The Gryphon Mark 2 hummed softly as Logan powered it on, the faint vibration almost imperceptible against his skin. The snug padding molded perfectly to his head, sealing him in. A blue glow washed over his closed eyelids as the helmet’s systems began to boot up.

  Faint whispers of static tickled his ears as the sensors activated, their precision shocking in its clarity. A soothing, synthetic voice chimed in, calm and professional:

  Logan inhaled sharply as the first sensation struck—a cool, tingling sensation spreading across his scalp, like frost melting into his skin. The helmet’s electromagnetic sensors scanned his brain, syncing with his neural activity.

  The soft vibration shifted, and Logan felt a faint warmth spread from the base of his neck to the tips of his fingers. His heartbeat synced with the rhythm of the helmet’s processors, each thrum perfectly mirrored.

  As the words echoed in his ears, the room's temperature disappeared. The faint pressure of the chair beneath him faded, replaced by… nothing. It was as though the world outside the helmet had ceased to exist, leaving only the steady hum of the system.

  Then, with a single chime, the world melted away.

  When Logan opened his eyes, he was standing in an endless white void. The ground beneath him was smooth and untextured, glowing faintly as though lit from within. The horizon stretched infinitely in every direction, blending seamlessly into the sky.

  Logan turned his hands over, marveling at the sharp detail of his skin. It was uncanny—every crease, scar, and line was perfectly replicated. His movements felt natural and seamless like he wasn’t even wearing the headset.

  In front of him, a large holographic screen appeared, hovering in midair. It glowed faintly, a translucent blue interface displaying simple instructions:

  Logan hesitated for a moment before swiping his hand through the air, the motion instinctive. The screen responded immediately, a virtual keyboard appearing beneath his fingertips. He typed in his username and password and watched the screen process the input.

  The holographic screen vanished, and the white void around him shifted. The ground beneath him rippled, and dozens of doors began to materialize in an expanding circle around him.

  Each door was unique, styled to match the aesthetic of the game it represented. To his left, a massive sandstone door loomed, its surface etched with intricate hieroglyphs. Above it, glowing letters spelled out: Dunes of Arabal.

  Next to it, a futuristic steel door glowed with neon blue lights: Neon Nexus. To his right, a weathered stone archway overgrown with vines marked Elderwood Chronicles.

  Logan’s gaze swept over the doors, each one a gateway to a world he had played and beaten. The detail was forever mesmerizing to him and sometimes would just look at the doors in wonder, but he didn’t linger. He wasn’t here for them.

  Logan moved to the far side of the Hub, where a blank space waited in stark contrast to the ornate doors around it. It wasn’t truly empty—there was the faint outline of a doorway, as though the system were waiting for something to fill it.

  He stopped in front of the blank space, and a small prompt appeared:

  Logan reached into his memory, recalling the 25-digit code he’d read on the inside of the Odyssey Online game case. He raised his hand, typing the sequence carefully into the floating keyboard.

  When he hit the final digit, the prompt vanished. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the air in front of him shimmered, as though the void itself were folding inward.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  The blank space transformed.

  A towering wooden door materialized, its surface carved with elegant, interwoven patterns that seemed to shift and flow like water. The rich, polished wood gleamed as though freshly lacquered, and above the door, a name appeared in bold, golden letters:

  Odyssey Online.

  Logan stepped back, taking in the majesty of the door. It was unlike any of the others, its craftsmanship almost too perfect. He reached out, his fingers brushing against the intricate carvings. The wood felt warm, alive beneath his touch.

  A soft chime echoed in the Hub, and the door creaked open slightly, a faint light spilling from the gap. Logan’s breath hitched as he stepped forward, his hand resting on the edge of the door.

  This is it, he thought, his heart racing. The start of something new.

  With a deep breath, Logan pushed the door open and stepped inside.

  The door swung open silently, revealing a dimly lit room beyond. A faint glow spilled from within, casting flickering shadows across the polished wood. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward, the warm light enveloping him as the door clicked shut behind him.

  The room he found himself in was unlike anything he’d seen in a VR game before. The walls were made of thick, uneven stone, the kind that carried the imperfections of being hand-laid. Wooden beams crisscrossed the ceiling, their surfaces weathered with age, and an iron chandelier hung low in the center of the room, its candles flickering with a soft, golden glow.

  Logan took a step forward, his boots making a soft thud against the dirt-covered stone floor. He paused, looking down. Dirt? He knelt instinctively, brushing his fingers against the ground. The coarse grains shifted beneath his touch, sticking slightly to his skin. It felt real.

