Read Life sentence: The Endless Game :: A Life for a Life part.2

LUTHER

The world in front of Luther was filled with so much life that it was difficult to believe it wasn't real. It had been a very long time since he had seen this much life even in the real world. A squirrel scampered out of a nearby bush over Luther's feet and up a nearby tree. The squirrel didn't seem to have any fear. It’s as if it was born in a world that hadn't taught it to be afraid of humans. No, Luther was just being silly the squirrel was just programmed to act that way. Wasn't it?

Luther had to be a knight or at least some type of swordsman, no other class would do. Luther had always thought the elegant dignity of a knight was the coolest thing in the world. Now in the world of LS, he had the chance to become one truly, but first, he had to finish the rest of the character selection process. The default character appearance everyone started with was the player's actual appearance. You could pick from several different species to play as, and even adjust some basic elements of your appearance so you don't have to look exactly like yourself.

Luther played around with the appearance settings for several minutes, but all the other options almost felt like a childish game of dress-up to him. Instead, he chose to play as a human and simply kept his usual piercing green eyes and long straight dark brown hair. It was combed back in such a way as to be somewhat reminiscent of a lion's man. He made a few small adjustments to his physique so he’d be just a smidgeon better looking. Of course, whenever someone would later ask if he altered his appearance, he would strongly deny it. As he confirmed his appearance and moved on to the passive skill selection he realized something.

Apparently, in addition to one passive skill you could choose for yourself, each species came with a built-in passive skill. The human passive skill was something called “versatility”. Unfortunately, he couldn't see what it did and the name wasn't giving him any hints right now. He had to look into that a bit later. First, he had to choose his unique passive skill, but there were just so many to choose from. Most of them felt too specific or didn't interest him such as increased resistance to fire damage. But after reading through the descriptions of 3 baking-related skills in a row he found a skill that caught his eye.

Having played many roleplaying games before, Luther knew how useful a skill like that could be. Especially since having higher-level skills later on would be undeniably useful. So he quickly selected the new skill.

“As a Knight, this skill would most definitely come in handy. Now, for the most important part, moving on to class selection and finally becoming a knight.”

…

But no class selection screen appeared.

Luther wandered towards the starting city, which was much closer than the golden city on the horizon, until he found another player on their way into the town gates.

“Hey, sorry to interrupt but how do I pick my class?”

“Yeah no worries, a lot of people have been wondering about that. Apparently in LS, your class doesn't determine what you do, instead what you do determines your class. Once you have some skills and achievements under your belt, you can choose a class from options that depend on your actions and abilities at the adventures guild.”

“Oh, so I just have to get some knight-related skills or act like a knight and then I can get the knight class.”

“Yes, but you should wait until you’re sure you get the class you want. It will be rather difficult to change your class once it’s been selected.”

To get the class of knight, Luther starts by seeking out any hints about knights in the starting town. He eventually hears rumors of a retired knight named Dion who is usually out drinking at the local pub ‘The Iron Antler’. After hearing about the knight, Luther quickly made his way to the pub. Surely interacting with a real knight had to be the first step in order to becoming one himself.

Once he had entered the dingy pub he was greeted with the sight of a dignified man in polished armor tossing an old griseled drunk against the wall. The drunk had tanned and scared skin with a salt and pepper beard that was more salt than pepper. Surely the warrior must have been the knight he was looking for. The warrior turned away from the drunk and made his way out of the door before calling back over his shoulder.

“Don't forget my money next time, Dion!”

Those six simple words shattered Luther's lofty expectations of what the retired knight would be like. However, that didn't change how badly he wanted to be a knight himself. He went over to help the old drunk get up from the floor before clearing his throat.

“Sir Dion, I have always wanted to be a knight. Please teach me how to fight!”

Dion looked Luther up and down, his eyes immediately becoming sharper and clearer as he suddenly seemed more like the season knight Luther had been expecting.

“Hmph, so if I'm getting this right, you want me to teach you how to fight like a knight…? Hmmm, I’ll tell you what, I'm quite a fan of this drinking establishment you see. If you clear out the rats in the basement as a favor to them from me, I'll reward you with the right to use the swordsmanship of an Arkadian knight. Plus, if you do well I'll even let you keep my old blade.”

Dion went back to his seat and brought out a long slender package gingerly and tenderly wrapped in an old worn blanket.

