Equestrian Saga Online

Tick, Tock

Tick, Tock

“Just a little while longer,” A single lone unicorn states, spinning in his computer chair. He’s been waiting on the reopening of Equestrian Saga Online, a game of much prominence during Beta Testing, that garnered a lot of attention throughout the year time-frame. To prepare for the major load on the servers, and tie up loose ends, the Beta was officially closed a few days prior. Hoofsteps approach the door to his room, the unmistakable sounds of his father. After 3 knocks of rapid succession, as-per the norm, he opens the door, looking at Raven.

“Good evening, Dad,” Raven says, stretching and yawning.

“Hey son, listen, don’t use that thing too long, we need you back by 9:00PM for dinner,” His Dad explains, referring to himself and his engaged partner.

“Yes sir, I’ll try to keep an eye on it. If I’m not back by then, just keep it out for me, and I’ll eat it once I’m done,” Raven replies, to a nodding of his father’s head.

“That’s fine, but be sure to eat sometime tonight. I love you, I’ll be back after I go do some work,” He says, going over to Raven, and him wrapping his father in an embrace.

“I love you too,” Raven states, before his father leaves the room, and he spins his chair back to his computer screen, looking at the time once more. The time says 17:50, which translates to 5:50PM, ten minutes until the launch. He gets a message notification from EQChat, from one of his old friends, who graduated a year prior, and did a lot of computer-related stuff. A quick conversation ensued between them:

-Chat Window Opens-

17:50- JayGrove: Hey man, you got a minute?

17:50- RavStar: Of course, what’s up? Haven’t talked to you in a bit.

17:51- JayGrove: You were one of the ESO Beta Testers, right?

17:51- RavStar: Yes, I was, why?

17:53- RavStar: Jay?

17:54- JayGrove: Me and some fellows grouped together about halfway through the Beta to try to investigate a little bit, because we were becoming suspicious of a few things we heard were occurring. They appear to be modifying the Default SDK from the VPon-3, making a custom variation they’ve codenamed the “Full-Immersion Script”. We don’t have the details of what exactly it is, but we’re a bit concerned by the title and the nature of it. As a friend, I want to recommend you not load up ESO during the launch, but it’s up to you.

17:55- JayGrove: Crap! I have to go, please don’t load up that game!

-He goes offline-

Staring at the screen for a moment to see if he would come back online, he eventually assumes he won’t be speaking to him anymore tonight. Before he turns off the computer, he messages one of his fellows from the Beta Test, a relatively long-time friend of his, saying to meet him in the PegaSky Inn, and that they would go from there. By this time, the clock was at 17:58, so he shutdown his computer operations, got himself comfortable in his bed, sipped some cold water, and put the helmet on. As he looks to the top-left for the time, printed as 17:59, he can only hear two things in his head:

Tick, Tock

So slow, yet sounding off to one of the greatest moments of gaming history, since the dawn of the home console.

Tick, Tock

Just a little longer, and inwards he and thousands others would go.

Tick, Tock

What about that warning.. He thinks to himself, reflecting on how quick the conversation went, but what he was told.

Tick, Tock

-18:00-

Sighing, Raven shouts the fateful words: “Link, Start!”

Multiple colors flash before the vision of Raven as he’s immersed into the world, a feeling of relative similarity to him, the menus the same as well, as he travels through the logging in process, selecting to retain the information utilized during the Beta. Despite the fact it was mostly the same, something made his fur stand on end, but he decided to ignore it, as he saw once more, the land of ESO.

“Greetings, to Equestrian Saga Online!” The recorded voice of the Project Lead “Starlit Shadows”

“As you’re all aware, this is the launch day of this wonderful world! I hope you all enjoy your time here, and we hope you have fun for a very long time!” She continues, ominously, before the welcoming is over, and the players are released into the world. Looking around, he smiles, looking at the giant castle of which he first step foot into one year prior. It’s fairly big, but the interiors are locked, all except the main square and the four paths which extend from the sides of said square. Deciding to reflect more upon it later, he begins to trot towards the direction of the PegaSky Inn. Upon reaching the end of one of the pathways, he breathes in the warm air, as he looks downwards towards the Town of Wanderers, the beginning area for all players, new and old, reflecting a more medieval style, with modern twists here and there. From the top of the hill, Raven spots his destination, a two-story inn with a sign saying “PegaSky Inn”, with a wing in a circle on the bottom-middle of it.

He begins trotting down the path, into the town, looking at all the other ponies, not recognizing any from the Beta. Some looked scared, but he ignored it, thinking that it was simply intimidation from the giant world they’re now in.

