Dragon Saga Online
A Sword Art Online x Dragon Saga crossover by LookinGoodYamcha

Author's notes: The following is a somewhat experimental fic that serves as something in between a rewrite and a reimagining of the popular light novel Sword Art Online, specifically its famous anime adaptation. Born from my incapacitated state at the hands of a particularly bad ear infection, this fic aims to take SAO's basic ideas and apply them to my own story set against the backdrop of my favorite hidden gem MMO, Dragon Saga. What you'll read here is a slight revision of the original FFN post, though not nearly to the degree of my DS2 fic, as I am satisfied enough with how this turned out overall. Like my other AO3 submissions, this edition will include music throughout its chapters.

A bit of background; I watched SAO in its entirety during Fall of 2015. It, and this fic by extension, is something I associate with one of the greatest times in my life, the warm beginnings of my blissful relationship with my girlfriend, which as been going for over eight years as of posting this. Although I did genuinely enjoy the fundamental themes the original SAO offered, I had my fair share of criticisms. Sword Art Online did, however, reignite the spark for my on-and-off interest in MMORPGs. Particularly Dragon Saga, the hidden gem I'd been introduced to in early 2010. SAO's fast-paced action gave me a craving for something more input-heavy and reflex-intensive than the standard RuneScape fare I usually gravitated to, and Dragon Saga was just the game to scratch that itch.

Anyhow, a combination of these factors inspired me to take the basic framework of SAO's original, iconic Aincrad Arc and put it in a blender with my own personal experiences playing Dragon Saga over the years, all the while addressing the complaints that many viewers held toward Kawahara's original work. Fans of the original show will recognize most major plot points and story beats, and each character here will fill a role that the original cast did. A handful of elements from SAO's later arcs will be included as well, for that extra spice.

Chapter One – The World of the Divine Dragon Lord

6th of January, 2022
Houston, Texas

"Mantine! What's the hold up? Take the fucking flag back already!" The voice of a boy no older than twelve crackled through a small wireless headset, which was hardly visible under the long, dark, thick hair of its owner; a seventeen-year-old boy reclining in his office chair, playing the latest installment in the Halo series. He rather enjoyed the sci-fi FPS franchise that had been going strong since before he was born, and given that the winter holidays were still in full swing, he and his circle of online friends had all the time in the world to indulge themselves in the wonders of virtual fantasy.

He sighed, stretching his lanky legs out, and rested them on a second, smaller office chair. "If it'll shut you up…" With a subtle grin and a few flicks of buttons and sticks, he guided his player character back to his base and into the capture zone. Just as the ingame announcer signaled, "Flag captured. Game over. Victory.", the boy received a party chat invite from two of his long-time online friends. He hit a button on his controller and accepted them.

First was Kindon. Hailing from Northwest Philadelphia, he'd heard every 'Fresh Prince' joke to the point of embracing the meme. He'd met Mantine a few years ago through their adventures in Halo. Following him was Kite. He was from the United Kingdom and had become closely acquainted with the two through a Banjo-Kazooie game. Evidently dying to tell Mantine something, the pair both tried to speak over one another, but Kite was the first to make himself heard. "Finally, he joins! Been tryna reach you all day, bellend! Do you just, like, not check your messages anymore?"

Mantine scratched the back of his head and grinned sheepishly, knowing full well his friends couldn't see the gesture. He had been playing all day and, whether he meant to or not, ignored his pals' invites the entire time. "Sorry, G! Must not've seen 'em!" he replied in a fairly deep, relaxed voice.

"Sure!" replied Kite sarcastically, before briefly changing the subject. "Hey, how far are you in the Pokémon LP?"

Kindon chimed in. "Yes! I want to know how my precious Freshus is doing!" Mantine had recently obtained a microphone and proper recording software, and proceeded to try his hand at video let's plays. His game of choice was Pokémon OmegaRuby, as Pokémon was yet another obsession he and his friends had shared for many years, if his online handle didn't give that away.

"Oh, I just uploaded part eleven! Didja not see? Freshus is just fine!" he replied, referring to his starter Mudkip.

"I'll check it out later, Mantine. Kite and I just got Dragon Saga and we've been playing like, all day. Actually, we were wondering if you wanted to join us. Pleeease?" Kindon practically begged, trying his best at a cutesy tone that didn't quite work with his natural voice.

