Chereads / Dungeon Aphelion / Chapter 2 - 02 Traveler, welcome to Eryndralis!

Chapter 2 - 02 Traveler, welcome to Eryndralis!

Eryndralis, the game that changed the whole world's structure. Some would say for the worst and others would say for the best.

All of the the game's controversy came from a single feature it had. It was not the ultra-realistic graphics, nor the incredible npc which were inseparable from real humans although it was subject to research also.

It was a feature which others had failed to even come close to accomplishing. Many even considered it to be impossible to accomplish.

However, a single mysterious company that came out of nowhere, Eryndralis Studios, achieved this feat and released it in their first game, Eryndralis.

The feature allowed players to truly experience in-game sensations, engaging all five senses. It was unbelievable to everyone around the world.

The reason why this was considered impossible, is because the only way for it to be possible one would have to transfer the consciousness into the game.

This stunned the whole world, leaving it in a state of panic. World governments rushed to find the developers, because even they could not comprehend the topic of human consciousness.

Sadly their endeavor was an unsuccessful one. The company, Eryndralis Studios, was so mysterious, it was as if they came out of thin air.

Not only was the private sector affected, but the public was also severely impacted.

Crime cases and cases of mental instability rose exponentially in the months following the game's release.

Since people were free to do whatever they wanted inside the game with no consequences, some failed to separate what they did in game and translated it into real life.

It was during these times that humanity was reminded of their darker nature, which they had been trying to suppres for a long time.

Although these factors serious, it allowed another core nature humanity had to shine, the ability to adapt regardless of circumstances.

More security was applied around the world, world leaders even went as far as to plead for aid from Eryndralis Studios. In response, the company introduced a feature that warned governments of potential lethal threats before they occurred.

This feature may have been earth's saving grace. As a result, crime rates plummeted to historic lows, with only theft and unplanned murders remaining as significant concerns.

This led to the current era where peace reigns supreme. However, the stability of the current era was being was threatened by the same company which had started it.

They had released a statement stating the game was going to be shut down in 24 hours. World leaders were in full panic mode, they demanded, no, begged for an explanation.

Unfortunately, their pleas were met with the same deafening silence that had greeted most of their previous attempts to contact the developers.

On top of all of this a few youths were dying mysteriously all around, this would not have gotten any attention but it did simply because of their identities.

These young people were among the game's top 1000 players, renowned for their exceptional skills, which earned them titles such as Holy, Divine, and Heaven Defying."

One of them was slumped head-down on a table in a nightclub, showing no signs of life; naturally, no one suspected he was dead. Most people assumed he had simply passed out.

No one new the mystery behind their deaths, no one knew the reason behind the shutting down of the game and lastly no one new the mystery behind the company called Eryndralis Studios.

And so the five years of paradise ended, reverting to before, no, even worse thousands of unmonitored mentally unstable individuals in society ran rampant.

It took earth some more years to recover from the huge setback then hurriedly started research to try and replicate what was never theirs.

....

In a large region which was both mountainous and foresty, inside a small secluded cave. An event strange and rare was unfolding.

The spiritual energy in this cave was abnormally high. At the back of the cave a strange whirlpool of two different energies was formed.

One energy was spirit energy, the other was an ominous energy that sent nearby beasts fleeing from the area.

Within the whirlpool, a dark, deep violet crystal began to form, hours passed as it took a diamond shape.

Flesh began to grow from the crystal, a process that took mere moments to complete. At the end of it all, the whirlpool dissipated leaving a humanoid figure at its center.

Long waist-length black hair, long fangs protruding from the mouth and sharp black nails, no, it would be more appropriate to call the claws.

With all the details listed above, you would think maybe, from afar, you would mistake it for being human.

However, several distinctive features set it apart: small horns on its forehead, large, pitch-black feathered wings on its back, and a long black tail extending from its tailbone.

That thing was not human nor should be compared to one. That thing was a demon, it was an unmistakable conclusion.

The thing's eyelids twitched and it opened its violet eyes, it was time for it to wake up from its slumber. It was unsurprising that the surroundings seemed abandoned by beasts.

No beast or human wished to find themselves opposite such a foe on lunatics would wished that upon themselves.

...

"Hmm?", Alexander woke up both in pain and confusion.

He firstly noticed that he was currently butt-naked as he took a closer look at his body, a heavy breeze flew in from the cave entrance.

He felt strange, he not only felt the breeze from his arms, legs, torso and head. He felt two other limbs, one coming from his tailbone, the other from his upper back.

When he took a look, only surprise was shown on his face.Wings? A tail? How was this possible?

Maybe he was hallucinating, he tried to take a step forward but immediately fell. His current body was alien and foreign to him.

"Arghh!!", before he could process his current situation, an excruciating amount of pain overwhelmed him.

It felt something was grinding his brain to bits then putting back together and repeating the process.

He felt memories arise in brain, he couldn't handle the pain and was about to pass out, but before he did, he heard voice he had only heard once in his life, and it had come to deliver the same message it did before.

[Traveler, welcome to Eryndralis!]

It said with enthusiasm, and once again his vision went black.