Path Of War

The year is 2025, Solvang, California.

Sunlight radiated through the windows of the Elysium headquarters. In its cool stillness, rows of sleek, metallic pods lined the polished floor.

Elysium was a virtual reality laboratory. Founded by a business magnate named Ursula Von Der Leyen III, they cracked the code on full sensory immersion. Furthermore, they achieved total sensory integration. Their "Elysian Enclave" promised a full-body experience where the virtual felt real.

The previous model, the Enclave Mk. I, had garnered a cult following for its unparalleled realism. Players could feel the wind whipping through their virtual hair, as well as the coolness of digital rain on their skin. But there was a critical absence: pain.

Without the sting of a virtual scrape or the ache of a virtual blow, the world felt incomplete. So, Elysium had taken the next, controversial step: integrating a dampened pain response.

It wouldn't be crippling; just a slight discomfort would heighten the experience. Enough to make a virtual punch feel like a playful nudge or a fall from a virtual cliff—a jolt of adrenaline. Enough, they argued, to bridge the gap between the real and the unreal.

"And how do you expect the public to feel about this?" a news anchor asked Ursula.

"Well," she said, "we're still in the testing phase. Hence the reason why we've chosen seven lottery winners across the world to be the first participants."

The screen showed a display of the seven winners. These were the pioneers, the first who would enter a world of consequence. Nothing life-threatening, but challenging enough to highlight the capabilities of the Enclave Mk. II before its official release.

"I sure would love to be one of those seven," the news anchor laughed. "Tell us, did you get a chance to speak to these winners?"

"Not yet," she responded with a hint of amusement. "I reviewed their background, however, and found them to be more than exemplary."

"Anyone in particular we all should know about?"

"All of them are—"

The television screen abruptly shut off. In a neatly organized apartment bathing in sunlight, Arthur Bennett rose from the couch.

A golden lottery ticket lay across his coffee table. Today was the day, the day in which he would travel to Elysium and become one of the first to test out their latest invention.

Arthur Bennett was born with a Bible tucked under his arm. Raised in an evangelical household, his childhood was filled with hymns and Sunday school lessons.

Morality wasn't a suggestion; it was a divine decree, hammered into him by his stern father and loving mother. Their values seeped into his heart, shaping him into a man of unwavering principles without the free-wheeling, self-indulgent world he observed around him.

Arthur wasn't naïve, however. Early on, the harsh truths of the world stymied his beliefs.

The slick-talking scammer fleeced his mother with false promises of new cookware sets. His own first attempt at literary fame for a novel titled "Follow Christ" ended up gathering dust in a rejection pile. Perhaps the biggest betrayal was when his college sweetheart, the girl he imagined walking down the aisle with, left him for a wealthier classmate.

Each experience chipped away at his trust, leaving behind a calloused cynicism. But Arthur, unlike many, didn't succumb to bitterness. He clung to his faith, drawing strength from the teachings of Jesus Christ, his Lord and Saviour.

He prayed for wisdom, for the ability to navigate the complexities of the world without compromising his values. He believed, with unwavering faith, that God would guide him. It was this same faith that led him to where he is now—content, healthy, and sharp.

Arthur's own personality is quite complex. He created his own persona—sometimes appearing cold and calculative, other times brimming with warmth and charm—depending on the situation. He saw these masks not as deceptions but as tools necessary to reach an audience increasingly desensitized to traditional preaching.

His cynicism, however, did not translate into a lack of empathy. He understood the temptations of wealth and the comfort it offered. Yet he himself harboured no desire for riches. His true desire is to spread the gospel and offer hope and redemption to a world that desperately needs both.

People sensed the calculating mind lurking beneath the surface—a soul they couldn't quite decipher. His convictions and his dedication to his cause earned him grudging respect, even from those who found him difficult to read.

Today, as he stored his ticket to walk out the door with, the weight of his past experiences settled upon him.

He wasn't just entering a groundbreaking technological experience; he was entering an opportunity. An opportunity to use this platform, this chance to reach a new audience and promote his book, which could help spread the gospel. It was a challenge he wouldn't shy away from.

Exiting the driveway in his Corolla, he drove on the bustling streets to where Elysium was.

The California sun glinted off the building's mirrored exterior, making it look like a monolithic mirage in the heat haze. This wasn't a place he was used to frequenting; these gleaming towers of innovation compared to the church he regularly attended. Yet here he was, a born-again Christian about to delve into the heart of a technological revolution.

Stepping out of his car, he walked towards the front entrance. A young security guard approached him with a polite smile.

"Mr. Bennett?" he asked, glancing at the ID Arthur held up. "Welcome to Elysium, sir. Please follow me."

The guard escorted him through the sterile lobby. Every surface gleamed, with hardly anyone inside. As they passed a large holographic display showcasing the previous Elysian Enclave model, Arthur felt a tad off. He'd read about the newer version, how it would supposedly take the world by storm.

Finally, they reached the security checkpoint. The guard scanned his ID, and a fax machine printed his papers.

"Alright, Mr. Bennett, you're all set. Dr. Kapoor is expecting you in testing room one."

Arthur offered a simple nod before walking forward. A sense of weightlessness settled in his stomach as he pushed open the doors, stepping into a brightly lit room staffed by technicians in lab coats.

A woman, tall and impeccably dressed with a nametag reading "Dr. Kapoor" pinned to her lab coat, turned toward him with a bright smile, saying, "Mr. Bennett? So glad you could make it! We were just starting to worry."

Arthur apologized, stating that he had discovered yesterday that he had won. Hearing that made Dr. Kapoor's smile falter for a moment. She blinked in disbelief, saying, "You… only found out yesterday?"

