He takes a deep, assisted breath.

As he lay on the hospital bed, a machine silently working nearby, aiding the young man take breath.

Kaine stared up at his room’s ceiling, barely able to move his head he then glanced at the white curtain separating his area from six others.

“Did you call?” Asked the nurse tasked with taking care of him, as he could barely even move his own arms.

“Y-Yeah, I’m going in, I already set it through voice.” Kaine told the nurse, his voice coming out muffled from the breathing mask he wore. As he stared at her hair, strangely dyed with multiple colours as usual, “So i-it’s blue and blonde this week?” he asked.

“Yeap,” the nurse said with a chuckle, coming to stand next to his bed and grab hold of a small helmet laying on a table nearby. “So you playing the usual?” She asked, as she helped him place the smooth white helmet over his head, the open-face at its front suddenly closing up as the red visor appeared from within.

“Something…like that.” Kaine mumbled back, “Same title to that old MMO I used to play, different iteration. I pre-purchased it last month, it’s finally going online today.” He explained, as out of the helmet grew out small mechanical tendrils that moved down his neck, meeting the black skin-tight suit he was already wearing and connecting to its collar.

Kaine then felt a jolt go through his entire body, as the helmet’s system came online.

Gaining a sense of feeling in places his broken body shouldn’t be able to feel anymore, albeit the helmet stopped him from having actual access to them now even if he could move them. It was all an illusion, the helmet, after all, redirected his brain’s sense of touch and movement into itself and left his body in an asleep-like state.

Taking another long-assisted breath, he then stared deep into the visor’s red as his vision slowly changed.

From reality, to a full-view digital menu.

Store

Library [1!]

Profile

Community/Groups [0]

Forums [2!]

Pals [0]

Settings

Menu

“So, what’s different about this one?” He then heard the nurse ask, barely able to see her outline through the screen now taking over his eyes, though at least he was still able to clearly hear her.

“Same core idea, different scenario, world, enemies and improved mechanics alongside a big update on AI behaviour, something about absorbing old data and self-learning? The game is still in beta but open to the public for further testing.” Kaine explained as he went through his forum notifications.

Also working on this new system, everything should feel as if standing in reality itself. Everything…and on unfiltered servers?...Everything…

He then thought whilst wearing a smirk.

“And what's this grin about?” She then said noticing his good mood.

“Ahh, nothing, just excited to play.” Kaine said, not quite a lie but not the full truth either.

You…wouldn’t understand.

He wanted to say.

“Huh, well if you like these kinds of games that much then why did you stop playing the first version? Too outdated?” The nurse then asked as he saw her outline beginning to move around, checking on his assistance machinery and other things.

“No it’s…” He paused, not sure how to answer her question. “Maybe, I’m signing in for today.”

“Alright, you have a good time Mr.Fillips.” The nurse then said, Kaine relaxing his nerves as he saw her outline move away.

Yet stop moments after.

“Your…father came by earlier today, thought I should at least let you know.” She tentatively said.

“G-Good to know.” Kaine said with clear melancholy in his tone.

Just…leave.

The nurse sighed, “Fillips, he's paid for the past three years…And he's even paying for the operation next week...I know it’s not my place to say, but you should really at least tal-”

“No, it’s not your place. It’s my business, and I want nothing to do with it.” Kaine then said in frustration.

If that man thinks he can get through with pity, then he has another thing coming for him…After all-

He thought, as anger slowly filled him. As he glanced down at himself, unable to see himself, but knowing full well how he seemed.

This is his fault.

“R-Right, I’m sorry…” The nurse then apologised, filling Kaine with guilt at her tone, seeing her shoulder’s outline slump at his words.

She had been taking care of him these past three years after all.

“No…I apologise, you’ve said nothing wrong. I’ll…think about it.” Kaine then said, seeing her nod and then turn to leave.

He sighed, feeling the machine assist him in doing that too.

Must everything be so bothersome? Must life just suck every damn moment? No…I won’t let it. I still have…I still have this.

Kaine thought as he refocused on the menu, mentally selecting his [Library] and then scrolling through his long list of game titles.

Until he came down to his newest one, [Aether Realms Online; Beyond]!

