"Welcome to the antechamber of VR2L Third Earth," said the cat-headed image on the monitor. "I am your hostess, Lady Bast. Please state your name and step up to the screen to choose your character format."

"Call me Peachyra," said the player as the sensors scanned her body through her virtual suit and displayed her image.

"You require a character to enter the world of VR2L Third Earth, Peachyra," said Bast. "What race will you be?"

"Human will do for me."

"Male or Female?"

"Female, of course," smiled Peachyra. "And don't be afraid to add curves! I'm proud of my shape!"

At Bast's prompting, the player continued to make alterations until the woman in on the right half of the monitor stood at 5'8" with a generous hourglass figure, long golden hair, and blue-green eyes of a deep and liquid hue. But what stood out the most was the gentle peach-like complexion of her face that light her features with an inner glow.

"Would you care to alter your character's costume?" prompted Bast. Thus far, Peachyra still wore the black virtual suit of her player.

"Oh...something not too practical," smiled Peachyra, flush with excitement. "Maybe something a little silly even...like a belly dancer's costume. Blue and peach of course."

The clothing of the figure on the right quickly remodeled itself into an almost tube-like top with thin shoulder straps and bikini-like briefs in a lapis lazuli shade of blue. These were edged with beads of both a darker blue and a sublime peach shade. The cuffs of the same material and beadwork were added to both ankles and wrist and the space between them was filled with a billowy, gauzy material that seemed nearly transparent. Closer inspection revealed it to bear the faintest of patterns: an intricate weaving of peach blossoms on a whisper-thin layer of blue. The same lapis lazuli was used to create sandals, hair combs, and a small gem for the woman's navel.

"Please define the powers of your character."

Peachyra was at a loss. She hadn't considered powers. "What...what do you suggest?" she asked. She hadn't really expected an answer, but the one she received delighted her.

"There is the option of becoming the Avatar of a mythological figure," offered Bast. "Avatars receive unique powers, but also unique limitations. Your description makes you suitable for one of the many agricultural figures."

Peachyra was intrigued, but could think of no one that she would represent. Using the VR2L reference logs, Bast's voiced named many suitable deities and described their functions to her. She finally settled on a little known goddess of Phoenician called Aeon. She was a goddess of edible fruits and with little recorded knowledge of her, Peachyra would be able to have a few powers without being forced to accept too many limitations.

"Aeon's status allow you to pursue the powers of Earth magic," explained the voice of Bast. "As Aeon has neither a designated animal idol, nor an alternate form you will not have the ability to morph, nor will you be accompanied by a spirit animal. The only present alteration your character will require is a designation of your alliance."

"I probably sound silly asking this, but what do you mean 'my alliance'?" said Peachyra with some concern.

"Not silly at all," purred the voice of Bast. "You must wear something that identifies you specifically with your goddess or at least with your goddess' nationality. Artemis wears Greek armour and carries her bow. We Egyptians usually wear collars. For Phoenicians, I recommend a headress."

"Oh. Okay," said Peachyra, not sure what to expect. She was relieved when the combs in her character's hair were removed and replaced with what appeared to be a cross between a tiara and a scaled wig. Constructed from plates of lapis lazuli with trims and fixtures of a white gold so pale as to be almost peach-like itself, it capped her skull stiffly to about mid-jaw when the scale then hung loose like tiny braids, falling as low as her shoulders where they petered out and blended into her own hair. A small price for a little power.

"Character designated 'Peachyra' is saved," said Bast when her player accepted the final design. "Basic equipment includes food, water, and basic bedroll. You may choose one weapon and one additional item of equipment. Others may be gathered in time."

"Hmmm...I hadn't thought about weapons," mused Peachyra, "but I suppose I need to defend myself. How about a staff?"

"What type of staff would you prefer?" prompted Bast. "There are many available from the plain quarter staff to ones with blades or pikes attached. There are even those that can be used to focus and/or amplify a particular power...in some cases mimic them. For example, there is already a Fire Staff in use."

"What does a Fire Staff do?"

"A Fire Staff allows the user to mimic Fire Magic if he/she does not have that ability or amplify it if he/she does."

Peachyra thought it over. It might be useful to have a second power around...one complementary to her own. Magic apparenly followed the elements and she could already perform Earth magic. "I'll take a Water Staff if there's one available," she decided, and described a staff that looked mostly like an ordinary wooden branch entwined with carved peach blossoms. Bast herself coloured it to complement her costume.

