I opened the door and glanced out it for a moment before proceeding. Not just because of my clothing situation, though that certainly had me a bit uneasy, but also because I didn't quite know what to expect. Even if I had some idea of what to expect, I probably would have been left speechless.
I found myself stepping into what seemed to be a decrepit church. The stone walls were crumbling away and cracked. The stained glass windows appeared to have been smashed. The ceiling was falling apart, and the light fixtures that remained attached to it looked as though they were ready to fall at any moment. The pews were falling apart as well, some lloked as though they had chunks ripped or blown off of them. Everything that could associate this church with holiness had been utterly destroyed or desecrated.
I looked through one of the holes in the ceiling and saw...darkness. I couldn't believe it. There seemed to be absolutely nothing above me. Just some endless abyss. "This isn't how I imagined Epic City to be..." I said to myself.
"Well, missy." I heard a voice say behind me. "You're not quite in Epic City. At least not the main section."
I nearly jumped a foot in the air when I heard the voice. I turned to look at the speaker, and was shocked at what I saw. The man who was speaking to me had ashy grey skin. He had no hair whatsoever, and looked as though he hit the gym everyday for at least 10 hours. Guess he puts alot of stats into strength. I thought to myself.
However, the thing that really grabbed my attention were the two gigantic horns poking out of his forehead and the large wings sprouting from his back. I stood there for a moment, mouth agape, before I was finally able to form words. "You're a demon..." I said, stupidly.
The man chuckled a bit and nodded. "As are you." he said. I gave him a strange look for a moment, before I realized exactly how idiotic the statement I had made was.
"I'm sorry, this is all just a bit...overwhelming." I said.
"I have heard that many times before, miss." the demon said. I decided to ignore the 'miss' for the moment. After all, this nice fellow who looked as though he could rip me in half didn't know that I was actually a guy.
"Um, what exactly did you mean by me not being in the main section of epic city?" I asked the man.
"Well, Epic City is actually composed of a few areas. Many of them function as places that players can purchase homes and hold the starting area for new players." he said.
I nodded. "So, which part are we in now?" I asked.
"This is the underground section of Epic City. It's where players who choose to create a character with a darker alignment." the man said.
"Ahh, that makes sense." I said. "So, um, how do I get to the main section of the city?" I asked.
"When you exit the church, take a left. Go straight, and you'll find a building that says 'Transport' above the door. Just go there and enter, and someone inside will help you out." the demon said.
"Okay, seems simple enough." I said quietly. "I guess I should be going then. Sorry I can't stay and talk longer, but I have to go and meet someone. I'll see you later...um..." I trailed off, realizing that I hadn't caught his name.
"My name is Belthezar." he said.
"Okay then, my name is..." I stopped myself as I was about to say David. "My name is Lilith." I said, almost growling.
"Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Lilith." Belthezar said.
"Hey, maybe we can go on a quest together sometime." I suggested.
"I'm afraid I can't go on any quests. I'm merely a greeter to new players." Belthezar said.
My mouth dropped open. This guy is an NPC?! I thought. He seems so real...
I turned away and began walking to the door of the church. "Well, I'll see you later then." I said. When I reached the large, decrepit oak doors, I pushed them open.
The town outside the church was just as run down as the church. The cobblestones that acted as a road were cracked and coming up in some spots. All of the buildings that I could see looked run down, though none as run down as the church.
I took a deep breath and began walking along the path that Belthezar had told me to follow. I had already wasted enough time, and had to meet up with Suzie soon. Hopefully she wouldn't laugh too much when she saw me...
