The steady beep of the heart monitor had become my metronome, a constant reminder that I was still here, still breathing, still trapped in this prison of flesh that had betrayed me since birth.
My room was dim, curtains drawn against the afternoon sun that Dad insisted was too harsh for my condition. The condition. That's what everyone called it, as if giving it a vague name made it less real. Chronic respiratory failure with complications. A genetic lottery I'd lost before I could even walk.
Twenty-two years old, and I'd spent more time in hospitals than anywhere else.
But here, in this carefully controlled environment Dad had built for me—temperature regulated, air purified, every surface sanitized—I had my sanctuaries. Gaming rigs lined one wall, each one top of the line, each one a gift from a father desperately trying to give his son something when he couldn't give him health.
'At least I have this,' I thought, my fingers twitching slightly against the haptic gloves. 'At least I have worlds where I can run, where I can breathe without machines, where I can be more than this broken thing.'
The doctors had told Dad years ago that I wouldn't make it past fifteen. Then eighteen. Then twenty. Each birthday became less of a celebration and more of a defiant middle finger to statistics and prognoses. But we both knew the truth, even if neither of us said it aloud. My lungs were deteriorating. The machines were doing more of the work. And eventually, there wouldn't be enough machine in the world to compensate for the failure of my body.
So Dad brought me games. Every new release, every limited edition, every experimental piece of technology that might give me an hour, a day, a week of forgetting.
'Knock knock knock.'
The sound came from my door, three sharp raps that were too energetic to be Dad's usual gentle tapping. I pushed myself up slightly, feeling the familiar tightness in my chest that came with even that small movement, and pulled the VR visor off my face.
"Come in."
The door swung open, and Dad entered with someone I recognized immediately. Ricky. Dad's best friend since college, and the only other person besides Dad who visited me regularly. Where Dad had gone into finance and made enough money to afford my medical bills, Ricky had gone into game development. He'd worked on dozens of titles over the years, mostly as a producer or director, and he never showed up empty handed.
"Hey, kiddo," Ricky said, his voice carrying that particular brand of forced cheerfulness that adults used around sick people. But there was something else there too, something almost electric in his eyes. "Got something special for you today."
Dad wheeled in a large box on a dolly, and I felt my heart rate pick up slightly. The monitor beeped a little faster, and Dad glanced at it with that worried crease between his eyebrows that never quite went away.
"Easy, Alex," he said softly. "Don't get too excited."
'Too excited. As if excitement was something I could ration like medication. As if the small joys I could squeeze from this life needed to be carefully measured and dispensed.'
But I couldn't help it. The box was massive, and it had the logo of Ricky's latest company emblazoned on the side. A logo I recognized from gaming news sites and forums. The logo for Radiant Interactive, the studio that had been working in complete secrecy on a revolutionary VRMMORPG for the past four years.
"Is that..." I couldn't finish the sentence. My lungs decided that moment to remind me of their limitations, and I dissolved into a coughing fit that left me gasping and reaching for the oxygen mask hanging beside my bed.
'Hiss.' The oxygen flowed, cool and metallic tasting, and I breathed it in gratefully while Dad rubbed my back and Ricky looked away with that expression people got when they were confronted with the reality of my existence. Pity mixed with discomfort mixed with relief that it wasn't them or their children.
When I could breathe again, I lowered the mask and looked at the box with watering eyes.
"Hero of Light?" I managed to croak out.
Ricky's face split into a genuine grin. "The one and only. We just finished it last week. Final debugging, optimization, the whole nine yards. Full immersion VRMMORPG with neural feedback technology that's years ahead of anything else on the market. And you, my friend, are going to be one of the first people in the world to play it."
'Years ahead of anything else on the market.' The words echoed in my head. I'd been following the development of Hero of Light since the first teaser trailer dropped three years ago. A fantasy world called Eryndral with a magic system so complex it required actual study. Combat that used real physics and body mechanics translated through neural feedback. A story that supposedly had hundreds of branching paths and outcomes. And the graphics... the little they'd shown had been photorealistic to the point of being unsettling.
But more than that, the promise of full immersion. Not just seeing through VR goggles or feeling vibrations through haptic gloves, but actually being there. The neural interface technology they'd developed supposedly created sensory experiences so complete that players reported forgetting they were in a game.
For someone like me, someone who couldn't walk to the bathroom without assistance, someone who couldn't climb stairs or run or even breathe properly without machines... the idea of a world where I could do all of that was intoxicating.
"The launch isn't for another three months," Ricky continued, helping Dad maneuver the box closer to my bed. "But I pulled some strings. Called in a few favors. You've got your own private server access until then. After that, you'll be transferred to the main servers with everyone else, but you'll keep your character and progress."
"Ricky, I don't know what to say," Dad said, his voice thick with emotion. "This is... this is incredible."
Ricky waved him off. "Please. You think I'd forget how many times you bailed me out in college? How many times you let me crash on your couch when I was between jobs? This is the least I can do." He turned to me, and his expression softened. "Besides, if anyone deserves an escape, it's this kid."
'An escape,' I thought, the word tasting both bitter and sweet in my mind. 'That's all I'll ever get, isn't it? Escapes. Never actual freedom.'
But even as the cynical thought formed, I felt something else rising up beneath it. Hope. Dangerous, fragile hope.
They spent the next hour setting everything up. The neural interface headset was sleeker than I'd imagined, less like the bulky VR rigs I was used to and more like a crown of silver filaments that rested against the scalp. The haptic suit was a full body affair, thin enough to sleep in, with sensors that would translate movement and provide feedback.
"The beauty of it," Ricky explained as he calibrated the system, "is that you don't actually have to move. The neural interface reads your intent, your mental commands. So even if your body can't do something, your character can. It's been a godsend for accessibility. We've got beta testers who are paralyzed, who have severe motor impairments, and they're performing just as well as able bodied players."
'Of course they made it accessible,' I thought, watching the calibration bar slowly fill on the screen. 'Can't tap into the disabled market without making sure we can actually use the product.'
The cynicism was automatic, a defense mechanism I'd developed over years of watching companies roll out accessibility features as marketing gimmicks. But even as I thought it, I knew I was being unfair. Ricky had been passionate about accessibility in games long before it was profitable or trendy. He'd told me once, after a few too many beers at Christmas, that I was the reason he pushed so hard for it.
"Alright," Ricky said, stepping back from the setup with a satisfied nod. "You're good to go. Just put on the headset when you're ready, and it'll walk you through character creation. Oh, and fair warning—we implemented a gacha system for determining affinities. Keeps things interesting and prevents everyone from min-maxing the same optimal builds."
Dad frowned. "A gacha system? You mean like those gambling mechanics in mobile games?"
"Not quite," Ricky said quickly, seeing Dad's expression. "No real money involved. It's just for character creation. Makes every player's experience unique. You roll for your Path affinities, and what you get is what you work with. Forces creativity."
"Sounds frustrating," Dad muttered.
Ricky shrugged. "It's actually pretty fun. The game is designed so any combination of affinities can succeed if you play smart. No bad rolls, just different playstyles." He glanced at me. "Besides, Alex is good at making the most of what he's got, aren't you?"
'Making the most of what I've got,' I thought, looking down at my frail body. 'Story of my life.'
"Also," Ricky continued, "the time dilation is set to two to one. Two hours in game for every hour out here. We wanted to maximize playtime without destroying people's real world schedules. And the ranking system is pretty straightforward—you progress from Rank 1 through Rank 9. Most players will spend months just getting from Rank 1 to Rank 2. Once you hit Rank 5, you start earning titles. General at Rank 5, Paragon at 6, Monarch at 7, Sovereign at 8, and Transcendent at 9. Though honestly, we don't expect anyone to hit Rank 9 for years. The top NPCs like Alister Lightblade are only Rank 7."
