Chapter 31

  Present time…

  Ben frowned as memories of his previous arguments with Sarah flashed through his mind. There had been many regarding the topic of men’s and women’s roles in the apocalypse of Eternity.

  Eve fidgetted while she waited for his answer. She could see how upset he had suddenly become.

  “Are you ok?” She texted.

  Ben snapped out of his memories and refocused on her skill tree.

  “Oh yea, I’m fine. Anyway, after reviewing your skill tree I think…you should go along the War Goddess path,” Ben said.

  Eve looked at the skill tree that Ben pointed out. She read the description and frowned.

  “Are you sure? This doesn’t seem very helpful right now. It allows me to share my Soul Link with an additional target or party member, but it doesn’t make the link stronger. That would be useless to you,” Eve texted.

  Ben nodded.

  “True, but look at the first Capstone perk. If you put three skill points into this tree, then you unlock the capstone ability that allows you to share your Soul Link with your entire party. Then if you keep going, the next capstone ability allows you to share your Soul Link with an entire raid group. Do you realize how powerful that will be? In 30 levels, you will probably be the top support in the world,” Ben said.

  Eve bit into her bottom lip and looked from her class skill tree to Ben.

  “All of that sounds nice, but what about you?” She texted.

  Ben gave a strained smile.

  “I told you I would get you to level 20, then we would even do all the dungeon achievements together, but we won’t be together forever. I still prefer to be on my own. You can’t base your entire build around me,” Ben said.

  Eve’s mood soured immediately.

  “That’s my choice to make,” she texted.

  Ben predicted that response. Ben took a step closer to her and looked down at her with a gentle, sincere gaze.

  “Eve, think carefully about this. You know how I mentioned that this game wasn’t just a game. Well it’s true. Eternity is revolutionary. It’s going to be the biggest thing since sliced bread. Bigger than Starcraft, World of Warcraft, League of Legends. It is going to transcend gaming. Normies are going to play, eventually. People who have never picked up a game in their lives are either going to play or watch. This is an amazing opportunity for you, as a woman,” Ben said.

  Eve frowned in confusion.

  “As a woman?” She texted.

  Ben nodded.

  “Yes. I’m sure you know that gaming is dominated by men. Especially at the highest levels. Look at the top games in the world. Look at the champions. All men. There are no top level female gamers. Starcraft, League of Legends, Fortnight, Overwatch, etc, it’s all men. One of the few areas in the world where the glass ceiling hasn’t been shattered.

  You have the opportunity to be a woman at the top, in the biggest game in the world. That will make you a celebrity. I’m sure they will literally put your name and face in the history books. You’ll be a feminist icon, an inspiration to women and girls all over the world,” Ben said.

  Ben spoke robotically, as if the words weren’t actually his, because they weren’t. Those words were a result of listening to Sarah’s complaints for years about the way he led and organized the guild. Ben did his best to ignore the pain of those memories, and the countless arguments.

  This time, he wouldn’t make the same mistakes that caused so much resentment, which had to be one of the main causes for his eventual betrayal.

  Eve paused to consider Ben’s words. Ben could see that she finally understood. He refocused on her skill tree.

  “The War Goddess path won’t be very useful to me, because all my summons are already connected to your Soul Link, but it will be overpowered if you join other groups. Your first skill point was an auxiliary skill that increased experience gain. That is amazing for my goal because I want to reach rank 1, but after the leveling grind, it is useless. It is a dead perk. Many of the auxiliary skills are like that. Useful to me, but useless once you get to higher levels.

  If you keep going along this path, you’ll waste your God-tier class. You won’t even be able to compete with other common support classes because those classes will put their skill points in skills that enhance their healing, buffs, and other things that will be useful in dungeon raids. If you keep customizing your leveling path just for me, you’ll become weak later, and you know how hard it is to respec. You’d have to level up all over again. It’s a waste of your potential,” Ben said.

  Ben finally finished his rant in order to let the gravity of his words sink in. Eve took it all in with a wide-eyed expression.

