Chapter Two

In my Cell, there were health monitors, a treadmill so I can move, a bookshelf with game manuals, a bed for long stays, and a mirror. There was also plenty of space for me to add a dresser or a mini fridge. I slipped on my XR Visor. It was light on my head, and matched my body temperature exactly. In front of me, was my Cell. However, this time it had floating words. "Welcome to Sword Splinter! Please make your character." I pressed the blue OK button below the words. Suddenly, my cell went away. Then, a Dark Elf that would be my avatar stepped from the shadows. I was now looking at a pearly white room, no furniture in sight. The only other things there were other eighteen year olds, Diving for the first time. I selected a few things for my avatar, then saw perfection. My character had red irises on his eyes, jet black skin, and was fairly average in hight. His hair was messy and white. His clothes were white, but that wasn't an optional color. I added a huge scar across my avatar's back and added a smaller one on his cheek. I pressed Finish, and was prompted to take off the headset and rest while the avatar was loaded to my headset. I took off the headset, opened my Cell door and walked into the hallway. I moved to go to the snack bar, but someone tapped my shoulder. Turning around, I saw something, no, someone so beautiful that I could no longer breathe. She had curly brown hair, pale brown, almost hazel eyes, and the prettiest smile I have ever seen. And then that smile was replaced with a frown. "Could you stop staring at me and move?"

"What? Oh, right. Sorry."

I moved out of the way and she walked down the hall. She must be the Dark Elf of Cell thirteen. I walked after her, towards the snack bar. The snack bar had everything. Pastries, pizza, pop, everything you could dream of was here. I ordered a pastry with tea, hoping to keep myself awake so I could Dive until late at night. I ate slowly, adding plenty of sugar to my tea. When I finished, I stood up, picked up my dishes, put them away, and retreated back to my Cell. Back in my Cell, i picked up my Visor and put it on. It had my avatar already downloaded. I pressed play, and it quickly went through a check of calibrations. I went through the calibration test, and then it asked me to name myself. I typed in Angel. My name was so ironic to what I planned on doing with myself, I almost laughed. The tutorial began. I looked all around. My avatar was no longer visible. I looked down at my hands. They were there all right, I wasn't just gone. I looked forward and saw another person in the room with me. I walked up to that person. I was given a short tutorial on speech. If you are talking to an NPC, the options for what you can say will appear in front of you. I selected the option that read Who are you? "Who are you?" my avatar said, my voice menacing and low. "I... I am in trouble. But it's too late for me. You must escape this prison. Pick up you weapon of choice from that table." I looked to my left and saw the table. Walking up to it, the weapons on it came in many varieties. There were daggers, a sword, an axe, and a spear. I approached the table. I reached down and grabbed the daggers. Sheathes appeared at my sides, so I slid the daggers into them. "If you do not escape this prison in the next three hours, this prison will collapse around you." As the person said that, there was an explosion. The prison began to shake, parts of the ceiling beginning to fall. I ran forward, slamming into the gate full force. My cell was now open, and the prison guards drew their swords and faced me. I drew my daggers. Running forward, I met the first guard and tried out some basic attacks. Cutting at him with my dagger, he would simply bring his sword up and bat my dagger away. He went in for the attack, leaving me to play defense. I turned the daggers backwards, the blades pointed at me. I whirled around, smacking the sword slightly down every time an attack came my way. It was a trick that I picked up watching Twitch, it didn't use much energy but cost my opponent dearly. My opponents breaths grew haggard, his sword becoming slower and slower. I turned the dagger in my left hand over and went on the offensive. I cut at him, my blade digging hard into his plate armor. Then my right blade sunk deep into the spot between his helmet and his breastplate, ending his life. A small card came up in front of me. I had gained twelve gold and fifty experience. Then I heard a boom. I remembered where I was, and that the prison was collapsing around me. Sheathing my right dagger, I took off running.

After what felt like an eternity of running, I entered a crouch. There was an outpost ahead of me, I could barely see it. I crept forward, making sure not to make any sound. When I got to the outpost, I peered through the window. There wee three guards in there, all armed for some light combat. I opened the door silently and slipped in. This was too easy. I crept behind the first guard. Putting my right hand to his mouth, I stabbed him hard in the back. Then came the second guard. This would be harder. The third guard was talking to the second one, there was no way of sneaking up on both of them. I scanned the are around me. There was a small sphere, presumably a bomb of some kind. I searched the guards body and found a few arrows. No bow, however. I equipped the arrows, the quiver now hanging from my back. I grabbed the bomb and crept out of the outpost. I then rolled the bomb back into the house and waited. A loud bang came from the room, some rubble flew through the windows. I went back in, knowing what I'd find. I looted the other guards, finding yet more arrows. No bow. Sheathing my dagger, I began my slow trot forward. The end couldn't be far, I had been running for a while before I got to the outpost. I checked my quest menu. I had about an hour to get out. Then I checked my map. The exit was apparently just out of view. I sprinted forward. I saw it. A glowing door. It had pearly chains covering it. I looked around, wondering of there was a key or lever of some kind. Then there was a flash of light and the chains were gone. I pushed the door open, and stepped through.