A nostalgic old game.

Around the mid-year of 2025, the virtual world was shaken by the rise of "Nexus," the first fully immersive VR MMORPG. For Jon, a young orphan whose existence had been confined to the shadowy corners of his room until then, this game was more than an escape; it was a sanctuary. His days of otaku seclusion were transformed when word spread that Nexus would allow the conversion of its virtual currency into real dollars at a 1:1 ratio.

Swiftly, his guild, which had once dominated the virtual realms of Nexus, found itself at the top. Yet, this glory was fleeting. Massive technological corporations, with their infinitely deep pockets, began to invest in the game. Nexus, once a battlefield for skills and strategies, became a playground for the wealthy. The essence of the game was corrupted by the gleam of real gold.

Jon, though he had amassed a considerable fortune thanks to Nexus, tasted the bitter flavor of reality. He couldn't compete with the billionaires who now ruled the game. And what was more agonizing was witnessing the virtual world he loved so much transform into an extension of the real world, where loyalty was bought and sold like commodities. The betrayal of his own guild, which sold out to a mega corporation, was the final straw.

Disillusioned and heartbroken, Jon distanced himself from online games. In a moment of nostalgia, he revisited an old game that had once brought him joy, now adapted for VR. But upon entering, the magic was gone. The graphics, which he remembered as stunning, now seemed crude and unfinished. The NPCs, whom he once considered companions, now seemed like robots with clichéd dialogues.

The game was called: Lands of Aeloria

**Summary:**

In a forgotten continent, the Lands of Aeloria emerge as a realm of mysteries, magic, and ancient legends. Unlike many realms, in Aeloria, an individual's fate is not determined by birth but by their choices and actions.

**Setting:**

Aeloria is a vast territory, with landscapes ranging from the icy mountains of the North to the enchanted forests of the South. Independent city-states dot the landscape, each with its own culture, traditions, and secrets.

**Narrative:**

The player takes on the role of a "Chosen One," a being who awakens with no memories in an ancient crypt. Over time, it's discovered that the Chosen One is the reincarnation of an ancient hero, whose destiny is to face and defeat a growing darkness that threatens to consume Aeloria. Throughout the journey, the player encounters various factions and clans, each offering different paths and abilities. Whether a mage studying in the floating towers of Eldoria, a warrior from the nomadic tribes of the Sandora desert, or a thief from the winding streets of Lireth, the capital, in Aeloria, the character's class is fluid, allowing the player to shape their abilities and alliances as they wish.

**Protagonist's Focus:**

As the protagonist discovers their true identity and purpose, they embark on a quest to gather ancient artifacts that have the power to strengthen their soul and abilities. While seeking these artifacts, they must form alliances, confront enemies, and unravel the mysteries of their own existence. The main focus is the internal struggle between accepting their destiny as the Chosen One or forging their own path, challenging the expectations of the world around them.

**Conclusion:**

"Lands of Aeloria" is an ode to the freedom of choice and the discovery of one's true self. In a world where fate is written by the stars, true power lies in the ability to rewrite those stars.

The game itself was a monumental disappointment. The narrative culminated abruptly and disappointingly. At the peak of their strength, the player faced enemies that fell like flies, and the ultimate antagonist was nothing more than a mere whisper in the face of accumulated power. However, for Jon, this was the perfect ludic universe. The inherent freedom of the game attracted a fervent community of modders, who reinvented and expanded that world every day.

On a memorable occasion, Jon transformed into the iconic Superman, flying through pixelated skies and saving the day in ways as absurd as they were hilarious. But there were mods that transcended mere entertainment, turning the game into an almost metaphysical experience. One such mod allowed players to reincarnate as a five-year-old child, the offspring of any NPC, and chart their own destiny. To study, aspire to the position of mayor, become the villain who challenged the hero, or even a tyrant who would subjugate all to their will. The horizon of possibilities seemed infinite.

