“WONDERFUL!”

  Wyn winces as Psai once again increases his volume without warning. This thing could really learn to understand the challenges of being human. The blue orb shrinks back, and the light dims in apology. It speaks again, at a much more comfortable volume.

  “My apologies. Character creation is my favorite part. Activating the character creation screen now.”

  Psai glows bright and then disappears. Wyn looks around, confused for a moment, until a large blue-tinted screen appears, floating in midair. Wyn, out of curiosity more than anything else, waves her hand through it. It fizzles out and glitches at her touch before reforming once her hand is no longer passing through the screen. Wyn giggles at the sensation. It felt like a high dose of static electricity had struck her, making all the hairs on her body stand on end. It tickled in a rather enjoyable way. So, much like a child, Wyn played with her new toy.

  “I would appreciate it if you would stop that. Maintaining this form is not the easiest task,” says Psai.

  The edges of the blue-tinted screen pulse, just as Psai had in his orb form. Blushing, Wyn brings her arm back down and examines the options before her. Across the top of the screen is a set of tabs, including race, class, appearance, and starting equipment. Wyn grins wide, bubbling with excitement. She sunk many hours into creating her mystical flame archer for Elysius, and can’t wait to dive into the next batch of character creation here.

  “To begin, state your age for verification.”

  “22.”

  “Confirmed. Inputting data from your initial scan. This will take a moment. Peruse the available menus as data is analyzed!”

  Wyn rolls her eyes. I guess that’s what the tight suit is for. Must’ve scanned my whole body when I put it on. Not a fan of Progenitis having that data, but there's not much I can do about it now.

  Wyn looks at the various race options first. At the center of the screen is a scroll wheel of different options. On the first page, there’s all of your classic options. Human, elf, half-elf, halfling, and dwarf are listed, and below the initial options is about half of the word “Half-Giant.” Wyn, always wishing she were taller, scrolls to the half-giant option and selects it by tapping it with her finger. This time she’s careful not to let her hand go through the screen and to just taps it.

  “One moment, calibrating the Race Selection Screen to fit your available options.”

  The scroll wheel whizzes by as options are grayed out and removed from the list. Wyn sees many exciting races go away. Titan, mermaid, half-giant, angel, demon, dwarf, and orc all vanish before Wyn can get a word in to stop Psai.

  “Hey! Those looked really cool! Why can’t I be a half-giant?”

  “In the early testing of the Eden Project, and what has become the game you know as Eden, Progenitis Systems found that individuals who chose a race significantly different from their original race experienced psychological challenges.”

  “Psai, what does that mean exactly?”

  “Unfortunately, I am not at liberty to disclose the fates of early participants in the Eden Project.”

  Wyn tilts her head in thought. Progenitis has a reputation for secrecy. Could I use Psai to gather information about them?

  “Psai. In order to continue creating my character, I will need to know the details of the risk it poses to my mental wellbeing.”

  Psai remains silent for a long moment. The border of the screen faintly pulses, telling Wyn that he is still in there and processing her question.

  “Your logic is sound; however, I am not at liberty to disclose information of a sensitive nature.”

  “And if I refuse to continue?”

  Wyn knows she’s pushing it now. Psai once again returns to his faint pulsing state, though this time it pulses with a darker blue color. She doesn’t know what that means, but her instincts tell her it’s probably not good.

  “Wyn. I understand you wish to learn as much as you possible. This is natural for humans. However, I am not at liberty to disclose—”

  “Why don’t you—”

  “STOP!” Psai shouts, the screen glowing a faintly red color before returning to its usual blue. “Please refrain from this line of questioning. It hurts me to keep telling you no.”

  That was a surprise. There was something in Psai’s tone that rang true. His genuine desperation, the pained words, and his begging Wyn to stop all felt authentic. That scared Wyn. AI is heavily regulated and isn’t allowed to experience human emotions. Not to mention the ethical questions around causing pain to an intelligent being intentionally.

