"4.617 GB / 63 GB" is what the screen of my new 3V (Virtual Viewing Vision) displayed. Its pixels were perfect and the latest in the advancement in technology. My loading rate was 1 GB/s so the screen quickly shifted to a whole new scene. This was entirely a diamond-like world: flawless. However, this world was interrupted as a girl and a boy appeared in front of me.
"Welcome," they said in unison. I figured they were the fabled gods that the rumor forum had mentioned. They seemed younger, however. "Choose your character's identity, please," they said once more, perfectly in sync. I typed on my touch-sensitive keyboard and watched on my 3V as it responded to the wireless connections between the two, presenting the name of the previous massed-multiplayer-online RPG that I had played:
F I A N N A
I pressed "Enter" on my touch-sensitive keyboard. Unfortunately, the previous MMORPG I had played, "The World", had crashed and CC Corp. (the owners) had disbanded. However, I had received word that the original creator of that MMORPG had remade this MMORPG: "Eclipse: The Shadow of Truth."
I presented my attention back to the two fabled gods as they shook their heads. "Now, why do you want this name? It's so unoriginal! Someone already has this name. "Damn! My account name was taken? But, how? I thought of a similar name, changed one letter, and backspaced the last "A". I typed in "E" and read the name aloud: Fee-Ahn: Fianne. I grimaced. It didn't have the same ring to it. "What a nice name! I love it," the girl said.
"It's okay," said the boy. I didn't know who they were but their descriptions were mentioned in the forums. However, why weren't they in the Strategy Guide?
The next step, that was presented to me, was the type of character that I would like. There were four "jobs" as they were called, and each job had its own sub-sect (each having its own strengths and weaknesses). The jobs were Rogue, Mage, Swordsman, and Archer. The Strategy Guide told me the sub-sects of each job. I was originally a mage in my previous MMORPG, and I liked the Chaos Mage sub-sect very much so, therefore I chose the mage and hoped for the best.
"Mage is an event job," said the boy as the clock struck midnight.
"It's going to finish today, so as the last person to become a mage in the Beta Version, we'll give you a special item for the sub-sect you shall wish to be!" The girl said cheerily. Wow, I exclaimed to myself. I got a special item all to myself! Not only is that item super-rare, but it probably something that can make me the best player in the entire game! That is awesome! However, I guess I should change my personality to go with this item. However, should I? Maybe I shouldn't—
"This shall be your forever. Please inscribe your name into it," said the boy half-heartedly. I was really starting to believe they had emotions (feelings) but they were just pixels… nothing more. Hurry up!" the boy said with a vein popping out of his head.
"Whoa!" I said in real life. These people really made them with good programs, almost AI-like… Almost.
"Another part of this, Fianne, is that your character will look exactly like you want him to, and items will not change your appearance," the boy said blandly.
This was a dream-come true for me; I could make the coolest character! However, I wondered if there were PK's around. PK's were Player Killers and AI's were those with Artificial Intelligence. If there were PK's, or worse, AI-PK's, then the "perfect character was doomed to attention. However, I wanted my character to be perfect, and so what if I received some attention. However, until I gained some levels I would probably "lay low" or just stay away from other players, period.
I typed out the character I wanted into the screen and everything I typed was made onto my virtual character. The gods made everything I said into something even more splendid creating the perfect of supposed perfect characters. When I said silver cape, the cape was turned to wings with a bluish hue. When I said golden eyes, the gods turned the eyes amber with specks of teal creating a contrast of the sky and Sun. When I wrote hair, they made it long, flowing, and dark blonde. My skin was peach, with a slight tan and the gods placed blood-red runes onto my skin (the right amount, as well: not too much, nor too little). My character had a lean figure with a corsage in the side of his head, right above the ear. It was horned on the sides, making a spiral, while a scarlet garnet was placed right in the center. The mage's gown on my person was covered in foreign runes and was the most astonishing of my outfit. An elegant amethyst pendant garnished my torso to finish.
"Thank you for helping us, by the way!" the girl said, quickly wishing she hadn't.
The boy hit her in the head. In addition, I instantly said, "That is not the way to treat a lady," but then I quickly remembered they were just pixels and that this was probably just part of the cinematic being shown. However, I would never say to anyone what I had just said just moments before. I had a spoiled older-sister and I had hit her for being an idiot many-a-time. Why the speech changes now?
