitations with no issue.

“Great, I was feeling alone here for a second.” He admitted before modestly rubbing the back of his head. Little did Zeke know he felt the same way too, especially since he knew him personally in real life. It would be best for him to not find out it was really Zira until the reveal. A second passed where no words were being exchanged and swiftly Ziv felt uncomfortable, rushing to get something out of his lips to keep the conversation flourishing.

“So, how about we start venturing off into the outskirts to slay some boars?” Ziv would suggest as his shoulder rotated towards the direction of the peripheries. “The sooner we get them levels the sooner we can start heading up to the first floor boss.” It was hard swallowing the gulp of air used to propel those words out, anxious to face a high-leveled boss that could be the end-all to some lives. Zeke seemed to feel the exact way as well, giving a hard yet slow nod.

“What made you choose to be a rogue?” Zeke asked as the pair walked together towards the fields, endeavoring to make small talk to divert them of their true objectives.

“Their swiftness and furtiveness grasped my attention. It’s a class I wouldn’t normally choose and it seemed like a cool idea. There isn’t anything awe-inspiring on why I decided to become a rogue.” He let out a chuckle as he attempted to joke around to an extent, winning a chortle from the guy. “And you? Why a Berserker?”

“It’s a rush being in the front of the battle. Well, it used to be. I’m concerned now since my life is on the line.” It was interesting seeing Zeke open up, not knowing this side of him in real life. Must be a ‘bro’ thing. “We’ll be fine though as long as the healers do their job, you know how that goes.” Another witticism was thrown in, turning a heavy topic much lighter. Ziv didn’t reply but bowed to let him know he was listening.

There were plenty of wild boars continuing to march around in the outskirts of town, nibbling on grass as their tails wagged to-and-fro. One wobbled into their range, snorting through its nostrils as a puff of air blew out to cause the dirt on its nose to dance with the trailing gust.

“That one’s all yours!” Zeke whispered before crouching down in the tall grasses, permitting Ziv to show off what he had to offer. Ziv stretched his hands around his waist to clutch at both daggers that were protected inside the waist leather strap he wore. He held himself in a stance, legs stretched to shoulder length as his head bowed down respectively. The air grew still, his moment of attack precisely calculated. In a flash he darted into a sprint towards the feral hold, digging the sole of his foot into the ground to help him propel into the wind. His body twirled once into the air as his wrists flicked unpityingly to heave the two daggers openly into the boars flesh. As foretold the tips sunk deep into its skin before the animal howled out in suffering before collapsing to its knees, huffing one final breath of air before it disintegrated into blue pixels. Experience was granted to both players but only Ziv could loot the bore.

“Sorry, I can be a bit of a show off.” He smirked before kneeling down to loot some skin and meat, saving it for later as he would increase his skills in cooking and leathering, or he could just auction it off in the future. "We should start looking in this book after we get enough levels to go to the next town. It's pretty straight forward right now."

 

[BobSaget]

Ronan had spent the next half an hour on a half jog towards the neighboring starter town in an attempt to attain an upper hand on the general player populous before the imminent assault on the first raid boss. Luckily, for her stamina and overall ability to remain in a constant state of motion was far easier due to the physics and stat boosts within the game which allowed her to continue on without delay. She figured that the general mechanics instilled in the game were somehow changing their personal capabilities and allowing them to move and perform the same actions/maneuvers as a video game character. Which to her, felt like a borderline cheat code.

She spun the blade across her right hand based around the hilt as she placed her left hand against the pommel of the handle. A single hand wrapped around the hilt as her eyes met with the lone wolf that stood between her and the outer walls of the neighboring town of the first floor. A small smirk appeared on her thin lips as her eyes narrowed, lids pulling close enough to allow only a slit for her eyes to peer as she zeroed in on the wolf before her.

"Shouldn't have gotten in my way." Ronan spoke her voice soft and pure as she bellowed a strange guttural noise. Her feet moved quickly after having adapted to the newly altered 'Blade Dash' allowing her feet to press on just the toes, launching her forward with immense speed. The tip of her blade dug into the ground leaving a long trail in her wake as she brought the blade up directly beneath the wolf. The sound of flesh and fur ripping apart from the creature before her echoed throughout the mostly desolate plain before the town entrance as she ripped the creature apart with a swift movement of her blade. She twisted the blade around in her hand once more before placing it into the sheathe across her back. A small sigh escaped her lips as she walked within the confines of the city, she had made it in record time...and her level only exemplified that. The trek from the initial starter town, to the neighboring town was intended for low-level parties, yet with some luck and borderline exceptional reactionary skills Ronan managed to escape to the town single-handedly. Absorbing the plethora of wolf and boar experience along the way...without a doubt ahead of the average player in this new world.

