The world wasn't ending, but humanity was.
The message came without warning. Not from the sky, Not from the gods directly; It came through a company no one had ever heard of, Eidolon Systems.
No one questioned where it came from. No one asked why it suddenly existed.
In truth, it wasn't real. The company was a shell—nothing more than a tool created by the gods, and through it, the warning was sent to the world's leaders.
"Your world will end."
"Two years remain."
"Connect as many humans as possible to the game. Only those connected will survive."
No explanation came with those words, no answers, no alternatives, and the governments obeyed.
At first, they worked quietly. VR capsules were sold to the public, it was just another game, and then the countdown changed. Without warning, two years became two months, and Eidolon Systems said nothing.
The leaders panicked.
Selling stopped, and distribution began. Capsules were given away wherever possible to as much people they could. No one outside the governments understood why; People kept logging in, thinking it was entertainment, and when the time finally ran out, only those connected to Ashes of Empyrea survived.
Everyone else vanished, the company disappeared soon after, and the gods remained silent.