~Yuki~
I have been in Eden almost 3 years. 3 years is the max. It means I was one of the first. New players were still arriving everyday. Makes me wonder why no one has put a stop to this game. Hasn't anyone realized yet that we are trapped here? Or is this really it. Are our real bodies dead already? Should we try to fight it? Our memories fade. Soon we will just become our characters. I have few memories left of the real world. Just the most painful ones...the ones I want to forget. So...should we really be trying to leave?
I gripped my glass of sake tightly, and took a sip. Slot 1, my usual hangout in Eden, was busy as always. It was located in the only 'monster free zone' in Eden. The starting point...the town. Being the only tavern in Eden makes it pretty essential. It's got rooms, food, booze, even a small gambling area where players can earn some quick cash. It is also where you come to get information. That was my specialty. With my ears I can hear everything. Best part is that no one pays attention to the drunk in the corner.
The new info that everyone is hyped up about tonight seems to be about EVE. 'The way out of Eden is through EVE.' "Huh...bunch of bullshit. There is no way out." I glanced around the tavern at all the players in here. The sooner they accept it the better we will all be. No one travels to the higher levels anymore. After we realized we actually die here no one wanted to risk it.
My first group made it to Area 4 before we realized. The group ahead of us was running back to the portal. We figured they just couldn't handle a game. Children scared of a virtual world. We should have followed them. Our groups leader was the first to go down. He was my partner. Our strategy was to rush the monsters and deal heavy damage, while our third and fourth shot long range. Our fith and sixth were our spell casters and healers. It was a perfect group. Well rounded. The only problem...we hadn't been in Eden long. Our levels and abilities were weak. We assumed like in other games we would play until we hit a wall. We would die...respond back at Area 1 and train more until we could win. When our leader got hit...he screamed...he said it hurt. It actually hurt. It wasn't supposed to do that. I got hit as well. My arm broken...and I knew what he ment. Pain. Pain in a virtual world. Alarms went off in my head. I turned tail and ran back towards the others. They only laughed. Said I was a silly woman who couldn't handle a game. So I left them.
I went back to Area 1 and waited. Sure enough no one responded. Their names were also removed from my friends list and the leaderboard. It didn't take long for news to get around. Now no one wants to attempt to beat the game. They save money...buy houses...start businesses. We became a part of this world instead of trying to fight it. Soon we won't remember why we wanted to leave. Should we just give in to the inevitable? I took another sip. An image of my son flashed before my eyes. Is he still waiting for me? How big has he gotten? Is he doing ok? I want to see him. But I'm afraid. What if I die? I grit my teeth and down the whole bottle of sake. "The only way out of Eden is through EVE. The only way to EVE is to beat Eden. To beat Eden is to die. EVE is death." I smiled sadly at my empty glass. "What a cruel world."
Someone was standing next to me. I hadn't been paying attention. "It's not the world that is cruel. It is the creator. EVE cannot be death. That would make the game unwinable. It has to be more complicated than that." I looked up at my unwanted companion. "Maybe you just wish it to be more complicated. It gives you hope to continue. Maybe some of us have lost that hope."
~Yay game started! Anyone can continue if they wish. I left the stranger blank. Geeze Yuki was really depressing this time. I promise she will lighten up as we go on. It is just a matter of rekindling her will to fight and escape.
