The device was golden- well, gold coloured, at least. It resembled a tiara, encircling the hawkish bust and coming together in a V-shaped join beneath a the GSI logo- a falcon’s head in left-facing three-quarter profile with elaborate, curving antlers cradling it, almost coming together just above the head. She had chosen the red and yellow colour scheme, so the background was red and the details in shades of yellow and yellow-orange- a foregone choice, as a certain friend would say, as anything else would clash dreadfully with her hair.
Sunset lifted the Muzzle-Glass headpiece and examined it with trepidation. Though she knew, logically, that it was safe- it wouldn’t be on the market if it wasn’t- but the last time she got a tiara from Twilight, it hadn’t exactly ended well. But the directions for use were simple enough- after initial calibration- taken care of by her tech-savvy friend-, place on head, initiate game on linked PC, lie down in comfortable place, and wait for the pre-set time to run down. Then, she would enter a new world- for the second time- and initiate the final preparations for playing Erebos Online.
She knew of it, of course. The very first VRMMORPG, it had been out for months, and she was an- well, she would like to be an avid gamer, but the salary of her part time job was not conducive to blowing money on $60-a-pop games. One launch title every couple of months was her limit, and this delicate, revolutionary, and ridiculously expensive piece of machinery was not a realistic expense for her.
However, she was nothing if not resourceful, and when that resource happened to allow her access to a device that literally made dreams true, as she understood the mechanics- well, why not take advantage of it?
Taking a deep breath, and trying not to panic, she placed the crown on her head. At that very moment, satanic wings utterly failed to burst from her back. Her fangs, long and sharp, were most noticeable by their total absence. An eldritch feeling of power and malice… well, that did run through her, but that was a normal reaction to touching a nigh-impossible achievement of commercial science, which would also allow her to indulge her most unsatisfied obsession. Forget demonic ascension- the most maniacal laugh she ever uttered to this point was triggered by her initial contact with an SNES.
Relieved by the dearth of diabolical transfiguration, she settled down onto her bed as the echoes faded away. The timer was set to 30 seconds, so she had about 25 to kill before she connected. She fidgeted a bit, and privately found it hard to believe that she was about to enter another world, at least in her mind. Here she was, in her pyjama’s lying on her bed wearing the world’s most ornate and counterproductive sleep cap, trying desperately not to turn to her left, which would put pressure upon the cable connecting her to the bust that functioned as the central processor for the MG before passing the signal through her laptop and Ethernet connector. Normally, she didn’t care about turning one way or another, but the moment she though she shouldn’t, she felt the urge swell, unbidden, within her. Surely it had been 30 seconds already? Curse that minimum time setting, and its tyrannical rule of her-
And then everything was colour.
It wasn’t any one colour, but all of them. Every colour she had ever seen, and some she had only imagined, as bright as the sun. She would later learn that this was the machine intercepting the signals from the optic nerves and pinging the sensory nerves to test the connection. The roaring noise, similarly, was the auditory nerves pinging. At the same time, her body fell still as the motor neurones ceased transmission, but in the split second before the tactile sensations were interrupted, she felt the utter helplessness of paralysis. Almost lost among the sensations was the shutdown of the olfactory nerves, as The Ping temporarily overloaded their capacity and shut down their receptors in the brain in self-preservation.
In short, in the milliseconds of The Ping, there was everything. And then, there was nothing.
Had she been consciously connected to her lungs, she would have been panting like a dog from the experience, but the memory was already fading. Everything was too much to fit in the brain, and all that would remain was an impression of colour and noise. Now, she floated in darkness, as feeling came into her body. Like sensation returning to a sleeping body part, her body came alive from the extremities inward. When finally landed, her feet touching down like she was floating through water, she felt fully herself. Like waking from a deep sleep, her dreamy mind focused on her surroundings. It didn’t take long. She was in a room where the primary characteristic appeared to be blackness. It had black walls and black floors, and the joins between them were only visible as white outlines. The room was octagonal, and each wall had an off-white screen upon it, about 3 meters up, so she had to look up slightly to see it. Written on these screens were the words: “LOADING; EREBOS ONLINE: 56%”. A half-full green progress bar beneath the text reinforced the message. With nothing else to occupy her time, she looked up… and up... and up. There was no ceiling, and the walls of the room continued upwards forever. Quickly averting her eyes, she instead glanced down. She saw that she was standing in a hexagon of white lines at the centre of the room. But what drew her attention was her body. It wasn’t her body.
