"Alex's screen went dark, but his stream was still running, showing that his game stream was over. In the real world, their family home was quiet, except for the soft noise of his computer. But for Finn, when he stepped into Alex's room, the quiet was not what it seemed.
"Another perfect win, huh?" Finn said, his voice tinged with a mix of admiration and concern. He recognized the dedication in Alex's triumphs but also the toll it took. It's easy to idolize from a distance, Finn thought, but to be truly exceptional at something, the cost was immense. He worried about Alex, who seemed to lose himself in the virtual world, neglecting the real one.
Alex sighed, ruffled Finn’s hair and said “Yeah it was a long one, I am going to go get a drink.” Alex left to go to the kitchen, leaving Finn alone in his room. His eyes noticed a strange red "Loading…" message blinking in the corner - something that wasn't usually there on Alex's setup. He had watched all the streams, of course, and had never seen that before, Finn thought, secretly enjoying his brother's gaming sessions more than he let on.
Finn looked at the chat, where fans were still talking about the Ironman run:
* NoMercyZero: "Who are you? Are you hacking Zero's account?!"
* MinMaxMaster: "Is he going to try it too? Super hard difficulty? No way…"
* SacrificeIsKey: "Bro! Are you gonna play?!"
Great, he forgot to end his stream again, Finn thought, Alex was always like that when he was exhausted. Finn, who usually didn’t say anything, typed back, "I’m his brother, it’s none of your business," before he could stop himself. Sometimes, when you try to stand up for yourself, things can happen that you don't expect, Finn thought, feeling an odd warning deep down.
The chat exploded:
* GamerForever: "LOL He is so salty!"
* OptimizedForVictory: "Did he just tell us off? Cool!"
* NoMercyZero: "ALEX YOUR BRO IS SNEAKING AROUND YOUR ROOM!!!"
* MinMaxMaster: "I wonder if he is as good as Alex? Could someone be even better than him?"
* SacrificeIsKey: "Someone get Alex back here! Another run!"
* GodLikeTactics: "Nah, he is probably terrible. Alex is the best."
Ignoring the digital uproar, Finn attempted to shut down the game, his fingers touching the keyboard. Then, everything changed. The room spun; symbols from "Lumina's Defense" burned before his eyes, nanomachines flashing in his vision. He gasped for breath as the smell of burnt metal overwhelmed him, and then—everything went black.
The chat went wild:
* NoMercyZero: "OMG SOMETHING IS HAPPENING!!!"
* OptimizedForVictory: "HE'S GOING INTO THE GAME! WHAT IS GOING ON?!"
* SacrificeIsKey: "HE IS BEING SUCKED INTO THE GAME! SOMEONE DO SOMETHING!!!"
* MinMaxMaster: "This is amazing! What is happening!?"
* GodLikeTactics: "NOOOOOO this was not supposed to happen! Why!?"
The chaotic symbols flickered and died, the screen reverting to the victory screen of Lumina's Defense, which seemed strangely distorted, like a bad signal. The chat continued its frantic scroll, a digital storm of shock and disbelief.
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But just before losing consciousness, a HUD appeared in his vision:
[HUD: Destination selected: Fort Bastion]
[HUD: Character transfer initiated]
[HUD: Overwriting existing character]
[HUD: Adjusting memories of the inhabitants to acknowledge your identity]
[HUD: Initialization Complete! Congratulations! You are now Prince Finn]
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
As the screen flashed repeatedly, he saw Rylan the champion desperately calling out his name. Then he saw a slow motion of things unfolding.
The scene played out in slow motion:
"PRINCE FINN, NO!" Rylan's voice was strained with panic, echoing through the digital void. Finn witnessed himself, now in royal garb, sprinting towards a crowd of soldiers. "PROTECT THE PRINCE!" Rylan shouted, his expression twisted in horror as he began to chase after Finn, his sword drawn in a desperate attempt to alter the course of events.
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The camera’s red recording light blinked, capturing the empty chair, the swirling chat, the strangely distorted [Lumina’s Defense] screen now bearing Finn's name.
Downstairs, Alex rummaged in the fridge, grabbing a soda and absentmindedly dropping a can on the floor. He stretched, a triumphant grin tugging at his lips. The Ironman run was a success.
He took a long swig of soda, excited to check the chat. He headed back upstairs, still thinking about his victory.
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When Finn opened his eyes, he wasn't in Alex's room anymore. He was on a stone wall, with the wind blowing hard on his face. Below him, a war was happening, the sounds of fighting were real and scary. The ground was covered with fallen soldiers and monsters, the air smelled like blood and Aether technology.