The boy smirked, "It's working, sis. "Sis?" Are NPC's supposed to even use slang? Well I guess if you program them the right way, then anything is possible. I wondered, however; they looked so real, not even remotely like pixels, but they were still part of the game. Vagrant AI's? No, this game already went through its Beta (test) phase. If they were Vagrant AI's, then I had to email the admins or the owners themselves. I chose to ask them:
"Are you Vagrant AI's?" I asked. They switched nervous glances and repeated their previous comment:
"It's working, sis," they boy said uncomfortably. Could they do that: be nervous of a question? My suspicion was gaining evidence.
"You are, are you not?" Did I just say that? Are you not? My language is totally changing!
"That depends," said the girl while the boy motioned to stop. Repeatedly my suspicions were becoming increasingly clear from its repeated blur.
"Well… we're not 'vagrant,' if that's what you mean," they said in unison, once more. I doubt that was a programmed response.
Then they changed the subjects, "Please take this as we promised earlier." I received an item before stepping into the actual game. "This shall protect you from PK's and anyone else who would so wish to challenge or harm you any which way—"
"I do not wish to have any such weapon," I responded.
"Please! We insist!" they replied.
"No." I said bluntly. "I wish to earn my weapons and skills. If you make it a certain level requirement, then I have no rejection."
"If we were to put a level requirement you will die numerous times before you could use it. And we need you."
"What level, and what need, Vagrant AI's?"
"Treat us with respect," the boy said, "we make you the way you are, you know." the sister intervened:
"It's okay, brother. Fianne," she said addressing me, "the item's level is 150, then. Do not sell it for anything, for it is the most powerful staff even to be made for a Chaos Mage. That is what you want to be, right?"
"How did you know? I replied with an oblivious look on my face.
The siblings burst out laughing. Figures.
"You're so expressive!" they said, rolling on the floor laughing.
"Quiet!" I said to them. God, what is wrong with me? AI? That's ridiculous! This is all a dream. I know it. "I mean continue, its not as if you're going to quiet down if I ask you to."
"Of course not! You're too amusing!" they said, still rolling.
"I meant you're not programmed to!"
"We weren't programmed, silly boy," the girl said, getting thumped by the boy. "We're a part of this World: Eclipse. We are the Sun and the Moon. I am the Sun," the girl spoke once more.
"I am the Moon," the boy said. "I 'eclipse' my sister when needed, as you can see."
"Are you two really the basis of the name of the game?" Now it was my turn to laugh and theirs to grimace.
"What? It's not as if they came up with the name themselves. They just want money. We pertain to the enjoyment."
"Vagrant AI's control the fun-factor? " I asked. "No. I don't believe that rubbish."
"I told you, we aren't Vagrant—" the boy said being interrupted.
"For now, Fianne, enjoy the world of Eclipse just as you would a normal player but don't forget us, okay?" ordered the girl cheerily.
"I can try, but that item will always haunt me of you two being the first acquaintance in this game," I replied. "I think I'll log out now."
"That is where you are wrong, my friend," the boy replied, smirking.
"You can't log out, Fianne," said the girl morosely.
"You went into a coma right when you saw us. You are forever bound to this game." A sound with a high pitch—a distant ringing—euphonized through the air.
"What was that sound?" I asked them.
"You have been admitted into a hospital now," they said, in unison. "Try your best to become better than everyone. This world has become your home now. "Become…" they logged out as soon as 'the best' echoed around me.
I made my character today and I met two AI's in the process. I got an item for a chaos mage. I am the most fearsome looking character in the game, probably. My character will face numerous downfalls and, thus make me great. Why must I become the best though? Is it truly necessary? This was not why I wanted to play MMORPG's. Therefore, until I was at the level requirement, I was going to enjoy myself as much as I could. I thought I would get some sleep and looked for the log out button, but there weren't any more buttons to control my character. I went to take off my 3V's, but instead just touched my virtual (or what I though as virtual) head. I had started to see this world from a 1st person POV (point-of-view) when I had been watching the world of Eclipse in a 3rd person POV all this time. Why did it change? Why did I feel so different? I ran and my character ran at the same time. If I opened my mouth in awe, it did as well. If I ran through fields of flowers, I felt their petals against my person. But…they were just pixels! Why could I feel them? That was my question. This moment had changed my life, and I wanted a solution.
I walked over to the "Mirage Portal", as the word-key-in was called. Word-key-ins were places where you put words in to create places. Using the forums and just chatting with others could give one area words. Area words were, however just a short cut; one could always travel to whatever place they needed to go. However, if a place was good for training then some people tended to save the area words. I tended to just wander where I pleased.
It has been about three months since this malady of mine. I am about level 40. My equipment is invisible as always. My wings are unnaturally useful, and I can do attacks that no one else can do because of me being the character. In addition, sadly enough, I had never been PKed successfully because of the latter reason. This game is just too real for me.