---

The loud booming voice of Asher echoed in the background as he oversaw the work of several different parties combining efforts together as they practiced on the boars on the outskirts of the town. He served as a mediator and overall instructor for the methods of combat to the newer players, adjusting to the intricacies of the virtual reality software was a little bit difficult for most and thus he promptly gave tips and advice to make the transition much smoother for the other players. He wasn't trying to be bossy, but he unintentionally took on the role in order to make the learning experience easy for the players before him, afterall the battlefield would not nearly be as forgiving.

"The most important part of combat in this world is your surroundings. Do not just pay attention to what is in front of you, but also..." He stopped speaking as if to make an example, one of the players that had just slain a boar was quickly grasped from behind. Two hands wrapped around the figures neck as he was lifted off of his feet. Asher planted a single foot against the ground as he lifted the other below the other player, sweeping his feet out from under him and allowing him to pin him against the ground with ease. "Everything around you. The creatures and monsters of this world commonly move in packs, and that is why aggro juggling is extremely important. We do not want our front line to fall, because if they fall the entire party goes down in flames. Those of the backline must communicate and keep an eye on everything that surrounds us for those of the front line will be too busy dealing with immediate matters and thus their senses will be dulled. We will protect you, so you protect us."

There was this aura of expertise that came from Asher, although it was evident he wasn't a beta tester. His knowledge of the game seemed to far exceed the average player, or at least his incredible knack for understanding the intricate combat mechanics and overall battle sense was quite above the average player. Many players around him heeded his advice and began to pace themselves in combat, no longer haphazardly charging the boars, but slowly approaching with calculated foot movements in order to leave the least amount of openings for their assailants. It was interesting to say the least, they were quickly adapting to this world and it might just have been some strange game mechanic at work, but nevertheless they were beginning to develop a better chance at winning. A better chance at survival.

Zeke carried a massive and gnarly axe that was strapped across his back, indicative of the berserker as it was one of the only weapons in the entire game that was class locked due to the necessary strength required to carry it. The figure brandished the blade that at the bottom stood a long spear like pike that he dug into the ground after drawing it. A large echoic boom erupted from his feet as dirt cascaded around him, a bright light emanating from the place he stood that vibrated intensely with each moment. The boars surrounding him found their eyes tranced on him as he drew all aggro.

"Come at me you filthy piles of code." Zeke spoke eerily calm as if he was enjoying his time spent in the game, a wide grin appeared on his lips as around eight boars charged towards him. His hands wrapped around the axe, one lower than the other as the head of the blade sat just beside him, his body lowered slightly as he bent his knees, his eyes trained on the oncoming beasts a small chuckle escaping from his lips. His right foot spun on the tip of his toe a movement akin to a baseball player taking his swing he spun the axe before him, both hands now wrapped around the middle as the axe head collided with the first boar. He continued his movements as the boar burst into pixels over the silver blade, the axe sailing through each of the following boars until he was surrounded by nothing more than eight stacks of blue pixels, a small laugh escaping his lips as he turned.

"I suppose your class is a bit better at showing off. Mine...well we tend to be a bit grittier and aggressive...I'll leave the elegant effeminate shit to you." Zeke teased with a sly laugh as he placed the axe over his shoulder, tucking the shaft of axe into the nook of his elbow he managed to rest his forearm along the length of his weapon as he looked to the rogue before him. "Ah, yeah I almost completely forgot about it. It recommends that we head over to that town around level 6 or 7. Even then it says we should travel in parties or groups of parties to lower the chances of dying. Apparently that's when wolves start to appear...and for low level beasts they travel in packs and they're fucking terrifying." Zeke spoke calmly, but even as he mentioned how horrifying the idea of death against pack of wolves could be, he couldn't help but smile.

 

[Ironic]

Ziv resented Zeke, in a way; how could he find entertainment when anything could be a death-sentence? It took the sting away to some extent from the realism, but his aggressive smiles and cackles caught Ziv off guard and gave him mixed signals. “My actions may be stylish but I could never agro so many boars at one time. I’m a Damage Per Second type of player.” His hand fumbled around with his dagger, looping the blade in between the webs of his fingers.