Dad frowned deeper. "Is that safe? For Alex, I mean... the time dilation?"
"Safer than normal gaming, actually," Ricky assured him. "The neural interface monitors vitals and will automatically log him out if it detects any problems. Heart rate spikes, breathing difficulties, anything concerning. Plus, the time in game is less strenuous on the body than sitting up playing with traditional controls."
'Less strenuous,' I thought. 'Because I'll be lying down, motionless, while my brain does all the work. Perfect for someone whose body is failing anyway.'
But I didn't say it. Dad already worried enough.
They stayed a while longer, Ricky explaining various features and systems, Dad fussing over whether the headset was too tight or if I needed another pillow. Eventually, though, they ran out of reasons to linger, and I could see Dad struggling with the decision to leave me alone with this new toy.
"I'll be fine, Dad," I said, trying to inject some confidence into my raspy voice. "It's just a game. I've played thousands of them."
"I know, I know," he said, but he still hesitated at the door. "Just... be careful, okay? And if you feel even a little bit off, you tell me immediately."
"I will."
"I mean it, Alex. Don't try to tough it out."
"I won't."
"Because you know how you get when you're invested in something, and I don't want—"
"Dad." I met his eyes, saw the fear there, the helplessness. "I'll be careful. I promise."
He nodded, not quite satisfied but out of arguments. Ricky clapped him on the shoulder and guided him out, throwing me a wave and a wink before closing the door behind them.
And then I was alone with the softly glowing headset and the promise of another world.
'Hero of Light,' I thought, running my fingers over the smooth surface of the neural interface. 'Three months to explore before everyone else floods in. Three months to get strong, to learn the systems, to maybe... maybe beat it.'
I'd always been a completionist. Every game I played, I pursued everything. Every achievement, every hidden item, every secret ending. It drove Dad crazy sometimes, watching me replay sections over and over to get things perfect. But what else did I have? Time was the one resource I had in abundance, even if my body was running out of it.
I maneuvered myself into position, a process that involved more effort than I liked to admit. The haptic suit was already on—Dad had helped me into it earlier—and I carefully lowered the headset onto my head. The moment it made contact with my scalp, I felt a strange tingling sensation, not quite electricity, more like... awareness. As if something was waking up inside my skull.
'Beep. Beep. Beep.'
The heart monitor continued its steady rhythm as text appeared in my vision, floating in the darkness behind my closed eyelids.
[HERO OF LIGHT – NEURAL INTERFACE CALIBRATION]
[Please remain still while we configure your sensory input...]
The tingling intensified, spreading from my scalp down through my body. It didn't hurt, but it was deeply weird, like someone was mapping every nerve ending and cataloging it.
[Calibration complete.]
[Visual acuity: Optimal]
[Auditory processing: Optimal]
[Tactile sensitivity: Optimal]
[Motor intent recognition: Optimal]
[Welcome to Hero of Light.]
[Would you like to begin character creation?]
I tried to say yes, but before I could form the word, the system responded to my intent. 'That's going to take some getting used to,' I thought, and even that thought felt somehow louder, more present than normal thinking.
The darkness bloomed into light, and suddenly I was standing in a white void that stretched infinitely in every direction. Not sitting in my bed, not lying down, but 'standing'. On legs that didn't shake or threaten to give out. With lungs that drew in deep, easy breaths.
I looked down at my hands—generic, placeholder hands that glowed slightly with a soft blue light—and flexed my fingers. They moved smoothly, perfectly, without the slight tremor that usually accompanied my movements. I took a step forward, then another, then broke into a run just because I could.
'Oh god,' I thought, tears prickling at my eyes. 'Oh god, this is what it feels like. This is what normal feels like.'
I ran until I was laughing, until the joy of it overwhelmed everything else, until I collapsed onto the nothing beneath me and just breathed for the sheer pleasure of breathing easily. How long had it been since I could do this? Since I could move without pain, without the constant awareness of my body's limitations?
Never. The answer was never. I'd been sick since birth.
A voice echoed through the void, warm and melodious, neither quite male nor female. "Welcome, traveler, to the world of Eryndral. You stand at the precipice of legend, ready to forge your destiny among heroes and villains alike. Let us begin by shaping the vessel through which you will change this world."
I sat up, wiping at my eyes and trying to compose myself. 'Right. Character creation. Focus.'
A figure materialized in front of me, tall and ethereal, made of the same soft light that comprised my placeholder body. It gestured, and suddenly panels of information floated around me, dense with text and options that would have taken hours to fully read through.
"First, let us determine your name in this world. How shall you be known?"
I thought about it for a moment. In most games, I used variations of my real name, but something made me hesitate this time. 'Just a username,' I reasoned. 'Something simple. I'll probably make a new character when the servers open anyway, test different builds. No point getting attached to a test character.'
"Saber," I said simply. The name felt right somehow. Clean. Sharp. Easy to remember.
[Username: Saber]
[Confirm selection?]
I confirmed, and the figure nodded approvingly.
"Very well, Saber. Now, let us craft your form."
The character creator that unfolded before me was absurdly detailed. I could adjust everything from bone structure to muscle definition to the exact shade of my hair. There were sliders for things I didn't even know could be customized in a game. Vocal tone. Gait style. The way my character would unconsciously hold themselves when idle. Even micro-expressions and emotional defaults.
I spent a few minutes playing with the options, fascinated despite myself. But I didn't want to overthink it for a test character, so I kept things relatively simple. Made him tall—about six feet. Lean and athletic, with the kind of build that suggested speed and precision over raw power. Dark hair that fell just past his ears, slightly messy in that way that looked effortlessly styled. Gray eyes that had a certain intensity to them. Sharp, angular features that suggested intelligence and focus.
'Someone who looks capable,' I thought, examining the finished product. 'Someone who could be a warrior or a mage or anything in between.'
"Excellent work," the figure said when I'd finalized the appearance. "Now comes the true foundation of your power. In Eryndral, all beings walk one or more of three fundamental Paths: the Body Path, the Mind Path, and the Elemental Path. These Paths determine not only what abilities you can learn, but how you will grow in power and what heights you may ultimately reach."
Three massive structures materialized around me, each radiating entirely different energy that I could somehow feel even in this formless void.
The first was a towering monument of crimson stone, easily a hundred feet tall, carved with countless weapon forms that seemed to shift and change as I watched. Swords, spears, axes, bows, staves, and dozens of others I couldn't name. The monument pulsed with a steady rhythm like a heartbeat, and I felt an echo of that pulse in my own chest.
"The Body Path," the figure intoned, its voice taking on a deeper, more resonant quality. "Those who walk this path pursue physical excellence through mastery of their chosen weapon or fighting style. Unlike the other Paths, the Body Path follows a structured progression through five distinct stages of mastery."
Text appeared in the air beside the monument, glowing crimson:
[Body Path Progression:]
[Stage 1: Foundation - Choose your weapon and practice fundamental techniques. Learn the basics of stance, grip, and movement.]
[Stage 2: Weapon Resonance - Develop harmony between self and weapon. Your weapon begins to feel like a natural extension of your body.]
[Stage 3: One Heart One Weapon - Your weapon truly becomes an extension of your body. You can sense its position, weight, and balance instinctively.]
