"In October of 1958, the first video game was born, Tennis for 2. Just over a decade later, Pong was born in 1972, with its first malfunction being an overflow of quarters in the circuit," started Tod Howard, the CEO of Stary Sky Technologies.
"On March 4th, 2000, the PlayStation 2 was released. I remember as an eleven-year-old boy opening my gifts on Christmas and getting the PS2, in addition to the Linux operating system. While I didn't care for the keyboard and mouse that came with this packaged deal, I did care about the first edition of Final Fantasy I got." Tod paused momentarily for the crowd before him. "It's now 2045, and I'm 56," Tod continued, "and I'm here to show you the next era of full-dive gaming."
The projector behind Tod Howard suddenly lit up, showing a hologram video before the expo hall. The hologram played a video of a wide variety of environments and even some wars from other video games, while Tod Howard continued. "Our new game here at Stary Sky Technologies outclasses all previous full-dive video games. It's the first omni-sense-inducing technology used within an MMO on the market. Your immersion will never be broken. And thanks to our partners, such as Anansi-Ai, the world feels no different from the real world, with AI making their own decisions to further the development of the world."
The hologram dimmed as the video ended, signaling that something important was coming from Tod. "I bring to you… Erebus Online."
With his last words, a much crisper and high-definition hologram came online and showed vastly different terrains in a kaleidoscope-like manner. "Within Erebus Online, you can hear the footsteps of monsters and the roughness of the bark, smell everything from sweets to sulfur, and touch everything, even the rumbling in the ground. This is achieved through help from Neuralink and its CEO, Elon Musk."
Elon Musk walked onto the stage with a mix of positivity and negativity within the crowd.
The event continued after about an hour more of talking and answering some press questions, and by the end, most people had walked out with excitement, interest, or some merchandise from the event.
A month passed.
On Twitter, Stary Sky Technologies announced an invitation to their fans.
Stary Sky Technologies @ErebusOnline closed beta sign-ups are now open on our website! A lucky 20,000 will help test environmental stability and server stress.
——————————————————
[bolagna32] See you all in beta :P
[TotalyNormal] Only 20,000? What is this, 2017?
[2old4U] One above, just be better or lucky.
[xxdragonslayerxx2019]… …
[SleepyTea]…
[Twitch]…
....
Discord
....
[Doritoguy] 7:45 pm
Does anyone have any news for Erebus?
[CatLord] 7:45 pm
No. Do you think they would post any more than they have?
[MelonMuncher//3] 7:45 pm
Replying to @Doritoguy: yes
[Doritoguy] 7:46 pm
Piss off
[Doritoguy] 7:46 pm
Can I have a list, please begging gif
[MelonMuncher//3] 7:45 pm
Full list of teased features.
#1 Full class system
#2 Full magic system with custom spells
#3…..
....
1 week before
....
Under the walls of a large city within Erebus Online, the world slowly starts to articulate.
Characters are brought out of a preset path and are free to do as they wish.
A boy beneath an elder oak tree prays to his goddess, Aria.
"Oh Aria, keeper of life and justice, please grant my mother good luck today."
In the church's words, Aria was a goddess of life, justice, and luck. It is even said that saints can borrow her power to revive people.
Aria is just one of two gods under the main pantheon. The other is Nox, a god of death, warfare, and wisdom.
The boy's prayers went unanswered and unnoticed by Aria. But the boy did this every day in hopes his mother would be promoted, or even better, catch the good favor of a noble.
But this could never happen, and he knew it. Nobles were cruel people with little interest in the people below them. If you paid your taxes and didn't publicly talk ill of them, they wouldn't even notice you.
"Boy."
The random voice jerked the boy back to reality. "Who's there?" questioned the boy.
"Don't worry," the disembodied voice responded. "I just have a question. Why do you pray and hope to a minor deity, especially when your wish can be granted by more powerful gods easily?"
"Who are you? What do you want?" the boy questioned with broken composure.
"Answer my question first."
"I pray to Aria because she is the only goddess I know who deserves it. Nox is evil and should be killed… so clearly, I can't pray to him."
"I don't see why Nox is evil, but what about other gods like Nartune, the Goddess Of Commerce."
"Who? I'm sorry, but what god do you speak of?"
"I myself am a god, a very weak one at that, though. One could even say I'm at my weakest ever, communicating through trees." The mysterious god said with disappointment clear in his voice.
"Prove it." The boy was not convinced. After all, his entire life he had only known two gods. It had all been light and dark to him. For some tree spirit thing to tell him that he's wrong and just accept it? Such blasphemy couldn't be tolerated!
