After 2 days of practically nothing to do but wait for the pod, simply watching the trucks stop takes hours. Then, when it’s revealed that they’ll need all the men on the truck to help with each box one by one, I feel my heart slowly die of old age. When it turns out that the pods will also require set up and a total of 16 hours to fully charge and boot up, I feel my soul exiting through my mouth and reaching for the heavens above!
“Josh, stop your fatalistic inner monologuing and help me put this together, or it won’t be ready when we wake up tomorrow,” says my sister in such a deadpan voice that I can’t help but stare in shock.
“No, I can't read your mind, now come and help,” she says while throwing the manual at me.
After 2 hours, we have finally set up all three pods in the guest bedroom. I also read through the instructions and learned a few things about the equipment. First is that for proper use, one must wear the included body suits (we had given our measurements to Dad back when he had pre-ordered the original pod) when entering the pod. Next is that the pod could only be used for 10 hrs a day max before the system will auto-shutdown. It also notes that one will not achieve any sleep while using the device and that it is essential to get an entire 8 hours of sleep after use, or the system may kick you out early. There is also a note about time dilation, noting that the game can reach a time dilation of 4 times with current technology. Finally, there is a promotion on the back of how the company is working on a portable version that will simply require a helmet and suit.
After staring longingly at the pod, I leave it behind and walk back to my room to waste another day away.
----------------------------------------
When I wake up in the morning and check my watch, I see that it is 5 till 8 and thus 7 minutes till the pod is ready. After I brush my teeth and get changed into the body suit, I walk into the guest room. I enter the bedroom and see my sister is already there, dressed in her black body suit as well, which definitely does a good job accentuating her shapely figure. She stands at 5’9’’ with black hair and white skin with freckles across her rosy cheeks and over her nose. Her figure below the neck is something any person would be envious of, with her ful-
“I’m not sure we fully thought this through when we put the pods in the same room,” I say as I quickly turn around, my voice a tad squeaky.
“Yeah… So I think we agree to have me enter first, then you after 3 minutes, then if we go the full 10 hours, I’ll be long gone before your out. After we’re changed, we can move them to our own rooms,” she says, and while her words are serious, her voice is definitely a pitch or two higher.
“Sounds good,” I say as I leave the room, closing the door behind me without ever looking back.
…
7 min later
Entering the room for the sec- *cough* first time today, I see that one of the pods is actively in use, denoted by its blue glow, while the other two are glowing green, showing they are ready to be used. I go to the pod with a plaque labeled Josh on it and open it up. Inside is a foam-lined body imprint loosely based on my dimension (according to the manual). After a few experimental pokes, I lay down inside, discovering that the foam interior is ridiculously comfy to the extent that, as the pod closes, I can hardly care as I focus on the soft sensation. As the morning light from outside is blocked out, a blue light on the pod’s ceiling alights, drawing my focus. All the while, my body is silently, unnoticeably, restrained. With the light taking the entirety of my focus, I don’t notice as a contraption secures my head, nor when the pod fills with a liquid, nor even when I lose all feeling in my body.
For me, it’s simply comfy foam, light, and boom- I’m in a green field surrounded by a bright blue sky. Beyond the field and sky, the world is featureless. I am alone on an endless plane.
[Welcome to Order and Chaos player.]
[What would you like to be called?]
‘Uhh, well, I guess I’ll just go by my normal username. It’s simple, sleek, and my friends already know it, so no confusion.’
“Uhh… Plus.”
[Plus is available. Are you sure you want this username?]
“Yes”
[Username confirmed]
[Plus, welcome to the training fields, you will spend the next 5 RL days here before the portal to the world of Athrain is opened]
[It is recommended to try to learn as much as you can here as it will help both you and the pod to synch, increasing your level of play when you enter the world.]
“So is this, like, a tutorial?”
[Of a sort, this is both a tutorial space and a waiting area to ensure that everyone has an equal chance to enter the game world at the same time.]
