<span style="font-weight: bold"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #FFBF00"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;">HERO SWORD VI</span><br/>COLLECTOR'S EDITION</span></span></div></span><br/><br/>Roger looked up at the golden text, squinting at it in disbelief. It wasn't the fact that the name looked like it had some out of some kind of cliche-RPG-name-generator (although that's exactly what it looked like. Hero Sword? Seriously? What ever happened to Glory Staff, or Legend Arrow, or Valor Axe? And it was the<span style="font-style: italic">6th one?</span>), but rather that the text was no longer appearing on his undersized, dusty television screen. It was right over his head, and not because he was wearing 3D glasses (as if this game would've been compatible with those- he didn't own any anyway), but because he was<span style="font-style: italic">in the game.</span><br/><br/>Roger could only stand there in shock, his eyes roving the area, seeing nothing but the other lines of text floating ahead of him. Well, he could also see that although he appeared to be in a 2D world he could actually see clouds in the distance, somehow. But aside from that, and the fact that he was in a 8 bit body, he couldn't see anything but the lines of text.<br/><br/>He wondered if he was simply dreaming, or if he was suffering some kind of hallucination- the alternative was pretty difficult to believe, after all. People didn't get sucked into games. Well not in the literal sense, anyway. If it<span style="font-style: italic">was</span>the case, however, he decided he didn't much care. He didn't have many friends, his home life sucked, he was terrible at school (while he wasn't necessarily stupid, he hated reading and he sucked ass at math) and he didn't think he'd be missed anyway.<br/><br/>If it was a dream, it felt very real. The ground under his blocky, indistinct feet felt somewhat rough, anyway. With a shrug, he took a look at the words floating beneath the game's title.<br/><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #FFBF00"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="font-size: 115%; line-height: 116%;">CONTINUE<br/>HELP AND OPTIONS<br/>NEW GAME<br/>LOAD GAME<br/>DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT<br/>QUIT</span></span></span></div><br/><br/><br/>Suddenly very aware of the bizarre, 8 bit body he was in, Roger jumped up (he attempted in inhale as he did so, idly realizing that he didn't seem able to breathe, nor did he seem to<span style="font-style: italic">need</span>to) and smacked 'NEW GAME' with a weird, fingerless hand.<br/><br/>He blinked as his surroundings changed into the interior of a dark cave. He hadn't had the opportunity to really examine the graphics of his environment before (those clouds didn't look all that great, but aside from that there hadn't been much to look at), but now he could see that the rocky boundaries of the enclosure looked decently composed. He could definitely make out some kind of pattern if he stared closely. Preoccupied with the things around him as he was, it was a moment before he realized that his body was no longer visible. It also felt rather… naked, though he guessed that didn't much matter since he was invisible anyway. Plus, it wasn't like he was standing on a stage in front of an audience or anything.<br/><br/>He abruptly turned around, as if to make sure that wasn't the case, before remembering the invisible part and relaxing again. With nothing else to do, he aimlessly moved forward until a new line of text popped up in front of him.<br/><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #FFBF00"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="font-size: 115%; line-height: 116%;">ARE YOU A BOY OR A GIRL?</span></span></span></div><br/><br/><br/>He quickly selected 'BOY' and watched, entranced, as the environment around him changed yet again as the features of the cave came into greater focus. He was starting to enjoy this, the waiting, the wondering what would be coming at him next. The thought, the possibility that this was all just a dream and that he'd be waking up at any moment sent him into a bit of a panic.<span style="font-style: italic">Not yet. Please, not yet.</span><br/><br/>Before he could do more than feel horror at the thought of waking up in the dingy, smelly apartment where he lived with his mom and her shitty boyfriend, a new line of text appeared.<br/><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #FFBF00"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="font-size: 115%; line-height: 116%;"> CHOOSE YOUR RACE</span></span></span></div><br/><br/><br/>Normally, in games like this he always strived to be as different as he could in comparison to his real life. However now, given the possibility that this<span style="font-style: italic">was</span>his new life (hopefully), he decided it would be best to go with something he was comfortable with. Being comfortable might mean doing better in the game, which might translate to living longer. He assumed he could remain in this world for as long as he survived, and so with that in mind he clicked on 'HUMAN', which was the option located at the very top of the list. No need to scroll down.