September 22ND, 2063

Log-In Site for Nimbor

Sydney, Australia

12:00 A.E.S.T.

The main entrance of the massive building known as Obscure-Mystic Media was packed with reporters from all major networks as well as countless onlookers as they watched the lucky gamers that were chosen to be the Australian player base getting escorted inside.

From within the crowd of reporters stood leggy blonde, holding a purple and black mobile phone up with the screen facing her. “Greeting all to this all-exclusive live stream of Global Gaming News, and as always I’m your amazing host, Kassandra Wilson and we are onsite of the headquarters building for Obscure-Mystic Media.” Kassandra paused to reposition herself within the crowd, “and today’s the day that everyone the world over has been waiting for… Nimbor: Labyrinth Survival, the world’s first fully built and dedicated Second Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game or as the gaming community as dubbed it ‘SRMMORPG’.” Kassandra reached up and tapped her phone switching the camera around so that it faced the crowd around her, “and as you all my lucky viewers can see the crowd here is pumped for a chance to witness what is sure to be a historic event.” At Kassandra’s words, the crowd roared with cheers and wolf-whistles, switching the camera back as that she centre stage again. “For three long years, those lucky enough to enter the Closed Beta got the chance to look over this highly anticipated game. And the resounding opinion is it’s going to be a game-changer, yours truly wished she had gotten one of 1 million tickets that were sold out within minutes of the last month of the closed beta.” Again Kassandra switched the camera around to the crowd, “with just under three hours before the 1 million players log in, this reporter can’t wait to see just what the newest in our digital playgrounds has to offer.” Flipping the camera back around, “stay glued to your screens my lovelies, I’ll have more as we cover this world-wide event.” Kassandra spoke into the lens of her smartphone’s camera ending with an irresistible smile and a naughty wink.

***

While the crowd outside were going crazy with excitement, Alexios and his sisters gathered along with the rest of the 30,000 Australian players inside the warehouse-like room that housed the means to which the players would be able to log into the world of Nimbor. Standing upon a raised platform at the centre of what appeared to be a massive circle of reclining chairs and cables was their father Marcus, each player was escorted to a chair where a team of two IT techs, a nurse and a doctor helped each player get comfortable in the chair while the IT techs placed the motorbike-like helmet over their heads.

“Okay Mister Forrester, just relax and allow the sedative to do its job.” The female doctor’s voice said.

After a short pause of time, the male nurse spoke, “all vitals are within normal ranges, Blood Pressure: 120/80, Breathing: 15 breaths per minute, Pulse: 66 beats per minute, and temperature: 36.8 degrees Celsius.”

“Thank you, nurse, right let’s move on to the next player.”

“Of course doctor.”

As they moved onto the next player, the sedative coursed through his veins, Alex felt like he was drifting through an empty void but his attention was broken by a flash of pain at the base of his skull.

***

Opening his forest green eyes, Alex found himself lying upon what felt like cold marble. Sitting up Alex looked around at the large room, it reminded him of the legendary reconstructed Parthenon of Athens with its multiple columns and towering statue of the Patron-Goddess Athena in all her glory. But something was off, the statue looked wrong somehow which drew Alex’s attention.

Standing and making his way around the small pool of clear blue water so he could get a closer look, looking at the face of the statue Alex noticed that the goddess was sporting dark auburn hair similar to that of his sisters and his late mother. That’s when things got weird, the statue moved.

“Welcome sweetie, it is good to see my little prince again,” Athena said.

“W-What the fu…”

“Language young man,” Athena snapped.

“Ho-How is this possible… How did dad get you here?” Alex asked still in shock overseeing his mother as the goddess.

“It’s not really me sweetie, what you see and hear before you are a collection of memories from each member of your family as well as how your father saw me,” Athena said indicating how she was dressed.

“But why you mum?”

“Well if I am to understand your father’s intentions correctly, I am to guide you through the character-building process.”

“What! But didn’t I already do that during the Beta Event?” Alex asked.

“Yes dear, but the process was updated not long after you were last logged in.”

Alex’s shoulder dropped at his digital mother’s words, “so all my hard work is gone.”

“No my sweet boy, this is more about the updates to the appearance and attribute systems,” Athena said as she shrunk down until she stood at 5 foot, 3 inches and wrapped her slender arms around her son.

Alex let out the breath he didn’t know that he was instinctively holding, and closed his eyes at the comfit that came from being held within the warmth of his mother’s hug.

“I’ve missed you hug mum,” Alex said resting his head against her shoulder.

“It does feel good to hold you again, if only for a limited time.” Athena said, “But we don’t have time to waste.” Athena let go of Alex and pulled him towards the pool, “Now let’s begin.”

Using the pool’s surface as a mirror, Athena walked Alex through The new features of the character customization process. Alex altered his appearance so that his raven-black hair reached midway between his shoulders and the middle of his back in a loose ponytail style, and he now reached a height of six-foot, one with a swimmers’ build.

Athena stepped away from both the pool and Alex, taking in every inch of the handsome young man that her son had become, “Well I’m sure that your sisters will have a hard time trying to keep all of those girls off their big handsome brother, but our time is drawing to a close, my dear. But know this, that I am very proud of all three of my children.” Athena returned to the raised platform and slowly grew in size until she once again stood at her original height of 42 feet. “Be strong Son of Wisdom, and know that you are loved,” Athena said before returning to a lifeless statue again.

“Love you too, mum,” Alex said before a distorted field of light wrapped around him, soon his vision changed to pixels and he blinked out of existence.

***

Nimbor – Ever Hold Marketplace

With a distortion of light that turned into a shower of pixels as Alex stepped out from the spawn point and took in the familiar sights, the ultra-high ceilinged massive starting area looked just as good as it did the first Alex looked upon it during those first days of the Beta, a near realistic feel. The feeling of the breeze upon his face, to the smells of the plants and freshly cooked meat, to the sounds of the nearby animals calling out to each other, in Alex’s opinion it felt perfect.

Soon Alex felt and heard two distortions behind him as he was joined by his twin sisters, Kate and Lara within the massive stone-surfaced shopping district.

“Did you see mum too?” Lara asked with tears in her green eyes as wrapped her brother in a tight hug.

“I did Little Bird, dressed as the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, Athena,” Alex replied.

“Yeah, dad always saw mum like that didn’t he,” Kate said attempting to hide her own tears.

“Yeah, he’s Goddess he’d call her, and would say that granddad was the almighty Zeus by the way he could scare him.” Alex added. “any way at last we’re back.”

“I’m happy that we were able to return to Nimbor, and daddy’s surprise of seeing mum again was worth the wait,” Lara said wiping tears from her eyes.

“True that sis, but I’m itching to go adventuring and to see all the new shit that got added,” Kate said cracking her knuckles.

“Easy there Xena, warrior princess remember what mum said during the character-building process…”

“Yeah yeah, things have changed blah blah blah, come on let’s go kill something already.”

Alex closed his eyes and shook his head at his sister’s excitement, as more players blinked into existence soon filling the marketplace.