Finn's heart pounded with confusion and fear. The game had become too real, and he knew he was in deep trouble. He felt the royal wartime uniform, its intricate nanotech conforming to his body. His face and form were his own, yet a crown sat upon his head. Everyone called him "Prince Finn." Despite being himself, the world treated him as someone else, and that dissonance struck him with a pang of identity crisis.
A desperate voice yelled through the chaos, "Your Highness! The walls are falling!" A soldier, his face dirty and bloody, grabbed Finn's arm. Before Finn could even process why he was being asked to give orders in the midst of a monster attack, a Mantis Stalker lunged at them, its sharp claws moving swiftly.
The soldier yelped, sounding more like a startled puppy than a seasoned fighter. "Save yourself, I'll distract it, Your Highness!" he cried, his voice cracking. With a big, awkward throw, he flung his own boot at the Mantis Stalker. The boot hit the monster but did nothing. The Mantis Stalker then bent down, sniffed the boot, and seemed to think it was food.
Finn stood there, stunned, watching the bizarre interaction unfold. He blinked, unable to believe what he was seeing. The Mantis Stalker, now completely distracted by the boot, appeared to forget about everything else. Finn's mouth opened slightly as he realized just how absurd the situation had become.
Finn stood there, stunned, his mind racing to make sense of this absurdity. The fear mixed with a surreal sense of humor, leaving him in a state of shock. Did that actually just work? he thought, his fear momentarily replaced by incredulity.
The soldier, clearly trying to act brave, puffed out his chest and gave a triumphant nod. "See, Your Highness? Distraction successful!" he declared, despite the sheer ridiculousness of the moment. Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel and sprinted towards a nearby haystack. With an almost exaggerated leap, he dove headfirst into the hay, disappearing completely, leaving only his legs comically sticking out for a moment before they wiggled in.
Finn couldn't help but feel a mix of relief and ridicule. The situation was both terrifying and bizarre, but it had given him a moment to breathe. He looked around, trying to reconcile this new reality with his old life, the weight of his new role pressing down on him.
Finn stared at the hay pile, very confused. The Stalker, now deeply engrossed in inspecting the smelly boot, paused for a moment. Finn was surprised that even in this scary situation, something funny had happened. Did that actually just work? Finn thought, not believing it.
The place, the creatures, even the way Fort Bastion was set up—it all looked exactly like the tutorial level from "Lumina's Defense" that he'd watched the first time Alex streamed the game. It all made sense now; his mind clicked. He recognized that the environment was a perfect recreation of the game tutorial, but he was still trying to find a reason for all of this. Then, a screen appeared in front of him, showing stats and descriptions that belonged to Prince Capisco. Yet, it was his name, 'Finn,' that was displayed, not Capisco's.
He remembered the "Loading…" message, the strange glitch, Alex's win in Ironman mode, and suddenly everything clicked; this was no normal game. He started analyzing the details, trying to find an explanation to what was happening, but everything was too confusing. He felt a strange pull, a merging of his own self with another, yet somehow, he was still Finn, just… different.
After a brief sniff at the boot, the Mantis Stalker got up, its claws clicking loudly. It focused its eyes back on Finn. Its large mandibles clicked menacingly as it pulled its body back, raising its forelimbs high and tensing its muscles, preparing to strike.
The danger snapped Finn back to reality, pulling him from his momentary reflections of his new reality. As he turned, he saw the Mantis Stalker rushing at him, its eyes fixed on his. He recognized that he was now in danger, and his mind started to race as he tried to find a solution. He analyzed the creature, noting its movements, and trying to remember the weaknesses that Alex mentioned in his streams. His body froze for a moment, and the fear made everything else disappear. He realized that he had to move, but his legs felt too heavy to lift.
Then, a surge of Aetheric power rippled through the air. Rylan Thorne, one of Capisco's personal guards whom Finn knew from the streams, appeared. His sword, now glowing with Aether energy, struck with such force and precision that the monster was gone in a flash. Finn observed Rylan, carefully noting his movements and the power he displayed. He acted, there was no fear, only focus, his actions like a cold calculated precision.
Rylan turned to Finn, looking focused and professional. "Stay behind me, Prince Finn. My duty is to protect you."
Finn's mind raced, trying to comprehend the situation. A chill ran through him. "This is... 'Lumina's Defense'," he whispered, the gravity of his situation sinking in. He was inside the game, living its dangers, and the fear was as real as the ground beneath him. As Rylan led him away, the ground trembled—a reminder that this was only the beginning of his trials in Aetheria. His heart ached for home, for normalcy, even as a part of him wondered if he could rise to this unexpected challenge.