<br/><br/>Idly, he realized he was wearing some kind of loincloth, and then a moment later he realized he had a body. It was just about average height and rather muscular; his arms and chest suggested he started every day with 100 pushups before bench pressing a family of 4. It was definitely a far cry from the gangly, thin faced kid he had long since grown tired of seeing in the mirror. The cave was even more well defined now, and he could make out faint cracks in the walls around him. The detail was pretty impressive- if anything, he'd have said it resembled real life.<br/><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #FFBF00"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="font-size: 115%; line-height: 116%;"> CHOOSE YOUR CLASS</span></span></span></div><br/><br/><br/>Once again, it didn't take him long to find what he was looking for. His whole life he'd relied on working his way around obstacles, avoiding the bigger people who wanted to beat him up in favor of sneaking past, or taking a cheap shot when the opportunity presented itself. He studied the 'ROGUE' description, and although he didn't think he'd have been willing to assassinate people in real life, in this world he figured the ability would come in useful. Sometimes outright force works, and other times you stab living things repeatedly in the back until they become dead things.<br/><br/>He selected it, and then found himself garbed in lightweight, black leather armor from shoulders to toe. His head was hooded, which he thought was pretty badass in itself, but then he grinned widely at the sight of the scabbard hanging on the right side of his belt. He would've worried about how the game could possibly know he was right-handed, but he was too busy pulling the blade out of the sheath for inspection. If he was going to be a rogue, a thief, an assassin, he needed a good knife, and-<br/><br/>He drew the butter knife and frowned down at it for a long time before silently putting it back in its sheath.<br/><br/>He supposed it made sense, starting off with the worst gear, but he still would've expected something a bit more impressive than a tool used for spreading condiments on toast.<br/><br/>Roger updated his appearance next, rifling through different facial features until he found something that looked much nicer than his actual face. There was no reason to replicate<span style="font-style: italic">that</span>. He gave himself a normal sized nose (his actual one was somewhat long) and a nice, cool looking black goatee. His complexion was pale like in real life, but minus all the marks and red spots he'd had for as long as he could remember.<br/><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #FFBF00"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="font-size: 115%; line-height: 116%;">YOU MUST CHOOSE A NAME</span></span></span></div><br/><br/><br/>He paused, feeling somewhat uncertain for the first time since finding himself in the game world. Roger Stevens was hardly a suitable name for a fantasy character. Steven Rogers? Steve Rogers? No, that was ridiculous. Then, just when he was starting to feel like he should just pick something at random, it came to him.<br/><br/>Recently he'd really been into the whole "Thor" thing, and he'd tried to read up on all the people from that place, Assguard. He wasn't exactly certain if that was what it was called, but then again he wasn't much of a reader so that came as no surprise.<br/><br/>"Assguard!"<br/><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #FFBF00"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="font-size: 115%; line-height: 116%;">ASSGUARD</span></span></span></div><br/><br/><br/>As he stared at the name, he realized his mistake.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Wow. I would've looked pretty stupid if I left it like this.</span><br/><br/>He changed it, then smiled up at the finished product.<br/><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #FFBF00"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="font-size: 115%; line-height: 116%;">ASSGUARDIAN</span></span></span></div><br/><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Perfect. Can't be named after the</span>place,<span style="font-style: italic">after all.</span><br/><br/>With the naming complete, he moved confidently forward to the cave's exit up ahead, which led him… right into another cave. This time was different, however, as there was actually something outside the cave that didn't appear to simply be more cave. He stared at the numerous, pickaxe wielding… things, that flailed futily at the red, see-through barrier blocking them off from the inside.<br/><br/>"The hell are those thi-"<br/><br/>Before he could finish his question, directed to no one in particular, he noticed two other people standing there. They were staring at the barrier, and at some text hovering over it. He walked forward, squinting up at the golden words.<br/><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #FFBF00"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="font-size: 115%; line-height: 116%;">WAITING FOR OTHER PLAYERS TO CONNECT. PLEASE BE PATIENT</span></span></span></div><br/><br/>He looked from the words to the others, a dwarf and some kind of wizard, by the looks of them, and nodded for a greeting.<br/><br/>"Sup."