"Oh, shit! I'm zonin' out all the time... it unlocked yesterday, right?" asked Mantine, swiveling his seat over to his PC and remembering to check if his download had finished.

Dragon Saga Online was the first Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online RPG, or VRMMO to be released outside of Japan. Microsoft and Apple had given third-party developers permission to release special NerveGear headsets that were compatible with certain PC games. Developed by a company called Portal, Dragon Saga was unique in that it allowed full immersion in every aspect. The game was entirely controlled by one's own nerve stimulations, and one could feel, smell, and taste things within the game world using the revolutionary FullDive technology.

Though it was indeed a marvel of computer science, games like these had been released using Japan as a sort of 'test audience' for a few years. Only now were they making headway across the seas, and online gamers everywhere had been spending many a night foregoing sleep to stalk the game's official site for updates. It was only yesterday that the lines of eager fans trailed out the doors of any and every outlet who sold the game, and the physical copies had been completely snapped up. Mantine had to settle for a digital download, but he didn't care, as this was an experience that seemed far too wondrous to pass up.

"Hop on with us in a bit, will you? We're already like, level 25! You've gotta catch up. You won't believe the kinda stuff you can do in that game, bruv!" Kite chimed excitedly.

"Honestly, Mantine… we've been thinking about it, and... it's the perfect game for you!" added Kindon. "We should record ourselves playing and put it on your YouTube!"

Mantine rose from his chair and stretched his tall body. "Okay, okay! No need to twist my arm… I can actually get on now, I think. Lemme go ask poppa." He fumbled with his wireless headset before excitedly tossing it on the bed, and practically ran into the living room. "Hey, Poppa! Is it cool if I play my new VR game with my friends for a bit? I think everything's done for the night anyway. Oh! Don't worry, it's not one of those subscription things, I bought it!"

The elderly gentleman was relaxing on the couch, watching a Dallas Cowboys game as the golden rays of the sunset filtered through the window. He shot his grandson a smile and took a sip of his favorite Sam Adams. "Ah, sure! I was just gon' hit the sack after I watched the game, anyway. Just don't stay up too late. I wanna go to Café Cappuccino tomorrow mornin'." he replied in a typical Texan drawl.

"Hah, like I'd pass up that offer! 'Night, man!" Mantine said, running excitedly back into his room. He snatched up his mic and gave his pals the good news with a tinge of excitement in his voice, "'Kay, I'm back. Yeah, I'll be on in a few. You guys got the NerveGears all set? I think I've got a grip on how this thing works, anyhow."

"Yup!" they said simultaneously. With that confirmation, Mantine tapped his console's off button with his toe and synced the NerveGear headset with his PC. He'd hardly had a chance to even try the thing out, still partially in its box and carrying that unmistakable new plastic scent. Lying down comfortably on his sky-blue comforter, he'd sigh as he prepared to immerse himself in a brand new world. "Tch. Level 25? They say that like it's somethin' to be proud of... alright! Here goes nothing... Link...START!"

With this vocal command, the Gear activated and began to stimulate the farthest reaches of Mantine's brain. The immersive dive manifested at first as a black void dotted with stars that became streaks of white light, something comparable to the hyperspace scenes from Star Wars. Moments later, the game's main menu was laid out before his eyes, complete with a relaxing, adventurous flute tune as the title music.

He signed into the account he'd created on Portal's website and marveled a bit at the myriad of options laid before him on the character creation menu. "Huh, color me impressed." He stuck his finger out, prompting a text box to appear before it.

'NAME ENTRY'.

"Well, no reason not to go with Mantine. Not like any of the good names are taken yet... sweet." Of course, Mantine was not the boy's real name, but he commonly chose it as an online handle and as such, most of his friends knew him by it – even his school mates used the name as a joke. Originality was not the boy's strong suit; the name was derived from a manta ray Pokémon from his favorite series.

After taking his sweet time adjusting each parameter to his liking, Mantine finalized his character. At the suggestion of Kindon and Kite, he'd chosen the Warrior class. This class used a fairly standard sword and shield combo, granted these fantastical blades were big enough to give certain Final Fantasy heroes a run for their money. His plan was to reclass into a Knight when he reached level 20, playing an effective tanking class that could still deal respectable damage. The combination of familiar weaponry and high survivability made it seem like an attractive starting class, and one that fit Mantine's preferred aesthetics to boot.

