2 | The Plaza of Memories

“Can I please play my new game now?” I ask Maê, who is typing furiously away on her work laptop. I see her jaw clench and know she’s getting ready to voice her opposition.

The apartment is completely spotless, courtesy of the chores she forced me to do before I got to this point. If I looked hard enough, I swear I could see everything glistening. Yai is curled up in her usual spot on the couch, watching the news with Thai subtitles, while Ari is in his room playing his game. I go through the list in my mind, thinking there is nothing else Maê could do to keep me away from my escape any longer. Obscenely long chore list… done. Dinner with the family… done. Homework… almost done. Maybe I won’t mention that incomplete history paper.

“Did you take the trash out?” Maê replies, not glancing up from the numbers she’s crunching out on her screen. Such is the life of a procurement analyst, I guess.

I groan. The desire to sink into the floor increases tenfold as I begin to think I won’t get to log into Mythic Kingdoms this century. I glance outside and immediately notice the sun has already set, the sky a dark blue with faint orange tinting. Cantankerous stink bugs are likely on the prowl, and I don’t want to risk bringing one back inside with me. “Do I have to? It’s dark outside and they don’t even take the trash until Thursday.”

“Stop whining, Lamai,” Maê begins to say. I can feel an argument brewing, and frustration begins to boil inside me. Will we ever reach a point when she’s grateful for anything I do for this family?

Yai turns around and tells my mom something in Thai. Her words appear to set her off because they’re at each other’s throats within seconds. After a few more exchanges, Yai switches to English and says aloud, “Let your daughter enjoy the weekend. Young girls shouldn’t be outside at this hour, anyway. She can take the trash out in the morning if that appeases you. Besides, don’t you think you should be thankful for all the things she’s done? She did all those annoying things you listed without complaint. It’s a miracle she’s still here! If it were me, I would have run away by now. Anywhere would be better than here!”

“Fine,” Maê says, leering at me. “But I want to see your completed history paper tomorrow.” My eyes widen in surprise as I wonder how she found out about that godforsaken essay. “Don’t look at me like that,” she adds. “It’s not snooping if it’s under my roof.”

That wouldn’t hold up in court, is what I want to say, but I don’t want to have another argument with her. Lately, fighting is all we do. I can’t think of a time when we didn’t fight. As much as I want to voice my concerns, I can’t.

Instead, I nod and say, “I’ll finish the paper in the morning. Don’t worry.”

“Alright. Go play your game,” she replies, already returning her attention back to her computer screen.

I hurried to my room, not wanting to give her an opportunity to change her mind. The SoulDive sits in my chair, while the Mythic Kingdoms cartridge rests on top of my desk. I flip past the warnings in the instructions. The caution signs regarding potential migraines and dizziness after using the SoulDive don’t bother me. Every game I’ve played has a similar warning, but I’ve never experienced some of these so-called symptoms.

Resting comfortably on top of my bed, I push the power button after inserting the Mythic Kingdoms cartridge into one of its open ports as the instruction manual states and it whirs on. The sides light up with a dim violet light and I place it over my head. While I expected to feel somewhat claustrophobic from the headgear, it’s actually comfortable. It has a velvety upholstery that’s soft like a silk pillow, and it lacks the scent of novelty.

All that’s left is to close my eyes and allow the SoulDive to take me into the game. My heart race quickens in anticipation, knowing that Yumi is waiting for me on the other side.

Just when I think my heart will burst, my white walls are replaced by a space entrenched in total darkness, where a divine figure is waiting for me under the only light source. The ambiance is eerie as I equate it with what I imagine purgatory to be like. The woman has luscious auburn hair and verdant eyes full of compassion. Her skin appears to be soft and pale like porcelain, and the modest white gown she wears is a modernized version of the Greek peploi. With large, open sleeves, a shimmering gold belt wraps around her dainty waist and pairs nicely with her golden dress straps.

“Welcome to Mythic Kingdoms, Lamai Chongrak. I am Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory and remembrance,” she says, her voice sounding melodious. How does she know my name? She smiles softly at me and adds, “I took the liberty of scanning your memories and vitals to understand you better and create the perfect gaming experience as you traverse the legendary worlds of Mythic Kingdoms.”

