Please enter the name you wish to go by.


    The words typed themselves across the black view in bright green text. Below the message was a white text box with a flashing underline waiting to be filled in. I had no idea what was going on. Was I in the game now? Was this some new Virtual Reality system without a headset? I heard something about certain advanced VRs being worked on but always thought it was more of a joke than anything. Maybe I was asleep, and this was all a strange dream. That’s what it had to be. I had fallen asleep on the couch and was playing out a bizarre fiction in my head.


    I stared at the empty text box waiting to see if something else would happen. Nothing changed. I had no sense of time or sensation of reality while I floated in the empty void. My body was missing, there were no smells, and I couldn’t even feel the air on my skin. Had I died at some point, and this was heaven? Ridiculous. There’s no way heaven was some text-based role-playing game.


    I tried to reach out and feel for the keyboard I knew was sitting squarely on my grandfather’s desk. Yet, despite my efforts, I felt nothing. An underlying sense of anxiety started to grow in my chest. I felt trapped in a coffin, paralyzed and unable to move. It was terrifying. This wasn’t heaven, this was hell.


    Please enter the name you wish to go by.


    The words rewrote themselves in the black void and the text box flashed three times. I wanted to scream at the words. Ask it how I would enter a name without a keyboard. How did the game expect me to enter a name if I had no way to type it out? I tried to speak and demand some answers, but there was no sound. I didn’t even know if I had a mouth anymore. Was I trapped forever to stare at these words and this abyss of anxiety?


    I closed my eyes and took a moment to focus on my chest. I tried to calm my racing heart and push away the dread flooding my body. It took a moment, but I was finally able to calm down enough to reopen my eyes and try something else. I put my focus on the empty text box and told it my name.


    Welcome Miles Forester! Please choose your race. If you would like to know more about each race, feel free to ask. Please take your time on this decision as you will not be able to change it once you enter the world of Phyrelia.


    A long list of strange names popped up in the air. A total of ten different races and I didn’t recognize any of them. I had never read a fantasy book in my entire life. Most fictional stories and worlds I knew about were the late-night sci-fi shows I occasionally watched with my grandpa. I never paid attention to the different alien species as it seemed they always introduced a new one each week. It was hard to keep track of them all, so I never bothered to remember them. I decided to focus my mind on asking for help. Immediately each of the races expanded with a single paragraph of information and details on skills and lore.


    Blackwings: The people of Crowsong Isles are a strong-willed race known for their distinguished black feathers and sharp beaks. Not the friendliest of folk but what they lack in social skills they make up for with iron bonds and unbreakable oaths. A friendship with a Blackwing is not filled with laughter but trust. If you find yourself lucky to be one’s friend, you will find that friendship to be true to the end. They are proficient in aerial combat and have a keen understanding of others’ real intentions. They have a 10-point increase to Insight and Ranged Combat.


    Racial Passive Selections: Storm Glide or Carrion Feaster.


    Riverpaws: Within the reed homes, built upon the gentle streams of Riverbend, live the Riverpaws. The most social of all the races of Phyrelia, the Riverpaws are charming, light-hearted individuals. With their sleek fur coats and long slender bodies, they are excellent swimmers and sailors. They never stay in one place long and find adventure to be their lifestyle of choice. They have a 10-point increase in Athletics and Persuasion.


    Racial Passive Selections: Deep Breath or Thick Fur.


    Brighteyes: The fieldfolk whose hearts belong to nature can be found playing their self-crafted instruments and singing delightful songs in the wide farmlands of Briarfield. Don’t let their diminutive size, big round ears, and curly whiskers deceive you. What they lack in strength they make up for with courage and a cheerful outlook. They have a 10-point increase in Performance and Crafting.


    Racial Passive Selections: Whisker Sense or Swift Feet.


    Tenderbeaks: The white-feathered communities found hidden in the thick fogs of The Mistvale are considered by some to be prideful and arrogant. However, those who spend time with these elegant flyers come to find out that family and culture are at the center of their hearts. Their deep fervor for history and desire to uncover the hidden secrets of magic have led them to become renowned scholars and teachers. They have a 10-point increase to Arcana and Investigation.


    Racial Passive Selections: Home Bound or Long Memory.


    Darktails: Untrustworthy, devilish, and smiles full of jagged teeth are all common traits to those who serve the Irontail King of Duskspire Keep. Their loyalty is purchased with gold and friendships are won through battle. These skilled fighters, who know not when to quit, are an invaluable asset in any adventurer group as long as you keep one hand on your coin purse. They have a 10-point increase to Melee Combat and Thievery.


    Racial Passive Selections: Iron Teeth or Tail Grip.


    Shellbacks: The wise and ancient people of Brightwater take life one day at a time. Preferring to listen to the calm ocean breeze while eating richly flavored seafood over travel and adventure. They enjoy long peaceful lives in their sheltered communities. Though they aren’t the most agile of warriors, few have ever cracked their thick shells and cut their scaly skin. They have a 10-point increase in Cooking and Foraging.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Racial Passive Selections: Sturdy Shell or Ancient Will.


    Sunscales: The nomadic tribes of the Sunflare Sands are skilled acrobats and potion makers. Famous for using every resource at their disposal to create unique tonics and poisons, as well as being known for their incredible acts of aerial stunts and gymnastics. They have long, scaly bodies and razor-sharp talons. Those who befriend a Suncale find laughter in abundance but may find their unrefined speech irritating over time. They have a 10-point increase to Alchemy and Acrobatics.


    Racial Passive Selections: Capillary Scales or Toxic Aversion.


