Aki jimoh an average secondary school student from London,with a not-so-average obsession: Warframe. It wasn't just a game to him—it was a universe of epic battles, sleek Warframes, and an ever-unfolding mystery. Night after night, Aki immersed himself in missions, taking on Grineer platoons and Corpus proxies while dreaming of wielding a Warframe's power for real. But dreams and reality collided one stormy night when a power surge struck his gaming rig during an intense mission.
The screen flashed blinding white, and then—silence.
When Akio opened his eyes, he found himself floating in a cold, inky void. His breath hitched as a voice echoed in his mind.
"Tenno, awaken."
Before he could process the words, his surroundings shifted violently. He was no longer in the void but standing on what seemed to be a massive, derelict spaceship. The air smelled of rust and decay, the hallways dimly lit by flickering lights. A chilling sense of familiarity settled over him.
"This... this is the Zariman?" he whispered, recognizing the legendary lost ship from Warframe.
"Correct," the voice replied, calm yet commanding. Akio spun around to face the source, but no one was there. Instead, a holographic figure flickered to life—a woman clad in flowing robes with an air of authority.
"I am the Operator. You are not where you belong, but fate has chosen you. The Origin System needs a new Tenno."
Akio's pulse quickened. "Wait, I'm... a Tenno? Like, for real?"
"Yes. But you are unprepared. Take this."
A nearby console whirred to life, and from it emerged a Warframe—a lithe and deadly figure of metal and muscle. Excalibur.
His hands trembled as he approached. The Warframe wasn't just a suit—it pulsed with life. As he touched its surface, a flood of energy coursed through him, and in an instant, he was inside.
The world shifted once more. A HUD materialized before his eyes, weapons appeared at his sides—a gleaming Skana blade and a sleek Mk1-Braton rifle—and the weight of the Warframe became his own. He felt invincible.
"Your first test awaits," the Operator's voice echoed.
The ship shuddered, and alarms blared. Grineer soldiers poured into the corridor, their guttural roars reverberating through the metal walls. Akio's instincts kicked in. He darted forward, the Excalibur's agility transforming his every movement into a deadly dance. He cleaved through the Grineer with precise strikes, bullets ricocheting harmlessly off his shields.
The exhilaration was short-lived. As the last soldier fell, a portal tore open at the end of the corridor, shimmering with iridescent light. From it emerged a figure cloaked in shadows, wielding a scythe that seemed to devour the light around it.
"You are not from this world," the figure hissed. "You should not exist."
Aki's mind raced. This wasn't from the game. This was something else entirely.
The Operator's voice cut through his fear. "That is a Void Warden, a creature that hunts anomalies in the multiverse. Defeat it, or be erased."
With a roar, the Warden charged. Aki barely dodged its first strike, the scythe grazing his shields. He counterattacked with a furious flurry of blows, but the Warden was relentless, its attacks fueled by the very fabric of the Void.
The battle raged, each clash of blade and scythe shaking the corridor. Aki felt his strength waning, his shields dangerously low. Desperation surged within him.
"Use your ability!" the Operator urged.
Without thinking, Aki tapped into the Excalibur's innate power. A radiant energy burst forth, blinding the Warden and slicing through its defenses. The creature let out a final, ear-splitting shriek before collapsing into a cloud of ash and light.
Breathing heavily, Aki stood victorious.
"You have done well, Tenno," the Operator said. "But this is only the beginning. The Origin System is vast, and your true purpose has yet to be revealed."
Aki stared at his hands, now fully realizing the weight of his situation. He wasn't just a gamer anymore. He was a warrior, a Tenno, fighting in a universe far beyond his wildest dreams.
And he wouldn't have it any other way.