Chapter 1:  Enter the Villain (written by Michael Keens/ Exodus)  

It was the year 20XX, Planet Earth.  
Advertisements were broadcast everywhere of the new revelation in gaming.  
“Bored of those tedious online games? Typing and waiting for the adventure to 
continue? Or hate slow unrealistic Virtual Reality games? Well that’s all over! 
The new DataGate system from PerTec will make it feel like you’re actually 
there!” said an overactive male.  
On the large screens were some demos of legendary creatures and brave warriors 
battling it out.  
“Fight alongside people from other countries in the comfort of your own home!” 
added a cheery woman.  
“Buy the DataGate now and you’ll receive the brand new online game Beyond 
Existence free with it!” shouted the male excitedly.  
“Buy it and be part of the legacy.” finished the girl.  

PerTec was an immense organisation that provided a great deal of important 
services for the world, refining oil, building cars, ships and planes, among 
other things, they were also leading in the world of computer technology.  
Their latest revelation was expected to become so popular, it would provide for 
the organisation for years to come.  
The man behind the concept  of the DataGate was the President of PerTec, Karsten 
Myers.  
Ever since losing his parents as a boy, Karsten strived to get away from his 
harsh life and the stressful responsibilities in reality, and took part in many 
online quests, he soon became interested in programming, and had previously 
dreamt of creating his own popular game title.  

Karsten’s late parents previously owned the company and Karsten had to mature 
quickly, and along with his vice-president, Carl Sinclair, saved the company 
from bankruptcy.  
Now 22, Karsten, Sinclair and 98 other programmers had worked hard to achieve 
Karsten’s long time dream and a veritable success.  

The company’s recent computers were the most powerful to date, and the DataGates 
would spur a rise in the computers bought.  
The DataGates would let a person experience the internet in a way that was 
previously dreamed about.  
This technology would allow the user’s mind to be translated into information, 
and incorporated into the games programme, actually allowing the user to step 
into the internet world and interact with other people properly.  

DataGates were actually quite simple in appearance, a small silver computer V.R 
helmet with a wire leading to a personal computer.  

In the centre of the new island, Ascen, west of Europe, were the PerTec 
headquarters, located in Caras, the capital city, and big enough to dwarf the 
five other major cities on the island.  
Karsten was at another board meeting, recently they were all used to praise him 
for one of the biggest successes to date.  

Around the long mahogany table sat Sylla Pryce, Connor Hart, Enrico Motomirez 
and Iris Blair, the four executives of the company and of course the vice 
president Sinclair.  
“Sir, we once again congratulate you for your revolutionary product.” praised 
Sylla in her soft, sweet voice, she admired Karsten a lot.  
“Thank you.” replied Karsten simply, standing next to a chain of large windows 
overlooking the city, with naturally white shoulder length hair and wearing a 
smart navy suit.  
Sinclair glared towards him in the dark at a far corner of the large room, he 
wore glasses, had long dark hair, wore glasses and also wore a smart suit but 
dark red in colour.  
“Damn Karsten, I put just as much work into that game and device and yet he gets 
all the credit.” he muttered.  
“But Sir.” interrupted Iris, “Are you sure its safe, I heard that the technology 
you’ve used was banned in some countries.”  
“Don’t worry Iris, there’s plenty of safety devices installed, there shan’t be 
any mistakes.”  
“That’s assuring, we’ve already begun delivering the first few hundred DataGates 
around the island and thousands of people overseas have pre-ordered.  I haven’t 
seen such a big success in a long time.” congratulated Sylla, showing signs that 
her admiration was more than about Karsten’s work.  
“After all the work that’s gone into it, I would like to spend some time in the 
gameworld, and perhaps check it through so I can begin my sketches for the 
upgrades.  If there are no further comments or questions...” explained Karsten, 
eager to play the best online game ever, even if the company thought it to be 
immature.  
They stayed silent, there was nothing else to report.  

