《Libertatem Online》


 Chapter 1 - This is not a story of despair, but a story of hope

    Chapter 1 - This is not a story of despair, but a story of hope.


    Are you bored of the different aspects of reality,


    are you bored of the mundane life where every single task is only a repitition of you''re previous day,


    or do you simply just want to flee?


    Come join us in Libertatem online - freedom is what you make it.


    I''ve possibly heard that sentance so many times that I can cite it by heart - freedom is what you make it; It''s such an interesting thought, and I''d probably believe it too in the right circumstances. Anyway Libertatem online, huh. It''s definitely something intriguing.


    The concept Is that It''s a whole new world where you can do pretty much everything you could think of - the problem lays in information. Even though people have known about this game for about two whole years there is litterally almost zero information about it, except of course, that It''s a game based on freedom of choice.


    "Whatever", I said out loud while changing the channel. I was trying to find a channel that didn''t actually talk about the game. Since It''s release was tomorrow there wasn''t a single TV channel out there that didn''t talk about the game and It''s mysteries - I can''t afford it anyway because you''ll need to buy an entire VR capsule.


    There should be about an hour before mother comes home, so there''s really no time to actually do anything but watch reruns of Simpsons 60th season.


    Funny how the world Is supposed to have solved poverty with It''s new World government - a comon political authority, or The World State as they call It, and by "they" I mean the people that are actually controling most of the world - yet my family still has a freaking TV in 2116, and not a wide screen or whatever they were called back then but an actually regular squared box. Well It''s in color so I shouldn''t be complaining.


    As I was lost in my thought complaining about my sorry life I heard the usual creaking noise, which brought a chill to my spine, as the front gate was slowly opening.


    "Fuck, she wasn''t supposed be home for another hour or so"


    I quickly turned the TV off and ran towards my room - my heart beating so fast that It felt like It was trying to escape from something, which It probably was. I''ve been down this road so many times before but It doesn''t get any less scary.


    Sitting in the corner of my bed I heard the front door opening. Please, please don''t let it be one of those days.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Jason, get out here! Immediately!"


    Then It dawned on me and I couldn''t breath - she had been drinking - it felt as if someone was trying to choke me. My heart was racing and all I wanted was to curl up into a ball, but I knew that It would only make things worse.


    I opened the door to my room and went out to the living room, where convienently the front door also was. On my way out I was almost overwhelmed by the staggering smell of alcohol embracing the room. It almost brought a tear to my eye.


    "Yes, mother"


    "I''ve had..." She paused and started to look at me with a clear disgust in her eye.


    "I''ve had a bad day at work, and you know what that means right?"


    "Yes, mother"


    I''ve encountered this situation many times before, and every single time I do I''ll tell myself that next time I will stand up to her, I will fight back. But seeing, and hearing the disgust in her expressions breaks me, the fear breaks me - fear can somehow make a moth seem the size of a bull elephant.


    "Good boy, now come here"


    I slowly walk over towards her while the fear travels in my veins, however, It never makes its way to my facial muscels or skin; even though my complexion was quite pale, I didn''t show fear. It would only make things worse as mother sees fear as a sign of weakness, which would only be a handicap in this "perfect world" as The World State calls it.


    While I stand beside her she continues to stare at me with her look of disgust. It felt like an enternity but was probably just a couple of seconds until she starts beating me, but only in the face as It''s the only thing that reminds her about my father.


    I''m so weak. I need to change.


    Those were the last words I thought until everything went black, until i gave in to the pain.


    <hr />


    So I''m not really into the whole idea of half-assed fast chapters which means you''ll need to brace yourself for slower release but longer chapters. This is my first story and I hope you like it! Don''t worry we''ll dive into Libertatem Online next chapter.


    PS: This fiction will be mostly about the game but also (hopefully) about personal growth and relationship. Don''t see this as just another I go into the game and level up and get stronger yay!


    Anyways I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing! Please leave feedback!

 Chapter 2 - Entering Libertatem Online

    Chapter 2 - Entering Libertatem online


    "This is the sixth time this has happened Jason, and I can''t legaly do anything If you don''t help me"


    "Help me, help you!"


    Officer Brooks Is always so kind towards me. I think he is somehow feeling responsible after finding me the first time outside my mothers house - I don''t remember much from that night, except that It was very cold. His eyes is showing the kind of gentle concern my father used to have. He laid his hand lightly on my shoulder, and instead of flinching like I usually did If someone else touched me, I was soothed by it; yet I couldn''t get even a single word out. I just looked at his desk. It was kind of messy actually; he seems to be working hard. Stupidity Is the only thing I could think of - who would actually work for this god forsaken government.


    As if noticing that my mind was wandering somewhere else Brooks sighed.


    "Well I guess I shouldn''t keep you away from your part-time job if you''re not gonna cooperate"


    It''s not that easy. Reporting my mother will only make it worse. It may even split up our family and I don''t want to leave my little brother, I don''t want him to be alone. As long as mother only takes her frustration out on me It''s okay. I will deal with it myself - I will become stronger. These are all things I wanted to say but all I could do was nod. A quick nod and then I walked out of the police station towards the bus station; and by the bus station I mean a flying vehicle. Ever since since the third world war The World State decided to rebuild the remaining world on flying platforms since It was near impossible to live on what was left on the surface. Each platform was inredibly large though, some even spanning miles. In my city there were a total of five platforms. One for government-ruled institutions such as the police stations; one for commercial industries such as stores; one for the school, and lastly two for different residences. They say the residencial platforms are divided because of convienence but It''s clearly to seperate the rich from the poor.


