"TEN!"
"NINE!"
"EIGHT!"
"SEVEN!"
"SIX!"
"FIVE!"
"FOUR!"
"THREE!"
"TWWOOO!"
"OONNNNEEEEEEEE!"
The crowd exploded, a line backed up for over a mile in the midnight streets suddenly burst to life. A whole block seemed to erupt into cheers, people danced around wildly in front of their sidewalk tents, strangers embraced strangers in the universal moment of excitement.
Fans dressed in Balverine costumes howled into the night, whilst their Hobbe counterparts played sumo wrestler in rounded plush suits. Cosplayers made up the majority with an innumerable amount of wannabe heroes running around, some with actual dogs beside them. Dozens of Scythe's, Theresa's, Reaver's, Guildmaster's, Jack's, Gabriel's, Jaspers, Briar Rose's and Garth's littered the landscape, just to name a few. Even a few Chesty's made their appearance, some as literal giant chests while others opted for the black and white chess board strapped around their waist.
As the head of the snake plunged into the Best Buy, three friends fought their hardest to hold their ground. Shoving and pushing all in their path as they dashed their way to the counter, the smaller one among them quickly grabbing three copies of the game whilst the other two raced ahead with their elbows outstretched. Within a minute they had clawed their way to the cashier, smacking a single credit card onto the flat blue surface of the counter. Less then ten seconds later the order had been verified, the woman at the counter then handed them back the card with a genuine smile on her face.
"Would you like a bag with-"
Already gone.
Bursting out of the exit doors was like being on the wrong side of a highway during the apocalypse, barren. Next to the three boys stood literally thousands of anxious fans, slowly jamming their way into the store while a large unit of cops stood battle ready. Ignoring this the boys dashed forward, plowing their way to the parking lot where numerous oddly painted vans sat parked, each with their own "electrifying" news logo's on the side.
"It has been just minutes since the game has officially launched and already tens of thousands of unit's have been sold across the world!" The female news reporter said, trying to project her voice over the thunderous sound of the event. Suddenly she paused for a moment, placing her hand on her ear.
"Wait….We are receiving word that shortages are already running rampant! New York, London, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Paris…"
Without warning a loud roar erupted from the crowd, without warning the joyous festivities turned sour as a virtual army of fans simultaneously screamed bloody murder. Around them once lackadaisical authorities began to stiffen up and better surround the mob of angry gamers.
"Yes and it now seems even our very own Denver has run dry! This is truly an unparalleled entertainment launch in human history. The uproar and anger for this single device is just-"
Again she was cut off, this time the entire screen was blocked from viewing her. From seemingly out of nowhere a blonde haired boy shoved his face into the camera, his body powered by caffeine and adrenaline as he began to shout at the million strong live audience of the station.
"WWOOOOH FABLE ONLINE!" he screamed into the camera, the news reported next to him stood temporarily paralyzed from the turn of events.
"Damn it Bryce…" a more far away voice said as a hand reached behind the blonde boy's red jacket, quickly pulling him away from the limelight by a grip on the hoodie.
As they ran away from the crowd and approached the edge of the parking lot a third boy stood in the grass, on him a backpack with the three games safely tucked in side. Behind his short body was a thick forest with a multitude of shopping carts and plastic bags littered about.
"You guys alright?" he asked, his long wavy brown hair and bright blue eyes now visible to the two approaching. While the other portion of his body was indescribable thanks to him wearing a long sleeve dark blue shirt and gray jeans in the dark.
"Yeah Bryce was just being an ass to the news people…" said the boy next to Bryce, he had slightly long red hair with a pale complexion and freckles dotted across his face. Contrasting greatly with his dark golden sweater but blending in more with his hazel painted eyes, just an inch under his bumblebee yellow beanie.
"I was just acting like the future greatest hero of strength should act in that situation" Bryce said plainly, shrugging his shoulders.
"Whatever…..Milo you sure you have the games?" the boy asked, keeping his mind calm as he ignored the brazenness of his friend.
"Yeah I just put em' in my backpack, lets hurry!"
"Agreed" The boy responded, they then moved towards the forest.
What started as a brisk walk through the brush turned into a mad dash for home, fifteen years of age not being enough for the boys to reach a desirable level of maturity yet. Together they ruthlessly tore through the short span of wilderness, crushing twigs and leaves alike as they leap over fallen logs and dodged the mightiest of flora that forest had to offer.
Eventually they entered a quaint little neighborhood, completely empty of all commotion at the exceedingly late hour. The teens ignored this and sprinted along the sidewalk, the sheer of excitement of playing the worlds first Virtual Reality MMORPG becoming to much for their developing bodies to handle. Soon one of them reached a two story home on a street corner, dashing from the sidewalk and through the yard to a rope hanging out of a certain second story window.
"Felix you're too fast!" Bryce yelled from the street as they blonde beanie ascended up the rope.
"Sssshhhh we don't want to wake them up!" Milo said mid-run, shoving his friends shoulder.
Five minutes later and the three were already up and into the room, smoothly sliding the rope back up and quietly closing the window. Once inside Milo undid his back pack and set the three games out on the bed placed in the corner of the bedroom, they all then let out a simultaneously sigh of relief.
"….This is it guys, it's finally here." Milo said as he gave two of the copies to his two friends sitting on sleeping bags next to the bed, massive visor helmets resting against their bodies.
"Couldn't we have just bought this online?" Bryce asked as the other two eagerly opened the disc case and prepared to play the game.
"It would have sold out before our browser would even have loaded.." Milo said after a few seconds, Felix nodded his head in agreement. Knowing it didn't matter in the least since they already possessed copies Bryce began to put on the helmet.
