As it turns out there wasn't much to think about, my life as it is now amounts to nothing. I have no one to stay for. So, the decision was made almost before I left the building.
Two months later I returned, not surprisingly, it looked like almost everyone who had been at the meeting decided to take the offer. I joined the procession into the auditorium where I was assigned a company representative that helped me set my privacy preferences and signed a streaming contract. Basically, I allowed the company to view anything I did in-game and stream it. Half of the profits from the steam would towards the medical research that would have helped me, a quarter to a university scholarship for people with financial need and, the company would get the rest. Once the paperwork was done, they escorted me through to an auditorium. Once everyone was seated Kyle walked on stage.
“Good afternoon everyone, as you all know I am Kyle Bradson, I'm glad so many of you choose to accept our offer. Since you have already been given an overview of the systems, we are just going to show you a primer video for the actual game. First though, the most asked question we received was what kind of body will you have in-game. At first, every person will be given a body based on what the system believes is your peak condition. From there the system will create an average based on all the groups' results along with some sample data we provided. It will then improve your body to meet those average.”
At this point, people started to make noise but before people could get to worked up Kyle brought everyone to order.
“Everyone please calm down; questions can be asked at the end. Now to answer a question many of you may have, your body won't be held to that average. If the system finds that you exceed the average, you will be left as you are. Only below average traits will change. There will also be a character creation phase once you are in-game that can further change how you start the game. Now that that has been addressed everyone will fed and given medication to ease the transition into the game world. During this time, you will be shown the primer and representatives will be available to answer any questions you may have. shortly afterward you will start the process of entering the game.”
The video was fairly generic and outlined what amounted to a basic fantasy world. They did not go into any great detail on anything. They basically went through a monster manual and showed people doing typical fantasy professions. Once the video was over, we were taken to a room filled with pods that we were soon to be in. once in my pod I was shown more similar videos until I fell asleep.
When I woke there was nothing. I was floating in complete darkness but I could feel my body. For the first time in months, I could feel. I floated for what felt like a long time just enjoying the ability to move, even if there was nothing to see or do. Then out of nowhere, a monotone voice asked. “What is a creature?” In a moment of confusion, I didn't reply. As I began to speak, I felt a push then I saw and heard everything that I had ever considered a creature. In an instant, it felt like the information was torn out of me. I saw everything dragons, squirrels, wasps, Pikachu. Then suddenly I wasn't alone in the darkness, I could see the other players floating around me then the voice asked the question again. This time I didn't see and hear my thoughts but the cacophony of everyone’s and it continued until I was in complete agony from the wash of information. Just when it felt like it was too much to endure, I was alone again in the quiet. All to soon the voice returned and ask a new question. “what is land?” again the information was ripped from me every ocean, river, stream, spring, mountain, hill, and rock. I saw every place I have ever been or seen. Without warning, I was with the others and the voice asked again. Pain was the only thing I could perceive as the thoughts of hundreds flowed through me. Unlike before I did not return to my dark solitude, but floated high above an unknown world. Before I could start to explore the voice was back. “What is magic?”
The cycle continued for what felt like an eternity constantly switching from complete solitude to a suffocating pull at my core then to the mind splitting tumult of hundreds of screaming voices. The only thing that kept me from going insane were the quiet moments between questions. In those moments I floating over a new growing world, a world that I was going to live in. Seeing how the world evolved as each cycle ended. In the beginning, there were random sections that looked like samples of different terrains. Oceans made up of cubes of different colored liquids. Mountains of ice, rock, and crystal. Forest of all different types of trees. All mashed together with no logic at all. deserts next to lakes, next to hellish landscapes full of fire. Then slowly with each question, the lands moved and changed growing more complex and orderly. Each iteration brought the world closer to a natural state. The forest of individual species merged and grew mountains burst from the land. As the mountains grew other areas sank creating deep ravines and rolling hills. Oceans filled and springs created rivers that flowed into the oceans created estuaries. Once the land was created creatures began to emerge. With each new creature, the lands changed slightly as they joined the ecosystem. As time went by new creatures stopped being add and instead, they evolved. They changed to fit into their environment or changed the environment to fit them. Some went extinct and others flourished. Many of those who flourished and became strong also became intelligent. These creatures became elves, humans, orcs any and every intelligent creature imaginable. I watched them grow and build. Villages became cities, cities became kingdoms and kingdoms became empires. Histories played out before me I saw huge civilizations grow then be destroyed. I saw great magics and creatures destroy whole cities.
Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
As amazing as those moments in time were, that’s all they were, moments. Eternities were spent suffering as information was pulled from me. By the time the final question came, there was only one thing I wanted. To be alone in the solitude that brought relief. So, when the voiced asked, “Where do you want to be?” I screamed with all I was, “I want to be alone!” Then everything went dark the world below was taken away, my body disappeared and my consciousness followed.
I soon found myself floating above a canopy of an expansive forest valley surrounded by huge rolling mountains that dominated the horizon. Snow could be seen on the mountain peaks yet the trees were still green. The valley itself was split in three by large tributaries that came together and fell into the mouth of a canyon.
Unable to move or feel my body I started to panic thinking I had lost my new body already. Looking down I found that I didn't have a body, it was as if I was looking at the land through a camera. Just when I thought I was going to be stuck like this forever I heard the same voice from before ask. “Who are you?” True panic filled me this time. I have never felt more terrified than when faced with returning to the insanity of having hundreds of other people's thoughts run through my brain. But unlike before I wasn't pulled into a chorus of deafening thought. The voice just continued to ask. “Who are you?” I stayed silent waiting for the voice to leave but it didn't, it continued to ask. I waited, watching the sun and moons rise and fall in the sky. As much as I feared the results of answering the question, I couldn't live without a body again. So, I decided I would tell it my name. “I am “, As I started to speak, I felt the same pull from the chaos before. I tried to resist but it was pointless. Every introduction I have ever given flowed out of my mind in that moment. “Who are you?” Unlike before the memories and thoughts were all mine and were orderly and separate. If the world was created in the chaos before this must be the creation of myself in this world. That must mean I have the chance to create myself as I see fit. Did I want to be different then I was in life? What was I in the outside world? A child, a student, a worker? I was never able to become the person I set out to be a programmer. I wanted to create something that was mine, something I could be proud of. “Who are you?” For me, this world isn't a chance for a new different life but a way to continue living and reaching for my goals I couldn't achieve in my past. I will be who I was, I won't change. I began to speak again but this time I didn't fight the force I let it in and gave it everything I am. A rush of memories surged through me. I was on the floor in an unrecognizable house surrounded by giants. In my dad's garage watching him build a car. Standing over his grave. Programming a game with my friends at university. Sitting next to my mother's hospital bed. Building house after house. The ground closing in. darkness. A computer monitor, hours of videos about creating things, the human body, science. Book after book, a fruitless search for a way to be able to move and feel again. Despair and depression. Hope. I relived my entire 21 years on earth.
For a while hung there in the sky in silence watching the sun move as time passed. Finally, a break in the silence, the voice asked a new question. “What is power?”. This time I knew that I could answer the question by letting myself flow out but I decided to think about it clearly instead. The answer I give will be the most important of my life. this will give me the tools I need to thrive in this world. I want to create and build. so, I need power to create. My character needs to be intelligence-based because magic is the only way to create truly powerful things in fantasy worlds. I want to be able to create anything. I want to be able to learn any magic, any ability, any skill and imbue them into my creations. I let my desire fill me pushed it out into the world. I saw magic for the first time I felt the power that all things in this world are made of. The world flashed a bright white and was plunged to the ground.