The world was silent as the black void of the loading screen gave way to the flickering of neon lights, gradually illuminating a landscape that seemed at once both alien and familiar. The first thing Victor noticed was the weightlessness of his body, a sensation he'd long forgotten since the last time he'd strapped into the VR headset. Yet, the absence of gravity didn't quite make him feel at peace. No, it felt like he had been suspended in mid-air, awaiting the arrival of something—something he wasn't sure he was ready for.
Welcome to Ethereal Odyssey.
The words glimmered in his vision, floating in elegant, silver cursive above the horizon of a sprawling city that stretched infinitely in every direction. Ethereal Odyssey. The new VRMMORPG that had shattered records even before its release, a game that promised to be more immersive than anything humanity had seen before. It was a world crafted from the dreams of a generation, and everyone in his gaming circle was buzzing with excitement. Victor, however, had been hesitant to jump into the hype, but after weeks of convincing, he'd finally given in and purchased the full-access package.
His avatar slowly materialized in front of him, and the familiar sensation of a new body took over. He glanced down at himself, adjusting to the new skin. He'd chosen a classic, yet practical look—a broad-shouldered warrior with dark, battle-worn armor. The reflection in the crystal-clear water beneath him showed a well-toned figure, his eyes glowing a soft, ethereal blue, as if he had been blessed by the game's system itself. The armor was etched with runes, each one pulsing faintly, giving the illusion of hidden power. A long, dark sword rested at his side, nearly as tall as he was. He felt an odd sense of pride at the design, even though it was just a digital creation.
Victor flexed his fingers, getting used to the movements. Everything felt natural, almost too real, like the game had learned his own subconscious gestures. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, the sound of wind brushing against the environment adding to the immersion.
He was about to step forward when a sudden flash of white light exploded from the ground before him, like a glitch in the system. He jerked backward instinctively, the light flaring in all directions before quickly dissipating. A message appeared in front of him, one that was not part of the game's standard UI.
Warning: System Error Detected. Affected Area: North District. Please remain calm and wait for the patch.
Victor blinked, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. A system error? That was… unusual. Most VR games had been rigorously tested before release, with no room for errors of this magnitude. He was, after all, playing the most anticipated game in history. A minor glitch was not supposed to happen.
He waited for a moment, his heartbeat quickening as the message lingered for a few seconds before fading away. But that was not the only odd thing. As the message disappeared, he noticed the city in the distance flicker—once, twice—and then it was gone. Where a towering metropolis had stood, there was now nothing but an endless stretch of dark sky and a few scattered, floating islands in the distance. The ground beneath his feet rippled as though the world itself was warping.
He wasn't sure what to make of it. Had something gone wrong with the game? Or was this part of the experience—some kind of bug meant to make him feel like he was part of an unfolding mystery? Before he could decide, a small voice, no bigger than a whisper, echoed in his ear.
"Victor…"
The voice was soft, feminine, and yet, unmistakably… familiar. It sent a shiver down his spine, but also brought a strange sense of nostalgia.
"Is that…?" he muttered under his breath, squinting at the void around him.
Before he could react, a small holographic figure materialized before him. She was a tall, elegant woman, her figure radiant with an almost otherworldly glow. She wore a long, flowing robe that shimmered like starlight, her long silver hair cascading behind her. Her eyes were like mirrors, reflecting a thousand different emotions at once, and her delicate features held an air of calm authority. Victor's heart skipped a beat.
"Luna?" he whispered, though he wasn't sure why he had spoken her name.
The figure smiled gently, and though the smile was warm, there was something oddly distant about it, as if she were both here and not here at the same time.
"I have waited for you, Victor," she said, her voice echoing through the void. "The game… is no longer just a game."
Victor took an instinctive step backward, his mind struggling to process what he was seeing. Luna. The woman from Realm of Myths and Legends, his favorite webnovel. The healer, the one who had captured his heart with her kindness and strength. How was she here? Was this some sort of Easter egg in the game?
"What do you mean?" Victor asked, his voice betraying his confusion.
Luna's smile faded, her expression growing more serious. "The game is merging with something else. Something… darker. The system error you witnessed is not a mere glitch. It is the beginning of something much larger. I am here to warn you. This world is no longer what it appears to be."
Victor's mind raced. What was she talking about? Was this some kind of meta-plot, part of the game's lore? It didn't make sense. But Luna's presence—her appearance—was too real. Too tangible to ignore.
He opened his mouth to ask another question, but before he could, the world around him shifted again. This time, it wasn't a glitch. The sky above him twisted, the stars spinning in a vortex as if they were caught in the jaws of some cosmic beast. The ground trembled beneath his feet, and a low, ominous hum reverberated through the air.
Suddenly, a system message appeared in front of him, this time far more urgent than before:
Warning: Unstable Environment Detected. Exiting Protocol Activated. Area Containment Failure Imminent.
Before Victor could even react, everything around him vanished.
The last thing he saw was Luna's face, her eyes filled with sorrow, as she whispered, "You must find the truth, Victor. Before it's too late…"
---
Victor gasped, his body jerking upright as if he had been yanked out of a dream. His head throbbed, and the familiar sights of his apartment came into focus. The VR headset he had been wearing lay on the floor beside him, its lights flickering as it powered down.
He blinked rapidly, his chest rising and falling as he tried to steady his breath. What had just happened? He had been in the game, hadn't he? It had felt so real. Too real. But now, the world was normal again, the only sound the hum of his computer and the occasional car driving by outside his window.
Had he been hacked? Or was it some kind of immersive simulation glitch?
Victor reached for the headset, his mind still reeling, but something stopped him. A sudden thought, cold and chilling, struck him like a bolt of lightning. What if it wasn't a glitch at all? What if Ethereal Odyssey was something more than just a game?
What if the warning Luna had given him was the truth?
With trembling hands, he picked up the headset, staring at it intently. He didn't know what was coming, but one thing was certain.
The journey was just beginning.