Chapter 2

Jack quickly sits down on his bed and opens up the box, the first thing he sees when he opens up the box is a big piece of paper that says: 'Welcome to The World Online, the future is here' with a few big of graphics of various locations in the game, there's an area of ice, an area of trees, a massive kingdom with castle and some massive creatures.

Jack smiles to himself, 'that truly was fast delivery' he says to himself while digging through the box further. There isn't much to the box just the piece of paper which simply says on reverse side, 'To start the game, place the crystal on your forehead' and a box which when opened has a weird looking crystal that is shaped like it can only be placed on the head.

It's truly barebones given very little presentation but it is still in a beta trial phase so maybe the retail packages aren't done yet and they just want to get the items out?

Jack decides to just ignore the suspicions in his mind, simply lays down on the bed and places the crystal on his head. Very quickly his body is transported back to the weird room he was in yesterday during the Red Sky event with the same crystals above his head, still shining randomly.

Looking around he can see nothing different from yesterday, slightly confused he starts to walk around the room, touching the walls, touching the floor, trying to reach the crystals floating near the ceiling but nothing changes, as though he is stuck in this weird room.

"User, this unit has detected a spirit binding device has been used on your body, would you like this unit to interface between this device and your spirit?" a voice resounds while Jack is randomly running his hand along the wall causing him to pause for a moment.

Jack's confused yet again, what is speaking to him? What is a spirit binding device? What unit?. Just as he's about to speak out loud, a prompt appears infront of him.

'Allow SU928 to interface with new device?' with a yes or no button in a holographic fashion infront of him.

Jack thinks for a moment but knowing that he wouldn't get any answers, he simply decides to press Yes. As soon as he presses that, his vision is transported from the crystal room and he's placed in a hall with a friendly looking person infront of him.

"Welcome to The World Online, you are a part of the Beta test and to thank you for your services to humanity, we have decided to allow you a single entry into the hall of trials" the person infront of him says, this person is a friendly looking store clerk wearing fantasy robes, all her dialog is coming up in a text box above her.

"Do you have any questions?" the woman asks, her name simply being NPC.

"Uh, what is that weird room with all the crystals that I was just in?" Jack asks the NPC who just blankly stares at him, blinking slowly.

"Sorry sir, I do not have any information on that, if you'd like to send a request to the parent company you can, now would you like to attempt the hall of trials?" the NPC asks as though she's getting impatient.

Looking around the room, it just looks like a hall in some sort of guild that you'd see in a game but there's a lack of people. After seeing nothing of note that'll help him solve the issues in his head and looking at the impatient NPC, he sighs and says "Sure I'll take the trial".

The NPC then smiles and a prompt appears infront of Jack, he quickly selects to begin the trial and he's again teleported to somewhere different. This time he's in a dark room with a single altar infront of him, a book is open on the altar lit by a single candle, creating an eerie atmosphere.

Jack walks upto the book slowly and touches it, instantly his mind is assaulted with deviant thoughts, thoughts that he'd never think up, "What would that NPC's flesh taste like?", "How good would it feel to have taken that muggers knife and stabbed him in the heart?", "How dare that girl reject you, you deserve her body", "Just do what you want, who cares about the consequences, only you are important" these thoughts invade his mind and are almost impossible to resist.

Jack bites his tongue to bring his mind back to the present, his vision returns to normal after seeing the scenes in his mind of all those acts those thoughts were talking about, he can feel a nasty smile on his face and if he were to get a mirror he would see that his pupils have constricted and turns almost glowing red.

Jack focuses his mind and attempts to turn the book's page, as soon as he does that he is transported to another room except this time, it's a scene from his orphanage. He's currently 8 years old and is quite close with another girl, but this girl is being placed into a different home that doesn't have a good reputation.

"Jack, I'm scared, I don't want to separate from you and go there, all the other girls from there say all the men there do bad things and you can't do anything about it" the girl says with teary eyes.

Jack reaches out to pat her head, he truly has forgotten about this in his past, he has even forgot the girl's name but looking at her right now, he can only feel pity in his heart. He wants to protect her but what can he do, he's just 8 years old and at the mercy of the system too.

"It's ok, I wont let them take you" Jack replies while trying to calm down the girl, but several people walk into the room, they are the current orphanage director, a few workers and 3 men from the new foster care place.

"She's cute, ok girly come on" one of the men says while reaching out to her, the girl shaking further looking like she'll start bawling and gripping Jack's clothes in fear. Jack can feel his heart tearing and makes a decision.

