Kapitel 3: Welcome to Aether

And now here we are, back to the beginning.

Stuck in the darkness.

My lifeblood flowing to the Earth.

I floated amidst the darkness, the world around me vast expanses of nothing. I was unfeeling, uncaring. Fog slowly drifted through, hazing my vision further. I placed one foot in front of the other, weaving a path forward. I called out, my voice echoed back to me -- not a soul to hear. Then, I was falling, the my heart leapt to my throat in a silent scream. My chest tightened, and I struggled to breathe against thick fog.

I heard the beeping of the heart monitor in the distance. The chaos around me buzzed in my ears like flies that refused to be swatted. My chest hurt; my ribcage ached. I felt dissociated from my body.

"We're losing her! You have to upload now." The voice in my ear shouted, it echoed in my cavernous purgatory, I cringed and covered my ears. I floated, lulled by the steady beeping in the background.

"Please don't go, don't leave me!" The little girl cried. I let out a frustrated yell, clenching my hair in my fists. I struggled harder to move forward, running through the darkness.

"Emily?" I shouted. I fell to my hands and knees.

The pain was all consuming. My chest was on fire, my heart threatening to rip from my body. I curled into a ball, hugging my knees to my chest. I gripped my head and cried, the sounds of my whimpers drowning out the sounds in my head. After what felt like hours, I stilled.

The silence was deafening. My body was numb, the incapacitating pain I'd felt no more than a fleeting memory. A light glowed in front of me, it was small. It was growing larger and larger as I shuffled toward it, raising up to my feet. A soft warm breeze caressed my face. I smelled wild grass and summer flowers. I gazed up at the warmth and light, a sense of hope flooding me. I reached out, meaning to grasp it.

There was a field in the distance, illuminated in the sunlight. Long stalks of summer straw billowed in the breeze. Colourful flowers grew for vast distances, covering the ground. Birds chirped in the trees, singing a joyful song. Great Oak and willow trees lined the fertile valley.

As soon as it started, the light shut off. Everything was black again. I cried out and reached forward.

"No!" I gasped. I struggled to breathe. I felt a pressure closing in on me, shadowy tendrils wrapping around my limbs. I struggled and pulled to no avail.

"No!" I shouted again.

I was falling. The sound of a steady flatline echoing in the dark.

Soft packed Earth met my fall. I landed with a thud; my arms outstretched in front of me. I struggled to sit up so I could examine my surroundings. I was in a vast green field with tall grass, tall Oak trees lined the edges of the forest in the distance.

The sky was in flames. Great meteors of fire fell across the star filled sky, illuminating the world around me. The night sky was clear of any clouds, a brilliant full moon bearing down on me. Millions of tiny stars shimmered in the night. My jaw dropped, the sky looked surreal, like something out of a movie. The clear shape of the flaming meteors was visible from the Earth, yet they did not fall to the ground and cast flame everywhere.

I immediately noticed the changes to my vision. The world seemed sharp, ultra in focus. In the corner of my vision I noticed a green bar, that read HP. Beneath it lie a yellow bar that read SP. Odd. I slowly rose to my feet. I looked down at my attire, and I was still wearing my jeans, t-shirt and leather jacket. I felt at my chest, it was completely clear. No sign of pain or injury.

Where am I?

I was standing in a field of tall grass, there was no living creature or person in sight. The wind billowed the grass and blew my hair long hair gently about my shoulders. I stretched my muscles, loosening up. When I took a step forward, a bright white light filled my vision. A white box popped up in front of me, made of light.

NEW MESSAGE

I waved my hand in front of it and a larger menu popped open. I clicked on "Inbox".

Subject: Welcome to Aether

Hello Fayre Meadows,

Welcome to Aether, your virtual afterlife. Or your second life, if you will. You have been brought here because you were a strong candidate physically and mentally to compete in this world.

Aether is not just a VRMMORPG. We have developed the technology to upload the consciousness into a virtual world, where one could live in perpetuity. You are one of 100 Lost Souls we have migrated into this world. We also employ criminals, from the penal system to rehabilitate by working and competing in this world.

Mixed in with you lot are the beta-players. The echelons of the wealthy who have paid handsomely for access to our immersive world. It is our job as a company to provide an enjoyable experience for them. So, we have gathered you all here for a purpose.

The Lost Souls and the Criminals will be competing alongside the beta-players to clear this game. All 50 areas and the final boss must be cleared. The one to clear the game, will be granted a life. One either for themselves, or in the case of beta players, someone they may have lost.

Pay attention to your health bar, as a Lost Soul, if your health reaches 0, you are eliminated. There will be no regeneration. You have been warned. The main cities and towns are safe-zones, dueling is permitted, and player harm can be done, but the game is largely Player Vs. Environment. Your other actions as a society are on you. There are guilds, clans and parties all at your discretion. Make use of your resources, crafting and hospitality.

You have been assigned a class based on your aptitudes and stats. You have been assigned to the DAMAGE DEALING (DPS) – Two handed Sword. Please see your inventory for starter gear and weapon.

Happy hunting!

Game Master

Kailean Alexander

Hyperion Studios.

I swallowed and ran my hand through my hair. What is going on here? I've been uploaded into a game. I'm dead. I died! I remember now, the knife wound. The teddy bear lying in the street. I clutched at my head. I sunk to my knees. They want us to compete to clear the game, if we die here, we really die.

"Emily…" Tears ran down my face. If I didn't come home from work, there would be no one there for her. She'd be all alone. Since Mom and Dad died, it's always been the two of us. I plunged my hands into the grass, it felt real, the slippery blades. The breeze felt real on my face, the smells of the trees and smoke in the air. I took a moment to grieve. I stared at my hands, was I even really me? Or am I just a copy of me?

I sighed and raised my head. I waved my hand to open the main menu and clicked on my inventory. I saw a low-level armor set, and something that said, "Fayre's Mist." I clicked on the armor set, I noticed my clothes glow, then a flash and suddenly they were replaced. The armor set was sleek and hugged my curves, it was light like padded leather. I moved around and got used to the leather boots and leather leggings, the padded tight tunic. It was all black. Then I clicked on Fayre's Mist. A blinding blue light illuminated a large area before me, slowly it morphed into the shape of a blade that was almost as tall as I was, the blade was wide, sharp and black steel. It glowed faintly, I wrapped my hand around the hilt as the light faded, and its weight fell into my hand. Surprisingly for the size of the sword, I was able to lift it. I did a few test swings with it and found it glided easily through the air in my hands.

Lifting my sword toward my back, I clicked it into place in a sheath strapped across my back. I surveyed the area around me. The trees were black, the night sky the only illumination. I walked across the field towards the trees in the distance. Through the trees, I thought I could see what looked like fires and lights. Must be a town.

I pinched the bridge of my nose in stress, my arms were shaking. All I could do right now was seek shelter, find information and regroup. I would have to make it through this forest to get to town, I had no idea where enemies were.

I stalked forward into the trees.