“Erik, when are you going to get Titan’s Chronicles?” my friend Jake's voice reverberated through my headphones.
Titan’s Chronicles. It was the newest, greatest open-world MMORPG, boasting 17 unique classes and over 300 hours of gameplay. Hell, the game had only been out for a couple of days, and I'd already gotten a few tattoo requests inspired by it. The only problem was...
My eyes darted to the game's banner, where six large beasts towered over a single man standing on a cliff.
It was too scary! I mean, what the hell even was that? A giant snake? No thanks!
Taking a couple of deep breaths, I managed to calm myself before responding to Jake.
“I-I don’t know, man, it’s 100 dollars, and I’m not even that into MMORPGs.”
“Come on, man! You can always return it if it's tOo ScArY,” Jake teased.
“It’s not just that. I’ve got work, and, you know… other stuff to do.”
“Work? You mean like watching reruns of old sitcoms and reading web novels?” Jake retorted.
He had a point, but I wasn't going to admit it. “Fine… I'll think about it.”
“That's the spirit!” Jake cheered. “Besides, you might even find it fun.”
My heart dropped as I looked at the banner. “Y-yeah, fun…”
After a few more minutes of banter, I disconnected from the call and stared at my screen. The blue purchase button for Titan’s Chronicles was sitting there, taunting me.
My mind wandered as I considered the pros and cons of buying the game.
Pros:
- Having fun with my friends
Cons:
- Scary game
- Losing 100 bucks (can return the game, so doesn't really count)
Hmm… It seems the pros far outweigh the cons in this case.
“Guess I’m committed now.”
Holding my breath, I pressed the purchase button and started downloading.
Four hours? Might as well take a nap.
Pushing up from my chair, I grabbed the cane leaning up against the table. A searing pain rushed through my right leg as I did so. I winced, remembering the day I earned this limp.
It had been a dare from my friends. They'd bet I'd be too scared to climb the tallest tree in the neighborhood, and me, being the stubborn, naive kid I was, took the bait. It wasn't even that I couldn't climb the tree—I could, and I did. But just as I reached the top, a bird swooped down out of nowhere, scaring the living daylights out of me and causing me to lose my grip and fall...
“Stupid birds and their stupid nests…” I grumbled to myself as I made my way to my bed, lying down with a grunt.
Hey, maybe Titan’s Chronicles wouldn’t be so bad. I could choose a class that didn’t require me to get up close to monsters and wasn’t too complicated. Then, I could just sit back and let Jake and the others handle the heavy lifting.
Yeah, that would work. Let's just take a nap and wait for the game to download first.
----------------------------------------
I woke with a start, the familiar ache in my leg pulling me from the depths of sleep. Blinking groggily, I expected to see the ceiling of my apartment, but instead, I was greeted by an endless void. It was as if I were floating in a vast, starless night, with nothing around me but darkness.
I glanced around, trying to get my bearings, but there was nothing—no landmarks, no ground beneath my feet, just an unsettling emptiness. Even my body seemed to have been reduced to nothing but this opaque blue outline.
‘What the hell? Am I dreaming?’ My suspicions seemed to be confirmed as a blue screen appeared in front of me:
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-Character Creator:
🔒Name: [Erik Shaw]
🔒[Body Type A]
🔒Age: [26]
🔒Race: [Human]
Class: [N/A]
Arcane Inscription: [0/2]
Selection may heavily influence gameplay and story progression.
[Proceed]
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
‘Was I so excited to play Titan’s Chronicles that I dreamed up an RPG character creation screen?’
I subconsciously lifted my hand, pressing on the [Race] button.
Error! Selection has already been confirmed.
‘What the hell?’ I tried clicking it again, only to receive the same error message.
‘I guess it's because of the lock? Looks like my body won’t let me change my… biological information?' I thought, slightly annoyed. The screen seemed oddly real, though. The usual fuzziness of dreams was missing, and the sensation of my fingers pressing the buttons felt… tangible.
I moved my hand over to the [Class] button, which thankfully was not locked this time, and a separate window with a scroll wheel of all the options appeared. Each class was accompanied by a unique symbol as well as a long description breaking down its key features.
Warrior, Paladin, Berserker, Rogue, Ranger, Hunter, Mage, Sorcerer, Druid, Cleric, Necromancer, Summoner, Monk, Bard, Enchanter, Elementalist, Templar.
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
‘Did my mind actually come up with 17 unique classes?’ I mentally shrugged and turned my attention back to the task at hand.
"Let's see…"
First and foremost, I crossed out anything that involved getting up close in the monsters' face. My eyes scanned the list as I mentally eliminated the classes one by one.
"Warrior? Definitely not. Paladin? Too much melee. Berserker? Way too reckless. Rogue? Stealthy, but still in the thick of things. Ranger and Hunter? Bows and pets, but still too close for comfort. Monk? Nope, all about hand-to-hand combat. Templar? Too knightly and up-close."
With those gone, I was left with a more manageable list of ten.
"Okay, next step: get rid of anything that still involves direct combat between me and the monsters." I narrowed my focus, considering the remaining options.
"Mage and Sorcerer? Lots of spells, but too much direct casting and potential for retaliation. Druid... could summon creatures and heal, but still too involved in the fray. Enchanter and Elementalist? Manipulating elements and enchanting, but still a bit too hands-on."
As I mentally crossed off each one, I felt a sense of relief at how quickly the list was shrinking.
"That leaves me with Bard, Necromancer, and Summoner," I muttered, feeling a twinge of excitement. Bard was interesting, with its focus on support and inspiration, but not quite my style. Necromancer was tempting, with its ability to raise the dead, but the idea of dealing with corpses was... unsettling.
