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Chapter 1 – The Last Days

The World of Fates, a virtual reality massive multiplayer online role-playing game, more commonly referred to as a VRMMORPG, was in its final days. Bruce, an avid fan of the game, had turned on his computer. Carefully, he picked up the patented sensi-gloves, something he did almost every night. They were a stretchy black material. Covering their surface at regular intervals were small, blue circles. According to the instruction manual, they were sensors designed to help Bruce feel the virtual world. He slipped them on, making sure to pull them past his wrist.

Bruce then picked up the white VR helmet. The inside of it had a black spongy lining and several metal plates. When he wore it, the largest plate sat against the crown of his head, with several smaller ones around it. Though he didn’t know the specifics of the technology, he understood they were designed to send impulses directly into his brain.

Putting on the helmet blocked his view of the outside world. Fastening the strap under his chin made the device power on, resulting in his hair standing on end. A holographic screen lit up a few inches before his eyes. Its glow was blindingly bright, but he forced his eyes to stay open. Closing them wouldn’t have helped, as they had to adjust. Inside the helmet, sounds of birds played.

Bruce saw The World of Fates introduction screen. His view followed the camera as it moved through clouds, gliding to snowy fields. The sound of an icy breeze filled his ears, as a plate in the helmet vibrated. It made goosebumps rise to cover his skin, mimicking the chill in the air. Crossing high above the plains the camera left the cold behind, moving into rolling green fields. Sounds of nature filled his helmet and another plate vibrated, sending out a warm sensation. Passing over roaring rivers, he moved into a forest of tall trees. Reaching the end, it parted, giving way to a hot, barren desert. He could feel beads of sweat form along his brow.

While Bruce could have skipped straight to the menu, he knew it was one of the last times he would see the introduction video. When the game’s main screen came into view a familiar song played and without thinking he began to hum along. It was a catchy tune he had heard numerous times. Greeted with three choices: Create New Character, Continue and Settings, Bruce chose to continue. His screen faded, and a small loading icon appeared in the bottom right of his vision, rotating around.

Bruce’s screen became lighter as the game’s world came into view. The camera faced his main character, a max-level vampire named Ambrose. He knew all of his stats and attributes by heart, as well as his various skills and spells.

Seeing himself from a third-person perspective, Ambrose’s yellow eyes and shoulder-length white hair drew him in. Wearing an outfit from The Elegant Vampire Attire clothing pack, he was clad in a classic Dracula-style black suit with bright red accents. While stylish, it was not just for show, as it doubled as a high-level armor. The black cape across his back with a red lining was The Vampire King’s Cloak.

Having control of the character, he moved slightly, causing the camera’s view to change. It was a smooth but sudden transition ending in him looking through the eyes of Ambrose. When the game had first come out, VR setups hadn’t been prepared for sudden camera changes. The developers had tried to make software updates to help players feel less vertigo, but in the end it had required them to spearhead a new line of equipment. Fortunately, they had offered it at a competitive rate and it quickly became the most popular brand on the market.

“Where am I?” Ambrose muttered to himself, looking around.

Surrounding him was a snow-covered forest of tall, bare trees. Trying to remember the last thing he had done, it returned to him. He had been hunting Ice Wolves in The Great Frost Plains of Alban so that he could make a frost-resistant coat.

It wasn’t that Ambrose needed such an item. Being undead, he was almost entirely immune to ice damage. It was just something to pass the time and keep his mind off the game ending. Pulling up the world map, he confirmed his location in the far northern region of the ice plains near the Ice Gale Mountains. Looking at his inventory, he tried to determine if he had enough pelts or if he should continue hunting.

Ice Wolves weren’t particularly dangerous for Ambrose. The only ones he needed to be wary of were legendary ones. They were a dangerous foe able to use their frost breath several times, and they had faster health regeneration. Maybe I should go back home?

A long howl echoed off in the distance breaking Ambrose’s train of thought. Following its direction, he trotted through deep snow. Seeing a pack of three Ice Wolves before him, he stopped in his tracks. They looked similar to regular wolves but were larger, and instead of brown or gray fur, theirs was white with blue tips.