This, again, wasn’t an entirely unfamiliar experience, but it was disconcerting, nonetheless. Her form was grey. No other way to describe it. It was a blank slate, with no features upon it, and had a hint of blockyness about it, which showed it was made of polygons rather than biological matter. There were no toes on the feet- well, why would there be? To be honest, she wasn’t certain of their purpose in the real world, having both had them and not over the course of her eventful lifetime, so it made sense that they would be deemed unnecessary in the virtual world.
Working up the body, she recognised the contours of her real body, but there was no definition. She wondered if this was normal, or if the lack of detail was a result of the artificial calibration- she would have to ask Twilight about that, possibly at the same time she asked at which point, exactly, she had obtained Sunset’s biometric information for the calibration. The face she couldn’t see, of course, but experimentally pulling a couple of expressions suggested the vitals were all there- mouth, nose, eyes, and a quick touch suggested the presence of ears, but no hair. The hands were surprisingly detailed, likely as they were the most important thing to get right, so more effort would have been put into their accuracy. There were knuckles instead of featureless joints like the elbows, and a facsimile of cuticles and nails. She couldn’t really see the point of this part, but maybe the hand design team had a free day or something, and decided to make them extra accurate.
It occurred to her that this was probably a placeholder body, as the system didn’t have an avatar for her to use yet, and looked up to see how much the bar had progressed. To her surprise, the bar was 75% full, and moving quickly. She tried to take a breath to prepare herself, and realised, just as the hexagon under her feet started to glow, and raise up her body, transporting her to the new world, that this body couldn’t simulate that. Instead, she closed her digital eyelids, and, as the light moved past her arms, squared her shoulders and straightened her back. Then, as the light completed its journey, she opened her eyes…
And witnessed the world rise.
Author's Note
This is my first published fanfic. If you see any grammatical mistakes, do tell me, and criticism will be accepted gladly.
She was standing on space, stars in every direction, but none of the constellations she had grown used to. The planet before her was neither of the ones she had seen in maps and globes, but was new and wonderful and so alien that she felt her mind expanding just to keep up. The planet before her wasn’t just blue with splashes of green. Instead, it was split in two. On one side, there were bright green forests and plains, golden acres of crops, great azure lakes filled with islands, and vast towns with castles that seemed to touch the sky, all caressed by a soft blanket of sunlight.
But on the other… dark, a blackness that filled every nook and cranny, illuminated by the light of a full moon that only made the shadows more apparent. The forests were miles and miles of needles, pines that spiked into the sky, filling the areas beneath with a gloom which could contain everything… or nothing at all. The cities were sprawling and squat, with hard edges and spires which pointed at the clouds as if in defiance of the shaded countryside, for within them there were lights - golden, from streetlamps and buildings, white, from windows reflecting the moon, and with the glow of bustling life. And it spread across the land. The barren landscape that scored the surface was etched with roads, visible only by the lights of lanterns and inns, like veins slowly carrying light to the corners of the world.
“Enjoying the view?”
Sunset started, and as her vision pulled back she realised her attention had caused her to zoom. She spun around, and saw, standing before her, a woman. She wore clothes decorated in stripes of alternating stripes of orange and yellow, and wore loose trousers and a robe which covered the top half of her body, completed by a hood that obscured the top half of her face.
Upon sensing the attention, this apparition smiled and raised its arms.
“Well met, master, and welcome! My name is Bitz n’ Bobs, and I shall be your guide as you enter the magnificent stage that is Erebos Online!”
She moved in flourishes and gestures that somehow managed to flow together despite their sudden nature. As she said her name, she bowed, with one hand at her chest and the other spread behind her. Upon finishing her introduction, she spusn on her heel, completing a full turn before waving her hands through the air, as if drawing an invisible arch, before saying the game’s name.
“Uh… yeah. Thanks”
Sunset responded hesitantly, slightly weirded out by this bombastic individual that, in their scant seconds of acquaintance, was already rivalling Pinkie Pie for being the most animated person she knew. If Bitz noticed this, she paid it no mind, and smiled ever wider as she spun between Sunset and the globe before them.
“This world is a wonderful place, and I am certain that you will find fulfilment in it, but it can be daunting to the newcomer! So, when you say the word, I will aid you in your choices as you descend upon this land and begin your journey!”
Sunset smiled, suddenly realising why this woman seemed so eager.
“I think I get it… you’re some kind of tutorial program, aren’t you?”
Almost imperceptibly, Bitz’ smile faded.
“That’s right… I have been sent by the creators to aid the newly arrived…”
“Yes, you help newbies, I get the idea. Anyway, I am ready to begin my journey now!”
Sunset actually felt a little bad for the bot, although she knew it was pointless. She had gone off the script, and had evidently disturbed the illusion the game was building. So she decided to stay on task, at least for now.
