Chapter 4

Last week Braintech announced their long-term goal of creating a real afterlife. The concept of digital life is an old one, but after over four decades of development, Braintech is extremely close. They even said that they'll achieve tho goal in under five years. Best of all, the only thing you need to get access while alive and dead, is to pay $10 monthly subscription on your brainchip till the day you die.

While most love the idea of a life, where talking between the living and dead becomes the norm, and beng able enjoy an endless fantasy world and potentially thousands of other worlds of all kind, there are some who have not taken it kindly. There have been multiple protests organized by religious groups, talks about how "evil people should go to hell, not a new world where they can torment others without repercaution" and how "the human mind isn't made for immortality", along with long discussions about new legal definitions of death, and what happens to people's property when they enter the afterlife. Possibly worst of all, there have been numerous reports of people ordering the 10$ subscription, and then commiting suicide. Braintech has started addressing these issues, but it is uncertain what it's future will hold. Even so, the masses are hoping that entering the VERse will become a reality as soon as possible.

- Vox news, September 24th 2076

This time as the black faded out of sight, Hector was in the middle of a bustling city. He was at the center of a large marketplace, standing on a wide octagonal platform with 8 pillars soaring up from each corner. Each side of the platform led to straight roman style roads that went on for sell above a few miles before exiting the city walls, except the one directly behind Hector, which led to the entrance of a majestic stone castle.

Looking around Hector noticed that where he was on the city, the houses were similar to buildings from the Renaissance, most between four and six stories tall. However, further along the road, there were few taller than two or three stories, and many were made in a similar way to medieval Europe housing. It also didn't smell bad, so the city probably had some good plumbing system.

Only then did he notice the muttering and pointing done by the people near him. To them a person had appeared from thin air with a small flash of light after all. After a while of Hector looking around, he noticed a peculiar person walking towards him through the growing crowd. He was clad in chainmail covered with a blue banner with a silver elk embroidered on the front, and was carrying a spear.

"Greetings Wanderer, I apologize for being late to the introduction, but we were informed that you'd start arriving at midnight in the earliest. Either way, I welcome you to the city of Elkskeep" the person Hector thought to be a guard said slightly annoyed by something.

"Hello... Yeah, it's no problem. I'm sort of a special case, and got here earlier than the others. I'm pleased to meet you... sir."

"I'm no knight, so you may call me city guard Alec. Now, I'm told most of you Wanderers don't have any skills, are at level 0 even though you're supposedly immortal, and have practically no money." Alex said before glancing at Hectors small money pouch,"So to get you started, there are multiple training areas where you can learn to use that sword of yours, a school where you can learn basic magic and to read if necessary, and you can go ask around people if you could do some small job for coins." he finished disparagingly, before turning turning around to address the growing crowd.

"...Thanks, I guess." Hector said before the guard walked off while muttering something about interrupting his break in a low tone.

Hector knew exactly what he wanted to do. He wanted to learn magic, and maybe how to use the sword he decided to take as a starter item. Having been told that there is a school where he'd be able to learn at least basic magic, he set out to find the school.

After asking a few people for directions, and spending nearly an half an hour following them, he found his way to a large open square covered with grass and trees, with three buildings covering three sides of the square, with the largest at the center. The buildings were built in a similar style to the ones at the center of the city, except the middle one had a huge dome behind the temple-like entrance. Over all, it looked very expensive, and similar to many of the older universities on Earth.

He saw a few people walking around in front of the largest building, so he continued walking towards it. The people there mostly looked about Hectors age, mostly being in their late teens and early 20s. After looking around for a bit, he gathered his courage and went to ask a lone person walking by.

"Excuse me, where can I learn magic"

The person stopped, turned around and stared at Hector before unsurely asking,"Are you serious?"

"Yes, I am."

"Okay... so when you say magic, do you mean a specific field, or just the basics."

"Just the basics, I think, but I'd love to learn as much as possible."

"Huh, that's odd. You ever been to school? Usually people learn at least the basic theory."

Hector was getting slightly annoyed, but he didn't show it.

"Yes, I have been to school. But today was the first day I even learnt that I could do magic."

"...So you're a late bloomer, and have used all your skill points, or?"

"No, I'm something you call a Wanderer."

"I have no idea what that is, but that doesn't matter. I can lead you to where you can sign up for classes."

That surprised Hector, as he thought everyone would know what players, or Wanderers are, but apparently not. Maybe only the guards or leaders of the city were informed, and they didn't tell everyone. It might even be possible that outside of the city nobody knew that there were immortal people coming into their world, but it probably wasn't important. Hector thanked the person, and followed him through the hallways, untill they stopped in front of a well decorated door.

"The headmaster is in there. Even though it's a odd time of day, and year to be joining, he should be able to get you in the school. or at least a few lessons if not that." The student said before walking away.

Hector knocked on the door, heard someone say come in, went in and stopped as soon as he entered in amazement. The room itself was simple, about 12 by 15 feet wide, with a second door left of the entrance on the wider side of the room. On the opposite side of the entrance, was a large yet intricate wood desk, with what looked like very comfortable armchairs on either side. But Hector wasn't paying attention to the layout, nor was he staring at the headmaster dressed in elaborate slightly glowing dark blue robes, sitting behind the desk. Instead Hector was looking around at all the small trinkets, that felt like they were stuffed with power, the glowing perfectly cut crystals, the many hand written books and the small glass vials filled with different colored liquids that completely covered every surface -except the floor- in the room. It was like a storage room filled with everything a magician might want.

"Good afternoon", the headmaster said in a soft voice, startling Hector away from his exploration of the room.

"Hello... I'm Hector, and I came here to ask of I could join this school. I want to learn magic", Hector said, slightly unsure about how he should introduce himself.

"Well, we do have a few public classes where we teach the absolute basics, but getting into anything else is going to be more difficult for you."

"What do you mean more difficult?"

"Well, to further your studies you'd need to pay tuition or get a scholarship. Judging by your clothing, and sword, both could be difficult for you. Now, if you will join the public classes, there is a week long free course starting tomorrow morning, two hours before midday. You can join that if you wish, after which we can see if you'll be able to get a scholarship for further education."

"Thank you, see you in a week then." Hector said before leaving the room.

Happy that he'd be able to start learning magic in the morning, he decided to go to find a place to eat and sleep. Once again asking for directions, he found a nearby inn. The ground level of the building had a large tavern in it, where Hector had a nice meal for half a silver, and booked a room for the night for two. Only then did he realize that his now seven and a half silvers wouldn't last long. He'd need to make some coin soon. The next morning, after Hector woke up, he started his way towards his first lesson in magic.