Gordon awoke with a groan, His head pounding like he had never before experienced, not even after that Christmas he had celebrated with Tim. At least he had an explanation for that example, having downed at least a full bottle of scotch. Gordon tried to open his eyes, but the light that greeted them slammed spikes of pain deep into his brain bringing about a gut churning feeling he may vomit everywhere. Oh, my god, he thought to himself, I must have had an accident . The last thing he remembered was meeting that lady, what’s her name now …. Oh that’s right, Miss Wolverley….. at the facility.

… Gordon…

He slowly, but carefully, lifted one hand up, thankful that it hadn’t been injured in the accident, and started to explore his face, using only the lightest of touches with his fingertips. Everything seemed alright there, he thought, feeling no additional pains from his feather like prodding. Finished with his facial region, he lifted his hand even higher, and started to run his fingers around his skull. His hand suddenly froze, stopping in its movement. He lifted it away from his head, the lowered it to feel his long, curly hair.

“What the fuck.” He exclaimed in shock, pushing himself up suddenly into a seated position, an action instantly regretted as wave after wave of aching pain rippled across his whole body. He slumped forward, groaning, throbbing head held between both hands. His discovery that he now had a thick crop of long curly hair instead of the thinning straight hair that he had always had, was quickly erased from his thoughts.

… Gordon…

The mention of his name added to his pain, making him whisper “Please… please stop talking to me.” As he sat there, rocking in time with the surges of pain, a cold, wet cloth was held to his forehead, the chill bringing slight relief to him. Someone put an arm around his back, and he was gently eased down until he was once again lying down. He felt the lip of a cup placed against his mouth and a cool liquid flowed across his lips, filling his mouth until he was forced to swallow. It was just water, he realized, and parted his lips to allow more to enter, swallowing rapidly to ease the thirst he now felt. As his body relaxed, he understood that the water must have been laced with something, for his body became numb and the pain receded, finally his mind slipped down into darkness.

… Gordon…

The calling of his name awoke him, the whisper just barely audible, but something was different this time. He ignored the call of the voice and pondered upon this.. Somethings different, he realized, something’s missing. The thing he could not remember constantly eluded him, and in frustration and annoyance he shook his head. His eyes shot open, as he realized it no longer eluded him. The pain, it was gone.

… Gordon…

“What.” He growled in annoyance.

… Ah, your finally awake, good. My name is Andrea Messner, and I am the manager of the Tank project for Energetic Entertainment. Could you please let me know what the last thing your remember. Please ?...

“What?” Gordon asked in puzzlement. “I’m not sure what you are asking, shouldn’t you be telling me what happened to me ? If its of any interest to you, I was with that Miss Wolverley, I have just arrived at your facility. ”

… Okay, now I can place where your memory is, thank you. Please just lay there, keep your eyes closed and listen to what I have to say, I don’t have that long, so no interruptions until I have finished …

Gordon closed his eyes, as requested. “I understand” he replied, still confused about what the hell was going on, but also realizing it would be best at this time to get more information about what was happening before he asked any questions.

… The short version is, you have been at the facility for a week, now, and have agreed to participate in our beta test of the new equipment. Unfortunately, in the time you were with us, you gathered enough information about the game which could affect the results of the test and invalidate the whole process. To bypass this, you came to an agreement with us for a memory block to be placed on your memories covering the time since you arrived. You will regain these memories, they are not lost, only being blocked…

Gordon couldn’t hold himself back at this information “What the hell, I would never of agreed to that.”

… But you did, Gordon, and even signed documentation expressing your agreement. I’m sorry, but I can not talk any further about this agreement with you, at this time. Anyway, the arrangement between us, as agreed to by both parties, is that you will join Dawnlands, A new Beginning, and play it for a year, using our equipment to access it. We will monitor your progress and fix any errors or bugs you expose in your gameplay. For doing this, we will pay you a weekly salary of two thousand dollars, payable in full at the end of the twelve months…

The voice paused at this point, as if in consideration, and Gordon thought about what he had already been informed of. Other that the memory loss, the arrangement didn’t sound that bad. Good money, even if he had to wait to get it, and playing a whole new game with what he could only assume was the best equipment available, even if experimental. Its what he would probably be doing with his life anyway. The outrage that he initially felt subsided to an irritation. Then the voice continued.

… Unfortunately this test requires you to start with a character who can not be in a worse position. You will have no money or equipment. You were not allowed to port across your old character, and therefore must start absolutely new. Our tasks for you to do in the twelve months is to regain your number one position and become the leader of your own kingdom, as we agreed. If you succeed in these tasks you will receive a bonus of one hundred thousand dollars for each of them. Currently, within the game, there are approximately four million players, and the top ranked player at this point is level twenty. So that’s it, Gordon, the whole thing…

“Doesn’t sound that difficult, I should be able to achieve those tasks within your timeframe. So where will I be staying when I log out from playing? If the equipment is in the facility, then I suppose its in Greenvale somewhere. I’ll need to contact a few people to let them know I’ll be unavailable for a while, and to organize for my apartment to be looked after.”

