It was the last day. The last day that the globally popular VRMMORPG "Tales of Veralon" would be active until the developers shut it down permanently. This day was gearing up to be very poignant, indeed.
The game itself was extremely popular worldwide, becoming especially popular in the United States and Japan. It was a fantasy game where someone could play as different races and classes. The races one could play as didn't just include humans, elves, and dwarves, but players could also play as monsters such as vampires, werewolves, harpies, goblins, et cetera. The classes included sorcerer, warrior, barbarian, cleric, and paladin, with some combinations of classes to be allowed. The map of the game's world, Veralon, was designed in a way that it could be expanded upon once the developers had enough money to do so. Players could form guilds with friends or family or friends they made online to go on quests. Quests could be anything from finding great treasure troves, gaining powerful items and weapons, and fighting pirates to fighting boss-level monsters and taking down an evil sorcerer. Usually, players fought NPC's or monsters, but there was the inclusion of PvP between individual players and guilds. So-called "guild wars" became quite commonplace in the game. These would often be over items or guild territory, but it wasn't unusual for them to start simply because of boredom.
The most powerful guild in "Tales of Veralon" was called The Tambelon Lords. This guild was made up of insanely powerful players with some pretty strict rules to joining their ranks. The players had to be inhuman and be strong enough to handle themselves in a PvP match. Amazingly, despite being the most powerful guild in Veralon, the guild itself didn't have that many members. The guild sported only 28 members. Despite the small number of members, no other players or guilds could stand against the Lords. Among this powerful guild of monstrous players was their leader, a player named Shadow Eclipse.
Shadow was named Guildmaster of the Lords pretty quickly. He was a powerful vampire as well as a War Mage, a combination of a warrior and a sorcerer. His skill with magic and the sword were unparalleled. Sometimes, he would simply use powerful spells to destroy enemies of the guild. His down-to-earth nature and ability to stay level-headed even during combat situations made him the perfect choice to being the Guildmaster.
The Tambleon Lords' base of operations was a place built by the guild itself. They called it Tambelon, the Dark Citadel. It was an entire city built to look like late 19th century London, with great examples of Gothic architecture on each of the buildings. Tall and pointy spires on the walls of the city gave an unsettling appearance to any outsiders who came upon the city. The area outside the city was surrounded by walls of dark foggy forests. The palace in the center of the city, the home of the Lords, was an impressive structure to say the least. The palace was enchanted with powerful illusion spells that made it impossible for outsiders to invade the palace and find their way out. These spells would make it appear like the halls were changing as the trespassers went.
The city's inhabitants were all NPC's and none among them were human. The entire population of the city was made up of monsters. Dark creatures of all kinds dwelled within the Dark Citadel. These creatures served as the first line of defense in case other players managed to infiltrate the city. This way, players would be ripped apart before they ever even reached the palace.
When the game developers came out with the update that allowed players to create their own NPC's, the Tambelon Lords' gladly had taken the opportunity to create their own NPC's to act as the regional "Underlords" of each of the city's districts. The city was divided into ten different districts, with ways of differentiating between the districts. The Underlords acted as "dungeon bosses" of each level.
The Tambelon Lords all left before the servers finally shut down. Well, most of them, anyway. Guildmaster Shadow Eclipse was sitting at the head of the guild's meeting table, with was round in shape with the guild's crest in the center. The guild's crest was a singular image of a white bat's wing coming out of the indent of a crescent moon. The only other member of the guild that was there was a member named HighSlime234. Shadow's slimy companion was a Greater Red Slime, a predatory slime species that were carnivorous. Shadow Eclipse was dressed in his usual noble vampire attire: a black cape, a red undershirt, a black vest, black pants, and black boots. His bright red irises sat in sclera that were dark gray. He gave a smile to his friend, revealing a mouthful of needle-like teeth.
"You know, we had a good run, right?" HighSlime234 asked his soon-to-be-former Guildmaster.