    Entering the gaming centre, also my part-time job, I saw something that made my eyes almost jump out of their sockets. The line to the reception was so long I almost couldn''t see the end of it. I''ve never felt claustrophobic before, but in this almighty swell of humanity I felt that It was definitely a possibility. People were happy, excited and probably hoping to achieve something of greatness in the promised world of freedom - in Libertatem Online. This atmosphere definitely helped me keep my mind off of my own life. I almost felt a bit excited too, not for myself, but for others.


    "Don''t just stand there Jason, come and help for goodness sake!"


    Snapping me out of my own thoughts a man called out. He might have been handsome once upon a time, but his otherwise delicate feature are ruined by a long beak-like nose that has clearly been broken and reset several times in the past. He had a short-cut black hair and a stuble that clearly hasn''t been probarly cut for some reason or another. It was my boss and co-worker, Ed.


    "I''m coming"


    I proceeded to lightly run towards the large reception, which was completely white and made out of marbles, in fact the entire gaming centre was made out of white marbled floor and columns - trying to replicate the roman empire to make it feel more medieval-like. Each column was linked to the next by a perfect archway and the celing was curved and inlaid with gold colored stone.


    I entered the janitor clauset and put on a white shirt with a sign that said: Hi my name is Jason. And then proceeded to help the next customer in line.


    "Did you fall down the stairs again?"


    I heard Ed say from behind me with a voice that clearly spouted of hesitation. I turned around quickly and just nodded. There was no need for other people to know of my life. They would either pity me or try to help me; neither of which I would want. Then again lying about falling down the stairs may not have been the best lie, considering my mothers house do not even have stairs.


    After working for hours we finally slimmed down the unending line of walking claustrophobia to only one customer left.


    "I''m gonna be rich, thank god for Libertatem Online"


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    I heard Ed say with satisfaction; expressed by the slightest curve at the corner of his mouth and a somewhat youthful and light raise of the eyebrows.


    "Don''t worry about our dearest last customer, Jason. I''ll take care of her. Go take a needed rest"


    He said while throwing me a white and golden striped plastic card. This was the master card, the key that could unlock every room in the entire gaming centre.


    "Go to the fourteenth suite"


    There was something puzzling in those words. Ed has never before let me enter one of the suites, to not talk about lending me the master card, the key to everything. As if seeing my questioning look Ed sighed.


    "Don''t worry about It I''ll come soon and explain"


    With hesitant steps I walked towards the levitation platform. The platform was also made out of white marbles, probably so that It doesn''t look out of place but considering that It Is a freaking levitation platform inside a roman-like building It wasn''t very succesful. Stopping at the fourteenth floor I proceeded to walk down the aisle; It was a fairly wide path with doors on each sides laced by numbers and at the end of the aisle there was a room that was clearly larger than the rest of them; evident by It being located in the middle instead of on the sides - this was the fourteenth suite.


    I couldn''t really get a good look at the inside of the suite before Ed appeared behind me - still sporting that look of satisfaction.


    "What am I doing here, Ed?"


    "You''re gonna play Libertatem Online"


    There was definitely something strange about this situation considering he still had a grin that was slightly curved at the corner of his mouth. He was hoping for me to take the bait.


    "What''s the catch?"


    "Always the distrustful one, huh. I want fifty percent of what you''re gonna earn"


    Everything from the way he held himself, to the way he spoke, to a look of unassailable confidence in his eye said that he believed in me somehow. It''s still worth it. I can''t even afford the capsule yet alone the game itself. But why Is he so confident in my abilities, except maybe ...


    "I know who you are, or alteast who you used to be"


    His comment was so out of character, so far from what I knew of him. Why did he know, or more importanly how could he know?


    "I worked for the gaming company of your previous game, and you''re Virtus - the second highest leveled player"


    "I must admit you''re a lot younger than I expected"


    "So Virtus, are you up for it?"


    This screams of suspicion. How can I possibly trust someone who has basically been stalking me ever since I started working here. Maybe even longer. As If knowing my hesitation Ed walked closer.


    "I''ll pay for your brothers tuition"


    I flinched and almost jumped backwards as he was trying to put his hand on my shoulders. My mouth was wide and agape. All I could do was stare at him wild-eyed, as if I was a wild animal and he was entering my territory, my sacred ground.


    "Oh right, no touchy"


    We continued to stare at eachother; Ed''s eyeslids started to slowly drop, probably because he hasn''t slept much, as always. It felt like an eternity until I finally made my decision. It''s for my brother.


    "I''ll do it"


    "Good, I''m gonna go downstairs. I''ve been up here for way to long"


    "I''ll give you the rest of the day to play"


    I nodded as Ed turned around and walked out of the room.


    The capsule was a black metal box making it stand out in contrast to everything else. The metal itself had a very distinct feeling to it; smooth and shiny, yet hard. I opened it with a push of a button and then proceeded to lay down inside what can only be called liquid. The liquid embraced me as my mind quickly got dragged into the oblivion of sleep.


    <hr />


    Okay so I promised that we would enter the game in this chapter but I feel like I need some time to flesh out the gaming world a bit more. I need to somehow create a system which helps the story, and not the other way around. Anyway this time I actually promise the next chapter will be about the game, and only the game.


    As always, please inform me of any mistakes or give me feedback!