"I did," he said, his expression unchanged. "There was a delay in retrieving my messages."

Dr. Kapoor cleared her throat, a hint of annoyance in her voice as she said, "Well, you're here now, thankfully. Hundreds of millions entered the lottery, and..." she paused, searching his face, "you don't seem too excited."

"Excited? Not at all, Dr. Kapoor. I'm grateful for the opportunity."

Arthur's voice was calm and measured, despite his lack of enthusiasm.

"Right," she said, her smile back in place. "Let's get you prepped then. You'll be joining the other participants in the waiting room."

Arthur followed Dr. Kapoor, his gaze sweeping across the technology around him. Wires snaked like vines across the chrome surfaces, and expensive equipment buzzed. In the center of the chamber were seven sleek pods that looked like something straight out of a science fiction film. This, he presumed, was the Enclave Mk. II.

They reached the doorway, and Dr. Kapoor ushered him inside.

The waiting room was sterile white, with furniture laid out. Six people were already inside. Some sat on the couches arranged in a circle; some fidgeted with nervous energy, while others exchanged whispers.

All heads turned towards Arthur, their expressions a mix of annoyance and curiosity. As Dr. Kapoor introduced him, he returned their gazes with uninterest.

"Everyone, this is Mr. Arthur Bennett, our final participant."

A woman with red hair scoffed, "Finally! We've been waiting here for ages."

"Calm yourself, Ms. Campbell," Dr. Kapoor said.

Before Arthur could identify who this girl was, a man in a designer suit rolled his eyes, saying, "Seriously? You couldn't even get here on time for a revolutionary breakthrough?"

Arthur remained unfazed by some of their hostility. He understood their frustration. Winning this lottery was a coup, a chance to be on the bleeding edge of technology. That didn't stop his calm demeanour from standing out.

As a collective sigh rippled through the room, he simply offered a gentle smile. Dr. Kapoor, sensing the tension, cleared her throat to say, "Alright, everyone. Now that Mr. Bennett is here, we can proceed. Please take a moment to review the terms and conditions. Once you all sign the legal documents, we can move on to the next step."

With that, she excluded herself, leaving the seven participants in an awkward silence.

Arthur retrieved a stack of paper and settled himself at a table in the corner. He began scanning the legalese until a voice broke the silence: "Hi there." He looked up to see a young man with cropped black hair and a radiant smile extending a hand. "I'm Alex, Alexander Costa, from Portugal."

Arthur shook his hand, choosing not to return Alex's warm smile. "Arthur Bennett. Nice to meet you."

A blonde woman across the room hopped from the couch and joined them, saying, "I'm Jada Schmidt, from Germany." Her voice was a tad bubbly and very soft. "Don't take offense to that grumpy guy over there," she added, gesturing toward the man in the designer suit.

"None taken…"

"He's Jasper Reza," Alex sighed, rolling his eyes. "Heir to the Reza Group in Persia. Thinks the world revolves around his oil money."

Just then, the man slammed his pen down, saying with a sharp voice, "My family may have oil money, but they also have manners. Speak about me in private, not in front of the latecomer."

Arthur chose to ignore the outburst. Turning back to Alex and Jada, he stated where he was born and raised: "Oakland, Cali, but my family's originally from Mexico."

"Can you speak Spanish?" Alex asked with glee.

"A little, but Portuguese and Spanish are kind of different."

"So, what brings you to a virtual reality experiment?" Jada softly asked.

"I entered on a whim. Didn't think I'd win, but here I am."

Alex's eyes widened with perplexity as he said, "Just a whim?! No lifelong dream of exploring virtual worlds?"

The look on Jada's eyes hinted at curiosity, but before she could ask, another voice cut in, saying, "You're the religious type." Arthur looked up to see a young woman with long brown hair and very tan skin. "Alice Dubois, from France."

"It's not religion, but I am interested in how you knew," he stated.

"There she goes again," a voice said from across the room. Margaret Campbell, the only teenager here, a girl with dyed red hair and a bored expression. "She stalked all of the winners after finding out who we were."

"It's not stalking; it's doing a quick background check on my competition," Alice tried to defend.

"But it's an experiment," said the remaining man. William Rodriguez from Argentina. He was older than the rest, sporting a neatly trimmed beard and glasses that perched precariously on his nose. "We're not competing against each other or anything."

The others eventually returned to signing their documents in private.

A sense of finality settled over Arthur as he scribbled his signature on the last page. He flipped back through the pages, double-checking the seemingly endless legalese—liability waivers, data collection agreements, disclaimers about unforeseen consequences within the virtual world.

Most of it was standard, but a few sections raised his eyebrows. They were strangely specific, asking for Arthur's dietary preferences, sleep habits, and even his favourite kind of music.

"Is all this really necessary?" Jasper asked, thinking out loud.

"Well, duh," Alice answered. "The Elysian Enclave Mk. II tailors the virtual experience to the individual, creating a world based on your deepest desires and anxieties. The more they know about you, the more immersive the experience will be."

Arthur considered this for a moment. It did make sense, in a way. A truly personal virtual experience could be groundbreaking. Still, the level of detail felt intrusive. He shrugged it off and continued, encountering another set of questions that made him pause.

'Are you familiar with the fictional narrative titled 'Naruto'?'

Below it was a simple checkbox.

Arthur frowned. Why would an innovative VR experiment care about a two-decade-old ninja anime?

A glance around the room confirmed his suspicions. Alexander and Jada exchanged confused looks. Alice rolled her eyes. Margaret seemed vaguely interested. William remained impassive. No one else seemed to have noticed the odd question.

Without hesitating, Arthur flipped to the first page, leaving the checkbox blank.