  Ben averted his gaze in thought. He knew what he was really doing. He was trying to push her away. If she chose to take a path that was useless to him, it would make it much easier to justify leaving her in the future.

  Despite how much he had grown to like her, his trust issues weren’t so easily overcome. Ben frowned at the thought of going forward alone. It wasn’t ideal. He wanted companionship, he wanted people he could trust, but what he needed to accomplish was bigger than what he wanted.

  While Ben was lost in his thoughts, he noticed the long silence that fell over them. When he looked back at Eve, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.

  She was staring up at him with an expression he couldn’t identify. It was unsettling because he felt like he had gotten pretty good at reading Eve’s emotions. Now, he couldn’t read her. It almost felt like she was trying to stare into his soul.

  “Eve?” Ben asked.

  Eve’s stare lingered for a few moments longer before she finally turned her gaze away. She stared off into the distance thoughtfully. Ben waited with baited breath for her answer. Finally, she began to type.

  “You never asked me what I want,” she typed.

  Ben frowned in confusion.

  “What?”

  Eve looked back at him with a complicated expression.

  “Before, I asked you what you wanted. You told me that you wanted to glorify God. But you never asked me what I want,” she texted.

  Ben grew a wide-eyed expression.

  “Oh. Right, well…what do you want?” Ben asked.

  Eve grew a far-off look once more.

  “I want to be a better Christian,” she texted.

  Ben was taken aback by her answer.

  “Oh.”

  Eve continued to type. Her gaze was unfocused. She frowned, as if recalling a bad memory.

  “I’ve made so many mistakes in my life. I’ve done…things that I am not proud of. One of the reasons I play this game is to escape the burdens of my real life. But then I met you. Being with you has changed my perspective. The way you put your focus on Christ, even while playing a videogame, it has reminded me of where my focus ought to be as well. Being with you, supporting you, it’s helping me be a better Christian, and I want to continue doing that as long as I can,” Eve texted.

  Ben was amazed by her answer. He averted his gaze and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

  “That’s a really great goal, Eve. Really it is. But you don’t have to support me to be a good Christian. There are a lot of directions you can go. Lets say you take my suggestion and go with the War Goddess tree, well, you can use the attention you will receive to give a personal witness of the power of Christ in your life. You’ll be at the center of huge, high level raids and dungeons. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to confess Christ in interviews. Those opportunities should help you be a better Christian, I think,” Ben said.

  Ben only half-believed his own words. When he looked back at Eve, he was surprised to see her skeptical gaze.

  “Do you really believe that? In this day and age? Think of all the great women in history that are not in the bible. Which of them are known for their Christian faith? If I do what you say and become some sort of battlefield goddess that controls the flow of battle in some glorious way where I am clearly the center of attention, what do you think the headlines will say? Is it going to talk about my faith, or is it going to talk about how I am the first woman to dominate in a male dominated arena?”

  Ben chuckled at the imagery that Eve described.

  “I see your point. Then what is the alternative?”

  “You,” Eve typed.

  Ben looked at Eve in shock.

  “What?”

  Eve quickly averted her gaze and failed to hide the deep blush that tinted her cheeks.

  “I mean embracing the role that God ordained for me. To be a helpmeet,” Eve said.

  Ben looked at Eve as if she had two heads.

  “What? A helpmeet?”

  Eve nodded.

  “Do you remember the two greatest commandments?” Eve asked.

  Ben nodded immediately.

  “Of course. The first is to love God. The second is to love your neighbor. I’m paraphrasing the actual scriptures of course,” Ben said.

  Eve smiled brightly.

  “Yes, exactly. I want to use that as a guiding force for myself. You said that you want to glorify God while playing this game. That’s how you will show your love towards God in the game. That is also a way for you to love your neighbor. By glorifying God and giving a personal witness of the power of Christ in your life, you show love towards your neighbor by potentially pointing them towards Christ. The ultimate show of love.

  I want to do something similar in my own way. For me, that starts by submitting to HIS will and embracing the role he ordained for women. To be helpmeets to men. That was partially why I named myself Eve. She was the first helpmeet, even if she initially failed. God created her as helpmeet to Adam,” Eve texted.