"Yeah, I had perhaps the most fun I ever had in my life. I just wish the others could be here, too" Shadow replied.
"Agreed. I'm really glad to see that Tambelon is still standing. Being Guildmaster suited you. Your leadership really kept the place in one piece"
"A Guildmaster is only as good as his guild-mates"
"Still, it's really impressive. Alright, I've got to log out. I have work tomorrow and I'm starting to feel like my avatar looks"
"Alright, sleep well, buddy"
And like that, HighSlime234 logged out, leaving Lord Eclipse alone to watch all his guild's hard work come tumbling down and deleted. After a while, Shadow pulled up his game menu to look at the time remaining until the servers shut down.
6:35
That's how long until the game shut down. He decided to walk around the palace until the time ran out. He got up from his seat and walked to the door outside the meeting room. Once the large double doors opened, he was greeted by a familiar sight: the head butler of the palace, Spine Drake, along with the war maids of the Dragon's Teeth. The maids were all quite beautiful, and wore a combination of maid uniforms and battle armor. Spine Drake had crimson hair and purple cat-like eyes.
As he walked past these particular NPC's, they all followed suit. He walked through the high-vaulted halls of the palace to admire its architecture. The spires and gargoyles gave a creepy feeling that Shadow himself was immune to at this point. There were various tapestries that depicted medieval torture methods of various kinds as well as picture's of the guild's exploits. A red velvet carpet lined the floor of the palace. Candles and chandeliers with bright red flames illuminated the palace.
I'm sure going to miss this place after it's gone. It's really heartbreaking to watch this place just get deleted, Shadow thought to himself.
After walking down some more halls and flights of stairs, he finally reached his destination: the highest balcony in the palace. This balcony would allow someone to view the entire city. Once Shadow made his way to the balcony, he was joined by one the NPC that was made to be the Captain of the Underlords: Adagio.
Adagio was a beautiful being to behold. She had long, bat-like ears similar to his own, wore a Gothic dress that was cut to leave her hips exposed, fingerless gloves that revealed sharp claws, bat-like wings that fluttered behind her back. Her golden hair was poofy and voluminous. Her eyes shone bright green with eyes that were slit like a cat's. She stood by her master with a smile on her face. Her species was Batfolk, a subspecies of vampire native to southern Veralon.
Shadow turned to view the city of monsters before him. To him, it was beautiful example of what hard work, dedication, and dungeon-crawling could get you.
Shadow looked at the timer above his game menu after a while.
0:20
Well, it was fun while it lasted. I wish I could live in a world like this. I have no living relatives, no girlfriend, not even a dog waiting for me IRL. Living as Shadow Eclipse would probably be the best thing ever, he thought as he watched the timer count down.
0:05
0:04
0:03
0:02
0:01
0:00
Nothing happened. Nothing at all. Shadow was still looking at the city he and his guild built before him.
What?! What's going on?! Did the devs push back the server shut down? he thought frantically.
When he tried to pull up his game menu, he found that it didn't pop up like it was supposed to. Also, he started to notice that the world around him didn't look like it was made up of computer graphics anymore. In fact, it looked like it was actually existing in real life now.
What the hell is going on?!
"Lord Eclipse?" a voice asked of him.
Shadow turned to see Adagio looking at him with a mixed look of curiosity and worry. This was shocking to Shadow.
"Lord Shadow! Are you ill?! If I have done something to displease you, let me atone for it!"
Her mouth is moving! She's actually talking?!
"I can't believe my game menu isn't popping up!" Shadow said in his character's selected voice.
He selected a voice that sounded like a voice fitting for a vampire overlord, a voice that was deep and regal. The voice of a powerful and fearsome king. Adagio looked at Shadow with apology.
"I'm sorry, my lord, but this 'game menu' you speak of is unknown to me" she replied.
She's actually responded to him! She's acting as if she was self-aware! Shadow knew that he couldn't allow himself to panic. He had to see if his current hypothesis was correct.
"Adagio, may I touch you?" he asked the Batfolk before him.