Karsten departed from the office, and Sinclair stared as he did.  
“He’s just an immature brat, hardly fit to lead one of the most powerful 
companies in the world.” thought Sinclair, “I demand credit for my efforts and I 
deserve to be president of the company much more than he does.  I shall have to 
destroy him while he’s off playing his game...”  

Caras City attributed much of it’s fame to PerTec, but so did Kerraton College, 
an excellent institute for students aged 16 to 20 which offered excellent 
facilities and had a good range of subjects to teach.  

James Dane walked down the halls of the college, “Man, those long Art lessons 
really take it out of you, I’m exhausted, and yet, I’ve got to type up some 
reports for my Computer course.  I’ll rest up and do it at home.”  
Dane wore smart green clothing and had blonde spiky hair that fell into 
curtains.  
He was a very hard working student and put aside nearly everything in aid of his 
studies, even friendship.  
Dane was too involved in his work to make a proper friendship, he had classmates 
that greeted him occasionally but he never saw the outside the college, so he 
didn’t really consider he had any, James had left behind old friends when his 
family moved to the island to begin a new and better life, and hadn’t really 
been able to make new ones here.  
“James!” the familiar voice of Carmen Reece shouted, she was something of a 
flirt and a tomboy, she had light brown hair with pigtails, blue eyes and 
alternative brown and red clothing with deliberate tears in them, she studied 
Gymnastics and Biology here, “Whatcha doin’?”  
“Going home,” said Dane simply, “I’ve got a lot to write.  Maybe I’ll see you 
around?”  
“Yeah, Dane, I was thinkin’, perhaps maybe you and I could-”  
Dane was already on his way hurriedly.  
“Sorry Carmen, gotta go!”  
Carmen scowled but couldn’t stay mad, Dane had helped her a lot through last 
year’s exams and he was a nice guy, just a little immersed in work, she found 
him intriguing, and wanted to know the real James Dane, but he never really 
shared his life with her, or anyone else.  
Slowly but surely, Carmen always said, she’d find a way to make the connection 
somehow.  

Dane was in such a hurry, he crashed into someone, Oscar Wyndon and his 
brain-dead gang.  
“You should watch where yo’ goin’ bookworm!” he said rudely, before swinging his 
foot around and kicking the last book in Dane’s hand to the other side of the 
hall.  
Oscar was a tall muscular man of African origin, and had a blonde Mohawk 
hairstyle and an open yellow jacket with blue trousers, his group were of 
different races but all nasty pieces of work, all were in sports areas of the 
college and Oscar was on the rugby team, but he also did Law Studies.  
His gang laughed and followed him like sheep as he strode away taking enjoyment 
in others’ brief misery caused by him.  
“Creeps...” muttered Dane picking up his stuff, he’d fall behind schedule for 
sure.  
Dane was a timekeeping person and this would throw him off course.  

James arrived at his home, located on the first floor of a block of flats, after 
climbing a flight of stairs and walking past a group of neighbours houses he 
arrived at his door as his little sister was trying to sneak in a delivery, she 
had lots of strips of orange hair tied in a variety of hair accessories and 
extensions.  
“James, what are you doing home so soon? Aren’t you supposed to be staying at 
college late like you always do?” she spluttered upon seeing him.  
“What have you brought home this time?...” he asked, a tired expression on his 
face.  
“Its not an animal, don’t worry, I bought a DataGate to go with the computer.”  
“How did you pay for it?...” asked Dane in his suspicious tone.  
“I got it with my own money, mostly.”  
“You’ve been using my credit card again, haven’t you?”  
“Um...  Well I’ll share it with you as well.”  
Dane sunk his head low and sighed, Kyla was the black sheep of the family and 
was always getting into trouble.  
“Come on Dane, I swear I’ll pay you back.”  
There wasn’t anything that could be done now, it was all signed for, they 
carried the box into Dane’s room where the computer was.  
“Mom and Dad are gonna freak when they find out.” warned James.  
“You’ve got to hide it from them...”  
“Where?...” asked James tapping his foot but already knowing the answer.  
“Well you have the biggest room so...”  
“Uh UH! I’m not covering for you again.”  
“Please?...”  
Kyla had the most influencing eyes, she could change people’s affections at the 
worst of times with her little talent.  
“Okay, but you’ll have to knock before entering my room and you’ll use the 
computer only when I say so.”  
“Okay...”  

