MMORPG: Shattered Land

It had been a long time since this old man had stood here.

The sun was coming up over the horizon and the old man watched it solemnly. Years of memories and trauma pressed down on his shoulders as he stood on the edge of the rift.

The Rift.

It was a nickname the area had adopted in the last twenty years. A nickname that made the old man angry beyond words.

Twenty years ago an Earthquake had hit this country, tearing through the island nation and raised the western coast by a hundred feet while shattering the east beyond recognition.

The ports that littered the western coasts became vantage points to see the new landform as the seabed rose to become the new coastline.

The mountains that rippled through the southern ridges twisted and tore until they reached far into the sky and left a large rent that flooded what was once beautiful farmland.

But it wasn't the new landscape that tormented the old man.

But the near five million lost souls that the Earthquake took.

His wife of forty years. His children. His grandchildren.

Of the relatives he had grown up with and helped raise, only a handful has survived.

And none had remained in this broken country. Other than him.

"I knew I would find you here." A voice said behind the old man.

Turning his head, the old man saw a well dressed Indian man approach him.

Smiling, the old man replied. "Rajan. How have you been?"

The man named Rajan stepped up beside him, looking over the edge.

"My father always said that there are two constants in the world. Change, and you standing here at dawn on this day."

The old man snorted. "Your father was a smartass. I'm glad he passed that on to you."

Rajan smiled. "How have you been Marius?"

The old man turned his eyes back to the rising sun.

"I am tired," he said honestly. "It truly feels like I have nothing left to throw myself at."

Rajan smirked. "Well, you only rebuilt the country, made our economy stronger than it had been in a century and made our neighbors both trade partners and allies. I have no idea why you would feel that way."

Marius shook his head.

"All that was a distraction. I cared less for the outcome and more for making sure I didn't jump off this damn ledge."

Rajan snorted. "You're a fighter. You might not use your fists anymore, but you are not the kind to give up and go the easy way. You might be an old bastard now, but you probably have more drive than most people half your age."

Marius spat over the edge, silently admitting that Rajan was right.

"You came looking for me for something?"

Rajan smiled. "You know that my company has gone global with a new product?"

"A new MMORPG?" Marius asked. "Aren't there enough of those around?"

Rajan laughed. "It's a big business. Since the Cold drop and the Global Armistice, there has been a lot of research done to keep people distracted. Besides, Online battles let the governments vent out at each other without dropping bombs again."

"They send special forces out to play games?" Marius wanted to laugh.

"Hey, we all need our distractions." Rajan joked.

Marius shook his head. "You know I've retired. I don't invest anymore."

"Haha. I'm not looking for investors. I'm looking for a new perspective." Rajan said.

Marius looked at Rajan skeptically. "You want me to play a game?"

Rajan grinned. "You've been playing games for years. Why not play mine?"

Marius silently mulls over the idea. In all honesty, he isn't against the idea and the MMORPG environment had been a saving grace for the past few decades.

A cool breeze slipped past them and Marius shivered. Old aches and pains shot through his arms and legs.

Ninety-four years.

The thought of his age made him tremble again.

As a young man he dreaded the idea of being older than fifty and now here he was. A decrepit old man nearly twice that with no family to even mourn his passing.

Why had he wasted all these years?

"I started programming for my father," Rajan said softly. "He used to make little VR displays for me we would challenge each other to try and outdo the other. Then they became flash games, then more advance. Puzzles, adventure, you name it, we competed. We even made a company out of it. He always said that it was thanks to you that he could make his company what it was. So, in a way, by extension, this game was made because of you."

Marius shook his head. "You give me too much credit. Your father was just another friend with talent. I saw an opportunity and helped him achieve it. Everything else was all him."

The sun fully crested the horizon and shone on the two men.

"I need this Marius," Rajan said. "Step away from the ledge and try something new. You're right, there is nothing left for you to throw yourself at. You're old. Your body is frail and the businesses that you built are so competitive that even if you had the energy you wouldn't stand a chance. The only thing you have left is your mind and even if you wanted to put it to good use you're too damn old to finish."

Rage shot through Marius like an arrow. Turning sharply, his right hand snaked out and grabbed Rajan by the collar, yanking him forward so they were face to face. Eye to eye.

Rajan was surprised but stood his ground, staring back at the old man's fiery glare.

"You are nowhere near ready to throw in the towel old man," Rajan said, placing his hand on the withered and shaking hand at his collar.

Rajan felt a great sadness in his heart as looked at the man before him. A man that should be revered as the greatest man of the era. The man who had lost everything yet created more than anyone could dream.

More than forty years separated the two and Rajan wished that he could have seen this man in his prime again. How terrifying it would be to see a young man, with an able body and those eyes that burned with vigor to spare.

Then they were gone. The eyes that burned strong and bright dimmed as the old man pulled his hand away and cupped it to his chest.

"When did I get so old?" Marius whispered.

'Let me give you a gift Marius." Rajan said softly, placing his hand on the old man's shoulder.

A shiver of pain shot through Marius at the touch and he gritted his teeth. He had torn the muscles in his right arm with that single grab and even worse, he didn't have the strength to hold it.

Rajan noticed the shiver, seeing it for what it was, and he felt ashamed to have pushed the old man to hurt himself.

His hero was on his last leg.

"I can give you a new world to discover. A body free from those aches and pains. Something to throw yourself at and let you run wild as you want." Rajan almost felt himself plead.

Marius snorted. "Is that any different from running away from reality?"

"This world doesn't need you anymore. But I can use you in my virtual world. Be my in-game monitor. Tell me how the game plays, where it can be tweaked and test the limits of its gameplay."

"Is that all I'm good for now?" Marius spoke to himself.

"Are you going to miss out on anything if you do?"

A total defeat.

How long had it been since someone had been able to out-debate him? to get the last word or to shake his resolve?

Suddenly Marius wished he was half a century younger so he could throttle the man beside him. Even if he was somewhat proud of the man he had become.

"Fine." The old man relented. "I'll play your game. but don't blame me if I break it."

Rajan smiled. "If you can break it, I'll personally gift you the rights to the game."

"What use would I have for a broken game?" Marius asked, turning away from The Rift and the Indian man.

"Probably about as much as I would," Rajan replied, following Marius as they walked towards their vehicles.

"The launch is in a week. I'll have the equipment and some material sent to you."

Marius nods in assent. Maybe it is time to try a new approach."

"What's the game called?" he asks as he opens the car door.

Rajan smiles. "Shattered Lands."