As I scrolled through the Creator Online forum and website, my eyes drank in every and all information visible on the screen of my Holopad. To my disappointment, there was no information about the game.
Just a picture. And a thirty-seconds video trailer. The picture was of a hand holding a planet. If that was to arouse curiosity then it worked. But it was the trailer that dug all the viewers into a pit of mystery and desire to know.
If anyone had doubts, the trailer compelled them to enter and satisfy their curiosity.
The video began with darkness and silence. For a full five seconds, there was no image or sound. 'If it weren't for the following scene at the sixth second, I would have thought I opened the wrong trailer, mistaking it for one of those click baits'.
An action-beat tune began playing, my Holopad speakers improving the sound. The screen showed a hand tightened into a fist suddenly emerge from the darkness. The fist opened and a seed shot out from its palms. I couldn't help but notice that the hand was abnormally large. Even though there was no visible body attached to it, it was clear that the hand was huge.
The following scene depicted a group of luminous beings descending through the clouds in fiery streaks. The subsequent scene showed two armies standing at arm's length from each other, ready to engage in a battle. Projectiles were launched between the little space separating them, and one could witness bodies falling in that tiny span.
The next scene showed a strange elf walking through the aftermath of a brutal battle, glittering tears in its eyes as it surveyed the carnage.
The final scene depicted outer space, and from the darkness emerged a colossal shape so massive that it appeared as a mere shadow. The jaws of the creature were wide open, and it consumed the entity from whose perspective we were watching.
The trailer was confusing and left me uncertain about the meaning of the scenes.
I returned to the forums in an attempt to find information that could help me once the game was launched. Many players had already joined the game, but the only information available in the forums was a rumor that each player was only allowed to have one account. There was also the talk of 'Dying,' but nobody knew what it exactly entailed. It seemed like going below Lv1 was dangerous.
Next, the players who had secured slots were identified by a unique symbol next to their names - a golden palm with a black hole at the center. Most already had usernames though I was certain they'd be given options to change them.
Helldiver121 - What's with that trailer?
SingerDamsel - I know right, I barely saw anything in the game and there's a lack of information. How are we supposed to understand how it works?
Demon King - At least we know there are elves.
Loli5 - Am I the only one pondering what that thing at the end was? It appears to be a mega boss at the end. Has anyone else wondered about it?
MrFury to Loli5 - Agreed.
Various comments were made, but most knew nothing and so nothing new or informative was provided. The only thing that mattered was the timer on the website, which was ticking down to zero.
[00:01:11:46]
With only an hour left before the game launch, I sighed and quickly scanned through the remaining chat. However, I couldn't find anything helpful on the site.
After exiting the forum, I shut down my laptop and headed downstairs to get a drink of water. I noticed that no one was around, and I assumed that Dester was in his room getting ready to log in. As a professional player, gaming was more work than fun for him. He was also an expert in information and game mechanics and was responsible for providing updates and information on the forum, but only through his personal account.
Each slot buyer on Creator Online was provided with a personal page, similar to an account on a forum. There were also several locked and inaccessible options.
I recognized it because my account had the same features, but I noticed the option to post content, which meant that other people would be able to see it.
I was certain that Dester was already planning on using this. Many people would use it as whoever provided the best information would attract the most attention, leading to an increase in clients.
I didn't care much about it. I was here to solve a problem, my own problem. After returning to my room, I took a much-needed shower. My eyes kept darting towards the clock as I fought my gown off and untangled my long, raven-black hair.
"It's 5:45 pm now. Only fifteen minutes left till game."
After battling with my hair for a while, I moved on to the gaming equipment which was already arranged and connected. I had spent most of the day setting it up and getting familiar with the rules and maintenance procedures of this particular system.
The helmet would allow me to connect my neural network to the game, while the pod was designed to protect my body and provide nutrition during extended gaming sessions. This was particularly important for professional gamers who often spent longer periods in the game than necessary.
With my room door locked I crawled into the pod, set the helmet over my head feeling and hearing it hum and activate. The fluid pipes rolled out automatically and connected to my body. Next an oily yet comfortable fluid filled the pod and wrapped me up in it.
A red light appeared above me, gliding down as it scanned my body. I bit my lip to control the impulse of acting out at being watched. Luckily, the light flashed green and blinked off. Then the helmet vibrated once again, and a voice sounded in my head.
[Activating Neural sync and Conscious Transfer]
I felt my senses dim and my awareness fade making me miss the sound of a click coming from the pod door as it locked me in. Liquid nutrients began flowing down the pipes and into me as my consciousness finally blacked out.
Upon regaining consciousness, I found myself facing a white screen that obstructed my view. I could only see what was in front of me, and a large name was written on the screen.