He eventually finds himself at the entrance to the Inn, and trots inside, signalling the bell chime. The mare working there, one of the other beta testers, smiled at Raven, recognizing him from the many time he and his friend both came in to rest, talk, or eat.

“Welcome Raven, happy to be back in the game?” She inquires, smiling at him.

“Indeed I am, Lily,” He responds, smiling back.

“That’s good. I heard some paranoid conspiracy theorists talk about some ‘suspicious modifications’ to the game, do you know anything about that?” She asks him.

“I actually have a friend who joined together with some fellows halfway through the Beta of ESO, due to some things they heard were occurring. They’ve been investigating it since, not finding anything of true note, until reportedly near the time of the launch today. It appears they made modifications to the Default SDK of the VPon-3, making a new script codenamed the ‘Full-Immersion Script’. I highly doubt it’s anything to worry about, but that’s what I was informed of,” He explains.

“Full-Immersion? Odd title, aren’t we already fully immersed?” She states.

“Indeed, perhaps they just wanted to change the title to reflect as such?” He suggests.

“Maybe. In any case, your friend came by and told me to tell you he had something come up, and that he’ll be here in a few,” She says.

“Did he say what?” He inquires.

“He appeared to not have the time, something urgent though, I assume,” She responds, as another customer comes in.

“Talk to you later Lily,” Raven states, smiling once more at her.

“You too,” She replies, as Raven trots over to one of the set-up tables.

Upon sitting down, Raven activates the holographic menu, and starts compiling a message to his friend:

<-------------------->

Hey Crimson,

I heard something urgent is going on, why didn’t you message me? Are you in need of any help?

-Raven

<-------------------->

Quickly after, a notification pops up for a message from Crimson:

<-------------------->

Sorry, in a rush.

Go to Starlit Field.

See you there.

-Crimson

<-------------------->

After receiving that message, Raven gets up and gallops out the door, not hearing the sobbing of Lily behind him. Checking his map as he goes, he hones in on the location of Crimson, and activates a waypoint to the general area. As he’s galloping, however, he ends up galloping into somepony on the same path, causing them both to roll for a moment, before Raven ends up on top of the pony. Noticing as such, he quickly gets off.

“I apologize, are you alright?” He asks, taking note of her looks, a green mane, white coat, and a cutie mark of bells, with holly surrounding it.

“I’m..fine,” The mare replies.

“Are you sure? I galloped into you kind of hard,” He states.

“Yes, I’m sure. You aren’t the first that’s done similar, I’ve dealt with worse,” She explains, giggling. “My name is Holly Bells, how about you?” She continues in inquisition.

“I’m Raven Star, a pleasure to meet you, my dear,” He says formally, a slight bow to accompany it. This makes her laugh more.

“You’re way too formal,” She states, shaking her head and smiling.

“Heh, it’s in my nature,” He replies sheepishly.

“In any case, want to friend me? I’d love to talk to you more later,” She asks, smiling, sending a request Raven’s way.

“Sure,” Raven replies, accepting the request. “Also, I hate to cut this conversation short, but a friend of mine is waiting for me at Starlit Field, so I need to hurry,” He continues.

“That’s fine, go meet your friend, we’ll see eachother again,” She responds, trotting away.

“See you later Holly!” He exclaims, before galloping once more towards his location, looking around at the ponies and shops alike, seeing new user-created stores popping up, alongside seeing some poor chaps being scammed into getting worse equipment for their EQBucks(the currency of the land). Seeing the boundary of the safe-zone in sight, Raven pulls out an unmodified/default version of the sword he had during the Beta. Once he leaves the safezone, he follows a sign dictating the direction of Starlit Field, and sends a swift message to Crimson:

<-------------------->

Hey,

About to be there, where will you be?

-Raven

<-------------------->

Which is met with the response:

<-------------------->

You’ll see me, I’ll be near the path.

-Crimson

<-------------------->

Wondering what could possibly have been so urgent and importance, he increases his speed slightly, and soon arrives at the field, noticing Crimson standing over an unknown pony on the ground.

“Crimson, what the hell?!” He shouts.

“Relax, Raven! This is another friend of mine, he was attacked by some mini-boss, but managed to get away before being killed. He’s weak, but stable, and I need help to ensure that he doesn’t die along the way back to the Town of Wanderers, alright?” Crimson snaps back.

“Why does it matter anyway? All he’d do is respawn,” Raven stated.

“So I should let him get penalized for no reason?” Crimson shoots back.

“Point taken. Still, if you wanted to go, you still could’ve, without having me come all the way. You know this route as much as I do,” Raven replies.

“Even so, there’s been some differences from the Beta that I’ve noticed, I didn’t want to take a chance. Sorry if I concerned you though,” Crimson says.