"Sure! Touch me however you wish!" she replied with elation in her eyes.
Adagio stepped towards him with her arms wide open. She was so close that Shadow could smell her perfume. That fact that he was smelling her was stunning. Games couldn't replicate smell. Shadow gently grabbed her arm and felt that she was warm. And she had a pulse, too!
No way! She's alive?! Not just an NPC run by AI?!, he thought.
He couldn't understand what was going on. First, he can't log out of the game. Second, his NPC's are looking and acting like they're alive. And finally, he can smell and touch them and feel living pulses.
Shadow couldn't figure out what was happening here. Did the world of the game somehow become real and he is now his avatar?
Shadow let go of his subordinate's arm and gave her a serious look.
"Adagio, I have an order for you" he said with his character voice.
"I would be an honor and a privilege to serve you, my lord" she replied.
"Except for the Underlords of the Seventh and Eighth Districts, have the Underlords gather at the city's Colosseum in the Fourth District"
"At once, my lord"
And with that, she was off to carry out her orders. Shadow decided to use his Teleport Ring to get to the Colosseum in the blink of an eye.
The Colosseum of Tambelon was mostly used to lure players into an area where they could be easily surrounded and killed, or they would be forced to fight one of the Lords themselves. Sometimes, the other Lords would spar with each other in the Colosseum or have other NPC's fight each other.
Once at the Colosseum, the vampire began to admire the grand structure that he had built himself. A large central arena and the rows upon rows of seats for any who wish to watch fights.
"Now, then. The two Ghoul twins in charge of this place should be here"
"Lord Eclipse!" a voice calls out from above him.
Shadow looked up to see a smiling female Ghoul looking down at him. She was looking at her master with glowing green eyes and hyena-like teeth. She had bright pink hair and wore a dark blue leather coat that flowed down to her calves and only seemed to accentuate her slim figure. Black boots covered her feet and white gloves covered her hands. She bowed respectively before her master.
"My Lord Eclipse! Me and my sister are honored that you have seen fit to visit the Colosseum!"
"Speaking of which..."
"Huh?"
The mentioned sister was nowhere to be seen. The Ghoul started to look around and yell out with a look of irritation on her face.
"Aloe! You're being rude to Lord Eclipse! Quit hiding like a coward and come down here!"
"But Lotus, I'm scared! Come on!"
"ALOE!!"
"Okay, okay, I'm coming!"
Another female Ghoul wearing a dark red coat with dark blue hair jumped down onto the ground of the arena and rushed over to her sister and master. She bowed before her master with a sheepish look and a blush.
"I-it's an honor to have you here, Lord Eclipse" she said.
"I hope I am not intruding" Shadow said.
"Of course not! You're the supreme ruler of Tambelon. There is no monster here alive or undead that would ever consider you to be an intruder" Aloe said.
"You're always welcome anywhere in the city at anytime, my lord" Lotus said.
"I'm happy to hear that. I'm just here to let you know that I've summoned the other Underlords here" Shadow informed the Ghoul twins. Aloe groaned.
"Whaaaat? Does that mean Cozy Glow's coming?" Aloe asked.
"Yes. That does mean that Cozy Glow is coming here" Shadow replied.
Behind them, a portal opened. Out of the portal stepped a finely dressed vampire girl in Gothic Victorian attire and holding a black umbrella above her head. Her paper-white skin was complimented by her curly light blue hair. Her cheeks were dotted with a set of freckles that made her look more adorable than she already was. Being the same species as Shadow himself, she possessed the same claws, teeth, and bat-like ears that were the indicators of one as a vampire.
"My, my. It would appear that I am the first one to arrive" she said in a smooth voice.
I have to figure out what's going on here. Maybe the Underlords could help me out with this endeavor, Shadow thought to himself.
He had to figure out if this is a case of being transported to a new world altogether. He had to.
Author's Note
Hope everyone enjoys this chapter! Since I’m an “Overlord” fan happy about the fourth season, I really wanted to write this!