CREATOR ONLINE✋⚫
My first full-dive immersive gameplay was in my pod. The game had a symbol of a golden palm with a black hole in it and was the only game available.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
I was unable to move, but I realized that simply wanting to click on the writing was enough. Doing so, lit up the white screen in a variety of colors before shattering into nothing. In its place, a row of white numbers appeared where the title once was.
[00:00:00:09]
[00:00:00:08]
'Shit. Its already starting'. I could feel my nerves rise, my trauma slowly rearing its head, and my paranoia whisper words in my mind.
[00:00:00:07]
[00:00:00:06]
I remembered mum's plea too, and then Dester and Dad.
[00:00:00:05]
[00:00:00:04]
I had to do it for them and for myself. I kept reminding myself that it was just a game and that no one could harm me in there, no matter how real it looked or felt.
[00:00:00:03]
[00:00:00:02]
'I will have to bear with it. I need to be brave and I will be.'
[00:00:00:01]
"You can do this, girl." The numbers froze, displaying a complete row of zeros. Then slowly, the numbers began moving, left, and right they went. As they moved, I noticed how each zero transformed into a different letter, combining and arranging. Somehow, there were more zeros than before, forming more letters. Once the arrangement was complete, I read the line of text before me.
[The Presence of Fear makes a mighty one]
The golden words blazed before shimmering and swapping like zeros, forming a new line of text.
[Welcome Player to Creator Online]
I couldn't stop thinking about the first line of the game as it felt like it was tailored just for me. I was curious how the game was able to sense my emotions. 'Maybe it's reading my neural network or something'.
[We hope you enjoy making your tale]
'Wait what?' My confusion vanished as I fell into a deep sleep.
***
It was very dark, but surprisingly, I didn't fear or hate it. What I actually feared was the last moments of sunlight, that precise moment right before dusk. The approaching darkness itself was what scared me, although I think most people can relate to that.
I didn't understand anything until the system voice in my head provided the first notification about my whereabouts during the strange game.
[You are in the Void]
It was unclear whether the notification was in response to my thoughts or a standard alert, but I didn't have time to contemplate as a sensation developed inside of me. At first, an old fright rose as I pondered if someone had gotten into my room. Upon realizing my fear, I quickly regained composure and dismissed the irrational thought of someone being in my room.
'Hmmh. That's a first'.
"I believe that feeling is within my body, actually that's my chest'. It was a strange mix of warmth and coldness, as well as hot and freezing temperatures that seemed to constantly fluctuate. Suddenly, I felt something inside me snap. It was a palpable sensation that I could feel."
Then the system voice returned.
[Creator Token Found]
[Creator Token Activated]
[Origin Ability Generating]
I blinked as I tried to make sense of what I was hearing before a new sensation washed over me. It was warm and encompassing, yet also distant and chilling, a bizarre feeling, to say the least.
The sensation solidified within me until it became tangible, like a weighty but weightless stone. A pattern slowly emerged as I became more aware of my surroundings.
[Origin Ability Generated - One-Spark]
I hummed mentally upon hearing the name of this ability, but found myself questioning what origin abilities were. However, I let the query go as a new sensation emerged. It felt as if something had been switched on and my body was now pulling at something. I didn't have to wait long to understand what was happening though.
[One-Spark Activated]
[One-Spark absorbing Primordial Chaos]
I was thoroughly confused by the term 'Primordial Chaos'. I couldn't make sense of what was happening. I couldn't remember where I had heard this term before. In most games, chaos was often attributed to evil or dark spells.
Yet here I was absorbing it. Though there was a primordial before it. Still, chaos should be chaos, right?
As I pondered, a destructive energy engulfed me like a tidal wave of nuclear radiation, obliterating my body.
It's not like I've felt any radiation, but this is how uncomfortable I think it should feel. Not cool.
Funnily enough, there was no pain - just discomfort and annoyance, like a thousand ants crawling all over me. However, I spoke too soon.
At first, I believed that the One-Spark was absorbing the Primordial Chaos. However, I soon realized that something was wrong. While the One-Spark was indeed hungry and drawing in at least 20 units of the Primordial Chaos, it was only absorbing five of them. The remaining 15 were being pulled into me, which was causing some concerns.
"Where's the rest going then?' I searched my body in alarm the feelings so realistic that I forgot it was nothing but a game. 'How do I even know what's happening?'. I just did apparently.
I suddenly became aware of what was happening. However, I also realized two things at the same time. Firstly, I had no physical form despite playing a game that was supposed to provide an avatar.
Second was, Primordial Chaos at least the 15 of it left unabsorbed was split 5 to 10. With 10 clashing against something new in my body. The next prompts came.
[One-Spark Recycling]
[One-Spark Excreting Waste]
[Waste Excreted]
[Detecting Divinity]
I paused for a moment, trying to process the information. "Wait, Divinity? Like, actual Divinity?" I wondered in surprise. As I continued to observe, I realized that One-Spark wasn't just absorbing the Primordial Chaos, it was also using it as a source of energy to build itself up. The reaction between the two was resulting in the excretion of Divinity."
