It was a gloomy, sunny day as Alex drove into the city, but at least it was threatening rain. There was booming overhead as thunder rolled in the clouds. Alex nodded appreciatively as they began to cover the sky. He entered the store, and was immediately assaulted by the garish, bright colors of the game boxes and…stuffed animals? There were games and young, vibrant people filling the aisles, and Alex had never felt more out of place. His dour coat was a black spot among the color, awkwardly shuffling and peering down the rows. Among the toys and games, he scanned for the system and game, but could only find a card with a scratch-off bar.

“Excuse me,” he asked the green-haired lad at the register. He had so many piercings and bracelets he jangled when he moved. Alex raised an eyebrow, but pressed on. “I’m looking for a NeVorld system and Real Fantasy for it, but only found this. Vhat is it?”

“Oh, that’s the digital code for it. You hook the system up to the internet and download the game by entering the number on the card.” he answered.

“Vait, so I’m paying ninety dollars for…a card?” Alex said skeptically.

“No, you’re buying the game, you just have to download it. We sold out of physical copies last week, we won’t have any more in til the fourth. It’s a real hot item.” the kid said boredly.

“I…see.” said Alex, who really didn’t. “Vell I did vant to try this, so I’ll take that and the system, please.” That made the clerk perk up.

“You wanted to try this?” he said. Alex frowned.

“Yes. Is that a problem?” the vampire said, subtly emphasizing the half foot of height and nearly fifty pounds of muscle he had on the clerk. He gulped and hurriedly backpedaled.

“No, no, it’s fine, we just don’t get a lot of customers your age who aren’t buying it for their kids.” Internally, Alex smirked. He still had it, didn’t even need to use vampiric mesmerism. People these days feared physical conflict too much; back when, it wasn’t just a fear, it was expected. Of course, it was probably a good thing there was less direct violence, he supposed. But it did seem that kids these days were lacking in steel.

“It’s alright. I merely vish to purchase said game and system, thank you.” he said, backing down. It seemed to put the clerk at ease.

“Yeah. Sorry, my bad. We got NeWorld consoles in the back, lemme get one.”

After a moment, Alex was being rung out. He presented his debit card dully, not even looking at the price. The last five centuries had been very good and netted him wealth, mostly in small plots of land and in antiques he could still remember buying brand-new.

“There you go. Anything else? Head cushion? Decal stickers?” the clerk said in an obviously required to ask spiel. Alex shook his head.

“No. Thank you.”

“Have a good day.” Alex departed, and the clerk breathed a sigh of relief. His coworker patted him on the back. “Geez, that guy was intense. What was his deal?”

“Dunno. Would’ve helped you, but I wasn’t about to stick my head into that. He was looking at us like we were mice and he was a cat.”

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After purchasing a pizza, Alexandru returned home with his prize in tow. He snorted at the memory of those fools at the store, but hopefully this game would make up for it.

“You’re back. Welcome home, sir.” Peterson said, and had the pizza placed in his hands.

“Inject the sauce and dough with blood, like usual. I must prepare my study. I think some type O vould be good tonight.” he said.

“Positive or negative?”

“I’m feeling…negative tonight. Positive has a bold flavor, and this is a comfort food night.” Alex said, shaking off the rain. Peterson bowed and left. Alex headed up and began the process of plugging everything in and turning it on. And, he growled upon remembering, actually getting the game.

Forty-five minutes later Peterson returned to the study with the pizza, reheated in the oven. Replacing half the sauce with blood was no easy task. Mr. Lonescu had his peculiarities and demanded much, but at least he understood when relating about his…condition. The butler opened the door to find his employer growling at the keyboard, his fangs bared.

“Peterson, in over half a millennia I can assure you there is nothing more annoyingly unhelpful than…customer service.” he spat, entering his information for a six-month subscription. Apparently this game was an MMO, or ‘massively multiplayer online’ game. He would be playing with thousands from all across the world. He narrowed his eyes dangerously, flashing red, but he had went to the trouble to obtain this game so he was going to enjoy it.

“An unfortunate part of the modern condition. At least we have pizza now.” He placed it on the desk and glanced at the coffin beside it. So that was what that muffled thumping and not-so-muffled swearing was about. You will be retiring in your study today?”

“Ve’ll see.” Alex said, chomping on a slice of blood pizza. “I read that the user should lay down in bed, but I have no computer in my room. It vas much easier to move the coffin than to disconnect and reconnect everything.”

“Very good, sir.” Peterson said noncommittally.

“I vill apparently be unresponsive, as my brain will be in a sleep-like state. It’s all qvite confusing, but I managed to figure most of it.”

