I remember the fall vividly. A mere second, a heartbeat my vision tilting skyward as the garden walls spun above me. Then, an overwhelming flood of images, thoughts, memories…
Memories not of this world, but of another life entirely. The fall from my horse had done more than rattle my bones; it had stirred a past buried within me a life as a scientist on a distant world called Earth.
Here I was, Yaxkin Balam, third prince of the Viatori Empire, lying dazed in the Supreme Palace gardens, feeling like I no longer belonged in my own skin. I was a child of privilege, one who had never known want. But those memories those foreign glimpses of equations, labs, and theories came with the harsh knowledge that power here on Graeca was not a matter of intellect or ideals. It was tangible, searing, and bound to the very essence of survival.
Graeca, my home, is a world where humans have transcended the limits of mere technology. Through the mastery of three power disciplines physical, elemental, and psychic our society has built a complex web of empires, kingdoms, and republics, each striving for dominance. My own father, Emperor Kinich Balam, stands as the single pillar of power in the Viatori Empire, our only Emperor-ranked individual. Unlike weapons on Earth, which could be wielded by anyone with access, here on Graeca, power is deeply personal, inextricably tied to one's being. Emperors are our weapons of mass destruction, wielding forces greater than atomic bombs with their own hands.
The balance of power in Graeca is more intricate than that of any other world I could imagine. Our society divides supernatural abilities into three primary categories:
Physical Powers: These abilities enhance the body, creating warriors of unparalleled strength and resilience, capable of leveling entire battlefields. Elemental Powers: Masters of fire, water, earth, and air, these individuals wield nature itself, bending it to their will in both offense and defense. Psychic Powers: The rarest and most mysterious, these powers enable manipulation of the mind, foresight, and even the twisting of reality itself.
This division is not merely a social curiosity; it forms the very fabric of Graeca's political structure. Each realm be it an empire, a kingdom, or a republic maintains its place through a hierarchy dictated by the power ranks of its most elite individuals. The strongest of these ranks are known as:
Practitioner
Apprentice Professional
Master Grandmaster
King
Emperor
Great Emperor
For centuries, no Great Emperor has walked among us, yet rumors persist that one might be close. The nations maintain a tense peace, each ruled by leaders with at least a King level protector, while the greatest nations like the Krom Empire with three Emperors stand almost unchallenged. Our own Viatori Empire, by comparison, relies solely on my father's strength as its single Emperor. It is an imbalance that leaves our realm vulnerable, and it has become a weight I feel pressing down on my own shoulders.
Five centuries ago, a mysterious metal fell from the sky, its properties unlike anything Graeca had known. Harder than diamond and imbued with energies that seemed to amplify spiritual powers, this metal dubbed "Ikalium" changed everything. Through its integration into advanced technologies, a virtual world was born: Ikal, a realm fifteen times the size of Graeca, divided into five vast continents. In Ikal, conflicts between nations could be resolved in virtual space, where damage and death did not affect the physical world.
In three months, Ikal will open for the first time to the entire population of Graeca, and the stakes are monumental. For the wealthy and powerful, hyper-advanced capsules allow 100% sensory immersion. For the rest, high grade VR helmets offer anywhere from 70% to 90% sensory fidelity, depending on their quality. While Ikal was originally seen as a means of limiting bloodshed, it quickly evolved into something far greater a world with its own resources, landscapes, creatures, and dangers.
The nations of Graeca are assembling their strongest and most skilled to enter Ikal, where the rewards are more than symbolic. Not only will the victors gain political influence in the real world, but they'll have access to Ikal's most coveted secret: the ability to bring objects, resources, and even newfound powers back into reality. With such potential at stake, Ikal is more than a virtual world it's a new frontier of power, one that will elevate or condemn entire realms.
Unlike Earth, Graeca never developed weapons like atomic bombs, for our own leaders are the weapons. An Emperor can unleash the force of a thousand storms or raze a city with a gesture. The power of an Emperor is both revered and feared, and it is the cornerstone of every nation's military strategy. Yet, the world trembles at the thought of the uncharted universe. With the recent advancements in space exploration, humanity has begun to look beyond Graeca. What lies in the void is unknown, and Ikal, this virtual realm born of alien metal, may hold clues to our next steps among the stars.
Now, I am on the cusp of adulthood. In three months, I will turn nineteen the same day Ikal officially opens to the world. My past life taught me to dream of ideals, of justice, of peace. But my father, and Graeca itself, are harsh reminders that ideals alone are not enough. Here, only those who wield true power can protect what they hold dear.
I had wanted to live my life freely, without the weight of expectation. But the memories of Earth have given me a sense of purpose and a realization that, if I am to safeguard my family, my empire, and my dreams, I must walk a path of strength. I can no longer afford to be a mere observer in this world of rulers and warriors.
As the opening of Ikal approaches, I find myself preparing for a new life within its borders. There, my strength, intellect, and spirit will be tested. And maybe, just maybe, I will uncover the power I need to shape the world both virtual and real to reflect my ideals.
I am Yaxkin Balam, son of the Viatori Empire, heir to a realm that stands on the edge of change. And this is the beginning of my journey my pursuit of a power that transcends dreams and will one day forge a new reality for all of Graeca.