Mantine felt the surreal sensation of his body floating, and relaxed for a bit as he watched the game's introductory cutscene. The voice of a wizened old mage told the tale of the Divine Dragon Lord's world, El Grego, where humans and dragons lived in harmony until the sudden decision of black dragon Elga decided to wage war on humanity. With the help of the dragons, four heroes sealed him off in a barrier, but now the threat of his re-emergence was ever present. It was a fairly standard medieval fantasy story, but did a fine enough job serving its purpose as the game's main quest, sure to hook new players in with its intrigue and wonder.

As the cinematic concluded, Mantine's vision faded to black. Bit by bit, the blank void would populate itself with the various elements that made up the game's heads-up display. It was about what you'd expect from an MMO; first the health and mana bars in the top-right, filling themselves up in lovely, bubbly red and blue respectively. An experience bar and minimap soon followed, along with the standard ability hotbar and several things he couldn't even use yet. The next instant he opened his eyes, Mantine found himself stood in the lively town square of Odelia, Town of Beginnings, the name of which now displayed under his minimap.

Just like that, he'd been seamlessly taken from one reality to another. "So, this is the real deal, huh...?" He took his time drinking in his surroundings, awestruck at the new world into which he had just emerged. It was all here, everything the boy had dreamt of. Each of his senses beckoned to him like an old friend. The cool, breezy air of midwinter caressing his body, the murmur of the townspeople against the bustling footsteps and peaceful music... it was all so real to the young man.

"What a rush... I tell ya one thing, Lumbridge ain't got nothing on this!" he'd say to no one in particular, putting his hands on his hips as he sized the place up. Fittingly for a place of humble beginnings, Odelia was a sleepy rural town, paved with cobblestone roads and nestled in the verdant, rolling plains of the Continent of Wind. Several farm houses and towering windmills could be seen on the farmland's horizon, the familiar, inviting scent of fresh-cut grass and mesquite trees assailing his nostrils and bringing him that much closer to home.

Amid the groups of excited players and the colorful cast of tutorial NPCs they happily chatted up, Mantine's eyes were drawn to the town square's grand centerpiece; an ornate fountain, its waters sparkling as brilliant as sapphires against the sun. Overtaken with a sense of wonder, he approached the monument and reached out his palm. Sure enough, he felt the unmistakable sensation of water coursing over his hand, even underneath his metal gauntlet. There was no doubt about it, this was the future taking form before his eyes.

Gazing into his reflection against the sparkling water feature, he took the time to look over his own avatar. Physically, his virtual form wasn't too far off from his real self; he appeared to the world as a tall, thin young male with a lanky frame adorned with the standard silver armor his class came with. Keeping its basic shape from the real world, his black hair was replaced with long, straight locks of periwinkle blue, fashioned into a silken ponytail that ran the length of his back. In front, he'd sport his signature rough-cut fringe bangs, lengthened so that they nearly covered one eye. He had nearly become too absorbed with admiring his idealized form when a familiar voice snapped the young man from his daze.

"Oh, there's our man of the hour!" a familiar accented voice called out, accompanied by a chat bubble icon on his heads-up display. Sure enough, Kite and Kindon were waiting for him by the blacksmith's shop. Giving his legs a stretch, Mantine would waste no time joining his pair of pals. Kindon, on one hand, played the Infiltrator class, one of the two advancements the Thief class could take. He'd share a bit of common ground with Mantine, being a melee-oriented class. The infiltrator, however, was focused more on intricate combo strings and striking from the shadows. Ever the straightforward man, Kindon's character looked even closer to his real-world appearance than Mantine's. While the former took a some liberties with his hairstyle, Kindon rocked the same long, dark brown mane he was known for in person, flowing straight and parted in the middle. Set against his early peach fuzz, the Jesus jokes were not lost on him. His armor consisted of gray cloth wrappings upholstered with shiny leather, and pieces of metallic plating covering his vital areas. Each of his hands grasped jagged katars cast in a brilliant navy blue metal that faded into a lighter hue towards the tips.

