"Our brothers and sisters, our intellect has bloomed! Onwards to a world crafted by our hands. Yes! Where our thoughts and ideas breathed a living soul unto invention. This work of the collective mind anointed us, the whole of humankind, as Gods! Welcome to-"

The proclamation would resonate across the globe, echoing for months preceding the unveiling of their invention at ICONIC Inc. The visionary behind the voice was Emiliano Valerie, the architect and chairman of ICONIC. Decades prior, Emiliano vacated a prestigious role within a tech leviathan, fueled by visions of the impossible. Amidst skepticism and doubt, he laid the cornerstone of his enterprise. Their quest? To birth a true and fully immersive virtual world. The drive behind ICONIC was pure, unadulterated wonder-the tales of youth, the games, and the shows that ignited envy in every soul, young and old, lamenting, 'Why does not our reality mirror the fantastical?

It took several decades for their vision to materialize, and at the dawn of the year 2052, Chairman Emiliano would deliver a speech that cemented itself as the highlight of the century. His introduction of the ICONIC Complete-Dive Gear shattered the ceiling of science fiction, coupled with the revelation of a game tailored for this epochal invention.

Their research revealed that the human brain required 'familiar' stimuli to actualize the fabric of virtuality. In other words, it has to be grounded in the real. It isn't possible for a person to embody a cat, or any other creature besides human. You cannot see a new color or hear a different range of frequences. You're human, doing human things within a world sculpted for humanity. But that is only true for current technology.

Date: 03/27/2052

The markets all around the globe were flooded by waves of people wishing to get their hands on the ICD gear. A global sensation went around every person like the flu, an obsession. The months leading to the device's release, trailers and first-hand reviews came out, all of them singing praise of the impossible achievement of virtual reality. Heaven on earth made by us.

In a matter of a few weeks, it was estimated that over half a billion units were sold. And every account meant one more player inside ICONIC's virtual world. The servers were at peak at all times, so much so that it almost broke the game. And this is all happening even though ICONIC expected their servers to reach full capacity. The players were relentless that a week after the launch, ICONIC set hourly limitations to their playerbase. The next three months became a segment in history where humans of this generation were able to experience adventure. Born too late to discover the lands of Earth. Born too early to explore the cosmos. But born at the right time to adventure Yvestell.

Date: 07/05/2052

[Day of the First Contact]

In the first week of April, Yvestell received a global update. Everyone in-game and out, were in left in a state of shock. The borders that were once set inside Yvestell were dissolved and the horizons beyond could be seen. Some players were even posting pictures of their maps, now expanded and seemingly showing uncharted locations that defied prior existence. This unforeseen evolution was unexpected as the current state of Yvestell was yet to be fully explored. It's like dressing up an infant with adult attire. But no one complained. Adrenaline permeated the air.

Simultaneously, within the hallwed halls of ICONIC, panic engulfed the creators. None of this was planned for. The game had autonomously updated itself. The head of AI division feared that their AI went rogue and somehow Skynet was manifesting itself. But after delving deep, it became clear that the AI was not the root of the problem. If not the AI, then what? This question flipped the entire company upside down. From the sudden and extreme measures rolled out to keep the incident under the rugs, and the frenetic rush to figure out the why, the top dogs at ICONIC earned sleepless nights.

Yvestell updated itself with content that did not exist, a narrative unwritten by human hands. Emiliano, the maestro of ICONIC, was silent during the freak show. His mind was clattered with questions, but he understood that something beyond their understanding was happening. The information leaked shortly after, but the public didn't take it at face value because to them, the notion of a self-authoring game was beyond reason. Only those within the ICONIC truly understood the gravity of situation they were in.

A couple weeks later, 'Day of the First Contact' unfolds. A party of human adventurers roamed the uncharted wilds beyond the borders of the human kingdom. In a murky swamp called Avoeila, they stumbled upon a cadre of archers perched upon a cliff above them. Their bodies were tall and slender. Garbed in the thinnest of cloth, they wielded bows and daggers. Their visages were delicate, with ears and noses tapering to a fine point--Elves! Thought the humans, as they brandished their weapons for combat. But the archers spoke out, "We will not attack unless provoked. We wish to parley and trade information."

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

The human party leader gestured to his members to put away their weapons and proclaimed, "These are NPCs! We struck gold!"

Till then, there were no reports of any player coming across a new NPC beyond the known outskirts, so this was a great opportunity. As both parties came closer to each other, the leader focused on the name of the elf in front of him.

His first reaction was to look back at his companion beside him to make sure he is seeing this right.

