Midsully, suggested that I do a story based on Sword Art Online, but I wanted to add a few things to make it more interesting. I hope you enjoy it.

The year was 2022 and today was the brand-new release of a Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game, or VRMMORPG, called Dragon Age Online. The game was based around high fantasy role-playing game created in 2009, called Dragon Age Origins.

A eighteen year old was looking at his TV, which was showing a prologue of the game he was about to play. Once it was over a report appeared on a screen, she setting behind her desk with a large monitor behind showing images of gaming stores with a large line of people in front of each and every one.

"Hi there," said the reporter. "Time for this week's MMO Stream. You've just seen a prologue of today's featured game and this is what last week's launch day looks like. Can you guess what everyone is waiting in line for? Dragon Age online! The first person who stood in line said they camped for three days. Hey, if you're a hard-core gamer that's what you do."

As she was talking the boy was reading the article about the game. It showed an image of the creator of the game, a pioneer in VRMMORPG, Alvin Trench.

"On today's episode of MMO Stream, we'll be covering the international famous Dragon AGE Online, a.k.a. DAO, up to now none of various software we've seen has taken advantage of the possibilities of the hardware of the hardware."

"Son, I'm off to work," the boy's father called from behind the door. "See you later."

The boy looked out of the window to see his father leaving for work. His father was a mountain of a man with a huge red beard and he was so busy at work he only had time for him.

"The beta testers say it's incredible," said the reporter excitedly. "I wish I could have got one. The first release was only permitted to ten thousand copies and those fans in line snapped them up and online the game sold out in seconds."

The boy then walked over to a device that looked a lot like a helmet, it wasn't easy since he was missing his left leg, which he lost during a car accident. In truth it was a device called a NerveGear. It was invented by Alvin himself and allow the user to enter into a virtual reality.

He placed the helmet on his head, plugging the cord, placed the Dragon Age Online game in the console and lay down on his bed. About a minute later, his eyes closed and said, "Link start!"

In that split second he entered into virtual reality and once he selected his language, input his account and password and selected his character the game began. The first thing he saw was the big letters saying Welcome to Dragon Age Online! then he found himself in a large city.

He blinked his eyes just to get the feel of the surroundings and found that he had successful entered the game.

"Hello world, I'm back," he said.

His name in the game was Hiccup and he was a human rogue. The game had different classes and species, the classes were divided into three sections warrior, rogue and mage, and there were total of four species, human, elf, dwarf and Qunari. Each specie had its own advantages and each class had its own abilities.

The main objective of the game was to conquer every single island on the 100 floors of the large castle, Aincrad, they were inside in, which was floating in mid-air. Each island has its own boss and in order to move onto the next four you have to beat that boss, naturally there will be no way you could do it on your own so you have to team up with other players.

Soon more people appeared and they too began to cheer as they successively entered the game as well. In fact you could hear their cries all across the city.

Hiccup in waste any time and began running through the streets and that caught the eye of a brown haired elf.

"Hey, wait!" the elf yelled running after him.

Hiccup came to a stop. "What's up?"

"You're acting like you know your way around this place and I can only guess that you were one of the beta testers, weren't you?" the elf said slyly.

Hiccup rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Uh, yeah."

The elf smiled. "Cool, today is my first day and I was hoping you could give me some tips on the lower floors."

"Uh… I don't know if I can—"

"Oh, I'm not asking you for something for nothing. If you help me I'll help you in conquering the islands. You have to admit you can't do it by yourself and I happen to be a mage and you know it's very rare to see a mage."

The elf made a good point, having him on his side would help him enormously with conquering the islands and they were very rarely picked class. Trying to find another mage would be next to impossible.

"You're on," said Hiccup extending his hand.

The elf grabbed his hand and shook it. "Awesome, my name is Ragnar."

"Hiccup."

Hiccup then guided him to the outskirts of the city and they began training. It was then that Hiccup noticed that Ragnar wasn't using a staff, he was using a sword.

"I thought you said you were mage?" he said curiously.

