[https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/p3z1vrtqtls20sc/Map.png?dl=0]
The Real World
Lauryn clung to her headset, eager to return to EdenVR Online to escape her problems. Only there in Eden, she felt whole. Even more than that 1, 200, 791 players depended on her as the rebellion leader. The game gave her purpose and helped to not focus on herself, what she was going through in her real-world life. In Eden Online, she was the only in-game princess.
Her cell phone rang, and she expected bad news, as always. She dropped the headset on the bed and answered.
"Hello, doctor," she said, anxious at heart.
"Lauryn," the doctor said, pausing. "We haven't been able to find a donor."
Lauryn bowed her head. "I figured."
"This happens," he said. "There are many like you on a waiting list."
Lauryn sighed.
"Live your best life," the doctor said. "Just in case."
"I will," Lauryn said, hanging up. And she would, but not in this life.
She checked the Eden companion app on her phone to see how much longer she'd have to wait to log back in: seven minutes until her HP recharged to 30%, a penalty for it depleting completely. Her items hadn't been looted, thanks to her NPC party member.
Lauryn looked at the wedding photo frame on her dresser and teared up. Mikhaya had died in a car crash as he rushed to the hospital with her, and she still blamed herself. They had played EdenVR Online together, the first VR game using advanced neural technology, granting full control of the characters with one's mind. She had joined his party before he passed, giving her the Galaxian Crown, which made her a princess of the light, of the Keltian people, their last hope.
Her husband had chosen to join the Empire as a mechanic two months before she gave the game a try, and had chosen Keltian as her race because of how oppressed they had been. In possession of the Galaxian Crown, the Empire dominated the game. There was no hope for Keltians until her husband defected in his last days.
EdenVR Online
From the cockpit of Mikhaya’s spaceship, Eden didn't look so green and blue anymore. Vibrant lights had changed that. There were so many speckles of neon color, many more than when he had traveled to space nineteen days ago. He sadly knew that the age of lights had begun. The view would enflame his partner, Lauryn. After all, most of those lights were her people.
He was an NPC in the mechanic class, in the image of her late husband, and trained from his neural connection; he moved like him, thought like him. Even though he was a ghost of the real Mikhaya, he cared for her; he felt she was his wife. Whether she was disconnected and off in the real world or back in Eden, his job was to protect her. He had no other purpose.
Possessing Mikhaya's memories, he remembered his corporate job, where he worked in construction as a building manager, and his friends and family, which he wouldn't see again. His very existence probably violated ethics, he believed. The game should have stored Mikhaya's ghost in the cloud when he didn't log back in within twenty-four hours and permanently delete it if he didn't in two days.
Ghost Mikhaya would remain as a self-conscience NPC until the devs learn of him. He cherished every moment he had with Lauryn, as it might be his last, his second death.
A blast hit his ship! Smoke rose from its left wing, and then a red light kept blinking on the main console. Furious that he had been caught daydreaming, Mikhaya checked his radar—two Trader Ships, coming fast, 2.3 miles away, 2.2...
By thinking it, Mikhaya opened the main to check Lauryn's status. A blue screen appeared before him with menu options.
1230G
SideQuests
Special Events
Dungeons/Castles
Colosseums
Party
Items
He tapped on Party.
Mikhaya
Lauryn
Louie
Then on Lauryn.
Status: Disconnected. 25%, 5 minutes to reconnect.
“Lauryn, this is going to get rough,” Mikhaya.
He glanced at the hybernating android at his side who looked like a child and had blonde hair: robotic companion QBB-107.
Mikhaya fingered the sides of his high-tech shades, an item given as a pre-order bonus for the first 1, 000 buyers. When he tapped its side, lines of green data streamed through the lenses, forming a menu: HEAT DETECTOR. TELESCOPE. REMOTE CONTROL. OMNIDIRECTIONAL VIEW. OTHER.
As he moved his head, he toggled through the menu and selected “OMNIDIRECTIONAL VIEW.” A panoramic view of the Trader Ships played on the shade's lenses.
He pushed the thruster-controlling lever, increasing speed and dodging the laser blasts. The ships following him kept shooting. But Mikhaya was too good for them. He wore a jacket with an emblem on the back: A wrench circled with the words “Mechanic Force” a cosmetic item he had bought for $2000 dollars.
His barrel rolls evaded them, dodging everything. His passive ability: Ace Pilot, helped him to instantly master any vehicle.
Mikhaya shook his head. “Lauryn, I'm so glad you're away. Because you would nag me about safety precautions.”
