The monitors went black. In the silence that followed, Liam heard the unmistakable clank of metal boots on his hardwood floor. He didn't dare turn around. He realized then that he hadn't downloaded a game; he had opened a gate. And something from the Lands Between was finally home.
His heart hammered against his ribs. Elden Ring . The game everyone was talking about, the one he couldn’t afford on his meager student budget. The website looked legitimate enough—clean layout, glowing user reviews that seemed just a bit too enthusiastic. "Just one click," he whispered to the empty room. He clicked.
When he looked back at the screen, a text box had replaced the video feed.
“Your journey begins now,” the screen pulsed. “The download is complete. You are the vessel.”
The flickering neon light of Liam's bedroom cast long, jagged shadows against the wall as he stared at the search result: