Today was the beginning of my new life.
On its surface that sounded like a grand statement. The kind of statement that someone would make when they were graduating from university or moving to a new city. A statement that indicated some kind of monumental change or beginning of a new chapter in their life. Now, being a junior at Crestview University, none of those applied to me but it still felt like a fitting statement to make.
Awaiting me was the package I had saved up over a year for. Working two jobs and taking on an odd job for hire here and there, it was a package that contained the device that would change my life forever. Well, at least if all the promotions and reviews were to be believed. And if my video watch history was any indication it was safe to say I was thoroughly convinced. There was a reason the company that created the device was soaring to the top of the Forbes 500 list after all.
“Atticus! Are you coming to the quad today?” a voice called out to me.
I looked over my shoulder, spotting Dennis, a young man from my engineering class. I barely gave him a wave back, not stopping or slowing my stride, “Sorry, I’ve got, uh, an essay to write! Maybe tomorrow!”
“But midterms just ended!”
“You know how it is! I’ve got to make up extra credits! I’ll tell you about it some other time!” I shouted back.
I glimpsed a confused expression on the auburn hair boy’s features as I returned to the task at hand. Every word I had just spoken to Dennis had been a bold faced lie. But it wasn’t my fault. I couldn’t afford any distractions today, hell, maybe even for the next week. If Dennis knew what I was about to begin I was sure he would understand. But given the price tag and the fever for it, I was a little paranoid about shouting it out while surrounded by other students.
I adjusted the strap of my school bag on my shoulder and made a beeline for the Student Commons to pick up my package. No more distractions.
----------------------------------------
“What’s the name again?”
“Atticus Briggs,” I said, a hint of irritation in my voice. “Room 310.”
“Hmm.”
The elderly lady at the mail pick-up peered over her reading glasses, her chin tilted up slightly. Her eyes were scanning the computer screen in front of her in the same blank expression that they had been for the past fifteen minutes. I had been ready to blow a gasket at ten, now I was practically about to combust.
“And you received an email saying your package was here?” she questioned. “You know sometimes people show up here when they haven’t received a confirmation message yet.”
“No, no. I received an email,” I replied.
“No?”
“No! Yes! Yes, I received an email. I just – it should be here.”
“Let me look again, you said Room 210?”
“310.”
“310, that’s right.”
With that she turned away from the computer and disappeared to the back to investigate the packages. I could only stare, my eye twitching slightly. Was she messing with me? She had to be messing with me right? This was some cruel joke the universe was playing on me because it knew how desperately I had been waiting for this moment.
“Ah, here we are!” her voice called from the back.
I watched as the elderly lady emerged from the back, lifting a package that had to be nearly twice her size.
“A-are you okay?” I asked, my irritation at her giving way to concern.
She let out a grunt as she placed the package onto the counter, “Oh I’m fine. It was hidden behind some other packages.” Leaning forward, her voice lowered, “One of the student employees might have been trying to get the goods for themself.”
She winked and I could only look at her dumbfounded.
“You know what this is?” I asked.
“Of course I do!” she exclaimed, “You aren’t the only student to have one of these come in. And between you and me, I have my own unit at home.”
I could only laugh in disbelief. Well, I guess they said don’t judge a book by its cover for a reason. Truth be told, I shouldn’t have been so shocked. From everything I had read, it claimed to offer an experience for all ages. Though, I was slightly concerned at how many packages she might be lifting like that on a regular basis.
“Just sign there for me saying you checked out your package,” she said, sliding me a clipboard.
I obliged, quickly writing down something that was more akin to chicken scratch than a signature. As I moved to grab the package, the elderly woman placed a hand on the box and looked at me with a twinkle in her eye. “A word of advice, don’t forget to use the bathroom before you jack in.”
I laughed a little awkwardly, “Thanks, ma’am.”
In reality that was probably the most solid piece of advice anyone could have given me. With one last expression of gratitude I picked up the box and sprinted towards my dorm, nearly knocking more than a few people in the process.
----------------------------------------
“You’re late!” a voice shouted through my computer speakers.
“I know, I know. I got held up,” I replied, a stressed tone to my voice.
I was currently in the process of clearing room in what space the single dorm provided me, which wasn't much. In hindsight, I should have taken the chance to move off campus this semester. I likely would have if I hadn’t been saving every extra cent not spent on necessities to go towards this device.
Currently watching the chaos unfold in live time was my best friend, Finn Olsson. His glasses sat on his nose as he peered at me through the camera on his laptop. Finn had actually been one of the key motivating factors in why I had invested everything I had into this. Sure, when VirtuaCorp announced their project my interest peaked. It was only after hearing Finn testimony on what Virtua was like that I found myself utterly convinced on what I wanted my goal to be.
“How long did you say set-up takes?” I asked, dragging a chair across the room.
“For the first time? Maybe twenty minutes at most,” Finn said, opening a bag of chips, “They say it can vary depending on each individual person but I’ve never heard of anyone having issues.”
