Jack pivoted on one heel and invoked his Side Step spell. With a sudden whoosh of displaced air, he vanished mere inches before the massive tail crashed into the spot where he had stood. An instant later, he reappeared twelve feet away, dust and ash swirling around him.
“Nicely done!” Asil called, her relief evident as she sprinted for cover behind a collapsed stone pillar. “Keep moving—I’ve seen what that tail can do!”
From Jack’s new vantage point, he could see the dragon’s underbelly, glimmering with hard scales except for a single missing patch. Within the open space lay soft, unprotected flesh. Jack’s eyes lit up with determination.
“There!” he shouted, pointing his sword. “That’s our shot!”
He lunged forward, gripping EdgeLord—the fabled blade he had received from Gondel the High Wizard—with both hands. Sparks of crimson magic danced along its edge, hinting at the sword’s latent power. With a mighty thrust, Jack drove the weapon into the exposed underside of the dragon. The beast let out a deafening roar that shook the ground beneath them.
Unable to shake free in time, Jack was forced to abandon EdgeLord as the dragon tried to flatten him by slamming its entire upper torso against the earth. Dust rose in a choking cloud as the creature’s weight impacted the ground, embedding the blade deeper into its body. Asil coughed, waving a hand before her face to clear the debris.
“Jack! You alright?” she yelled, straining to see through the swirling grit.
Jack emerged a few feet away, stumbling but otherwise unscathed. “I’m good!” he called back. “Had to let the sword go—I couldn’t yank it out in time!”
The dragon roared again, swinging its horned head upward before unleashing a molten torrent of lava-like fire into the sky. Its fury knew no bounds; spines along its back rattled with rage. Then, in a single savage motion, it slammed its jaws earthward and spewed forth a boiling cascade of molten rock, aiming to incinerate Jack on the spot.
But Jack was already gone. He invoked his Air Walking spell, hopping lightly into the air as though climbing invisible steps. Fiery droplets hissed and crackled where they fell, burning scorch marks into the rocks below. From her vantage point, Asil couldn’t help but grin.
“You’ve turned the entire battlefield into a real game of ‘the floor is lava,’” she called out. “But be careful!”
Jack seized the moment, vaulting higher and landing on the dragon’s neck ridge. The battered beast thrashed wildly, half-blinded by its own pain. Typically, mounting a dragon mid-battle was a death sentence. However, EdgeLord’s wound continued to sap its strength. Enraged, the creature clawed at the blade’s hilt, desperate to yank it free. All it managed to do was snap off the handle, leaving the enchanted steel embedded deeper in its flesh.
“It’s weakening,” Asil shouted, emerging from behind her cover. She readied her weapon—though nothing could rival EdgeLord in power, she was prepared to help if needed. “Finish it, Jack!”
Sensing its life ebbing away, the dragon chose one final, desperate tactic. With a guttural snarl, it twisted onto its side and began to roll, intent on crushing Jack like a beetle beneath a boulder. Jack scrambled, gripping ridges of the dragon’s scales for dear life. He inched sideways, muscles straining as he fought the immense weight shifting beneath him. The smell of burning scales and spilled dragon blood assaulted his senses.
“Come on… come on!” Jack grunted, forcing himself to climb faster up the beast’s flank. The scorching heat radiating from its body made every move an agony of seared skin.
The dragon roared finally, flipping entirely onto its back with a tremendous crash that shook the ground like an earthquake. That last act proved its undoing: the remnants of EdgeLord drove deeper into its chest cavity, puncturing the heart with a sickening crunch.
The dragon’s long neck arched, jaws parting in what was meant to be another roar of defiance—but only a ragged gasp escaped. With a series of shudders, its massive limbs twitched, then went limp—thick red-tinged smoke leaked from its nostrils, carrying the creature’s final, ragged breath with it.
Jack stood triumphantly on the dragon’s exposed belly, panting from exertion. His body ached, and rivulets of sweat ran down his temples, but victory surged through his veins.