  Ben read Eve’s message carefully and couldn’t help but nod.

  “Genesis 2:18,” Ben said.

  Eve’s smile widened.

  “Exactly,” she typed.

  Ben noted Eve’s enthusiasm and frowned.

  “That’s a nice goal, Eve, but you have to be careful when you interpret the word of God. The passage specifically described the relationship between Adam and Eve as husband and wife. I’m not your husband, and you aren’t my wife,” Ben said.

  Eve avoided Ben’s gaze and fidgetted with her skirt.

  “Yes, I know that, but that doesn’t change my purpose. I think in Ephesians, it talks about how the older women should teach the younger women how to be. You aren’t my husband, and I’m not your wife, but I should still act like a wife, that is how I will show my submission to God’s will. By acknowledging his purpose for me, and submitting to it, happily, freely, out of love and respect for his guidance and wisdom,” she texted.

  Ben’s eyes wandered again.

  “Actually, you are thinking of Titus 2, where Paul talks about how older men and women should behave, and how they should teach the younger men and women to behave. But again, Paul is referring to how young women ought to behave within the context of marriage,” Ben said.

  Eve bowed her head sheepishly.

  “Oh, yes. Thank you. I get the passages mixed up sometimes. I remember passages that resonate with me but I haven't read the bible enough to remember where they are. I’m trying to get better at that and read more,” Eve typed.

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  Ben nodded in approval at her effort. He could see how her incomplete biblical interpretation influenced her personality. Her understanding had clear flaws, but she was going in the right direction. He also wanted to be encouraging.

  “That’s better than most. Good for you,” Ben said.

  Eve grew an appreciative smile.

  “I still have a lot to learn, but I think my point stands. I want to focus on being a woman of God. So I don’t want to pick something that puts me at the center of attention. I don’t want to compete with the men. I want to be a helpmeet to one man, just one. I know I am not your wife but playing this game is actually a really nice way to practice those kinds of behaviors. So, I want to dedicate myself to supporting you while you do great things in the name of God.

  It’s actually kind of perfect. You and your angels will do amazing things while you profess your faith in Christ, and I’ll stay in the back and support you. It will be obvious to anyone that you are the one in the spotlight. If anyone asks me about myself, I can point to you, and you’ll point to Christ,” Eve texted.

  Ben was left speechless after he read Eve’s message. He read it several times. He kept trying to find the words, but they escaped him. The longer the silence went on, the more nervous Eve became.

  “I hope that is ok with you,” she texted.

  Ben still didn’t know what to say.

  “Eve, this is…a lot. I mean, I don’t think it’s wise to invest so much in me. You have a good idea of the kind of person I am. Trust issues, remember? You clearly care about this game. You said you cleared your schedule to play it. So what if you spend a bunch of time customizing your build for me, then I decide to go solo? You’ll be left with a useless build. You know how much time and money it costs to respec. If you get too high level, you’d be better off making a new character, which could cost you months of work. You shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket when you have other options,” Ben said.

  Eve frowned.

  “What other options?” she texted.

  Ben looked back at Eve’s class tree.

  “Ok, let's say you don’t go the War Goddess route. Well, you still have some pretty good choices if you ever paired up with another summoner. Like a Necromancer, Summoner Druid, or the common Summoner class. Their summons are much weaker than mine, but your Soul Link is still very useful. However, eventually, it won’t be.

  Pretty much every summoner gets a version of Soul Link as part of their natural class progression at later levels. So eventually your Soul Link will be redundant to them, and basically useless. You have the option to enhance your Soul Link with special buffs that will stay relevant at later levels. Those buffs aren’t useful to me, because my summons are so much more powerful than other classes, but those class trees would allow you much more flexibility with who you party with, outside of me,” Ben said.

  Once Ben finished his sentence, he looked back at Eve and froze. Eve was glaring daggers at him. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. She looked even more fierce, given the wolf mask that she wore. She typed furiously.

