My colleagues whispered to each other, some of them chuckling. A few shook their heads in disbelief, while others nudged each other, eyes wide with excitement.
I leaned toward Kevin, lowering my voice. "So… they're testing this on us? What if it actually malfunctions in our heads while we're in the game?" I whispered.
Before Kevin could respond, Mr. Lysander's voice cut through the room. "So here's what you'll design for your hero."
"Your hero should have a class, such as a dryad, knight, archer, summoner, and more. Choose the class carefully based on these essence orbs." He clicked on his laptop, and the screen changed.
A swirl of colorful orbs appeared on the projected display, glowing and spinning in different hues.
"These are the orbs you should follow," he continued, pointing at the screen with a finger.
"Every hero will start as a normal human. Then, they will find an orb, and each orb carries a magical power. It grants unique abilities to the hero who claims it. For example, an orb might contain divine energy, transforming a human into an angel. Another orb might grant superhuman traits, giving the hero extraordinary powers."
"Your task is to decide which orb suits your hero best. The choice will shape their abilities and their weapons."
Mr. Lysander pointed at the glowing orbs on the projected screen.
He tapped his laptop, and the display zoomed in on the first brown orb. "This is the Valor Orb. It enhances strength, reflexes, endurance, and precision. It grants mastery over weapons and combat techniques. Heroes who choose this orb, gain extraordinary skills and enhanced abilities in battle."
The screen shifted to a swirling orb of different colors. "The Elemental Orb is for magic-based heroes. Infused with the forces of nature, it grants control over fire, water, wind, earth, ice, lightning, lava, and more. Heroes can bend these elements in many ways, using them creatively in combat or exploration."
He swiped again, revealing a shimmering blue orb surrounded by glowing chains. "The Covenant Orb focuses on bonds and partnerships. Heroes who claim it can form magical contracts with creatures, spirits, or mythical beings. They can fight alongside these allies, combining powers, and some may even have multiple partners."
A purple orb pulsed on the screen. "This is the Psionic Orb, born from concentrated mental energy. It allows the hero to use their mind as a weapon, manipulating thoughts and controlling psionic powers. It is ideal for heroes who rely on intellect, focus, and strategy."
Then, a shadowy orb appeared. "The Nether Orb is for those who embrace darkness, forbidden magic, and curses. It grants mastery over shadows, necromancy, and dark powers. Heroes who choose it must resist its temptations while growing stronger."
Golden light radiated from the next orb. "The Radiance Orb channels divine power. It allows healing, protection, and holy attacks. Heroes who choose it become a source of hope and light. Its strength grows with the hero's faith, morality, and selflessness. Those who claim it become beacons of hope and guardians of the light."
Finally, a red orb spun slowly. "The Mystic Orb is mysterious and unpredictable. Heroes who claim it gain reality-bending abilities and unique powers limited only by their imagination and skill."
Mr. Lysander scanned the room. "Now, it's up to you. Choose which orb suits your hero best, and decide their role in the team. Fighter, Marksman, Support, Spellcaster, Tank, or Assassin."
I raised my hand. "Should we design hero backstories as well?"
Everyone turned to look at me, including Mr. Lysander.
"Yes," Mr. Lysander replied, nodding. "You will create your hero's backstory at the start, when crafting your character before entering the game world."
"What kind of question is that anyway?" Michael said, folding his arms and smirking. "Aren't we already doing that for years? I hope your hero creations aren't as pointless as that question."
A few of our colleagues burst into laughter at Michael's remark. I just let out a long sigh and leaned back in my chair, rubbing the back of my neck as I tried to stay calm.
"Enough now," Mr. Lysander said, raising his hand slightly to quiet the room.
"We'll start tomorrow. You'll enter the game first thing in the morning. Before we end today, I want you to meet our new interns and my younger brother," he said, gesturing toward the door.
A few people stepped inside, and Mr. Lysander continued, "These nineteen interns will be joining us. And this," he said, pointing to one of them, "is my brother. Make sure to help them and guide them if they have any questions."
"Don't worry, Mr. Lysander. I'll make sure to take good care of the interns," Michael said, flashing a confident grin.
"Tomorrow, all forty-eight of you will enter the game. The company will reward anyone who creates a hero with exceptional potential," Mr. Lysander said.
As we left the conference room, the chatter of my colleagues filled the hall while we made our way to our designated desks.
Suddenly, Michael put his arm on my shoulder with that same smirk from earlier.
"So, Mr. boring character designer," he teased, leaning casually against me, "are you ready to make the next hero flop? Or should I call the fire department just in case your VR hero blows up the servers?"
I didn't respond, just kept walking.
"I hope I don't see you in the game, because if I do, I'll crash your hero," Michael added, letting go.
Kevin appeared and nudged me gently from the side. "Ignore him. He's all bark, no bite," he whispered, flashing a reassuring grin.
Olivia walked over, her hand brushing my shoulder. "Yeah, you've designed awesome heroes that everyone loves. Just focus on that."
"Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it," I said to them.
We arrived at our desks, and a tall guy approached mine. Mr. Lysander's younger brother stepped up, smiling shyly. "Hey," he said, "I just wanted to say… I'm a fan of you and really like your heroes. I've played them many times. They're… amazing."
I blinked, caught off guard. "Well, thanks for the compliment. Do you need anything? Should I teach you something?"
"No, I'm fine. My brother teaches me some of the stuff here," he said.
"I'm Luke, by the way," he added, extending his hand.
"Gideon. Nice to meet you," I replied, shaking his hand.
"Nice to meet you too. See you around," he said and walked away.
Once he left, I turned back to my computer. I opened the company's games and searched for the heroes I had designed.
My heart sank slightly. The rankings were lower than I remembered, and harsh comments kept scrolling past—complaints about balance, looks, and lame skills.
I rubbed my eyes, letting out a long sigh.
Kevin leaned over my chair and tapped my shoulder. "Seems that someone appreciates your work."
"Yeah…" I said, glancing at my computer. "I didn't expect anyone to actually like my work."
Kevin smiled. "Ignore the haters. Focus on the people who understand your work."
I just nodded, hoping the VR game tomorrow wouldn't be a total disaster.