Haven

Chapter Eight

Charlie had never been more excited than he was right now. He had been waiting for this game since he first heard about it. A VR game where you could actually feel and smell and taste stuff?! He wasn't sure how all that worked but he didn't really care. It hadn't taken him long to become one of the largest names in eSports. He couldn't lie to himself. He did it for the fame. For the money. For the girls. He hated his job, an office clerk for Nip n Tuck, a chain of body alteration shops.

He got pretty good at Arena: Kill Zone. It's a four versus four first-person shooter. He didn't normally play fantasy games, but this was supposed to be something special, he couldn't wait to get in the game and start building his skills. 

He stood near the entrance of World-Mart, a giant structure standing twenty stories high. Inside one could find everything from auto parts, to office supplies to groceries. Need a haircut? They have trained hair stylists. Need a bite to eat? Try out one of their six four-star restaurants. World-Mart was not just your one-stop shopping center, they had everything.

It was a pretty popular thing to head down with the family and enjoy an afternoon at the VRcade or grab a bite to eat and pick up a few things. Shopping was primarily done from home with deliveries made within minutes. So physical shopping centers had to adapt to maintain business. They had clubs, music venues, large events. The grocery store had become a destination out of necessity.

He was surrounded on all sides by hundreds of people. Thousands maybe. But he would be damned before he fell behind in climbing the leaderboards because he wasn't able to get his copy on day one.
A countdown started to sound off throughout the crowd, "ten.. Nine.. Eight.. " anticipation was building. The crowd grew louder, "three.. Two.. One.." The doors slid open on there polished tracks revealing a large show room displaying various scenes from the game trailers.

A holographic dragon flew out the doors and sprayed the crowd in harmless flames letting out a violent roar. The crowd ducked and cheered with glee. They had gone all out for this. Fully expecting massive crowds. Servers with trays of lemonade and coffee miller through the crowd offering the refreshments for sale.

They rushed forward, including Charlie. A mass of bodies all scrambling for the same prize. He pushed his way through to his target, grabbed the square box containing the hardware and the copy of the game, paid for his items and bolted back towards the door. The sooner he got back to his apartment the more of a head start he would have. The streaming revenue from this was going to be huge. Maybe he could even afford a bigger place.

He hopped onto a passing rail car not wanting to wait for one to stop for passengers. He headed home and soon found himself strapping on the helmet and laying back in his favorite recliner. His view darkened and a welcome message appeared.

"Welcome to Haven adventurer! A land of ancient magic and legendary heroes! What is your preferred gender?"

He thought about it and the game recognized his desired choice.

"Excellent choice! Now tell me adventurer, who do you swear your allegiance to?"

A globe of the planet of Haven replaced the message showing 8 continents with drawn lines showing the borders of the various kingdoms. The globe spun for a few moments before zooming in on the largest continent. It was divided into two main regions, split north-east to south-west. He looked at the one on the left and his view shifted, showing a description of the faction controlling that territory.

"The Firestone Empire is an industrious civilization. Heavily populated by the Dwarven clans, vast amounts of minerals, precious metals, and jewels are mined here. Renowned for their sturdy craftsmanship and prowess in battle, The Firestone Empire is for those wishing for wealth and glory!"

That sounded about right for Charlie, but he decided to give the other faction a look just to be thorough.

"The Westwood Alliance is compassionate and introspective. Their economy is largely agricultural, but their knowledge of magic and their formidable tactical abilities have kept more ambitious empires from conquering their homeland for millennia. The Westwood Alliance is for those wishing for knowledge and adventure! "

He decided on the first choice. Wealth and glory was exactly what he was looking for. His view darkened again before it shifted to a clear pool of water with statues of the races of Haven surrounding it. The helmet recognized his choice as he did himself and a stout dwarf with a brown head of hair woven into intricate braids. A beard of bright red hung to the belt of his leather armor.

His view shifted again, this time a first-person view from the dwarfs perspective. Stone pedestals rose up all around with no discernible pattern. Displayed on them was an assortment of weapons and armor. Potions and spell books. Even small animals in cages and exotic furs. He browsed the display until selecting a large round shield with the Firestone Crest on the front and one handed battle hammer. Something about smashing his foes to dust sounded appealing to him.

He gathered up a few more odds and ends and put them into a pack he had found before being able to carry no more. His pack was full and his weapons and armor were heavy. He stood there for a moment until a piece of paper floated down and landed at his feet with a message scrolled in it in ink.

"Welcome to Haven adventurer!  The time has come for you to begin your journey. Travel the lands and grow your skills to dominate your does and unravel the mysteries of Haven! Sign your desired title on this page to venture forth!"

A quill appeared in his hand and he signed his eSports tag on the paper in large print.

"Charles Xtreme"

His view melted away and he fell onto a grassy hill near a large cliff face. Set into the cliff was a massive stone entryway with caravans of traders going in and out, flanked by flags and Dwarven guards. He breathed deeply, smelling the grass, feeling the breeze on his face. Now this was VR! Charlie ran towards the Firestone mine, seat of the Dwarven throne, shield and hammer bouncing with each stride.