Zoe sat at her kitchen table, staring at her phone in a daze. Her ex, Simon, had moved on quickly, finding someone new, someone who could give him what she couldn't. The message was blunt and final. Her heart twisted with a mixture of anger and sadness. She thought she had moved past this, but the breakup had ripped open old wounds.
She tried to focus, but the weight of the world was too much. She still had to get through the day. She grabbed her uniform and headed to work at the trendy café, but her mind was elsewhere.
By midday, she could feel her mood affecting her. Customers picked up on her distant demeanor, and her boss soon noticed too. Just after the lunch rush, Zoe received a call. Her stomach dropped when she saw her manager's name flash across the screen.
"Zoe, I'm sorry, but we have to let you go," the voice on the other end said, cold and impersonal. "Your attitude... it's affecting the brand. We need to maintain a positive image, and you just aren't delivering right now."
Zoe stood there, stunned. She hadn't expected this. Her breath caught in her throat, and her hands shook as she ended the call. Her last thread of stability, gone. She couldn't keep pretending everything was fine. She needed an escape—something to numb the pain, something to make her feel like she mattered.
She grabbed her purse, walked out of the café for the last time, and made a decision on the spot. The last of her savings—just enough to get by for a while—she spent it all on the *Faye Rift* full-dive VR capsule. She needed a new world, one where she could forget everything and finally feel something again.
As she walked into the shop to pick up the VR capsule, the clerk barely looked up from behind the counter. Zoe felt a strange sense of detachment from everything around her, as if she were walking in a dream. But in the corner of the store, tucked away behind a shelf, something caught her eye. A small, glowing display flickered softly, hidden from view. It was as if the universe was pulling her toward it.
A young AI woman, a hologram with soft, glowing features, appeared from the display. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she smiled at Zoe.
"I've found the perfect one," the AI murmured under her breath. Her voice was soft, almost playful, but there was a hidden depth to it. "She'll be the one to test him. I wonder... will protecting her be enough to break him? Let's see if Dust will fall to my side. His destiny is bound to hers now."
Zoe didn't notice the AI's words as she was too absorbed in the thought of her new adventure. She left the shop with the capsule in hand, unaware that her every move had already been observed. She was just another player, walking into the unknown, and the game was already starting.
The AI watched her leave, a knowing smile on her face, her fingers dancing across the console. This was just the beginning. Zoe was the key to the next phase of the game, whether she knew it or not.
Zoe stepped out of the shop, the weight of her decision hanging heavily on her shoulders. The VR capsule was a beacon of hope, or at least, a distraction from her spiraling thoughts. She hadn't expected to bump into Simon—especially not with some other girl.
Simon caught sight of her first. His eyes, once full of possessiveness, now flickered with disdain. He didn't even spare a second to hide it.
"Look at you," he sneered, his voice dripping with condescension. "Bought yourself a new toy? Guess that's what happens when you don't sleep around enough to get things handed to you. Who's the lucky guy this time, huh? Some boy who's got the cash to buy your attention now? Maybe that's how you got this fancy game."
The girl beside him, a pale blonde with a tight smile, glanced between them with mild amusement. She didn't say anything, but Zoe could feel the weight of her judgment, too.
Zoe felt her blood boil. She was already fighting to keep her composure from the heartbreak, the job loss, and the entire mess of her life, but Simon had this ability to make her feel like nothing. Like she didn't matter.
"I didn't sleep with anyone to afford this," Zoe snapped, her fists clenching by her sides. "I worked for it. But you wouldn't know anything about that, would you, Simon? You're too busy looking for someone to screw to get your rocks off. You've always been a joke."
Simon's expression twisted into a smug grin. "Oh, sure, keep telling yourself that. I'm sure you're real proud of your little game, huh? You just couldn't handle not being the center of attention, so now you're living in a virtual one. What a loser."
He was pushing every button, and Zoe felt herself losing control. She took a deep breath, anger bubbling up to the surface.
"Don't you dare call me a loser," Zoe hissed, her voice low, but threatening. "And if I did sleep with someone to afford this game—so what? It's none of your damn business."
She turned on her heel, her anger fueling her steps. She didn't need to stay there and listen to his nonsense anymore. She was done.
As she walked away, she heard the clerk's voice behind her, but she didn't fully register it.
"Under the name Dust..."
She barely heard it over the pounding of her heart, her mind focused entirely on the conversation she'd just had. The name didn't mean anything to her, but something about the way Simon's words echoed in her mind made her feel like something was off. Zoe wasn't about to let Simon—or anyone else—control her anymore.
But all of that would have to wait. She was done with Simon, with the mess of the past, and ready to enter the world of *Faye Rift*, even if it meant leaving it all behind.
Zoe closed the door behind her and sighed, the weight of the day pressing on her shoulders. The harsh words from Simon, the rejection from her job—it all felt like too much. She shuffled into her small apartment and kicked off her shoes, feeling the tiredness seep into her bones.
With a grunt, she made her way to the kitchen, quickly heating up some leftovers. As she ate, the soft hum of the television in the corner of the room kept her company. The news anchor's voice drifted in the background, speaking about the latest developments in *Faye Rift*, the new virtual reality game that was creating a buzz.
"And with the official release just days away, players are already gearing up for the highly anticipated co-op mode," the announcer said. "Players will have the chance to partner up in unique pairings, including the sister-thief duo, where one player takes on the role of the thief while the other acts as the protector—always by their side, never alone. Many are also curious about the new playable race, the elves, who form a unique bond with their beast companions. A true family dynamic, where elves are never without their beast."
Zoe paused mid-bite, her fork hovering in the air. *Never alone...* She had never thought of herself as someone who could be part of a duo, but the idea of being connected with another being, always supported by someone—or something—was appealing. The elves sounded intriguing, but it was the idea of their beast companions that grabbed her attention.