He stands up and pushes the girl behind him, glaring at all the adults in front of him.

"Boy, get out of the way if you know what's good for you" one of the men reaches out and grabs Jack's shoulder attempting to push him out of the way, Jack attempts to struggle free of his grip.

"Boy, we aren't going to hurt your little girlfriend, if you let her go we'll even let you see her sometimes" another man says attempting to solve the situation.

"Jack, let them take Felicity to a better home, we promise she'll be well looked after" the orphanage director jumps into the situation too, Jack knows her and almost listens to her but he is reminded of the girl that's tugging on his clothes so he takes another look at her.

Jack looks into her wide teary eyes and he decides that he can't be stopped from protecting the ones that he cares about, reaching out he makes a solemn oath in his heart, 'Not even the gods can stop me from protecting them' and stands his ground.

The leading man is pissed off at this kid that is defying him and immediately goes to pick up and throw the kid out of the way, Jack slips out of his grab and lands a solid punch on the mans stomach who somehow flies backwards to the wall.

Jack is shocked at this and looks at his fist, having no idea what is going on but accepting it, he steps back infront of the girl and says, "I'll protect you, believe in me" with a smile which causes the girl to break down in tears and she nods her head.

Jack turns back around to look at the other men but his vision changes again and he's out in a field. The scene looks like a movie, people are rushing through the forest as though they're looking for something. Jack looks at his clothes and sees that he is wearing something that looks like beggar clothing.

"If no one can find the creature within the next hour, 1000 slaves will die starting with the children" a loud shout can be heard, the people wearing a uniform around him with weapons all have a crazed look in their eyes.

Jack has no idea what's going on but decides to just start searching around for this creature that they're not given any description of. He makes his way to a stream after hunting a rabbit to clean, there are muddy footprints everywhere but the stream is still crystal clear.

He looks in the reflection and can see that his appearance is the same as his current real life one, not knowing what this is about he backs away from the stream and searches through some trees but is interrupted by a large white snake sliding around the base of the tree.

The snake is creeping around slowly but if one were to look closely, they would be able to see various cuts on its body and even missing part of its tail, looking rather weak and sickly. Jack stops moving and just watches the snake and when their eyes meet, the snake rears up looking like it'll strike him.

Jack just stands still and continues to stare at the snake, looking into its eyes but instead of seeing a vicious killer, he can see the same eyes as the girl from the orphanage, the human like teary eyes of someone that just wants someone to protect them.

Jack sighs to himself, the snake hisses back at him but Jack then just reaches out and hands the rabbit that he just cleaned to the snake. The snake has no idea why Jack would offer the rabbit, but it flicks its tongue then quickly eats the snake.

"I wonder if you're what we're after, you look rather beautiful as I've never seen a pure white snake like you, if you are then there's a ravine not too far from here that you might be able to hide in until we leave this area" Jack says as though he knows the area.

The snake just continues to look at him, gives his hand a nudge and then slowly goes to the way he pointed.

"Sorry I can't do anymore for you" Jack mutters and walks away but when he's not too far away, he hears shouting.

"It's over here, It's over here"

Suddenly there's the sounds of rushing horses and a loud snake hiss can be heard, along with the screams of the man that just shouted. Jack decides to rush over but he sees that 2 cavalry have beaten him there and are already stabbing at the snake with their spears.

"Stop it!" Jack decides to forgo all pretenses and just jumps straight into action, he jumps up and lets out a punch, knocking one of the cavalry off his horse and into a nearby tree with a hard thud. He has no idea why he is suddenly super strong but he's not concerned with that.

"Slave do you know what you're doing, The Lord wants this Holy White Snake's skin and he will skin you alive for what you have done" the cavalry left alive says while holding his spear to the snake still.

The snake is just staring at Jack as though it has a lot of intelligence.

"I don't care, this snake doesn't deserve this and I'll protect it" Jack shouts while holding his hand over his heart, feeling his emotions getting away from him.

"You'll die for this animal and wont ever get a thanks" the cavalry says while taking his spear away from the snake and urging his horse to trample over Jack.

Jack dodges the spear and lets out another punch with the same result, somehow the cavalry flies back. The snake slowly slides upto Jack and lets a flickering of its tongue hit his cheeks, which causes Jack to smile at the snake which he could swear is smiling back at him.

The scene suddenly shifts and Jack is being led up to a stage with a black bag over his head, he can hear sounds around him and he is being led by a rope around his neck and hands.