Bitz seemed to cheer up immediately (Sunset reflected, privately, that if her AI were this advanced, she would probably be meeting Bitz again later in the game. She decided, in the name of suspending disbelief, she would keep this to herself). The program gestured towards the dichromic planet beneath her, and began to explain.
“This world, due to a strange quirk of fate, is divided into two hemispheres. In the west,”
She pointed towards the golden side of the world.
“Lies Elisium, where the children of Faerie reside. It is a land bathed in constant sunlight, as gentle as the morning rays, and creatures of light thrive there. In the east,”
Again she gesticulated, this time towards the dark shadow.
“Dwells the land of Nyx, where the Shaded Ones dwell. Though the land is dark, the people carry within their hearts the light of life, in all its forms, and work tirelessly to bring that light to the world around them.”
She brought her hands together behind her back, and, rocking on her heels, faced Sunset with a smile.
“All travellers must first choose the side upon which they intend to incarnate, as the choice will shape the person you are about to become. So, tell me. Where would you like to go?”
Sunset looked upon the world, and considered her options. Suddenly, she noticed an odd patch between the two sides that didn’t seem to fit with either aesthetic, and somehow her eyes seemed to pass over it, as if her gaze and the band were opposite poles of a magnet. The zoom effect seemed not to affect this part.
“What’s that bit in the middle? The brown bit.”
Bitz cocked her head, and her smile turned mournful.
“Those are the twilight plains of Asphodel. Though indeed fascinating, I am afraid they are yet unmapped, and are not a viable option”
A future update, thought Sunset. Well, she had only asked out of curiosity anyway. She knew exactly what she was going to choose, and had known the moment she had seen it.
“I want to go to Nyx!”
Bitz grinned even wider.
“An excellent choice!”
She clapped her hands, and the stars started moving around them. Sunset felt dizzy as the planet seemed to grow closer, turning as it did so. She realised she was moving fast towards the brilliant white moon, Bitz standing in space next to her. The transportation process was over as soon as it had begun, and the pair were standing upon the cratered surface of the moon. Sunset gawked at the sight of the planet before her, the sun just barely peeping over the crest of the sphere, but she was rapidly becoming used to these jaw-dropping cosmic sights, and quickly focused her attention on Bitz.
“The next step in your journey is to select the avatar with which you will incarnate upon the surface of Erebos!”
“First, you must select your tribe. This will affect your abilities throughout your adventure, so choose carefully! Once incarnated, you shall not be able to change this.”
From three craters surrounding the pair, three figures appeared, as if rising from a crouch.
“These are your options. They are not the only possibilities, however! If you are interested in more variety, then you may be willing to expend more power to open more paths…?”
Sunset chuckled. She knew this bit from the website. The free account only had three classes available, while paid accounts had more options. However, she knew this game was famous partly because free players had no more limitations upon actual play than paid, and could reach the same power and areas without ever spending a cent. Of course, she wouldn’t be able to purchase in-game accessories, but who would be willing to cough up a wad of money every month just to wear a slightly different hat?
“I’m alright as I am, thanks.”
“Perfectly fine! Now, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask!”
Sunset walked over to the avatars, spaced at equal distances around the circle of craters. Each was female, as this game did not give the ability to play as a different sex- the technology was not quite that advanced, but research was being pursued at an alarming rate. One avatar had pale skin, and two visible fangs. It was wearing evening dress, and the hair was slicked back and hung neatly below the shoulders. She assumed this was the vampire class, one of the most popular, even among paid players, from what she had heard.
“How is this one?”
“Ah, the Vampires! Fast, agile, and capable of wielding beautiful weapons with deadly grace! The perfect choice for one who likes to strike from the shadows!”
The DPS character, she thought. It looked stylish, but vampires weren’t really her thing. Besides, she preferred to stay near the back in combat.
Moving onto the next choice, she was surprised to realise that the avatar was rather taller than her. It was muscular, in a lean, sinewy way, and had fur on almost every patch of exposed skin. Its mouth was full of sharp teeth, and it had deadly claws. It wore simple, and slightly ragged clothing.
“Let me guess. A Werewolf?”
“You are absolutely correct! The Lycanthropes are extremely strong, and can withstand plenty of punishment; and with time, can develop their transformation ability to move swiftly and attack with their teeth!”
A tank, with some late game variation. It looked pretty neat, but she didn’t really like the idea of leaping into the fray with claws bared. It seemed somewhat… uncivilised.
Moving on to the final choice, she thought about the other two options. DPS, tank…
“Let me guess- this one is a healer?”
