Rise Online

Character Creation Goes Astray (1)

   Welcome to Rise Online! This is your first time playing, so the tutorial will soon commence. First, begin character creation.

Choose your starting area:

Nalani, Arvia, Talavoth, Fronilak, Haozi.

I did my research before playing this game, and each starting area has different good points. Nalani is a place of nature and harmony, but the NPCs within the game are still powerful and talented at magic. Itdoesn't have many places to farm for experience, but you can trulygrow powerful if you invest time into the place. Arvia is a land in the sky. You need access to a teleportation channel to go to and from there, as there is no other way to reach it. Citizens here are weakerin the ways of combat, but in the ways of economics and items, thisis the peak among the starting areas. This is the recommended starting area for merchants and those focusing on the monetary aspectof the game. Talavoth is a place ripped apart by war, located next to a volcano with legends of an ancient dragon residing near. Those living there are masters of physical battle, with tough bodies and plentiful fighting experience. This is primarily for warriors, but there is limited access to magic there. Fronilak is a cruel place, placed within the frigid Icelands and secluded carefully. It is the most balanced of the starting areas, most people there using a powerful mix of magic and physical prowess to become truly fearsome. Haozi is mysterious, barely anything is known about it. According tothe forums, you have to take a sort of test when you choose this location.  If you fail, you are taken back to choosing the other locations, except with Haozi taken off the list. However, if you succeed, no one knows. Of course, you get taken to the place, but it seems that something prevents those who have been inside the city from disclosing anything about it. The test changes for every person, but although it is never impossible, at is always extremely difficult, requiring either real-life or virtual previous experience.Some tests involve fighting, others strategy.

Curious, most likely too curious, as to what Haozi was, I chose it. Even if I failed the test, all that could happen was a little time wasted, as compared to what I had to gain; a chance at getting in, or even just a satisfaction of my endless curiosity.

The moment I directed my mind towards choosing Haozi, I was teleported away to a Chinese-style pavilion, those that one would see in wuxia or xianxia-style movies. On the jade floor were engraved beautiful and elegant drawings of all types of things, ranging from imposing drawings to picturesque art depicting ancient examples of nature at its finest. It all converged onto one spot, on which a brown and black-clothed monk sat. He was in the lotus position, an aura of an ancient sage being emitted from him. Along the sides, a wooden net-like railing was woven, providing a beautiful barrier from the outside. The pavilion itself was over the water, steadily standing over its clear-blue and passive scenery. Lotus flowers floated gently all around, instilling a sensation of peace.

Slowly, the monk opened his eyes, watching me with sight that seemed to see through everything.

After a few seconds, an aged yet clear voice rang out.

  "Youngling,if you wish to go to Haozi, you must best me in three battles. First, a battle of brawn."

He adeptly stands up, his practiced and vigorous movements showing me that despite his age, I will not, in any circumstance, find him an easy opponent.

Before the battle begins, I quickly assess what I did to get me here.

My name is Seron, no last name. I had one, but after the last of my family died out due to a bloodthirsty rivalry, I was forced to change it. I live in the suburbs of New York, yet I am doing quite well for myself, for a person in my location. My family left me a large fortune, and I've been living off it ever since, but it has run low and I need to start making money. Being the genius-child I was to my family, I was educated in many different ways, and in many different subjects. My parents told me I took to fighting quite well, as well as literature and science. I was already 13 when I got into games, starting with old RPGs, and slowly moving up the leaderboards with, as I was told, remarkable talent. As Virtual Reality evolved, so did my understanding of games. It provided not only a useful space for learning and becoming better, but also plain fun. I was a thoroughbred of my family, having mastered finances, ordinary martial arts, and science and physics at only 15. I spent the rest of my young life pursuing martial arts, specifically the way of the sword, but not the normal sword. See, I was born with abnormal strength and coordination, so much so that I easily surpassed the limits of being ambidextrous. My tough training and constant exercises since three years old only improved this, and my family saw only one way for me to display my potential to its fullest: twin swords. But the ones I practiced with weren't normal. They were blunt, and despite their relatively small size, they were extremely heavy. When I got used to this, I could wield twin blades like air, and with the skill to match too. But I wasn't done. I applied my knowledge of physics and science to use my weapons as well as possible, and utilized the riches of myfamily to gain great proficiency in blacksmithing. Soon enough, the weapons I created were seen as priceless treasures, and sold for five times the money it took to make. The reason I had to resort to such primitive weapons is that the government had banned all high-tech weapons, including guns, bombs, and even mechanical swords. So, if I had to defend myself, I had to rely on ancient weaponry. Within my family, and throughout the world, I was nicknamed 'the Dual Phoenix',after my unique fighting style and my self-crafted dual swords, Twin Phoenix. I was 27 when the rival family attacked. I don't remember much, just fighting through the flames, waving my swords, killing people left and right. Eventually, I was met with my own match, a hammer-wielding 30 year-old. I was tired when I reached him, and his fighting style capitalized on that. He used small strikes, drainingmy energy to block them. When I was tired enough, he started sweeping me with his hammer, which was big enough that the only way to dodgewas to jump. And I did that for a few rounds, until my legs grew weary, and I was barely able to move them. At that point, I knew that in my current state, I was no match for him. So I fled for my life, and never saw him again. After I had cooled down, I sought a new identity, and became Seron. But that burning desire to see that powerful family beneath my feet still burns, fueling me to constantly train and get better.

Right now, I didn't have my swords, or any weapon for that matter, but I still could fare well, especially if it was just an old man.

Casting all thoughts out of my head, I got into a ready position. Understanding my will to fight, the monk rushed at me, leaving a mirage behind. I didn't even have time to react before he was in my face, sending a fist right at my stomach. Smirking slightly, I leaned back and let itbrush past. The strike, which I deflected, still hurt quite a bit, telling me that if the attack landed, my internal organs would likely be in disarray. I saw the expression of shock on his face, most likely because all of the noobs he fought today were unable to even think before they were blasted out of the pavilion. But I was different.

Given his age, I was willing to bet that that attack was the old man's strongest, and his power would only go down from there. So all I had to do was last long enough.

Sure enough, a few minutes in, the old man's strikes, although they were still strong and could easily defeat most people on the planet, had weakened by at least half. Now I could fight back, instead of defending.

I sent a slowpalm strike towards that man's shoulders, expecting to be blocked. When he did so, I attacked with a full-powered fist at the monk's ribs. I quickly - while the fist was still in midair - followedup with a knee to the groin, unblockable, undodgeable, andunjustifiable. No shame, no gain, after all.

Of course, he doubles over in extreme pain. I wince in sympathy, but nothing is to be done. I must get past this man, and he is leaving me with no other choice! I am about to send a knife hand strike towards his neck and end him, but an invisible force stops me, and all the surroundings change.