Glowing faintly in the air, a notification appeared of where am I.
Endless Plain – Character Creation Area
As I'm just looking around. A figure stepped into view started to material from thin air, a bird? a plane? NO! it's a tall, slender elf with silver hair. Her gaze locked on me as if she is analyzing my very existence until her eyes become more relaxed.
"Greetings, adventurer," she said, her voice smooth and even. "I am Lyra. I will assist you here in the Endless Plain."
"Assist… how?" I asked, my voice sounding foreign even to me in this quiet expanse. And why am I even asking, it's just a basic character creation area.
"This is the character creation area. You will set your appearance, select your starting weapon, and learn basic mechanics before entering the world proper."
A translucent interface materialized in front of me. Hair, height, skin color, eye color, minor facial adjustments—nothing dramatic as I brush upon the customization of one's private part. I clicked through the options quickly. Nothing really needed changing. The default was fine, some area needs an assist but surely, I won't use it in this game.
Lyra tilted her head, watching silently. User exhibits decisive selections. Efficient, focused.
"Appearance complete," she said. "Next, your starting weapon. Classes will open later, through missions or choices. For now, test what is available and see what suits you."
A display of beginner weapons appeared: longswords, axes, bows, staves, and more. I picked up a longsword first, swinging it experimentally. Heavy. Pulling against my wrists. My arms quickly reminded me that finesse mattered as much as strength. The staff bounced awkwardly against my forearms when I tried a few swings. The bow required patience I didn't yet have.
Finally, I raised the shortsword, letting the light glint off the polished steel. I swung lazily at the first floating training dummy. Thunk. The blade struck solidly, the dummy wobbling but holding firm. I adjusted my grip and jabbed again, testing the balance.
The sword felt like an extension of me—light, responsive, perfectly balanced. I moved to the buckler, instinctively angling it just right. Thrusting forward, I parried an imaginary strike from the dummy. Every motion was precise, efficient, almost elegant in its economy. My body remembered moves I'd never consciously learned but somehow knew instinctively.
Lyra's silver eyes followed every swing. Timing. Fluidity. Awareness of distance… I could almost feel her evaluation pressing on me, but not in a bad way. I liked it.
To be more thorough, I would like to test out more weapons. An axe pulled my arm too far back, which doesn't suit my style, a staff is just too awkward to swing, a bow needs arrows, and that would for sure cost something in the game which might hinder my hunting speed. The combination of a short sword and buckler for me is just perfect. Each swing, each block, each movement I do is balanced between offense and defense.
I spun on one foot, the sword whistling through the air. Quick feint. Buckler raised just in time. Every motion is very natural, as if my body is waiting for this moment, as if this has been instilled in my mind for the whole time I'm alive.
Lyra's gaze softened, her hands folded behind her back. Coordination. Anticipation… I could sense her thinking the same thing I was beginning to realize myself.
"Notice the difference," she said softly, stepping closer. "Each weapon has its own advantages. Feel it. Control it. Do not force it—let it move naturally with you."
I nodded, swinging again. The sword responded almost as if it could read my intent. I blocked, jabbed, parried, spun—and the dummies reacted to every move—but my attention was elsewhere, on the flow, the feel, the harmony of motion.
Breathing steady, I pressed forward. Step, block, spin, thrust—one motion blending into the next, seamless. Each strike echoed slightly in the air, subtle vibrations that confirmed I was in control, that my actions were precise. I could almost feel the energy of the weapon itself bending to my intent, flowing through me.
Lyra remained silent. Her eyes never left me. This is the one, I imagined her thinking. Not yet aware of his own potential, but the system feels it. He may not know now, but he is promising.
Finally, I lowered the sword and buckler, wiping my palms on my pants. "Feels right," I said simply. "This is it."
Lyra inclined her head, the hint of a smile curving her lips. "Then it is settled. Shortsword and buckler, your first companions in Aetherion."
A goblin materialized out of thin air, its wiry frame hunched, a shortsword in hand. Beady eyes glinting, it lunged at me.
"KEK!" the goblin shouted.
My buckler raised instinctively, meeting its blade with a sharp clang that echoed across the Endless Plain.
The sound was… strange. Not wrong, but unfamiliar. My muscles reacted automatically: block, parry, step back, thrust. The goblin spun, lunged, darted like a practiced fighter, but I stayed precise, minimal, in control.
I noticed the little inconsistencies—the clash of steel, the shift in weight. It wasn't exactly what I expected, but I adjusted mid-motion without thinking. Focus. Observation first.
Step, feint, counter, tap—the movement clicked. Each move feeding into the next. Finally, with a well-timed spin and thrust, the goblin staggered, shimmering out of existence. My chest rose and fell, adrenaline tingling in my veins.
The system interface appeared, asking for my in-game name. I paused, hands hovering over the controls. Arcade memories surged in: button mashing, high-score boards, that small thrill every time I punched in the same name.
PAN.
Simple. Unpretentious. A name that carried every victory, every mistake, every moment that had honed my reflexes. I typed it in without hesitation.
PAN.
The system confirmed it with a soft chime. A faint glow spread across the Endless Plain. Lyra's eyes sparkled with approval.
"Pan," she repeated, testing it. "Very well. From this point forward, you are Pan in Aetherion."
A notification floated beside me:
IGN Set: PAN
Lyra started waving her hand. "Your training here is complete. The world proper awaits. The Beginner's Kingdom of Braunheit. Shall we proceed?"
I swallowed, adrenaline rushed. Endless Plain had been quiet, almost dreamlike but what I've felt is if I just conquered a BOSS and finished a dungeon. Now, the real world stretched before me, vast and alive. Possibility. Adventure.
"Yes," I smiled ear to ear. The excitement wouldn't leave my body.
Lyra summoned a shimmer of light beneath my feet. The air vibrated. The landscape blurred.
When it cleared, a cobbled street paving the way. Buildings made of stones like it was back in the day. The streets are full of small markets that sell different kind of stuff — potions, fruits, food. Kids, running around and a lot of players that are also starting to spawn in.
Lyra's voice came softly beside me. "This is Braunheit. The first stepping stone for adventurers like yourself. Explore, train, and choose your path carefully. Some will test your mettle. Others will guide you. Every choice you make shapes your journey."
The adventure had officially begun.