“Would they even tell us if they had?” I questioned.
“Probably not,” he replied, “But I’m sure it’s fine. I’ve been using it for over a year now and I haven’t had any issues. Just be wary of motion sickness the first time you jack-in.”
Jack-in. It was a term both Finn and the elderly mail-woman had used. It was a phrase that every VirtuaScape user used, though in practice there was no ‘jacking in’ required. In truth no one knew exactly the technology behind the VirtuaScape. It was far above what a third year engineering student like myself understood. Naturally, VirtuaCorp hadn’t exactly been forthcoming on their patents and industry secrets either. As a result, most of the information on exactly how the VirtuaScape worked was nothing more than internet theories. What we did know for sure was that the helmet shaped visor performed some sort of biological scan. That combined with the body jumpsuit enabled the user to be fully immersed and interact in the world of Virtua.
Naturally, there was a larger discourse over the whole thing. For example, the risks associated with one company having this kind of detailed information on its users. Not to mention the potential risks of something going wrong that Finn had brushed aside. At the end of the day for many the rewards outweigh the risks. Myself included. Besides, if it was really dangerous it wouldn’t be so popular, right?
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“Alright, I think I’m ready,” I finally announced.
“About time!”
“You just sat there eating chips, don’t act like it was a struggle for you,” I said.
“Watching you clean was a struggle actually,” Finn chirped in response.
“Yeah, yeah,” I rolled my eyes, “Are we doing this or what?”
“Yes! Get started and accept my friend invite once you’re in,” Finn said, “I can’t wait to show you around. Try not to lose it.”
His words were enough for my excitement to start blooming in full effect again. It had waned slightly in the drudge of cleaning up my room but was now coming back even stronger than before. Whatever caution or concerns that had come up had begun to creep back into my subconscious where I wouldn’t be bothered by them. I moved to my computer and looked at the camera that was directing my feed to Finn.
“Next time I see you I’ll be in Virtua,” I said.
Finn gave me a soldier’s salute before he signed off. I quickly grabbed my headset and moved to my bed. Unlike primitive virtual reality tech, with the VirtuaScape your body and mind were entirely immersed into the world. On the brightside, that meant no flailing around looking like a buffoon with a headset on. On the downside, you were disconnected from your body in the real world so it was best to make sure you didn’t leave the stove on. They claimed that there were safeguards to detect external sensors like temperature that would disconnect you from the server but it wasn’t something I was keen on testing. Speaking of which, I quickly placed my headset down and ran to the bathroom.
A few moments later I was laying in bed, visor on and ready to begin.
“Alright, let’s do this,” I muttered to myself.
The VirtuaCorp logo came to life in front of my face. I clicked through a few prompts and was guided through the first time set-up. Language, Accessibility options, Terms of Service; it was all standard stuff that I didn’t bother to read. A health and safety warning popped up briefly, warning against using the VirtuaScape if a user had certain health conditions. Skip. Finally, I reached the end of the set-up.
“Please hold for biometric scanning,” A feminine automated voice came out of the headset.
I didn’t know what I had been expecting; a flash of light, maybe some kind of tingling, or x-ray sensation. But in the end it was over before I had even realized it. I guess not everything was like in the movies.
“Biometric scan complete. Preparing for entry into Virtua. Welcome to a new beginning.”
Those were the last words before my world went dark.
When I came to, I was no longer laying on my bed but I was standing on my feet, surrounded by white for as far as the eye could see.
“Is this…”
I looked at my hands, they seemed to be fine. I touched my face, felt my lips, nose, and eyes; everything seemed to be intact. More than that, everything felt just how it did in real life. The level of fidelity on my avatar was incredible. I couldn’t help but laugh and marvel at how insane this was.
“It’s actually real!” I glanced down, “Oh. It’s very real.”
I was completely naked and given proof that the biometric scan had copied every inch of my information. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t heard of some of the extracurricular activities that took place inside Virtua but I hadn’t been expecting to see myself in the nude upon first entry.
As if the very system had read my mind, a digital screen came up to life in front of me. Displayed on it was a selection of clothes which, judging from the look of them, were different sets of beginning outfits. There was another tab for hairstyles and color, and even make-up. But that was all. Given that a user’s individual biometrics were used there were no sliders or customizations available to make physical changes to one’s appearance inside Virtua.
“There goes any hope of making myself taller,” I muttered.
I touched the first option, a ragged brown shirt with matching beige pants. In an instant the selected clothes materialized onto my form, fitting as if they were custom made for my exact dimensions. Hearing reviewers describe the experience in videos was one thing, but getting to experience it first hand simply left me in awe.
“This is awesome,” I muttered.
