I was drowning in spreadsheets, the glow of my monitor burning my eyes, when the world broke. A flash of blinding light swallowed my cubicle, the hum of fluorescent lights replaced by a roar like a thousand suns exploding. I gasped, my heart slamming against my ribs, and stumbled onto a floor of cracked marble. Above me, twin suns blazed in a violet sky, casting jagged shadows across a valley of ash and stone. Crystalline peaks loomed in the distance, pulsing with faint blue light. This wasn't Earth. This was… something divine.
A voice—deep, resonant, like thunder forged into words—echoed in my skull.
**"Welcome, Arin Voss, to Aetherion. You are a king. Build your empire. Survive. Ascend. The 30-day protection begins now."**
I froze, my breath catching as a golden interface materialized before me, like a video game HUD carved from starlight. Text scrolled across it, each word glowing with power:
**Name: Arin Voss**
**Title: King of the Shattered Keep**
**Class: Architect Sovereign (Level 1)**
**Talent: Omnicreator (SSS Rank)**
**Legend Crystals: 5 (SSS Rank)**
**Kingdom: Unnamed (Level 1)**
**Resources: 100 Mana Crystals, 50 Stone, 50 Timber**
"King?" I muttered, my voice rough, barely audible over the wind whistling through the ruins. "**SSS Rank**? What the hell is going on?"
The interface flickered, and a new tab opened: **Aetheric Conclave**. A chat window burst to life, a chaotic flood of voices—millions of them—screaming, scheming, panicking.
> **King_Torren (C-rank)**: "Where am I? My **Legend Crystal** gave me goblins! Freaking GOBLINS!"
> **Queen_Seraphine (S-rank)**: "Pathetic. My phoenix burned a wolf pack to cinders. Anyone trading **A-rank** crystals?"
> **Lord_Bladefury (B-rank)**: "This **30-day protection** is a scam! Monsters everywhere, and my keep's falling apart!"
I scrolled through the **Aetheric Conclave**, my mind spinning. Aetherion wasn't just a world—it was a game, a crucible, a divine arena. Every human on Earth had been reborn here as a king or queen, tasked with building a kingdom to survive. The 30-day protection meant no rival could attack me yet, but the growls echoing from the glowing forest beyond my keep told me Aetherion's monsters didn't play by those rules. And this **Omnicreator** talent? **SSS Rank**? That sounded like a cheat code—and a neon sign screaming, "Target me."
I turned, taking in my so-called kingdom. The **Shattered Keep** was a wreck: crumbling marble walls, a half-collapsed tower, and a courtyard choked with ash. The valley around it was a wasteland, dotted with jagged rocks and the faint shimmer of mana veins. In the distance, blue trees pulsed like living beacons, and a low, guttural snarl sent a chill down my spine. Not exactly a royal welcome.
The interface pinged, highlighting my **Legend Crystals**. Five orbs hovered in my vision, each radiating power that made my skin prickle. Unlike the **F-rank** to **A-rank** crystals the **Aetheric Conclave** was whining about, mine were **SSS Rank**—god-tier. I focused on the first, and a prompt flashed:
**Summon SSS-Class Hero? [Y/N]**
My pulse quickened. A hero. A summon to kickstart my empire. I'd played enough RPGs to know this was make-or-break. I hit **Yes**, and the world erupted.
The ground quaked, marble dust swirling as a pillar of starfire tore through the sky. The twin suns dimmed, overshadowed by a radiance that burned with divine fury. A figure descended, her silhouette framed by wings of molten gold. She landed with a grace that stole my breath—a woman, tall and regal, her armor gleaming like polished ivory, a crown of starlight woven into her raven hair. Her eyes, sharp as a hawk's, locked onto mine, and I felt the weight of a queen who'd ruled heavens. A name seared into my mind: Zyra, Queen of the Heavens.
