Have you ever wanted to open your eyes, and just be somewhere else?
Having an un scratchable itch that you were meant to do great things but can't because of the world you live in…
My name is Tristain, and when I was younger I had a dream. I always wanted to be a knight or a wizard, as silly as that sounds, the world we live in feels so bland.
I wanted to explore the unexplored, to conquer kingdoms and marry princesses.
*Blush*
"One would be fine but I wouldn't complain about having two or even more.."
In the real world I felt like I was losing myself to my day job, I needed an escape. That was when I found Virtual Reality.
In its infancy it was very basic, some worlds to explore at low resolution but I was hooked from day one.
Finally, I could explore something new with people from all over the world…. Then after some years it got more advanced, you could get devices to show your legs and suddenly you felt like you were there. As if a wall had been shattered and you moved to a new world.
Though it was still lacking, I wanted to feel, I wanted to smell and taste. Without the burden of a giant headset keeping me locked in the present.
Then there was a breakthrough.
A company called Souldive came out of nowhere with the ability to put you into the world… or so they boasted.
Claiming that all you needed to do was put on this device, sign into the game and you would experience a whole new world.
An experience unlike anything the world had seen before.
In the summer of my 28th year a post online read;
Hello Adventurers,
Have you felt lost? Like you were meant for something more. Do you want to experience a world unlike anything you could possibly dream of…. A world of swords and sorcery? Where the only limit is your imagination.
Here at Souldive we have revolutionized the virtual reality space, allowing you to enter a dream-like state in which you will wake up in another world.
We're happy to introduce you to Avaria, the world in which you dive into a high fantasy medieval setting with magic and various creatures. Where anything you dream of is possible, if you have the guts to try it. Conquer a kingdom? Become a diamond class adventurer? Even becoming a villain and living out your most repressed and dark desires….
You can find love, happiness and perhaps even yourself.
Who you were always meant to be.
This world is a boring place, why not join us for a completely new and unique experience. Bring some excitement to your boring lives. The beta begins now, only 20,000 slots available, sign up below.
Cheers,
Akuma
---
I couldn't believe what I was reading… I had read books and watched shows about these types of games but never dreamed I would live to see it.
I clicked the link eagerly and was taken to a page where it started asking a variety of questions.
They gave a disclaimer which read,
Thank you for signing up for the beta! We will decide on 20,000 people to test this new device and game by your responses. We will not ask you for personal information other than age, so rest assured that regardless of what you answer, no matter how deviant or strange it's all confidential.
I took a deep breath, I could hardly contain the excitement that I was feeling.
Nearly jumping out of my worn out gaming chair, I gripped the mouse and slowly clicked begin with the questions quickly following.
Are you over the age of 17?
I typed yes as the words suddenly disappeared from the screen with a flash of purple light… before I knew it there was more.
Have you ever been in a life threatening situation? Give details
I had a bad feeling about this question.. But that didn't stop me. For some reason I was willing to answer. No… I was drawn to;
"Yes, when I was young I took martial arts classes and competed all around the country. After winning a tournament, I was confronted by a man who had lost to me. He had a knife and attempted to kill me after losing the national competition."
The next question came through before I even hit enter, suddenly there was another flash of purple light …..yet I didn't seem to notice due to the content of what I was reading.
Did you feel a rush?
My heart started to beat faster, I couldn't help but think I was going to get locked up in an asylum if I was honest..
A rush… what kind of psychological examination is this…
After another flash of purple light and I began feeling compelled to answer, I entered
"If I'm being honest, yes, It was one thing to fight in the ring with pads but when it's outside of that contained and monitored atmosphere your instincts take over. I felt a rush unlike anything I had experienced before."
I started to backspace when the text on the screen flashed red removing my changes, the question changed…
Did you kill them?
I couldn't help but think to myself,
Asking me to admit to murder… Is this seems like something the cops would send out.... maybe… maybe I should exit…
My cursor started to go to the big red X when I remembered.
Confidential… Fine it's not like I put my name. I entered.
"Yes…."
The text again changed,
Were you afraid?
"No"
*Purple Flash*
What are you afraid of?
"Living in this bland world, where my life is going to work and coming home to so little. I dream of adventure."
At the time I didn't think how odd it was, how could these questions change based on what I said… Like I was talking to someone on the other end. Weren't these just survey questions?
Would you leave this world if you could? Leaving behind most of your memories of this world and all it held for you.
"I don't know… I don't have a family, though I do have friends here. Even though I resent my station in life.. It would be hard to abandon it on a whim"
The text changed again
Yes or no.
*Purple Flash*
It made me answer, I don't know what drove me to type this…I guess my own repressed feelings crept up from where I had hidden them.
"Yes"
The text disappeared.
The window on the screen closed with a message,
"You've been chosen Tristain, see you in Avaria. Your gracious host, Akuma. You will be receiving a package in three days with your Souldive device."
Sweat began to trickle down my neck and my body stiffened,
"I didn't say my name…."
I had just exposed one of my most hidden secrets to what I thought was a confidential survey. I jumped to the window in panic, peering through the blinds for whatever may come next.
"No cops….."
*deep sigh*
For the next few days I stayed home in anticipation.
How odd…This series of events.
After days of no cop's showing up at my door I finally took a breath relieved. Yet when my doorbell rang I nearly pissed myself thinking it was the cops showing up to take me away for murder. Even if it was self defense I didn't report it at the time out of fear.
I built up my courage and walked to the door expecting the worst.
I slowly opened the door and to my amazement there was no one there. I looked both ways and not even a delivery truck was driving away.
I looked down and there was a black dark wood crate with gold trim, the words Avaria engraved onto the top in bright gold letters. I brought it into my room where I pried it open to find a headset that only covered the eyes and resembled a silver crown.
No cords?
I was confused,
"How is this thing going to play a game of this magnitude without hardwiring into my PC."
This breakthrough in technology was far beyond my understanding but I felt something building up inside of me.
I was excited, I even caught myself in the mirror smiling.
I'm finally going to be in a world of Knights and Wizards…
I set caution aside, laid on my bed and put the crown on my head.
The device reacted, attaching itself to my head firmly. Then what felt like needles plunged into the sides of my head followed by a searing pain.
"What the… AHHHH… "
I yelled out in pain as my vision began to dim.
"Am I… dead..."