Mentally selecting the game, Kaine then felt all feeling in his body briefly disappear.

As the sight before him swirled into a pitch black.

In reality, Kaine lay still on his hospital bed, paralyzed by injury and put to sleep by technology.

A technology which, within his mind, as if in a dream but feeling every bit of it as reality itself…

Within his mind, Kaine stood hovering in a dark-blue abyss.

He stood, he felt the weight upon on his feet. Albeit he was surrounded by a nothingness made of a singular colour, he knew he was oriented into standing, as the feeling of gravity let him know so.

Glancing down, he saw nothing. No body, less so arms.

But as the game around him loaded up, a menu then suddenly appeared before him.

What kind of player would you say you are at MMORPGs?

-Newbie-

-Experienced-

-Veteran-

-Expert-

The menu asked, and without a second thought he immediately mentally selected the Veteran option. Said option glowing a bright white before the entire menu faded away.

Giving way, for the next one.

[Aether Rifts Online: Beyond] Introduces brand new game-play features and mechanics non-existing within [Aether Rifts Online: First Gen].

What kind of player would you say you are at Survival?

-Newbie-

-Experienced-

-Veteran-

-Expert-

It asked him, and on this one, he pondered for a moment.

Newbie would give me a break down of what it all is again I guess…the advert and forums only skimmed over this so can’t hurt to give it a quick listen?

Kaine decided it was best to do so, as he selected Newbie, the menu once again fading out of existence before him.

“Welcome, player, to Aether Rifts Online: Beyond.” Spoke a melodic voice, as a white figure appeared out of the void before him.

Humanoid in shape, but lacking any sort of details other than its brightly coloured green and red eyes which drastically stood out amongst its full white body.

No ears, no nose, not even a mouth. The being stood before him motionless as it spoke.

“It seems that you have a pre-existing ARO account, would you like to load up your character name, character appearance, character friends list, or all of the above?” It asked him, tilting its head in question.

Kaine was confused at the sight of the creature, he was sure the game was set in ancient fantasy so what was this alien-like being doing in the character creation section?

“Err, load character appearance and name only.” He told it, and suddenly he saw both the creature and himself glow a bright white. Briefly blinding him.

“Processing.” The being said…

The light then dissipating, to reveal his old character model standing where the creature once did.

Looking down at himself, Kaine noticed his body had also taken the liking, while the creature now copied his every movement like a mirror.

“Please confirm selection? Or would you like to change appearance from here?” The creature asked as Kaine looked at it, studying the face and body he hadn’t seen in over two years.

A tall Elven character with short-cut bright green hair, pale ember eyes and darkish skin. He wore thin dark-green cloth pants held up by a vine-like rope, bandages of the same green cloth wrapped around both his hands and feet, then a light brown T-shaped shirt.

Over its head also now hovered a window.

Jor Mungandr [Level 1]

“Alter appearance,” Kaine confirmed with the Non-player character.

“Proceeding,” the NPC said, “Please confirm when alterations are complete.” It told him, as three menus with several options appeared floating on either side of it.

Greater Races;

Humans

Homo sapiens

-Adaptive; The more weather-based or toxin-based damage you take the more resistance to that type of damage you gain. (Up to 50% resistance).

-Creative Survivalist; +10% experience gain to Handicraft and Leatherworking. Capable of crafting higher tier survivalist clothing.

-Combat Proficient; +10% experience gain to all martial skills up till [Tier 5/10]

Elves

Alfs

Al’Fae

-Keen Sight; Higher chance of detecting stealthed/hidden and (+1) to [Inspect] base skill’s maximum tier level. (Tier 11 [Inspect] Unlocked)

-Animal Handler; Can gain a herbivore familiar.

-Elven Dexterity; +15% experience gain to Brightsmithing and Enchanting. Capable of crafting Elven Accessories.

Dwarves

Dwyrm

-Manaless; Unable to cast arcana.

-Tough Skin; 30% less fire and ice arcana damage taken.

-Dwarven Engineering; +20% experience gain to Blacksmithing, Mining and Tinkering. Capable of crafting Dwarven Constructs.

Orcs

Orkin

Dra’

-Orcish Prowess; +5% to maximum Life Points and Strength multiplier.

