The LED light strips in the corner of the room glowed a calm, ocean blue, casting a chill aesthetic across posters of dragons, battle scenes, and pixel-art landscapes. Though it was already 10:43 AM, the blinds were drawn shut, and the only real light came from the flicker of the TV screen.
Three young men were huddled together, fingers flying across controllers.
Liam: "Yo Jack, flank that mage on the right!"
Jack: "On it, on it — watch the burn ticks, though."
Josh: "We're so under-leveled for this boss, what were we thinking?"
Liam: "That's what makes it fun, idiot."
The room burst with laughter. Pizza crusts and soda cans cluttered the low table, and a bag of chips sat half-eaten and forgotten. On the screen, flashy combat effects erupted as the trio battled through a dungeon in Mythbreaker: Genesis, a brand-new RPG with its servers opened just two days ago.
Jack — 20 years old, messy black hair, a calm voice with natural leadership — leaned forward in focus, his eyes sharp and his grin wide. This was his vibe. His world.
His phone buzzed on the desk beside him. Glancing at the name, he paused the game.
Jack: "Ah, gimme a sec, it's my sister."
He answered casually, putting her on speaker.
Maddie: "Jack, can you pick me up from the café around noon? My shift's ending early."
Jack: "Sure thing, just gimme an hour. You want coffee or anything?"
Maddie: "Nah, no need. Just drive safely. Thanks, bro."
He ended the call and turned to his friends.
Jack: "Alright boys, I gotta head out in a bit."
Josh: "Gotcha. Yo, let's save here then. I'll grind some gear tonight."
Liam: "Next boss is the Twin Serpent. Gonna need a plan."
They exchanged quick goodbyes, bumping fists before the others grabbed their bags and left.
Jack cleaned up a little, tossed on a hoodie, and headed out with his keys and wallet.
20 Minutes Later…
He ducked into a small convenience store on his usual route. It was quiet. The place had a soft hum to it — a mix of chill lo-fi music from the cashier's phone and the humming refrigerator units.
He walked over to the rack of newly released games, fingers brushing against a familiar box art. Mythbreaker: Genesis.
"Didn't think it'd sell this fast..." he muttered to himself with a smile.
But then—
KRRRRMMMMM—!!!
A flash. A tremor. Heat.
Jack turned in confusion, eyes widening just as a blinding white light engulfed everything.
Then — nothing.
Somewhere between worlds…
A deep, vast void.
Weightless.
Soundless.
Thoughtless.
"…Huh...? What… is this…?"
His mind stirred, but his body didn't exist. No arms, no legs — just floating awareness, a soul stripped bare.
VOICE OF THE WORLD:
NOTICE — MOVING THE SOUL OF THE INDIVIDUAL 'JACK' TO THE CARDINAL WORLD…
NOTICE — AN ERROR OCCURRED. RETRYING…
ERROR. ERROR. ERROR. ERROR.
The voice echoed again and again, growing more distorted with every line.
Then suddenly—
"WHAT AN UNUSUAL SURPRISE SEEING A SOUL FROM THAT WORLD TRAVELING INTO THIS ONE.
I DIDN'T CREATE THIS WORLD, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THE BEING WHICH I'M A PART OF DID.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS, KID. SURPASS EVERYONE — YOU MIGHT BE THE LAST HOPE."
[OVERRIDE AUTHORIZED BY ???. INITIALIZATION PROCEEDING…]
Caelthorn Territory, Eastren Empire
Soft cries echoed in the room. The air was thick with fresh mana — wild, unstable, and overwhelming.
The newborn boy's eyes were closed, but even in his tiny form, the air around him shimmered unnaturally.
Wrapped in fine cloth, he rested in the trembling arms of Lady Ellira Caelthorn, a minor noblewoman. Her husband, Renaldor, stared at the child with a mix of fear and resentment.
Renaldor: "He... He's not our blood. Someone left him on our doorstep. What if he's cursed? Everyone already says we are."
But Ellira held the baby close, her expression softening.
Ellira: "Even so… I feel something. A connection. He may not be mine by birth, but I will raise him."
No one in the room could explain why the candles flickered against the windless air…
Why the windows fogged up in heat and cold at once…
Why the midwife collapsed to her knees, whispering prayers she hadn't spoken in years.
They would name him Kaelen.
And they had no idea what they had brought into this world