[You will be given the opportunity to train in magic, crafting, and combat at their most basic levels. This will be designed to allow you to get an understanding of the different fields available so you can be wise with your time on Athrain.]
[Lastly, to improve synchronization, spending as much time as possible in the game during the next 5 RL days is recommended. For this reason, it is recommended to take naps in-game. They will not be able to satisfy all your sleep, but you will only need to sleep 5 hours if you maximize your sleep in-game. It will also give your body a smoother time acclimating to extended use of the pod. Otherwise, you may be kicked out after only 8 RL hours]
“What does maximize mean in this context?’
[Anywhere between 12 and 16 hours, when you leave after 10 RL hours, you should not feel fatigued]
“Okaaay, what about after we enter Athrain?”
[At that point, the importance is dramatically reduced, though you may still make some gains for a few weeks after]
“Bye the way, is there a reason I didn’t get to go through character creation?”
[That option will be made available to you once the portal to Athrain opens]
“So how does this whole training thing work then.”
Immediately after I ask the question, three orbs appear in front of me. To the left of me is a yellow orb with an odd 3D line figure that gives a sense of combat. In front of me is a purple orb that somehow blazes with a golden light. Inside it is another odd 3D line figure, but this one has a sense of mysticism to it. The final orb to my right is brown but blazing with yellow and blue light, and its figure has a sense of creation.
“Ok, so I’m guessing that in order from left to right, I have the choice of combat, magic, and crafting.”
[Correct]
“Any meaning to the colors?”
[That is something that you should have an answer to before the portal opens]
“I’ll take that as a probably”.
[...]
‘I guess its job is done?’ I think to myself. ‘Well, the question now is which orb first. By the explanation, I should be able to do all of them… but in case I can’t, I think magic will be the one that would be hardest to learn outside the game’. I conclude as I reach out to the orb in front of me. When I touch it, purple flames race up my arm, down my torso and legs, and to all the grass around me. At the same time, the sky turns gold, the clouds silver, and the sun white. In the next second, the white of the sun brightens continuously till all I can see is a bright white light.
----------------------------------------
Once the light fades, I find myself at a wooden desk in a small classroom. Around me are 15 other desks, half of which have indistinct figures with no distinguishable characteristics. Curious, I look down at myself, finding that I, too, am indistinct, with the only distinct qualities being that I have four limbs and a head. Looking up, I note that another 3 figures have appeared, bringing the total to 10/15.
Looking to the front of the room, I notice that there is a podium with a blackboard behind it. Down to the left is a wide dest where a wise-looking old man (mix of a wizard and a professor) sits. He is reclined in his chair with a wizard hat over his face. As I look away from him, I see we’re up to 13 figures.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Investigating some more, I notice each desk has a notebook and pen with an ink well at the top right of the desk. The notebook has a rune on the leather cover that has a similar yet different feel to that of the figure in the orb. It somehow feels much more passive. The rune has a striking simi-
*DING DONG*
I look up to see that the class is packed with 15 figures, and the professor/wizard has gotten up and is in the process of putting his hat back on his head. When he makes it to the podium, he straitens his robe, adjusts his hat, and checks that his chalk is in place before beginning.
“Welcome to Alrick's class for dummies. You are the dummies, and I am Alrick. You’re here to learn the basics of magic that you should have learned before turning 10, and I’m here to regret losing a bet. So, without further adieu, let's talk magic.” The professor, apparently named Alrick, declares in a tone that is both pompous and resigned.
“The first and most basic thing you must learn is how to manipulate raw magic. Worry not, I’m aware that you all are at a level of intelligence that even such a simple concept requires explaining, and so I shall do so. As a heads up, you will need to take notes as the techniques I teach you will not be possible in class. There is a reason you were provided with the materials, so use them.”
What proceeds is about a minute of rustling, paper shuffling, pen scratching, one agonized “Nooooo” followed by the sound of ceramic shattering, as well as some general mayhem. All the while, Alrick just stands by and watches. After the sound finally settles down again, he continues.