"This slave here is responsible for the Holy White Snake escaping from Our Lord and will be killed as a reminder to all other slaves, do not disobey" a loud shout can be heard.

Jack is led step by step, his heart heavy and confused but glad that the snake got away. He slowly makes his way to a large stage infront of a crowd, lots of on lookers including slaves and soldiers looking like they're here for a show.

"Slave, do you admit your fault so that you may absolve your crime?" the voice loudly asks.

Jack thinks for a moment before loudly shouting, "No!" as soon as he says that he is knocked to his knees and his head is forced down and locked in place.

"Slave, for your crime of disobeying an order and for hurting several soldiers and horses, you are to be punished by beheading" the voice loudly shouts. Jack is unable to move but his knuckles still make an audible cracking noise.

"Kill him"

"Kill the bastard"

"The only good slave is a dead slave"

"Get on with it"

….

Shouting can be heard causing Jack's heart to chill, knowing that this is how easily the public can turn vicious. He thinks back to all the times when he joined in condemning someone just based on public opinion and his heart turns cold. He suddenly remembers the teary eyes of the girl and the snake and a smile sneaks onto his face.

"Begin!" a loud shout can be heard and a slash can be heard above his head but the scene suddenly shifts back to the book he started at, he looks at the blank book and turns another page and the scene shifts.

"Your Majesty, these beautiful women shall be yours if you give my great nation of Fire Mountain several villages, we are willing to also sign an alliance treaty for 10 years" a man is kneeling infront of Jack who is sitting on a throne, this is a golden palace that Jack has never seen before.

Jack takes a look at the man, looks at the women that are waiting at the back of the room who are all quite beautiful and are giving out a rather seductive charm, Jack is looking at them one by one, each one is giving a flirty look to him but one in particular has the familiar wide eyes from the girl and snake.

Jack motions for that woman to approach him which she does, she proceeds to kneel in front of his throne but Jack forces her to look him in the eyes during which he can see something weird. There is a purple circle around her iris that he has never seen before, looking closely all the women seem to have it.

Jack steps up and walks upto the wide eye woman, he then walks over to the other women while all the other people in the throne room are stationary not knowing what is going on. Jack can see that all the other women have this same purple colour around their iris.

"I will not be giving you the villages nor will you be taking these women back, for attempting to poison this king, you shall die here with your head sent back to Fire Mountain Nation" Jack loudly announces with soldiers rushing into the room upon hearing the decree.

Everyone around the room is stunned, even the man that was talking earlier and he's visibly sweating and shaking not knowing what's going on but also looking rather guilty.

"What are you talking about your majesty? How did Fire Mountain Nation try to poison you? Aren't you afraid of Fire Mountain Nation attacking your small kingdom?" the man shouts while being restrained.

"These women have been infected with a charm technique, anyone that touches them will be charmed by them and become a puppet not knowing what's going on" Jack says while not thinking about how he knew this information.

"You're wrong, these women have innate purple heron bloodline that causes their iris have a purple tinge to them" the man loudly shouts while he is being dragged away.

Jack doesn't respond to him and the man is taken away, the scene shifts again and he is in a large hall filled with women. Each one of them more beautiful than anyone Jack has ever seen, each one in seductive positions, making seductive gestures and playing with each other.

Jack just smiles at each of them and slowly walks up the path in the centre of the room, at the end of this path is the open blank book with the familiar candle that is no longer lit. Step by step he is walking, the seductiveness is getting to him and his mind starts to wander.

His pupils slowly develop a purple glaze over them and he starts to stray from the path but he bites his tongue again and remembers the teary eyed females from earlier, he needs to ensure he's strong enough to protect them properly next time.

His steps get heavier and heavier but he reaches the end and turns around to look at the scene around him but everything just vanishes as soon as he's in front of the book. He looks down at the book which now has the text, "Hall of trials passed, points 28387433".

Jack turns the page, 'Holy White Dragon Empire lineage unlocked', 'Bonus stats Unlocked – City Production bonus 20%, various stats blah'. He raises his eyebrows at the fact he unlocked some sort of Holy White Dragon Empire and is reminded of the snake but was that snake really a white dragon?

The rest of the book is filled with various information about the specialities of the White Dragon Empire but he has no idea what it really means at this point so he just closes the book which then proceeds to be absorbed into his body and his scene is shifted again and he's back at the first hall in front of the NPC woman.