Chapter 1: The Unexpected Invitation
Alex slumped into his worn-out desk chair, the kind that creaked under his weight like an old friend complaining about the years. It was another Tuesday evening in his cramped apartment in Chicago, the kind of place where the walls seemed to close in a little more each day. At 32, he was stuck in a dead-end IT job, fixing printers and resetting passwords for people who barely acknowledged his existence. His evenings blurred into a routine: microwave dinner, binge-watching shows he'd seen a dozen times, and scrolling through social media feeds that only made him feel more alone. Lately, he'd been rewatching Game of Thrones for the umpteenth time, losing himself in the drama of Westeros to escape the monotony of his own life.
The ping of a new email snapped him out of his daze. He glanced at his laptop screen, expecting another spam offer for cheap insurance or some crypto scam. But this one stood out—no subject line, just a blank header from an address that looked like gibberish: "[email protected]." Curiosity tugged at him, the first real spark of interest he'd felt all day. Probably a virus, he thought, but his finger hovered over the delete button anyway. What harm could opening it do? His antivirus was up to date, right?
With a sigh, he clicked it open. The body was simple, almost eerily so:
Subject: Your Throne Awaits
Dear Alex Thompson,
You've been selected for a unique opportunity. Enclosed is access to "Eternal Family," a revolutionary experience where you take the reins of destiny. Control Viserys Targaryen, the last dragon of his line, and forge an eternal legacy. No downloads required—just click the link below to begin.
Remember: Choices matter. Family is forever.
A Friend
Alex blinked, his heart skipping a beat. How did they know his full name? And Viserys Targaryen? That slimy, entitled brother from the show, the one who got melted gold poured over his head? He chuckled nervously, rubbing his eyes. This had to be some elaborate prank, maybe from that Thrones fan forum he'd lurked on last week. But the link glowed invitingly at the bottom: a innocuous blue hyperlink labeled "Enter the Game."
His pulse quickened. Part of him screamed to close the tab, report it as spam, and go back to his reruns. But another part—the part that dreamed of adventure, of being someone important—whispered, What if? He hesitated, his hand trembling slightly on the mouse. This is stupid, he muttered to himself, feeling a flush of embarrassment even though he was alone. But boredom won out. He clicked.
The screen flickered, and for a split second, everything went black. Alex's stomach dropped—Oh shit, virus!—but then the darkness resolved into a loading screen. No installation prompts, no terms of service. Just a swirling emblem of a three-headed dragon, pulsing like a heartbeat. Words materialized in elegant, fiery script:
Welcome to Eternal Family System.
Host: Alex Thompson
Avatar: Viserys Targaryen
Objective: Build an eternal dynasty. Strengthen bonds, conquer foes, ensure the bloodline endures.
A menu unfolded, simple yet immersive. Stats popped up: Health, Influence, Loyalty of followers like his sister Daenerys and that sellsword Illyrio. There were skill trees for diplomacy, combat, and something called "Dragon Bonding." It looked like a mix of RPG and strategy game, but hyper-realistic, with graphics that made his laptop fan whir in protest.
Alex leaned back, his mouth agape. "What the hell…?" he whispered, a mix of awe and unease washing over him. This wasn't some bootleg mod—it felt alive. He clicked on Viserys's profile, and suddenly, the screen shifted to a first-person view. He was in Viserys's body, standing in a opulent tent in what looked like Pentos, the air thick with the scent of spices and sea salt. He could feel the silk of the robes against his skin, hear the distant chatter of merchants. This can't be real, he thought, his hands—Viserys's hands—clenching into fists experimentally. A notification dinged:
System Alert: Synchronization Complete. Your actions now influence the world. Proceed with caution—death is permanent, but legacy endures.
Shock hit him like a cold wave. Alex's real-world heart raced, his palms sweaty. Was this VR? Augmented reality? He hadn't put on any headset. Panic bubbled up; he tried to alt-tab out, but nothing happened. "Okay, okay, log out," he said aloud, his voice cracking. A logout button appeared in the corner, mercifully. But as he hovered over it, another message flashed:
New Quest: Secure the Throne. Reward: Eternal Glory.
Temptation gripped him. In this game, he wasn't Alex the IT drone—he was Viserys, the rightful king, with dragons in his blood. A surge of excitement mixed with fear made his chest tight. What if this was more than a game? What if it changed everything?
Little did he know, the system had only just begun to weave its threads into his reality.