  “I’ll never party with another summoner. You are the only one who is worthy of my support. If I can’t party with you, then I’ll find other ways to be useful to you,” Eve texted.

  Ben huffed.

  “Eve, I need you to hear me right now. You can’t rely on me. You can’t expect me to stay with you forever. If I ever decide to leave, no matter the reason, I need you to respect that. I don’t want you trying to guilt-trip me if I decide to go alone,” Ben said.

  Eve gasped and bowed her head submissively. Her fiery demeanor was immediately extinguished by Ben’s firm voice.

  “Ok,” she typed.

  Ben paused when he saw Eve’s meek behavior. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

  “Look, I’m not trying to upset you or anything. But even if we decide to party long term, there are going to be times where we are forced to split up. For example, at level 20. You probably know that the level cap is level 20 for the first month, until the expansion is released. And at level 20 everyone has to do their class advancement quest to unlock the next level. Who knows how long those quests will take.

  Typically, the rarer a class, the more complicated the Class Advancement quest is. So we’ll have to split up then. Maybe for days, maybe for weeks. Who knows. You and I both have God-tier classes, so our quests will probably be more involved then others. When we split up, what will you do?” Ben asked.

  Eve looked up at Ben with an expression that Ben was taken off guard by. It was an expression of deep longing.

  “I’ll wait for you,” she typed.

  Ben could feel that she meant every word of that sentence.

  “Why?” Ben questioned.

  Ben was flabbergasted. Eve took a moment to think about her answer.

  “We are playing a videogame and I found a person who puts God first. Someone who has inspired me to be a better Christian. You’ve taken care of me and led me while asking very little in return. You’re even a summoner, which is synergetic with my class. We’re perfect for each other,” Eve typed.

  That familiar blush tinted Eve’s cheeks. Ben shook his head in exasperation.

  “Do you really want to dedicate yourself to being just a helpmeet? Playing the background? A woman is more than that. Being a Christian woman doesn’t mean you have to play the background. Think of Proverbs 31. Even within a marriage, there are many ways to be a virtuous Christian woman,” Ben said.

  Eve clenched tightly into her skirt.

  “Maybe I am using the wrong words. I am not trying to belittle myself or say that my role is unimportant. Remember that I am Eastern Orthodox. Russian Orthodox. Our church is much more conservative than most. We follow the tradition of the apostles where men and women had distinct roles. We believe that the traits that are talked about in the bible aren’t just exclusive to marriage. Submissiveness, meekness, a quiet spirit. Those are universal traits prescribed to all women by God. It makes sense to me. How can a wife be a submissive helpmeet if she is never taught how before she gets married? It's something I am still learning, with the help of my priest.

  I know for myself that if I were to choose a path for the reasons you listed, that choice would be out of vanity, not a love for God. So I want to focus only on what God designed specifically for me, which is to be a submissive helpmeet to one man. I want the world to see a woman who is in complete submission to HIS plan,” Eve texted.

  Eve typed a little more but Ben noticed the way she hesitated. She glanced nervously at Ben before hitting the backspace to delete her last sentence. She finally sent the edited message, without the last sentence.

  “I want you to see me in that way,” Eve thought.

  That was a thought she didn’t have the courage to reveal.

  Ben was overwhelmed by her conviction as he read her message. He focused on one particular revelation.

  “So she is Russian Orthodox,” he thought.

  Ben paused to consider her words and actions, given that new crucial context.

  “That…makes more sense now. Just so you know, I am also Russian Orthodox, and yes, I agree that there are universal truths that apply to the roles of men and women, regardless of marital status. It’s something that can be…hard to talk about, outside of the church,” Ben said.

  Now that Ben knew that Eve was Russian Orthodox, he felt a lot more comfortable sharing his true beliefs with her, as opposed to the more liberal Bible interpretations that were more politically correct in the real world. His experience being married to Sarah caused him to be a lot more guarded with his more controversial beliefs that stemmed from his conservative faith.

  Eve felt the shift in atmosphere and released a sigh of relief.