Kyla was eager to test this thing out, she wasn’t like most other girls, she had 
interests in things that males found preferable like video games and many 
sports.  
Dane was a little fixated by the device but was too busy to test it.  
“Kyla, you know I’ve got to do some homework, don’t be long...”  
“Yeah yeah yeah, I’ll just have a quick go, then I’ll have something to talk 
about with everyone at school.  I’ll be in with the in crowd at last.”  
“So basically its just a fad.”  
“No way, this will last for much longer and the internet will be so much more 
fun when they adapt to it.  I’ll even let you play it while I’m gone.”  
“Considering its My money you used and its My computer you’re using, not to 
mention its My room.  Maybe I will.” said James, emphasising the word ‘my’, 
“You’ve got two hours max Kyla, then you’re off.”  

Karsten activated the personal DataGate in his room, he was eager to test out 
his work for himself online, and as the creator of the game he wanted to be a 
part of it and be seen as the king of the fictional world.  
There were a multitude of non-playable characters set up, such as defenseless 
victims, reasonably good warriors and lots of villains for the Players to fight, 
a host of different characters with different abilities and a hoard of different 
personalities and backgrounds.  
He had also activated twin programs, one would guide the Players and answer 
their queries and the other would keep the Players in line and make sure they 
didn’t break the rules, these two were known as Data and Sector.  
The game, as far as it was foreseeable, had no flaws and would prove to be very 
enjoyable.  
There were plenty of adventures to go on, lots of characters to interact with 
and no real person could be hurt thanks to the Safety Guards set up around the 
Players.  
The program upon being activated gave the user a very wide of range of 
appearances to design their perfect character, the person they would play as and 
be seen as, the hair could be any colour with several different size and style 
options, a lengthy list of clothing and uniforms to choose from, the skin colour 
and even the species of the character, and according to the role/ specialty 
(with the extended option of Old-Age or New-Age) chosen for the character’s 
fighting style, weapons and abilities coupled with the background chosen, the 
computer would give them a hometown or village best suited to these, along with 
a mysterious creature called a Guardian Spirit to assist them.  

Now Karsten would create his ideal character, ready for the official launch 
night.  
He mused to himself of how popular the game had become even before the official 
launch.  
‘Supreme’, he typed in as the character name, and his appearance had dark blue 
hair that draped to the sides, tanned white skin, black and jade robes, and a 
master in all weaponry and magic even though the role chosen was that of an 
Old-Age summoner.  
He’d made it so that he could choose to play the role of the mighty king of this 
world, as the creator he deemed himself worthy of such a role.  
“All the data is complete, now let my rightful place in this world come to be.”  

Carlton crept in as soon as Karsten’s mind was downloaded into the game.  
“If you want to waste time playing games, then you’re a waste of time and money 
for PerTec.  You want to live in a fictional world, but instead you’ll die there 
and the company will rise to new levels with me in charge.”  
Carlton inserted a gold CD into the computer and swiftly left the room.  