“I’m sorry, but I’m afraid not. None of the Shaded Ones have the ability to heal others.”
Sunset blinked in surprise.
“Really? No healers?”
“Nope! That is a privilege reserved for the children of Faerie. I apologise for not mentioning earlier, but you didn’t ask. If it is important, it is not yet too late to choose Faerie…?”
“No, it should be fine… but what should we do for healing, then?”
“Well, each of the tribes has a different method of healing themselves. The vampires can extract healing draught from each successful kill. Werewolves will constantly regenerate health in moonlight, the rate dependant on the light intensity. And this tribe has the ability to convert electrical energy to health, so can build self-healing devices.”
Turning her attention back to the final avatar, she studied the figure with curiosity. It was wearing a white lab-coat, open, and revealed a black top and skirt over similarly coloured leggings and high-heeled boots. The avatar had black hair with a white streak and goggles on its forehead, but the most noticeable feature was the stiches covering its slightly green-hued skin, completely encircling its exposed wrists and crisscrossing other areas of skin. Though present on the face, the stiches did not detract from the prettiness of the avatar, and followed the contours of the face well. Somewhat disturbingly, there was a bolt horizontally driven through the neck.
“This is the tribe of the Stiches! Each one is made as a brilliant scientist by those before, and, with time, can learn to construct fantastic devices, from weapons to automata! They also hold the power of lightning within their bodies, and can use this ability at will, but at the cost of their own vitality!”
So, an alchemist, Sunset mused. A lot of variety, but it sounded hard to master. The rewards may well be worth it, though…
Sunset grinned. She had always liked a challenge.
“I choose the Stiches!”
“Capital! Now, before you incarnate, would you like to change any details of your future body?”
“What can I change?”
“Well, at your current power expenditure, you don’t have that many options… you may alter your hair to your heart’s content, but all other options will either be themed around your original body, or randomly generated. It is not yet too late to upgrade if-”
“Not interested.”
Sunset thought for a moment, then added:
“I’ll keep the original specs, but I’ll change the hair, if you don’t mind.”
The current style was a rather large beehive, and while Sunset was sure some people could pull it off, it wasn’t really her thing.
“Very well. Just say when.”
Bitz started waving her hand in the air. With each sweep, the avatar’s hair changed style. Sunset watched critically as each came and went. A tight bun… a massive frizz that looked like she had received a large electric shock (fittingly, she supposed)… a pair of gelled points that would have looked better on the vampire… and there.
“Stop!”
Bitz’ hand froze in mid wave. The style was not like the others. It was long and more or less straight, but ruffled and hung around the shoulder blades as if the avatar had just gotten out of bed. In fact, it looked a lot like Sunset’s hairstyle in real life, except for the black-with-white-stripe colouration.
“Are you certain this is the avatar you desire?”
Bitz looked slightly inquisitive with this question, a slight tilt of her head implying curiosity. The AI really was spectacular.
“I’m certain”
“Then just step this way”
She made a sweeping gesture towards the figure, which spun around until its back was facing Sunset.
“… So, what do I…?”
Bitz only grinned more widely. Sunset stared, and then shrugged. Gingerly she put her foot forward… and was shocked to see it pass into the avatar, grey placeholder flesh giving way to the black leggings of the figure. She could still feel her foot, but now it was standing on the arch of the high-heeled shoe. Recovering, she closed her eyes and stepped fully forwards. The avatar settled upon her like a sheet. She opened her eyes and looked down upon the green, stitched hands.
“Woah…”
“Now, please take care. This next bit, many find… shocking.”
Bitz giggled. Sunset was about to look up, when she realised that her hands were begging to lose consistency. They were dissolving into white arcs of energy, and this was spreading up her arm, accelerating as it went, until, before she could even scream, her entire body was a writhing, crackling mass of electricity. Somehow she could still see and hear, and even feel her body, but this was still an extremely surreal experience.
“See you soon! Bye-Bye!”
Sunset had barely registered the words before she felt a tugging sensation inside her body, and shot off the surface of the moon, accelerating towards the city below her, a bolt of lightning. She could barely make out anything from the speed, but looking up - well, down, now - she could see a metal spike, approaching fast. If she could have controlled her hands, Sunset would have covered her face, but instead she let out a silent screech as the metal approached-
And then, she was inside the metal; moving down, down and down until, with a thump like waking up from a falling dream, she felt herself land heavily on a strange, flat, vaguely bed-like surface. Seconds later, a roll of thunder echoed through this strange chamber, signifying her arrival. Blearily, she opened her eyes and sat up-
“IT’S ALIVE!”