Kite, on the other hand, had chosen a Marksman, one of the two advancements an Archer could choose. Unlike the Hunter, this opted to lighten their load, foregoing bows in favor of crossbows, allowing them to snipe from great distances with pinpoint accuracy. Several of their special attacks even called forth the advancements of modern weaponry, such as fully automatic fire and grenades. A large crossbow was holstered on his hip; the same crystal blue hue as Kindon's weaponry. His character however, quickly became subject of Mantine's stifled giggling. Although certainly male, Kite's avatar appeared strikingly effeminate, sporting voluminous rose colored hair that ran the length of his back, and an attractively svelte frame whose curves were generously hugged and accentuated by the tight, layered leather armor his class preferred. Add in the softer features of his handsome visage, lacking a speck of stubble, and one could easily be fooled.

"Bahahaha! Wow, Kite! Leave it to a maverick like you to push the character creator past its limits! You sure made one gorgeous gal!" cackled Mantine. "Buying gf, am I right?" he'd further jest, Kindon joining him in his playful snickering.

Kindon, despite having seen it before, couldn't help but join in on having a little fun at his friend's expense. "Aww, Mantine! Don't give her such a hard time, she put so many hours into that character!" he said with a hearty chuckle. "New waifu alert."

This sort of behavior among the three young men was so commonplace that it might as well have been their way of saying they loved each other. Kite shook his head and gave a snort laugh, knowing his friends only spoke in jest. "Tch. You're right... I'm looking more fit than anything either of you two gits could pull!" he teased back at them. "Still trying to get it on with that country singer, aren't you, Mantine?" he'd fire back, prompting the Texan teen to cover his mouth, bite his tongue and blush. "See? I can do it too... So, Mantine, have you got a feel for everything yet?"

Kindon happily chimed in, stowing away whatever joke he was about to make. "...yeah, we're all dying to know... I mean, even though it's just the three of us... what do you think?"

Sighing with a hint of exhilaration, Mantine couldn't help but give the game the glowing praise he felt it deserved. "Honestly? It's everything I'd wanted and then some. I mean, granted... I haven't done anything yet, but... you know what I mean! This is the kind of stuff we used to dream about together, you know?" he'd say with sincerity. Cynical as they often were about the world, the three young men couldn't help but feel they'd taken their first step into a brand new dimension. For the first time in their lives, they knew what it meant to be truly immersed in a virtual world, indistinguishable from the reality they knew.

"Well, yeah! This is already a lot different from the beta. Don't feel too bad about us having a head start; we're still getting the hang of things right along with you." Kindon assured.

Eagerly eyeing up the vast expanse of plains just beyond Odelia's walls, Kite pointed eastward. "That reminds me, if we're done with the... er, formalities, we should head out that way and help Mantine get started. Mantine, why don'tcha accept all the red quests around here so we can get 'em knocked out? Those are the mandatory ones, anyway. Go ahead and grab anything else that catches your eye."

As per Kite's description, many of the town's NPCs had bright red exclamation marks floating just above their heads, a staple of MMOs since their earliest days. Mantine happily darted around Odelia speaking to each and every NPC, adding their quests to his log menu until it had reached its limit. As he became more accustomed to moving around, he'd notice that within this game, he was not bound by the physical limitations of the real world. He could run tirelessly, dash on command while on the ground, and even perform incredible leaps and flips as he moved; the heavy metal adorning his body was weightless. He'd debate with himself over which of his weeb fantasies he wanted to live out first, before finally taking his first steps outside of the safe zone into Windia Plains, the game's first combat area.

The expanse of rolling hills and thriving farmland found itself alive with the droves of excited players getting their first real taste of battle, and Mantine couldn't wait to join them in the slaughter. Skimming over his menus, he'd unsheathe his own blade; a standard level one sword given to all players who chose his class at the start of the game. He'd give the weapon a warmup with a few test swings, the fantastical schwing! of metal slicing the air resounding each time. His oversized blade, surely at least a hundred pounds in reality, could be swung with the effort of a novelty foam sword without sacrificing any of its destructive potential.

As was practically a golden rule for MMOs, the first handful of quests called for the simple task of eliminating a handful of monsters in the overworld. It didn't take long for Mantine, feeling he was ready to slake his virtual bloodlust, to run ahead of his buddies and engage the first thing his quest pointed him to – a sheep. The pair eagerly followed, curious to see how he'd fare in his first foray into combat.

Though lacking any notable features, this particular sheep – and indeed every one that wandered the plains – was quite massive, being closer to the size of a bison in the real world. His silver boots rustling in the tall grass with each step, Mantine made a bold dash for the white-wooled animal, leaping high into the air for his opening strike! Kindon and Kite kept their distance, watching with growing smiles on their faces.