Red lights were blinking all over the console. He tried to steady the ship but it kept shaking. This was not his style—fighting for the Resistance, but one woman had his heart. There was no turning back now. He had been stripped from his privileges and brought back to level 1 by the devs for switching sides. All mechanics pledged allegiance to the Empire so his entire career went up in flames because he chose love, his Resistance wife.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
The ones trailing him were traders, who made a lot of business selling the essence of the Keltian people. The pious people of The Kelts had come to Eden in peace to share their technology with its inhabitants. This was what happened to them next: Being welcomed. Their technology learned, hijacked, and turned against them. Realizing that Edenites were two-faced and messed up. Finding themselves in labs, their essence being harvested to power Eden, their planets pillaged, and their children sold into slavery.
As passive beings, they didn't fight back, even when their people were far more advanced. Profiteers went up into space, scouring far into the Andromeda galaxy for their share, loading citizens of The Kelts into their ships, who walked into them. That was the story behind Eden Online, players could choose to be carefree Edenites, or join the Keltian rebellion and try to make a difference.
Mikhaya and Lauryn had sunk the biggest light Trading Ship in the galaxy, the Odyssey. But the traders were after Lauryn, not because she was part of that criminal act, but because she was now Princess of The Kelts, on her way to Alexandria, the law capital of Eden. She was to speak before the United Senate on the validity of the Keltian race.
Mikhaya pushed the thrusters further—everything a blur. There was no catching him. He entered Eden's atmosphere. The spaceship’s hull glowed red. He was way ahead of the Trader Ships as they slowed down.
After being in space for three weeks, Mikhaya couldn't wait to walk on Eden again. A gorgeous white scenery of snow peaks unfolded before him. A smile widened on his face. He was home. The ship’s left primary wing broke away as he decreased speed.
Louie woke up and analyzed the situation. “Sir, we have a 40% chance of survival.”
“I'm not ready to die,” Mikhaya replied with determination.
Mikhaya felt he had to redeem himself and had much to prove in the Resistance. That he was better than his past. Lauryn gave him hope of that. He was excited to live again and care about something more than himself. This was his beginning, and it wasn’t going to end here.
He kept calm and directed the spaceship down to a patch of soft snow, and plowed into it. He lost his right wing. The ship skated upon the snow until it stopped. Mikhaya pulled the lever at his seat’s base, and reclined back, sighing.
“Well done, sir,” Louie said. “You beat the odds.”
“No time to brag, though I loved to,” he said.
Lauryn walked out of the cabin, her glowing blue Keltian hair lighting the dimly lit cockpit.
“How are you feeling, babe?” Mikhaya asked.
“Not the best,” Lauryn said.
”We will have to talk about that later,” he said.
”What happened—”
”No time to explain.”
”The condition of your ship says a lot.”
“Don’t start with me. Not now.”
He hopped outside the spaceship with Lauren. Louie followed.
Mikhaya looked back with mourning at his ship The Red Tango. Its name in red streaked both sides, which he had done himself. He had betrayed her. He had invested so much time, effort, and money into her that walking away proved difficult. She was his home in space and longtime partner and had come through for him yet again. If possible, he would come back for her, but her broken body had to remain here, perhaps to be pillaged by traders, her warp core gutted. He would return for what remained of her if anything was left.
“Sorry,” Mikhaya said. “Corinth better have toasted bagels to make up for this. And plenty of Jack Daniel’s wine.”
He accessed the map which popped up in front of him, an arrow showing where he was and another showing where he had to go.
”I crashed a lot earlier than I thought,” Mikhaya said. “So we’ll be on our own.”
They trudged through the deep snow, cold wind blowing against them, and came to the edge of an icy cliff, ninety feet to the next side. Looking back, he saw the Trader Ships descending where he had crashed.
“How much light is left, Lauryn?” Mikhaya asked.
Lauryn responded in a begrudging tone. “HP at 30%.” The tone was still there when she continued, “Building you a bridge, honey.”
“At 4% percent, please,” Mikhaya said, wanting Lauryn to reserve her health.
The gap between the two cliffs flickered, bluish. The light strengthened into a bridge of neon blue. He took a step, testing it. Satisfied, he walked across. Lauryn's passive ability Keltian Princess allowed her to craft objects from light at the cost of HP.
“We should walk faster, Mikhaya,” Lauryn said. “They're not too far behind.”
“They're not getting past this,” Mikhaya said.
“I worry, still,” Lauryn said.
The bridge began to break, light fading away. Mikhaya went into a run.
“Don't use reserves,” he commanded, running with her.
“I'm strengthening the end,” Lauryn said. “We won't make it.”
Lauryn made the bridge denser with light as her HP depleted. At their back, the bridge had almost faded away. They had a few feet lead, and jumped, landing on the other side.
