..."Strengthenig connection"...
..."Strengthening connection"...
"Connection dectected
Welcome Player 46 to Ascended" The darkness was engulfed by a bright light, creating an empty white plane. With only an young woman dressed in simple clothes, with expertly braided black hair and axinate-coloured eyes.
Infront of her was a large status screen displaying information. Elya, the young woman, stared at it in wonder. The realism of the VR world was incredible. She reached out to change her name but a error sound echoed as a automated adrogynous voice spoke.
"Name change locked until Starter town is completed!"
"Guess I'm player 46 until then" The brown-eyed woman spoke. Scrolling through her options and accepting the safety terms and conditions infront of her. The screen fizzled out and a new one appeared.
"Pick a starter weapon."
"Weapon options are as follows:
Sword Options: Light sword, Dual swords, Broadsword, Rapier.
Other Melee Options: Mace, Club, Hammer, Spear,
Magic Options: Arcane Spellbook, Shadow Dagger, Holy Wand"
Slowly, she read through all the options debating on what to choose. To be a melee fighter or a magical one? Eventually, she decided to embrace her childhood dreams of being a mage and chose the Arcane Spellbook.
Clicking the confirmation, the screen vanished and another one followed. This one was more brief, showing her a preview of her status, with a small avatar showcasing her character.
Real Name: Elya Carver (Hidden)
In-game Name: Player 46 (Locked)
Race: Human
Age: 18 (Hidden)
Exp: 0/100
Starter Weapon: Arcane Spellbook
Class: None
Bloodline: None
Stats:
Hp: 100/100
MP: 50/50
Strength: 5
Endurance: 5
Agility: 5
Speed: 5
Intelligence: 5
Wisdom: 5
Inventory: 1/20 (Upgradable)
-Lv 1 Arcane Spellbook
At the bottom of this status was a clickable box which said "Proceed to starter town." Ignoring this, she tried to click on her class to choose one, onky for a prompt message to pop up saying "Awarded after completion of Starter town."
'I don't even get to pick my class until after my starter town? How stupid.' She thought, frustrated with the lack of customisation she could do with her character.
Even when she clicked on the avatar to apply cosmetic changes a different prompt would appear suggesting that changing ones appearance can only be done by certain situations in game.
Done with her wallowing, she clicked proceed. The screen morphing into a description of the world.
"Ascended. A world crawling with countless races and species all vying for dominance. Take the world by storm and ensure that yours takes its right place on the stage."
As she finished reading (and the voice finished speaking), her vision went dark. The loud sound of wind rushing screamed, yet she could not feel it. As suddenly as her vision vanished, it reappeared. Except, she was standing in a plaza with a older gentlemen addressing all the players teleporting beside her. Specks of light converging together to form people.
"Welcome to the Town of Beginnings #6219," His voice was loud and crisp, every vowel carefully pronounced.
"Only you hundred players have been sent to this town. While the rest of the players have been teleported to other versions of it. After level 10, you will be forcefully teleported into any city of your choosing."
"This time is for you to learn the mechanics of the game and learn your playstyle. However, I suggest you do not relax.
Hidden throughout this town, is quests which grant bloodlines which grant unmeasurable strength. They are a requirement for leaving this town. There are hundreds of bloodlines so the chances of finding them are great but once you have found it, you cannot change."
His voice sounded grave as he spoke, outstretching his arms, a massive scorpian tail grew from back and smashed against part of the stage. Shattering it completly.
"Some bloodlines are better than others, but in the world of Ascended all of them have the chance to become great. So go forth and find your people." He yelled at the end, dismissing all the players. Ding!
A quest was issued to all the players.
'First quest: Gaining a bloodline
Reward: Map of the town and its surroundings.'
Swiftly, the crowd scrambled in hopes to aquire the best bloodlines avaliable in the town. Player 46, Elya, was no different. As she walked down the cobbled streets observing the victorian style of all the buildings.
It was a beautiful, idealistic looking paradise. The sun washed the ground in its light, the water in the fountain ahead shimmering under its rays.
'Hundreds of bloodlines, only a hundred of people ensuring that everyone got one so their should be no rush right?' She wondered. "Except the more obvious ones will be chosen first, leaving only the more obscure ones for the slow developers so while they develop in the real world, you'd be stuck in the tutorial falling behind" she said to herself. Finishing her thought process outloud.
"Exactly what I thought too" A chirpy voice agreed. Startled, Elya looked over to see a smiling pink haired girl around her age wearing the same beginner clothes as her.
"Oh hey" The black-haired girl replied awkwardly, moving the hair out of her face to get a better look at the other girl.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Cherry" The girl announced, her smile seeming contagious.
"I'm Elya, its nice to meet you too" She said. Noticing the emerald gleam of the girl's eyes and the freckles dotted across her nose. 'She really looks like a strawberry' she thought.
"Actually, technically I'm player 46" She added, her joke falling flat. 'Oh my god, someone get me out of this conversation' she thought to herself.
"Oh yes yes, well I'm player 78" Cherry replied, a grin on her face seemingly unaware of the awkwardness of the conversation.
"Well best I go so someone doesn't steal my bloodline" She smiled and ran off, leaving Elya midly confused about the brief interaction. Relief flashing on her face.