“You did it,” Asil murmured, hurrying across the battlefield to meet him. Her eyes shone with a mixture of admiration and relief. “I can’t believe you took it down. That was incredible—and reckless.”
Jack hopped off the fallen beast, brushing soot and blood from his clothes. A wild grin lit up his face. “Couldn’t have done it without your warning shout. If you hadn’t told me to watch out for the tail, I’d be dragon food right about now.”
They both stared at the slain dragon, its immense bulk heaving once more before it fell completely still. The ground around them was charred black, and the air tasted sulfur. Yet amid the devastation, a strange sense of peace settled in.
“We need to see if we can salvage EdgeLord,” Asil said gently, glancing at the gruesome protrusion of metal lodged in the dragon’s chest. “If it’s still intact, we might be able to reforge the hilt.”
Jack nodded, taking a deep breath. “Yeah… but first, let’s take a moment.” He placed a hand against the dragon’s scales, almost respectfully. “This thing was powerful, majestic in its way. But it chose to fight.”
“And lost,” Asil finished, her eyes lingering on the lifeless creature.
Neither of them moved for a heartbeat, letting the adrenaline ebb and the gravity of their narrow escape sink in. Then, solemnly, they focused on the fallen sword and the uncertain path ahead.
Jack exhaled slowly, relief and triumph flooding his senses. The colossal dragon lay lifeless on the screen, its final roar still ringing in his ears. With a grin that reached his eyes, he tapped a button to quick save before carefully setting his gaming controller on the end table beside him.
He looked over at Asil—his wife and, in many ways, his perfect partner-in-crime for these gaming sessions. She was perched on the edge of the couch, her cheeks slightly flushed from the rush of watching him conquer the mighty beast on Shadow Realms 3.
“What playthrough was that, again?” Asil asked, still beaming.
“No clue,” Jack replied with a chuckle, running a hand through his hair. “I lost count a while ago. But I do know this is the third time I’ve officially beaten The Father of Dragons—and my first time on hardcore mode.”
Asil smirked, leaning back against the cushions. Jack could practically see the gears in her head turning, recalling all the times she had breezed through that same boss. Both were in their mid-forties, and Jack had played Shadow Realms 3 since its release—long before he met Asil. They’d been married for almost five years, and ever since Jack finally convinced her to give SR3 a shot, she’d proven herself a prodigy, conquering dungeons and quests that took him ages to master in the early days. He never felt upstaged by her skill; if anything, watching her excel only fueled his admiration. Working from home gave them the flexibility to log extra hours, and with Jack’s stepchild (Asil’s son) off at college, they were free to indulge their gaming passion together more than ever.
“You’re insane,” she teased, nudging him with her foot. “Still, seeing that monster go down yet again is pretty satisfying.”
“I just hope I can keep up with you,” Jack laughed. “I’m pretty sure you surpassed all my stats on your first run.”
Any other guy might’ve felt emasculated by having his wife beat his high scores, but Jack only felt a surge of pride. He truly believed he’d found the perfect life partner—someone who loved gaming as much as he did and was equally good at it.
A sudden glance at the clock caught Asil’s eye. Her mouth dropped open.
“Oh my—Jack, look! It’s already past five Eastern Time! The trailer for the next Shadow Realms—it’s out!”
Instantly, they both remembered the reason behind their most recent marathon playthrough. Vera Games, the developers behind the Shadow Realms series, had hinted all week about a massive announcement: the new sequel, rumored to be years in the making, was finally revealed at precisely five o’clock Eastern.
Jack all but launched himself across the living room, nearly knocking the controller off the end table in his excitement. He grabbed his laptop from the coffee table and navigated to the official Vera Games website. His heart thudded as he glanced over at Asil, who wore an equally eager expression.
“You ready for this?” he asked, a tremor of excitement in his voice.
“Bring it on,” Asil murmured, sliding closer so she could see the screen. “I’ve been waiting all day.”