[Stage 4: Weapon Assimilation - Merge completely with your weapon's essence. Your spirit and the weapon's nature become one.]
[Stage 5: Weapon Sovereignty - Achieve absolute mastery, transcending physical limits. Your weapon obeys not just your body, but your will itself.]
The second structure was a crystalline spire that stretched even higher than the monument, pulsing with iridescent light that shifted through every color imaginable. Unlike the solid, grounded presence of the Body monument, the Mind spire seemed to exist slightly out of phase with reality, as if it occupied multiple spaces simultaneously.
"The Mind Path," the figure continued. "Those who walk this path command reality through force of will and mental discipline. Unlike the Body Path, Mind affinities do not follow staged progression, but instead deepen through understanding, practice, and the expansion of consciousness itself."
The spire displayed various Mind affinities in flowing, ethereal text:
[Mind Path Affinities:]
[Emotive - Reading, influencing, and manipulating emotions in yourself and others]
[Telekinesis - Moving objects and exerting force through mental power alone]
[Spirit - Perceiving, communicating with, and commanding extraterrestrial entities]
[Telepathy - Mind to mind communication, reading thoughts, and mental attacks]
[Illusion - Creating false sensory experiences and bending perception]
[Divination - Seeing potential futures, reading fate, and understanding hidden truths]
[And others...]
The third structure was perhaps the most visually striking—a massive vortex of swirling elemental energies that seemed to contain entire weather systems within its form. Fire crackled and roared. Water flowed in impossible patterns. Wind howled. Lightning arced between clouds of darkness and beams of pure light. Ice crystallized and melted in endless cycles.
"The Elemental Path," the figure said. "Those who walk this path bond with the primal forces that comprise existence itself. Like Mind affinities, Elemental mastery grows through attunement and understanding rather than rigid stages. One must become one with their element, understanding its nature on a fundamental level."
The vortex separated into distinct streams, each labeled:
[Elemental Path Affinities:]
[Fire - Destruction, passion, transformation through burning]
[Water - Adaptability, healing, the power of constant flow]
[Wind - Freedom, speed, the force that cannot be grasped]
[Lightning - Swiftness, penetrating power, the spark of change]
[Earth - Endurance, stability, the foundation of all things]
[Light - Purification, revelation, the banishment of darkness]
[Darkness - Concealment, entropy, the embrace of the void]
[Ice - Preservation, control, the stillness of absolute cold]
[Nature - Growth, life, the wild power of the natural world]
[Blood - Vitality, sacrifice, the essence of life itself]
[Curse - Decay, affliction, power drawn from suffering]
[And others...]
"Most travelers," the figure continued, gesturing to all three structures, "possess affinity for a single Path, dedicating themselves entirely to its mastery. Through focus and specialization, they achieve great heights within their chosen discipline. Some rare individuals possess affinity for two Paths, facing greater challenge but gaining broader capability. They must balance their training, splitting their attention and resources between two distinct forms of power."
The figure paused, and I could swear it was looking directly at me despite having no visible eyes.
"And rarest of all are those who walk all three Paths simultaneously. Such individuals are called Triadic Souls, blessed—or perhaps cursed—with the potential to master body, mind, and element alike. But this blessing comes with terrible burden. The Triadic Soul must work three times as hard for every gain, must split their focus three ways, and must overcome challenges that would break lesser beings. Most who receive this gift falter under its weight. But those few who persevere may achieve something approaching true omnipotence."
The three structures pulsed in unison, and a massive wheel materialized before me. It was divided into three sections—one crimson like the Body monument, one iridescent like the Mind spire, and one multicolored like the Elemental vortex. The wheel was easily twenty feet in diameter, ornately carved with symbols and patterns that seemed to shift when I looked at them directly.
"Your affinities will be determined by the Wheel of Destiny," the figure explained. "First, we shall determine which Paths you possess. Spin the wheel, and let fate decide your potential."
[Path Determination Gacha]
[Spin to determine your Paths]
[Possible results:]
[1 Path - 70% probability]
[2 Paths - 25% probability]
[3 Paths (Triadic Soul) - 5% probability]
[Note: More Paths provide greater versatility but significantly slow progression]
I stared at the wheel, my completionist instincts warring with common sense. 'Five percent chance for all three Paths,' I thought. 'That's terrible odds. I'll probably get one, maybe two if I'm lucky.'
But something about the Triadic Soul description called to me. The challenge of it. The promise of what it could become. And I had three months of private server time. Three months to experiment, to learn, to push boundaries without worrying about falling behind other players.
'And if it doesn't work out,' I reasoned, 'I can just make a new character when the servers open. This is just for testing anyway.'
I reached out toward the wheel, and the moment my fingers touched its surface, it began to spin. Slowly at first, then faster and faster until the three sections blurred together into a kaleidoscope of color. A sound like wind chimes filled the void, musical and somehow both soothing and exciting.
'Ting ting ting ting ting...'
The wheel spun for what felt like a full minute, building tension, before it began to slow. The sections became distinct again as the wheel decelerated, the pointer at the top clicking past each section with a sharp, clear sound.
Crimson. 'Click.' Iridescent. 'Click.' Multicolored. 'Click.' Crimson. 'Click.' Iridescent. 'Click.' Multicolored. 'Click.'
'Come on,' I thought, watching it crawl slower and slower. 'Just this once, let me get lucky. Just this once, let me hit that five percent.'
'Click... click... click...'
The wheel inched forward, the pointer hovering between the multicolored and crimson sections. For a moment, it seemed like it would land on crimson—a single Path, the Body Path.
Then, with one final soft 'click', it settled firmly in the multicolored section.
[CONGRATULATIONS!]
[The Wheel of Destiny has blessed you!]
[You have been granted the Triadic Soul!]
[You may walk all three Paths: Body, Mind, and Elemental]
[Warning: Experience requirements increased by 300%]
[Warning: Skill acquisition difficulty significantly increased]
[Warning: You will progress three times slower than single-Path individuals]
[Benefit: Access to all three Paths and their unique combinations]
[Benefit: Unique hybrid abilities unlocked]
[Benefit: Special questlines and opportunities available]
I stared at the notifications, my heart pounding even in this digital space. 'Five percent chance,' I thought, barely able to process it. 'Five percent, and I actually got it. I actually hit the jackpot.'
The figure's voice took on a note that sounded distinctly like surprise. "Remarkable. Truly remarkable. The Triadic Soul manifests before me. You have been granted great potential, traveler Saber, but your path will be fraught with challenge beyond what most can imagine. Every step forward will require three times the effort. Every skill will demand three times the dedication. Most who receive this blessing falter within days, overwhelmed by the crushing weight of its demands."
The figure gestured, and the three structures—monument, spire, and vortex—all sent streams of energy flowing into my chest. The sensation was overwhelming and impossible to describe. Heat and cold, weight and weightlessness, sharp focus and vast emptiness all at once. I gasped, feeling the energies settle into my core like three separate suns burning inside me.
"But should you persevere," the figure continued, "should you endure where others break, you may achieve heights that even the gods themselves would envy."
Three more wheels materialized before me, smaller than the first but no less intricate. One crimson, one iridescent, one multicolored. Each carved with its own unique imagery.
"Now," the figure said, "we must determine your specific affinities within each Path. The Wheel of Destiny shall decide what powers you wield, what weapons you master, and what elements you command. Each roll is independent, each result unique. Your fate awaits."