“Nah, I shouldn’t have been as insensitive and snappy to begin with,” Raven states. “Anywho, let’s get your fellow back to the main town, before we can’t see around the path,” He continues, referencing the setting sun.

“You’re right. Come on, Comet, we need to start moving,” Crimson gently says to his friend, helping him up. For the first time since Raven arrived, he looked at the health bar of Comet, and noticed it was in red, a tiny sliver remaining, the writing showing ‘Health: 5/300’. This took Raven aback, and made him wonder what he encountered, as he didn’t remember it.

“Ug...alr..ight..” Comet weakly said, as he was being supported by Crimson.

“I thought the pain receptors were limited to where one wouldn’t become like this,” Raven said, confused.

“Same here, perhaps they modified it to be more realistic. Wouldn’t be too surprising, honestly. Wouldn’t be as immersive if it wasn’t like that,” Crimson replied.

“True,” Raven conceded, before silence enveloped the two of them. After a minute or so of walking down the lightly-rocky path, he gets a message from Lily:

<-------------------->

Raven,

Something is going on, something very off-putting. I’ve been starting to hear reports of players dying and not respawning like normal, and nowhere to be found. I’ve also noticed, and you may as well, that the logout button is no longer present in the menu. Some people are saying it’s a glitch, but something doesn’t feel right about all of it.

Please don’t let yourself or any other pony die in this game, and get back to the Inn.

-Lily

<-------------------->

After reading that, Raven gasps, and holds his hoof to his head, as he attempts to process it.

Players dying but not respawning? Certainly they’re not auto-logged out, it states that you’d simply respawn at your last save point, or last spawn point. Also, the logout button.. Raven thinks, as he scrolls through and finds that there is indeed no logout button.

Why is that not there? There’s no other method of logging out, and certainly there wouldn’t be that big of a glitch, even if it’s the first day out of Beta.. He continues thinking, before Crimson awakens him from his thoughts.

“Raven! What the hell is going on? Why are you acting strange all of a sudden?” He inquires, fearful.

“Check your logout button, now!” Raven snaps at him, Crimson obeying, before gasping as well.

“What’s going on?” Crimson asks again.

“The logout button is gone, presumably for all players, we don’t know why though. Lily also reported players dying and not respawning. We need to ensure your friend doesn’t die, until we figure this out, and we should get back to the Inn,” Raven explains, his voice carrying nothing but severe sincerity.

“Let’s get a move on then, we’re about halfway. Let’s double-time it!” Crimson exclaims, with a nod from Raven as a go-ahead, as they both work together to keep Comet going, passing wide fields of monsters on their left and right. After a few minutes, and thankfully no encounters with monsters straying from their routes, they arrive at the entrance of the town once more, and into the safezone.

“The Inn should allow him to heal, as long as we don’t disturb him,” Raven says, as they continue to try to hurry throughout the busy street.

“Right. Once we get him relaxed, we need to speak to Lily together, and figure out what’s going on,” Crimson states in response, looking around seeing looks of fear, anger, and sadness alike from some ponies they’re passing.

“You see it too, huh?” Raven asks him.

“You think they know about what’s going on?” Crimson replies in inquiry.

“It’s very much likely,” Raven solemnly replies, before shaking his head. “No matter, we need to focus right now,” He continues.

“Right,” Crimson responds. After a few moments, they arrive at the entrance of the PegaSky Inn, and swiftly enter it, to see Lily waiting for them.

“Oh no, what happened?!” She exclaims, galloping over to check on Comet.

“He encountered a mini-boss, to my knowledge, out at Starlit Field,” Crimson replies, keeping him upright for Lily.

“I’ll take him to the room you reserved, and lay him down. You guys sit down and wait for me,” She explains.

“That’s fine,” Raven and Crimson both say. “Get better quickly there Comet,” Crimson continues. After a few minutes, Lily returns to the lobby, and takes a seat on the opposing side from that of the stallions.

“So, explain again, what’s happening?” Raven asks.

“It’s as I said. The logout button is gone, and ponies aren’t respawning anymore upon their death. I wonder, do you think these were the modifications to the code?” She asks him.

“I wouldn’t like to believe so, for what reason would Starlit Eclipse want to do such a thing?” Raven inquires.

“I have no clue, but it can’t just be a coincidence. Maybe it’s a Social Experiment?” Lily offers.

“I doubt it,” Crimson interjects. “This is too far to be a Social Experiment, and this would bring a lot of negative press on ESO, leading to failing sales. Too much effort was put into the game to risk that, so it’d have to be something else,” He continues with reasoning.