It was as difficult to choose a second piece of equipment, but scanning the list of available items brought to light a newly formed kit called a 'body care kit'. Full of oils and salves, Peachyra recognized it's potential and...as most agricultural goddesses tended to also be fertility goddesses...she decided to take it. *Huh,* she mused to herself, *I don't even know this goddess and I'm already throwing myself into her cause!*

"Please balance your skills and your attributes," said the voice of Bast once the equipment had been added to the list.

These adjustments were easier...Peachyra opted to enhance anything that might keep her alive a little longer and perhaps enhance her character's natural abilities. Her skills were relatively easy to choose as well. After requesting a few definitions of terms, she settled on body knowledge, animal knowledge, and culinary arts.

"Attributes designated to character 'Peachyra' are saved," said Bast. "Thank you for joining the VR2L test group already in progress. I hope you enjoy your stay on Third Earth."

It would definitely be the most unique - not to mention the cheapest - vacation she'd ever taken. Anxious to see how her character had turned out, Peachyra could barely wait until the wall had risen before she plunged through the doorway and into the light beyond.

*********************

"Don't you ever get tired?" asked Kith.

"No."

"Don't you ever get thirsty?"

"No."

"Don't you want to stop even for a minute? I thought you weren't supposed to travel through deserts in the day time."

"Works for me."

"Hate to admit it, but the elf has a point," said Fuzzball. "Even evil overlords need a drink now and then. My tongue feels like sandpaper. Not to mention wearing a fur coat."

"Shoulda thought of that before you joined, Fuzz," smirked Thunderwolf.

"I'm supposed to be ruling from a glorious mansion, surrounded by scantily clad serving girls with fans," snorted Fuzzball. "Sand didn't come into the equation."

"Even the cat looks ready to pass out," snickered Thunderwolf.

"Oh, I'm fine," smiled Bast faintly as Demonprist pushed diligently onward. "After all, I can warp out of here any time I want to. And you can't blame Demon for wanting to get to the Black Pyramid...it IS the reason she joined the game."

"Yeah, but this is a bit obsessive," panted Fuzzball.

"Oh, *she's* a bit obesessive, Mr. I'm-Going-To-Rule-The-World," snorted Thunderwolf.

"I think my canteen's running dry," interrupted Kith. "How about you guys?"

"Pretty close," admitted Thunderwolf. Fuzzball agreed.

"Bast, is there an oasis or something around here?" said Kith, turning toward the game hostess.

"Ask Demon," she smiled.

"Demon, is there an oasis or something around here?"

"No. This desert is too small and stylized."

"Well, that's true enough," said Fuzzball. "I mean, think about it. We shouldn't have come this far already...even allowing for the speed of game travel. And since it *is* a game, a desert wouldn't have water in it at all, if it wasn't thought of." He swung his tail around, smacking Lady Bast smartly across the shins with it's tip. "Think of water next time!"

"Ow," said Bast amiably. "But there *is* water."

The three male players stopped to look at her. "And you weren't going to tell us?" growled Thunderwolf.

"It's hidden water," Bast smiled mysteriously.

"It's right there," added Demonprist, waving slightly off to her right.

"Right where," asked Kith sceptically.

"Underground."

"Fat lot of good *that* does us!" snarled Thunderwolf.

"Look," hissed Demonprist, turning sharply to address the others. "I didn't ask *any* of you to come along with me! I came to see Mumm-ra and that's where I'm going. The water is there...if you guys want to sit around and figure out how to pull it up, be my guest. *I,* for one, am a Water mage and," she tweaked her staff with a slight *ping*, "a sometime Fire mage. I don't move the earth."

The others looked expectantly at Kith. "I don't even know where the water *is*!" he protested, but he tried anyway, following Demonprist's huffy directions. He tried to split the sand as he would split the earth. To raise it...to part it...nothing seemed to work.

"It's sand...a lot of tiny particles," Demonprist explained sourly. "You can't just pick them up in a big chunk...you'll need to use your Earth and Air powers together to move it all."

The Elf, looking exasperated by everyone's expectations, tried again. He was less proficient with his Air powers and it took him a little bit of time to master the control of the subtle winds he needed, but soon he had the air moving as he should. But the sand didn't want to seem to blow out of a hole. He tried to "scoop" it out with a few tricky manoeuvres, but the crumbling walls just sealed up his hole once again.

"All you're doing is drifting it," complained Demonprist. "You have to funnel it out...but in reverse...and then deposit it somewhere else. Look," she said with a little more calm. She would never admit it, but these powers fascinated her. "Just think of a tornado. Spin the air around."