The first wheel appeared directly in front of me, crimson and carved with images of countless weapons. I could see swords of every variety—longswords, shortswords, greatswords, katanas, rapiers. Spears and lances. Massive battleaxes and nimble daggers. Bows and crossbows. Staves and clubs. Gauntlets representing bare handed fighting. Even more exotic weapons I couldn't immediately identify.
[Body Path Affinity Gacha]
[Spin to determine your weapon affinity]
[Your Body Path affinity will determine which weapon you can progress through the five stages of mastery]
[Note: Additional weapon affinities can be learned later, but your primary affinity will always progress fastest]
I reached out and spun the wheel, watching it accelerate into a blur of weapon imagery. The sound was different this time—sharper, like steel striking steel.
'Clang clang clang clang clang...'
The wheel spun rapidly, and I found myself leaning forward, genuinely invested in the outcome despite knowing this was just character creation for a test character. There was something primal about choosing your weapon, something that felt deeply significant.
The wheel began to slow, clicking past different weapons with metallic sounds.
'Clang.' Spear. 'Clang.' Axe. 'Clang.' Bow. 'Clang.' Fist. 'Clang.' Dagger. 'Clang.' Staff.
'Any of these would work,' I thought, watching the wheel decelerate. 'Spear has reach. Axe has power. Bow lets me keep distance. Fist makes me less dependent on equipment.'
'Clang... clang... clang...'
The wheel crawled to a stop, the pointer settling on an image of an elegant longsword, its blade gleaming with silver light.
[Body Path Affinity: Sword]
[Current Stage: Stage 0 - Unawakened]
[You have affinity for blade weapons. Your journey to mastery begins with the most versatile and noble of armaments.]
[Progress to Stage 1: Foundation through training and practice]
[Note: Swords are balanced weapons that excel at both offense and defense, suitable for many combat styles]
'Sword,' I thought, feeling a small thrill run through me. 'Classic. Versatile. The weapon of heroes in every story I've ever read.'
It felt right somehow, like fate confirming what I'd always imagined myself wielding if I'd had a healthy body. Not the brutal power of an axe, not the distance of a bow, but the refined balance of a blade. Something that required skill and precision, not just strength.
The second wheel appeared, shimmering with iridescent blue light that seemed to shift through every color and none at once. Images of mental powers swirled across its surface—emotions rendered as abstract art, objects floating in telekinetic grips, spectral beings that looked almost alien, waves of telepathic energy, illusions that bent reality, and glimpses of potential futures.
[Mind Path Affinity Gacha]
[Spin to determine your mental affinity]
[Your Mind Path affinity will determine which mental discipline you can develop]
[Note: Mind affinities grow through meditation, practice, and expanding consciousness]
I spun the wheel, watching it accelerate into a blur of psychic imagery. The sound this time was like whispers, thousands of voices speaking in unison.
'Whisper whisper whisper whisper...'
The wheel spun faster than the weapon wheel had, and the images were harder to track. I caught glimpses as it slowed—emotions swirling like storms, objects dancing in mid-air, ghostly figures reaching out from beyond, thoughts crystallizing into visible form.
'Whisper.' Emotive. 'Whisper.' Illusion. 'Whisper.' Divination. 'Whisper.' Telepathy. 'Whisper.' Something I couldn't quite identify.
'Whisper... whisper... whisper...'
The wheel crawled to a stop, settling on an image of translucent, otherworldly beings floating in an ethereal space. They looked almost angelic but distinctly alien—multiple eyes, impossible geometries, forms that seemed to exist in more dimensions than three.
[Mind Path Affinity: Spirit]
[Current Level: Dormant]
[You have affinity for perceiving and communing with Spirits—extraterrestrial entities not native to Eryndral. These beings exist beyond the normal boundaries of reality, possessing powers and knowledge that exceed mortal comprehension.]
[Spirit Affinity grants the following potential abilities:]
[- Spirit Sight: Perceive Spirits that others cannot see]
[- Spirit Speech: Communicate with Spirits in their own language]
[- Spirit Bond: Form contracts with Spirits, gaining access to their powers]
[- Spirit Summoning: Call upon contracted Spirits to aid you in battle]
[- Spirit Possession: Allow willing Spirits to temporarily enhance your abilities]
[Note: This affinity is currently locked. You must reach Rank 2 and complete a Spirit Awakening quest to unlock its abilities.]
[Warning: Spirits are powerful but capricious. They demand respect and will not serve the unworthy.]
I read the description three times, processing what I'd just rolled. 'Spirits. Extraterrestrial beings. So not ghosts or undead or anything from this world, but actual creatures from beyond.'
The concept was fascinating, but the immediate problem was obvious. Locked until Rank 2. And with the three hundred percent experience penalty from Triadic Soul, reaching Rank 2 was going to take... how long? Ricky had said most players would spend months just getting from Rank 1 to Rank 2. With my penalty, that could mean six months or more of grinding.
'So effectively, I won't be able to use this at all during my three month private server period,' I thought, feeling a twinge of disappointment. 'That's rough. Really rough.'
But then again, if I could reach Rank 2 and unlock it, having the ability to command extraterrestrial beings sounded incredibly powerful. And unique. I doubted many players would roll Spirit affinity, and even fewer would have the patience to unlock it properly.
'Long term investment,' I reasoned. 'If I can make it work.'
The third wheel materialized, and this one was by far the most visually impressive. A massive vortex of swirling elemental energies, each one distinct yet flowing seamlessly into the next. Fire roared and crackled. Water rushed and splashed. Wind howled and gusted. Lightning arced in brilliant bolts. Earth rumbled and shifted. Light blazed in pure radiance. Darkness swallowed everything. Ice crystallized in fractal patterns. Nature grew and bloomed in fast forward. And running through it all like veins of crimson was something that pulsed like blood itself.
[Elemental Path Affinity Gacha]
[Spin to determine your elemental affinity]
[Your Elemental Path affinity will determine which primal force you can attune yourself to]
[Note: Elemental attunement deepens through meditation, exposure, and understanding your element's true nature]
I reached out and spun the final wheel, watching the elements blur together into an impossible kaleidoscope of power. The sound was overwhelming—fire roaring, water crashing, wind screaming, all of it at once.
'WHOOOOSH'
The wheel spun faster than either of the previous two, the elemental energies creating mesmerizing patterns that were almost hypnotic to watch. Fire spiraled into water, water fed into nature, nature sparked with lightning, lightning ignited more fire in an endless cycle.
It began to slow, and I saw the elements become distinct again.
'Roar.' Fire. 'Splash.' Water. 'Crack.' Lightning. 'Rumble.' Earth. 'Shine.' Light. 'Void.' Darkness. 'Crystallize.' Ice.
'Light would be thematic,' I thought, watching the wheel decelerate. 'This is Hero of Light after all. Or maybe fire for pure damage. Lightning for speed.'
'Roar... splash... pulse...'
The wheel crawled to a stop, and I felt my breath catch as the pointer settled on a deep crimson energy that pulsed rhythmically, like a heartbeat rendered visible. It was beautiful and somehow deeply unsettling at the same time.
[Elemental Path Affinity: Blood]
[Current Attunement: Sealed]
[You have affinity for Blood, one of the rarest and most controversial elements in existence. Blood is the essence of life itself, the river that carries vitality through all living things. Those who master Blood can manipulate life force, enhance their physical capabilities beyond normal limits, control the vitality of themselves and others, and even steal life from their enemies.]