Unsurprisingly, the sheep didn't take kindly to being carved into lamb chop, and stared down Mantine with an angry bleat as it prepared its counterattack! Mantine wasn't about to waste another opening, and turned on his heel after sticking the landing, Just as he readied his sword arm and flicked his wrist in preparation for a followup, the sheep reared up on its hind legs and...

"Mantine, get out of the way! He's gonna-!" Kite shouted to his old friend, being just a moment too late to impart any sage advice.

...curled itself into a ball! The mighty mass of wool was now barreling straight for Mantine at breakneck speeds! He'd hardly have the chance to react before he was sent flying into the calm afternoon air! "Shit! ...couldn't block..."

"Tch, Mantine..." Kindon chided with a sigh, "What were you gonna do there...? ...the game doesn't start you with a shield..."

"Oh, I don't, huh?! In that case, I'm open to suggestions, my guy!" Mantine managed out as he careened through the air like a ragdoll! The colossal lamb continued its rampage, spinning with enough speed to kick up several clouds of dust, sending shreds of grass and dirt every which way as it performed a rough u-turn! Rocketing into the swordsman before he could get his bearings, he found himself being juggled by the wooly beast! "No, seriously, what am I supposed to do here?!"

"Here we go again, teaching you everything about a new game. Then again, we were the ones to get you into it, so..." Kindon muttered with one hand on his forehead.

Kite wasted no time cutting in, shouting over to the swordsman, "Mantine, what the hell are you doing flailing your arms around like that? This ain't no Wii game! That Wii? Shiiit..." he'd say, hoping to lift his friend's spirits with a Chad Warden quote that undoubtedly sounded funnier through the filter of his British accent, "Do I have to spell it out for ya?! Use one of your sword skills, dumbass!"

Indeed, even at level one, Mantine would notice a handful of icons flashing in the corner of his HUD,as if begging to be used! He'd shake himself out of the hitstun long enough to land on his feet and ready his blade once more! The moment the sheep turned around for a third attack, he'd read over his skills in an attempt to come up with a game plan on the fly! The sheep had done enough rolling to build up a surge of static electricity in its wool, sparks flying from the white orb of fluff as it barreled forth for a return trip! "Just my luck, five minutes into the game and Mantine runs into an electric-type?! Alright, now or never!" he'd say, digging his heels in. The moment the rampaging lamb was about to steamroll him, he'd call upon his first sword skill, Sky Uppercut! With a hefty upward swing of his blade, the sheep had been sent sailing into the air!

"See? You've got nothing to complain about." Kindon said, relaxing against a farmhouse as he watched the scuffle.

"Now, bring it home! One of those skills should be a followup!" Kite encouraged his friend, hoping he'd take advantage of the opening!

Indeed, just as Mantine leapt into the air to tech chase his wooly foe, a second skill would flash rapidly in the corner of his HUD – the Smackdown! Just as its name suggested, Mantine harnessed the ability to send the flying ball of wool crashing into the ground below! Defeated, it shattered into a dazzling shower of sparks, yielding Mantine his first kill! "Whoo! Yeah! Bring it on, suckas! This my kinda-"

"Simmer down there, homie. You've still got four left..." Kindon commented, cutting his friend's Gears of War quote short.

DSO, to the relief of many an MMO veteran, streamlined this process a bit by allowing one to multitask and complete several quests in one run. Indeed, many of the quests Mantine accepted were simple monster slaying tasks, with the odd conversation with an NPC peppered in here and there. As per MMO tradition, the stakes started off small with the local farmers in need of warriors to drive off the odd pack of wolves or a nest of spiders. The group soon learned of the experiments done on the wolves by a mad doctor working under a mysterious witch, laying the groundwork for the game's greater narrative.

Before they knew it, the sun had began to set over the virtual world. An evening striking down monsters had passed more time than they'd thought! The trio relaxed on the roof of a barn in Windia, gazing up at the sky, its blues having melted into a gorgeous palette of orange. After a bit of chilling and taking in the sights, Kite scooted himself over to Mantine and put a hand on his shoulder. "First day's a real kick from a mule, isn't it?"

"It's a lot to take in at once, man. I'm really glad I took up your offer now! Thanks for the recommendation, y'all. Honestly, I love it so far! Gotta tell you though, the hitstun is killer! I thought my Melee tech skill would come in handy, but this… It'll take some time adapting. I'll be caught up with you two before you know it!" said Mantine, giving the game some honest praise.

