3 Chapter 2: Derivative Works

The flying creatures abruptly started moving again. Dave blinked and they seemed dangerously close. He turned to duck into the house behind him when it exploded in a flurry of wood and clay.

"Ow! That hurts!" Dave complained as he dove behind a shattered wall as one of the creatures appeared in the remains of the house. It simply collapsed without hindering the creature in the least. "System, can we dial the pain feedback down that really hurt," he complained as he frantically ran away. Now he knew that things could hurt he really didn't want to accidentally die before he lowered the pain sensation.

"Setting unavailable. Feedback noted."

"Damn it! That sucks! I... wait what was I saying?" The teenager muttered to himself as he ran through the streets. There was something that he was complaining about? Shaking his head in confusion he limped through the street, surrounded by other fleeing villagers. Occasionally a massive creature would dart by and cleave a villager in half, scattering blood and shattered remains around before it leaped away. Instead of any directed violence, it seemed random destruction. Based on a feeling of dread he jerked to one side.

"Clairvoyance skill increased by +1." The system voice calmly stated as a creature's sword swept through the space he had been. It missed him, however, another villager running next to him was bisected, showering him with gore. Screaming, he ran onward.

"Over here! Quick!" a voice called out from the side. A robed man stood behind a house and gestured to him. Desperate to escape Dave ran to him. The system prompted him:

Name: Kretor

Title: Prophet

HP: 45/65

Mana: 20/100

Psi: 100/200

Kretor is the village Wiseman. He reads fortunes and grants advice. In the last few weeks he has been criticized for saying that he feels doom is approaching without giving any further guidance.

"I felt something was going to happen, but I never imagined... never mind. We need to survive. Follow me. It feels slightly safer in this direction. You have the gift, possibly stronger than me. Perhaps together we can save a few lives."

Behind him were a few of the younger villagers. Dave smirked to himself. The NPC was gathering the players. The fear and excitement in the eyes of the people surrounding Kretor were far different than the mad panic of the others. Also if he concentrated he could vaguely see their names floating about their heads.

Kretor led them through a veritable maze of randomly attacking 'Husks' to the edge of the village where the forest provided some protection. "This way. I feel our hope is over here. Dave frowned. He also had an odd sensation that he should be heading this way.

"Clairvoyance skill increased by +1." Cool.

"You survived," a female voice sounded through the foliage. "More than I thought would." Stepping out of the cover of the trees stood a woman. She was bedecked with jewelry. Nothing fancy or expensive but her arms were covered in bands of gold or silver. Each one having an aura of some kind. It was almost like feeling something with a new sense.

"Player has learned a new skill. Mana manipulation is now at level 0."

Heridyne, Recuiter, HP:1000, Mana:5000, Psi: 1000. Dave saw flash over her head. Recruiter for who?

"Although your village is likely doomed, you are fortunate that your province Governor has been in talks with the Rebellion."

"Ah, damn," the girl next to him sighed in disappointment. Oddly enough even though she was speaking out loud, her mouth was shut.

"Players may talk out of character (OOC) and only be heard by other players and not be heard by the NPC or have the NPC react to the dialogue," the system whispered in Dave's ear. "In order to do so they must concentrate on sending messages to nearby players and have the intention not to be heard. The system can pick this up and filter the conversations appropriately. Conversation not tagged correctly may be heard and inappropriately reacted to by the NPCs. This may inadvertently lead to character death."

"What do you mean?" Dave concentrated on sending the nearby players.

"Player has learned a new skill. Telepathy is now at level 0."

Dave blinked as the system message chimed in his ear. It sure was easy to learn skills. Looking at the girl he saw: Name: Marieta, Title: Villager, HP: 25/30, Mana: 0/0, Psi: 28/30.

"I was hoping they would change the names of the factions. Empire and Rebellion are a bit... trite. It just seemed like they are ripping off Star Wars. Or being lazy."

"Feedback noted," chimed the system.

"Damn troll," said a boy. Unfortunately, he said it out loud and the NPC whipped her head around and with a sneer let loose with a blinding blue blast of light and knocking the boy off his feet and back twenty paces.

"Mana manipulation +1."

"Watch your tongue boy," barked Heridyne. "I will not suffer any impertinence. Our forces will arrive soon and cleanse your village of the husks. Hopefully, there will be survivors."

The boy groaned from the ground, "Sorry miss." He silently continued for the group. "They need to ramp down the <beep> pain settings. And also the <beep> <beep><beep> profanity filter. The telepathy angle for OOC conversation is cool though."