[Blood Affinity grants the following potential abilities:]
[- Blood Sense: Detect living beings by sensing their blood]
[- Blood Enhancement: Temporarily boost physical abilities by manipulating your own blood flow]
[- Hemomancy: Control and shape blood outside the body]
[- Vitality Drain: Steal life force from others to heal yourself]
[- Blood Binding: Create contracts and connections through blood]
[- Crimson Form: Transform your body into something beyond human]
[Note: This affinity is currently locked. You must reach Rank 3 and complete a Blood Awakening quest to unlock its abilities.]
[Warning: Blood element users are often viewed with suspicion, fear, or outright hostility by NPCs and other players. This element is associated with dark magic and forbidden arts. Use discretion when revealing your affinity.]
[Warning: Blood powers often require sacrifice. Power demands payment.]
I stared at the notification, my mind racing faster than it ever had. Blood. A forbidden element. Locked until Rank 3, which with my penalty could take a year or more to reach. And people would fear and hate me for it once they found out.
'This is...' I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. 'This is either the worst luck in the world or something incredible.'
Three affinities. Sword, Spirit, and Blood. One usable from the start. One locked until Rank 2. One sealed until Rank 3. With a three hundred percent experience penalty making every rank-up take three times longer than normal.
'I'm going to be playing on hard mode,' I thought. 'No, beyond hard mode. This is nightmare difficulty.'
The figure observed me in silence for a long moment, and I could swear it was analyzing me, measuring whether I had what it would take to survive with this combination.
"Sword, Spirit, and Blood," the figure finally said, its voice carrying a weight that hadn't been there before. "The blade of the warrior. The bond with the beyond. And the forbidden power of life itself. An... unusual combination. Unprecedented, in fact. I have witnessed countless travelers create their vessels, and I have never seen precisely this trinity of affinities manifest together."
The figure gestured, and my three affinities appeared as symbols floating in the air. A silver sword. An ethereal spirit with too many eyes. A drop of crimson blood.
"Should you survive long enough to unlock your sealed potential," the figure continued, "you may become something truly unique in all of Eryndral. A warrior who commands extraterrestrial beings and wields the very essence of life as a weapon. But the path to that power is long, treacherous, and filled with those who would destroy you simply for what you represent."
More notifications appeared:
[Character creation complete]
[Username: Saber]
[Paths: Triadic Soul (Body + Mind + Elemental)]
[Body Path: Sword - Stage 0: Unawakened]
[Mind Path: Spirit - Dormant (Locked until Rank 2)]
[Elemental Path: Blood - Sealed (Locked until Rank 3)]
[Current Rank: 1]
[Experience Penalty: +300%]
[Status: 2 of 3 affinities locked]
[WARNING: You will begin with effectively only one usable affinity. Progression will be extremely difficult. Combat effectiveness will be severely limited until you unlock your sealed powers.]
[Do you wish to proceed with this character, or re-roll for different affinities?]
I hesitated, my finger hovering over the re-roll option. This was insane. Starting with only one affinity when I had three. Needing to reach Rank 2 just to unlock the second, and Rank 3 for the third. All while earning experience at one third the normal rate.
'I could start over,' I thought. 'Try for something more immediately powerful. Fire and Sword. Telekinesis and Wind. Any combination that I could actually use from the start.'
But I kept staring at those three symbols. Sword. Spirit. Blood.
There was something about them. Something that called to the part of me that had spent my entire life working with impossible limitations. The part that had learned to thrive despite a body that was failing. The part that saw challenges not as walls but as puzzles to solve.
'Three months,' I thought. 'I have three months of private server time. No competition, no pressure, just pure grinding and exploration. If anyone can make this work, it's someone with unlimited time and nothing to lose.'
And the promise of what this could become... commanding spirits from beyond the stars, wielding blood magic that terrified even the NPCs, all while being a sword master who'd reached the legendary fifth stage. If I could actually pull it off, I'd be unique. Powerful in ways no standard build could match.
'And I've always been good at games,' I reasoned. 'At figuring out systems, finding optimal strategies, pushing things to their breaking point. I've spent more hours gaming than most people spend at their jobs. If anyone can turn a terrible starting hand into something incredible, it's me.'
Besides, there was something deeply appealing about the challenge. About taking what looked like the worst luck and turning it into the best build. About proving that even on nightmare difficulty, skill and dedication could triumph.
"I'll proceed," I said aloud, my voice firm with decision.
[Selection confirmed]
[You have chosen to walk the path of the Triadic Soul with Sword, Spirit, and Blood affinities]
[May you find the strength to endure what awaits]
[Preparing for immersion in 3... 2... 1...]
The white void dissolved around me, and suddenly sensation crashed over me like a tidal wave.
Salt. I could smell salt in the air, sharp and clean. Seabirds. I could hear them crying overhead, their calls mixing with human voices and the creak of wood and rope. Cobblestones. I could feel them beneath my feet, solid and real and slightly warm from the sun. Wind. I could feel it on my skin, carrying the scent of the ocean and distant cooking fires.
I opened my eyes and found myself standing on a weathered dock in what was clearly a major port city. Ships of various sizes bobbed in the harbor, their sails snapping in the breeze. People moved all around me with purpose and life—merchants hawking their wares, sailors hauling cargo, dock workers coordinating shipments, children darting between crates in some game only they understood.
It was real. All of it felt completely, utterly, overwhelmingly real in a way that no game ever had before.
I looked down at my hands—Saber's hands now—and saw them truly for the first time. Tanned skin suggesting time outdoors. Long, elegant fingers with subtle calluses forming on the palms. I flexed them, and they responded with perfect precision, no tremor, no weakness, just smooth, easy movement.
I was wearing well made traveling clothes—practical but clearly expensive, suggesting someone of means but not ostentatious wealth. Leather boots that fit perfectly. A belt with pouches for coins and supplies. And there, hanging at my left hip, was a longsword in a simple but functional scabbard.
I reached for it instinctively, and my hand found the grip without fumbling. Drew it slowly, hearing the whisper of steel on leather. The blade emerged into the sunlight, simple but well maintained, and the weight of it in my hand felt... right. Like it belonged there.
'This is incredible,' I thought, giving the sword an experimental swing. The motion was smooth, natural, even though I'd never held a real sword in my life. The neural interface was translating my intent into proper form, teaching my muscles through the haptic suit's feedback.
A notification appeared in the corner of my vision, translucent and unobtrusive:
[Welcome to Eryndral, Saber]
[You have arrived in Port Saltmere, Kingdom of Valdris]
[Current Rank: 1]
[Current Level: 1]
[Experience to next level: 0/300]
[Usable Affinities: Sword (Stage 0 - Unawakened)]
[Locked Affinities: Spirit (Unlocks at Rank 2), Blood (Unlocks at Rank 3)]
[Beginning tutorial sequence...]
A woman approached from the crowd, middle aged with kind eyes and the weathered look of someone who'd spent their entire life by the sea. She wore simple but clean clothes and carried a basket of fish that was probably headed for market.
"You look lost, young master," she said, her voice warm with genuine concern rather than the stilted delivery I'd half expected from an NPC. "First time in Port Saltmere?"
I opened my mouth to respond and found myself momentarily speechless. 'How do I even talk to NPCs in this game?' I wondered. 'Do I select dialogue options like a traditional RPG, or...'
But the woman was waiting, looking at me with patient expectation that seemed entirely natural and human, and I realized the game wanted me to actually speak. To interact naturally, as if this were real.
"Yes," I said, and was startled by the sound of my own voice—Saber's voice—coming from my mouth. Deeper than my real voice, steadier, without the raspy quality that came from damaged lungs. "I'm... new here. Just arrived, actually."
