I always thought I knew what my life was about. Wake up, eat, play games, and repeat. It was simple. Peaceful. In my world, there were no great responsibilities, no grand burdens. It was all about finding the next challenge, the next level to conquer. The escape was always there, waiting for me. The Adventure of the Chosen Hero—that game was everything. A world where I could fight, strategize, and explore without consequence. A place where the stakes were high, but I was always in control. Or so I thought.
The game's story had always fascinated me. It was set in a world threatened by dark forces—demons, gods, and all manner of otherworldly creatures. The world had a system—skills, stats, and magical powers—each tied to races like humans, elves, dwarves, and phoenixes. The gods had chosen heroes to defend the realms. There were battles, alliances, betrayals, and wars that could change the fate of the world. And I knew it all. I had played every campaign, taken every character to their peak, and mastered every aspect of the game. But something about today felt different.
It all started like any other day. I was playing in my room, immersed in the game's world, as the hours slipped by unnoticed. My room was a quiet little sanctuary. The low hum of the computer fan, the occasional click of the mouse, and the soothing sound of my gaming headset were my companions. My meals were fast, my routine set. Nothing else mattered beyond the game. I didn't need to think about anything else—my life was simple, predictable, and content.
But then, without warning, the screen flickered. The game, which I had played countless times, suddenly didn't feel real anymore. The vibrant graphics began to warp and distort, as though they were tearing away at the seams. My heartbeat quickened as the room around me grew colder, darker. I tried to ignore it, focusing on the character I was controlling, but then it happened.
A sharp pain coursed through my chest, and my vision blurred. Before I could make sense of what was happening, I blacked out.
---
When I woke up, everything had changed.
I was standing on a battlefield, but it wasn't like any battlefield I had seen before. The sky above was stained with shades of red, casting an eerie glow across the land. The ground was soaked with blood, the stench of death thick in the air. I could hear the faint crackle of flames in the distance, the echo of tortured screams still ringing in my ears. The scene was chaotic—warriors scattered across the battlefield, fallen and lifeless, their bodies twisted in unnatural ways.
And in the midst of all this carnage, there was something far worse than the bloodshed. A massive wolf, its fur matted with blood and its eyes glowing a menacing red, stalked the dead. Its every step sent a ripple through the air, a suffocating aura of death that chilled my spine.
The wolf's growl echoed through the air, a deep, rumbling sound that shook the very earth beneath me. It was watching me—no, it was waiting for me.
I didn't know how I got here, but I knew one thing. I was in danger.
I stumbled backward, my heart pounding in my chest. My body screamed for me to run, but my mind couldn't comprehend what I was seeing. Was this a dream? A hallucination? I had been playing a game just a moment ago, hadn't I?
The wolf took a step forward, its large form moving with unnatural grace. It sniffed the air, its gaze locking onto me. I felt a shiver run through my body as its eyes bore into mine. It was intelligent, calculating. The wolf wasn't just a beast—it was something far worse. A monster, a predator, a killer.
I turned and ran without thinking. Every step felt heavy, as if the very earth beneath me was trying to pull me back into the blood-soaked ground. My breath came in ragged gasps as I sprinted away, my feet slipping on the slick surface of the bloodied battlefield. The wolf's growl echoed behind me, sending waves of panic through my mind. It was gaining on me.
I had to escape. I didn't know where I was, but I couldn't stay here, not with that creature hunting me.
I sprinted toward what appeared to be a cliff in the distance. The wind howled as I drew closer, but I didn't dare slow down. The edge of the cliff loomed ahead, and behind me, the wolf's growls grew louder, closer. My body burned with exertion, but I pushed myself harder. I had no other choice.
I reached the edge of the cliff and skidded to a halt, my heart racing. Below, the dark expanse of a river rushed violently through the jagged rocks. The drop was far, but it was my only chance. The wolf was almost upon me, its massive paws thundering against the earth.
I took a deep breath, knowing what I had to do.
"I'm not dying here," I muttered, my voice shaky but resolute. "I refuse."
Without thinking, I hurled myself off the cliff. The world spun around me as I plummeted through the air, the wind biting at my skin. My body screamed as I fell, but I couldn't stop. I had to escape.
The crash into the river was merciless. The cold, unforgiving water engulfed me, dragging me under with relentless force. My chest tightened as I struggled to breathe, the weight of the water threatening to drown me. The current was stronger than I expected, pulling me further downstream. My body thrashed, my limbs numb, but I couldn't fight it.
Then, everything went black.
I don't know how long I was unconscious. When I woke, the world around me was quiet. The air was cool, and the only sound was the gentle rustle of wind through trees. I groggily sat up, my head pounding as I tried to get my bearings. The river had carried me to the edge of some unfamiliar place. It was a city of sorts, but it didn't look anything like the world I had known.
The buildings were tall, looming, their design a mixture of ancient stone and strange glowing materials. The streets were busy, people—no, creatures—moved along the cobblestone paths. There were humans, yes, but I also saw people with pointed ears, wings, and strange features that didn't belong in any world I knew. There were shops with glowing signs, some with items that looked like nothing I had ever seen.
I stumbled to my feet, trying to make sense of it all. Was this real? Or was I still trapped in a dream?
I walked through the streets, trying to find someone who could explain what was happening. But everyone ignored me, going about their business as if they had no reason to acknowledge my presence. The feeling of being out of place pressed in on me, suffocating, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I wasn't supposed to be here.
And then, I saw it.
A banner hanging from a nearby building, its lettering in a language I didn't recognize, but one that I somehow understood. The words burned into my mind:
"Asgard Academy - Where Heroes Are Made"
I froze. My heart skipped a beat. Asgard Academy? The name felt too familiar. It was from The Adventure of the Chosen Hero—the game I had spent hours playing, the game that had consumed my life. But how could that be? This world was supposed to be a fictional one, just pixels and code. But now, it was real.
The panic began to set in. What was happening to me? How was I here? How was I in the game?
I moved closer to the sign, my legs trembling beneath me. A reflection in the shop's glass caught my eye, and my blood ran cold.
It was me—but not me.
The reflection staring back at me was a young boy, no older than twelve, with black hair, red eyes, and a face I didn't recognize. This wasn't my body. I wasn't supposed to look like this.
"No… no way," I whispered to myself. "What the hell is going on?"
I stepped back, my heart hammering in my chest. This couldn't be real. Could it? Was I still in the game? Was I still playing? But no, the sensations, the people, the city—everything was too real to be a game.
I stumbled backward, my mind spiraling. This was too much. My life had been turned upside down, and I had no idea how to survive in this new world.
And that's when I saw it—a small, cloaked figure moving through the crowd, watching me. Their eyes glowed faintly in the dark, and I couldn't shake the feeling that they knew something I didn't.
"Hey, wait!" I called out, trying to catch up.
But they were already gone.
I had to figure out where I was, how I got here, and, most importantly, how to survive. Because if the games had taught me anything, it was that in this world—nothing was as it seemed.