“Will there be any way of contacting you while inside, or rousing you in case of emergency?” Peterson asked. Alex consulted the online manual.

“There is a message system tied to my cell phone number and social media. There’s also an emergency removal system, press these two buttons at the same time.” he said, pointing at them on the helmet. He squinted at the screen. “It says do not forcefully remove the helmet, as no matter how many safety precautions there are, that could cause brain damage.”

“Oh, my. Is it safe?” the butler asked worriedly. Alex shrugged.

“Safe enough, I assume. But I didn’t get vhere I am by avoiding risk. And the system should automatically boot me from the game in tvelve hours regardless. Probably to prevent bedsores.”

“Heaven forbid. Did you need anything else, sir?”

“Another glass of blood. I don’t know how long I’ll be, but it’s best if I don’t get too thirsty.”

“Very good, sir.”

After eating the pizza and downing his drink, the game was booted up and ready. He placed the special helmet on his head, feeling silly. He laid back in his coffin, hands crossed, listening to the heavy rain and the crackle of the fireplace. He closed his eyes and saw…a loading bar.

Accessing cranial scan. Connecting now. rang in his head. In the darkness, he saw a point of light. He saw it rush towards him, becoming brighter and brighter and...

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In a dark room, the only light was the carried computer screens. Keyboards clacked as they worked furiously, the time almost upon them. Hacking into a game this complex was almost impossible. It would have been without their benefactor.

But now complete system access was theirs, and their benefactor personally ensured they were completely hidden. Randal Holt was pleased. He didn’t understand all what the eggheads were doing, but he didn’t need to. It was more than enough that Real Fantasy Online scanned and essentially transferred consciousnesses into the game. He smirked; while that made the game enjoyable, what was even more enjoyable to him was the thought of all those people, sleeping soundly in their beds, their heads currently empty. Helpless.

“It’s truly astounding. This technology is incredible, it’s wasted on a little game like this.” their benefactor said, coming up to oversee the project. Holt smiled. The Hand of the Radiant Dawn’s hard work would finally pay off.

It had been a long, hard road until now. No one had believed in Holt’s vision, believed in the pure world that he spent his life working towards. Ever since his stint in the military, he’d been disaffected, unable to hold down a job, house, or friends or family. He’d tasted death in the war, hot bullets whizzing by his face, scorched in the desert. He could still see the explosions, smell the flesh burning from bones, blood and soot twisted together. The weight of gear strapped down making every step a crawl, raising his rifle to put bullets into bodies, not even caring for anything about them after the first month. After all that, when he’d gotten back, life just seemed so…ephemeral. When he’d kept picturing the gun in his hand, unloading into that kid, over and over…

He still grinned at the memory.

Regular life could not fulfill him anymore. He was a beast out for blood, he knew. But apparently that was too much for society, for the country he’d gladly shed blood for, and he wanted to shed more. Gallons, river, oceans of blood. It was all so glorious, too glorious to speak aloud. He’d found his religion in the war, his God and his purpose.

War. He was to wage the greatest war in the history of mankind.

But as twisted as he was, and he knew full well how disturbing it was to those who didn’t understand, even he knew you couldn’t wage war on anyone. Not without an army yourself. And while it had taken nearly thirty years, slowly, bit by bit, he’d recruited those who were sympathetic to whatever cause he could provide that would get them to give him money and supplies. And those who were worthy, who knew what it was all about, in the end, he recruited.

Mercenary work could pay very well, if you were good enough at it.

“You sure about this? You’d make a lot more money just sticking with your game.” he said. The benefactor snorted.

“Right. But that’s not the point of this, is it? You’re going to make them pay, and what I’m owed can’t be given in money.”

“Your call.” Holt shrugged. He grinned maliciously. “But we’re about to wake these fools up. It’s been far too long for this. But now, it’s our chance! Brothers and sisters, our time has come at last! The fools in this fake world have made a world even more fake than the one they live in! It is our duty to show the sheep the error of their ways! Long live the Hand of the Radiant Dawn! Is everything ready?” he declared, folding his arms as the programmers and guards, his brethren, his people, cheered.

“Yes sir! The only thing remaining is the program launch. Currently logged in: 18,985,774 players and counting. Would you care to do the honors, sir?” the programmer said. Holt strode forward, glancing at the data.

“There’ll be no lag, delays, or anything else?”

“Who do you think you’re talking to? The transition should be smooth. I can’t guarantee it’ll all go that way, but when we take control it’ll be out right from underneath Ocean Wide Studios.” the benefactor said.

“Then I don’t mind if I do. I hope you like the fake world, players.” Holt grinned and pressed enter, launching the program.

“You’re never coming back.”