The largest of the pack noticed Ambrose, and it paced back and forth, showing him its fangs. Ice Wolves’ teeth and claws could rip low-level players to shreds. It was as if the Wolf dared him to move. A puff of cold air escaped its mouth, forming ice crystals around the edges that sparkled.

“This won’t end well for you,” Ambrose warned.

The wolves paid no attention to his words, encircling him. The largest among them, presumably the pack’s leader, made the first move by leaping toward him. Not equipped with a weapon, Ambrose caught the large Wolf in midair and held it away from his body by its throat. Doing so seemed to anger the others as they began moving in closer.

One of the Ice Wolves leaped at Ambrose from behind while the other ran forward at him. Using his strength, he squeezed the neck of the Wolf he was holding. Being max-level, he could kill a lower-level monster like it without a weapon. However, being attacked by more than one this time, he knew equipping something was a good idea.

The Wolf Ambrose was holding gave out a whimper and stopped moving. Tossing its dead body onto the snow, he focused on the others. Having not made any defensive moves, the Wolf behind him jumped at him biting his shoulder. Ice Wolf attacks did both physical and ice damage. His helmet stimulated his brain, making his shoulder tighten and then release. Had he been a lower-level character, the damage would have felt similar to a muscle spasm.

The only two senses that weren’t replicated adequately by the VR gear were smell and taste. Scents were entirely ignored. They had tried to include taste, but its outcome was strange. Eating or drinking only created a mild feeling of the throat contracting. One of the game’s reviews read, ‘It’s like eating ice chips without them being cold or wet.’

“That was a good try,” Ambrose chuckled.

The Wolf that had bitten him backed up, howling.

“Calling your friends to help? Ah, don’t be so grumpy. You’re about ten levels too low to hurt me,” Ambrose teased.

Aside from Ambrose’s armor, he had a natural defense against physical and elemental attacks. His highest resistance was against fire, one of the most powerful elements in the game, with a natural thirty-five percent damage reduction before bonuses. He was weakest against holy damage, with his base for it being only ten percent. However, wearing certain pieces of equipment could increase those numbers.

There was practically no way for the Ice Wolves to damage him except by a critical strike. With every attack in the game, there was a chance it could be critical. Mathematically it was almost impossible, usually less than a one percent chance. Some weapons or a character’s skills could increase that opportunity. Even if the wolves got a critical strike on him, it would hardly matter since his health was far higher than their max damage.

Ambrose activated his inventory and took out a hunting knife. He acted quickly since the world around him didn’t pause while he was on the menu. The hunting knife was a common item that wasn’t magical or unique, there would be no bonuses or special attributes attached to its attacks. He had weapons far exceeding it in damage, but they could ruin the pelt, which would stop it from dropping.

Holding the knife’s hilt in his right hand, Ambrose focused on the Ice Wolf in front of him. It lunged, and he caught in the air using his left hand. In order to catch the Wolf as he had it required him to move his arm and hand in real life, at just the right time. Holding it, he swiped his right hand forward, bringing the hunting knife under the beast’s jaw. With one swift motion across its throat, Ambrose slit it. Blood poured from the wound, turning the pristine snow below into a mushy, red sludge. With his second kill done, he dropped the wolf’s limp body to the ground and turned his attention to the only one remaining.

“It’s just me and you,” Ambrose said, motioning with his free hand.

The Wolf, seeing his companions on the ground, turned and ran off.

Should I go after him?

Deciding against chasing it, Ambrose began to gather the pelts of the two he had killed. Their bodies were already starting to disintegrate, leaving behind a floating symbol of a bag where they had been. To players, that symbol was loot they could pick up. Opening the first bag, he took out the pelt and teeth icons and added them to his inventory.

I now have fifty pelts.

That was the exact number Ambrose needed to make a frost-resistant coat. Bringing up the travel menu, he chose his house from the locations available. Ambrose, unlike other players, lived in a castle. It was technically a guildhall, meant to be shared with other players in the same guild, but he had made it his home.

The screen faded to black, and he breathed a sigh of relief when it returned. It’s nice to be home, even if it’s temporary. Standing in the throne room, he was the only player in the building, but he wasn’t alone. Ambrose had a pet and two non-player characters or NPCs. They were dressed as servants, but to him they were more like old friends.

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