Shadow Daedalus
One V One Gaming Hub, 1x1 Sector, Guild City;
30 min before the Wave
30 min before the Wave
Fate was the universal oppressor. The true antagonist in the pursuit of happiness. The ultimate obstacle on the path to glory. It was neither good nor evil, but it was far from neutral.
Volen had always hated the concept. The idea that something inevitable would happen in his life, be it for benefit or loss, without cause, was just simply ludicrous. He hated the idea that, as an adult, he wasn't in complete control of his life. Though he refused to be a prisoner to fate, it didn't stop him from believing in it. Especially not after today.
One V One Gaming Hub was one of Guild City's famous tourist spots. Located within the 1 x 1 Sector, it was a paradise for gamers who preferred to keep their MMO parties to an effective duo. Not surprisingly, it served as a romantic getaway for many, and more than half of its entertainment services catered to that demographic. That isn't to say only lovers could enjoy One V One Gaming Hub. Some of the best gamers today started their journey to greatness in the Hub, having been personally taught by masters of the previous era.
Not one to fit under any of those categories, Volen just hoped a good 2-Player session would easy the anxiety that had been nagging him as of late. Upon entering the Hub, he was immediately greeted by a stern-faced girl with turquoise-colored hair. With the perpetual noises of arcade cabinets and deep bass from the step game machines, the girl had to shout in order to be heard.
"First timer? You gotta register first before you can play." She tilted her head towards the front desk. "Don't be fooled by the line, it goes quicker than you might think."
"Uh, actually," Volen started, almost forgetting to raise his voice. "I was hoping to convert an Avatar from another game. Do you have anything compatible with Unending War vers. 5?"
The girl made a deliberately assuring nod. "Yep! We even got a new game for Converters! It's called Castle Dephense. Something that you Unending War fans will really like. It's at quadrant 1. Over to your right. You can make a quick conversion at the machine."
He frowned at the keyboard as he took a seat at an open cabinet. He wasn't fond of PC MMOs, especially after what happened some weeks ago. He shook his head and went straight to entering his Avatar information.
Welcome, Sir Vernon Kresoveer! Please select a gaming platform
Volen's eyes widened at the customization features. The game allowed him to choose from using a controller pad, a mouse and keyboard, and an arcade stick. He selected the latter and went straight to a tutorial. To his amusement, Castle Dephense's gameplay was very similar to third person fighters like Gundam Extreme Versus and Dissidia Final Fantasy. The objective was to defend your castle against waves of enemies with the help of an ally.
Already two minutes into gameplay, and Volen was having the time of his life. Without a 2nd player, he used an AI to help him defeat the demonic hordes. Castle Dephense made an accurate portrayal of Vernon Kresoveer, the once proud Knight of Bleu Kingdom before its fall in Unending War. His uniform and katana never looked so beautifully detailed! He enjoyed eliminating enemies with his "Lewd Clothing Removal Cut Technique," which thankfully only served to kill in one blow.
And while enjoying Castle Dephense alone, Volen was oblivious to the fact that the game updated his gamer profile status in Unending War as ONLINE. Now the whole world knows that Sir Vernon Kresoveer, Lieutnant of the Knights of Lewd, guardian of Bleu Kingdom, has started a campaign at Castle Dephense.
