The morning of the launch felt heavier than any morning Kael could remember. He woke before his alarm, the dim gray light of dawn leaking through his curtains, and lay staring at the ceiling. His heart beat too quickly, like he'd been running though he hadn't even moved.
It was today.
The world outside seemed almost eerily calm, as though unaware that history would be written in a few hours. But Kael knew. Everyone who had spent months, years even, dreaming about this moment knew.
He forced himself through breakfast, toast and coffee that tasted of cardboard. His hands trembled slightly as he washed the plate and set it aside. He didn't want to look like a fool, diving into the biggest leap technology had ever offered while shaking like a scared kid.
But damn, he was nervous.
The forums had exploded overnight. Videos of lines stretching around blocks, of countdown parties, of players crying with joy as they held their VR modules like newborn children. Memes, jokes, speculation—it was everywhere. The whole world was staring into the same horizon.
Kael checked the time again. Nine hours until launch. Too long to wait. Too little to do.
He tried reading, flipping through the pages of a fantasy novel that usually gripped him. But every word blurred into the same thought: soon, Ethereal Realms Online would open.
By noon, he couldn't take it anymore. He cleaned his apartment, paced the room, double-checked the connections on the module four times. Each click of the cord sliding into place felt like a ritual, as though neatness would keep him safe when he left his body behind.
Evening fell. The countdown ticked down to one hour. Then thirty minutes. Then five.
Kael lay back on his bed, the module sliding into place over his head like a crown. The cool surface rested gently against his temples, and his breathing steadied.
The world dimmed.
"Welcome, Kael Ardent," the same smooth voice whispered into his mind. "Your neural signature has been verified. Link established. Awaiting global server synchronization."
The blackness stretched, alive with faint pinpricks of light like stars. Then, as if a curtain had been pulled away, text shimmered in front of his eyes.
[Global Launch: Ethereal Realms Online][00:00:05][00:00:04][00:00:03][00:00:02][00:00:01]
The stars exploded into brilliance.
Light wrapped around him, consuming everything. His body dissolved into sensation—heat, cold, texture, sound—before reassembling into something more real than reality itself.
A voice spoke, vast and resonant. "Welcome to Ethereal Realms. Your journey begins now. Please create your avatar."
The void shifted into a grand hall, endless marble and towering statues of heroes wielding swords, staffs, and bows. Flames burned in golden braziers, yet the air felt cool against his skin.
Kael looked down at himself and nearly stumbled. He wasn't a phantom. He had hands, real and solid, fingers he could curl, skin that rippled with sensation. His reflection gleamed faintly on the polished floor, his own face staring back at him.
A translucent window blinked into existence.
[Character Creation]
Name: [KaelArdent]Race: Human, Elf, Dwarf, Beastkin, Drakari (Locked beyond tutorial), Others (Restricted)Class: Novice (Choose advanced class at Level 10)Attributes:STR: 10AGI: 10INT: 10VIT: 10LUK: 5Free Points: 5
Kael swallowed hard. He'd read countless debates online, min-max guides arguing over optimal builds. But none of that mattered right now. What mattered was what felt right.
"I'm keeping my name," he murmured.
The system shimmered, locking in the name.
He considered the races, eyeing the long ears of the elves, the hulking frames of the dwarves. Beastkin promised agility and senses, Drakari whispered of power beyond mortal limits. But many were locked, restricted until further progress.
He exhaled slowly. "Human. Start simple. No tricks."
The choice locked in with a flash.
As for attributes, his fingers hovered over the panel. He split the points evenly—two into Strength, two into Agility, one into Vitality. A balanced start. Not perfect, maybe, but his.
The system chimed.
[Attributes confirmed.][Race: Human.][Class: Novice.][Good luck, Kael Ardent.]
The world shattered into light again.
He stumbled forward onto cobblestones. The air smelled of bread, leather, and faint woodsmoke. Bells rang somewhere nearby. Voices mingled, laughter and shouts, the murmur of countless conversations.