"Then I shall show you a parlor trick," the voice said before chanting the spell, "Oh great stars, draw upon your power to grant luck upon my target."
A vast light, making the late afternoon sky light up like it was noon in summer, descended upon the tree and gently streamed into the boy.
[Divine luck: 3:23:59:45]
"Proof enough?"
"If you're such a powerful god, then why would you talk to the likes of me?"
The god sighed. "My name is Tod. I am the god of immersion. And I need someone determined and kind to do a job for me, as I don't have the authority to do so."
"Sir, no, almighty Tod, how can I be of service?"
"I only need you to grow stronger and watch over this tree seed for me. Find someplace far from the likes of the cities and conquest. Plant the seed and help it grow."
"Almighty Tod, is this really all you need me to do? I will pour my life into this task."
"To help you along, I shall do the ritual of blessing for you. This will help you gain strength, and everyone has to go through it by the time they are 20. Sadly, the church here seems to limit the unwanted." Said Tod, the fox of reality.
While the boy didn't know it, This Tod was actually a game admin in disguise! He was going to be fired soon anyways. So he wanted to throw a wrench into the plans othe the others while he still could.
As the boy started to understand the true weight behind the situation, Tod started monotonously chanting a weird slew of words.
"System call: Execute on-target Id: nufaya47537 grant priority 2."
"System call: Execute on-target Id: nufaya47537 Play-event 12."
After the slew of words were uttered, the boy found himself within a vast cave of lush greenery. In front of him, sitting on a pedestal, was a book.
The boy walked up to the book with great curiosity and, with his trust in the almighty Tod, opened the book to a bunch of words. None of which he understood! The boy was illiterate!
'So this is the ceremony, kind of boring,' the boy thought to himself. 'I don't understand what this says at all either.'
The ancient cave rumbled with the walls along the edges slowly collapsing in, providing a limited time for the boy to change his situation or die trying.
'Shoot.'
The boy frantically started shaking the book like an insane individual. He kept shaking it, hoping for a different result.
"Hey boy, just accept," a familiar voice came from the surrounding void; it was Tod!
"YES, I ACCEPT!" The boy frantically screamed before being warped away and into a grand temple.
Before a grand staircase, the boy fell to the ground, panting for air, trying to recover from hyperventilation due to anxiety. Standing up, the boy looked around and noticed that he was not the only one here; many people were before the grand staircase just like him.
"Welcome to the temple of the start! To those of you who are before the great climb, listen closely or be lost." A mysterious voice started before pausing to make sure everyone understood. "The stairs before you will test your willpower and grant you talent based on your will. Work hard and don't disappoint those that have given you this opportunity."
'Isn't this just a normal blessing trial, the same the church performs for a few silvers?'
"Those who reach the top will get a special prize. Good luck to you all."
After these words were spoken, many stood around and prepared themselves; others started up the stairs at various speeds, the boy a part of the ladder.
The stairs had no end in sight, but after a dozen minutes, a timer appeared. The timer displayed how long the individual had been climbing for.
[12m32s]
The boy had already climbed countless steps with many ahead of him and even more behind him. He didn't feel tired from the climb.
[32m05s]
While the boy had no bodily fatigue, many before him had already dropped due to the never-ending stairs. With no change in the environment and the bottom already too far behind to measure progress, many had started to mentally crumble. Minutes passed, and the boy had started to endure a headache.
[45m29s]
The minor headache had turned into a migraine, and he could count those with him on one hand.
The boy called out to them, wanting to know more about them, but none responded to his calls.
[1h 30m 35s 836ms]
After an hour, the clock had expanded. This discouraged most and planted the doubt that there may not be an end.
But two individuals were ahead of the rest. One with bright red hair and purple eyes discouraging a plain common-looking boy.
"You're not even a noble. Unlike I of the Gearheart house… you will never matter! In fact, you should drop out now and just give up. Maybe you should be a farmer, as that requires nothing to do, not even the looks that you don't have. No, no, it would be better for you to just sell yourself to a noble in need, wouldn't it…"
The simple boy responded to none of it, but silently within his mind, a hate for the Gearheart house was growing larger with each insult.
[1h 55m 26s 926ms]
All but the two had dropped out. With the time about to hit the two-hour mark, the noble dropped out with a spiteful wad of spit flying at the simple boy.
[2h 00m 00s 000m]
When the 2-hour mark was hit, the climb ended with the simple boy never giving up. The boy, Dous, realized that there was now an end to the stairs where he found everyone else waiting. After stepping past the last step, the old man started.
"Congratulations."
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Thanks for picking my book for your read; I hope you enjoy it.
All comments and criticisms are welcome as I'm always trying to improve. Power stones would be loved as well.