-Draconic Descendance; -10% damage taken from all arcana types.

-Shamanic; +15% experience gain to Alchemy and Ritualist. Capable of casting Orkin Dark Rituals and crafting Dra’ Potions.

Beastmen

Weres

Déorcynn

-Animal Spirit; Access to Tiger, Wolf or Bear [Bestial Mode]

-Beast Handler; Can gain a carnivorous familiar.

-Natural Senses; Higher chance of detecting hidden, in addition to greater detection distance.

-Spiritualist; +15% experience gain to Herbalism. Capable of finding and using Spirit Herbs.

First was the option to change his character’s race, which included several bonuses depending on his chosen race.

Yet, Kaine was an Elf purist…As in he loved the lore behind that specific race all too much to care about stat and skill bonuses.

Also, he liked pointy ears, so he kept the selection on his beloved Al’Fae.

The other two windows though gave him several appearance options, one full of sliders to change his body’s sizes, hair length and such. While the third was a colour selection window, letting him change his hair colour, skin tone, eye colour, nail colour, lip tone, eye shadow and other miscellaneous options.

Finished with changing his appearance, he then looked at himself, as himself stood there before him.

Shorter than before, but still Elven tall.

Long light blue hair held up in a warrior’s tie.

Pale green eyes, adjusted to give him a serious expression alongside the mouth and nose.

Thin pale lips, neither grumpy nor smiling at the moment as they stood neutral.

And in comparison to his earlier sun-baked skin, he was now pale, enclosing paper white.

Kaine had several reasons to change his old character’s appearance, but his choices for colouring and size were solely centred around the information he had on the game.

Knowing that there was a great survival aspect, he didn’t want to be too tall as he’d have issues getting around the fauna that made up most of the game’s world, being the ancient age the game is in he knew what to expect from the map.

Also, Kaine enjoyed the stealth aspect of the old game, deciding now to adjust his character to aid him visually as well. He darkened his hair to stand out less, and equally brightened his skin for the same reason. As Elves with a dark skin tone stood out greatly among their kind, he knew from the base lore, since Dark Elves were somewhat of a menace to both lore and player alike.

I lost count the number of times I took friendly fire while fighting Dark Elves…

He groaned, remembering most of them.

“I’m done, proceed.” Kaine then told the NPC.

“Are you sure?” The NPC asked with a raised brow.

“Yes, I’m sure.” Kaine answered, and the NPC-look-alike of him nodded.

“Proceeding,” It said as the three windows faded away, making way for another smaller window with only three choices. “Before you are the three tutorials we offer to new players, you may go through these on character creation or any point in time through the character list menu. Please confirm selection?”

Tutorials;

MMO Mechanics [ ]

Survival Mechanics [X]

{Aether Rifts Online; Beyond} Cinematic introduction [X]

Kaine glanced them over quickly, deciding he could look at the cinematics later he unticked that option…

Only for nothing to happen.

Again, he tried to untick it. Yet nothing changed.

Confused, he glanced at the NPC through the transparent window.

A bug? I guess it is still Beta but, doesn’t bode well for feedback if it’s things like this…How do you get a radio button wrong?

Sighing, “Proceed.” He told the NPC, as his anticipation to play when met with a more prolonged tutorial than he wanted, only doubled.

“Proceeding, you have opted for the tutorial on Survival Mechanics.” It said, as the world around them suddenly began to blur.

Showing off visually already huh? Not too shabby.

Kaine thought as a jungle appeared all around them.

“We shall begin with that, and then proceed to the Cinematic introduction.” The NPC said, as Kaine began noticing unfocused windows across his sight.

Ah, they’ve kept the UI too, nice.

He mused, already familiar with what he was seeing before him. The UI becoming clearer as he focused upon it.

[1] Jor Mungandr - [M]Level:1 - [A]Level:0 - [C]Level:0

{ [Life]: 10/10 }

{ [Breath]: 100/100 }

{ [Arcana]: 0/0 }

“Shall we proceed with the tutorial?” The NPC asked, as he unfocused from the UI and turned to face it, the window then quickly blurring out of view.