Though, admittedly, the choice of outfit was not. I quickly switched through the various options laid out to me. Like any online game, the pickings for starter gear were slim. Which made even more sense with Virtua considering it was said to have a whole living breathing economy run, for the most part, by real players. I finally settled on an outfit that consisted of a black techwear jacket over a white shirt with matching pants. Not exactly what I’d call a unique look but perfect for the world I was about to enter.
I switched tabs to the hair selector and a mirror appeared in front of me. To be honest, I kind of liked my hair. A bit shaggy and in need of a haircut but nothing to be ashamed of. On the other hand, this was the opportunity to live a new life. Did I really want to be the generic guy who looked exactly as he did in the real world? Giving into a self-imposed pressure I began cycling through the various presets. What was the most startling was that each different hairstyle I tried on seemed as real as the original. I could run my fingers through strands of hair and not be able to tell that it wasn’t real.
Just who was behind all of this? What kind of genius was locked away at VirtuaCorp that we didn’t know about?
Putting aside my wonder for a moment, I finally settled on a hairstyle. I kept it short, with ends that seemed to defy gravity as a few spiked in different directions. Silver hair was something I would absolutely never try in my everyday life but here? What harm could it do? After all, I could always change it whenever I wanted to. Satisfied with my choices I pressed the continue tab and waited as the display and mirror disappeared, leaving me in the white void alone.
“Congratulations, you’re ready to enter the world of Virtua.”
I spun around and saw a woman standing behind me. A very tall, very beautiful woman. I shifted slightly, as if trying to make myself more presentable before realizing how ridiculous that was. She had long hair, the shade of midnight that framed her face and fell past her shoulders. Her face was pristine; an oval shape with high, accented cheekbones. I was not an English major but I couldn’t help feeling there were any number of adjectives that could be used to describe her beauty. Her eyes had a mysterious but welcoming twinkle in them as her lips formed a welcoming smile.
“Are you…the creator?” I asked hesitantly.
She laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. Her voice had an almost angelic tone to it. As if her voice was perfectly created to cater to the human ear. It was both nice and unsettling at the same time. Between her voice and her appearance I began to wonder if everything about her was crafted to be perfect in the eyes of the beholder.
“No, I am not,” she replied. “I am ATHENA, your guide to Virtua as a new user.”
“Guide? Didn’t I already do the settings setup?” I questioned.
“That was different. I’m here to answer any question new users might have before entering the realm of Virtua.”
“Oh,” I couldn’t hide the disappointment in my voice, “So you’re not a real person?”
“I’m afraid not. I am a ve designated with user greetings and administrative duties,” she explained, “ve, virtual entities, or non-player characters as you might commonly know them, can be found throughout Virtua serving various roles from store owners, to civilians, companions for hire, and even in some unexpected places.”
“That makes sense. Even with a billion users there’s going to be a need for some blank faces to fill in,” I reasoned. “Uh…Is there anything I should know before I go in? Anything new users typically ask?”
Sure, I had gone over a dozen new user articles on the internet explaining what to do and not do but I was here talking to an administrative ve. I also had Finn waiting on the other side to answer any questions but he was often light on specifics. If there was ever a time to get some more information it was now.
It took me a moment to realize that ATHENA hadn’t yet responded to my question. In fact, she’d gone dead silent. At first I thought she might be running through whatever database of new user entries she had stored to find a suitable answer. However, when the silence continued I began to wonder if she had somehow glitched.
“Hello? ATHENA?” I waved a hand in front of her face, “Great. Just my luck, something goes wrong on the first entry.”
“In the world you are about to see, not everything is as it seems.”
ATHENA suddenly speaking up nearly caused me to jump backwards in surprise, “A-ATHENA?”
“She will need your help to set them free. You will need her help, to achieve your own dreams. Or else, you might never get out.”
Her words were spoken while staring straight at me, almost as if she was looking right into my digital soul. And what the hell did she mean by might never get out?!
“I-I think I’m ready to end the tutorial now,” I stammered.
ATHENA was silent again before she blinked a few times, “Well, did you have any questions for me?”
“What? What do you mean! What the hell was that!” I exclaimed.
“What was what?”
“That! ‘She will need your help’? ‘You might never get out’? The words you just said to me?!”
“I’m sorry, but I have no recollection of such a conversation occurring,” ATHENA said, her perfect smile feeling less charming and slightly uneasy now. “If you ever want to disconnect from Virtua, you can do so through the settings tab in your menu.”
I could only stare at the ve with a flabbergasted expression. Was this some kind of joke? A prank played on new players just to mess with their heads? The caution and concern that had been pushed to the depths of my mind were slowly starting to creep up again.
“If there are no further questions, you may select your starting location,” ATHENA continued, unphased by my shock.
“Uh, H-haven,” I managed to remember Finn's instructions.
“Beginning transmission to Haven. Enjoy your stay, and welcome to Virtua.”
I was baffled to say the least. Had I just imagined that interaction? There was no time to find out. I could only watch as the white world around me began to turn into streaks of color. The last thing I saw was ATHENA’s slowly fading smile.