Nathaniel "Nate" Cross, only 28, seemed meant to succeed—his life a sign of achievement. As the only heir to the huge Cross industrial business, he was involved in tech innovation, finance, and luxury. Raised in wealth and schooled at an Ivy League, he could get almost anything with just one decision. Yet behind that shiny exterior, a hidden emptiness grew. Every day, Nate's life turned into a boring routine: plain boardrooms filled with rehearsed comments from top executives, and social events where every smile, like the fizz of champagne, hid secrets best left unseen. In his modern penthouse high above the busy streets of Luminar City, Nate displayed mementos from his travels. Each item—from an ancient Ming dynasty vase to a rare HoloVision VR headset—reminded him of his journeys, as well as of messy encounters that might show a less clean side if looked at too hard.
His true escape was far from the glare of wealth and power. In a game called Eclipse Ascension, which many saw as just another game, Nate found a refuge; a place where every decision felt important and every result stayed with him. The game was tough—a harsh arena where the community closely reviewed every error in the story and gameplay. Yet it was here that Nate's heart beat fast and every challenge felt real.
Oddly, while other players chose the strongest characters and best tactics, Nate was drawn to the overlooked ones. He found a certain peace in fixing the broken stories of these misfit characters. One of them was Kael Draylen—a character known for failure. Choosing Kael felt like trudging through muddy ground, burdened with problems: a fiancée who despised him, weak magic that stopped even simple spells, and a noble adoptive family who saw him as a stain on their name. Yet Nate found the challenge too tempting to ignore. Night after night without sleep, he carefully rebuilt Kael's story, studying every move and making the most of every small chance the game gave him. Against all odds, Nate's persistence paid off.
But the win felt empty. Staring at the screen displaying "Congratulations!" with tired, trembling hands, he let out a bitter laugh. All those long hours playing as a seemingly clumsy character ended not in true glory, but in a moment filled with dark irony. The praise would soon be lost among online chatter that barely mattered next to his other secret plans.
Sitting in his high-end leather gaming chair with the bright lights of Luminar City outside his large windows, he whispered, "Maybe I really have lost it." With his eyes closed, he sought comfort in the soft hum of the VR system, hoping for a brief escape in sleep.
Then everything changed. A sudden burst of energy rushed through his body—like a lightning strike. His eyes flew open to a changed world where the familiar place he knew was breaking apart into a swirling mix of light and dark. In the loud chaos, his voice was drowned out, and reality splintered into a flowing mix of colors and sounds.
And in an instant, everything went dark.