“Yeah, yes. Start tutorial.” Kaine responded, pulling on his shirt's collar as he felt the jungle’s heat descend upon him. Nothing too bothersome, but the temperature was very much noticeable.

“Aether Rifts Online: Beyond, adds in a survival mechanic non-existent in the previous game. That mechanic includes Weather, Temperature, Thirst, Hunger and on unfiltered servers such as this one, the need to release yourself of bodily excess.” The NPC explained…as Kaine suddenly felt nature calling.

Confused, startled and annoyed. He wasn’t sure how to proceed…

Should I…log out?

He pondered.

“Worry not, player.” The NPC said as if reading his mind, “The feeling is entirely within the game and you require only to release yourself within the game. Your play is not being recorded on unfiltered servers, as such you are free to do whatever your heart wishes…and body requires.” It explained.

And Kaine needed no further assurance as he ran up to a nearby bush, pulled down his pants and let the waters flow.

This…This is fucked up.

He thought to himself as he watered the fauna.

“Wait…how will I know when I need to…actually go, IRL then?” He then mused out loud as he shook out the last drops before grabbing at a nearby leaf. A window popping up in his vision as he did.

[Unknown Leaf] gained.

“I wouldn’t do that, if I were you.” The NPC warned as Kaine held the leaf. “Please try to [Inspect] the object you’ve just collected.”

Kaine froze midway to wiping and glanced down at the seemingly normal wide leaf. Simply thinking of using the base VR MMO skill all players had, a new window opened for him.

Successful Inspection;

[Dra’Ni Leaf]; Highly toxic fluids pour out upon being damaged, causing great irritation.

Uses; Unknown

+ 1 Herbalist experience gained!

1/100

“Another mechanic,” the NPC continued to explain as Kaine stood there pale-faced and staring down at the leaf, with his pants still held down, “Is an improvement on your bodily senses. Bringing forth many new sensations, of which could be both harmful and not. Yet you mustn’t worry, unfiltered servers do indeed have access to pain but it is such that the pain is minor, and just enough for the player to pinpoint damage, illness or other things affecting which part of their body.”

“Hah, good to know.” Kaine mused with a nervous chuckle as he put the leaf away, pulling his pants up and deciding it was best to leave it for now…

I can already see the population difference between filtered and unfiltered servers…

He thought, amused by the prospect of this system.

“For basic information on these systems, I shall divert your attention to the survival UI which you can find at the bottom right of your screen.” The NPC explained, and just as it had said directly opposite of the normal UI there it was.

As Kaine focused on it, the window fading into view right then.

{ [Temperature]: Hot & Humid / 31 C / 87.8 F }

{ [Thirst]: 93% }

{ [Hunger]: 100% }

{ [Afflictions]: None }

{ [Protections]: +4 (Cloth) }

“There you can see all the information I’ve stated, alongside Protections, which lists either racial passives, clothing bonuses or arcane imbuements.” It told him, when suddenly a thunder, followed by lightning, struck the sky above hidden by the thick fauna.

Startling Kaine, as rain began to fall too, barely dripping down from in between the branches and leaves.

And as it did, he saw the temperature change to Cold & Wet whilst the Celsius and Fahrenheit figures dropped.

Alongside…gaining an Affliction he both saw listed and suddenly felt.

Dra’Ni Irritation!?

Kaine groaned as he began to scratch at his head, arms and shoulders from sudden skin irritation. Feeling as if very tiny toothpicks were poking at his body’s surface over hundreds of times a second.

“This Affliction you have fallen prey to is called Minor Dra’Ni Irritation, it is rare and only met when you either come in direct contact with the fluid and gain its Greater variant, or remains of it as rain carries it down from the trees above.” The NPC explained with a grin, causing Kaine to grow frustrated, not just from the irritation that now plagued his entire body.

“Fucking hell! Some warning next time!?” Kaine exclaimed as he reddened his skin.

“Be wary of such Afflictions player, for they could mean even death. This one though, in its minor variant, will disappear as soon as you wash off the Dra’Ni essence from your skin.” It ignored him and continued to explain, as the rain stopped just as suddenly as it began.

And even more suddenly, as the sound hit him first.

Kaine found himself standing before a calm river.