"Ooh, tell us more." Kindon piped up. "We've been dying to hear your thoughts; you could even put up a review on your YouTube channel later!"

Mantine scratched the back of his head and sighed. "I dunno about all that yet... I mean, it's only the first week! Besides... don't... people usually finish games before they drop a review?"

"I know you didn't just say that." said Kite and Kindon in perfect unison.

Realizing what just came out of his mouth, Mantine held a finger up and corrected himself. "What am I thinking? It's the year of our Lord 2022 after all... well, you know what?" he'd proclaim, suddenly rising to his feet and drawing his blade, planting it into the roof, "I'm gonna be the exception!"

Kindon raised his head up and turned to Mantine with a raised eyebrow. "Where'd this come from all of a sudden?"

Kite chuckled a bit; his friend's enthusiasm proving to be contagious. "Yeah, what are you getting at, man?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Mantine put his hand on his chin and looked upwards. "We'll do it. Let's be the first ones to clear Dragon Saga." he boldly announced with his hands on his hips. "We finish the game, and I'll drop the best damn review you've ever watched."

Kite smiled at him. "Careful, Mantine, I can see the stars in your eyes. If that's how you feel about it, how 'bout we form a guild?" he proposed, gaining nods of approval from Mantine and Kindon. "I'd give you the honor of being guild master, but you gotta be at least level 20, and it's not like you have the money yet either way." he added, referring to the forty gold fee required to instate a guild; more than a bit steep for a fresh player.

Mantine reaffirmed his decision with another nod. "Fine by me, G. No sense in me slowing us down any longer. Besides... I think I'm done with the whole guild leader shtick after RuneScape. You've got the makings of a great leader, Kite!"

With his friend's confirmation, Kite swiped his finger upward to open up the guild interface, presenting him with a few basic settings like their guild emblem and more importantly, a name entry box. "Any thoughts on what we should call it? We're gonna be forever known as..." he said, hovering his finger over the virtual keyboard.

Kindon leaned over and raised his hand up. "...how do you like Mudkipz?"

Mantine couldn't help but snicker at the suggestion. "Whuh? Seriously, that old meme?"

"For your let's play, you dork!" jested the Philly prince. "Freshus' legacy shouldn't be limited to just one game."

"Come on, Mantine, even I picked up on that one." Kite agreed. "How about it, then?"

The group murmured in agreement, and with a flick of Kite's finger, the Mudkipz guild was officially founded. The word "Mudkipz" appeared below each of their usernames, and their armor took on a beautiful blue-and-orange color scheme, to match the color of the eponymous Pokémon. From the preset options they had for emblems, they'd choose an eyeball marking in a shimmering gradient of similar hues.

Filled with an overwhelming upsurge of inspiration, Mantine pointed his silver blade skyward, its polished metal reflecting against the amber rays of the waning sunset at the perfect angle to create a sparkling lens flare. "Alright, you two! Mark this day in history, cuz I've got something to say. Now, I'm not one to get sentimental with you guys…"

"...uhh, yeah. You are. Like all the time." Kindon said.

Kite echoed his pal's sentiment. "We know you way better than that... nice try."

"Aww, you guys! This is the start of something amazing for us, don'tcha think? Yes, the first chapter of the glorious Mudkips! I can see it now; the three of us crawling through damp grass, climbing rocky, rugged mountains, crossing the raging seas, wandering about in dark caves, and sometimes, even getting a little homesick.. Here, the rules of the real world don't apply. Our weapons alone can take us anywhere…" he'd trail off wistfully, looking beyond his glimmering blade onto the endless horizon.

"I guess it's one way to get out of the rut of my daily life, if anything." said Kindon, getting up with a stretch. "I always did like your outlook on life, Mantine." The three did a simultaneous fist bump, celebrating their newly-formed guild. "But if it's all the same to you guys," he continued, "I'm gonna turn in for the night. Lord knows my brother will have a conniption if he can't hog the PC all night."

Kite echoed his friend. "Same. I'm gonna hate myself if I miss the retro gaming trade tomorrow."

Mantine sheathed his weapon. "Oh, sure man! I was actually gonna head off myself. I've got half of a garlic-chicken pizza I need to go ham on before the night's over. Thanks again, guys! Take it easy!" With this salutation, Mantine reached out a finger and opened the menu, scrolling down through each option.

