Somewhere, in a parallel universe, an alternate reality exists alongside ours. Everything is the same, but also different in small ways. One of these is the SARC or Synchronized Augmented Reality Console. One might assume that it is virtual reality, however, the SARCS take its computing energy from sister universes. This is where they get powerful AIs… or so they say.
This is where the story starts…
My name is Ursula Jeffer, an average girl with average looks living in an average town doing average things. In fact, people used to forget that I was there because I just fell in the background.
I didn’t mind. Instead of socializing in real life, I use the extra time to deep dive in the SARCs instead. Most of the time I played games and basked doing things that I couldn’t do in real life.
In fact, I was so good in playing games, that doing it soon lost its novelty. This was why I felt underwhelmed when I heard of a game release called “Land Fit For Gods”.
It sounded like I was just going to be a slave of a personal god who will be an AI apparently. The perks of it however, that it looked so different that I should try it at least once.
So I did…
As soon as I logged in, I was dropped in the middle of a wilderness where I was promptly attacked by a Godvilla.
“Wait, am I not supposed to at least choose my name?” I thought aloud as I froze on the spot.
Of course, being a level 1 hero who basically had no stats, and who got caught with her pants down, I did what a sane person will do in that situation.
I tried to run. With an emphasis on the tried. I didn’t even take a few steps when I heard a roar, and a tail smashing on top of me.
Health: 0/100
I died, and that was when I met my god.
I floated in nothingness for a few moments, raging about how unfriendly the game was for newbies.
I didn’t notice a prompt window flicker in front of my eyes. So it took me a moment to realize what it was asking.
Name?
Feeling a little silly, maybe that show at first was a kind of their way of introducing you to the game. So, I didn’t ragequit just yet.
I subvocalized “Butter Cuffs” and the window flickered and disappeared.
After a few seconds, my surroundings started to brighten, and I started to see things in the edge of my vision. The next thing I know, I was standing on top of a platform in front of an armored fellow holding a greatsword.
“Butter Cuffs, I am the god who they call Iron Vale. I am the god of last stands. And I have chosen you to be my champion. If you accept, you help me gain power in this land of struggles. I will help you in your trials in return. Will you accept?”
I thought for a moment, god of last stands huh? Well, he’s not a god of epic speeches, thank God…
I was thinking of just going on my merry way, but maybe this was one of those scenarios that you can’t progress on the game without accepting it.
So, I accepted instead. Another prompt window flickered before me and told me that I am now a paladin of Iron Vale.
For some reason, in the town of Godville, I was tasked to build him a temple.
When I looked around, the space on where the temples were located began to expand once more. Sweet.
There was where my god’s temple started as a single brick, and is now a temple. I shall recount my travels when I found friends, allies, and more heartaches. But for now. I needed to log out.