"Damon!!" Elena yelled from the couch she was seated on. "The News is about to begin."
In less than ten seconds, Damon rushed to the living room with his phone in hand and a pack of potato chips in the other. He was wearing a casual purple T-shirt and black khaki trousers.
"Here," he handed Elena the pack of chips then reached for the TV remote.
After switching to the News Channel he sat on the couch right next to Elena. She was wearing an oversized blue sweatshirt that had a drawing of Sonic the Hedgehog on it over a yellow short. A pair of fuzzy blue socks hugged her feet. Her blonde hair was tied up in a messy bun.
"Today, Saturday January 11th 2030 is one the most awaited days by all humanity, especially for those who loved the virtual world and those looking for new business opportunities." A beautiful woman's voice could be heard from the TV.
"Why don't you tell us more about it?" The man sitting beside her suggested. Obviously, he was just asking as part of the script. Everyone knew what was happening today.
"At 12 noon, Hell's Foundation will officially launch. Hell's Foundation is the first virtual reality video game that is 100% supported by the World Central Bank. This means that all players would be able to exchange the in-game currency to real money.
That is just one of the most amazing things about Hell's Foundation. Although there have been other virtual reality games in the past, Hell's Foundation was designed to be more than just a means of entertainment for players. They will have several opportunities to earn a living doing what they love and investors will storm the game to sponsor them.
After all, the world in Hell's Foundation is a new and unexplored with infinite opportunities available, waiting to be discovered. Super Computers have predicted that the Economy of the World will be largely influenced by the game."
"Wow!" Elena exclaimed, her eyes glued to the screen while she reached into the pack for a potato chip.
There was a look of anticipation and enthusiasm on the faces of Damon and Elena.
The beautiful reporter continued:
"Hell's Foundation is a virtual world where there are several types of magic and skills unique to each player. According to Alaric King, Creator of Hell's Foundation, a seemingly unlimited amount of equipment and elements with different qualities are available within the game.
What's even more amazing is that the NPCs within Hell's Foundation were developed with the most advanced Artificial Intelligence known to man."
When Damon was certain that he already knew everything the reporters were saying, his gaze left the TV to his phone. He surfed through the net looking for any additional info of the game he wasn't aware of.
Elena looked at him and cheerfully said, "I had no idea that the video games you play are this cool. Maybe I'll even consider joining you this time,"
Damon lips curved into a smile when he heard that. Hell's Foundation had no haters. Ever since Damon lost his parents 6 years ago, he had found comfort in the virtual world. There wasn't a standard virtual reality game he didn't know of.
"That's strange," Damon noted, reading a post online.
-You have been warned! Hell's Foundation isn't what the world is expecting. Don't be fooled-
Damon searched for the poster's identity but was disappointed to see it was an anonymous post. He didn't know what to think about it. Damon had already bought the VR bracelet for Hell's Foundation. He wasn't going to miss out on the thrill after working very hard to buy the bracelet just because someone online had trust issues.
"What's strange?" Elena asked, curiously peeking at Damon's phone.
"Nothing you should worry yourself about. I'm sure with my awesome battle skills, I will dominate Hell's Foundation."
"Dominate?" Elena laughed. "You said the same thing about Call of Duty."
"That's different. Just watch. I'll become the strongest player in Hell's Foundation."
Damon looked at the clock on his phone. It was currently 11:30. It wouldn't be long before Hell's Foundation would launch. The more he thought about it, the more excited he was.
"I'm going upstairs to log in. What will you be doing?" Damon asked with an arched brow as he stood from the couch.
Damon couldn't help but feel he had left out Elena from the fun, but he couldn't force her into loving Virtual reality video games. He cared about her enough to respect her preferences.
"I'm going to read a novel." She got up and rushed to hug Damon. "I know how much you love gaming. Have fun, but be careful, okay?"
Elena was taller than Damon so when she hugged him, his face was buried between the soft mounds on her chest. He was forced to inhale their heavenly scent. For a moment, Damon didn't want to let go.
"Okay," he mumbled.
Being conscious of time, he pulled away from Elena's embrace then headed upstairs to his room. There, he laid comfortably on his bed while staring at the ceiling.
11:35
He reached under his pillow and pulled out a silver bracelet. One look at it was enough to know it was expensive. The duty of the bracelet was to connect the player's mind to the Game's main servers. It was a very advanced piece of technology.
When Damon purchased it, he had saved his fingerprints and Iris information to the Game's server so even if he happened to lose or destroy the bracelet, his account won't be reset.
Damon wore the bracelet on his right hand then gently pressed the small button at its center. Instantly, it began to glow.
Soon, Damon felt sleep attacking him, and his eyes began to dose. Aware that the bracelet was trying to send his consciousness into the virtual world, Damon cooperated and closed his eyes.
{Ding}
"Welcome to Rivia! I am your guide. You can call me Lexi."
In a completely white room, a flying creature the size of a spoon with transparent wings appeared in front of Damon. He focused on every world that came out of her mouth.
"In Rivia, you can be whoever you want to be. An adventurer, a miner or even a warrior who battles fierce beasts of the wild. The most important thing is that you Survive."
Lexi went on to telling Damon a lot about the world of Rivia, but since he had done extensive research before now, he was familiar with almost all that Lexi said. Although, he couldn't help but notice that the guide kept on emphasizing on the word 'Survival'
"It is now 11:40 AM and the main server of Hell's Foundation will be live in exactly 20 minutes. You can take advantage of that time to create your Avatar. {Proceed / Permanently Erase User}"
'Finally,' Damon thought to himself. Calmly, he instructed, "Proceed."