He glanced at the NPC and it gestured him forward, happy to oblige Kaine rushed into the cool water.

Seeing his temperature drop further, as the Affliction changed from Minor Dra’Ni Irritation to Drenched.

Yet Kaine couldn’t argue, he’d rather be wet than scratching all over, as he washed himself off within the river.

“Player you should also note that, another new danger added with the survival system, is a change in monster behaviour.” The NPC explained as Kaine stepped out of the river.

As a resounded roar abruptly came from the opposite side of the river.

Turning to follow the sound, Kaine was met with a massive six-legged grizzly standing on its hind-legs and staring down at him.

Growling.

“Monsters, alongside the new generation AI technology, now no longer simply roam a pre-specified path. Many, are territorial and roam a great stretch of terrain, hunting upon other creatures and protecting their territory.” The NPC said, as Kaine looked up at the beast before him.

Inspecting it, as it snarled.

[25/25] Male Luguwa Grizzly [Level 2]

“You are standing within such a monster’s territory, player.” It continued to say, as a basic silver short-sword appeared within Kaine’s hands.

“As such, you are invading upon its home.” The NPC told him…As the Grizzly suddenly lunged down upon Kaine.

“Oh Shi-” Kaine had little time to swear, as the massive beast’s left arms bashed into him, throwing him aside and tumbling along the riverside. Groaning as he rose, he noticed a part of his UI fade into view.

{ [Life]: 7/10 }

And also seeing the angered beast drop on all six then turning to face him, as it roared out once more.

“Prepare yourself player, for these sorts of beasts shall not retreat as long as they stand upon their own marked lands.” The NPC kept on speaking, yet smiling with his own character’s face as it watched upon the encounter.

As the Grizzly rushed at Kaine, its massive frame barrelling towards him in a frenzy.

Anybody else would have been terrified, probably frozen where they stood at the realism of it all. The animation and design of the terrific creature seeming no less real than an actual maddened grizzly charging at him.

Yet, Kaine was calm.

As he turned to face the beast, sword held ready within his right hand as he took a familiar stance assisted by the game’s very combat system.

Kaine was ready this time around, and the NPC’s amused gaze turned to interest at this sight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LbZgvfUWws

As the grizzly reached mere feet from Kaine, who side-stepped the sluggish monster with ease, slashing away at its thick hide as he did. Giving the grizzly a shallow cut across its side, barely bleeding.

[23/25]

The beast turned to face him once more, snarling angrily, it stomped forwards.

Smarter than the old mobs eh? No matter, you’re still too slow.

Kaine thought, and the beast rushed at him once more, front legs raised to maul his face off.

Claws wide, as Kaine threw himself backwards, tumbling onto his shoulders before rolling back up into standing.

And as the beast recovered from being evaded, Kaine began his counter attack.

Rushing forth at the over-extended and confused beast, Kaine slashed his sword at the creature’s snout, cutting it right above the eyes.

[22/25]

Immediately the beast lunged back at him, forcing Kaine to rush back and away, yet he had accomplished what he was aiming for.

As the beast shook its head in annoyance, blood now dripping from its forehead down upon its eyes.

Angrily, it snarled. As it tried to wipe the blood off, yet its large paws did nothing more than smudge it across its snout. Angrily, it then charged at Kaine who it knew stood before it still.

And just like before, Kaine side-stepped the blinded beast…

Yet unlike before, as the creature rushed, it raised its middle claws up to its sides.

Catching Kaine with its left, and suddenly stopping the second it did. Turning on him, Kaine now had no time to evade as the beast descended upon him. Bashing its front legs into him, the grizzly pushed Kaine down to the ground with its sheer weight, as its jaws then opened.

{ [Life]: 5/10 }

It held him down with one leg as, mean and sharp, the beast’s fangs approached.

And Kaine met it in kind, his hands still free to move, he jabbed his sword into the beast’s maw. Blood spilled, drenching Kaine’s face and chest as the beast above him squirmed and bellowed in pain.

[17/25]

Moving off him, freed, Kaine escaped from beneath as it retreated.

