Disclaimer
This work of fiction is entirely a product of the author's imagination. All characters, events, locations, and situations are fictional and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. The story, its settings, and its content are created for entertainment purposes only. The author does not intend to offend or promote any beliefs or ideas. Please do not take the events or themes presented in this work seriously; it is meant purely for fictional and recreational enjoyment.
Chapter 1: The Shadow of a Thief
My life is nothing special. My name is Duck-Hwan, I'm 24 years old, and I live in a small studio apartment near the city center. I finished high school without honors or shame, completed my military service like every good citizen, and immediately after found a job at a nearby fast-food restaurant. I'm not complaining. I don't have big ambitions, and honestly, I've never dreamed of being something extraordinary. I'm content having a roof over my head, regular meals, and the ability to spend time with what I enjoy.
In my apartment, there's everything I need: a bed, a small kitchen, and my favorite corner where I keep my gaming setup. Video games are my only true passion. Since childhood, the only thing I was really good at was handling a controller or keyboard. They relaxed me, made me forget the rest of the world... at least until some infamous player ruined everything.
My parents live in the next town. I visit them every week, but otherwise, I lead a quiet and solitary life. I didn't lack anything, or at least that's what I thought, until that evening.
It was a day like any other. My shift at the fast-food place had ended, and I was walking home, crossing streets lit by dim streetlights. I was lost in my thoughts when something caught my attention: a small abandoned box on the sidewalk, right next to a trash can.
I stopped. What was it doing there? Curious, I looked around to make sure no one was watching me. When I bent down to open it, inside I found an object that made my heart beat faster: a game.
The package was black and glossy, with a title engraved in golden characters: "Shadowveil: Chronicles of Orvhalis". It didn't seem like an ordinary game. The appearance was mysterious, almost inviting. I looked around me again, and without thinking too much, I slipped the box into my bag and headed home.
That evening, after having dinner quickly, I decided to try the game. When I installed and launched it, I was immediately captured by its incredibly realistic graphics. Everything seemed alive: every choice, every interaction had weight. It wasn't one of those games where you can simply run around randomly; you had to use your head.
The protagonist was a formidable warrior, but the world he moved in was cruel and full of pitfalls. Every decision seemed more difficult than the last, every battle a fight for survival. That's how I began my journey in Shadowveil.
Five years passed in a flash. I dedicated every free moment to the game. I had pushed through to the final phases, gradually improving my character, facing impossible challenges, and forming alliances with other players. I had reached rank 9, a milestone few achieved. Now I was ready to face the final challenge.
That evening, in front of my screen, my heart was beating hard. I had finally reached the final phase. A message appeared on the screen:
"Are you sure you want to proceed? This decision is irreversible."
I hesitated for a moment, then clicked "Yes."
The room around me seemed to explode in a blinding light. I heard a deafening noise, as if the world was collapsing. Then, everything went dark.
A cold wind hit my face as I regained consciousness. I opened my eyes slowly, finding myself lying on a cold stone street. The sky above me was grey, covered with dense clouds that seemed ready to burst into rain. Tall, narrow houses rose around me, made of dark bricks and windows with dirty glass. There was no one. Everything was silent, except for the whistle of wind echoing between the buildings.
"What the hell...?" I muttered, while a dull pain pulsed in my head. I tried to remember. I was in my apartment, I was playing... then that light.
I sat up, feeling confused and strangely heavy. Something wasn't right. I looked around, hoping to see something familiar, but everything seemed to belong to another era, another world.
I lowered my gaze to my hands and my heart jumped into my throat. They weren't mine. The fingers were longer, calloused, and the knuckles seemed marked by years of fighting or heavy work. My breath stopped, and a wave of panic enveloped me.
"These... aren't my hands. What's happening?!" I shouted, my voice broken with terror. I stood up suddenly, almost tripping. The floor beneath me seemed to sway, but maybe it was just my head spinning. I couldn't think. I had to find a reflection, see my face.