  “I know. I’m just glad that we understand each other better, she texted.

  Ben nodded.

  “I am too, but I still feel the need to temper your expectations. If you talk to your priest, I think he would have a lot to say about you treating a man that is not your husband, like your husband. While submission is important, I'm sure he would agree that you shouldn't just submit to any man,” Ben said.

  Eve glanced off to the side thoughtfully.

  “So…if we were married, then everything I said would be correct?” Eve texted.

  Ben paused to consider her question.

  “Well…biblically, yes. The bible is very clear on the roles of husband and wife. They are to submit to each other, as Paul says in Ephesians 5, but that means to submit to their individual duties within marriage. The husband should be a loving, Christ-like leader who protects and provides for his family, physically and spiritually, even if it means sacrificing his body. The wife should be a helpmeet who submits to her husband in all things, as the church submits to Christ. They are joint heirs to salvation, but with distinct and different roles.

  But again, Eve, you aren’t my wife. Marriage isn’t a game, it’s a commitment. It has to be earned. I haven’t earned your submission, and you haven’t earned my commitment,” Ben said.

  Eve tentatively returned her gaze to Ben and fidgetted.

  “Well, then I guess I have a lot of work to do to prove that I am worthy,” Eve texted.

  Ben frowned in confusion.

  “What do you mean?”

  Eve’s blush brightened while she typed.

  “You know there is an in-game marriage function-“

  “Eve-“ Ben began.

  He was ready to push back but he stopped when he saw Eve raise one finger. He sighed and let her type.

  “It’s just a game right? I have thought a lot about this. If we were to get married in the game, we would get the marriage buff as long as we stayed in the same party. That is a buff to experience, attributes, and drop rate. If your goal is to be number 1, well, that would help a lot. This is just a fantasy after all. What could it hurt?” She texted.

  Ben looked at Eve in exasperation.

  “She is as persistent as always," he thought.

  Eve maintained a hopeful expression. Ben released a lighthearted sigh.

  “She isn’t wrong about it being a huge boon to my goal. It is not like I would consider marrying anyone else in-game, so getting married wouldn’t hinder me in any way. If things don’t work out with Eve, I’ll just go off on my own. So, what could it hurt?” he thought.

  “Alright, alright. I’ll think about it, but no promises. We still have a long way to go before I am ready for that, even in-game. I haven’t even seen your face,” Ben said.

  Eve averted her gaze.

  “Do you have to? It’s not like we will do anything…extra. That would be impossible in the game. So maybe we could get married even if you never saw my face,” Eve texted.

  Ben shook his head.

  “Maybe when you are comfortable enough to show me your face, I’ll be comfortable enough for the in-game marriage,” Ben said.

  Eve nodded.

  “Ok, I’ll work on that,” she texted.

  Ben hesitated. He didn’t want to make it that easy. Marriage was a big commitment, even if it was just in a fantasy world.

  “Also, you have to show me that you understand the difference between fantasy and real life,” Ben said.

  Eve picked up on Ben’s stern tone. She bowed her head and hunched her shoulders meekly.

  “I’ll be a good girl,” she texted.

  Ben chuckled and shook his head.

  “Wow,” he thought.

  Eve looked up at Ben tentatively.

  “What’s so funny?” She texted.

  Ben’s eyes wandered.

  “I just know people who would be absolutely horrified if they heard you speak that way. One person in particular. She would probably sit you down and give you a lecture on internalized misogyny,” Ben said.

  Eve frowned.

  “I know the type. I used to be like that myself,” Eve texted.

  Ben raised a brow.

  “Really? I can’t imagine you being some former hardcore feminist. What changed?” Ben asked.

  Eve’s mood suddenly soured. Ben felt it immediately. She looked down with her head bowed in shame.

  “A lot,” she typed.

  Ben didn’t press further. He reminded himself not to pry too deeply into her personal life.

  “Sorry,” he said.

  Eve shook her head to clear her mind.