For Jon, a loner without company in the real world, this mod was a celestial gift. After a disappointing experience with his beloved virtual reality game, he decided to dive headfirst into this universe of modifications. He couldn't miss including the mod that pushed the graphics to a staggering level of realism, or the one that turned the world into a sanctuary for dungeon enthusiasts, multiplying the number of dungeons by ten. He also added the faction system, wars between kingdoms, advanced artificial intelligence for all NPCs, and of course, his favorite mod: "A New Beginning."

Jon devoted an entire night to installing these digital wonders. As day broke, his game was enriched with over 500 mods, each promising unprecedented adventures and emotions.

With his cutting-edge virtual reality capsule, a marvel of technology promising complete immersion, Jon had no fears of failures or interruptions. This innovative device worked as an advanced rest system, allowing players to venture through virtual worlds during the night and awaken in the morning feeling as though they had enjoyed a deep and restorative sleep. Thus, without hesitation, Jon dismissed the idea of conventional rest and plunged headlong into that digital universe.

However, in his excitement, he overlooked a crucial warning associated with his favorite mod: "When using in virtual reality, avoid combining this mod with others. It may cause instability and crashes. There are reports of individuals who experienced photosensitive epilepsy attacks." As soon as Jon entered the virtual world, the capsule began emitting erratic lights, oscillating at a frenetic pace, as if on the brink of an electrical collapse.

But for Jon, within that universe, everything seemed in perfect harmony. Thanks to the "A New Beginning" mod, the experience lacked menus or interfaces that broke immersion. Upon starting, his avatar's eyes slowly opened, revealing the world in a first-person perspective, and the adventure unfolded before him.

Upon awakening in that virtual world, Jon slowly opened his eyes and rose from the bed. Confronted with his reflected image in an ornate mirror, he saw a young boy of about eight years. His skin was immaculately white, without the slightest imperfection, as if sculpted by gods. He remembered the mod that enhanced character aesthetics, making them more beautiful and captivating, and mentally thanked the genius behind this creation.

Of average height for his apparent age, Jon's eyes were of a clear, almost ethereal green, while his hair boasted a sky-blue hue. He recalled another mod he had installed, one that eliminated the game's traditional races like orcs, dwarves, and beastmen, deemed aesthetically unpleasant by the mod creator. In their place, hair color determined each being's lineage. Blue, in particular, was a distinctive mark of the elves. And given the light shade of his hair, Jon deduced that his heritage was predominantly elven, perhaps a mix of elf and human.

The more he observed, the more impressed he became. Even with all the mods he had installed, the game's graphical quality surpassed his most optimistic expectations. It was quite the transformation, considering that in its original version, the game suffered from poor optimization and constant frame drops.

"Jon, coffee's ready!" The melodious voice echoed down the hallway, interrupting Jon's thoughts. He was surprised to realize that, in this world, he also answered to the name Jon. The coincidence made him smile, and he felt no inkling that something might be amiss. However, in the real world, his virtual reality capsule emitted alarming signals—buzzes and intermittent lights—indicating that something was awry. Yet, immersed in that enchanted universe, Jon remained oblivious to the imminent danger.

Seated at the table across from an incomparably beautiful elf, with blue hair as deep as the night sky and green eyes reminiscent of freshly-cut emeralds, Jon was in ecstasy. At his side, a man of majestic bearing, with hair as dark as the night and eyes as blue as the ocean, completed the scene. Amidst such beauty, a persistent thought occupied Jon's mind: 'How could someone create a mod of such sublime and intricate appearance?'

Through morning conversations, Jon discovered that the stunning elf was Helena Woodmoon, his mother in this world, and the imposing man was Eric, a commoner who didn't bear a surname. As he savored the coffee, a culinary masterpiece that danced on his palate, Jon couldn't hide his look of astonishment. The richness of flavors was so palpable that he wondered if the creators of these mods were, in fact, master programmers from some renowned game development company.

Trying to focus on his journey, Jon accessed the menu to consult the map and plan his next steps. However, before he could devise any strategy, a searing pain pierced his mind, and darkness enveloped his world.