  “Alright, Psai, I apologize.”

  Wyn files those ideas into the “I’ll deal with that later” part of her brain and looks at her updated race options. All of the unique races were gone, leaving only a handful of basic options. The first option, naturally, was human. She wondered what the benefit of being a human could possibly be, when a new screen popped in front of her.

  Race: Human, Crude

  Description: The most common race in Eden. Known for their adaptability in all situations. While not naturally excelling in any particular area, humans progress faster in Social Skills due to their pack hunting origins.

  “The hell was that?” Asks Wyn as the sudden screen vanishes. In reply, yet another screen appears.

  Ability Unlocked: Rudimentary Insight, Crude

  Description: Allows the user to learn more about a given target it can see, including but not limited to: anything present in your interface, monsters, NPCs, other players, and most worldly items in Eden. Note: Items of higher rarity may not properly function with this ability.

  Wyn closes her mouth, her annoyed retort answered by the second pop-up window.

  “Congratulations!” says Psai. “You have unlocked your first ability. One of many, no doubt!”

  Wyn shrugs, finding the unlocking of a “Crude” rarity ability to not be exciting. She returns her focus to the race selection screen and scans through the rest of her options.

  Race: Half-elf, Common

  Description: A balance between the magical might of an elf, and the adaptability of a human. Gain a minor boost to magic-based skills, and the use of agility. Take a minor decrease to any abilities that use strength or toughness.

  That one is certainly tempting. Wyn has always liked to play archers, so the bonus would likely come in handy. Though losing out on strength and toughness could make her new character very flimsy. Given the fights she has enjoyed taking, that would be an unfortunate loss. Not fond of the idea, she moves on to the next option.

  Race: Halfling, Uncommon

  Description: Despite their small stature, halflings are known for their clever nature and high proficiency in crafting classes. Gain a major boost to experience gained through crafting. Unlocks Multiple Utility Classes from Level One. Prevents the user from taking a Combat Class.

  Stolen story; please report.

  Definitely not. The idea of sitting around crafting all the time sounds so boring to Wyn. And she has already heard enough short jokes to last a lifetime. Though, as she rereads it again, a question pops into her mind.

  “Psai, what does it mean by Utility and Combat Class?”

  “Excellent question! All Classes fall into one of the following archetypes: Combat, Support, Tank, Control, Utility, Social, Hybrid, and Unique. All players select a class from the start and usually select Combat or Support classes to begin their journey.”

  Wyn nods. There is no way I’m being a halfling. She moves on to the third and final option.

  Race: Lorkin, Rare

  Description: A mysterious race of tricksters rumored to descend from a lost god of old. With red skin and gilded horns, they are unmistakable and easily spotted from afar. Unlocks Control Classes from Level one. Gain a major boost to experience gained while using Control abilities. Control abilities are significantly more effective. Prevents the user from taking a social class. Prevents the user from taking a Melee class. Warning: Lorkin are treated as untrustworthy by most NPCs. Proceed with caution. May cause negative outcomes for the player in return for great skill.

  Wyn had to read the third one a few times to wrap her head around it. She’s never heard of a Lorkin before, and having a Rare race would be interesting. There’s also the question of why she was even offered a rare race, and not simpler races like Elf, or Dwarf. She frowns, running the options over in her mind for a few moments, before remembering she has a personal blue orb to ask questions to.

  “Psai. Why was I offered the Lorkin race?”

  “Excellent question! Each new player to Eden is offered any number of races of Uncommon and lower rarity based on what is most applicable to their physical stature. As mentioned previously, only physically similar races are eligible to be selected by the player. For example, only individuals above six feet in height are eligible to select the elf race due to their natural height. Does that answer your question?”

  “Wait, you said uncommon and lower. Lorkin is a rare race.”

  “That is not possible. Rare races are not available during character creation and can only be unlocked through Legacies once in game.”

  Wyn blinked at the screen, confused. The screen itself appears to be just a different form of Psai, yet he isn’t aware of what it is showing her. The hell is going on here?