Jack cast the newly posted video to their 70-inch gaming TV, wanting to immerse themselves fully in the reveal. He allowed a few extra seconds for buffering—this was prime time for millions of rabid fans worldwide to crash Vera’s servers.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” Asil whispered, tapping her foot impatiently on the floor. “We’ve been waiting for a new Shadow Realms title since… forever.”
“Yeah,” Jack breathed, noticing a tiny buffering circle pop up on the screen. “And from what I’ve heard, they’ve been secretly working on this for at least five years.”
Just as their impatience threatened to boil over, the video flickered, and the trailer began to play:
A single blade of grass, rendered in exquisite detail, fills the screen. A subdued version of the Shadow Realms theme song plays quietly, building tension with each note. Suddenly, a drop of blood splatters onto a cluster of leaves. The camera pans back, revealing a patch of ground littered with other blood droplets and battered soil.
The shot widens, revealing the intricate head of a double-sided battle-axe etched with glowing runes. The camera lingers on the gleaming, metallic surface as rivulets of crimson drip down the blade, somehow enhancing its savage beauty.
A hand—thin, golden-hued, and unmistakably elven—wraps around the weapon’s haft. The figure is on one knee, head bowed in silent prayer. As the camera pulls out further, the Elf’s heavy plate armor comes into view, decorated with runic etchings like the axe.
Then, in a burst of motion, a robed figure sprints across the scene, arms outstretched and glowing with arcane energy—the Shadow Realms theme crescendos to full volume. The camera swings wide, unveiling a sprawling battlefield teeming with chaos—creatures, magic, and steel clashing under a storm-wracked sky.
A hulking green Orc wielding a massive blacksmith’s hammer charges in from the opposite side. Without a word, the Orc grabs the Elf’s arm, hauling the kneeling warrior to his feet. In a single fluid motion, the Elf raises his axe and bellows an ear-splitting battle cry. The Orc turns, letting out a roar of its own, and together, they charge after the robed mage, who hurls crackling bolts of energy at a horde of nightmarish creatures.
The text appears at the bottom of the screen: “ACTUAL GAMEPLAY FOOTAGE.”
Both Jack and Asil gape in disbelief—trailers typically rely on pre-rendered CGI. Seeing real-time gameplay with this level of detail is staggering.
Finally, the screen fades to black. Four gilded numbers appear in the darkness, glowing in regal gold: 2.5.25.
Silence falls in the living room. The trailer ends, leaving only a pair of link cards for other Vera Games content. Neither Jack nor Asil blinks for a few moments. Their breathing seems loud in the hush that follows.
“That… that date,” Asil says at last, voice barely above a whisper. “2.5.25. So that’s the launch date?”
“I guess it’s February 5th, 2025,” Jack murmurs, his mind racing. “I can’t believe we have a release date.”
They exchange an electrified glance. At that moment, both of them know the hype is accurate, and whatever comes next could eclipse every gaming experience they’ve had so far.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
At that moment, Asil handed Jack a heavy black envelope. The thick paper bore slightly raised, nearly invisible runic designs, and “You Are Invited” stood out in simple gold lettering on the back. Jack studied it for a moment, then turned to his wife with a puzzled expression.
“What’s this?” he asked, eyebrows lifting in curiosity.
Asil’s smile widened.
“Happy anniversary,” she declared, nodding at the envelope.
“But our fifth anniversary’s still four months away,” Jack replied, incredulous.
“I know, my love,” Asil teased, her grin unwavering. “Now open the damn envelope.”
He flipped it over to find a wax seal already broken. Inside was a black, heavy-stock card adorned with the same faint runic symbols. On the reverse side, the same gold lettering appeared in elegant calligraphy:
Dear Asil and One Guest,
You are invited to visit our local offices to be the first to beta test Shadow Realms Online. Due to the nature of its release, the testing must be performed at one of our local facilities to maintain secrecy. You will be required to sign a strict NDA.
Please be prompt, or your seat will be passed to one of our standbys.
~Montgomery Verant
CEO of Vera Games
The bottom of the card displayed an address and a specific date and time.
