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Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: the real world

Chapter 5: The Real World

Sam peeled off his VR headset, blinking against the sudden shift from the immersive world of Aetherius back to the dim, cluttered space of his real life. The adrenaline from his last fight with Tauran still buzzed in his veins, but it was quickly fading into the background as the weight of reality settled in.

He leaned back in his chair, which groaned under his weight, and ran a hand through his messy hair. His room, crammed with hand-me-down furniture and gaming paraphernalia, was a far cry from the vast celestial plains and godlike powers he'd just left behind. In the game, he was Ego, God of the Void. But here? Here, he was just Sam—a 21-year-old college dropout with too much on his shoulders and not enough in his pockets.

The familiar ping of a message from his younger brother, Max, snapped him out of his thoughts.

Max: Dinner's ready. Mom's been calling you.

With a sigh, Sam stood up, his muscles stiff from sitting in his gaming chair for hours. The room he shared with his brothers was barely large enough for his secondhand desk and bed, and every inch of space was covered with old clothes or empty soda cans. It wasn't much, but it was home.

He dragged himself to the kitchen, where the smell of overcooked pasta filled the air. His mom was standing at the stove, looking worn out from her double shift at the grocery store, while his dad sat at the table, scrolling through his phone—probably looking for work again. Max was already seated, tapping away at his phone, his expression somewhere between boredom and frustration.

Sam slid into his seat next to Max, his stomach growling at the sight of food. It wasn't anything special—just pasta with a watery tomato sauce—but it was all they could afford.

"Finally decided to show up, huh?" Max muttered without looking up.

"Yeah, sorry," Sam replied, grabbing a plate of the food his mom had set down. "Lost track of time."

His dad glanced up from his phone. "You're not spending any money on that game, are you?"

Sam shook his head quickly. "No, Dad. It's free-to-play."

"Good," his dad grunted. "Last thing we need is throwing more money down the drain."

Sam didn't say anything in response. He knew they didn't have money to spare. His dad had been out of work for nearly a year now, and despite applying to every job he could find, nothing had stuck. Their savings were gone, the bills were piling up, and every day felt like they were just trying to keep their heads above water.

Jenna, his older sister, walked into the kitchen, dropping her bag near the door as she joined them at the table. She worked part-time at a diner across town, but between school and work, she was exhausted most of the time.

"Hey, did you guys hear?" she asked as she grabbed a plate. "The rent's going up next month. Again."

Sam's stomach dropped. Rent was already a struggle, and now? He glanced at his parents, their faces drawn with worry, though they tried to hide it.

"We'll figure something out," his mom said quietly, her voice strained but firm. "We always do."

Dinner was quiet after that, the only sound being the clinking of forks against plates. Sam ate slowly, the food tasteless in his mouth as he thought about the rent hike and everything else that was falling apart.

Once the meal was over, Sam helped his mom clear the table while the others retreated to their rooms. His dad was back on his phone, scrolling through job listings with a look of quiet desperation.

Sam caught his mom's eye as she scrubbed at the dishes. "You okay, Mom?"

She smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm fine, Sam. Just tired."

"Anything I can do?"

She shook her head. "Just keep doing what you're doing. Every little bit helps."

Sam nodded, though inside he felt that familiar weight of guilt. He worked a part-time job, but it barely covered his own expenses, let alone helping out with the family. And while Aetherius was his escape, he couldn't shake the feeling that he should be doing more—something real.

He finished washing the dishes and dried his hands on the fraying dish towel, then glanced at the clock. Normally, this would be the time he'd slip back into the game, lose himself in the world of gods and power. But tonight? Tonight, something felt different. The weight of his real-life responsibilities pressed heavier on him than usual.

"I should probably get some sleep," he muttered to himself.

Sam headed back to his room, glancing at the loading screen still flickering on his monitor. Part of him wanted to dive back into Aetherius, to grind out a few more levels and escape the problems waiting for him outside the game. But he had work in the morning—a shift at the local electronics store, where he was barely making minimum wage.

With a sigh, he powered down his computer and flopped onto his bed. The mattress sagged under him, and the springs groaned in protest, but Sam was too tired to care. He stared at the cracked ceiling for a long time, the quiet hum of the city outside lulling him into a restless sleep.

Tomorrow was another day, another grind. But this one, unfortunately, wasn't as simple as earning XP and leveling up.

In Aetherius, he was Ego, a god with the power to shape worlds. In the real world, he was just Sam, doing everything he could to keep his family from falling apart.