In the world of Arcane Junction, every action had a consequence.
Players bartered for fortunes in the glowing markets of Eryndel, built kingdoms atop the frozen peaks of Aelthar, and waged wars across the lava-scarred plains of Cindrathal. It wasn't just a game—it was an economy, a battlefield, a second life. With its VR/AR integration, Arcane Junction wasn't a place you played; it was a world you lived in.
Today, the digital sun hung high over Ravenwood Pass, a winding canyon teeming with monsters and secrets. A party of five players moved cautiously through the rocky terrain, their avatars clad in mismatched armor and weapons gleaming with enchantments.
"Eyes up," said Ironfang, the group's tank, his massive shield raised as he scanned the cliffs above. "The mobs here don't stick to their spawn zones."
Beside him, Silverlight, a mage with silver hair and flowing robes, gripped her staff. "We shouldn't even be here. This zone's for level 50-plus, and we're barely scraping 20."
"We need the loot," growled Ironfang, his eyes on the path ahead. "That artifact will sell for enough gold to gear us for the raid. Stick to the plan."
The group moved forward in tense silence, their Stats Panels hovering faintly beside them:
Ironfang (Tank): Level 19. Strength 34. Endurance 40.
Silverlight (Mage): Level 18. Intelligence 32. Mana 45.
The panels glitched briefly, numbers flickering before returning to normal.
"What was that?" Silverlight whispered.
Ironfang didn't answer. He stopped in his tracks, raising a hand for silence. The canyon had gone eerily still. No wind, no monster growls. Even the faint background music seemed to have faded.
Then came the sound—a low, pulsing hum, like the heartbeat of something vast and ancient.
"Pull up your minimap," Ironfang ordered.
Before anyone could react, the cliffs erupted. Rock crumbled as a massive creature burst from its hiding place—a hulking abomination with six glowing eyes and a body of molten stone.
"What the—" Silverlight's scream was cut short as the creature lunged.
"Form up!" Ironfang shouted, slamming his shield into the ground to activate his Fortress Stance. The group scrambled to attack, spells and arrows flying. But the creature's health bar didn't budge.
"It's bugged!" someone yelled. "Its stats are impossible!"
The abomination roared, and with one sweep of its claw, it wiped out three players. Their health bars dropped to zero, their avatars dissolving into motes of light.
Ironfang cursed, opening his comm panel. "We need backup—"
A jagged red message cut across his screen, overriding all commands:
"SYSTEM ERROR. UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS DETECTED."
Ironfang's voice cracked as he screamed into the void. The screen faded to black.
---
The scene shifted to Elliot Kane.
Elliot stared at the blinking cursor on his screen, the faint hum of his neural rig breaking the silence of his apartment. His brother Liam's message replayed in his mind for the fifth time.
"Join the game," Liam had said. "It's important."
Elliot hadn't touched Arcane Junction in years. Not since he'd left the company, not since the falling out. But now, his curiosity was piqued. Something was happening in the game—something that sounded too familiar for comfort.
Taking a deep breath, he placed the rig over his head.
"Welcome to Arcane Junction, Player Cipher_Kane," the system greeted. The light faded, and he found himself standing in the familiar streets of Eryndel.
Around him, chaos was already unfolding. NPCs attacked random players, their once-predictable movements erratic and violent. Guards that should have been patrolling the gates turned their swords on merchants, reducing market stalls to rubble.
Elliot opened his Stats Panel and adjusted his gear, his heart pounding as he prepared to confront the glitch. Somewhere out there, Liam was waiting—and Elliot knew better than anyone that this wasn't just a random error.
This was the beginning of something much bigger.