"While we wait, I will show you the basic skills the Rebellion will use to help your world to survive. Although the basic skills are the same for everyone, each of you will undoubtedly develop your own specialties and methods."

"<Beep>," the boy cursed. This time it was silently. Dave looked at him closer. Name: Aragorn, Title: Villager, HP: 33/35,Mana: 0/0, Psi: 29/30. Dave chuckled at the name. Talk about derivative.

"I was hoping they would be going with a traditional gaming system, like wizard, warriors, rogues, and cleric. This chaotic hodgepodge from M&M 6th edition is cludgy as <beep>.

"Please stop cursing," groaned the girl. "You sound like a darn cartoon. Anyway, it's not because of the class system we are playing this for. This is the first immersive VR game that exists. And its created by M&M Games."

"So what," sneered Aragorn.

"So even though the games from 5th version on are garbage, they have the best flipping programmer in the world working for them. I mean look at this! I can feel the wind on my face and... and... hey when did I get cut?"

"I will now link up with your minds telepathically and teach you the basic skills of survival. Any more and you will need to train yourself," Heridyne continued as if the crowd of children weren't talking in front of her.

A flash of light came from her forehead and broke into sparkles that floated into the players surrounding her.

"Player has learned a new skill. Telekinesis is now at level 0."

"Player has learned a new skill. Meditation is now at level 0."

"Player has learned a new skill. Psionic Bolt is now at level 0."

"Player has learned a new skill. Psionic Manifestation is now at level 0."

"Player has learned a new skill. Imbue Object With Mana is now at level 0."

"Player has learned a new skill. Imbue Object With Psionic Energy is now at level 0."

"Player has learned a new skill. Bio Feedback is now at level 0."

"Mana Manipulation +1."

"Technology +1."

"This is cool," Dave muttered to himself as he used his newly learned Psionic Bolt to chip away at a few trees nearby.

"Psionic Bolt +1."

A few hundred feet away screams were still coming from the village. Movement caught his eyes and he turned as he saw new NPCs flying towards the village. There were three of them. One flew on a gryphon, decked in shining armor and with large shield inlaid with a dragon in one hand and a glowing sword in the other.

The second was a white bearded gentleman. Obviously, a mage, wrapped in a gray robe and holding a staff above his head. He was not using a mount and seemed to be flying under his own power. Like Heridyne his hands were laden with glowing rings of power.

"Mana manipulation +1."

The last was a woman. She flew on wings of incandescent energy. Her hands glowed with psionic energy. As they approached the perimeter arcs of energy flew out from the staff and the angelic woman, causing plumes of dust to billow up.

"For the kingdom of Randow!" shouted the knight and dived down towards street level and out of sight.

"Who is the Kingdom of Randow," asked one of the players gathered around the clearing.

"We are, apparently," Marieta said dryly. "Maybe they should have spent a little more time on the backstory. Or at least telling the backstory to us." This elicited a chorus of agreements.

"Feedback noted," the system chimed.

"The knight is nice," Marieta offered as she watched the scene. "There are no classes but I can see if you got your 'Imbue Object With Mana' up high enough you could make magic armor and the shield."

"And the rings and staff," chimed in Aragorn. "Though I suppose 'Imbue Object With Psionic Energy' could do it too..."

"The wings may be 'Psionic Manifestation', " Dave said. "And the sword."

"The wings may just be a special effect," another boy contradicted, with a moment of concentration the name Baramon flashed over his head. "Telekinesis could do that as could the flying old Gandalf guy."

"The system seems really flexible but there no flipping guidance," Aragorn said in confusion. "Do we just practice everything and the ones we have an affinity with we builds our skills around? Hey, do you think that knight has a magnet up his <beep>? I don't see how he stays on without anything holding him in the saddle."

"That's how the single player game works," said Merieta, blatantly ignoring the saddle comment. "Same as the 6th edition. A hundred ways to be just like everyone else. Or at least that's what the critics say."

"Well, we just saw three templates go by," Dave offered. "And Heridyne seems to be a specialist that uses imbued objects. So that's four. Just blasting stuff with the psionic blast is fun. It feels so real! I think the beta will be fun."

"Now the battle is over," pontificated Heridyne. "Go back to your village and rebuild it. Doubtless, the forces left from the Empire when our army beat them back through their portal will have many stragglers to deal with."

"What? She's just going to drop that on us? Where's the <beep> cut scene? There should be ten minutes just showing us that!" complained Aragorn.

"That would have been cool to see," Dave said with a bit of disappointment.

"Feedback noted."