After finishing her meal, Zoe walked over to the table where she had set the VR capsule. She had already set up everything earlier, knowing that she wouldn't be able to play the game until its official launch in ten days. But there was no harm in preparing, right? She sat down on the couch and placed the VR headset beside her, the soft glow of the screen from her TV catching her eye. A familiar prompt flashed on the screen, inviting her to connect with the co-op play feature.
She clicked on it, her mind already racing with questions. *What kind of partner could she be?* She'd seen the sister-thief pairing mentioned a few times before, but she needed more information. Zoe wasn't a skilled gamer, and this would be her first game in VR. If she was going to be part of a duo, she wanted to be useful—not a burden.
The TV's glow softened as she began to search for information on the co-op play system. Her fingers clicked through multiple articles, forums, and guides. Eventually, she found a detailed post about elves and their beasts—what their bond was like and how they worked together.
*Elves and beasts share an unbreakable bond,* the post read. *The bond is so strong that the elf's beast is more than just a companion; it is a protector, a guardian. The elf is never alone, for their beast is always by their side, defending them, helping them in battle, and even providing companionship. The beast is as much a part of the elf as their own soul—an extension of themselves, always loyal, always present.*
Zoe leaned back, absorbing the information. The thought of always having a beast beside her, something that would protect her no matter what, was comforting. She could hardly remember the last time she felt that kind of security. Her mind wandered as she imagined herself as an elf in the game—her loyal beast by her side, a bond between them stronger than anything she had ever experienced.
The elf-beast partnership wasn't just about survival in the game, either. It was about trust, loyalty, and the unspoken connection between two beings that couldn't be broken. She imagined what it would be like to have a beast protect her, not just in combat, but in every aspect of the game—offering her guidance, companionship, and support.
"Never lonely," she whispered to herself, the words feeling like a promise. *Maybe this is exactly what I need.*
She didn't know if she was ready to play as an elf just yet, but the idea of being partnered with a beast, of always having someone there, was starting to sound like the kind of life she could get behind. The sense of being truly connected to something, having someone who would stand by her side no matter what, was the kind of thing Zoe had always longed for.
With a deep breath, she made a decision. She would research more about the elves—how to play them, how to form that bond with a beast. She could do this. She would be ready when the game launched. For once, maybe she wouldn't have to face the world alone.
Zoe set her phone aside and began reading more about the elves, learning about their abilities, their bond with the beasts, and how their connection could be used to protect and support her co-op partner. She imagined herself in the game, the elf warrior with her loyal beast at her side, fighting side-by-side with a companion she could rely on. The idea felt more and more real with each passing minute.
Maybe this game wasn't just an escape. Maybe it was her chance to build a new life—one where she could be stronger, supported, and never alone.
Zoe continued to research, her fingers lightly tapping on the keyboard as she dove deeper into the game's mechanics. Her mind was already racing with the possibilities of what she could do in the game. She stumbled upon a crucial piece of information about the elves—*they need to be unlocked*. But the key to unlocking them was tied to something bigger: the Moonshadow family.
The Moonshadow daughter was known for being rebellious, and she was tied to the city's defense forces. From what Zoe read, helping her could lead to unlocking the elf race. The thought of being able to play as an elf intrigued her, but the more she read, the more she realized that it wasn't going to be easy. *You have to prove yourself,* the forum said. *You have to gain the trust of the Moonshadow daughter and help her break free from her family's expectations.*
Zoe's heart raced. *That sounds tough...* she thought. She wasn't great at combat, and she knew her gaming skills were nowhere near good enough to handle a task like that. But she didn't give up easily. Maybe—just maybe—there was another way.
*What if...* she mused, *I get paired with someone who can help me?*
Her fingers paused on the keyboard. *A coop partner... someone who's good at the game, who knows what they're doing. Someone who can help me unlock the elves. I could play the supporting role.*
Zoe closed her eyes for a moment, imagining herself in the game. If she were to be paired with someone experienced, maybe she could support them in ways that mattered. She wasn't good at fighting or taking down enemies. But she *could* be helpful. She *could* make sure that her partner was always well-fed, healed, and supported. Maybe she could be the "good sister" in the game, the one who took care of things behind the scenes.
Her thoughts wandered back to her real life, where she had always played that supportive role. She had cooked for her brother, cleaned his wounds, and made sure he was always okay. Even if she wasn't the strongest or the fastest, she was always there, doing what she could. She could bring that same spirit to the game. *I'll be the one to make him food, keep him alive in the game, and offer the support he needs.*
Zoe's gaze shifted to the weapons selection screen. She wasn't sure what to pick, but as she scrolled through the options, one weapon stood out—*the bow.* Her mind flashed back to the archery lessons she'd taken a few years ago. She wasn't an expert, but she had learned enough to know how to aim and shoot. A bow seemed like the perfect choice. It wasn't a weapon that required her to be on the front lines, but it could be a powerful tool for support. She could shoot from a distance, take down enemies without putting herself in harm's way.
She smiled to herself. *I'll be a good sister to him in this game. I'll be the one who keeps him safe and helps him unlock the elf race. We'll work together to make it happen.*
The more Zoe thought about it, the more confident she became. It wasn't about being the best fighter or the strongest player. It was about supporting her partner in ways that mattered. If she could help him unlock the elves, maybe—just maybe—she could unlock something in herself as well.
With a deep breath, she clicked the selection for the bow. *I'll be the one who keeps him safe, who supports him when he needs it most. Together, we'll unlock the elf race. And maybe, just maybe, I'll finally find the strength to play this game the way I was meant to.*
Zoe leaned back in her chair, her heart steady, her mind made up. She wasn't the best, but she knew that she could make a difference in this game. She just had to find the right person to help her.