Jack’s jaw dropped. He glanced at Asil, then back at the note, his mouth still slightly agape. Asil placed her index finger under his chin, gently closing it. Jack responded by kissing her fingertip.
“Is this for real?” he finally managed, almost dazed.
“It is,” Asil confirmed, nodding eagerly. “When they announced their teaser, I reached out to a friend of a friend who works in Vera’s marketing department. He couldn’t promise anything but said he’d try to get my name on the beta test list. I never heard back, but then a private carrier dropped this letter about a week and a half ago.”
She shrugged happily as though reading Jack’s next question before he even asked it.
“I wanted to wait until we saw the teaser to share it with you. But I couldn’t resist opening it first—I had to be sure it was what I hoped it would be.”
Jack let out a whoop of excitement and immediately pulled Asil into a bear hug, squeezing her tight. She laughed, returning his embrace in kind.
“So they want us there the same week as our fifth anniversary?” Jack said, still holding her. “That’s some epic gift you orchestrated. And all I got you was a toaster.”
He finished with a lighthearted wink—an ongoing inside joke between them. Their shared laughter filled the room, fueled by anticipation of what lay ahead.
Several months had passed since the initial teaser reveal, and now the morning of the beta launch had finally arrived. True to their plan, Jack and Asil were up before dawn, determined to arrive at the developers’ offices well before opening. They arrived ninety minutes early, armed with camping chairs, steaming cups of coffee, and a box brimming with donuts.
“I figured the line would be out the door,” Jack remarked, unfolding his chair. He scanned the empty parking lot, perplexed. “But this place is a ghost town.”
Asil shrugged, placing her coffee on the ground. “Maybe we’re too early. Or maybe people decided to trust the appointment times.”
At first, it seemed no one else would join them, but five others arrived a few minutes before the official start time. Leading the small group was a woman who appeared to be in her mid-thirties, and trailing behind her were four kids. Jack and Asil exchanged glances.
“Morning!” the woman greeted. “You two here for the beta test as well? We’re Fiona—and company.” She motioned to the four youngsters, who were still yawning. “This is Mike, Abby, Veronica, and Petros.”
“Jack,” he said, shaking Fiona’s hand. “And this is Asil.”
“Nice to meet you,” Asil added with a polite nod.
Jack soon learned Mike was seventeen and the oldest sibling, while fourteen-year-old Abby was his sister. Veronica, also fourteen, was Abby’s friend; the youngest was twelve-year-old Petros.
“So, are you all gamers too?” Asil asked, offering the group some donuts.
“I am,” Petros answered eagerly, taking a chocolate-sprinkled one. “I’ve played SR3 since I was old enough to hold a controller!”
“He’s not kidding,” Fiona chimed in, amused. “Our family’s been into the series for years. I’m the one who got the invitation. These two”—she tilted her head toward Abby and Veronica—“were more or less forced to come along after their mother insisted they not be left alone at home.”
Abby and Veronica exchanged knowing glances, clearly less enthused than Petros or Mike. The conversation quickly turned to favorite questlines, rumored expansions, and the new game’s possible features. Jack and Petros bonded over the SRO teaser trailer, excitedly rattling off potential class builds and secret Easter eggs.
“It’s going to be huge,” Petros gushed, eyes excitedly shining. “I can’t wait to see how they turn SR3’s single-player magic system into an MMO. Think they’ll keep the runic inscriptions?”
“I sure hope so,” Jack replied. “That’s what made spells feel so real in the original game—almost like you were learning magic instead of just mashing buttons.”
Their chatter was interrupted by the audible click of a large lock being undone. The glass doors at the entrance shuddered, then slowly swung inward. A hush descended over the group, cutting short Asil and Fiona’s conversation mid-sentence. A thin layer of fog crept across the threshold, swirling around the ankles of two robed figures who stepped forward.
“Whoa,” Veronica mumbled under her breath, exchanging a skeptical glance with Abby. “They’re going all out with the theatrics, right?”
“Party fog machines,” Jack murmured, pointing to the compact canisters mounted above the doorway. “Not even turned off yet.” Despite his casual explanation, he was secretly impressed by the developers’ commitment to ambiance.