"I am, but a battle mage and I find sword much easier to hold than a staff," Ragnar explained. "I do have a staff, but only to boost my magic and all. I rather not announce to everyone that I'm a mage."

Hiccup could see the logic in that, mage class may have powerful magics, but the role every week on fence and defence. Normally they would hang back and help the distance far away from the battle as they could still lending support.

But Ragnar was in the midst of battle where his magic could be more beneficial and easier to hit his mark. Of course, this meant that he was putting himself in danger, but from what he could see so far he was handling so pretty well.

"An interesting tactic," said Hiccup.

Ragnar shrugged. "You have to admit it'll catch the enemy by surprise."

"Just remember that some enemies will have a resistance to magic or at least one type of it, like fire or ice," Hiccup advised.

Ragnar nodded. "Yeah, I heard there were special accessories that limited the damage to most magical attacks."

"Word of advice when dealing with an enemy. If you have your initial motion just right and activate a sword skill at the right time…" Hiccup and picked up a stone and then toss that the wild boar. As he threw it the stone had a red aura around it and it slammed into the boar with a great amount of force. "The system pretty much guarantees you always had your target."

Thanks to the NeverGear the two boys were able to see the boar's health and saw a drop down the moment the stone slammed into it.

"Initial motion?" said Ragnar.

"He is an easier way of looking at it," said Hiccup as he drew his sword. The boar then charged at him and he easily dodged it and when the board charged them once again he blocked it with his sword easily. "Right after you start your move, wait for a little bit and when you feel the skill start activate, drive it home."

Ragnar nodded. "Drive it home?"

He then raised his sword and it began to glow red and Hiccup smiled, releasing the boar and kicked it towards him. The boar charge straight at him, but before it could make contact Ragnar slashed his sword setting a powerful shockwave towards it.

The boar didn't stand a chance and it was sliced in half and seconds later it disintegrated. Ragnar then got a notice informing him of the amount of experience, Gil and the number items he got from slain it.

"Not bad," said Hiccup, but he was slightly curious. "How are you able to do that? I mean, an attack that powerful requires training and you send you won't a beta tester."

Ragnar shrugged. "Dumb luck?" He then looked at the other wild boars. "I take it that was a low-level monsters."

"Yeah, it was."

"Still, it was pretty tough."

"If you think that was tough wait until you see the bosses."

"I think I would prefer to wait until I'm on a higher level."

They both laughed.

"Tell me, how do the level up system work in this game?" Ragnar asked looking at his sword.

"Just like in normal games, but there an unlimited number of skills which can give you bonuses as you level up. In fact there are some areas in the game where you can't enter without the right level of skill and by mastering a number of skills you get a bonus."

Ragnar whistled. "Boy, they really outdid themselves when they made this game."

"Yeah, it is a bit much to take in."

"What do you say we move on?" said Ragnar sheathing in his sword.

"You're on," said Hiccup doing the same.

Later that afternoon they both stared at the sunset and looked across the land. The island itself was large, in fact from where they were they couldn't even see the sea, but they knew that he did surround the place.

"You know, when I look around I can't believe it," said Ragnar as he laid on the grass. "We're inside a game. Alvin Trench is a genius. Makes you glad you were born when you did, doesn't it?"

Hiccup shook his head. "It's not that big a deal."

"Give me a break, it's my first full dive."

Hiccup looked at him. "You never used a NerveGear before today, huh? This is your first time ever?"

"My mum doesn't like me using one. In the end I had to buy one behind her back, in fact she does even though I have one."

Hiccup stared him. "Why would your mum not want you to use a NerveGear?"

Ragnar shrugged. "I don't know, maybe she's concerned for my safety or something." He then looked at him. "You know you're kinda lucky. I mean you got a beta test and only a thousand people got the chance."

Hiccup of the back of his head. "Ya, I guess I was lucky."

"So, how far did get in the beta test?" Ragnar asked.

"Uh, in two months and I can get any further than floor eight. But now I think I can get there within a month easy."

Ragnar smiled. "And I'll be there to help you along the way."