  “It’s ok. I would just tell her that this is my choice. A choice I make gladly, freely, and with my full consent. If she is a real feminist, she’ll be happy that I have the ability to make that choice. If she is the other type, well, I wouldn’t care much about her opinion anyway,” Eve texted.

  Ben looked at Eve skeptically.

  “You make it sound so simple,” Ben said.

  “Some things should be,” Eve texted.

  Ben looked at Eve with a new sense of respect and admiration. Any thoughts he had of Eve being Sarah were completely dismissed.

  “They couldn’t possibly be more different,” Ben thought.

  Despite Ben’s protests, Eve’s behavior was endearing to him. Even among most Russian Orthodox women that he knew, her beliefs were extreme, but that only endeared her more to him. She was much closer to acting like a Christian wife than Sarah ever was. Behavior-wise, Eve was exactly the kind of wife he wanted Sarah to be. A kind of wife he knew Sarah could never be.

  Ben had to actively suppress a feeling of affection that was growing inside of him. He reminded himself that Eve was an avatar, a character that someone was playing, and not a real person.

  “So, are you ready to tell me now?” Eve texted.

  Ben snapped out of his thoughts to return his focus to Eve. She held her arms behind her back and swayed in that patented Eve way while she waited for Ben’s answer.

  “Sure,” Ben said.

  Ben looked at her class tree again. He immediately saw the skill that would be most useful to him.

  “Are you sure about this, Eve?” Ben asked.

  “Yes.”

  Eve typed without hesitation.

  “Are you sure you’re sure?” Ben asked.

  Eve pouted and stomped her foot in annoyance. Ben raised his hands defensively.

  “Alright, alright. Ok, well, you can actually continue along the same class tree. There is a branch that gives you and all members of your Soul Link a bonus to Loot Quality and Loot Quantity. It doesn’t give the exact math but any amount would be extremely useful to me. If I can get extra gold, I can upgrade my gear more often. Getting upgraded gear faster will have a significant impact on my farming speed.

  I just have to reiterate that this won’t be useful in the late game because it won’t help in raids. The best you can hope for is to be part of a merchant guild or something, but that falls far short of the notoriety you could achieve if you-”

  [Congratulations on gaining the class skill Heaven’s Treasures]

  [Class Skill: Heaven’s Treasures]

  [Passive]

  [Effect: Item quantity and/or item quality is increased when you or a member of your Soul Link picks up an item. The strength of this effect scales with your faith score.]

  “Done,” Eve typed.

  Since Eve had given Ben full access to her character sheet, he saw the notification that she received when she chose the skill. He sighed and looked at Eve in exasperation.

  “Really?” He said.

  “I know you are in a hurry. We both have church tomorrow, remember? Every second counts. You lead, I’ll follow,” Eve typed.

  Eve moved next to Ben’s side and waited for him to lead the way. He paid close attention to her words.

  “You’ll follow?” Ben thought.

  Ben remembered when Eve first said something along those lines back in the Dire Bear cave. He didn’t think much of it then. Now he knew that Eve really meant those words.

  He still felt unsettled by Eve’s devotion. How could he possibly deserve such a thing when he failed to get it from his own wife?

  The only rationale he could think of was that it was simply the kind of character that Eve wanted to roleplay. After all, Eternity, for now, was still just a game.

  But Eve’s affection didn’t feel fake or disingenuous. That is what unsettled him the most.

  It felt warm. It felt true.

  It made him want to lower his guard. And he did, little by little.

  She had passed his test. He tried to push her away. He tempted her with fame, glory, and power, yet she chose him instead. He gave her every reason to distance herself from him, but she remained loyal, faithful.

  That gave Ben a sense of security that he wasn’t used to. It was nice. Much nicer than he would dare to admit to her, for fear of the kind of thoughts she would have.

  He allowed himself to indulge in the feeling for a moment and just enjoy the fantasy that he and Eve were creating together. He smiled at her to signal his readiness. She matched his smile.

  “Ok, let’s go,” he said.

  Without further delay, Ben set off towards the Orc Dungeon. Eve followed happily by his side.