Chapter 2 : First Act

Days had passed since the first signs of life emerged in Soleria. Every time I opened the app, the world had progressed further, evolving right before my eyes. The tiny, crawling creatures had grown into more complex organisms, each developing unique traits as they adapted to their environments. Forests had become teeming ecosystems, oceans were filled with vibrant life, and the skies now carried flocks of birds in intricate, coordinated patterns.

I could have intervened, of course. There were plenty of options in the game's interface—sliders for adjusting the climate, buttons for speeding up time, even tools to cause natural disasters. But there was something beautiful about letting the world evolve on its own. It was slow, yes, but it was... organic. Real, almost.

I spent hours each day just watching.

The more I observed, the more attached I became to Soleria. It wasn't just a game anymore; it felt like a living, breathing world, and I was its silent guardian. My mind often wandered during these moments, thinking back to my own life—the stark contrast between my virtual omnipotence and the powerlessness I felt in the real world.

In Soleria, I was a god.

In reality, I was... well, a nobody.

I closed the app briefly to check the time. It was 2 AM. Another sleepless night lost to the allure of creation. My phone's battery was down to 10%, but I didn't care. I plugged it into the charger and reopened the app, eager to see how much my world had grown.

As I stared at the screen, something felt different. The usual peaceful atmosphere seemed... disturbed. The skies of Soleria, once bright and clear, had darkened. Thunderclouds gathered over one of the continents, crackling with ominous energy. At first, I thought it was a natural weather event, but something about it seemed too deliberate. Too... unnatural.

Then, a message appeared:

"A new force stirs within your world. What will you do?"

My breath caught in my throat. I'd never seen this prompt before. It felt like the game was asking me a question on a deeper level, as though Soleria itself was aware of my presence.

A second message followed almost immediately:

"Will you intervene or let nature take its course?"

I hesitated, my finger hovering over the screen. Up until now, I'd been a passive observer, letting the world evolve on its own. But this felt different. This felt like a test.

I hit Intervene.

The storm intensified as I zoomed in on the area of disturbance. Lightning streaked across the sky, striking the ground with a force that sent shockwaves across the continent. Something was emerging from beneath the earth—massive, dark, and foreboding.

It was unlike anything I had seen in Soleria before. A monstrous being, forged from the very elements I had nurtured, rose from the earth with terrifying speed. Its body was a swirling mass of molten rock and electricity, eyes glowing with an unnatural fire. It let out a deafening roar, shaking the very foundations of the world.

The game interface had changed too, offering new options I hadn't seen before. There was a list of powers, abilities I could use to either destroy or contain the creature. But I was too stunned to react, frozen as I watched the beast rampage through the land, toppling mountains and scorching forests.

I frantically scrolled through the options, trying to figure out how to stop it. But nothing seemed right. If I destroyed it, would I be breaking the natural order of Soleria? If I let it roam free, it would annihilate everything I had worked so hard to cultivate.

Finally, I found an option that felt... fitting.

"Seal the creature beneath the earth."

With a trembling hand, I selected the ability, and immediately, the ground beneath the beast began to tremble. Massive cracks formed as the earth split open, and slowly, the creature was dragged down into the abyss from which it had emerged. Its roar echoed through the mountains as it disappeared beneath the surface, the cracks sealing themselves as if nothing had ever happened.

The world was quiet once more.

But something had changed. I could feel it.

A message appeared:

"You have intervened in the course of nature. A new path is now open to you."

At first, I didn't understand what it meant. A new path? But then, I saw it—Story Mode, no longer greyed out in the settings menu.

My heart raced. This was it. The game was evolving, just like Soleria itself. Up until now, I had been an observer, but Story Mode? That felt like the next step—something deeper, more involved.

I stared at the screen, torn between excitement and hesitation. Did I really want to take the plunge? I had seen how complex and chaotic the world could become on its own. What would happen if I started playing a more active role?

But the allure was too strong. I tapped Story Mode, and a new screen appeared.

"Before the story begins, you must create your own form."

It was a character creation screen, but far more detailed than any I had seen before. The options were endless—every detail of my appearance could be customized, from the color of my eyes to the way my muscles were sculpted. I could become anything. Anyone.

A brief flicker of my real-world reflection flashed in my mind. The pudgy, acne-riddled face. The tired, sunken eyes. I knew immediately that I didn't want to look like that anymore.

I started by changing my body, slimming it down, defining the muscles in a way I had only dreamed of. My hair, once greasy and unkempt, became a rich, dark black, flowing down to my shoulders. My eyes—emerald green, sharp and clear, like gemstones. I added a small beauty mark beneath my right eye, just to give myself a unique touch. My face became more feminine, almost too pretty for a guy, but it was exactly how I wanted it—something that would turn heads, command attention.

I stared at the new me on the screen, almost unable to believe what I had created. It was... perfect.

A final message appeared:

"Are you ready to begin your journey?"

I hesitated for only a moment before hitting Confirm.

The screen faded to black, and a new world began to take shape around me—this time, not as an observer, but as an active participant.

[An : Comment your views on this chapter and tell me if things are likeable or not or what more thing should I do to make it even more better]