“As I was saying, in order for people like you all, the method to get a sense for magic is a bit more involved. Instead of simply existing like any normal person, you will have to find a place in nature and harmonize with it. You must get a sense of the flow of order and chaos, creation and destruction, life and death. As you begin to harmonize…”
And Alrick lectures for what are likely hours, though, with no clock in the room, it is really hard to tell. He spends the entire session explaining how to find the right place to do the technique, methods to enter the right state of mind, the many things you must do once you are there, and just a lot of details that, while important, are also very dull. Fortunately, I take efficient notes with plenty of diagrams, so I hopefully won’t need to re-read as much.
“With that done, that is all I can teach you till you succeed with the technique and manage to manipulate raw mana. If you have any questions, you can return by touching the magic orb again and will be given my office hours. Otherwise, once you learn the technique, channel the mana into the orb, and you will receive a time for the next session of this class, where I will teach you about runes… Goodbye,” and then he waves his hand, and suddenly the white light reappears and swallows me whole.
----------------------------------------
After the light recedes yet again, I find myself back in the infinite field with a vast blue sky. In front of me are the three orbs in the same order as before. However, as I look around, I notice that behind me is a black orb that shines with a purple light. Its 3D figure is hard to look at; it gives off a feeling of both consumption/destruction and deliverance/creation. I quickly look away, noticing as I turn that my arms are still indistinct as they were in the classroom.
Upon further inspection, I discover that the whole of my body is indistinct as well. ‘I don’t remember being indistinct when I was here before, but I also wasn’t really inspecting myself. I just sorta assumed I looked like normal… That’s kinda odd. Wonder what the black orb does… but I don’t really want to touch it; feels like a bad idea…’
“Hey, system, what's with the black orb?”
[The black orb is a portal to different spaces to help you to achieve the task set out by the teachers of each profession]
[It will take you to a portal room where you can pick from a selection of different regions, though most will need to be unlocked first]
[There will also be a portal to the lobby where you can meet up with other players during this period]
‘Huh, well, that’s interesting. Now I have the option to take a look at the portal room or investigate the other professions. What to do first… I guess I’ll take a look at the portal room since I think I should be able to pop back pretty easily… though it doesn’t hurt to ask.’ While I am thinking, a bleep sound rings.
“System, will there be a portal to get back here from the portal room? Actually, now that I think about it, what is here?”
[...]
‘Yeah, I’d figured that was what that Bleep sound meant, wonder what determines when it stops listening… I’ll figure it out eventually, I guess.’ I think as I reach out to touch the black orb. Once my hand touches the rune, a feeling of emptiness fills me as my hand turns black, with the color spreading up my arm and down my body just like the purple flames. When it hits the grass, it too turns pitch black. All the while, the sky turns to a deep purple, the clouds pink, and the sun to a blue-magenta mix. Just like last time, the sun's color slowly overtakes my vision, so the only color I see is this blue-magenta mix.
----------------------------------------
As the color recedes, I find myself in a circular room with two doors with runes on each. I turn around, inspecting the room, and see that there is another orb behind me that is white with a blue light to it. It has a 3D figure that gives a feeling of being very personal and deeply important. ‘I guess that’s the way back, though it gives me many more questions about what that place is meant to be. Guess I should take a look at the doors.’
I first approach the door on the left. On it is a rune that gives off a feeling very close to the one I get while running in the forest, that intoxicating feeling of peace and relaxation while surrounded by nature. Intrigued, I open the door. Opening towards me, it reveals a verdant forest on the other side. The fresh air rushes past me, causing the unnoticeable stress that exploring the game has caused to loosen and bringing a slight smile to my face and a glint to my eyes.
‘Well, I guess I don’t have to wonder how Alrick expects us to find a peaceful place in nature to harmonize. He must have given us access. Before I go in to see what I can do there, I should check out the lobby first,’ I think to myself with some reluctance.