Running without a specific direction, I found myself in front of a small fountain. The water inside was murky but calm, enough to see something. I bent slowly, heart pounding in my chest. When I finally saw my face, my breath caught.
It wasn't me.
The face looking back at me wasn't Duck-Hwan's. The eyes, darker and deeper, were circled by light shadows as if I hadn't slept enough. The nose was straight, sharp, and a thin scar crossed the right cheek. The black hair was longer and messy, with a slight wave falling on the face. My body was taller, more muscular, and the clothes... those weren't mine.
I was wearing a long black coat with worn edges, buttoned up to the chest, a top hat on my head. A leather belt with small pockets hung on my hips, and underneath it peeked dark pants and sturdy boots, scratched from wear. At my neck, a worn red scarf that almost seemed like a symbol. The overall appearance was mysterious, almost threatening.
"What the hell..." I whispered, backing away from the reflection as if I were looking at a ghost.
While I was immersed in confusion, a luminous window suddenly appeared in front of me, floating in the air. I jumped, almost falling backward.
Name: Doruuk Velor Rank: 9 Profession: Unemployed
The word "unemployed" made me shiver. Was I in the game? No, it couldn't be. This wasn't real... or was it? I knew very well what being unemployed meant in Shadowveil. In a ruthless world like that, being without an occupation meant being vulnerable, without protection, without resources.
"Unemployed?" I said aloud, incredulous. "No... no, it can't be."
The window seemed to ignore my confused state and continued to show other information:
Class: Thief Unique Ability: Escape "Allows you to escape from dangerous situations. During activation (30 seconds), increases speed and reduces the sound of your movements."
My legs gave way, and I fell to my knees. "A thief? Why a thief?" I shouted, my voice echoing in the empty street. I knew how thieves worked in the game: they started from nothing, weak, poorly equipped, and with abilities that made them more suited to running away than fighting.
I nervously searched the pockets of my clothes, hoping to find something useful. In the right pocket, I found a small dagger. I gripped it, observing the matte metal. It was a simple blade, too short to do serious damage. A "common thief's weapon," as the game would describe it.
In the other pocket, I found a handful of copper coins and a crumpled piece of paper. I opened it with trembling hands. It was a document:
City of Residence: Drakathen Occupation: Unemployed Notes: No affiliations.
The document only confirmed my situation. The dagger seemed to weigh more than it should, as if it were a symbol of my uselessness. I wasn't a hero. I didn't have extraordinary powers. I was just an unemployed thief, thrown into a world that didn't forgive the weak.
A wave of emotions overwhelmed me. Fear, confusion, anger. How did I end up here? And, most importantly, why? I was about to go crazy. I stood up, started walking back and forth, unable to calm down. Every part of me screamed that this couldn't be true, that it was just a dream. But the cold of the stone under my feet, the weight of the dagger in my hand, everything was too real.
"It can't be a game," I muttered, gritting my teeth. "It can't be real..."
I stopped and looked at my hands again. The same hands that had held controllers and mice for years now trembled, dirty with dust. I wasn't ready for this. I had no idea how to survive in a world like this.
I leaned against the edge of the fountain, staring at the murky water that reflected my new face. I had to find answers, and quickly. But first, I had to calm down.
I breathed deeply, closing my eyes. "Okay, Duck-Hwan, or better... Doruuk Velor. If this is the game, then the rules apply here too. And if I want to survive, I have to adapt."
The words sounded empty, but at least they were a start. I had always played Shadowveil to escape reality, but now it seemed that reality had dragged me inside itself. The problem was that this reality didn't seem intent on letting me go.
After deciding to calm down, my stomach growled, bringing me back to an even harsher reality: hunger. I felt my body trembling not only from panic but also from lack of energy. It was a strange sensation: in the game, my character had never felt hunger. But now everything seemed incredibly real.
"First rule: find something to eat and figure out where I am," I said aloud, as if hearing myself speak could help me organize my thoughts.
I looked around. The street seemed deserted, and an odor of stagnant humidity pervaded the air. In the distance, between the houses, I saw an orange glow. A flickering light, perhaps a torch or lantern.