The woman smiled warmly. "Thought as much. You've got that look about you, all wide eyed and overwhelmed. Don't worry, you'll find your footing soon enough. This city has a way of either chewing people up or making them stronger." She paused, examining me more closely, and something in her expression shifted to approval. "You look like the type who'll be stronger for it."
[Quest received: Finding Your Feet]
[Objective: Explore Port Saltmere and locate the Adventurer's Guild]
[Reward: Basic starting equipment, introduction to game systems]
[Optional: Talk to townspeople to learn about local opportunities and dangers]
"Thank you," I said, meaning it more than she could possibly know. "I appreciate the encouragement."
She waved me off with a laugh. "Just don't go getting yourself killed in some foolish venture before you've even learned which end of that sword to hold. The world's dangerous enough without young ones throwing themselves at every monster they see." She paused, then added with a knowing look that seemed almost too perceptive, "Though I suppose that's exactly what you'll do anyway. Adventure types always do. Good luck to you, young master."
She moved on with her basket, disappearing into the crowd as naturally as any real person would, and I was left standing there marveling at how smooth that interaction had been. No awkward pauses, no obvious scripting, no breaking immersion. It had felt like talking to an actual person.
'The AI on these NPCs is unreal,' I thought, watching the crowd flow around me. 'That felt completely natural.'
I spent the next few minutes just walking through the city, getting used to the movement, the feeling of Saber's body responding to my intent. Every step felt natural. Every gesture was fluid. When I reached for the sword again, my hand found it without fumbling. When I wanted to look at something, my head turned at just the right angle.
It was intoxicating in a way I couldn't fully articulate. For someone who'd spent his entire life in a body that betrayed him at every turn, this effortless physicality was like a drug.
I found the Adventurer's Guild easily enough—a large, sturdy building near the docks with a sign depicting crossed swords over an open book. Inside, it bustled with activity. NPCs that looked and moved like real people examined a large quest board covered in notices. Others clustered around tables, discussing strategy or showing off equipment. A few practiced combat forms in a sectioned off training area.
'Are these other players?' I wondered, but as I watched more closely, I noticed the subtle tells. Similar movement patterns. Conversations that followed predictable rhythms. These were advanced NPCs, designed to populate the world and make it feel alive even on a private server.
A grizzled man behind the counter noticed me and beckoned me over with a calloused hand. He looked like every fantasy guild master ever—scarred, weathered, with the kind of presence that suggested he'd seen and survived things most people couldn't imagine.
"New recruit?" he asked, his voice carrying the rasp of someone who'd shouted too many orders over too many battlefields. "You've got the look. Too clean, too eager, not nearly scarred enough. Sword at your hip suggests you think you can fight, but that shine on the scabbard tells me you haven't drawn it in anger yet."
'The detail on these NPCs,' I thought, impressed despite myself. 'He's reading me like an actual experienced person would.'
"I'm looking to register," I said.
He snorted, pulling out a thick ledger and a quill. "They all are. Think they're going to be heroes, save the world, get rich and famous." He opened the ledger to a fresh page and poised the quill. "Name?"
"Saber."
He wrote it down with efficient strokes, his handwriting surprisingly neat for someone with such rough hands. "Paths?"
I hesitated, then decided honesty was best. "Triadic Soul."
The quill stopped mid-stroke. The guild master looked up at me, his eyes narrowing with something between skepticism and pity. "Triadic Soul? You sure about that, kid? Because most people who claim that are either lying to sound impressive or about to get themselves killed trying to be something they're not."
"I'm sure."
He held my gaze for a long moment, clearly assessing whether I was delusional or genuine, then shrugged and continued writing. "Your funeral. Affinities?"
"Sword for Body Path. Spirit for Mind Path. Blood for Elemental Path."
Another pause, longer this time. The guild master set down his quill and leaned back in his chair, studying me with an intensity that made me want to fidget.
"Spirit and Blood," he said slowly. "Both locked at your rank, I assume?"
"Yes."
"So you're functionally a Rank 1 warrior with only your sword affinity active, carrying the dead weight of two sealed powers that won't activate for months or years, depending on how fast you progress. And with Triadic Soul penalties, that progression will be glacial." He shook his head. "Kid, I've seen some bad starting builds in my time, but this might take the prize. You really rolled the worst possible combination and decided to keep it?"
"I did."
"Why?"
The question caught me off guard. I'd expected judgment, maybe mockery, but not genuine curiosity.
"Because," I said, finding the words as I spoke them, "I've spent my whole life making the most of bad situations. And if I can survive long enough to unlock those sealed affinities, I'll have something nobody else does."
The guild master studied me for another moment, then a slow smile spread across his scarred face. "You know what? I believe you might just be crazy enough to pull it off. Or more likely, you'll be dead within a week. But I admire the spirit." He picked up his quill again and finished the registration. "Welcome to the Guild, Saber. Rank 1, Bronze tier. You can take bronze tier quests from the board. Don't try anything above your rank unless you want to end up as monster food. And for the love of the gods, don't tell people about your Blood affinity until you're strong enough that they can't do anything about it. Blood users get killed on principle in some places."
[Tutorial quest complete: Finding Your Feet]
[Rewards: Adventurer's License (Bronze Rank), Basic equipment package, 100 silver coins]
[New systems unlocked: Quest board access, Party formation, Inventory management]
Notifications flooded my vision, and I took a moment to process them all. The equipment appeared in my inventory—a full set of leather armor reinforced with metal studs, a better quality longsword than the basic one I'd started with, a small pouch of basic supplies, and a sturdy backpack.
'This is really happening,' I thought, feeling the weight of the new sword at my hip, the leather armor that had somehow materialized onto my body without me having to manually equip it. 'I'm really here.'
The guild master was already turning away to help another adventurer, but before I could leave, one more notification appeared:
[Main Quest Available: The Hero's Path]
[The prophesied Hero of Light, Alister Lightblade, walks his own road toward destiny. Born into the noble Lightblade family and blessed with the legendary Hero's System, he is destined to stand against the Eternal Night that threatens to consume Eryndral. But even the greatest hero cannot save the world alone. The gathering darkness needs more than one champion.]
[Will you forge your own legend in the shadow of prophecy?]
[Accept quest?]
I stared at the notification, processing what it meant. Alister Lightblade existed as an NPC, following his own storyline with his own destined power—this Hero's System that was apparently meant for him alone. And I was... what? A side character? Supporting cast in his story?
The thought should have bothered me more than it did. But looking around at this impossible, beautiful world, feeling strength and health I'd never known in my real body, I found I didn't care about being the main character.
'I don't need to be the chosen one,' I thought, accepting the quest. 'I just need to be here. To live. To actually experience what it means to be strong.'
And maybe, just maybe, I'd find a way to become something more than a side character. Something unique.
[Quest accepted: The Hero's Path]
[Current Objective: Grow stronger through combat, training, and quests]
[Reach Rank 2 to unlock Spirit affinity]
[Reach Rank 3 to unlock Blood affinity]
[Note: This quest evolves as you progress. Your legend is yours to write.]
I left the guild hall and stepped back out into the sunlight, feeling the warmth on Saber's face, hearing the sounds of Port Saltmere continuing its daily rhythms around me.
Three months. I had three months in this paradise before the servers opened and the world filled with other players.
Three months to grind, to grow, to unlock the affinities sealed inside me.
Three months to figure out how to turn a nightmare difficulty build into something incredible.
'Let's begin,' I thought, and headed toward the quest board to find my first challenge.
What I didn't know—what I couldn't know—was that this would be the last normal day of my life.
