"The Helm of Realms"
Carlos had always been an ordinary guy — the kind who worked a nine-to-five job, played video games at night, and dreamed
of something more. His apartment was small, his fridge was mostly empty, and his life was, frankly, boring. Until the day he
found the helmet.
It was raining when he stepped into the tiny secondhand tech store tucked between a laundromat and a closed-down arcade.
Dust clung to the shelves, and the faint hum of fluorescent lights filled the silence. He wasn't looking for anything special —
maybe a new controller or an old game cartridge for nostalgia's sake.
That's when he saw it.
A sleek, jet-black gaming helmet sitting alone in a glass case. It looked far too advanced to be in a store like this. Its smooth,
curved surface shimmered faintly, almost like it was breathing. A small tag read:
"Helm of Realms – One Player Only."
"Does it work?" Carlos asked the old man behind the counter.
The man didn't answer right away. He stared at Carlos with eyes that looked too sharp for his age. Then he nodded once. "It
works. But it's not just a game. It's a choice."
Carlos chuckled. "Okay… sounds like a marketing pitch. How much?"
"Free," the man said, sliding the case open. "But once you put it on, there's no pause button."
Carlos shrugged. "Whatever. Let's see what you've got."
He placed the helmet on his head.
Everything changed.