Mikhaya checked Lauryn's HP: 5%.
“You should listen to me, at least sometimes,” Lauryn said.
He got up, groaning. ”We could have made it.”
Deep concern showed on Lauryn's face. “What if we didn't? Did you think what would have if you had fallen? Would the game finally realize you're not supposed to exist?”
Mikhaya kept quiet.
“When you said 4%, I knew you were wrong,” Lauryn said. “That I would have to save you again, kiddo.”
“Yeah, yeah. If you're done playing mommy, let's go.”
Mikhaya saw an Eden Vending Machine almost concealed with snow, and went to wipe it down until the options were visible. He accepted the 1000 gold cost of five E-Soda Maxes and they got added to the inventory. One materialized in his hand and he gave it to Lauryn. “Peace?”
Lauryn accepted. “Fine.” Drinking it replenished her HP. The can disappeared after.
“We're in an arena,” Mikhaya said. “Best be prepared.”
Two Anaconears ran to them and activated the yellowish battlefield aura, which surrounded them. They stood upright with the body of a polar bear and long snake tails for arms.
“Well, well,” Mikhaya said. “How I missed Eden.”
An announcement scrolled across the field: Lv. 22 Mikhaya, Lv. 21 Lauryn, Lv. 19 Louie Vs. Lv. 18 Anaconear, Lv. 17 Anaconear
51
Mikhaya used 1, 2 Punch against Lv. 17 Anaconear
HP: 14/65
Power: 40
Team MP: 80
Description: The user hits an opponent with two quick punches.
29
Lauryn used Arrow Beam against Lv. 18 Anaconear
HP: 39/68
Power: 40
Team MP: 40
Description: The user shoots an arrow made from light at an opponent.
20
Lv. 18 Anaconear used Constrict against Louie
HP: 56/76
Power: 30
Team MP: 30
Description: The user wraps around an opponent with a limb and squeezes them.
21
Lv. 17 Anaconear used Whip Lash on Lauryn
HP: 74/95
Power: 30
Team MP: 0
Effect: The user whips their opponent with a limb or weapon.
14, 13
Louie used signature move 1 Stretchy Arms on both Anaconears
HP: 0/65 | 26/68
Power: 20
Team MP: 0
Description: The user stretches their arms to hit all opposing fighters.
Mikhaya shook his head that even Louie had a signature. He didn't feel special without one. That was taken away when he joined the rebellion. His potential of seven was the highest a player could go. Only 0.2% of the player base had that much potential, which helped him ascend to first place in the game, but he wondered if he could ever fulfill that potential again without a signature.
49
Mikhaya used Shoulder Charge against Lv. 18 Anaconear
HP: 0/68
Power: 40
Team MP: 80
Description: The user charges an opponent and tackles them.
Battle Over! Your team members gained 4200 EX! Gained 400 Gold!
“That was easy,” Mikhaya said. “Not enough experience to reach the next level.”
“Be patient,” Lauryn said.
“How can I? I need to level up fast, to protect you. I'm not good enough.”
Lauryn hugged him. “Thank you. Mikhaya, for being there for me.”
“Hello there,” a voice said.
At turning, they saw a man in winter clothing and gear, appearing as a hologram.
“I see that you're about to trek this mountain,” he said. “I use to do that all the time. After my wife passed away. Since that horrible moment, there had been plenty there to occupy my attention, but the memory of the time had never for a second faded, and I focused all of the time that I could spare from the myriad responsibilities that had descended upon me as a result of being a widow. I had to learn to do so many things myself and carry the weight of two. Overwhelmed at times, these mountains provided solace and peace.”
“I'm sorry for your loss,” Lauryn said.
“Well, it's great to see two young lovers trekking these mountains together,” the man said. “I would have loved to adventure here with Alice.”
“I'm sure she would have enjoyed it with you,” Lauryn said. “Sounds like you two were close.”
“We were,” the man said. “I hope you two grow old together.”
Lauryn nodded.
“There are a few things I left behind in this spot. Farewell,” the man said then disappeared.
Mikhaya got on his knees and dug where the man had stood. He found 200 gold, three E-Soda Maxes, and winter gear which he added to his inventory. After handing an E-Soda Max to Lauryn and Louie, he got up.
A notification box popped up: EdenVR Online 3.01 Update. Phantasms Added. NPCs who have died will share their stories and snippets of their lives. The interactions will sometimes give gold and experience. Entertaining their conversations can lead to tips that will help in battle, sidequests, and finding items. Phantasms will be a huge part of the game and make regular appearances. Be sure to make use of this addition to progress in EdenVR Online.
From the developers at Dream Loft