The robed figures gestured silently for the seven of them to follow. Inside the reception area, the lighting was deliberately dim, and it took a moment for everyone’s eyes to adjust after coming in from the glaring Arizona sun. As their vision cleared, a collective gasp echoed through the group. Medieval-themed décor adorned the walls—tapestries depicting dragons, knights, enchanted forests, sconces flickering with faux torchlight, and suits of armor standing at attention in the corners. The entire space emanated an otherworldly vibe, slightly offset by a modern reception desk near the back.
“I feel like we just stepped into one of the castles from SR3,” Mike said hushedly.
“It’s pretty surreal,” Asil agreed, letting her fingers glide across a nearby tapestry’s edge. “I expected a normal office… not this.”
Petros’s mouth hung open as he took in every detail, while Abby and Veronica exchanged more giggles, half-impressed, half-amused by the pageantry. Fiona gave them a quick, gentle shush, wanting to savor the moment.
“This is incredible,” Fiona breathed. “You can almost imagine you’re in the game already.”
The robed guides led them to a long wooden table where seven sheets of paper lay evenly spaced. Beside each page sat a quill pen, complete with a small ink vial—perfectly matching the game’s medieval aesthetic. On closer inspection, each sheet was labeled “Non-Disclosure Agreement.”
“Standard NDA stuff,” Jack muttered, skimming the text. “Don’t share spoilers, no screenshots, no videos… guess they’re serious about keeping everything under wraps.”
He noticed a page with his name neatly printed at the top, right next to one for Asil. At the far end of the table, Petros found his document. The boy frowned, tugging on Fiona’s sleeve.
“Aunt Fiona, did you give them our full names? It’s right here on the paper. I never told them mine…”
“No, I haven’t shared our names with anyone,” Fiona said, eyebrows knitting. She also looked at the other kids’ forms, each one personalized. “All I did was RSVP.”
Jack glanced over at Asil, who gave him a slight shrug. The entire group seemed to share a moment of confusion, but the place's ambiance—plus the robed figures looking on—pushed them to sign quickly. No one wanted to make a scene or lose their place in the beta.
“Eh,” Jack whispered to Asil. “They probably overheard us outside or have some advanced sign-up records.”
“Still weird, though,” Asil replied, adding her signature in a neat flourish. “But I’m too excited to let it bug me.”
Once the NDAs were signed, the robed figures motioned to a set of massive ornate wooden doors at the far side of the reception. Intricate carvings of dragons, gargoyles, and mystical beasts—directly lifted from SR3 lore—decorated the heavy panels. Torchlit shadows flickered across the carved surfaces, making the creatures appear almost alive.
With a synchronized pull, the robed figures opened each door, revealing a large, dimly lit chamber supported by twelve ornate pillars, each wrapped in stylized murals and runic symbols. A faint, otherworldly glow emanated from unseen sources, painting the space with shifting patterns of light and shadow.
“Wow,” Petros exclaimed, his voice echoing slightly in the cavernous room. “It’s like stepping into a secret temple.”
Abby and Veronica exchanged wide-eyed looks, momentarily forgetting their earlier skepticism. Even Fiona paused in the doorway, her breath catching as she took the sight.
“Feels like we’re crossing into another realm,” Asil murmured in awe.
In equal parts, exhilarated and apprehensive, Jack inhaled the faint scent of incense or maybe some artificial fog lingering from the machines. He couldn’t shake a slight tremor of anticipation. Whatever was waiting for them on the other side of those pillars, he had no doubt it would be more than just a run-of-the-mill product demo.
“Ready?” he asked Asil, reassuringly squeezing her hand.
She smiled at him. “I’ve been ready since the trailer dropped.”
Without further hesitation, the group proceeded into the chamber, curiosity and excitement building with each step, ready to discover just how far this “beta test” would take them.