That somewhere in the real world, in a hospital room I'd left behind when I put on the neural interface, my body was beginning its final failure.
That the machines monitoring my vitals would start alarming within hours.
That Dad would come check on me and find me unresponsive, and no amount of medical intervention would bring me back.
That I would die in that hospital bed while my consciousness remained trapped here in Eryndral, unable to logout, unable to wake up, unable to return.
That the neural interface would do something unprecedented—transfer my consciousness completely into the game's servers in a desperate attempt to preserve what remained of me.
But the system couldn't handle a free-floating consciousness, couldn't sustain a mind without an anchor.
So it would find me a vessel. A body. A character in the game world.
Not Saber.
Saber would remain, somehow, as data and memory and potential.
But I would wake up as someone else entirely.
A character I'd never created, never heard of, never imagined I'd become.
Alex Hazenworth.
A deadbeat noble with white hair and crimson eyes.
The shame of his family.
A Rank 1 disgrace being shipped off to the Grand Academy in one last desperate attempt to salvage something from his wasted potential.
And somehow, impossibly, my affinities would transfer with me. Sword, Spirit, and Blood. The knowledge and skills from three months as Saber, compressed and sealed inside a body that could only handle a fraction of that power.
Reduced back down to Rank 1, like some cruel cosmic joke.
But that was for tomorrow.
Today, I was Saber, and I had a world to explore.
I drew my sword, feeling its weight, its balance, and smiled.
The adventure was just beginning.
---
''Three Months Later - Final Day''
---
The Crimson Wyrm's death roar shook the entire mountain range as I drove my blade through its skull, piercing the weak point I'd memorized from seventeen failed attempts. Blood—the creature's blood, not my still-locked affinity—sprayed across the snow in a crimson arc that steamed in the frigid air.
[LEGENDARY BOSS DEFEATED: Crimson Wyrm of the Northern Peaks]
[Experience gained: 2,847,500]
[Level Up! Level Up! Level Up! Level Up! Level Up!]
[Congratulations! You have reached Rank 4!]
[Title Unlocked: Wyrmslayer]
[Title Unlocked: Solo Legend]
[Title Unlocked: Peak Challenger]
[Legendary Equipment Acquired: Fang of the Crimson Wyrm (Shortsword)]
[Legendary Material Acquired: Crimson Wyrm Heart]
[Legendary Material Acquired: Crimson Wyrm Scales x47]
I stood atop the massive corpse, breathing hard, my entire body thrumming with exhaustion and exhilaration and the satisfaction of a victory I'd earned through skill and persistence. Three months. Three months of grinding, of pushing myself to the absolute limit, of learning to make the most of a build that everyone said was impossible.
My status appeared at a thought:
[USERNAME: Saber]
[RANK: 4]
[LEVEL: 127]
[Experience to Rank 5: 2,847,390/15,000,000]
[PATHS: Triadic Soul (Body + Mind + Elemental)]
[BODY PATH: Sword - Stage 3: One Heart One Weapon]
[MIND PATH: Spirit - Advanced Communion (12 Spirits Contracted)]
[ELEMENTAL PATH: Blood - Intermediate Attunement]
[TITLES: Wyrmslayer, Solo Legend, Peak Challenger, Spirit Walker, Forbidden One, Mountain's Bane, Dragon Slayer, Legendary Soloist]
[CONTRACTED SPIRITS:]
[- Zephyros (Wind Spirit, Rank 3)]
[- Pyraxis (Fire Spirit, Rank 3)]
[- Aqualis (Water Spirit, Rank 2)]
[- Terramore (Earth Spirit, Rank 3)]
[- Luminae (Light Spirit, Rank 2)]
[- Umbral (Shadow Spirit, Rank 2)]
[- Frostine (Ice Spirit, Rank 2)]
[- Verdania (Nature Spirit, Rank 2)]
[- Voltaris (Lightning Spirit, Rank 3)]
[- Spectra (Illusion Spirit, Rank 2)]
[- Chronos (Time Spirit, Rank 1 - Unique)]
[- Nihilus (Void Spirit, Rank 2 - Rare)]
I'd done it. Against all odds, with the worst possible starting combination and the harshest experience penalties, I'd reached Rank 4. One rank away from Rank 5 General, from the tier where people earned real titles and recognition.
More than that, I'd unlocked both my sealed affinities and pushed them further than anyone had expected. Sword at Stage 3, meaning my weapon was truly an extension of my body now—I could feel its position instinctively, sense its balance without looking, strike with precision that transcended normal human capability. Spirit at Advanced Communion, with twelve contracted beings from beyond the stars, each one powerful enough to devastate battlefields. And Blood at Intermediate Attunement, giving me control over life force, vitality enhancement, and hemomantic techniques that made normal mages look like children playing with matches.
The three months had been grueling beyond anything I'd ever experienced. That first week with only my Sword affinity active had been brutal. Every quest took twice as long as it should have. Every fight pushed me to my limits. I'd died seventeen times in the first month alone, learning enemy patterns through painful repetition.
But I'd persisted. Grinding experience through solo quests that were designed for full parties. Learning to fight with precision and strategy rather than raw power. Studying the game's systems obsessively, finding exploits and synergies that the developers probably hadn't intended.
When I finally hit Rank 2 and unlocked Spirit affinity, everything changed. The Spirit Awakening quest had been one of the hardest challenges I'd ever faced—traveling to the Astral Peaks, meditating for three days straight in-game time, and proving myself worthy to Zephyros, my first contracted Spirit. But once I had him, the game opened up in ways I hadn't imagined.
Spirits weren't just combat summons. They were intelligent beings with their own personalities, knowledge, and abilities. Zephyros taught me wind magic that wasn't technically part of my affinity. Pyraxis showed me advanced combat techniques. Chronos, the Time Spirit I'd found in a hidden questline, gave me precognitive flashes that let me dodge attacks before they happened.
Reaching Rank 3 and unlocking Blood affinity had been even more transformative. The Blood Awakening quest required me to defeat a vampire lord in single combat without any Spirit assistance—a test of pure skill and determination. But the power I'd gained was worth it.
Blood magic was everything the warnings had suggested and more. Life force manipulation let me heal instantly by draining enemies. Vitality enhancement pushed my physical stats beyond normal limits. Hemomancy gave me control over blood outside the body, turning every wounded enemy into a weapon against themselves.
And people did fear it, just like the warning had said. NPCs in towns would sometimes refuse to serve me if they sensed my Blood affinity. Other adventurers—the NPCs, since I was still alone on the private server—would give me wary looks and keep their distance. Some questlines had closed off entirely because of my "dark" affinity.
But I'd learned to hide it, to only use Blood magic when alone or when desperate. And the power... the power was intoxicating.
I looked out over the Northern Peaks, at the world I'd come to know better than my own Earth. Snow covered mountains stretching to the horizon. Ancient forests. Crystal clear lakes. Dungeons and ruins filled with treasures and challenges. And beyond it all, at the center of the continent, the Grand Academy where Alister Lightblade and other prodigies would gather.
'Tomorrow,' I thought. 'Tomorrow the servers open. Millions of players will flood in, and I'll lose my private paradise.'
But I'd made the most of it. Three months of sixteen-hour gaming sessions, of pushing myself to absolute limits, of becoming something powerful and unique.
The sun was setting, painting the snow in shades of orange and crimson. Beautiful. Peaceful. Perfect.
I checked the real world time through the neural interface. Eight hours had passed outside, meaning it was late evening. Dad would have checked on me multiple times by now, probably. I should log out, spend some time with him, eat an actual meal, let my body rest before tomorrow's launch.
