Avilien: Tutorial islands

Trix & Rajin

Tiny neon blue lights surfaced from the cracks and crevices running the length of the mighty Leviathan. Enveloping Lance, they danced a majestic little dance. On closer inspection, they were tiny AI people with wings. Untargetable and with no data they were logged in the Avilien bestiary as fairies.

Surrounded in a dazzling blue light; Lance soared into the heavens and through the clouds before then blipping out of existence. When he blipped back into existence, he had arrived at New Road. Fairies scampered into the almighty statue of Achillies who stood with a sword pointing to the dark skies above. One look around left Lance speechless. The smell of burning homes and the carnage was a flashback to the entry wars.

Back in the beginning, when people entered the hundreds of starter towns like New Road, it exploded in a great deal of violence and chaos that reigned for weeks. Any damage done would be auto repaired in time, and quest givers within the towns wouldn't so much as respawn, rather a new person would spawn in, and the quest would pass onto them. It would take as little as twelve hours for the town to respawn if the damage done was as fresh as what Lance believed.

New Road had a four-lane road that cut through the centre of the town and led from the main gates to the portal at the back. Achilles stood in the middle of a now broken down plaza, surrounded by destroyed shops, toppled stalls, and burning buildings. The main gate, now damaged had been ripped away from the wall, its metal grate laying on the road.

Head moving slowly from one direction to another Lance looked at the reason he had come. A gateway, or portal as some called it was made from black metal and completely un-damageable. Inactive, it rested at the far back of the town surrounded by black pillars and stone steps. It was also meant to act as a logout area for players, but that system remained offline.

Drawing his holy sword, Lance grew nervous and cautious as his grip tightened the leather handle. Not one AI remained in the town and Targoon, although shaking like a leaf sensed no other player nearby. Whoever had done the damage to the town no longer resided in the area, or so Lance hoped. AI civilians didn't reward exp and nor did quest givers, so why anyone would delete the town remained a mystery.

"I don't like this master Lance, this doesn't feel right. My scales are shaking from bad omens. It feels as though I am in the presence of a god," spoke Targoon in a whisper as he shook from a cold chill running down his wings and back.

The dark skies above gave way and water started to now pour on the burning town, simmering the fire and yet the skies themselves felt as ominous as the town.

"Be on guard Targoon. Spot even the slightest of movement you let me know. Let's head to the logout terminal as fast as we can." Lance froze on the cracked road as a wooden barrel toppled over near a broken stall. Heart in his mouth, Lance never felt so much relief when a level one giant rat scurried off.

Not knowing the laziest gaze was watching him in existence, Lance proceeded onwards with care, ready to fight or flee. On the outer reaches of the town and sat atop one of the slanted roofs of a guard tower, a slim-built man ate a roasted sweet potato wrapped in foil. Out of range of Targoons scent abilities, the young man, with a scarred face and two distinct samurai swords was no ordinary person and a person Lance would not like to meet.

Streaks of ominous purple and blue lightning howled across the sky as rain poured heavier than moments ago. Lance tapped his watch to pull up weather forecasts of New Road. For the town and the surrounding area, it was to be dry and sunny all day. Never had the Avilien database been wrong. When it said meteors would drop from the sky, they dropped from the sky. Lance now began to feel utter dread. His lips and mouth ran dry, his face started to drain of colour, and a lump stuck in his throat.