My phone buzzed with a notification.
It was our company team's group chat. All the interns had been added last night.
"My character is a demon, and no one should copy it!" Michael sent a message in the group.
"Mine's a pirate!" another message popped up, a little skull emoji following it.
"My character is a siren," another added, a wave GIF trailing behind the text.
"Mine is a thief," someone else replied.
"Angel here!" another one wrote.
Everyone was sharing the species and classes of their characters.
Mr. Lysander had asked us last night to think of a class or species for our characters, and no one was supposed to be the same.
Olivia and Kevin joined in too and sent their choices.
Olivia chose a bard, her music notes emoji appearing with her text, while Kevin picked a shaman.
On my way to the company building, I brushed a hand through my hair and sighed.
"Need to figure out my class… or species," I whispered, eyes scanning the street ahead.
I imagined a grim reaper for my character.
After just watching a movie that featured one, I typed grim reaper and sent it in the group chat.
Almost instantly, a laughing emoji appeared under my message. It was Michael and his friends.
I frowned.
What was his problem with me? He always seemed to tease me for no reason. I couldn't remember ever doing anything to upset him.
"Please proceed to the 7th floor," Mr. Lysander said in our group chat.
I hurried on my way.
When I arrived at the building, I greeted the receptionist at the front desk and walked straight to the elevator.
I pressed the button for the 7th floor.
When the elevator doors opened, I stepped out and saw my fellow colleagues and interns gathered in the hallway. Mr. Lysander was standing at the front, arms crossed as if he had been waiting.
"I believe everyone is now complete," Mr. Lysander announced.
Olivia and Kevin spotted me right away and walked over to my side.
"Follow me to our new Neuro Lab," Mr. Lysander said, motioning for us to move. "All the pods and VR headsets are already prepared."
We walked down the hall and stopped in front of transparent double doors. Everything looked clean and new, like it had just been built.
The doors slid open.
Inside was a wide, well-lit room filled with rows of sleek pods. Each one looked like a high-tech bed, surrounded by cables, screens, and glowing indicators. VR headsets were neatly placed at the head of every pod.
Mr. Lysander turned back to us. "Please choose a pod and take your station."
Staff members immediately stepped forward, guiding everyone to their pods.
"I hope you already have a character in mind," Mr. Lysander added, his eyes scanning the room.
Olivia and Kevin followed behind me as we made our way to our pods. A staff member approached us with a small tablet in hand.
"Please lie down and remain still," the staff member instructed calmly. "Do not put on your headset yet."
Kevin and I exchanged a quick glance before lying down. I leaned back slowly, feeling the cool surface of the pod against my back.
The room was filled with the soft hum of machines powering up.
Mr. Lysander stepped forward.
"Everyone, this will be your final briefing," he said.
I looked around at everyone. Some whispered to each other, while others glanced around nervously.
"You are about to enter a fully immersive virtual world. Once the system activates, your senses, sight, sound, and touch will be synchronized with the game environment."
I turned my head slightly and glanced at Olivia. She swallowed hard, but her eyes were shining with excitement.
"For your safety, the system is monitored at all times," Mr. Lysander continued. "If any irregularities occur, you will be disconnected immediately. What happens inside the game stays in the game. Any injuries or damage you receive will not affect your real body."
"Time in the virtual world moves faster than in reality, so do not panic. You will log out every noon and afternoon."
A few people nodded.
"Additionally, all battles, progress, and levels are recorded. Your privacy is respected. Personal conversations remain confidential, but combat footage and highlights may be uploaded to our streaming platform to showcase your feats and achievements."
Mr. Lysander walked slowly between the pods, hands behind his back.
"I trust that all of you are experienced gamers. You've conquered many adventure games before, so I'm confident you can handle this one."
He stopped and looked at everyone.
"Since this is only a test, if your HP drops to zero, you will be logged out of the game and allowed to enter again."
My heart beat faster as I listened.
"Your task is to create an awesome character," he continued. "I hope everyone chooses a unique class or species, like I assigned last night. The game will end after defeating the final bosses, or when system announce the final challenge."
He pointed toward the staff members standing nearby.
"Do not worry. Each of you has an assigned staff member you can communicate with during the test."
Kevin leaned back slightly and let out a slow breath.
"The game is called Eternal Reckoning: Heroes of the Rift. There's a lore story in the first part, I hope you will listen to it carefully."
Mr. Lysander clapped his hands once, breaking the tension.
"Alright, everyone. The Founder will be here any minute now. I want him to see that we're ready. Please put on your VR headsets."
Kevin turned his head toward me. "Ready?"
"I think I'm nervous," I admitted.
"Oh, before I forget, I want your characters to look like you. The Founder wants to appreciate you and recognize your work," Mr. Lysander said.
I glanced at Olivia. She was smiling like she had been waiting for this moment all her life.
"We'll slay the monsters and bosses together," Olivia said, her voice full of excitement.
"Yeah," I replied, letting out a small laugh. "Like we always do."
Mr. Lysander nodded.
"This is where your journey begins. Good luck, everyone. Enjoy the experience, build alliances, and remember, this game will not be easy. Challenges await, and only a few will claim the prizes."
A soft chime echoed through the room.
"Headsets on, players," the staff instructed.
I reached for the VR device. Kevin and Olivia were right beside me, and together we placed the headsets over our eyes.
A staff member moved behind me and adjusted something at the back of the device. A quiet beep sounded.
Warmth spread from the base of my skull down my spine. It felt like electricity running through my body.
Suddenly, a blue holographic screen shimmered to life before my eyes.
And just like that, I was inside the VR world.