He was standing in a town square, sunlight spilling over rooftops tiled in red and gold. Market stalls lined the streets, their awnings flapping in a gentle breeze. NPC merchants barked their wares with voices rich and textured, too real to be artificial. And everywhere—everywhere—players like him appeared in bursts of light, gazing around with wonder.
Kael's breath caught. This wasn't just graphics. This was life.
A young woman nearby let out a laugh, spinning with arms wide. "It feels real! Gods, it feels real!"
A man swore, flexing his fingers. "I can feel the weight of my damn boots."
Kael flexed his own hands, his smile breaking free. The textures of the leather gloves, the way the air shifted against his skin—it was unbelievable.
He opened his status window.
[Kael Ardent]Level: 1Race: HumanClass: NoviceHP: 100/100MP: 50/50STR: 12AGI: 12INT: 10VIT: 11LUK: 5Skills: [Basic Strike], [Dodge], [Observe]
Not much yet. But it was a start.
"Hey, you new too?"
Kael turned. A stocky player with cropped hair grinned at him, waving. His username floated above his head: [Rook].
"Yeah," Kael said.
"Wild, huh?" Rook's eyes glittered with excitement. "I swear, if this is just Level One, I can't even imagine what it's like out there."
Kael chuckled softly. "Guess we'll find out."
Rook clapped him on the shoulder before bounding off toward a quest board where dozens of players clustered. Kael lingered a moment, watching the chaos, the sheer energy that pulsed through the square.
He approached the board himself. Sheets of parchment glowed faintly, quests written in neat script.
[Quest: Rat Trouble] – The baker's cellar is overrun with oversized rats. Reward: 10 EXP, 3 Copper.[Quest: Gathering Herbs] – Collect 5 Sunleaf from the meadows outside town. Reward: 15 EXP, Healing Salve.[Quest: Stray Wolves] – Eliminate 3 wolves threatening the farms. Reward: 25 EXP, 1 Silver.
Kael smirked. Classic. He tapped the herb quest, and the parchment dissolved into his log.
[Quest accepted: Gathering Herbs.]
The gates loomed at the edge of the town, tall and wooden, flanked by armored guards. Beyond stretched rolling meadows, dotted with wildflowers and whispering grass.
Kael stepped into the sunlight, heart racing.
For hours, he wandered the fields, kneeling to pluck glowing herbs while other players fought wolves, rabbits, even the occasional slime that bounced with unsettling cheer. He avoided the fights at first, testing the weight of his body, the rhythm of movement. When at last he drew close to a rabbit, his hand tightened around the novice sword at his hip.
He struck.
A rush of resistance, a squeal, the faint spray of particles. The rabbit dissolved into light, leaving behind fur and a sliver of meat.
[+5 EXP.]
Kael's chest rose and fell. It wasn't just a kill. It had felt real. The impact had run through his arm, the faint sting of claws across his shin. Not enough to hurt, but enough to remind him this wasn't without cost.
He wiped his forehead, though no sweat lingered.
"Okay," he whispered. "This is real. This is… insane."
Hours passed. The sun arced across the sky, shadows lengthened. Kael completed his herb quest, his log chiming with rewards.
[Quest Complete: Gathering Herbs.][+15 EXP.][Item Received: Healing Salve.]
His level bar inched forward. Almost Level 2. Not much, but enough to taste progress.
As he turned to head back toward town, something caught his eye.
A shimmer, faint and wrong, near the treeline. It wasn't like the glowing herbs or the glint of loot. It was darker, flickering like smoke caught in glass.
Kael frowned, taking a cautious step closer.
But before he could move further, a system message whispered across his vision.
[Unique Event Detected.]
His breath stilled.
[Warning: High difficulty. Recommended level: Unknown.][Do you wish to investigate? Y/N]
Kael stared at the prompt, heart pounding, the meadow around him suddenly too quiet.
This… wasn't on the quest board.
This was something else.
Something meant for him.