"I could always use the help. You know, ever since I got to beta test the game, DAO has been on my mind day and night." Hiccup then drew his blade. "In this world a single blade can take you anywhere you want to go. And even though it's a virtual world, I feel more alive here than I ever did in the real one."

He then looked down at Ragnar. "So? You want to go hunting?"

"I would love to, but I best logout before my mum shows. She's at work and she always comes back at five thirty on the dot. If she finds out I bought a NeverGear behind her back she's going to kill me."

Hiccup chuckled. "Yeah, I can see why you want to leave."

Ragnar then got onto his feet. "Anyway, the game can wait. It's not like it's going anywhere."

Hiccup sighed. "I guess."

This didn't get unnoticed by Ragnar. "It's something the matter?"

"No… it's nothing," Hiccup assured.

"If you say so," Ragnar shrugged.

Hiccup watched as Ragnar opened his main menu screen and began to walk away.

"What?" said Ragnar. Hiccup came to a sudden stop and looked at him. "Where's the Logout button?"

"It should be there," said Hiccup puzzled.

"Well it's not."

"It should be at the bottom of the main menu."

He then opened his main menu, but he only found three buttons and they were Options, Help and the Exit button, but no Logout.

"See, I told you," said Ragnar noticing the puzzled look on his face.

"You're right, it's not," said Hiccup confused.

"This is one heck of a bug and I'm willing to bet the server people are freaking out right now."

"You will too," said Hiccup gesturing to the clock which now said five twenty-five. "Look, it's five twenty-five."

Ragnar looked horrified. "My mum is going to kill me!"

"You could try contacting the Game Master," Hiccup suggested.

"I already tried, but nothing is happening," said Ragnar showing Hiccup the screen that contacted the Game Master. "I suppose you know if there is another way to log out of this thing?"

Hiccup thought for moment. "No, whenever a player wants to logout of DAO the only way they can do it is by going through the menu."

Ragnar stared at him horrified. "So… what you're saying is were stuck here."

Hiccup rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm afraid so. I read the manual from cover to cover and there was no emergency logout."

"Please tell me you're kidding," Ragnar begged.

"I wish and what's worse you not able to move your body in the real role once you're plugged in. The NerveGear in a set all your commands you give from inside the game using an interface built into the rig."

"So you mean we've got to wait until someone gets around and fixing this bug."

"That or until someone in the real world comes along and takes the NeverGear off us."

"You know that's a very comforting to someone whose mum is gonna kill them the moment she finds out that they've bought the stuff to play this game behind her back," Ragnar sighed. "What about you?"

"Well, there's my dad and mum, but the two of them are divorced and my dad spends a lot of time at work."

"Oh, sorry to hear that," said Ragnar rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.

"Never mind that. Don't you think this is weird?"

"Only an idiot would believe this isn't weird," said Ragnar with a raised eyebrow. "You think it's more than just a bug, don't you?"

Hiccup looked around. "Yeah, if we can't logout it's going to cause serious problems for the game."

"You've got a point, I can only imagine how much the companies can be sued," said Ragnar rubbing his chin.

"I wonder the developers don't know what's happening, because they can just shut down the server and log everyone out?" Hiccup pondered. "But why haven't they made an announcement?"

"Something is definitely up," Ragnar agreed.

Then they have the gong of a bell and Hiccup felt an ominous feeling around. Next second both he and Ragnar vanished into thin air.

Seconds later, Hiccup found himself back in the town centre along with Ragnar and then all round them other players began to reappear. Judging from to their faces they had no idea what was going on either.

"This doesn't look good," said Ragnar.

"Someone forced a teleport," said Hiccup.

The bell then stopped and then someone pointed up in the sky. "Look, up there!"

"Now what?" Hiccup groaned looking up.

Up in the sky was a red icon that said Warning. Suddenly more similar icons appeared in the sky until the entire area was covered in them. The sky was now an eerie red and what looked like blood oozed out in between the lines of the icons.

The blood then began to take form and they saw sparks of electricity sparking the form.

"What in the hell is that thing?" said Ragnar.

Eventually the blood stopped pouring and it took the form of a large man in a blood red robe in his entire face was covered by a hood. Hiccup recognises it at once, it was the Game Master.