… I don’t think you understand, Gordon, you will be playing the game for the next twelve months…. No log outs, its full immersion for the whole time. You are already in the game …

A chill coursed through his veins at this, then he remembered the unexplained change in his hair, and fainted.

.....

Someone placed a hand on Gordons shoulder, waking him from his sleep with a gentle shake. The sight that greeted him confirmed everything that he had been informed of by the voice. He was laying on a rough wooden stretcher bed, the burlap base covered with a thin padding made of straw, of which he could feel individual straws poking into his back. Standing over him, leaning forward slightly with one hand resting on one of his shoulders was what he could only assume was a nun. He assumed she was a nun because the white clothes she wore resembled the nuns habit that he was familiar with. On the front of the habit was a green symbol that resembled a circle divided in half along its diameter by a wavy line. This symbol was sewn into the white cloth and was the size of the dinner plates he ate from when at home.

Gordon turned his head to the side and looked past the nun, and saw the room he was in was lined on either side with rough beds similar to his, most of them occupied. He guessed there was about twenty of the stretcher beds filling the small room, with his placed at the end furthest away from the entrance. The walls of the room were not smooth, but seemed to consist of rough bricks covered with cracked and discolored whitewash.

His attention returned to the nun when she spoke to him, her brown eyes examining his face carefully. “It is good to see you have recovered from your fever and returned to us.” She placed one of her pale, narrow hands on his brow, it was pleasantly cool to his skin. “How are you feeling ?” She asked him, her voice soft, but friendly, and somehow reassuring.

Gordon coughed and tried to speak, but his throat was dry and the words wouldn’t come out. His lips were dry, cracking as he attempted to speak, and his throat felt like he had swallowed a handful of sand. The nun pulled a small leather flask from the rope belt that secured her habit, uncorked it and dribbled a small amount across his lips and into his mouth. It wasn’t much, and stung as it moistened his wounded lips, but managed to remove that parched feeling enough that he was confident that he would be able to speak this time. He attempted to answer her again, it hurt and came out broken and cracked. “Where am I ?” he asked.

Her brow knit in concern as she answered “You are in Angelwood. Do you remember what happened to you, how you came to be here ?”

Angelwood ? thought Gordon to himself, what the hell is Angelwood. “I don’t know what happened to me at all,” he replied out loud, “and I don’t know what Angelwood is.” He looked about the room anagin. “Is this Angelwood ?”

The nun laughed, not too loud as she didn’t want to disturb the others in the room. “Angelwood is the city you are in, it is the capital of the kingdom of Greenhills, this,” she waved a hand around, indicating the room, “is the Hospice of the Wounded Angel. We take care of those who do not have the means to look after themselves, the injured, the sick and the afflicted.” She looked back at him, moved her hand to indicate Gordon. “You were found on the streets, unconscious and fevered, dressed only in dirty rags. One of our kind citizens had you brought to us, to be taken care of. You have been here for three days now.” She cocked her head to the side, still observing him. “Do you know who you are ?”

Gordons thoughts had returned to the discussion he had with the Energetic Entertainment representative. She hadn’t been lying to him after all. He was in the game, for sure, and in the worst possible situation they could put him in, penniless and possession less. His mind snapped back his current situation, to see the nun waiting for a response from him. “Uhh…. my name ?” he muttered aloud, thinking furiously, then decided to use the name he always used. “Oh.. my name is Gordo, what’s your name?” and smiled at the nun.

“Sister Erethian.” She replied, returning his smile.

“So, Sister Erethian, what do I do now ? You say my fever has broken, so does that mean I need to leave here ?”

“No, Gordo, you are still weak from your illness and need more recovery. Rest here for the night, and in the morning the local priest will come and cast a healing on you. If you feel you are well enough, you can leave us after that. I do request, though, that until the priest arrives, that you do not stir from this bed, for you may suffer your illness to return.” She turned and addressed another nun behind her. “Bring Gordo a bowl of the broth from the kitchen.” Then turned back to him. “eat it slowly, for your stomach will have become unused to eating during your illness.”

Gordon had not seen the arrival of the other nun, as his sight of the walkway was obscured by Sister Erethian, but he was thankful that she was getting him something to eat. He remembered the manual informing him food was vital to a character, and assisted in health recovery, plus he had started to notice a rising hunger ache. “Thank you, Sister.”

It wasn’t long before a glazed clay bowl arrived before him, full of a steaming thick meat stew, along with a stiff leather cup full of chilled water, and he licked his lips in anticipation.