“In the Year 1 AA (After Assimilation), formerly referred to as Year 2015 AD, the world once known as Earth ended as a new era was marshalled in. The arrival of The System, ushered in without any warning to the inhabitants of Old Earth, heralded a new saga of life and death. This saga began with the arrival of The System, and the Blessing it granted towards all inhabitants of a life bearing world. Yet, its arrival was merely the beginning of the end...”

Ruha the Wise, Master Seer of Eden, “History of Eden”

Jax breathed deep. It was a frantic and haggard thing that pulsed in tune with his fingers. Fingers that danced and stabbed at the keyboard. Eyes, glazed in concentration, stared at the computer screen. He couldn’t lose focus now. He couldn’t lose.

“Cmon! Cmon, we’re almost there!” Jax huffed into his microphone. He learned forward. Willing his ingame character to move faster. In his headphones, the sounds of acknowledgments echoed.

“Chill your tits Jax. We got this.”

Irritation rose in him at the female voices’ toxic words. “We better Vanessa. This is our third and final shot.” He spoke frantically. Nearly as frantically as his hands darted and stabbed at the keyboard. “If we don’t get this, The Crusaders will have their chance to take the lead. Our lead.”

“Aye, my man. We know dis. We know dis. But...” Jax grunted through Edward’s words as he controlled his character, a level 100 Arcane Sorcerer, with impeccable control. “But, it’s just a game. Take it easy. Take it easy. Let the stress fall away. Release the negativity. Release the -”

“Ed... Now. Is. Not. The. Time.”

Gnawing on his bottom lip, Jax focused solely on the computer screen. The world around him disappeared. In its place, total and complete focus solidified around him. He couldn’t make a mistake. Not here. Now now.

“Almost! Almost! The boss is about to enter ‘Berserk’ mode.” Over the conundrum of sound and shouts, Jax’s voice shone out most of all. “Just like we practiced. The tanks will swap aggro while the party disengages. We only have 10 seconds. We must reach the outcropping of rocks. This is it guys! 5....4....3-”

Then, disaster. Before he could reach 2, the computer screen before him went black. In the abyss of his computer screen, was displayed the deadly words, “Server Error ...Disconnected.”

Gasps and curses echoed in his headphones. He was not the only one to be booted from the game. Yet, as his haunted voice rang out, a silence chilled the team-speak. “Are you fucking kidding me...”

It was all he could say. All that he worked for, weeks of planning and gearing up. Over two years of playing and struggling, competing against the top of the top. And now, finally at the end, with the final boss of the game on death’s doorstep, the game disconnected.

The comm’s, as silent as Jax’s hollowed soul, pressed against his ears as he reclined back in the chair. It was over. They lost.

“Jaxson,” Vanessa’s voice came over the headphones. Hesitant, with a touch of care as subtle as a smack to the head. She was never one for niceties. “It...will be okay?”

“Breath my friend. Breath. Let the anger fade. Close your eyes. Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out.”

In waves, the voices came over the headset. Comforting. Calming. Annoying. Each word raked Jax’s faltering peace. He was so close. So close. The Title was in his reach. The accomplishment. The goal. And now...

“I’m taking a break. Talk to you later.” With nary a flicker of patience, he took off his headphones. Head raised, he fought to control himself. In the black of his computer screen, his long dirty blonde hair coiled around his face. Molding it a soft form. A soft form with hard and angry eyes.

Standing to his full height of 6’3, Jax moved away from the accursed computer. The silence of the house ensnared him. In his mind, the repeated mistakes he made replayed. The half-second too slow click. The faltering aggro change. The lack of mana control. The -

Just as he began spiraling into the surging anger, a gentle touch wetted his hand. Eyes open, and mouth crinkled, Jax turned to see Duke. Only just one year old, but the tan and black Mastiff-Shepherd mix was bigger than most grown dogs. It was also gentler and more intelligent than most humans. A rare breed. A royal breed.

“Hey buddy,” sighing Jax crouched down and rubbed his head against Duke’s own. “Sorry I didn’t see you. Let me get you some food. It’s almost noon anyway. Maybe a sweet treat too? How about that?”