    Springsteps: Confident to a fault and filled with curious hearts. The soft-furred, long-eared hoppers of The Greentides enjoy wide plains and great stories. The outgoing travelers are known for their extraordinary tales of bravery and cunning. They have a keen sense of direction and find the road to be a more comforting home than a soft bed behind safe doors. They have a 10-point increase in Navigation and History.


    Racial Passive Selections: High Leap or Radar Hearing.


    Bogdwellers: The wise swamp walkers of Elderfen are among the most skilled healers. Their deep understanding of disease, toxins, and medicine is unmatched and so is their strong connection to the wild things of the mires. They believe in being one with nature to the point that they wear vines, mud, and leaves upon their slimy, bumpy skin. Thick strong legs and whiplike tongues help them navigate the bogs with ease. They have a 10-point increase to Medicine and Animal Handling.


    Racial Passive Selections: Living Armor or Poison Glands.


    Nightflyers: Few citizens of the Twilight Hollows ever venture beyond the Greypeak Mountains. These leather-wing mammals prefer isolation and darkness while staying safe within their vast caves. Regardless of their environment, they have become renowned for their hunting and tracking skills. Able to use echolocation to hunt down any prey while also staying hidden in the deepest shadows. They have a 10-point increase in Stealth and Tracking.


    Racial Passive Selections: Blood Consumption or Echolocation.


    I felt a headache begin to rise from all the lore and game terminology suddenly bombarding my vision. I had no idea what half of these things meant or what would be a good choice to select. However, one option did stick out to me. The Brighteyes of Briarfield. Wherever this Briarfield was or is, it had to be important to my grandfather as it was the password he used for his computer. It could be a clue as to why he disappeared. It was the only connection I had between him and this game. Plus, this was just a game. The decision wouldn’t matter much, could it? I wasn’t planning on spending a lot of time delving into something I wasn’t interested in. I only want to know what, if any, connections this Phyrelia: Multi-User Dungeon has with my grandpa going missing. I pushed my consciousness onto the Brighteyes option.


    Are you sure you would like to play as a Brighteyes? There is no going back once selected. This will also determine your starting location of Briarfield and give you increases to your Crafting and Performance skills. You also have the option to choose either Whisker Sense or Swift Feet for your Racial Passive. If you would like more information on any of these topics, please feel free to ask.


    I hesitated a moment. What did it mean there is no going back? That sentence left an ominous feeling in the back of my head. Regardless, I did want to know one thing. What could this system tell me about Briarfield? I pressed my question out to the void and was greeted with a new paragraph of information.


    The peninsula of Briarfield is one of wide farmlands and lush forests. Animalkin from all Phyrelia travel to witness its beautiful wind-swept fields and airy pines. A hub of goodwill, great cooking, and vibrant music. It is known to create a sense of safety and joy to many who call it home and to the various kin who visit. The many towns scattered throughout the area are considered youthful compared to the ancient villas and citadels of other regions. However, rumors of primeval magic and long-lost artifacts continue to invite mystery into the seemingly mundane lives of the Brighteyes of Briarfield.


    The description didn’t give me what I was hoping for. It read like one of those old fantasy books my grandfather would fall asleep to while reading in bed. Despite this, there must be a good reason why my grandfather had it as his password. Maybe this was the region he selected when first playing the game. He could have picked the Brighteyes race and started in Briarfield. It was a good guess and to be honest the description of the area reminded me a bit of Middleton. Long farmlands surrounded with vistas of deep forests. It was the only lead I could follow. I once again pressed my mind on the Brighteyes race and told the system my choice.


    Are you sure you would like to play as a Brighteyes? There is no going back once selected.


    There was that message again. No going back once selected. I sunk the hesitation beginning to itch at the back of my mind and told the system yes.


    You have picked Brighteyes as your chosen race. Please select your Racial Passive from among Whisker Sense or Swift Feet.


    I picked Whisker Sense without asking for more information as I wanted this experience to end and to wake up from this weird dream. If it was a dream.


    You have selected to play as a Brighteyes with the Whisker Sense Racial Passive. You will now be analyzed to calculate your starting statistics and avatar appearance. Please stand by while the system scans your characteristics.


    A bright green line of light appeared in the darkness above me and slowly descended. I felt a strange energy flow over me as the light scanned me. Once it reached where I assumed my feet would be it reversed directions and started to rise. It passed over my invisible body, crossed my eyes, and then disappeared. I heard the same beeping sound my grandfather’s computer was making before and then everything went quiet.


    Characteristics have been analyzed and starting stat totals calculated. Here are your starting stats which will be further refined after Class Selection.


    Strength: 10


    Intelligence: 13


    Agility: 12


    Charisma: 8


    Wisdom: 15


    Constitution: 9


    Based on these statistics you will have a starting life total of 23 and a starting mana total of 33. You will receive stat bonuses based on your Class choice to further customize your avatar’s abilities. Please prepare to select your Class. As with your chosen Race, the choice you make cannot be changed once selected. Are you ready to continue?


    There was no way this could be a dream. My subconscious was not this creative to come up with all these different races and stat breakdowns. I had never played a fantasy game or read a fantasy book so there wasn’t a well of knowledge for me to draw from. The dreadful sense of anxiety started to build inside me again. It crushed my heart and quickened my breathing. I had to end this. I had to escape this nightmare. I pushed my thoughts on asking this system to quit or to shut off, but nothing happened. I tried to run but I couldn’t even feel my legs move, if they were even still attached to me. I had nowhere to go. No way to free myself from the endless darkness stretching before me. What could I do? The green words in the air vanished and then retyped themselves once again.


    Are you ready to continue, Miles?


    I had no choice. I had to keep going. If all of this was real, then I would endure it to find my grandfather.