“You’re right. What should w-” Raven begins, before he starts seeing blue flashes from outside, then from Lily and Crimson, and soon himself, recognizing it as a teleportation. Before any of them could say anything, they were randomly placed within a large crowd at the main castle, with it getting progressively bigger as the seconds ticked by. Confusion was on the face of all ponies there, with many reasoning that it was perhaps just another announcement/event, celebrating the launch and the like. Others were casting looks of suspicion, thinking something to be up separate from just some event.

Before they could think too much longer on, a sudden darkness shadowed over the entire area, encompassing everypony, allowing little to no visibility. A few seconds later, a White Light flashes from the center of the square, and once everypony’s vision gets restored once more, an illuminated form of a very recognizable pony is floating within the air, a pony by the name of Starlit Shadows, the maker of the game in question.

“Hello once more everypony!” She exclaims joyfully, smiling around, seeing suspicion amongst the crowd.

“Oh come now, you’re dimming the mood,” She states, faking a frown, before laughing.

“So, you’ve probably figured this out by now, but there’s no button for logging out of this game, as you’ve all so kindly informed me time and time again. Instead of addressing it all individually, I decided to address it with every player! Isn’t that fun?” She explains, still in a chipper mood.

“Tell us what the hell is going on!” A random pony shouts, leading to similar outbursts from the crowd, before she activates paralysis on the crowd, leading to them all to fall to the floor and go silent.

“Since you want to spoil the mood, I’ll just leave this paralysis on all of you for the duration of this chat,” She continues, suddenly very sinister.

“The logout button was never intended to exist post-beta, some of you might’ve heard of the modifications to the game before the launch, codenamed the “Full-Immersion Script”, like some groups have been so kind to relay to many people. What this entitles is pretty simple, and is the true nature of Equestrian Saga Online,” She starts explaining, before filling the whole area with a loud, sinister laugh. Raven, on the ground like the rest, remembered what JayGrove was informing him of, becoming even more angry at Starlit.

“Since the beginning, you might have noticed some players falling to death within the game, and not respawning. This is due to the aforementioned script, which is programmed to emit microwaves to your brain upon your death here, otherwise known as a permanent death, from here and the real world alike, meaning no revival is possible anymore. As international news outlets have been so kind to report, 400 ponies have currently fallen to the clutches of death, both here, and the world of the flesh,” She relays, smirking. At this point, many start crying, especially those whose family or friends have fallen to that fate thus far. Before long, there was only shouting and cries of anguish, before she silenced all once more.

“So, some of you may be asking, how do you get out without dying? That’s pretty simple, really. As you all are aware, 100 main floors are present within this game, however, now, at the end of the game, is the prize of freedom from this land. No tricks, no buts, only one singular goal to reach. There’s no time limit, except the time of your life, of course,” She explains.

“Have fun, and on behalf of Starlit Eclipse, thank you for playing Equestrian Saga Online!” She shouts, laughing, before blinding everypony once more, and removing the darkness from the square, alongside the paralysis holding them all hostage. Raven, Crimson, and Lily all moved to try to locate Comet, since he must’ve been teleported as well, and found him still lying on the ground near one of the entrances, likely trying to get away from the crowd.

“Comet! Are you alright?” Crimson asks, worry seeping into his voice.

“Yes..just...in pain still...” Comet weakly replies.

“We need to get you back to the Inn, and out of here, before the crowd goes too insane. We don’t need anything causing possible damage to you,” Raven states, to everypony’s agreement. They start hurrying out the exit, down the path, and towards the Inn, the roads mostly barren, except for the few who also decided to leave the crowd behind. In a minute or so, they arrived once more at the Inn, and Comet was lied down once more, so he would automatically start healing, and the Inn was closed, the trio sitting down once more.

“What do we do now?” Lily and Crimson ask.

“I guess we have no choice, but to accept that we’re here now, not freak out, and focus on planning our next moves. The one thing still the same is that we’re in a game about levelling up and growing more powerful, so that should be our primary goal,” Raven explains, to the uncertainty of his two fellows.

“Aren’t you upset? Scared?” Lily asks him, to a nodding of his head.

“Of course, but we can’t let that lead us astray. We will only survive this game if we swallow those emotions, and continue on, like we would have normally,” He responds.

“I suppose. We’ll talk more in the morning, let’s rest for the night, and give each other some time. I went ahead and gave you all different rooms, free of charge, here are the keys,” Lily states, levitating the keys over.

“Thank you, Lily,” Raven and Crimson tell her, to see a smile come to her face.

“No problem, goodnight,” Lily replies.

“Goodnight to you as well,” Raven and Crimson both tell her back, before heading up to their rooms, extending their nightly wishes of peace, and parting ways for the night.