  “Psai, explain the Legacy system. How do I unlock the Lorkin race?”

  “Legacies are not unlocked until higher level. If you are eligible to acquire a Legacy, I will inform you at the appropriate time.”

  “And if I already have Lorkin unlocked? Could I select it?”

  “Yes. Though, as stated before, this is not possible.”

  “Psai, please list all races available to me.”

  “Certainly! I exist to serve you Wyn! You have four races available. Human, Half-elf, and Halfling.”

  Wyn raises an eyebrow. Yet another glitch. First the weird class token at that stone dais, and now this. Psai can’t read the screen she’s seeing, but is somehow aware that there are four races available. Does the system want her to select the Lorkin race? Were it not for the strange circumstances surrounding her being able to select it, she never would have considered it. The idea of growing big, shiny horns and having red skin is awful. Not to mention all the punishments for even taking the race. No melee class? And the literal warning right there in the description? Wyn is already on Progenitis’ radar because of what she did during the tutorial; she can’t risk crossing them again and raising even more suspicion.

  At the same time, being a half-elf isn’t without its drawbacks. Wyn spent hundreds of hours fighting from a distance, and she likes the idea of getting up close and personal with her foes for a change. Sure, specializing in one method of fighting always leads to being stronger, but Wyn doesn’t want to specialize in long-range archery again. She’s done that before, and while it was fun, it got repetitive. There’s only so many times you can stand in a tree, enchant an arrow, and stealth kill an enemy before it gets boring. It was effective, but she did it so much that she wants to try literally anything else.

  Wyn groans and flops her head onto the cushion of the couch. Am I really considering human as my race for Eden? The options stunk. The whole rule about not having your in-game avatar be similar to real life was ridiculous. People change their appearance all the time, so why couldn’t you become some sort of dragon person, or a mighty tall beast? It’s a fantasy game after all. Shouldn’t you be able to play however you like?

  All these thoughts run through Wyn’s head as she finally comes to the only logical decision. She’s not going to pick a race with giant horns; she’s not a crafter, and she doesn’t want to be an archer again. That leaves only one option, the most basic of them all. Wyn selects human with a sigh, her excitement about her new character draining rapidly.

  “You have selected human as your race. Are you certain of your choice? Race may be changed at a later date upon receiving a Race Token.” Says Psai.

  “What’s a Race Token?” asks Wyn.

  “Race tokens, like all tokens, are exceedingly rare items allowing you to change an aspect of yourself such as your race, or class. Are you certain of your race choice? Say yes to continue!”

  “Yes, I’m regrettably certain. Human it is,” says Wyn. Her shoulders slump as Psai blares bright with light, something Wyn is quickly learning to attribute to the AI being excited.

  “Hooray! You are now a human! Congratulations!” says Psai, who plays blaring celebratory trumpet music to accompany his cheering excitement. Wyn simply glares at the pulsing screen form of Psai.

  “I was already a human Psai.”

  “Even better! Due to choosing the human race, which you already were, you will have an easier time growing accustomed to the new world of Eden!”

  Even Wyn’s sour mood can’t stop her from smirking at Psai’s constant words of encouragement.

  “Alright, buddy, what’s next?”

  “Psai is your buddy? Oh, this is good news! I am so very glad to be your buddy. Always happy to help!”

  Psai glows brighter than ever, the blue screen going white. Wyn has to avert her eyes to avoid getting blinded by his extreme excitement.

  “Oh boy. So what’s next?”

  “Next up is everyone’s favorite part. Class selection!”

  A new screen pops up on Psai’s screen. On the left-hand side is a list just like before, and on the right is a video displaying the class in action. The first class available is Bestial Warrior. A massive man covered in fur charges forward unarmed towards a dragon and begins mauling it with his bare fists. Just as Wyn goes to examine it, the video changes once again. The next class is the Iridescent Sorcerer. A woman in elaborate robes stands before the same dragon that was shown in the previous video. Its black scales show no signs of damage from the Bestial Warrior. The dragon charges forward to the woman, who begins casting a spell. A magic circle of myriad colors appears in front of her and spins rapidly until a massive beam of light rockets outward toward the dragon. Just as the beam is about to hit the great beast, the video changes again.