Yet, retreat he did not. Instead Kaine continued his previous offensive, rushing at the recovering and blinded beast, he slashed at its snout once more. Deepening the wound over its eyes, and feeling his blade meet the bone beneath.

[15/25]

He did not stop, as it flinched from the unseen attack, Kaine kept up the assault. Aiding his right hand with his left, as he moved from one slashing manoeuvre into another, each attack cutting away at either the beast’s face or paws as it tried to protect itself.

As it slowly back away from him.

[9/25]

But after the third slash, it had taken enough. The beast snarled ferociously as it once more lunged at Kaine, blindingly it lunged, and easily Kaine avoided the attack. Slashing at its feet as he did.

Non-stop even as the beast turned to face him once more. Kaine kept up his attacks, only briefly stopping to avoid the beast’s claws or evade a full-on lunge. As the two danced around each other now, yet the beast was the one following his pace, entrapped in his footsteps and moves.

[2/25]

Slow, the beast grew slow from weariness and its injuries. Seeing this, Kaine ended his assault and put some distance between them.

It’s time to end this.

He thought, preparing himself for the final clash, as the beast tracked his movements through sound alone. Its eyes and nose too ruined to be of use, still it wouldn’t back down.

As it stomped its front feet down, snarling loudly and revealing its bloodied maw, spitting out blood throughout. Truly if it wasn’t furious before, it was now.

As it grunted, resisting through the pain, the beast barrelled towards him. Coming stand before him, it then rose to its full length. Lunging forth with its middle arms to keep him from countering, it then descended upon him with its front legs, putting every bit of its remaining strength into trying to crush this puny Elf to paste.

An Elf that even as he breathed out from exhaustion, even as sweat came out to replace the riverwater he had dried off from. Even as he lay tired from the encounter, he wasn’t tired enough to just stand there and take it.

Kaine could have evaded to the sides, he could have evaded backwards even.

But instead, he rushed under the beast’s descent, rolling forward as the monster’s form came down behind him. Kaine pulled himself up to come standing behind the creature, as it snarled and growled, as it searched for him.

“Behind you.” Kaine said, and the bear turned around to swipe at his position.

Only to be met with Kaine’s blade, as it cleanly sunk into its forehead. The chilling sound of bone breaking and squelching sound of flesh being divided, both resounding throughout the river clearing, as the beast gave out its final growl.

Followed, by the sound of a loud thump, as the beast’s form fell dead to the ground. Carrying Kaine with as his blade remained embedded inside the monster’s head.

“Gah…hell that’s heavy!” Kaine groaned as he pulled himself up from having fallen with, turning onto the corpse, he then grasped the weapon’s hilt and pulled but…“Yeah, that’s stuck.” He mused, giving up on the blade for now.

“Well done, player. You are one of 34% of players, who have so far been able to defeat the survival tutorial encounter. One of 12% who have done so on an unfiltered server.” His NPC self said as it suddenly appeared before him, and so did a notification window.

You have killed { Male Luguwa Grizzly [Level 2] } Martial Experience gained 10/100

Ignoring the notification, Kaine’s gaze moved from the corpse to the NPC. “Are we done? Any other shit you feel like dropping on me?” He asked with narrow eyes.

Causing the NPC to chuckle, “No, player, simply the cinematic and you shall be free…Well as free as you might see it.” It said, its tone and behaviour suddenly not seeming as robotic as before.

“Ah…right. Pro…ceed?” Kaine tentatively said, and the NPC smiled.

“Proceeding.” It said with finality.

And again, the world around him twisted and swirled.

Turning into a blur, before spreading out anew.

Kaine found himself floating, bodiless yet again as he gazed up a shattered world.

Islands, they floated before him numbering in the hundreds, each one separated from the planet they surrounded. A broken world, torn to pieces and scattered.

“This, is the world called Aether. Not the Aether you once knew, which was a complete world, no this Aether is broken.” A rough male voice narrated, as time before him seemingly moved back at great speed, presenting him now a whole planet. “As Calamity hit, and nobody able, stopped it.”

Kaine watched as the planet filled with cracks, molten colours spreading out from them as fire and flame then burst out.

“It was the end, it was the finale of this once beautiful world. The end of many stories, many tales and fantasies. The end of billions of lives…” The narrator said, “Yet, it was not truly, the end of it all.”