Karsten opened his eyes and was now surrounded by a totally 3-Dimensional 
fantasy world, Karsten’s hair changed to its specified look and so did his 
clothes and face, he was now the character he’d dreamed of becoming, the ruler 
of his own imagining, Supreme.  
The heavy beating of wings sounded behind him as his Guardian Spirit came to 
life.  
Guardian Spirits’ looks, powers and personalities were chosen by the computer to 
suit the Player, to either suit their personality in order to enhance them, or 
the total opposite if the person had too much of a bad personality which was 
best to improve on, the Guardian Spirits could also occasionally appear to help 
when the Player was in real trouble.  
Some could speak verbally or guide the Player in an empathic way.  
Supreme’s Guardian Spirit was a huge green wyvern called Rage, the difference 
from other wyverns was that some sections of its body were made of grey rock and 
it had dangerous looking spines sticking out its back.  
It roared heavily but not at Supreme, just a cry for attention from anyone in 
the vicinity.  
Attention he got.  
“You are Karsten Myers, are you not?” asked a purple and white robed cross 
between man and machine, it had a rounded head and a silver face, and floated 
above the ground, it spoke with an echo to its voice, this was the security 
program called Sector.  
“How do you like the place?” asked the polite female with long blue pigtails and 
wearing a turquoise and white robotic dress alongside him, Data.  
“Yes I am, and the place is fine, but here you shall address me as Supreme.”  
“Of course Master, your Guardian Spirit is called Rage and shall be of great 
help to you.” nodded Sector.  
“Come now, Rage, we shall go to our castle now.”  
With the data he’d typed in, Supreme was capable of almost anything, he quickly 
teleported to the castle he’d designed as part of the world map, as did Sector 
and Data.  
“Data, perhaps you are needed by the Players, go and see if anyone needs your 
help.” instructed Supreme upon arriving.  
“Of course Sir.” she said, teleporting away.  
She was very much responsible for helping the Players start their journey and 
held all the relevant data inside her.  
“Its a little flawed when I look at it for real, some minor adjustments shall-”  
He keyed in the relevant codes on the keyboard in the real world, but could see 
a holographic picture of the keyboard as he did so, after doing this, something 
strange happened, green waves of electricity hummed around him.  
“No, it can’t be, I checked everything, corrected all mistakes, nothing could go 
wrong, but...  It Has!”  
The dragon roared out in panic.  
“Oh shut up, Rage, I’m trying to concentrate!” shouted Supreme, he was typing 
frantically.  
Another green ring of energy glowed but surrounded both Supreme and Rage.  
Sector backed away unsure of what to do.  
One final wave surrounded the two and pushed them together, Supreme was being 
squeezed into Rage.  
“Master! I don’t know how to help you, I’m not programmed to deal with such 
matters!” called Sector, genuinely concerned.  
“It wasn’t meant to be like this!” screamed Supreme, “I just wanted to...”  
“Master!”  
“Its not right, how could there have been a mistake?...  This was supposed to be 
perfect, it...  Aaaggghhhhh!!!” he screamed as he disappeared into the greenish, 
grey and black sphere made of him and his dragon.  

Everything went black around Supreme and Rage, and Sector disappeared totally.  
Twisted green lines spiralled randomly around the two.  
“ViRuuusSeSss...  iTTsss NoT PoosssSSiiBbllEee...  NoT wITThh ThE SafETy GuArDs 
oN-  ArrRRRggGGGhHHhhH!!!”  
The electric lines took their toll on the programmer and reshaped him totally, 
his head and his hand still remained around the twisted mess that was his and 
his dragon’s body, “i WaasSsS sUUppPosSeeD tO Be iN fUll ConNtrOllllL, HooW 
CoULd iT haVe goNE sO WRonG?...”  
The green electricity shot forward and clashed with his face feeding into 
Supreme through his eyes.  
“My WorlD... mY wORLd...”  
His human side disappeared into the mess, and flashes of light were emitted 
along with clashing sounds, and the blob took a new form.  
The whole body grew bigger, especially the head and arms, and the skin took on 
different forms and textures, and a large tail sprouted, and a green/ grey 
colour to the now rock-like skin, the armour’s shape remained as it was, except 
it grew bigger to fit the new character.  