The roaring bark was all it took. A smile hinted on Jax’s tanned California surfer boy features. Standing, he proceeded through the living room. Vacant, save for his desk, a massive TV, and a large leather recliner. To call it spartan would be an understatement. But it was how he liked it. Nothing remained that could possibly remind him of the poor memories that lingered in the house.

Through the living room he moved. Grabbing food for Duke before he proceeded to the bathroom. Gone was his smile now. Only an empty feeling. Only a feeling of disappointment in himself. Water splashed against his face as he gripped the bathroom sink. The man-bun of dirty blonde hair slick against his face. His freckles, a burning red, matched his auburn eyes that flared against his mirrored reflection.

Look at the man in the mirror. What do you see? Know this, sonny. How you see yourself does not matter. What matters is who....what, you truly are. The man in the mirror isn’t your competition. It is the true measure of your worth. Of what you are, rather than what you want to be. So tell me, do you see the hero of your story? Or do you see someone who isn’t good enough?

Jax’s wilted smile formed teeth. Feral and dark, the thin face morphed as he recalled his grandfather's words. There was nothing gentle in his blonde and carefree face now.

“Oh Grandpa...”

Sighing, Jax faded back to the living room. In it, Duke flounders on his back, belly up, with his tongue flopping around. Tilting his head at an exaggerated angle, he greets Jax. Stifling the laugh that threatens to escape from his pressed lips, Jax’s darkened mood is liftened as he rests next to Duke. Snuggling with the lovable giant of a dog, Jax nestles into Duke’s fur. Hands rubbing and scratching as he gently blows on Duke’s pointed ears. They flicker with the same frenzy that Duke struggles to escape the lovable torture.

Finally, with an ear shattering bark that slips from his smiling mouth, Duke springs away. A bolt of fur and sound that rumbles about the house in frenzy. Resting on his haunches, Jax watches it all. The failure of the game dismissed under the antics of Duke’s rambunctious energy.

Then, the vibration of his phone brings Jax back. With a quick swipe, the home screen glowed. On it, illuminated a message from Vanessa.

You better not be sulking! We kicked ass and took loot. Ain’t no way The Crusaders are gonna take the Title from us. Besides, I bet they were booted too. The official site for New Era is down. So you better not be sulking around! Get me Jax? >:-(

A flicker of hope appeared in Jax as his eyes glaze over the message. Afterall, if what she said was true, then they had a chance to re-run. A chance to complete the newest game expansion’s dungeon and take ahold of the Title for The Frostland. Already, the ember of hope in Jax resurges. His imagination runs wild as he scrambles to his feet. The thought of their own city to run and manage in the game. The first ever Mercenary Company to accomplish the feat. And with the city, a chance to finally run rampant in the game as the true terrors they had set out to be.

Swiping a quick reply, Jax furiously types in details and questions. He needs answers from Vanessa. Afterall, the game didn’t just shutdown. So did his internet. Yet, just as he hits ‘Send’ on the text message, a new message appears. No reception.

Immediately, Jax’s eyes furrowed together as the first tinge of annoyance wells in his being. “Now this isn’t working?” Muttering to himself, Jax prowled across the living room to turn on the TV.

Instead of the Gaming News Networking though, a black and blue screen with the words ‘Lost Connection’ was all that was shown. Then, that too disappeared. In an instant, all the power to the house shut off. From the TV to the lighting, the power disappeared.

“What in the hell is going on?”

Yet, just as the words echoed out in the small home, a vice of divine intervention shattered reality. In the Godly voice, was contained an answer that Jax wasn’t prepared for.

Planet X-2287 has been Recognized and Judged...

Parameters of Assimilation have been met.....

Assimilation of Planet X-2287 initiating....

Words, echoing with an ancient power, reverberated in his skull. With them, a wave of heavily force thrusted itself on his shoulders. Gasping in shock, his body buckled and tears sprang into his eyes as he was nearly rocked to his knees. However just as the words seemed to echo in his ears, a strange text of words appeared as if tangible in his faltering mind. The same words that he heard. Visible, as if concrete, in his mind.

Faltering on the edge of oblivion, Jax struggled to right himself. To his right, a low whine from Duke was accompanied by the pups’ wet and drooling tongue on his cheek. It was the last thing Jax felt. Then, the 2nd wave of heavily power descended like a judgement. With it, came the comfortable embrace of unconsciousness.