I slowly made my way toward the source of light. Each step echoed on the cobblestones, and every small noise made me jump. The city was a maze of alleys and narrow streets, many of which ended in dead ends. The buildings all seemed built to intimidate: tall, dark, with small windows and iron bars.
When I finally reached the light, I found myself at a crossroads. A small but lively square opened up before me. It wasn't deserted like the streets I had crossed. Dozens of people crowded under suspended lanterns, vendors shouted from stalls, and a mix of smells – freshly baked bread, roasted meat, pungent spices – hit me like a punch to the stomach.
But they weren't just humans. Among the crowd were tall, slender figures with pointed ears – elves. Next to them, short and sturdy creatures with braided beards and heavy armor – dwarves. And still other races I knew from the game: beast-men with protruding fangs and feral eyes, women with skin covered in iridescent scales, and even hooded figures that seemed made of shadow.
I remained motionless, unable to move. It was a scene I had seen a thousand times on screen, but experiencing it firsthand was completely different. I wasn't a player behind a screen. I was there, in flesh and blood, in the world of Shadowveil.
I took a few steps into the square, trying not to attract attention. It was almost impossible, though. My appearance, with that long black coat and hat, seemed to draw suspicious glances. I felt watched, judged, as if every person around me knew I didn't belong there.
I tried to calm down and looked for a food stall. I approached an old man who was selling bread and cheese. He had a wrinkled face and gnarled hands, and he looked at me with narrow eyes.
"How hungry are you, stranger?" he asked in a hoarse voice.
I didn't answer immediately. I put my hand in my pocket and pulled out the few copper coins I had found earlier. "Are these... enough?" I asked, holding out the coins.
The man took the coins, looked at them for a moment, and then burst into laughter that made some people turn around. "With this you can maybe buy a crust of bread," he said, throwing me a small piece of stale bread. "Good luck, boy. Life isn't kind to those who have little here."
I took the bread and walked away, clutching it in my hand as if it were the last piece of food on Earth. I couldn't afford to complain. I had to figure out how to survive, and quickly.
While looking for a quiet corner to eat, a new window opened in front of me. This time, it seemed more detailed:
Main Mission: Survive in Drakathen Welcome to Orvhalis, Doruuk Velor. You have been chosen to walk in the void between shadows. Survive, adapt, discover your destiny.
Objectives:
Get a job. Earn at least 50 Umbra Shards. Don't get noticed by the guards.
The words "don't get noticed by the guards" made my blood freeze. There was no explanation, but deep inside myself, I knew what it meant. In the game, being caught by guards was never a good thing. It could mean prison, punishment, or worse.
I found an abandoned bench near a ruined building and sat down. The bread had a horrible taste, but I had no choice. I had to eat something to recharge my energy.
I was trying to put my thoughts in order when a distant sound made me look up. A group of people had gathered in the center of the square, where a small stage had been erected. A hooded figure was kneeling before a man in heavy armor, who wielded a gleaming sword.
I felt my heart accelerate. I recognized that scene. I had seen it dozens of times in the game. It was the execution of the main character.
"No... no, it can't be," I muttered, standing up. I tried to get closer to see better, but the crowd was too dense. From my position, however, I could clearly distinguish the kneeling figure. It was him, the protagonist of the game, the hero destined to save the world.
The man in armor raised the sword. The blade reflected the light of the lanterns for an instant, and then came down with a clean stroke.
The protagonist's body fell to the ground, the head rolling on the stage.
A surreal silence fell over the square. I remained motionless, unable to breathe. That moment had never existed in the game. This wasn't how it was supposed to go.
If the protagonist was dead... what did it mean for me?
The luminous window returned, this time with a new message:
Main Mission Update: The destiny of Orvhalis has changed. You are the walking shadow. Prepare yourself.
The window disappeared, and with it any doubt: it wasn't a dream, it wasn't a mistake. Something deep and dark had dragged me into this world, and now everything depended on me.
I didn't know how or why, but I had only one objective: survive.
End of Chapter 1