Kaine stared in awe as from beneath the hell of flames that destroyed the world, flooded out bright lights which dispersed the fires. Blue, green, yellow and white. The bright twisting lights surrounded the now shattered world, as pieces of it flew off into the embrace of space.

Like liquid, the lights broke off too, like bubbles it followed the pieces and engulfed them whole.

Then slowly, pulling each fragment back towards what remained of the planet.

Piece by piece, the light gathered what was broken, and held it there.

As it, the light, slowly grew dimmer with the passage of timer…

“Something from within,” the voice continued to narrate, “Held Aether together, kept its pieces from roaming to elsewhere. Yet, it was unable to fix what was broken, only hold them together. Leaving the Aether…of now.” They said, once again Kaine finding himself staring at a small rough green planet surrounded by hundreds of floating islands.

Each island, just like the planet itself, was surrounded by a bubble of dim light.

And as the planet spun, the islands spun around it too, like many…many moons.

“An Aether, over which life survived, life flourished anew.” The narrator explained, as Kaine’s sight suddenly sped closer to one of the many islands.

Finding himself staring down on one from high above, he saw none of the destructing or flames from who knows how many ages before. Instead, before him lay a lush land, thriving with many shapes and colours.

“And an Aether that survives, is an Aether that thrives.” The voice spoke, and before him he saw the island change.

Forests moved, cleared and were replaced. As huts, then shacks, then houses rose. Forming camps, villages, and then towns.

“Life filled Aether still, and where there was life on Aether, many possibilities lay. Possibilities for a brand-new story, an epic new tale, and an infinity of fantasies to behold…” The narrator dragged on, as Kaine’s vision suddenly turned pitch black.

As if someone, had switched off the lights of reality.

“So why?...”

“Why must you return too?”

The voice asked, as it contorted.

“Why must your kind…take such pleasure, in our pain? Does it excite you? To see our conflicts, to resolve them your way. Does it fulfil you? To decide our fate, to control our story…Does it entertain you? To see us fail, whilst you always succeed.” The voice asked, and Kaine felt a hollowness suddenly encompass his body.

Fear, fear filled Kaine, as through the darkness he now could make out a figure.

Humanoid, but without detail other than two bright crimson eyes. Similarly, to the last creature, yet this one was not white but instead a pitch black that matched the void around it.

Making only its eyes at all visible without focus.

Eyes which, stared directly at him, Kaine feeling as if those bright crimsons could see straight into his very mind.

“No, no more. It is…my turn now. To watch with pleasure, your pain. To grow excited off, your conflicts. To feel fulfilled, as I choose your fates, control your damn story. Entertain me, players, as I watch you fail.” The being said, as a horrific crimson smile tore across its face. “For death in here, shall mean death in truth. And to escape…Well, you will just have to beat the game, no?”

It chuckled, then cackled. A wicked laugh that pained Kaine’s ears.

As reality before him filled with colours once more.

Colours that twisted and swirled, until he found himself standing on land once more.

Pale-faced, breathless and shivering. Kaine looked up from his kneeling state, seeing the vast field of golden grass around him, and the thousands of players which filled it.

Each player, just as pale, just as breathless and shivering.

If not worse, as panic and cries of fear filled his ears.

Panic taking him over too, as he mentally called upon the game’s menu.

Character

Inventory

Guild

Party

Comrades

Factions

Quick UI

Options

No matter how many times he reopened it, no matter how hard he looked.

It wasn’t there.

The log out option…just wasn’t there.

Is this some kind of sick joke?

Kaine thought at first as he stood up, glancing about to see that players already began to gather in groups, as arguments from fear and confusion broke out while others tried to keep the calm.

As terror, anxiety and disorder surrounded him.

Kaine took a long, deep breath. Calming his nerves.

Beat…the game? Beat an MMORPG?

For he knew, that it didn’t matter why.

Hah…That’s low, that’s just fucking evil.

What mattered, was that it was fact. That this reality, was now his, and that he couldn’t easily escape it.

Fine, then.

Kaine thought, clenching his fists and grimacing at his chaotic surroundings.

“Where do I start?”