Age of Dragons Online

Chapter 2: The First Day

New Author's Note (8/16/15)

This chapter has been edited since I first wrote it in an attempt to streamline the battles and make them a little less mechanical and filled with random percentages.  I feel like I have helped make the story better, but if you remember what it was like before, I am curious to hear your feedback and whether you think my changes were helpful.

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Chapter 2

The First Day

            As his sight returned, Nadran saw that he had been transported to a clearing in the middle of a forest.  Lovely, he thought.  I get to start in the middle of a forest most likely filled with man-eating monsters.

            Just then, a flashing blue image of an envelope appeared in the top right – hand corner of his vision.  It was a message from someone.  He did the menu signal, then when the menu opened, he tapped the flashing message tab.  He looked at the new (and first) message he received, then paused when he saw the sender.

            TO: NADRAN

            FROM: VOLZAN CROLIK

            ENCLOSED IS THE BASIC GEAR NECCESARY FOR YOUR SKILL SPECIALIZATION.  YOU WILL LEARN WHAT THAT SPECIALIZATION IS AS YOU FIGHT AND IMPROVE. (PROVIDED YOU SURVIVE THAT LONG)

            Nadran tapped on the [ACCEPT GIFT] button, then closed the message and opened the inventory tab.  Black Cloak, Dark Boots, Night Gloves, Dark Twin Swords.  What is with this dark theme?  he thought.  Hmm... twin swords, that sounds cool.  He then proceeded to equip the equipment.  The cloak was, as the name suggested, black, and went down to his ankles.  It went up to his shoulders, and a simple black clasp held it together at his collar.  The cloak was open at the front of the legs, allowing for increased mobility, and the sleeves were fairly loose and went to his wrists.  His boots were, well, black, and, well, looked like boots.  His gloves were... black gloves.  He had twin swords that were not very special except that they were black.  Seriously, what is with this black color scheme?  It makes me look sort of... evil.  Oh well, it's not like I have anything else to wear.

            Nadran then drew his swords, which crossed his back in an X pattern, by reaching over his shoulder with each arm (right arm above right shoulder, left above left), grabbing the sword handle that was there, and then drawing both simultaneously.  He swung the swords around experimentally, amazed at the perfect balance of them.  Volzan really did have everything custom made for all of the players, he thought.  At least that will make it easier to fight.

            Figuring that the earlier he started, the quicker he could finish this game and return home, he then walked in a random direction into the forest.  Before he had gotten ten feet in, he heard a crackling of leaves, and whirled around to see – a slime.  The absolute weakest creature in many MMOs.  The green glob of goo moved incredibly slowly by stretching itself inchworm style, and attacked by stretching out a portion of itself to hit the player.

            Slightly smiling at the [WEAK FOREST SLIME] [Lv. 1] (level 1), as the nametag hovering above the slime's head identified it as, Nadran held up his sword and ran towards the shapeless blob.  It threw out a slow attack, but Nadran quickly sidestepped to his right and dashed past it, one of his swords slicing through its side.  The slime slowly turned around, its health bar already almost depleted, and charged again (at about the speed of a rampaging tortoise).  This time, Nadran waited for the slime to charge, and when the slime shot out a thick green... arm looking thing, Nadran raised one sword and sliced downwards, cutting the slime and... appendage cleanly in half.  The slime, its health spent, froze, then shattered into tiny white shards and vanished.