"Arin Voss," she said, her voice a blend of command and fire, like a goddess addressing a mortal she might yet respect. "I am Zyra, your first summon. Swear your ambition to me, and I shall forge your empire into eternity."
I swallowed, my throat dry. She was… unreal. Like Hera herself, plucked from myth—proud, fierce, with a presence that demanded loyalty. The interface updated:
**Summon: Zyra, Queen of the Heavens (SSS Rank)**
**Class: Divine Monarch (Level 1)**
**Skills: Divine Edict (Sways loyalty of enemies or allies), Starforged Blade (Cuts through mortal and divine), Celestial Wrath (Area-of-effect starfire strike)**
"Uh, hi," I said, sounding like a complete moron. "I'm… your king?"
Zyra's lips twitched, a flicker of amusement softening her regal stare. "For now, mortal. Prove your worth, and I may call you more."
The **Aetheric Conclave** exploded:
> **Queen_Seraphine (S-rank)**: "A starfire pillar? Who summoned THAT kind of power?"
> **King_Torren (C-rank)**: "No way. An **SSS-rank** hero? I'm stuck with goblins!"
> **Lord_Bladefury (B-rank)**: "Showoff. Bet they're dead by day three to a mana beast."
I ignored the chatter, my eyes fixed on Zyra. "Okay, Your Majesty," I said, forcing a grin. "What's the plan? This keep's a dump, and those growls don't sound like a welcoming committee."
Zyra's gaze swept the valley, her crown flaring with starlight. "Your **Omnicreator** talent is your strength. Craft a foundation. I will guard you until your soldiers rise."
**Omnicreator**. Right. I focused, and a new interface opened—a crafting menu, infinite in scope, like a divine workshop in my mind. I could forge anything: swords, walls, even living beings.
But my **50 Stone** and **50 Timber** wouldn't build a palace. I selected **Fortified Wall**, pouring my will into the design. The ground rumbled as marble blocks rose, fusing with **Mana Crystals** to form a glowing barrier around the keep. The interface chimed:
**Resources: 20 Stone, 20 Timber remaining**
**Kingdom Fortification: Level 1 Wall Unlocked**
"Not bad for a newbie," **Zyra** said, her tone carrying a hint of approval. "But walls won't stop what's coming."
As if Aetherion heard her, the growls grew louder. Shadows slunk from the glowing forest—hulking, six-legged beasts with eyes like burning coals. The interface labeled them: **Mana Wolves, Level 3, Pack of Twelve**. Their claws sparked with arcane energy, tearing furrows in the ash as they charged.
"Zyra!" I shouted, my heart pounding like a jackhammer. "Can you handle—"
She was already moving, a blur of divine grace. Her Starforged Blade materialized, a longsword etched with constellations that pulsed with starlight. "Stay behind me, king," she commanded, her voice steel and silk.
The wolves lunged, and Zyra became a tempest. Her blade sliced through the air, each swing trailing comets. The first wolf fell, its body cleaved in a burst of ash and mana. She raised a hand, and her Divine Edict pulsed, a wave of golden light that froze three wolves mid-leap. Their eyes glazed, and they turned, snarling, tearing into their own pack. I stood frozen, my jaw slack, as she carved through the rest, her armor untouched, her crown blazing brighter with each kill. The final wolf lunged at me, but Zyra's Celestial Wrath erupted—a storm of starfire that incinerated it to dust.
The interface flashed:
**Zyra: +60 XP. Level 2 Unlocked.**
**Arin Voss: +40 XP. Level 2 Unlocked.**
**Resources Gained: 250 Mana Crystals**
The valley fell silent, the wolves' corpses dissolving into glowing Mana Crystals. I scooped them up, my stash now at 350 Mana Crystals. Zyra sheathed her blade, turning to me with a look that was half respect, half challenge. "Your first test, Arin Voss. Aetherion will not be so gentle next time."
I nodded, still reeling. This was real. The power, the danger, the goddess standing before me. "You're… incredible," I said, then cringed at how lame it sounded.