“If you wish to practice swordsmanship, that cheap wooden club you have there won't be of much use. Take this.”

The old knight said gesturing towards the starting weapon that everyone playing the game had been given. Once Dion finished speaking, he slowly unwrapped the bundle. Luther had been expecting a thick heavy rusty great sword. But instead, the blade he was being handed was a beautiful silver rapier. The blade's mere presence changed Luther’s image of what a dignified and elegant weapon should be.

“Thank you sir, I shall always use it with honor and respect.”

“Yes she really is a beauty, isn’t she? But, that is enough of that kid. For now, go kill some rats and show me what you got.” Dion said with a proud grin, seeing the adoration in Luther’s eyes.

A quest screen then appeared in front of Luther.

<QUEST:

Arkadian Knight Training (Beginner): Hands-on combat practice.

Slay 0/25 Drunk Rats

REWARD:

10 silver, Retired Knights Silver Rapier, Skill:<Arkadian Knights Swordsmanship: Fencing>

Rapier in his hand and excitement in his heart, Luther proudly strode into the grimy rat-infested basement to defeat the rats as Dion watched from the stairs.

The task was actually the perfect starting training for a speed and precision weapon like the rapier. As he entered the basement, rats started stumbling out from behind the barrels of cheap beer to see their sudden visitor. Once they noticed Luther’s blade, their slow drunken movements started to turn into a quick drunken charge. Luther took down one rat after another. He was able to see how their small size and sudden unpredictable movement made them the perfect opponent to train how to quickly and precisely thrust with his blade to strike a target's weak spot. The fact that the rats were drunk on the tavern’s wine and beer slowed them down enough to be on Luther’s level.

Once he had taken the last rat down in a single strike, he began to better understand and appreciate the rapier. “Well done, boy! You might just have what it takes to become a true Knight of Arkadia one day. I'm a man of my word, my blade and skill are now yours. May you use them well.

<Quest: Arkadian Knight Training (Beginner): Hands-on combat practice: Completed.

Reward: 100 exp, 10 silver, Arkadian Silver Rapier, and the skill <Arkadian Knights Swordsmanship: Fencing>

How could Luther have possibly known that this skill would be the first step to becoming the most dangerous man in all of LS?

Excited by the new skill and other quest rewards, but too tired to hunt any more monsters Luther had an idea.

‘Before I log out I should accept every quest in the starting town I can, before other players take them all. Side quests are the best part of any RPG I'd hate to miss one.’

All across LS new players were slowly gaining experience hunting low-level monsters in the starting forest to level up. But not Luther, he spent the next several hours talking with as many NPC in town as possible. Spending his time and mindlessly collecting and accepting every quest he could find for the time being until 6 hours later…

Well surely that was enough for now, he should probably go back to the real world to get something to eat. However, Luther sought desperately for the log-out button of the system window on the player's control screen and found no such thing.

The sky shattered into pitch black night, stealing away all the color except for the suffocating illumination of the now blood-red sun. Even the red disappears for a moment leaving no light in a world of terrifying all-consuming darkness as the sun blinks. No, as it opens the sun reveals itself to be a massive eye as the second eye opens. Bone white jagged fanged teeth in a heinously wicked grin, raised from the horizon like a nightmarish sun dawning. The Nightmarish face in the sky began to laugh.

“ HA HA HA!! YOU'RE ALL FINALLY STARTING TO FIGURE IT OUT, AREN’T YOU? ”

The sound that formed it’s laughter and words could hardly be called a voice. The booming laughter rang and echoed like thunder. The sounds of the words shook the earth like that of an earthquake. The voice was a natural disaster made manifest. This was the voice of the calamity that had just stolen the lives of the majority of the human race. The calamity opened it’s fanged maw to speak once more and out of a petrifying fear, nobody dared to interrupt it.

“ HELLO ONE AND ALL, THE TRUE GAME CAN NOW BEGIN! AND I SHALL BE THE GOD OF THIS GAME, I AM THE GAME MASTER!”

Those words felt less like a welcome and more like a death sentence.

“ How do we get out!? How do we go home!?” Asked a truly brave soul.

“ OH, THAT’S THE BEST PART. YOU DON'T! YOU READ THE BOX, THIS GAME IS YOUR NEW LIFE. WELCOME TO THE FIRST DAYS OF YOUR LIFE SENTENCE!”