But something felt wrong.
A strange heaviness in my limbs that had nothing to do with the boss fight. A disconnect between my intent and Saber's response, like input lag but deeper, more fundamental.
[Warning: Neural interface detecting anomalous readings]
[Physiological parameters outside normal range]
[Recommend immediate logout for diagnostic check]
'Probably just fatigue,' I thought, but concern nagged at me. Eight hours was a long session even with the neural interface's safety features. And I'd been doing sixteen-hour days for three months straight. Maybe I'd pushed too hard.
I initiated the logout sequence, expecting the familiar fade to black and gradual return to consciousness in my hospital bed.
[Logout initiated]
[Disconnecting in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...]
The world didn't fade.
I stood there on the mountain peak, the Wyrm's corpse still steaming beneath my feet, the wind still blowing cold against my face.
[Error: Logout failed]
[Retrying...]
[Error: Neural interface connection unstable]
[Error: Unable to disconnect user]
My heart rate spiked, and I could see it reflected in my status. The health bar that had been slowly regenerating after the boss fight stuttered.
I tried again, manually forcing the command through every method I knew.
[CRITICAL ERROR: Physical body status - CRITICAL]
[Cardiac arrest detected]
[Respiratory failure detected]
[Life signs failing]
[Emergency protocols engaged]
[Attempting to maintain consciousness...]
[WARNING: Host body deceased]
'No,' I thought, panic flooding through me like ice water. 'No, no, no. Not now. Not when I finally...'
The world flickered. The mountain dissolved into fragments of light and shadow. I felt myself falling, tumbling through digital space, through layers of code and data and something else, something that felt too real to be just simulation.
[CRITICAL SYSTEM FAILURE]
[User consciousness detected without physical anchor]
[Emergency preservation protocol activated]
[Scanning for compatible vessel...]
[Compatible vessel found in Eryndral database]
[Initiating emergency consciousness transfer...]
[Warning: Vessel has low compatibility rating - 23%]
[Warning: This procedure is experimental and may result in data loss]
[Proceeding with transfer...]
[Character data: Saber - Backing up to server...]
[Consciousness transfer: 10%... 25%... 50%... 75%... 100%]
[Transfer complete]
[Initiating integration with new vessel...]
Pain.
Real pain, nothing like the simulated damage I'd experienced as Saber. Searing, blinding pain that felt like every nerve in my body was being rewired, like my consciousness was being compressed and forced into a space too small to contain it.
I screamed, but the sound came out wrong, distant, like it belonged to someone else.
My eyes flew open to darkness. Not the clean darkness of a logout screen, but real darkness, textured and imperfect. A ceiling made of stone and timber, unfamiliar architecture with cracks and imperfections that felt too real to be game graphics.
I tried to sit up, and the movement felt wrong. Too heavy. Too sluggish. Too different from Saber's body.
My hands came into view in the dim light filtering through a window—pale skin, long elegant fingers, completely different from Saber's tanned, cal loused hands. These hands were softer, suggesting less physical training, but there was something about them that spoke of latent power.
'What's happening?' I thought desperately. 'Where am I? What body is this?'
I stumbled out of the bed I'd apparently been lying in, my legs unsteady like a newborn foal's, and crossed the room to where I could see a mirror hanging on the wall.
The face that stared back at me made my breath catch.
White hair. Not blonde, not gray, but pure white that fell in messy, wild strands around a face that was striking in a way that bordered on ethereal. Sharp features that suggested both nobility and something more dangerous. High cheekbones, strong jaw, full lips pulled into an expression of shock.
And the eyes.
They glowed with an eerie crimson light, like fresh blood lit from within. Red eyes that seemed to pierce through the mirror and see something beyond it.
This wasn't Saber.
This wasn't me.
This was someone else entirely.
[System Integration Complete]
[Welcome, Alex Hazenworth]
[Consciousness transfer successful]
[Beginning compatibility assessment...]
The name hit me like a physical blow, and with it came memories that weren't mine, flooding into my consciousness like water breaking through a dam.
Alex Hazenworth. Youngest son of House Hazenworth, one of the minor noble families of the Kingdom of Valdris. A prodigy until age twelve, blessed with rare triple-Path affinity and exceptional talent. Then something had changed. His progress had stalled. His motivation had vanished. He'd become a deadbeat, wasting his potential on parties and frivolous pursuits, bringing shame to his family name.
His father had given him one last chance: attend the Grand Academy, prove he could still amount to something, or be disowned entirely.
And tomorrow—today?—he was supposed to leave for the Academy.
But he wasn't Alex Hazenworth.
I was.
'I'm... I'm in his body?' I thought, staring at the crimson eyes in the mirror. 'This is a game character. An NPC. And I'm... what? Possessing him? Replacing him?'
[Status Transfer Initiated...]
[Analyzing previous character: Saber, Rank 4]
[Analyzing current vessel: Alex Hazenworth, Rank 1]
[Compatibility Assessment: 23%]
[Note: Low compatibility will result in significant power regression]
[Transferring affinities...]
[Transferring skills...]
[Transferring knowledge...]
[Transferring contracted Spirits...]
[Warning: Vessel cannot sustain current power level]
[Implementing emergency power seal...]
[Reducing capabilities to match vessel capacity...]
More notifications flooded my vision, and I watched in growing horror as everything I'd built over three months was systematically reduced, compressed, sealed away.
[Body Path: Sword - Reduced from Stage 3 to Stage 1: Foundation]
[Note: Knowledge of higher stages retained but inaccessible until vessel strengthens]
[Mind Path: Spirit - All 12 contracts placed in dormant state]
[Note: You may reawaken 1 Spirit per Rank gained]
[Current accessible Spirits: 1 (Zephyros)]
[Elemental Path: Blood - Reduced from Intermediate to Locked]
[Note: Must reach Rank 3 to unlock this affinity again]
[Rank: Reduced from 4 to 1]
[Level: Reduced from 127 to 1]
[Note: Experience and progression requirements reset]
[Note: Triadic Soul penalties still apply (300% experience requirement)]
[Integration complete]
[You are now Alex Hazenworth]
I stared at my reflection—at Alex's reflection—trying to process what had just happened.
I'd died. My real body had finally given out, just like the doctors had always warned it would. But instead of simply dying, the neural interface had done something unprecedented, something probably unintended—it had preserved my consciousness and transferred it here, into this game world that was apparently more real than anyone had imagined.
Into the body of a deadbeat noble named Alex Hazenworth.
With all my hard-earned power stripped away, sealed, locked behind barriers I'd already overcome once.
Back to Rank 1.
Back to the beginning.
But not quite. The memories were there. The knowledge of Sword Stage 3, even if I couldn't access it. The understanding of Spirit Communion, even if most of my contracts were dormant. The awareness of Blood manipulation, even if that affinity was sealed again.
And I still had Zephyros. One Spirit, one companion from beyond the stars who remembered me, who knew what I'd achieved.
'Rank 1,' I thought, looking at Alex's crimson eyes in the mirror. 'I'm Rank 1 in a body that's supposed to be seventeen or eighteen years old. An embarrassment. A disgrace. Everyone at the Academy will be Rank 2, approaching Rank 3. And I'm stuck at the bottom again.'
A knock came at the door, sharp and impatient.
"Young master Alex," a voice called from outside. Professional, formal, but with an edge of barely concealed disapproval. "Your father requests your presence at breakfast. The carriage to the Grand Academy departs at noon. You have four hours to prepare."