TO MIA MY GREATEST TEAMMATE IN THE GAME AND IN LIFE ALEX HAD ALWAYS BEEN AN INTROVERT, MORE COMFORTABLE BEHIND A SCREEN THAN IN A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE. GAMING WASN’T JUST A PASTIME IT WAS HIS ESCAPE, HIS SANCTUARY. REALM OF ETERNIA WAS HIS FAVORITE REFUGE, A WORLD WHERE HE COULD TRADE HIS MUNDANE OFFICE LIFE FOR HEROIC QUESTS AND EPIC BATTLES. IN THE GAME, ALEX WAS KNOWN AS KAEL, A BATTLE-HARDENED WARRIOR WITH A REPUTATION FOR TAKING ON CHALLENGES OTHERS AVOIDED. HE WAS CONFIDENT IN HIS VIRTUAL WORLD, BUT EVEN THERE, SOMETHING ALWAYS FELT MISSING. ONE EVENING, ALEX FOUND HIMSELF WANDERING THE LOST RUINS, A SPRAWLING DUNGEON NOTORIOUS FOR ITS COMPLEXITY AND BRUTAL ENEMIES. HE WAS CLEARING OUT MOBS OF SKELETON KNIGHTS WHEN HE NOTICED ANOTHER PLAYER NEARBY—A MAGE NAMED LYRIA. HER CHARACTER WORE FLOWING ROBES ADORNED WITH GOLD EMBROIDERY, AND SHE WIELDED A GLOWING STAFF THAT PULSED WITH ARCANE ENERGY. ALEX WATCHED AS SHE STRUGGLED TO FEND OFF A PACK OF SPECTRAL WOLVES. SHE WAS HOLDING...
PIXELATED HEARTS ALEX NEVER IMAGINED HIS GREATEST ADVENTURE WOULD COME NOT FROM EXPLORING DISTANT LANDS OR SLAYING MYTHICAL BEASTS, BUT FROM LOGGING INTO REALM OF ETERNIA, A MASSIVE MULTIPLAYER ONLINE ROLE-PLAYING GAME. FOR ALEX, THE GAME WAS A WAY TO ESCAPE. HE WASN’T UNHAPPY WITH HIS LIFE IT WAS JUST… ORDINARY. WORK, EAT, SLEEP, REPEAT. BUT IN ETERNIA, HE WAS MORE THAN AN OFFICE CLERK. HE WAS A FEARLESS WARRIOR, CAPABLE OF GREAT FEATS, EVEN IF ONLY BEHIND A SCREEN. BUT EVEN IN THE VAST, COLORFUL WORLD OF ETERNIA, ALEX OFTEN FOUND HIMSELF ADVENTURING ALONE. HIS GUILD WAS INACTIVE, AND MOST PLAYERS STUCK TO THEIR OWN TIGHT KNIT GROUPS. HE TOLD HIMSELF HE DIDN’T MIND. AFTER ALL, WASN’T THE POINT OF GAMING TO UNWIND, NOT MAKE FRIENDS? ONE RAINY EVENING, ALEX LOGGED IN AND DECIDED TO EXPLORE A NEW DUNGEON THAT HAD BEEN ADDED DURING THE LATEST UPDATE: THE FORGOTTEN CRYPT. IT WAS SAID TO BE UNFORGIVING, EVEN FOR SEASONED PLAYERS. THE EERIE GLOW OF TORCHES FLICKERED ACROSS THE CRYPT WALLS AS...