The players began to talk amongst themselves.

"Is that the Game Master?"

"Why doesn't he have a face?"

"Is this an event?"

"I'm scared," said a girl.

"Don't worry, its part of the opening ceremony," said the young man next to her as he hugged her.

Hiccup had a feeling that it was going to be something more.

"Attention, players!" The Game Master announced. "I welcome you, to my world."

Hiccup like the sound of that. "What does he mean by that?"

"I don't know, but I have a feeling it's not going to be good," Ragnar whispered.

The Game Master then continued. "My name is Alvin Trench… and as of this moment I am in control of this world."

Hiccup gasped, the Game Master was Alvin Trench, the creator of the game and the NerveGear. Apparently everyone else was surprised as they began muttering amongst themselves.

He then continued. "I'm sure most of you have already noticed an item missing from the main menus. The logout button." He then demonstrated by opening his own main menu screen. "Let me assure you, this is not a defect in the game. I repeat… this is not a defect. This is how Dragon Age Online was designed to be."

Ragnar just stared at him bewildered. "He's kidding, right?"

"You cannot logout yourself out of DAO and no one from the outside will be able to shut down or remove the NerveGear from your head. If anyone attempts to do so, a transmitter inside the NerveGear will discharge a microwave signal into your skull… destroying your brain and ending your life."

Hiccup can believe he was hearing this apparently everyone else was thinking the same thing. He noticed the boy and girl from earlier trying to walk out of the city centre, but they slammed into an invisible wall.

"Hey, I can't get out!" the boy yelled.

"I can't believe I'm hearing this," said Ragnar looking at Hiccup. "He has to crazy."

"I think he's deadly serious," said Hiccup darkly. "The transmitter signal in the headgear I just like microwaves, if the safety is disabled it could fry your brain."

"Couldn't someone try cutting the power?"

Hiccup shook his head. "That won't work, the NerveGear's got an internal battery."

"Okay, so he is crazy."

Alvin then began to speak again. "Despite my warning, the family and friends of some of the players have attempted to removing the NerveGear. An unfortunate decision to say the least… as a result the game now has two hundred thirteen less players when it began. They've been deleted from both Aincrad and the real world."

Hiccup stared horrified. "Two hundred thirteen."

"I hope he's lying," said Ragnar with the same horrified expression on his face.

Apparently Alvin thought everyone else was thinking the same, because he summoned up several news reports from the real world and display them in front of them. All of them were from different news centres, but they have the same story. He was telling the truth.

"As you can see international media outlets have around the world coverage of everything, including the deaths. At this point it's safe to assume the likelihood of another NerveGear being removed is minimal at best. I hope this brings a little comfort as you try to clear the game."

Comfort wasn't quite the word Hiccup would use. He can only imagine the reactions to the friends and family of all those people who have died.

"It's important that you remember the following, there is no longer any to arrive someone with in the game, if your HP drops to zero your avatar will deleted from the system… forever… and the NerveGear will simultaneously destroy your brain."

Hiccup stared horrified at him. This meant that this game had now become a game of survival and they will have to take it seriously or they die.

"There is only one way for a player to escape now. You must clear the game." He then showed them an image of Aincrad and began showing a pathway through all the islands and the one hundred floors. "Right now, you're gathered on floor one, the lowest level of Aincrad. If you can conquer the island and vanquished the boss, you may advance to the next floor. Defeat the boss on floor one hundred and you will clear the game."

Again the players began to talk amongst themselves.

"Why should we believe anything you say!" the boy from earlier yelled.

"He's not asking for much, is he?" said Ragnar. "Even the beta testers never reach it that high."

"Last but not least, I have placed a little present in the storage of every player," said Alvin. "Please, have a look."

Hiccup opened his main menu screen and look through his items. Indeed he had something in storage, a mirror.

"A mirror?" he said puzzled and pulled it out.

He looked at it not sure what to do with it and then suddenly Ragnar was covered in a strange light.

"Ragnar!" he yelled.

