Ridge blinked, the pale blue light of his monitor reflecting in his glasses. Around him, the hum of his VR rig filled the small room, a comforting, electric vibration against the quiet of the night. With a long sigh, he slipped the headset over his eyes and activated the system. The world around him melted away in a flash of color and code, replaced by something that felt impossibly alive.
He wasn't in his apartment anymore. Instead, he floated above a lush, sun-drenched field, the wind brushing against his face as if the world itself knew he'd arrived. Wildflowers swayed, trees towered with leaves glistening like emeralds, and in the distance, mountains loomed, their peaks wreathed in mist. He could hear birds, the distant roar of some creature, and—strangely—the faint echo of voices, like a crowd murmuring far off in the wind.
A floating holographic screen appeared in front of him, glowing softly. **Welcome to Eternal Nexus, player. Please select your class.**
Ridge scrolled through the options: Warrior, Rogue, Mage, Cleric… each accompanied by glossy artwork of armor, weapons, and spell effects. But one caught his eye. **Summoner.**
The icon shimmered—a figure cloaked in midnight blue, hands raised as fantastical creatures swirled around them. Dragons, faeries, wolf-like beasts, even something that looked like a floating orb with eyes. Something about it felt… right.
"Summoner," Ridge muttered to himself. The word tasted strange and heavy, but in a good way. He clicked.
Immediately, the world shifted. A soft chime sounded, and a scroll of text appeared before him. **Summoner Class: Masters of Bonds. Call forth companions from other realms to fight, explore, and support. Your strength grows with your connection. Beware—your summons are not merely tools. They are living beings, with wills of their own.**
Ridge swallowed. "Yeah, yeah… I got it."
Before he could dwell on it, a small creature appeared at his feet—a tiny, fox-like being with silver fur and glowing blue eyes. Its ears twitched, and it tilted its head as if studying him.
"Uh… hi?" Ridge said awkwardly.
The creature yipped and circled him once before sitting down, its tail flicking with impatient curiosity. Above its head floated a name: **Feylin.**
The HUD pulsed: **Bond Initiated. Summon Name: Feylin.**
Ridge felt a strange warmth in his chest, a pull of connection that went deeper than anything he'd felt before in a game. Feylin's gaze locked with his, and for a moment, it was like they understood each other without words.
A notification pinged. **Tutorial: Summoning Mechanics.** Ridge groaned inwardly. Tutorials were always a pain, but this one… seemed different. Feylin leapt onto his shoulder as the guide spoke, a voice that was smooth but slightly distorted, like it existed both in the world and outside it.
"Summoners do not wield power alone," it said. "You exist in partnership. Your summons are extensions of your will, but they are also autonomous. Treat them with respect, and they will fight with unmatched loyalty. Fail to bond, and even the strongest creature may turn against you."
Ridge nodded, half to himself, half to Feylin. "Right. Got it. Don't screw it up."
Feylin yipped again, and Ridge laughed—a small, hollow sound that echoed strangely in the open field. He took a tentative step, then another. The controls were intuitive, but there was a weight to his actions that felt… real. More real than he expected. He called Feylin forward, and the little fox sprinted in a blur of silver before looping back, tail wagging.
Hours passed—or maybe minutes, time had a strange elasticity in VRMMOs—and Ridge explored the starting area, completing simple quests to get a feel for the mechanics. Feylin was a constant presence, leaping, darting, and occasionally pawing at Ridge as if to remind him of his own incompetence.
By the time he reached the first village, the sun was setting, painting the sky in streaks of orange and violet. NPCs bustled about, merchants shouting, children playing near a fountain that glittered with enchanted water. Ridge wandered into an inn, set Feylin down, and finally allowed himself a small grin.
"This… isn't bad," he muttered. "Could get used to this."
Then, just as he was settling in, a shadow passed across the doorway. A figure, cloaked in dark red, stood there, scanning the room with sharp, calculating eyes. Ridge felt a chill crawl up his spine.
The figure's gaze landed on him, and Feylin growled, hackles rising. Ridge stiffened. This was… something else entirely.
"Lime," the figure said, voice low and almost amused. "So you're the new summoner everyone's been whispering about."
Ridge froze. "Uh… who's asking?"
The figure chuckled, the sound sharp and dry. "Names aren't important. What's important is the bond. And I think… your first test has already found you."
Feylin barked, and Ridge's heart thudded in a way that felt uncomfortably real. This wasn't the tutorial. This wasn't a quest. Whatever this was… it was the beginning of something far bigger than he expected.
And for the first time, Ridge felt it—the thrill of being more than just a player. He was Lime, summoner, and this world had just opened its teeth.