Standing behind Kith to share his view and pointing out over the area where the water lay, she followed the delicate swirls which patterend themselves in the sand as the air slowly began to revolve in and around itself. She could almost feel its spinning deep inside herself. "That's the kind of circular motion you need," she congratulated the elf who grinned, pleased with this new use for his powers. "Now tighten it," said the red-haired Avatar fiercely, clenching her pointing hand into a fist.

The whirling tighted just as suddenly and particles of white gold were quickly sucked up and sent into a spinning frenzy. "Faster," grinned Demonprist with almost manic glee, "like a drill." And at her words the air became a whirling funnel, quickly boring into the earth through layers of sand, sediment, and thin stone. "When you're done, you just reverse it somewhere else," she continued and the air funnel arced to deposit its load away from the dig site. With the walls of the hole spread out at a low enough angle to keep the upper layers of sand from rolling down to fill it, the water came bubbling up out of the ground at a fairly swift pace.

"Cool," said Kith in awe as the others took the opportunity to fill their canteens. "Show me how to do that again."

Demonprist snapped to attention. "What?"

"Show me how you did that!" demanded the elf, making small eddies in the sand. "It's not fair that you can do it already!"

"Demonprist learns better when she's pissed off," grinned Bast. "And don't worry about it, Kith. You're an Elven mage...you'll pick up on Fire and Water too. You just haven't had the opportunity to use those powers yet. Breaking into new elemental magics is easier under pressure."

"So...I *did* do that," gaped Demonprist as Kith paused to fill his own canteen.

"You wouldn't be much of a desert Avatar if you couldn't conjure up a basic sandstorm," grinned Bast.

"Huh..wow," said the other with a sappy grin. Reaching for the same feeling she'd had before and swirled the sand at her feet. It rose up around her, gliding lightly over her skin and rifling through her hair, long strands of which were caught in the air and rose too, whipping about like frenzied snakes. It felt good.

It felt right.

"Do you think I could make a wall of sand like in "The Mummy"?" she asked Bast with a malicious glint in her eye as the sands swirled back down to the ground.

"Probaby not for a while," laughed the feline Avatar. "And a long while at that! That would take some heavy-duty magic!"

"Looks like Demon's cheered up," snorted Thunderwolf as he returned from his water run, unimpressed by her display.

"Ah...the euphoria of power. I know it well," sight Fuzzball.

"Well, then I guess I won't share with you," said Demonprist, sticking her tongue out at the Thunderian.

"Does this mean we'll have to put up with sand in our eyes as well as the killer sun?" growled Thunderwolf. "I'm getting pretty sick of this landscape myself."

"Well, you have to cross the desert to get to the Black Pyramid," said Bast with a shrug.

"For the amount of senseless destroying Mumm-ra does I'm not sure it's worth the effort."

"Having had time to think, I'm likely to agree," said Fuzzball. "What I really need is a way to gather together an army."

"Well in that case, grab on," said Bast, extending her hands. "I'll warp us out of here and drop you off wherever you decide to go."

"You can do that?" snarled Thunderwolf, "and you didn't tell *us*? Oh, I'm definitely going to kill you *now*."

"Talk like that and I'll leave you here," said Bast sticking out her tongue as Fuzzball grabbed her hand.

"Wait a minute," said Demonprist coldly. "You can carry us anywhere we want to go and you're letting me walk all the way across this desert to get to the Pyramid? What the hell for?"

"I can only carry two," grinned Bast as Thunderwolf grabbed her other hand. "As to why...well...opportunity, why else?" And with a swirling of air and light, the three of them were gone.

"Opportunity," snorted Demonprist. And then she looked at the desert sand around her and had to laugh. "The opportunity to have the world's biggest sandbox!" she cried happily.

"Fine for you," snorted the Elven lord who had stayed behind, "but what do I get out of the deal?"

"Oh, come on, Kith," grinned the red-haired Avatar in a suddenly wonderful mood, "I'll teach you how to make tornados...but only if you cough up that trick you used to make the air bubble around your head."

"I'm not sharing that one until you promise to show me how to make water act solid without freezing once I learn how to control it!" retaliated Kith. "I'll even throw in the rippling earth effect I worked on when I first arrived here."

"Rippling earth? That sounds promising! It's a deal," grinned Demonprist as they walked along, ever closer to Mumm-ra's Pyramid. They shook on it, and it wasn't long before the sand was swirling and dancing in complex patterns around them.

*********************