Finally, my gaze settled on Summoner. The description detailed a class that specialized in calling forth a variety of creatures to fight on their behalf. The Summoner could command a host of different entities, from elemental spirits to spirits and beasts,letting them handle the dangerous work while the Summoner stood safely behind.
I gotta say, I completely outdid myself with this dream. Every single class seemed incredibly fleshed out, like something that would appear in an actual RPG. Guess that's what playing video games for 14 years does to you.
After confirming my class selection, I moved on to the next tab, asking me to choose an... Arcane Inscription?With a flick of my ethereal hand, I pressed onto the [Arcane Inscription] section, and suddenly, a vast list unfolded before me. It felt like there were hundreds of options to choose from.
Please select 2 Arcane Inscriptions
0/2
[Brand of Fire, Brand of Water, Brand of Earth, Brand of Strength, Brand of Mind, Warrior’s Sigil, Huntsman’s Mark, Light’s Blessing…]
‘Wow, this is going to take a while to go through,’ I thought, my eyes scanning the endless list of options.
Each inscription had a brief description that hinted at its effects, the variety was staggering to say the least. From what I understood, inscriptions appeared to be permanent buffs. Like the [Brand of Fire] which increased overall proficiency with fire based spells, or the [Brand of strength] which, you wouldn't guess it, increased strength.
As I continued scrolling, I noticed that the inscriptions weren't just limited to elemental and physical attributes. There were also inscriptions like the [Warrior’s Sigil], which seemed to be tailored for melee fighters, or the [Huntsman’s Mark], which offered bonuses for tracking and ranged attacks. These were clearly designed to complement specific classes or playstyles, adding another layer of customization to the character creation process.
"I can only choose two?" I mentally exasperated, staring at the overwhelming array of options laid out before me. I knew I was into games, but this level of detail was beyond anything I'd ever imagined myself capable of coming up with.
As I scrolled through the list, a stray thought entered my mind. ‘What if this wasn't a dream?’ The idea was absurd, yet... oddly compelling.
Everything felt too real—the weight of my choices, the vividness of the interface, even the faint hum of energy I could almost sense in the air.
That would explain my physical sensations, like the pain in my leg and the tactile feedback when I interacted with the menu. It would also explain the meticulous detail and the strange coherence of the world I was in. I mean, dreams are usually hazy, fragmented, but this?
This felt solid, concrete.
I could think clearly, remember my life, and make decisions that seemed to have real consequences.
A sharp pain pierced my mind before I could continue to dwell on the matter.
‘Lets just continue with the task at hand…’
After what felt like an eternity of reading through the extensive list of Arcane Inscriptions, I finally managed to narrow down my choices to five.
Summoner’s Sigil: Gain an additional summon slot as well as increased proficiency with drawing summoning circles.
Crown of the Watcher: Increased perception and awareness, allowing the detection of hidden enemies and traps more easily.
Mark of the Runaway: Gain increased movement speed when fleeing combat, or when inflicted with the [Frightened] debuff.
Brand of the Conductor: Allows the bearer to connect with summoned creatures, sharing senses and providing a control boost.
Glyph of the Warden: Summon a temporary barrier up to 2 times per day.
Each of these inscriptions offered something unique, —summoning, defense, awareness, and survival. The real challenge was going to be narrowing down these six promising options to just two.
The Summoner’s Sigil seemed like an obvious choice. It offered an extra summon slot and made me better at drawing summoning circles. It was practically begging to be chosen.
More summons meant more meat shields between me and whatever monstrosity wanted to tear me apart.
Then there was the Crown of the Watcher. Increased perception and awareness were just too good to pass up. The idea of spotting hidden enemies and traps before they could ruin my day was appealing.
The Mark of the Runaway was tempting, though. It would make running away a lot easier, and let's face it, fleeing might just be the best skill in the world. Increased movement speed when fleeing or when terrified? It sounded like a match made in heaven for someone like me.
Brand of the Conductor had its appeal, too. It would let me connect with my summoned creatures on a deeper level, “sharing senses” and giving me a “boost in control” as the description called it. It could make them more efficient in battle, but did I really want to be that involved? I was leaning towards a more hands-off approach, letting my summons do their thing while I stayed safely out of sight.
Finally, the Glyph of the Warden offered a solid defensive option. A temporary barrier up to two times a day could be a lifesaver.
Each inscription offered something valuable, but I had to think about how they’d work together to keep me alive.
In the end, I decided to go with the Summoner’s Sigil and Crown of the Watcher. With these inscriptions, I’d have an extra summon to hide behind and the heightened awareness to spot trouble before it found me.
Guess that's it? All i need to do now is proceed?
Pressing the [Confirm] button, i was now greeted with another prompt:
Please select a Difficulty:
[Easy]
A relaxed and forgiving experience with less challenging enemies and more resources. Ideal for newcomers or those wanting to enjoy the story with minimal stress.
[Normal]
A balanced experience with moderate difficulty. Offers a fair challenge for players looking to enjoy the game without being overwhelmed.
[Hard]
A challenging mode with tougher enemies and fewer resources. Requires careful strategy and skill, perfect for those seeking a more intense experience.
[Hardcore]
The ultimate challenge with very difficult enemies and scarce resources. High stakes and potential permanent consequences for mistakes, designed for the most skilled players.
'Is it some kind of sick joke?' I thought, staring at the glowing [Hardcore] option.
My usual inclination would be to start on Easy or Normal, ease into the game, and learn the ropes. But now, there was no easing in—just a plunge straight into the heart of darkness.
Guess my choice didn't even matter anyway.
This was just a dream after all.
Clicking on [Hardcore], I was greeted by another confirmation message
Are you sure you would like to proceed with Hardcore?
[Confirm]
This option cannot be changed later on.
‘Its not like you're even giving me an option…’ I mentally sighed pressing confirm.
That's when it happened.