Her eyes softened, just a fraction, and I caught a spark—something warm, almost curious, in her gaze. "Flattery is a start," she said, her voice teasing yet regal. "But a king proves himself with deeds."
That spark sent a shiver through me. Zyra wasn't just a summon—she was a partner, a queen who could stand beside me or burn me to ash. The thought stirred something deeper, a hint of the bond we might forge, but I pushed it aside. No time for distractions. Not yet.
I opened the crafting menu, my confidence growing. "Let's build an army. Those wolves were just the appetizer."
Zyra**'s crown flared. "Use your next Legend Crystal. Summon your Celestial Praetorians."
I hesitated. Five SSS-rank crystals. Zyra was already a force of nature—could these soldiers match her? But the Aetheric Conclave's chatter echoed in my mind. Other kings were summoning, building, plotting. The 30-day protection wouldn't last forever. I selected the second Legend Crystal and hit Summon.
The ground shook, a chorus of celestial horns splitting the air. Twelve figures materialized, their golden armor radiant under the twin suns, their spears glowing with starfire. Celestial Praetorians, the interface read. SSS-rank soldiers, each a walking fortress, their Astral Phalanx skill forming an unbreakable shield wall. They knelt before me, their voices a unified chant: "We serve the Architect Sovereign."
The Aetheric Conclave went berserk:
> **King_Torren (C-rank)**: "TWELVE **SSS-rank** soldiers?! This guy's hacking!"
> **Queen_Seraphine (S-rank)**: "Arin Voss, name your price. One **SSS-rank** crystal, and I'll trade a phoenix egg."
> **Lord_Bladefury (B-rank)**: "He's dead when the **30-day protection** ends. No one's that lucky."
> **Zyra_QueenOfHeavens**: "Beg elsewhere, mortals. My king's empire will eclipse your thrones."
I smirked, typing a reply:
> **Arin_Voss**: "Not selling crystals. But I'm trading a **Starforged Spear** blueprint. 5000 **Mana Crystals**. Bid fast or miss out."
Zyra raised an eyebrow, her crown glinting. "Bold, for a king in a crumbling keep."
"Gotta play the game," I said, meeting her gaze. Her amusement deepened, and that spark in her eyes flared again, stirring something in my chest. A king and a goddess. Maybe this was more than a partnership.
I turned to the Shattered Keep, its new walls glowing with mana. The valley was still a wasteland, but with **Omnicreator**, Zyra, and the Celestial Praetorians, I could turn it into a legend. I opened the crafting menu, ready to build a forge, when the interface flashed red:
**Warning: Mana Surge Detected. Incoming Threat: Level 5 Wyrm Horde. ETA: 2 Hours.**
My stomach dropped. Wolves were bad enough. Wyrms—dragonkin with scales like iron and breath like molten glass—were a death sentence for most newbie kings. Zyra's hand gripped my shoulder, her touch firm yet warm, her voice a low, steady fire. "Craft swiftly, Arin. Aetherion tests its kings without mercy."
I nodded, my mind racing. Two hours to prepare. A goddess, twelve divine soldiers, and a talent that could reshape reality. Yesterday, I was a nobody. Today, I was a king with a target on my back. I poured **Mana Crystals** into a new blueprint—a **Starforged Cannon** to mount on the walls—when the **Aetheric Conclave** pinged again. A new message, cold and sharp, silenced the chatter:
> **Council_of_Divines (SSS-rank)**: "Arin Voss, your star burns too brightly. Enjoy your 30-day protection. When it ends, your Legend Crystals are ours."
Zyra's crown blazed, her eyes narrowing to slits. "Let them come," she whispered, her voice a vow. "We will burn their thrones to cinders."
My pulse thundered, but I grinned. Aetherion wasn't just a game—it was my destiny. I'd build an empire to make the gods kneel, and with Zyra by my side, I was just getting started.