Each onyx pillar stretched nearly to the ceiling, gleaming with elaborate runic carvings that looked like they had been lifted straight out of the game’s lore. The angular symbols and swirling patterns were faintly illuminated by hidden lights, giving the stone an otherworldly sheen. Jack squinted at them, trying to recall which runes granted fire spells and which provided healing in the original game. If this was all for show, it was an impressive set design feat.
“Unreal,” Petros breathed, craning his neck to see the top of one pillar. “These runes… they’re exactly like the ones in SR3.”
Before anyone could answer, five additional robed figures stepped from the shadows, joining the two who had guided the group here. Each newcomer moved with quiet precision, robes barely rustling against the polished floor. Together, they counted seven robed figures—one for each guest.
“Looks like we’re getting the VIP treatment,” Asil murmured to Jack, eyes darting from one silent guide to the next.
“Or we’re about to join some cult,” Jack joked, trying to mask his nervous excitement.
Each figure approached a guest one by one and gently steered them to a specific pillar. Jack felt a delicate but insistent hand on his arm, leading him to the far-left column. He exchanged a glance with Asil, who was ushered to the middle pillar by a similarly silent attendant.
“Guess we’ll see each other on the other side,” she quipped, offering him a reassuring nod.
“Yeah… see you soon,” Jack replied, suddenly aware of the dryness in his throat.
Once positioned in front of a pillar, the robed figures produced thick sets of darkened glasses, handing them to each person. Jack frowned as he turned the glasses over in his hands—the lenses weren’t translucent. They looked more like sleek blindfolds.
“These are for the demo?” Mike whispered, holding his pair up against the faint light. “There’s no way you can see through these.”
“Probably part of an onboarding experience,” Fiona guessed, though her voice wavered. “This must be a new… immersive technique.”
A ripple of uncertainty passed through the group, but curiosity and excitement quickly won out. The robed attendants pressed a series of glowing runes on each pillar one by one. With a muffled mechanical hum, a person-sized door swished open on the column’s surface.
“Woah,” Abby gasped, taking a small step back. She glanced at Veronica, who looked equally uncertain.
“It’s like a secret compartment,” Veronica murmured. “Never seen anything like it.”
Jack peered inside his pillar, noticing the dark, cushioned satin walls and the angled back that seemed designed for someone to lean against comfortably—if one didn’t mind how eerily coffin-like the space was.
“They really went all out,” he muttered under his breath, feeling equal parts admiration and unease. He swallowed hard. “Okay then…”
Jack stepped into the pillar at the robed figure’s silent gesture, pressing his back against the angled interior. It felt snug yet padded as if carefully engineered to cradle a person in place. The hush inside was immediate, broken only by his breathing. The figure outside tapped a finger over its hood, signaling Jack to don the glasses.
“Alright, I guess this is it,” Jack whispered. He tried not to think about how odd it felt to enter an enclosed space without any real explanation. “Hope this is more comfortable than it looks.”
He slid the dark glasses onto his face, instantly, all light vanished. Heart pounding, he heard the door close with a gentle swish, sealing him into absolute darkness. Instinctively, he reached out, but his fingers only met the velvety satin lining.
“Asil?” he called softly, knowing she couldn’t answer. His voice sounded muffled in the confined space as if he were shouting into a thick blanket.
Slowly, he became aware of a faint, almost static-like tingling coursing over his skin. It began at the tips of his fingers and toes, then spread inward as though he were standing in a charged energy field. His breathing quickened. Despite the initial adrenaline surge, a strange calm settled over him—like the moment before stepping onto a roller coaster.
“Is this really some VR demo…?” he wondered, his mind drifting. “Or am I actually…?”
The tingling sensation intensified, and a soothing heaviness weighed on his limbs. His head lulled back against the cushioned wall. Thoughts flitted hazily through his mind—where was Asil now? What was happening in the other pillars? A soft hum, almost like a lullaby, filled his ears.
Then, all at once, consciousness slipped away as though someone had flipped a switch in his brain. His final coherent thought reverberated in the emptiness:
Is this really a VR demo?
And with that, he lost consciousness.