  He rose slowly, his eyes scanning the rest of the room. Near the center was a sturdy wooden table, its surface scratched and nicked as if it had been in use for years. On top of it sat a half-full tankard, beads of condensation dripping lazily down its side. A faint breeze stirred the air, carrying with it the earthy scent of soil and wood—and something else.

  Logan inhaled deeply. Salt? He licked his lips instinctively and caught the faintest tang of it on his tongue like he’d been standing near the ocean.

  His heart raced. The sensory detail was overwhelming, a sharp contrast to every other VR game he’d played. In Dunes of Arabal, the visuals were flawless, the sounds perfectly tuned, and the sense of touch precise down to the smallest detail. But the rest? Smell? Taste? They simply didn’t exist. Food in the game had looked real enough, but it was an empty experience. Bite into an apple, and you feel the crunch, but there is no flavor. No juice.

  Here, though... this was different.

  Logan moved to the table, his hand brushing against its surface. The wood was rough beneath his fingertips, the scratches catching slightly on his skin. He gripped the edge, feeling the weight and sturdiness of it as if it were an actual piece of furniture. The faint smell of iron wafted from the chandelier above, mingling with the earthy scent of the room.

  “This is insane,” he muttered under his breath.

  He glanced back at the tankard, beads of condensation glinting in the candlelight. The smell of yeast and faint bitterness reached his nose, so convincing that for a brief moment, he considered lifting it to his lips.

  A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Sam was right about this,” he said, shaking his head. “And I haven’t even started playing yet.”

  The faint hum of a system prompt pulled Logan’s attention, and he turned to see a translucent blue screen hovering near the far wall. Words glowed faintly across its surface:

  Logan took a deep breath before he pressed the screen.

  The light from the prompt flared briefly before dissolving into motes of energy, swirling around him like fireflies. A soft chime echoed in the room, and the tankard, the table, the chandelier—all of it began to fade, dissolving into streaks of light. For a moment, Logan was suspended in a blank void, his senses overwhelmed by the shift. Then, like the steady rhythm of a heartbeat, a faint vibration thrummed through the air. Around him, small trails of light began to form. The light swirling around Logan condensed, forming faint outlines of stone walls and towering arches. Slowly, the shapes solidified, and Logan found himself standing in a massive, cathedral-like hall.

  It was breathtaking.

  The vaulted ceiling stretched impossibly high, its intricate carvings illuminated by beams of sunlight streaming through stained glass windows. Each pane depicted a scene—warriors clashing, towering beasts, sprawling kingdoms—all painted in vivid, shifting colors that seemed to dance as the light hit them. Massive stone pillars lined the hall, their surfaces etched with glowing runes that pulsed faintly, as though alive.

  Somewhere above, a soft melody began to play, the haunting notes of a stringed instrument filling the hall. Logan tilted his head, trying to locate the source, but his attention was pulled back as a deep, resonant voice echoed through the chamber.

  “Long ago, the world of Kaidros stood united in peace, its people thriving under the light of prosperity...”

  Logan nodded absently, his gaze drifting from the figure to the cathedral around him. His eyes traced the glowing runes on the walls, wondering if they were interactive. He crouched near one of the tiled floors, noticing the subtle cracks and imperfections etched into the stonework. He could even see faint scuff marks, as though countless feet had tread here over the centuries.

  The voice droned on, recounting the tale of a great war between a dark lord and a band of legendary beings, the resulting victory of said beings, and the peace they brought to the land. Logan barely registered any of it.

  Instead, he walked to one of the stained glass windows, his breath catching as he realized the images were moving. The painted warriors clashed with glowing swords, the scenes shifting seamlessly from one moment to the next. It was very cool to watch. “This is insane,” he muttered, shaking his head.

  By the time Logan turned his attention back to the voice, it was already nearing the end of its tale.

  “Adventurers now roam the lands, following in the footsteps of those who came before them. Will you be among them?”

  It was at that moment that the voice softened, replaced by a melodic, feminine tone that seemed to echo from nowhere and everywhere at once.

  “Go and explore,” the voice said, warm and inviting. “Go and have your odyssey.”

  The cathedral faded, the stained glass dissolving into streaks of light. The pillars, the chandelier, even the cool stone beneath Logan’s feet—all of it melted away until he was surrounded by a white void once more.

  A new space began to form, smaller and more intimate. Circular walls lined with tall mirrors appeared around him, each one reflecting his image perfectly. A faint light glowed from a pedestal in the center, illuminating the smooth, marble-like floor.

  Logan blinked, glancing around as a new prompt appeared in front of him:

  He took a step forward, his boots clicking softly against the floor. His gaze flicked between the glowing pedestal and the mirrors surrounding him, curiosity overtaking him. Here we go.