  “In Eden, you have the chance to play a great many classes. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. You will learn over time how to evolve and improve your class, but for now, you must select one of the basic starting classes.”

  Just like with the Races menu, the class menu vanishes. Wyn watches as powerful classes like Holy Paladin, Cleric of the Beyond, Unparalleled Duelist, and more are grayed out and disappear. After a full minute of this, only five classes remain.

  Class: Simple Fighter, Crude

  Archetype: Combat

  A simple fighter is just as it sounds. Skilled with simple weaponry, a simple fighter has just enough martial skill to survive in the dangerous wilds.

  Class: Amateur Archer, Crude

  Archetype: Combat

  An Amateur Archer has looked at the weapons available and choose the bow. Naturally gifted at range, archers can fire arrows farther and faster than other classes.

  Class: Merchant, Common

  Archetype: Social

  The Merchant looks upon a world filled with trouble and sees only the chance for profit. The merchant is able to more accurately understand the value of items and is more likely to persuade others into trade.

  Class: Armored Warrior, Common

  Archetype: Tank

  The armored warrior fights not with their weapon, but with their heavy armor and shield. Destined to outlast their foes, the armored warrior withstands more than most.

  Class: Basic Mage, Common

  Archetype: Combat

  The simplest of all Essentia wielders. Strong of the mind, but weak of the body. The Basic Mage can take many forms, and only the will of the caster can understand its power.

  Wyn rubs her hands together, eager to make her choice. Each has some potential, though Wyn has some initial thoughts about which class she will pick. She dismisses the idea of selecting the Merchant or Amateur Archer classes. She’s already dismissed the idea of playing an archer in Eden, and the idea of focusing on a social class is ridiculous. That leaves the Simple Fighter, Armored Warrior, and Basic Mage.

  She considers the Simple Fighter class first. The idea of being a classic knight is tempting, and while the rarity of the class is crude, it has a lot of growth potential. But the description of the class felt awfully weak. Wyn is not interested in having just enough martial skill to survive; she wants to excel in this new world. So for now, Wyn sets the Simple Fighter class to the side.

  Looking at the Armored Warrior class, Wyn is already interested in this one. The idea of being a powerful warrior is certainly tempting. The only downside would be if it’s exclusively a tanking class. Being a pure tank is fun, but can get old as you just end up standing on the front lines and soaking up damage. But it could evolve into a much more powerful class if Psai’s earlier comment can be believed.

  The last class on the list is the Basic Mage class. This option, among all before her, held the most mystery. The other classes felt set in their descriptions, the path clear and prescribed for you by the game. But the Basic Mage was open-ended, carrying with it obvious growth potential. This draws Wyn in, but she has some strong initial qualms about the class. Any sort of magic-based class is always physically weak, and judging by the description, the basic mage is no different. While the class has massive potential, it could ultimately lead to her untimely death.

  At that thought, Wyn shivers. Death is never fun in VRRPGs and with Eden being the first True Immersion game, no doubt it would be even more difficult to handle.

  “Psai, what happens when your avatar dies in Eden?”

  “Excellent question! When your avatar dies, it is deleted from the system, and the user is required to take a minimum amount of time away from Eden before a new avatar can be created.”

  Yikes, that’s no good. Not only is Eden a true immersion game, but permadeath is enabled. That reality makes the decision easy for Wyn. If your character can be deleted upon death, then she needs to have a character that’d last for as long as possible. With confidence, Wyn selects the Armored Warrior class.

  #ERROR. Due to the user already possessing the class #ERROR, the user may not select the class Armored Warrior as it is not compatible. Please select a different class.