[center]Evelyn turned the key and opened the door to her apartment. Sighing in relief, she pulled off her heels and undid the top two buttons of her shirt. It was around dinnertime, but she didn't feel like cooking just yet. Instead, she plopped down on the couch and opened her laptop, which lay beside her. A grin spread across her face when she saw the icon on her desktop: the new game had finally finished downloading. [i]I'll just play for a little while...[/i] Evelyn reasoned, and she double clicked on the icon. The game booted up.

[i]The world of Ashlin seeks a hero...[/i]

Evelyn named her character Hera, after the queen of the goddesses in Greek mythology. She was a woman of great grace and power, and the perfect model for her character. Hera swung her sword around to get a feel for it, and let out a laugh. It felt good to move her limbs, even if it was just a game. She placed one hand beneath the sword and examined it. It was your typical starter item: a bit rusty, low attack and a bit lightweight for her taste, but it would do for now. She looked down at her armor, which was in similar condition to the sword. Her arms and legs were plated with a dull steel-like metal, and her chest was covered by hard leather. It seems that the game had not provided her with a helmet. 

Finally, Hera looked around her at the City of Beginnings, which her interface told her was known as Maori. Hera found it strange that the starter town was named after the native population of New Zealand, but figured it was just a coincidence. Looking back down at her sword, Hera decided that she needed to upgrade it as soon as possible, but her inventory reminded her that she had no gold. She wondered how she would make gold in this world. Most likely, she would be able to earn some by completing quests and killing enemies. Ready to jump right in, Hera wandered down the nearest street in search of a quest. She came upon a building with a sign hanging over it, stating that it was "The Rat Tavern". Shrugging, Hera figured this was as good a place as any to find a quest, and she wandered inside.[/center]