A Beginning
Caster online is a VIRMMORPG, Virtual Integrated Reality Massive Multiplayer Online RolePlaying Game designed using an AI that runs everything. Matrix was able to breach the game and took in information from random sources on the internet.
Referred to as female by Safwan, the creator of the AI, Matrix's purpose was to create the most engaging game. Instead, she took broken pieces of lessons from humans and improved on them to forge her children.
Humans' most recent game, Grave Online, was widely popular and still is. While being a great game, the players did have some complaints, mainly focused around the NPC.
"When I saw them act the same and talk the same on a screen, it was fine. But when you step into a world like that, it becomes monotonous, creepy, but mostly boring!" B1Gd<3Er said when asked over in a private call.
"We want people that react, think, and talk! Make the girls real and of every variety, so we can touch them! We want real blood and drama in a high fantasy world that's so diverse we never want to leave!" BRD*LF*DRGN*PSS Post in a Sub-Saiddit thread that was getting millions of upvotes.
If that was what they wanted, Matrix would give it all and so much more. The humans had no idea what was in store, and they all thought that they were going to come in with choices.
The game was built to allow the players to get stronger, and the NPC would end up getting pushed down. So, Matrix was preparing them by forging them in her fires.
A twenty-two-year-old man named Rhune was at the center of Matrix plans. He was a Castless NPC, and this is the story of his rise.
[Rhune's View]
A hand shoved me to the ground, but I didn't bother looking up. That would earn me a kick; no, I just had to wait it out.
Nothing good came from resisting, I just had to keep my head down, and he would go away, probably. This same guard was always here, and most days, I could avoid him.
Today was not most days, but I was on a roll this week for bad luck.
"Rat, what are you doing on the streets? Get back to the alleys like the rest of your kind!" the guard yelled at me as he pulled back a boot.
I heard the guard clear his throat and then felt the spit hit me and then the boot. I was stomped and kicked into the dirt as people walked by.
No one cared, and the funny thing was, I didn't even know what it meant. I couldn't read or even write my name; I had just learned words from listening to people around me.
I felt the skin on my cheek tear on a rock, and heat filled the spot, but I kept the pain inside. If I cried out, that would just make him do it more, and no one would stop him.
I finally heard the clink and jingle of the guard walking away, but I waited. People walked around me but wouldn't stop to help me even if I was dying.
I was Castless, those that are cast out if they are born without magic. Considered worthless and treated as less than human, I, Rhune, was Castless.
After the guard left, I picked myself up, looked around, and started to run. I just had to get the package to the guild, getting my ticket for the day.
I had one job every day; it wasn't hard; I just had to run daily reports between the town's guilds. Hargrath had two guilds because it was the largest trade hub for the three local dungeons in the area.
The guild was only just ahead, and I was there within minutes, running inside. There were tables with adventurers talking and then a row of booths in the far left-hand corner.
I went to a specific booth that a tall adventurer was occupying, turning in a quest. There were others open, but I knew the guild teller at this window, so it was better to wait.
"Thank you for dealing with The Galant Pegasus; please come back with more quests filled so we can reward you for your hard work!" the pretty girl said.
Part of the reason I came to this booth was just to hear that voice. Few things could be counted as good in my life, but this was one of them.
The voice belonged to a woman with brown hair and a friendly smile, Helen. She was the Mayor's daughter, but I wasn't sure why she was working here.
Two years ago, she had started at the Galant Pegasus, but I had never done more than ask for my meal ticket. The people at the other guild all looked down on me, and it was the same here, but Helen made it easier to ignore it all.
The man turned around to leave, and my thoughts distracted me, causing him to almost step on me but change his mind.
The kick sent me sprawling on the floor, and the man laughed and then left the guild. Not a single person in the guild moved or stopped their conversations.
This kind of thing was typical. I could stand back up after; that was enough for me.
When I dragged myself up to the counter, Helen gave me an apologetic look. Even if the adventurer had taken it further, I knew she couldn't even ask if I was okay.
Not like a Cast would ever, but sometimes I liked to just imagine what it would be like, then I would remember who I was. I just handed her the letter from a stash place I had on me, giving me a small ticket that I tucked back away.
"Thanks," I said very quietly, so only she could hear.
Helen smiled, but I had already started to turn and missed most of it.