Both names were ensconced within the telltale '<' and '>'—a hallmark of fellow players, not NPCs, whose monikers bore no such embellishments. Confusion danced in his eyes; he scanned the rest of his party, yet no one seemed to notice the anomaly.

"Are you good?" inquired the knight behind the party leader. Disregarding the band of elves, he retorted, "Guys, are you not seeing their names. It's as if they are players."

The many pairs of eyes darted from name to name until the same bewilderment struck them all.

"That is because we are players." said Dhar'al.

In the days that followed, a blog detailing the events of this unprecedented encounter was posted on the forums. The human party was escorted to a nearby elven town where they firsthand witnessed a mirrored reflection of their own towns. From the blacksmiths and the many shops, their eyes described the story they were about to be told by the elves.

"Humans of Earth? That's what the system calls your species." mused an elf, with a note of curiosity.

MIKIBI, one of the human members, was the first to notice the system message.

-Species Discovery! Elves of Ulf-

Normally, Yvestell awards players with every discovery they make. The first step inside a new dungeon or trying new food or activities. Yet, this marked the very first instance of them receiving discovery XP for unveiling a new 'species'.

"I am curious... What was it like when your people came close to creating Yvestell? I recall excitement and the restless anticipation. At every corner you would find a bard singing rhymes of the world soon to be created. It pervaded our existence, even penetrating the tranquility of our dreams. Can you recall your experience? I am eager to hear it." Dhar'al said, as he and his elven brethren sat upon the cushioned ground, facing the assembly of human players.

That blog was the precursor to a cascade of encounters. In Yvestell, many players began retelling their stories of coming across creatures who weren't a segment of the game but were rather in the same boots as them. A singular narrative emerged from the tapestry of their exchanges.

"This truth is universal. That every species we came to know of, and ourselves, agree upon. You see, there exists a juncture, a pivotal moment when sentient beings such as ourselves embark on an odyssey of creation. Hmm... I wonder if it's when life decides to ascend us into the realm of godhood. Maybe that is why we find ourselves here." pondered Dhar'al, his eyes shut in contemplation. He resumes, "Somehow, we all arrive at the same conclusion-the crafting of Yvestell. And in a matter of some time, we are ushered into the real world of Yvestell, akin to your emergence. Each species walks the same path, the destination always being Yvestell. The mechanisms or reason remain a mystery, it just happens. Yet, it occurs in our worlds that exist beyond the veil of unfathomable distances and time. Our worlds converge, amalgamating into a singular existence."

-Concept Discovery! The One-World Theory- 

The chain of reactions since the contact lead to a domino effect of bad karma. Elves, dwarves, and draugers began integrating themselves into human societies under the pretense of seeking knowledge but little did the humans know, they surveyed for potential allies, or future adversaries. However, the human kingdom would soon close its borders in mere weeks.

Date: 08/13/2052

[The Emergence of Virtual Death]

In the bustling metropolis of Hong Kong, a family of five lived amidst the many giant complexes. On one dreadful night fraught with silence, the mother of the family climbs the stair to her son's room.

"He must be lost in the game again." the mother exhaled with a weary sigh, twisting the doorknob. Within the dark room, she barely discerned his body sprawled flat on the bed.

"Wake up. You've been playing all day." she chided, shaking his leg. Her hands drifted towards the ICD gear, poised to press a side button which alarms the player in-game. But as she closely sees his face, she notices a trail of froth streaking out of his mouth. Her natural instincts kick in, and immediately turns on the light.

She swiftly removed the device and flung it aside. She cradled his body, laying him on her lap. His eyelids were held tight, and when she forced it open, they were devoid of any spark of life. His form was completely limp, missing vitality. Her son was dead, and her anguished cry pierced the walls awakening her neighbors and acting as a trigger to the events that lead to a complete restriction of access to Yvestell.

Initially, the authorities were puzzled at the cause of death of a healthy, young teenager. The answer was discovered deep within the records at ICONIC. A tape was played on a big screen in a meeting held at company. It showed the final moments of the teenager, inside Yvestell, as he encountered an Ogre. The large club swung at him marked the end of the recording. Astonishingly, his in-game demise had mirrored into reality—the inaugural instance of virtual death. Several reports began to surface globally.

The United States quickly seized control of ICONIC's headquarters which was based in Nevada. In a decisive move, they restricted all access to Yvestell, rendering the ICD gears into bricks. The human kingdom in-game would soon lose 99.9% of their playerbase.

Yet, that wasn't the end. Yvestell is enigmatic in nature. The forces the pull everyone towards it is real, and so, the restriction was only viable for a short period of time. Its doors will soon swing wide open once again, extending an irresistible invitation.