Mnemosyne? The Greek goddess, Mnemosyne? Mother of the Nine Muses, Mnemosyne? Although there is a lot of speculation as to what the ancient deities of Greek mythology looked like, they did a thorough job on making her come to life. I fight to contain my excitement, wanting to get all the answers to my questions about her origins and the Muses. Is Zeus really the father of the Muses? What are her responsibilities as the protector of memories? No, calm down, Mai. She’s an artificially intelligent entity. She probably only knows what they’ve programmed her to know. Despite telling myself this, I start hatching conspiracy theories, wondering if I’ll see the nine Muses eventually.

“Please say no if my analysis is incorrect. Lamai Chongrak, also known as Mai, is a fifteen-year-old female sophomore in high school who aspires to be an author and to use her love of writing to create her own video game one day. She has waist-length black hair that is naturally curly, but contains chemicals commonly found in permanently straightened hair. Her eyes are brown and she is five feet, three inches, with a dietary disposition for cookies and cream ice cream, despite being severely lactose intolerant,” Mnemosyne prompts me after seeing how I failed to respond to her initial words.

I shrink back in embarrassment, feeling as though I’d been caught by my own mother. Rubbing the back of my neck, I look away nervously, hoping none of my personal information is being saved and used by the developers to create a census report to share with the public about video gamers.

“Have I gotten all the details correct?” she asks.

“Yes, but you can keep the lactose intolerance out of my player bio,” I reply. “That won’t be necessary. Since this is a game, I should be able to indulge in it without any issues.”
She shakes her head, concern filling her green gaze. “It is a requirement for me to gather all player information to ensure that you have a healthy diet while playing the game. Even though this experience is virtual, you are susceptible to illness if you eat something your body in real life is not used to. I am implementing restrictions as we speak.”

“Great,” I mumble. Even a game is smothering me.

“While I finish setting up your user profile and avatar, please pick a username and character class you’d like to use while playing Mythic Kingdoms. If you would like to set up a secondary account, you are free to do so once you’ve finished building your primary character.”

I set my username to Mai and flip through the options, reviewing each available class. A luminescent blue screen pops up, listing off a description and possible abilities. A common character class I choose is a healer because I enjoy playing support and doing whatever I can to help others become stronger and help us win the game. The bard class card in front of me captures my attention first. Charm your opponents with your spellbinding melody and heal your allies with the gift of song, the description reads. A beginner’s staff is included with the character, which can be replaced with stronger gear as I progress through the game, but for once, I’d like to take on a more offensive role.

I swipe the window away, reviewing the assassin role. A figure cloaked in black appears on the new class card, their back facing me. Shadows obscure most of the figure’s silhouette, but it’s visible enough to see it lurking in the darkness. “With the shadows as your cover, ambush your opponents with surprise as your weapon,” I read aloud. Typical weapons for the assassin class include a variety of daggers and guns. Although I’ve played these types of characters before, I always end up bored and unsatisfied, wishing I got more out of the game. Other than that, I imagine everyone would pick this class. What fun would it be if most of the players are assassins?

I skip past archer, tank, and swordsman, knowing these roles could never pique my interest. My gaze lands on the mage class, which offers a mysterious grimoire as a weapon. I tap on the weapon and it enlarges, revealing its name, stats, and origins. “The Book of Fate… once said to be held by the Enchanter, the greatest mage of all.” The stats appear to be superior to that of any usual beginner’s weapon. But why is it being offered to me? Is this the benefit of owning the deluxe version of the SoulDive?

“Your avatar has been created, Mai,” Mnemosyne says. “Have you decided on a class?”

The mysterious Book of Fate draws me in, coaxing me to uncover its secrets. I know then what class to choose if I want any of my questions answered. What harm could come from accepting such a gift? “I have decided to be a mage, Mnemosyne.”

A knowing smile appears on her face as she nods. “Very well. Your weapon, the Book of Fate, shall be equipped as soon as you log into the game. I have prepared an avatar similar to your likeness. Are there any changes you would like to make before we proceed?”

A young woman fades into view under the light, her eyes closed as if she’s sleeping. Somehow Mnemosyne has managed to capture every small detail, from my long black hair and lightly tanned skin, down to my full lips and the small black mole on my left cheek. Her long eyelashes flutter as she breathes deeply. It’s unlike any avatar systems I’ve seen in past games.

“No changes,” I say, wondering if this is how I truly looked or if this is how the game interpreted my appearance through my memories.

“When you open your eyes, you will find yourself in the Plaza of Memories, where new destinies are born. I will serve as your guide, but it is up to you whether you wish to follow the tutorial. The people of Breakthrough LLC thank you for your time and hope you enjoy Mythic Kingdoms!” she replies as a bright light fills the space, forcing me to close my eyes.

