Three months later, everything was in place. The pods were ready and all registration was done. There was only half an hour left until Revelation12 came online. John and Tommy had been hitting the gym hard for three months to improve their physical condition. One of the few things the company had mentioned about the game was that your physical and mental health would affect your ability in the game. There were no real details about what this meant, but John and Tommy took it seriously. They spent the last three months training and both had bulked up, becoming more muscular than they were three months ago. Living on the poverty line, even their general appearance had improved with good healthcare and nutrition. Now it was time to make all the hard work pay off.
"You still haven't decided on what class to be, John?" Tommy asked. They had a lot riding on this game, and John still hadn't made a decision on his future class. "I don't know, Tommy. Nothing feels right. Once I get in the game, it will come to me," John replied. He never wanted to say it, but he was waiting for that feeling. It had been three months since it last happened at the casino. He still didn't understand what was happening, but he believed that he was here because of it. He had a feeling about the game, so he was sure he would get some sort of sign when the time came. And if not, well, he guessed everything was just in his head, and he would deal with that when it happened.
Twenty minutes remained until the game went live. It was time to make the final preparations. They were planning on spending a long time in the game, so John quickly grabbed a sandwich and took care of he's toilet needs. The two friends then climbed into their respective pods. "See ya on the other side, Tommy. Don't forget, Elderville is the starting town we're going to," John said as he closed the lid on his pod. The machine lit up with a soft hum, and John's mind felt like it was transported out of his body. He was floating in darkness, feeling truly blind. Then, out of the nothingness, there was green.
It started as a small dot that got larger, traveling towards him. He could make out the outline. It was a jade crystal. A memory rose up from his subconscious - that dream, the darkness, the jade gem. What was happening? Was he dreaming? Just what was happening? As he was thinking this, the jade gem rapidly got closer and closer until it was touching his forehead and then pushing inside. John screamed out as an unimaginable pain overwhelmed him. He could feel himself losing consciousness, drifting away as the searing pain continued. The last thing he heard before losing consciousness was that same soft, loving grandfather voice from before. "This is the most I can do. The risks are greater for you. I'm sorry, but you're truly our final hope."
John woke from the darkness, completely unaware of what had just happened. It was as if his memory was wiped, just a vague fleeting thought, like waking from a dream. Subconsciously rubbing his forehead and looking around, it truly felt like he was in another world. Everything looked so realistic yet fantastical. There were floating mountains with waterfalls flowing down into crystal-clear lakes. He could smell the fresh air and feel the leaves on the bushes as if he was really touching them.
Then he noticed something flying towards him. It was a small fairy. "I am Gaea, your guide into the world of Revelation12. It's been 400 years since the world as you knew it became a wasteland. For 100 years, humanity struggled to survive in this new world. But humanity's resilience slowly gained a foothold in this new world. New kingdoms and empires formed across the globe. As the years passed, a prophecy spread across the globe, telling of the children of Gaea who would emerge from the ancient temples of Gaea spread out across the world. Immortal beings who would push back the beasts and monsters that roamed the world and retake Earth for humanity. You, player, and all your fellow players are my children, the world has waited for, and now the age of prophecy begins. What happens next in this story is completely up to you, the players. Kings? Servants? Annihilation? How this story ends is completely up to you," Gaea explained, detailing the backstory.
John listened with interest, feeling that the guide he had been waiting for was back. He still didn't know what was happening. It was like some kind of sixth sense, maybe? It was like a guide pointing him in the right direction. Gaea continued, "Before I transport you, first we need to confirm a few details. Could you input your desired username into the system? You can reach and use the system with your mind. Think 'open system' and the interface will open. You can manually adjust where in your field of view it pops up to best suit your needs. Now, go to register and input your details."
Following Gaea's instructions, John opened the system and went to register. He followed the instructions and input his desired username, "Mugs." He then input his country of residence, the UK.The final step was the user agreement. Without reading it, as who reads a user agreement, and this one was extra long, he scrolled to the end and clicked accept. His registration was complete Now that you are a registered player, let me tell you about the selection of classes available to help you on your journey. Are you a selfless soul who wants to save everyone? If so, you should consider the path of a Medic Master. Channeling mana to heal any wound, cure any sickness, and purge all poisons. Or maybe you prefer to work in the shadows, not saving lives but taking them. Striking from the shadows, leaving your victims dead without knowing how they died. If so, consider the path of the Assassin. But wait, maybe giving or taking life is not enough for you. What if you want to control death? Become a Necromancer and gain the power to form an army of the undead. Maybe the taste of death is not to your liking, but the thrill of mana coursing through your veins, the power to decimate armies in their thousands at a time. Raining meteors, thunder, and ice down on them. Or are you a bit more vanilla? Do you want to become one with your weapon of choice? Forsaking heavy armor for extra flexibility and attacking power. Do you have the reflexive ability to dance a dance of death on the battlefield and maximize your strengths to claw your way to the top as a Weapons Master? Or is finesse not your style? Maybe you're just a force of nature, trouble just comes your way. You could use these skills as a Warrior on the front lines, taking the brunt of the damage and attention. Using your shield and heavy armor to become an immovable Tank, holding back the enemy. Will you hold the line or step back? Or is all you need a good old-fashioned bow and arrow? Standing at the back, sending terror through the enemy ranks with your pinpoint accuracy and fast draw. Giving the enemy no chance to even get close enough to fight back. Think hard and choose wisely. Your next choice could be the difference between a life of luxury and a life of servitude. Good luck, Mugs."
Listening to Gaea, John was waiting for the intense urge to guide him. That feeling was there, but it felt dormant, laying in wait. It stayed that way as Gaea explained all the classes. Looking over the choices a few times on the screen, nothing happened. But it was okay. John half expected this. He had always been more of a lifestyle player in the past. Adventuring and doing dungeon runs was fun, but there was no profit in it. Breaking even was considered a good haul after expenses like potions and repair kits, or whatever other various ways the system in these games found a way to take your money. He dabbled in anything that could make him a little extra money. Unlike Tommy, who was not as savvy with money. He was young, still barely left the care home 3 months back and spent most of the time at John's. Now Tommy loved a fight and the thrill of fighting in VR. He was good enough that he got himself and John into a semi-decent second-rate guild as their main tank in Everfrost, the old VR game they played. But it was okay. John planned for this. He still wanted to explore. He had no intention of wasting his chance in Revelation12. He had more freedom with his new wealth, and there was no need to grind for extra money anymore. But he also had little confidence in being a melee class or a magical class. He had a basic knowledge of archery. He had done it for a while as a kid until he moved care homes and had no access. Moving his finger over the option for Archer, he took a breath and pushed the screen. This was it. He would rise to the top as an Archer... {system error}