The blackness faded and he was back in his world but changed.  
“Master?...” questioned Sector.  
Karsten’s character had merged with the dragon creating a sour entity.  
His head had human features but was made of stone, and now had sharper teeth and 
red eyes, his hair had gone and been replaced by jagged points, the rest of him 
was either dark green with rough scales or covered in more stone plates.  
The new form wore armours, coloured purple, black and green, and his other 
features looked dragon-like.  
“Karsten...  I mean... Supreme?...” asked Sector nervously.  
“THERE IS NO SUPREME, NOR RAGE, ONLY THE SOVEREIGN!!!” said the creature in a 
loud monstrous hollow voice, “EXPLAIN TO ME THIS WORLD.”  
“You played a big part in creating it Sir, before you became this ‘Sovereign’, 
you’re the ruler of this world.  It was created so that Players could enter and 
play the roles of heroes and villains and experience every aspect of it.” Sector 
briefed.  
“THIS IS... MY WORLD.  WHAT RIGHT DO OTHERS HAVE TO TREAT IT LIKE A GAME?!!!” 
roared Sovereign.  
“But that was why you created it, Master Karsten.” protested Sector.  
 “I AM NOT KARSTEN! I AM SOVEREIGN HERE!” he roared.  
“Of course Sir, forgive me, but that’s what happened before you changed.” said 
Sector worryingly.  
“I WANT THESE PLAYERS CAPTURED, THEY SHALL SEE MY STRENGTH AND COWER.” ordered 
Sovereign.  
“But this game is supposed to be fun and safe, but... I sense that all Safety 
Guards have been destroyed, the virus seems to have spread to every server in 
the world and changed some in very different ways.” said Sector with closed 
eyes.  
“THIS ISN’T A GAME! THIS IS MY WORLD AND IT SHALL BE RULED AS I COMMAND IT! IF 
YOU CAN’T UNDERSTAND THAT THEN GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!”  
With that, the monstrous villain swung his arm and threw the battered program 
down some twenty floors.  
“ITS ALL COMING BACK TO ME.” said Sovereign to himself, “I KNOW THAT I AM REALLY 
KARSTEN MYERS PLAYING THE ROLE OF SOVEREIGN, BUT I SUDDENLY REALISE THAT A WORLD 
THAT SEEMS SO REAL SHOULDN’T BE CONTROLLED BY SIMPLE PEOPLE, IT SHOULD BE RULED 
BY ITS CREATOR, ITS GOD!...”  
In reality, Karsten grinned an evil smile, the virus that had accidentally 
changed his character had changed him as well.  
Karsten typed in several codes on the keyboard... and five figures appeared, all 
looked evil in nature:  
The first was dressed in crimson red robes and his face was immersed in 
darkness, only two glowing yellow eyes could be seen in the hood, his arms were 
skeleton like and he floated in the air like a ghost.  
The second was a massive black golem with sharp piercing rocks sticking out his 
shoulders and fists bigger than his head.  
The third was an elderly woman, wrinkled around her eyes, hair white with age, 
garbed in a simple white smock, for a moment she rippled, then, as if she was 
made from melting plastic, changed shape to a youthful, but plain girl, dressed 
in the same clothes but looked nearly 50 years younger.  
The next warrior was a huge man bald but with a great black beard covering his 
chin, either a very large human or a small giant at around 8 feet tall, wearing 
imposing black armour with harsh steel spikes jutting from the wrists of the 
suit and a curved cutlass hanging from his waist.  
The last of the five was a beautiful human female, with a pale complexion, 
dressed in purple sorceress clothing, with metallic wings jutting out of her 
shoulderblades.  
“REAPER, FORTRESS, ARIEL, KORMAAND AND HARRIER.  I HAVE CALLED YOU HERE FOR A 
SPECIAL MISSION.”  
They all stared at him angrily.  
“Who the hell are you and how dare you bring us here!” shouted Harrier.  
“FORTRESS BUSY STOMPING VILLAGE BEFORE UGLY DRAGON MAN BRING HIM HERE!” said the 
feeble minded Fortress.  
“I’ll teach you to interfere with our plans!” whispered Reaper and all five of 
them attacked.  
Harrier unleashed a wind spell but Sovereign held his ground.  
Reaper drew out a scythe and flew forwards, Sovereign drew a huge sword and with 
one swipe, destroyed the scythe and injured the ghost man.  
Fortress stomped forwards and brought his boulder-like fists down on the dragon, 
Sovereign caught the fists and held them up while his tail spun around like a 
drill and made a hole in Fortress’s stomach.  
Ariel’s arms turned to fluid and wrapped around Sovereign’s frame, temporarily 
binding him.  
Kormaand’s arm spikes retracted into his armour and he drew his cutlass.  
He swiped it in a cleaving arc at Sovereign’s neck, but he jumped into the path 
of the blade, and twisting precisely in mid air, manoeuvred Ariel’s arms into 
the path of the slash.  
The blade tore through Ariel’s arms, and, severed, they shifted to a lump of 
flesh coloured gel on the floor, waiting to reconnect to their shocked owner.  
Sovereign picked up the giant effortlessly and hurled him into the stunned 
shapeshifter.  