"Melee, Ranged and Magic right?" Milo asked as he laid down in his bed, the Nerve Gear helmet wrapping tightly around his head as the others did the same on their own respective sleeping bags.
"We'll be like the triumvirate." Felix said happily, being the last thing Milo heard before the helmet cut of his senses and revealed the initiation screen in.
The next few minutes involved the students laying motionlessly with their Nerve Gears equipped, setting up the interface for their adventure. Around them a dimly lit dark room, the only light being that of a desk lamp and the faint glimmer of moonlight trailing in through the window.
"Lionhead studios presents…"
Milo felt goose bumps pulse through his new virtual senses.
"Fable…..Online" the screen in front of him read, further enticing the anxious feeling that now pulsed throughout his entire body.
A cinematic began playing in front of Milo, he felt the incredible sensation of flying through the air in a view over Bowerstone. Quickly winding throughout narrow streets and under concrete bridges like a roller coaster. Eventually the camera left the bustling city and flew him at blinding speeds over the forest, soon a dazzling white light began to engulf his vision. The familiar voice of old woman soon came into his mind and in an suddenly a figure from the early generation of fable games appeared.
"But alas, who is the hero of our journey?" Theresa asked, soon a character creation screen appeared before Milo.
Before him was an ocean of possibilities, literally billions of facial and body combinations could be made. The only options left out were height, weight and muscular build, features that the game will eventually impose on the player depending on how they level up. Despite the limitless potential for customization a particular option caught Milo's eye, in the top left field of his vision a small button sat.
"Use actual face features?" Milo thought, utterly intrigued by this option.
Without so much as a second thought he selected the button, the idea of playing in another body for hours a day confusing and oddly chilling him. Skipping the entire creation process he was brought to another screen, there three choices and colors stood before him. Melee, Magic and Ranged, before the system could he even fully render it fully.
"Very well, then let the journey begin…..hero" the old feminine voice said as it seemed to fade off into the distance.
The next thing Milo knew he was blasted with the sensation of wind blowing against his body while the overwhelming sensation of fresh air pouring into his lungs filled his thoughts. All of the sudden an profuse amount of buildings appeared before him. Row upon row of eighteenth century themed homes and shops dotted the cityscape, under them a fair amount of NPC's trying to sell their wares. Outnumbering the NPC's by far was the sheer amount of players in the streets, with more appearing every second to add to the horde.
"Everyone…one server" Milo thought as he turned his body in all directions.
Behind him was a large clock tower, beautifully lit up in a green aura as it rose proudly in the screen. Around this was the market square, a flat plane at least ten times the size of the original in Fables II and III.
All other buildings stood brightened in up with either lamps or various colored auras, making the city feel alive in the night. In front of him was a large inn with a big wooden sign on it reading "The Cow & Corset" as it hung from the balcony on the second floor. He continued to see more sites as he spun his body around, losing himself in the strikingly real virtual renderings of the world.
"Here yeeh, Here yeeh! I hereby welcome you to Bowerstone!" An NPC yelled, strolling joyously throughout the square while loudly ringing a bell at his side.
Looking down at his body he outstretched and gripped with his hands, he was totally immersed in the world. A wide grin spread across Milo's face, followed by him leaping into the air excitingly.
"Wait, what?" Milo said quickly, turning around after feeling a slapping sensation consume his back.
"Wow you really used your real face?" Bryce asked, his avatar named Valcorn an extremely handsome man with golden blonde hair flowing down to his shoulders.
"Yeah dude doesn't that ruin the point of an rpg?" Felix added in, his avatar named Hayha also portrayed as a chiseled and defined man, his distinct long red hair in place only with all the freckles missing.
Together the three friends stood in the stone paved streets of the market district, making light conversation and jokes while thousands of players appeared in the city. Each more amazed then the last at the stunning beauty and realism of the world.
"Yeah well I'm glad you at least didn't use your real name" Felix said as the three walked along the market bridge, over passing a grand river while multiple NPC's auctioned off their stall wares.
"Doesn't matter we'll call each other by our first names anyway" Milo said as they neared the end of the bridge, simultaneously the presence of a massive gate with guards clustered around it.
"Yeah screw this lets go kill some stuff!" Bryce shouted loudly, charging off towards the opened gate.
After Milo and Felix each shrugged their respective shoulders they chased after their friend, ignoring the NPC guards as they tried to provide them with instructions on the way by.
"H'watch out for bandit H'activity in the area-"
The game system cut him off, the boys now already long past the guard.
"Woah…." All three of the heroes said simultaneously.
Before them was a massive field, filled with small rolling hills, tiny houses and a plethora of farmland for what looked like miles. On the tops of the small rises in land were small boar-like creatures roaming in packs of no more then three. A wide brick road winded its way through the hills, gradually decreasing in size until it reached a tree line bordering the horizon. This all being visible due to the games advance night lighting system, using the light of a massive moon and an ocean of stars to make the world visible.
"H-How big-g is this game again?" Bryce asked, stuttering his words while his eyes could not release their gaze on the incredibly view ahead of them. His two friends at a similar loss for words.
Suddenly Milo smiled, snapping Felix out of the gaze who also let out a slight grin "We agreed we would do this" he said, turning Bryce's head over to reveal a boy ready to explode with excitement.
In alphabetical order the boys counted.
"3!"
"2!"
"1!"
Then all together.
"Let's do this LEEERRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOYYYY JEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNKKKKKKIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNSS SSSSSS!" they screamed as they ran along the road at top speed, heading in the direction of the first boar pack in sight.