"Uhh, noob question here... where's the logout button? I don't... inquired Mantine as he double checked the list of options.

Kindon walked over to him. "Should be right there at the bottom. See?" He opened his own menu to show his friend.

...There was no logout option. A blank box took its place in the interface, devoid of functionality.

Kite fiddled with his menu a bit before coming to the same conclusion as his friends. "Ah, must be some sorta bug. Y'know how these games are when they first release."

"A game bug already?! Augh! My pizza! Everyone knows those things are no good reheated! And I'm gonna miss Café Cappuccino tomorrow, no! Isn't there, like, some other way to logout? There's gotta be a failsafe or somethin'!" exclaimed Mantine as he collapsed to the ground. He'd reach for his head as if to mime removing his headset. "Come on, you... Log out! Escape! End session!" he rattled off in desperation, hoping the console might've had some sort of voice command recognition.

Kite shook his head. "Nope. Remember, these things are connected to our nerve centers. They're designed to keep our real bodies as still as possible. This ain't Halo." He thought to himself for a moment. "Shit. I'll contact one of the GMs, see what they can do." he'd say, opening the support interface, which was thankfully still online.

Before he could even begin composing a text message, a beam of white light teleported Kite out of sight. Kindon befell the same fate just a second later. Wrought with confusion, Mantine gasped. "Wha-" was all that came out of his mouth before he too was automatically teleported. In that same instant, he found himself in familiar territory, back at the fountain in Odelia's town square, and he wasn't alone. Far from it, as one by one, players began appearing all around him. He quickly sifted through the ever-growing crowd of confused players and to his relief, located Kite and Kindon nearby. "Yo, what happened?" he asked. They shrugged at him in unison.

Players of all kinds continued to warp in until the entire server found itself packed into the town square. Many of them were in the middle of combat or browsing the NPC shops, now swinging at thin air and dropping their gold to the floor. The crowd began to murmur among themselves, all speculating wildly on the bizarre phenomena. The situation would become increasingly eerie as the comfort of the waning sunset gave way to a foreboding blood-red sky, which began to undulate as though it were no more than a false projection. The sky texture itself began to... peel and crumble away, hemorrhaging viscous strands of what appeared to be blood, which dispersed into a fine red mist. Mantine leaned in close to his friends and tried his best to make sense of the situation. "I don't get it... is this some kind of special event?" he asked, remembering similar events from MMOs of yesteryear. Both shot him looks of bewilderment and shrugged.

Slowly from the veil of mist emerged a towering projection of a man, taking his place in the center of the town square as he towered over the frightened crowd. The man's visage bore a striking resemblance to Jack Nicholson, complete with pitch dark sunglasses, slicked-back hair, and a devilish, toothy grin. He gripped an ornate silver cane and wore an opulent, flowing crimson robe that wavered about as he levitated ominously above. The crowd became restless, with gasps and panicked inquiries of what was happening drowning one another out.

"Good evening." The sinister figure's voice boomed, silencing the entire crowd. He was clearly speaking through some form of a voice filter, his tone only a few octaves shy of demonic. "Good evening, and congratulations. Each and everyone of you have successfully completed the tutorial for Dragon Saga Online. The trial period is now over."

The crowd protested in confusion. What did he mean by trial period? After all, everyone here had already clearly purchased the game. Their collective protests would be silenced by the man's voice once again. "Many of you may have already noticed that there is no longer an option to log out of the game. I assure you, this is entirely intentional." he announced, gasps resounding from the crowd. "I repeat, you are no longer allowed to log out of the game."

Panic began to seep in among the confused playerbase. "Allow me to fill you in. My name is Eugene Wesley. If that name sounds familiar, it is because I am in charge of the North American servers for Dragon Saga Online. I must thank you all for being a part of this revolutionary game, and my experiment. First and foremost, I will lay down some ground rules for you all. Dying in this game no longer results in such trivialities as a simple loss of EXP and respawning. When your character's health reaches zero, the NerveGear will release a surge of microwaves directly into the brain, effectively killing the wearer. Attempting to physically remove the headset by an outside force will produce similar results and thus, is not advised. No, only when the game's main quest is cleared will I allow you to return to reality."

