Ethernity

A week had passed since the trio stopped playing the beta version of Ethereal, which almost traumatized all three of them. The days passed like any other day, talking about games and school stuff while Maverick saved up for the finalized version of Ethereal. Videos about the different modes of the game resurface but would be immediately deleted, for it takes away the excitement that can only be found within the game, which an Entrant can see for themselves.

"Are you having it easy at that part-time job I recommended to you, Maverick?"

They were at a nearby cafe, drinking cold frappes and hot cappuccino while indulging in their sweet tooth— relishing the soft-breaded red velvet cake. A decadent dessert after a fulfilling lunch.

"Actually, yeah! Thanks for helping me out, Lim."

"It was nothing. What are friends for, right?"

"Anyway, tell us when you're all set with the game, Maverick. We haven't started yet because we want to do it with you."

An even stronger bond between the three had formed as time went by.

Inside the cafe, students from the same university were coming in and out, chatty and boastful of each other's personal achievements and lives.

"I might be able to buy it the next day since I'm gonna receive my paycheck that day."

"Can't wait, man!"

Friday came like a flash in their eyes where the morning gaze of the sun seeped through the overlaying curtain on the window.

Maverick got up to take a bath and brush his teeth. His phone rang when he was in the shower.

"Mom, I'm taking a shower! I'll call after I'm done!"

"What? Okay!"

Every three days, Maverick's mom would check up on him via video call or just call, asking how he was and if he was eating properly. Coming from a far island, his parents can't visit him as they wanted to, for the expenses are costly and they have other children that need to be taken care of.

***

Maverick's first semester in his first year in college isn't that busy. The three of them have it easy, for they are initially taking minor courses for their program. Subjects that need no due diligence to pass.

"Class is over, Maverick! Let's head over to your work and claim that paycheck!"

"We'll accompany you in buying the game!"

Moruel and Lim looked more excited than the Maverick himself. Well, they have been waiting for more than a week already when they have already bought the game. The two of them offered Maverick the game for free but he refused and wanted to earn his own money and not be dependent on free potted money.

"Receiving free things and food from time to time is good, but not all the time. One tends to become reliant on the generous treatment our friends provide for us."

The three of them picked up their belongings and hastened away from the school, then to the fast food chain where Maverick works 4 hours a day. Once Maverick received his paycheck, they headed toward the mall and went to the games section. It was packed with people of different ages, browsing through tons of VR games.

"It's Friday, so it's to be expected."

The line for the cashier was long. Moruel and Lim continued looking around while Maverick stayed in line to pay for the game he was buying. It was really long. He had to wait for half an hour to finally get his turn. The cashier smiled at him. She was a woman in her early 20s, outgoing, and immensely radiating in vibe. Maverick could not help but avert his gaze somewhere else to avoid eye contact.

"That will be 50 dollars."

Maverick handed over the money and once the transaction was done he hurriedly walked away without ever looking back.

***

Finally, the three of them had gone back to their houses and were ready to dive into the immersive gameplay of Ethereal.

[Logging in...]

In his bed, Maverick comfortably laid flat with the headgear on his head. The visuals of the game came to light, bringing him to the starting point of the game where he had to choose the difficulty.

[Welcome to Ethereal! Discover the adventure that awaits you!]

"For a highly anticipated game, the dialogue sounds pretty simple. Well, I am all for simplicity, so it does not really matter."

Maverick pressed on his chosen difficulty, which was "Impossible Mode", and proceeded to receive an introductory video.

[A young and brave Entrant, choosing to traverse the ocean current and the depths of its beauty!]

Followed by after the speech was the welcoming video, showcasing the underlying beauty of the vast deep waters. The video describes the beautiful shallow, coral-filled waters and gentle currents as the three discuss their plans: "Who's rolling DPS?"

"What guild should we join?"

"I heard the Pearl Isles holds the best loots!"

[Relax, Entrants! With your choice of gear, you will be ready to explore the waters of the deep!]

As the NPC was talking to Maverick, he noticed a slight glitch in the voice, repeating the same line twice.

"Was that on purpose?"

Then, the loading screen came in, telling newcomers to patiently wait till the loading was done. So, Maverick did as the sentence told him until it was taking too long.

"It's taking longer..."

He remembered the vast scenery of the blue sea and its flourishing life. Suddenly, there was a burst of excitement and he could not contain his eagerness to finally explore the world of the unknown.

All of a sudden, the silence created by the loading screen that took too long to progress was broken when the system displayed a message.

[ERROR]

[UNEXPECTED TERRAIN DETECTED! REROUTING IMMEDIATELY!]

[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR...]

The message was cut off before Maverick could finish it. A moment of silence fell once again but it didn't take long. The illusion made by the introductory video was shattered in an instant when the Entrants experienced a violent plunge. No warning, no smooth entry! Nothing. Not even a tutorial.

[Impactful sensory awakening!]

What they thought was their first breath of air inside the game would be fresh and serene turned out to be a gush of saltwater inside their noses!

"Ugh!"

They were flailing, panicking because none of them expected to be thrown directly underwater.

"What the hell is this?!" Maverick thought to himself as water continued entering his body. "Guys! Calm down!"

They were choking, trying to force their lungs to adapt through the darkness, coldness, and weightlessness. The three of them, along with other newcomers, saw the light above the surface gradually fading as if something was dragging them down. Their HUD began to flash warnings.

[BREATHING SYSTEM: ERROR]

[ADAPTATION REQUIRED!]

[STABILIZATION UNIT: NOT ACTIVATED]

The ocean floor is nowhere in sight, only the vast crushing deep below them.

[Your avatar is not equipped with breathing gear! You must rely on your instinct or quick thinking to avoid drowning in your first minutes in the game!]

[Activate emergency lung adaptors or a ritual!]

[Lung adaptors aren't integrated into your avatar!]

"Then the ritual or whatever that is!"

[Calm down and stabilize your buoyancy. Stop breathing and minimize your movements to stop yourself from uncontrollably sinking.]

The same instructions were sent to all of the newcomers, including Moruel and Lim, who inadvertently felt the need to adapt and stopped themselves from further sinking while those who kept panicking couldn't prevent themselves from going deeper down the water.

[You activated a ritual or aura via instinct, preventing you from instantly drowning.]

The problem did not stop there. Something watches them from below. A shadow, a movement, a deep resonant noise that echoes, which was carried by the water. Even distorted voices that shouldn't be there reverberate...

"We're not alone! Move!"

The voice comms that drowned immediately by the cries for help of those who continued to drown, resonated to Maverick's ears.

With little visibility in the crushing deep, Maverick began to swim away from the pulling currents. He was following the voice that was commanding them.

After struggling through their first descent, consuming translucent air bubbles, which they can use to restore a small amount of oxygen in their lungs, the Entrants managed to reach an unstable surface. It was an abandoned city, hovering at mid-depth.

"I've reached a surface!"

"Me too!"

One after another, the newcomers confirmed their discovery of the hovering abandoned city.

"Let's regroup!"

When they thought they could finally rendezvous via HUD and map overlay, the system did not show the correct map, their communication channel began to glitch, and the Entrants could hear heavy breathing every Entrant's word.

A message appears in the interface, read by a different AI voice: [Welcome, Entrants! None of you belong here!]

From that moment forward, they knew they must fight for survival with the knowledge that they never had a choice in coming here.

~