This is set in the future, where technology is involved in about every aspect of our life. With technology doing all the hard labor, all that is left for humans to do is pursue the arts and other things that require creativity. The biggest thing is realistic gaming. The machine hacks your senses to make the game appear around you and and uses your thoughts and will as the controller. You become the character in the game you play. This has made MMOs extremely popular, playing with friends in a realistic fantasy, able to hang out with them in any scenario. Anyone who is anyone plays these whether it be for simple scenarios or hard core gaming.
Our group of characters has become very lucky. I entered us in a competition and we were accepted as a team! The competition pits teams of four against each other to see who can reach the final level of the game and beat it. The game? Arcane. A new MMO that places you in a hellish landscape with nine levels. Each level has a hidden door that leads to the next, guard by a boss which increases in difficulty every level. Computer generated enemies aren't the only trouble though as other teams can challenge you and defeat you to send you back up a level. Its a race to the finish and a contest to see who can beat the final boss!
But something is up. The players seem to notice something strange. A ghost in the machine. They start blaming bugs and glitches, this being a whole new game that hasn't been released. However, the trouble just seems too focused. As if it was happening on purpose. Then a horrifying discovery is made. They can't log out. They are stuck in the game. A voice calls out to the groups.
"You are all trapped here and can only ascend to the outside world if you defeat me. I wait at the end. Only one team can escape. Have fun~"
Will our team be able to get out? Will they be stuck in this virtual world forever? Who is doing this and why? The only way to get answers is to move forward.