"I... umm... don't know... ahhh... how the game developers even... freaking... thought of Divinity as waste or whatever One-Spark is... ahhh damn it... but nice freaking concept." I was in a rush to express my thoughts, my mind on fire. At this point, I was so engrossed in whatever was happening inside me that I had forgotten I was stuck in perpetual darkness. The pain and reactions going on inside me had my full attention.
After realizing that the 10 of Primordial Chaos and divinity were constantly clashing and mending my form, I understood that both were causing destruction while also recreating me.
[Tempering In progress]
'What now?!'
I did wonder if the system was alerting me based on my assumptions or deductions? At the time, I was unaware of how accurate my assumptions were in triggering the system alert. However, I would soon come to understand the significance of this moment and the importance of accurate perception.
I found the remaining five of the Primordial Chaos, though it remained stuck outside my form, unable to enter for some reason. It lingered there, attaching to me like glue, even as the continuous battle fought within me continued.
Then it happened.
The One-Spark became extremely heavy and condensed. It felt like a bloated stomach, yet it continued to absorb. One should understand that the fifth and the tenth were continuously being absorbed, while battling with the divinity, which was also being absorbed in some cases and excreted in others. Even the fifth stacking outside was continuous. All these numbers were used to calculate the percentage of each going where.
[Absorption temporarily completed.]
'What the fuck do you mean by temporary?. There's more of this shit?'. I cursed.
I didn't understand the meaning of "temporarily completed", but I did know the feeling of the sudden flow of energy from the spark. It was neither Primordial Chaos nor divinity.
As I experienced it, something seemed to halt the fierce battle between the different entities inside my body. It took hold of them and flung them along, even the still-bonded Primordial Chaos wasn't left behind. All the elements mixed together like a cosmic soup before condensing and enveloping me. It expanded and covered my body, and in turn, my body stretched out to feel it.
Finally, I regained feeling in my limbs and hands. My nose wiggled and my fingers twitched.
As I became aware of what had happened, I noticed that there was no system voice to provide any explanation, which left me feeling even more confused. However, my focus then shifted to my One-Spark device, which was working tirelessly to absorb more information and refill whatever it had lost. But then, something even more surprising happened.
[Absorption percentage - 70%]
This time, the second voice came immediately after the first, which I deduced from the feeling of the One-Spark inside me.
[One-Spark overfilled]
"I was alerted again, and this time it caught my attention. I made an effort to open my eyes completely to confirm what I feared was happening. I had a gut feeling that something unexpected was underway, and if my suspicion was correct, then things were about to get very bad..."
[Dawn Bang Imminent]
'... in a Bloody epic way'.
I finally knew what this game could be about. But it brought more questions though. Did this mean that all the other players went through this too?
I felt a sudden surge of energy that quickly spread throughout my body. It was powerful enough to push away the darkness that surrounded me. As I looked around, I realized that the darkness was actually the smoky black waves of Primordial Chaos that existed within the void. However, even with the darkness gone, the void remained just as dark as before.
[Dawn Bang has occurred]
The energy extended beyond my perception, leaving a void in its wake.
[You have formed your universe]
[Your Universe is you as you are your Universe]
'This... This... is madness. Exciting but egotistical'. I had never seen a game like this before. But suddenly, it began making sense. There was no AI, okay, maybe just the system telling me things. But if there was no other A.I then that meant.
'Oh shit.'.
[Your Aether Holds the Boundary of your Universe from the Primordial Chaos]
'Why. I ate Primordial...ohh'.
[Awakening Creator/Player]
That final sentence surprised me since I was awake and because the system confirmed my thoughts with the Creator part of my title. However, what did it mean to be awakened?
A sudden jolt in my brain brought me back to my senses, triggering an alert in the system.
[Creator 79 already awake]
'Durh. Are you glitchy or something? I've been awake since the beginning, you bloody thing'.
[Feat accomplished]
[Feat - Creation's Witness]
[Creation's Witness - You have somehow peered into the workings of the void. You have seen that which only the Will should. As a reward, you have earned -
- All sights upgraded.
- Eyes of the Unseen
- 20MVC ]
[The Unseen Eyes - Even Creators cannot hide from you. The hands of fate are detectable to your elusive gaze.]
I was already wondering what players would have to do and how to get it done. 'This is all so trippy'.
If I was unsure about playing before, now I am definitely going to play. I hope to find a way to avoid other players.
As a new prompt appeared before me, my thoughts were cut off. I frowned before mentally shrugging in an ever-decreasing surprise at this game.
'Of course creating one's character would be odd too'. The game was proving to be unique and surprising. People would certainly want to play once they realized and learned all this.