My body becomes heavy and I drift out of consciousness.

* * *


Just as Mnemosyne said, when I reopened my eyes, I find myself in the middle of a crowded plaza in what appears to be Ancient Greece. Most are new players that have logged in, while there are a few who are already high level. I assume they were part of the beta testing that happened before the game's official release.

The plaza has a mosaic ground, with two-room homes with triangular roofs surrounding the square. NPCs lounge on the open porches in front of their homes, stuck in a conversation loop the developers placed them in. Each building is supported by Greece’s famous white columns, with carvings of gods and goddesses from Greek mythology. There’s a large fountain in the center of the plaza, depicting the abduction of Europa.

The feeling of being in the game is similar to reality. The breeze tickles my skin as a soft aroma of freshly baked pastries envelops me in a tender embrace. The smell of fried food taunts me, goading me to deviate from my schedule of learning the game and give in to my deepest desires.

“Welcome to the Plaza of Memories, Mai. Before you begin your journey in experiencing all of the one hundred and fifty floors Mythic Kingdoms has to offer, we must go over a few key elements of the game to ensure you succeed. The green bar above your name is your HP bar, which depicts how much health your character has before it dies. The blue bar is your MP bar, which tells you how much energy you have left to cast a spell. It’s similar to a stamina bar,” Mnemosyne explains from beside me. I glance up at the floating green and blue bars above my head, seeing them just above my username. Since I haven’t done anything to exert my energy, they’re completely full, but rather small.

“Is there a way to increase the cap on my health and mana?” I ask, knowing it’s going to be somewhat of a crutch until I do something about it.

“You can increase the length of these bars by leveling up and equipping items from your inventory. Fighting mobs of monsters or completing dungeons will give you an opportunity to replace your existing equipment, sell rare items at our designated shops to buy better items, and even level up! Each player is equipped with a map that will show you places you can eat, sell and purchase items, and rest for the evening. Everything in the Plaza of Memories is free for players, but as you progress through the game, you’ll need more and more gold to unlock these special perks. It may be useful to create a guild where you can farm items and gold with allies of your choosing. Remember, how you choose to play the game will determine whether you are a hero or a villain.”

Pretty standard for a game. But what does it matter how I choose to play the game? Aren’t we all heroes? It’s almost as if she’s implying there’s a hidden agenda. I ponder over her words, but before I get the chance to ask what she means, the sun disappears as a total solar eclipse darkens the plaza.

I turn to Mnemosyne, hoping she can explain, but she’s vanished. It sends everyone into a panic as they begin talking about what’s happening. A red-hooded woman appears by the fountain, her voice booming loudly over the commotion as though he has a microphone in his hands.

“Welcome players of Mythic Kingdoms! Most of you may not know who I am, but you’ll find out soon enough. The Darkness is approaching quickly, and only one of you can find the Goddesses of Light from each world and save this universe as we know it. Many of you will fall, but only one will reign victorious as the true hero. Until then, I can’t permit any of you to leave. You will notice your log-out button has been disabled,” the hooded woman announced.

Interesting plot twist. The developers really fought hard to make this seem like a difficult mission. Though a flawed system. They can’t disable the log-out function on a game. That would trap millions of people and their company would be held liable, I silently speculate.

“Hey! She’s not kidding! I can’t log out!” a female voice rang out amongst the crowd. It appears to incite hysteria as everyone goes through various stages of grief: some are in denial, thinking they’ll wake up from the dream. Some are furious, while a handful, who may be rich outside of the game, think of ways to bargain with the developers to let them leave. Then there are the people who are hit with sadness and defeat, crying in the

corners of the town or lying on the ground in the fetal position, begging for their mother.
I raise my right hand, triggering the settings screen in front of me. And there, in a dull gray, is the log-out button, disabled as the mysterious woman said. As much as I should be upset, I can’t. What did I have left for me back home? A broken family, which includes an angry mother who didn’t understand me and a brother I needed to sacrifice everything for. Here, I can do whatever I want and not fear judgment. I can be free, and Maê would have Ari, instead of me, an unforgettable disappointment. Can I be a little selfish, Yai?

“Some of you may admit defeat, others may seek a quiet life until one brave soul beats the game and saves all of you. How you choose to play the game will determine your fate as a hero or a villain.” Her words make me look up from my settings, as they are the same words Mnemosyne uttered just moments ago. “Will you save us or stand idly by?”

I ball my hands into fists, having found my resolve. “When do we get started?” I reply, ignoring the shocked, watchful gazes of my fellow gamers.