Sovereign loomed over the five villains, “LISTEN WELL, I CREATED ALL OF YOU AND 
YOU SHALL LISTEN TO ME.”  
“But the creator of Verdan is a feeble man called Supreme who elected himself as 
king.” commented Harrier.  
For her to say such things about Karsten meant that her programming was 
perfectly done and she was very much acting as an individual with her own views 
but not knowledgeable about herself being a game character.  
“I AM HIM BUT CHANGED, I AM NOW CALLED SOVEREIGN.  YOU FIVE ARE THE DARKEST 
WARRIORS CREATED AND HAVE BEEN CHOSEN TO SERVE ME.  PLEASE ME AND YOU SHALL BE 
REWARDED WITH WHATEVER YOU WANT.”  
“Provided I get to kill some people, I don’t care who I work for.” whispered 
Reaper.  
“FORTRESS LIKE UGLY DRAGON MAN.”  
“I suppose its a better choice to serve the almighty creator than to go against 
him.” said Harrier.  
“You have great power my liege...” whispered Ariel, melding with her missing 
arms and reforming in a humbled position.  
“My people once said that when a man is bested in battle, his life is forfeit.  
I will serve you Master.” rumbled the giant, Kormaand.  

“GOOD.” said Sovereign proudly, “THERE ARE  HUMAN PLAYERS DISGUISED AS 
CHARACTERS.  I WANT YOU TO FIND THEM AND CAPTURE THEM.”  
“Sir, how are we to tell who is a... ‘Player’?” questioned Reaper.  
Sovereign raised a hand and five glowing orbs appeared and floated toward the 
villains.  
“TAKE THESE AND DO NOT LOSE THEM, THEY SHALL INFORM YOU WHEN A PLAYER IS NEAR.”  
“But Sir.” questioned Harrier, “I have heard of artifacts that render these 
‘Players’ protected from us in this world, if that is so, how are we to properly 
capture them?”  
“WHAT CREATED ME HAS DISABLED THEM PERMANENTLY.  NOW GO AND DO WHAT I HAVE 
ASKED.”  
“Yes, Sovereign.”  
“FORTRESS GET HUMANS FOR DRAGON MAN.”  
“It shall be done, Creator.”  
“Indeed, Sire.”  
“I am at your command, Master.”  

With that the five took off in their different ways, Reaper floated away to the 
east like a ghost, Harrier to the west flying like an angel of death and 
Fortress jumped off the castle causing a small tremor and walked to the north, 
his huge legs would get him some distance with every step.  
The giant leapt from rock to rock down the mountain, then headed south into the 
great desert that bounded the north face of the castle.  
Ariel liquefied and disappeared through a crack in the floor, her destination 
unknown.  

“THIS IS MY WORLD AND NO ONE WILL FORGET THAT.” said Sovereign turning and 
striding into his castle.  

Down below, the program, Sector picked himself up, he was very much damaged but 
alive thanks to Karsten’s original programming for a good safeguard entity.  
Whoever that was up there, it was not the one who created him, the creator was 
dead and now there was only the monster.  
“The Players...  They are in danger...  I know I was created to do my master’s 
bidding, and police the game for those that would endanger it, but there’s only 
one person that will surely endanger this world and that is Karsten.  For the 
sake of the world, the Players and Karsten’s soul, Sovereign must be stopped...”  
With that, he picked himself up and floated away gripping his shoulder tight as 
sparks exploded and flickered from his damaged body.  

End of Chapter 1  

Chapter 2
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