“So you’re the asshole who goes for the last hit to get that extra experience?” Zeke teased the rogue before giving him a sociable prod on the side with his elbow. By this time, they were leveled up to 3. Only three more levels until they were allowed to the lands of the next city. “We’ll wait until we get to level six before asking for more players to join us. The experience is divided too poorly when you’re with other players. I want to get as much as quickly as possible while we can.” His hands gripped at the handle of his weapon of choice before slugging it off from his shoulder, preparing for another cluster of boars directed their way.

The pair brawled restlessly with the damned pigs, sweat beading from the top of their foreheads as their bodies underwent a critical workout of strength, stamina, and also with their minds. Their hard work and fortitude triumphed, landing the duo to the grand level 6. A crescent moon glimmered down on their frames, the radiance of the satellite and stars illuminating their way. “That was one hell of a day.” Ziv breathed out through his flared nostrils, not seeming to catch the breath that unabatingly ran away from him. “We were so occupied with leveling we forgot what time it was. Looks like we should head back to the village and find ourselves an inn.” He said as he brushed off the fur and blood from his clothing that shortly vanished over time.

“Sounds like a plan to me, I’m beat.” Zeke exclaimed as he drew his arms out in a stretch, mouth opening wide to let out a unruly yawn. “In the morning we can start to recruit more players into our party and we’ll see how it plays out from there.” He slung his axe behind him before clicking his heels and turning into the direction of town. Ziv followed alongside him, taking around fifteen minutes before arriving at the gates. Within the town stood a petit inn, giving the impression of a homie-like aura.

“This one?” Ziv pointed at the inn, a foreign language inscribed into the wooden sign that dangled outwards. Zeke shrugged, walking towards the door before prying it open, allowing for Ziv to enter inside first.

“I don’t even care, I just want to sleep.” He responded before eliciting another lion-like yawn from his parted lips. They entered inside and spoke with the inn-keeper, purchasing separate rooms at a satisfactory cost of 30 gold per night. They would only need it for tonight due to going to the new city at daybreak.

“I’ll see you in the morning, Zeke. Try to sleep well.” Ziv spoke as the two went their isolated ways. The room was simple, only having a bed with a lamp. It wasn’t anything fancy, they paid 30 gold after all. The higher the levels the more intricate they become. Ziv sighed before sitting on the edge of his bed, staring off into the distance as he wasn’t sure how to live this new life here in this world. It’s not that hard, it’s just like in real life, his mind nagged at him. His hues glanced down at his clothing, knowing it would be uncomfortable to sleep in his battle attire. Clothing is something he would need to stack up on but that wasn’t important for now. Cooking? He should probably learn that skill along with a few others. His back slammed against the mattress, head sinking into the pillow as his eyes sealed shut. Though his eyes were locked his mind stayed conscious until he wore himself out with the endless flow of feelings and thoughts.

With no windows in his room it was hard to naturally wake up with the morning sun. Zeke on the other hand had the indulgence to spend extra for a scenery room. Ziv was sound asleep until an alarming knock on his door riddled him awake, shooting upwards as his head rotated around to see what all of the disorder was about. Once the effects of sleep drifted away he realized it was Zeke waking him up to get started for the day.

“Rise and shine, it’s time to get out. We can’t lay around all day there’s work to be done.” His voice was husky as if he had just woken up himself. Ziv initiated his morning stretch before departing his room and joining Zeke in the lounge. The time read 8am, something he was not use to doing.

“First things first we have to get some more party members. How about two more?” Ziv offered his input, Zeke bobbing his neck before swiping up into the air to draw out his menu, typing in a message that would be sent to those who attended the speech earlier yesterday.

“Greetings! Ziv and I, Zeke, have reached level 6. As instructed in the beta-manual it suggests to pair up with more players for a better success rate in the second town. We are looking to add two more into our party. Whoever is at the same point as us we will greatly appreciate your company! Hope to hear from you soon.”

“I’d say that’s straightforward enough.” Zeke resonated before hitting ‘send’. Now it was time to play the waiting game on who would be the two lucky individuals to pair up with their previous duo team. A notification chirped on both Zeke and Ziv’s screens, a response for the message they had just sent out to the group.

“Hey, I’m Jaina, a mage and my comrade, Celeste, an archer, are ready to pair up with another group. We just recently reached level 6 and we’re more than happy to join you both. We will meet you by the gazeebo where we had the speech in ten minutes. See you soon!”