Before he realised that every player was glowing in the same light, including him. When the light faded he felt nothing wrong.

"You all right, Hiccup," Ragnar asked.

"Yeah," said Hiccup turning to look at him. However where Ragnar stood was a completely different person. "Wait, who are you?"

"I'm me, the question is who are you?"

Hiccup looked at the mirror and his eyes widened. His avatar had completely changed, he was now auburn haired with records covering his face and emerald green eyes. It was his real face. He also noticed that he had shrunk a bit and as did his body type.

He noticed people having the same problem, though they kept their individual species their faces were completely different and bodies. That wasn't the only thing that changed, most of them are changed sex.

"Son of a—" said the boy from earlier, it was now shorter and fatter. He was staring at the girls I was next to him, who turned out to be a guy. "You're a guy."

"You're not seventeen," the former girl replied.

Hiccup then realised, the mirror had changed their avatars to match their real bodies.

He then said at Ragnar. "Wait a second, Ragnar?"

"Hiccup?" said Ragnar.

Ragnar was now slightly taller and was packing a bit more muscle and his facial features are changed, except for his ears which are still pointy.

"Okay, what happened?" he said.

"The scan?" said Hiccup remembering all the features and the NerveGear. "There's a high-density signal device inside the NerveGear rig. It can see what faces look like, but how does it know our height and body type?"

"Don't forget when you first put it on, it asks you to do this calibration thing by touching your body will over," Ragnar reminded.

"That's it, that's how it got the physical data," said Hiccup.

"I still don't understand. Why would anyone do this?"

Hiccup looked up at Alvin. "I think he's about to tell us."

"Right now you're probably wondering why? Why would Alvin Trench, developer of Dragon Age Online and NerveGear, do this?" said Alvin. "Ultimately, my goal was a simple one. The reason I created Dragon Age Online was to control the fate of a world of my design."

Hiccup glared. "Alvin."

"As you can see, I have achieved my goal."

Hiccup clenched his fists, point of the game was to enjoy it and there was nothing enjoyable about a game where you can die in.

"This marks the end of the tutorial and the official launch of Dragon Age Online. Players, I wish you the best of luck."

Suddenly his avatar began to fade in and out like a glitch and began sucking up back into the cracks of the ceiling. Then the sky returned to normal and everyone stood there speechless.

Hiccup had a feeling that they were all thinking the same thing. It wasn't a game, it was now real. Alvin Trench created a virtual world, he designed the NerveGear rig, the man's a genius. Hiccup himself had been a fan of his for are long-time now if he died in the game, he'll die in real life.

It didn't take long for everyone to stop panicking and yelling up into the sky. Hiccup the noted the barrier around the square lifting.

He grabbed Ragnar's arm. "Come on, Ragnar."

Hiccup had dragged Ragnar into a nearby alley so they can be overheard.

"Okay, listen I'm heading out into the next village and I want you to come," he said.

"Okay, but why?" Ragnar asked.

"If what he says is true, and I think it is, the only way we're going to survive in here is to make ourselves strong as possible." He then showed Ragnar of the surrounding area. "In a MMORPG, the money you can earn, the XP… once the game there's only so much of that stuff to go around. Look, the fields around the Town of Beginnings are going to be handed clean soon."

If we had to the next village now we will have an easier time collecting cash and points. Don't worry, I know all the past in places we should avoid. Even if were level one we should be able to get their easy."

"You know, I feel kinda bad leaving all those people behind," said Ragnar looking towards the square.

"I know, but right now though in a panic will take a while for them to calm down and during that time others will take advantage of it. The best way we can help them is by conquering this island."

"You're right, but doesn't make it any easier."

Hiccup nodded in agreement and then the two of them either way outside the town. However, before they set off Ragnar looked at Hiccup curiously.

"What's the matter?" Hiccup asked.

"Nothing, just you look way cooler than your avatar," said Ragnar.

Hiccup smiled. "Yeah, your face fits ten times better too."

They look into the sunset and when he looked back at each other they nodded. Together they rushed into the sunset and from that point on the two of them new that they have to win this for everyone.