Ethan stood frozen in place, his mind still reeling from what he had just witnessed. The lifeless body of the young woman, sprawled on the ground in front of him, flickered and distorted, her form shifting unnaturally. Her body was an avatar, but the death was real. He had heard the screams, the panicked gasps of the other players, but his mind refused to process it.
He wasn't supposed to be able to die. That was the rule. The game was designed to keep players safe, with respawn mechanics ensuring no one ever truly faced death. But that wasn't what had happened here.
A chilling thought crossed his mind, sinking his heart further into his chest: What if I'm trapped here?
The other players around him were still in shock, whispering in low, frantic voices. Someone screamed, "It's real! It's real! People can die for real!" The panic in their voices spread like wildfire, and suddenly, Ethan realized the gravity of the situation. The game was no longer just a game—it was a life-or-death scenario.
"Calm down!" a voice boomed from behind him.
Ethan whipped around to find a tall figure standing in the middle of the square. The man's face was covered by a hood, but his voice was commanding, his posture exuding confidence. He had the presence of someone who had been in this world far longer than the others. His appearance was striking—tall, with a strong build, wearing a dark cloak embroidered with symbols Ethan couldn't recognize. His hand was raised, signaling for everyone to quiet down.
"We need to get control of this before it spirals," the figure said, his voice a sharp contrast to the panic around them. He turned to Ethan, locking eyes with him. "You there. You look like you can handle yourself. We need to move—now."
Ethan blinked. He hadn't expected to be singled out, especially not after witnessing the death of another player. But something about the stranger's words seemed urgent. He didn't know what to do, but instinctively, he nodded.
"Lead the way," he said, trying to keep his voice steady.
The man led Ethan through the streets of the town, his pace swift and purposeful. They passed other players who were milling around in confusion, murmuring about what had just happened. The city, once alive with the hum of a game-world in its prime, now felt empty and hollow. The sun still hung in the sky, but Ethan could feel something was off—there was an unnatural weight to the atmosphere.
They stopped in a secluded alley, away from the crowd. The man turned to face Ethan. His eyes, sharp and calculating, gave Ethan the impression of someone who had seen far too much.
"I'll cut to the chase," the man said, voice low. "The game is breaking. Something's wrong with the system. It's malfunctioning. The glitches you saw? They're just the beginning."
Ethan stared at him, heart racing. "What do you mean by malfunctioning? I don't understand. People are dying for real—"
"I know." The man interrupted, his expression hardening. "This is no accident. Something—or someone—has tampered with the game. I've seen signs of it before. This is no ordinary bug."
Ethan's mind was spinning. He wanted to ask more questions, but the man's next words hit him like a slap.
"There's more. You're special. I can see it."
Ethan blinked, taken aback. "Special? What are you talking about?"
The man gestured at Ethan, his eyes narrowing. "I'm talking about your power. You have something in you. Something the system wasn't meant to give players."
Ethan's stomach lurched. He felt a wave of dizziness wash over him, and for a split second, he wasn't sure if the world around him had just shifted or if it was a trick of his mind. Something had changed when he logged into this game—but this… this felt like a revelation he wasn't ready for.
Before he could respond, a loud explosion echoed from the distance. The ground beneath Ethan's feet trembled, and his body instinctively jerked into a defensive stance. The man beside him seemed unfazed, though his eyes flickered briefly to the horizon.
"We need to get out of here. The system's collapsing faster than I thought," the man said. "You'll want to learn to control your abilities before they consume you."
"What abilities?" Ethan asked, his voice rising in disbelief.
The man gave him a knowing look, before his hand shot out, pointing at Ethan's chest. For a brief moment, Ethan's entire body felt as though it was being pulled apart by an invisible force. It wasn't painful—no, it was something else entirely. A rush of raw energy surged through his veins, an unfamiliar power making his limbs tingle. The sensation was exhilarating and terrifying in equal measure.
Ethan gasped and stumbled backward, his hand instinctively clutching the stone in his inventory, the one marked "ERROR." It pulsed with dark energy, almost as if resonating with the strange force inside him. The strange feeling intensified, and for a moment, his vision blurred, filled with flickering images of the world distorting around him—buildings warped, NPCs froze mid-step, and the sky darkened.
The man stepped forward quickly, catching Ethan by the arm before he could fall.
"Control it," he urged, his voice tense. "Focus. Channel the power. You're unstable."
Ethan's mind was a whirlpool of thoughts and fears. This… this was beyond anything he had expected. He tried to steady his breath, pushing back against the strange sensations coursing through him.
He closed his eyes and focused, desperately trying to calm the storm inside him. Slowly, he felt his body settle, the chaos inside him receding.
When he opened his eyes, he saw the man watching him, impressed but also wary.
"That's a start," he muttered. "But you'll need more training. A lot more."
The moment of calm was short-lived. Another explosion shook the ground, closer this time. There was no more time for questions. Without warning, the man grabbed Ethan by the shoulder, pulling him into a run.
"We need to leave the town. Now."
As they sprinted toward the town's edge, the man's expression hardened. "You'll be hunted. Those abilities of yours… they'll make you a target."
Ethan didn't have time to ask what the man meant. Another explosion went off, this time sending a shockwave that knocked him off balance. The man turned to him sharply, eyes narrowing. "I didn't want to have to do this, but—"
Before Ethan could react, the man released a blast of energy, sending him crashing into a nearby wall. His vision went black as his head slammed against the stone.