The door to what I can only assume will be the lobby is directly across from the orb. The door has a rune on it that gives off the feeling of connections. Opening the door reveals… a black and purple barrier that swirls and spirals. ‘Another portal, for the love of… Why all the portals?! Is it a loading issue? Then why doesn’t the forest need one? Okay, please, please, don’t blind me again with some stupidly bright light. I hate this fucking stupid game mechanic.’
‘Let's be reasonable. I don’t need to see the lobby now. I can just see how much I can do with Alrick’s task in the forest, have a nice relaxing time, maybe do some exploring, climb a mount- … F it, I’ll go in the portal, get it over with… ughhhhhh!’
“Stupid blinding lights mdbvr…” I mutter as I walk into the portal.
Somehow, I feel like I’m hit by a blinding black light as I enter the portal. ‘The actual fuck?!’ I exclaim internally.
----------------------------------------
As the black recedes, I find myself walking onto a street lined with doors similar to that of the portal room. The doors are separated from the street by a small margin that is slightly raised from the street level. The walls extend into an arch over into a roof that connects to the walls on the opposing side. All the walls look to be made of a stone-like structure, the street of cobble, and the margin of stone as well. I look back at my door and notice it has a rune on it that seems to connect with me. Curious, I reach out to touch the rune, which lights up with a dim white light. Now the rune gives off a feeling similar to that of the white orb but much more subdued. When I lift my hand from it, the light remains lit.
‘Odd, I don’t know why, but I felt drawn to the idea of touching the rune. This just keeps getting curiouser and curiouser,’ I think. ‘Well, I should go check out what else this place has to offer as it appears like I’ve imprinted the door somehow if I had to guess.’
I turn around and notice that across the street and four doors down, a door has just opened, allowing another indistinct figure to come out from the portal behind them. After a second, they shake their head, presumably trying to refocus after being blinded by black light. Next, they look around the cave, their head moving from the street, to the doors across from them, to the ceilin- and to me. ‘They must have seen me from the corner of their eye.’
“Hey, uhh… What’s up?” I say/ask.
The figure giggles in a distinctly feminine way, denoting them as a woman in my mind. After wiping their arm across the right side of their face in a motion reminiscent of wiping a tear, they look back at me.
“Hello, I’m AshenLeaf. What brings you to this place?” She shouts while walking toward me, reminding me that she’s actually quite distant from me. Interestingly, despite her giggle being quite feminine, her voice is seemingly neutral. After a second of embarrassment, I walk toward her to meet in the middle while saying.
“You might want to touch the rune on the front of your door. It seems to imprint them or something.”
“Ohh, that's curious,” she says while she turns and does just that. The rune on her door lights up as well.
“Well wouldn’t you know, I think your right”
“Yeah, I guess that means we're the only ones to come so fa- Huh?” I begin to say before turning to notice that my rune has dimmed significantly. “Or not, I guess.”
“What was that?”
“Oh, I had thought that the runes stay lit once imprinted, so we were the only ones here. However, when I looked back, I noticed that my rune had dimmed, meaning that it could just be that anyone else that came through had come early enough for the rune to fully dim… or I guess they could have just not imprinted the door in the first place.”
“Ahh, I see. I wonder how early people could have come through. Did the orb leading you here appear after touching one of the first three as well?”
“Yeah, I touched the magic one and took a long class with Alrick before returning to notice it behind me.”
“Oh yeah, I had been in that class as well. What are the chances?” *cute giggle* “Well, I guess that would be why we arrived around the same time.”
“That does make sense. Oh, I’m Plus, by the way.”
“Well, that’s a rather unique name. I’m surprised it was available.”
“Yeah, probably cause I think most people have yet to be able to log in.”
“That does make sense. Do you want to go see what's around here?”
“Oh, uh, with you- I mean, yeah.”
*giggle* “Oh you're so cute. Come on, let's go,” she says while taking my hand and drawing me off along the street in the direction of her door. Stewing in embarrassment, I don’t say anything after she takes my hand. Meanwhile, despite not saying anything, she manages to exude an aura of smug satisfaction.