The panic within the crowd reached a fever pitch, descending into screams and cries for help. Mantine turned to Kindon and Kite with gritted teeth. "Come on... this guy can't be serious, right? It's gotta be some kinda elaborate troll!" he reasoned, trying to convince himself more than anything. The trio stared back at the towering robed figure in steadfast defiance, but their blood began to run cold. It certainly didn't help matters than the Town's peaceful, light music continued to play over the grim announcement.

"Rest assured" he continued, "my funds have allowed me to dispatch the best medical equipment and doctors that money can buy to take care of your physical bodies. Likely as I speak, you are being moved to the nearest hospital. Nutrients will be fed into you intravenously to maintain your bodies, and you will be watched over at all hours. With this game, I have achieved my lifelong goal. As I said, your trial period is now over, and in order to continue playing, you must pay with your life. To clear the game, you must reach Black Claw Nest on the far end of the Continent of Chaos. I am not a cruel man nor a cheater; the game remains in its complete state and is entirely beatable. If just one person can clear the game, you will all be free. On this, you have my solemn promise. Ah, one final thing before we adjourn."

He pointed his robed arm forward, directing the crowd's attention to a great monument behind them; a wall of smooth, black obsidian carved beautifully and etched with a long list of names, displaying the high scores. Each name was erased until the list was cleared, then reshuffled until the numbers were gone and every player was listed in alphabetical order. "Normally, this monument would've marked the place where your character would respawn upon death, and provides a display of the high scores." he explained, the beta testers remembering the monument all too well. "Naturally, as this is no longer possible, the hiscores will be repurposed into a more practical use. Upon death, a player's name will change to red and display the time and cause of death. I hope that leaves you with some extra incentive to clear my game. I have divulged to you all can; I must bid farewell. This will conclude the tutorial."

Leaving his victims with those words, Eugene disappeared the next instant flash of crimson, returning the skies to normal. A primal fear began to wash over the crowd. A fear that gave way to full-blown panic and mass hysteria! Now fearing for their lives, players scattered in all directions, some pleading to whatever deity they prayed to for a way to log out. The Mudkipz, fortunate enough to have stayed in a group, struggled to make their way out of the ensuing frenzy! They darted for the closest exit, narrowly evading the human stampede as others were knocked to the floor and nearly trampled in the confusion!

Their survival instincts kicked in enough to remind them of their enhanced abilities, leaping high into the air and making a mad dash for the market district, hiding in the dark, secluded alley where thieves initially began the game. As much as they didn't want to admit it, they were just as afraid as the rest of the unwitting players. However, it was here, in this alley, that the guild collected themselves and, over the course of the next hour, talked each other down until they could hash the dire situation out.

"...sounds like a plan. We'll hit up every quest we come across, then." confirmed Kite. "If what that man said is true, it sounds like bosses are gone for good once they're defeated. I've got a feeling we'll need every last ounce of experience to stand a chance."

Mantine nodded sharply. "There's no denying how bad this looks, I know that much..." he'd say, gritting his teeth with a long pause. "...I'm scared. I'm so scared I can't stand it! but as long as I live... well, it's like Tupac once said... keep ya head up. It isn't like we have any other choice. Our goal's the same as it was a few hours ago, right? Be the first ones to clear the game."

Kindon shot the blue-haired man a fierce gaze. "If you don't stop that, you're gonna get me all worked up, you know that? I may joke about it sometimes, but I'm completely serious here; I've felt for a long time that my life has been near-worthless. If we save this game... this world, I- er, we'll be remembered as heroes for the rest of our lives. If I die, I'm gonna die a hero... but that's not happening!"

Kite put a hand on each of his friends' shoulders. "Then we're of the same mind. Positive, I like it. Look, we'll get the best rewards if we head out for Advanced Windia and get all the red quests done in the mission map there. As a team, I think we can hold up okay. Let's not waste any time!"

On that note, the Mudkips sprinted out of Odelia and made a beeline for the game's first mission map. The enemies within were tougher than what you'd find on the overworld, but Kindon and Kite could handle the major threats until Mantine was up to speed with them.

Dusk began to settle in as the very last vestige of sunlight bid the trio farewell, as though seeing them off on their life-or-death mission. The road ahead was long and treacherous, and indeed, time was already running out. "We'll get you all out of this mess, dammit!" Mantine cried out in defiance as he and his guildmates darted down the old dirt road, daring anything to try to stop them. "We're going to survive... and live on til the end!"

On the former hiscores, a few of the names around Mantine's began to turn red and cross out.