Cole Sorren laid down in the capsule. It had been three years, three long years since the announcement. And it was finally out. Anton Entertainment’s newest, grandest, biggest game.
Dynamic quests. Realistic NPC’s. An evolving class system. A realistic game world with crazy, yet consistent physics. And best of all, complete sensory immersion. The Developers were so confident, in fact, they boasted that you couldn't feel the difference between real life and their game, except in certain situations. Situations people should avoid.
Over one and a quarter-million hours of development. The first Type-3 AI, named MAI (Modern AI), running on Type-4 Superservers. Time compression capable of turning a day in real life to a year in-game. Tens of trillions invested for one IVR (Immersive Virtual Reality) game and a capsule.
He was going to enter Eternal Online.
Cole felt a jolt of numbness slithering through his body. It was likely the various solutions that could keep him in the pods for a month without leaving. Truly a miracle of modern medicine!
His vision started to dim impossibly, considering the inside of the pod was pitch-black. His other senses started to slowly fade as well as his connection with his physical body. Soon, he was nothing more than a single consciousness, floating within the void. Then, his body started to reform, from his head to his toes. After a few seconds, his avatar was fully formed. He was wearing pure-black robes. A huge chunk of text on a panel appeared before him, displaying the many servers of Eternal Online.
Welcome to Eternal Online User 0,074,553,413! Please choose a Server:
UNAVAILABLE: The Land of Salvation (1:1 Time Compression)
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
AVAILABLE: The Forgiven Lands (2:1)
AVAILABLE: The Ruined Lands (4:1)
AVAILABLE: The Ruthless Lands (8:1)
CAPSULE QUALITY TOO LOW: The Chaotic Lands (12:1)
CAPSULE QUALITY TOO LOW: The Borderlands (24:1)
CAPSULE QUALITY TOO LOW: The Edge of Reality (60:1)
NO SERVER RESERVATION: Eternity (365.25:1)
???
Cole selected the 8:1 server. The ratios meant the efficacy of time compression. 8:1 meant that every 8 seconds he spent in-game was 1 second in real-life. He could spend a whole week in Eternal Online, and not even a day would pass. Another prompt appeared before him, asking him to confirm his action.
Are you sure? This action cannot be reverted, and your capsule and Eternal Online Account will be permanently adjusted. You will only be able to play in the Ruthless Lands.
YES/NO
Cole confirmed his action. He was then transported to a battlefield. As he watched a human soldier get impaled by a spear from what looked to be an elf, and for that elf to be furiously blasted apart by a hooded mage, a featureless voice chimed in his head.
*Welcome to the Ruthless Lands! What shall your Name be, Eternal?*
A floating panel appeared before him.
Eternal Name: __________________
Cole inputted his avatar’s name. The Phantom Edge, feared by the few who knew of his existence. A single man that could bring down entire dynasties using nothing but shadows and a blade.
He watched Elves and Humans fighting, as well as some other fantasy races he recognized. Orcs and Goblins, Dwarves and Centaurs, Gnomes and Giants were all fighting. There even was a Dragon fighting in the center! He watched a lover scream holding a corpse, tears streaming through her eyes. The eyes of loss, the eyes of sapience, the eyes of a person, not merely AI-generated code. There was just so much detail and emotion in the battlefield. It felt like a true battle being fought by the denizens of the Ruthless Lands.
Welcome to the Ruthless Lands, Eternal Phantom Edge!
Your sins and virtues, triumphs and failures, they will all be judged.