Chapter Three

Alex stared at the contact info for Zane that Emma had forwarded him. It was just a simple username - "Zane419". No other details or instructions. He could easily message this Zane character in Elysium Quest and probably get a quick response.

Yet Alex hesitated, his finger hovering over the enter key. Should he really go through with this shady deal that could potentially get his account banned?

His EQ character had been built up over years of painstaking work. Maxing out levels in combat, sorcery, crafting - not to mention amassing rare armors and weapons. He was proudest of the thriving virtual business he'd created, an in-game shop where he sold merchandise for gold coins. It was all completely legitimate according to EQ's terms of service.

If his account got deleted, all that hard work would vanish instantly. Sure, he could always start fresh and build a new character. But without the items, levels, and reputation he'd earned, it just wouldn't feel the same.

Then again, it's not like his virtual achievements had any real-world value. Not like the money he could get from Zane, which could literally save his mom's life. Was he really going to prioritize made-up personas and possessions over her very real need for expensive treatments?

Emma had assured him that Zane's updates were usually safe, with only a small risk of getting caught. And this wasn't necessarily illegal - just a violation of EQ's terms. People bought and sold cracked software all the time.

But Alex had never broken the rules so blatantly before. He'd worked hard to build an honest reputation founded on integrity. Dealing with shady hackers went against his very nature. Then again, people often compromise their values when desperation sets in...

With a deep breath, Alex moved his cursor over Zane's username, ready to reach out. But his finger froze once more, trembling over the key. He just couldn't bring himself to make contact. Not yet.

Pushing back from his desk, Alex stood and began to pace around his tiny apartment. There had to be another solution, one that didn't force him to sacrifice his account or integrity. But no matter how hard he wracked his brain, he came up empty.

In frustration, Alex collapsed onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling. How had things become so bleak so quickly? It felt like just yesterday his mom was healthy, his grades stellar, his gaming life pure fun and escapism.

Now here he was, considering breaking the law and violating his values out of financial desperation. It felt like he was giving up essential parts of himself. But how far was he willing to compromise his principles to save his mom? Did the ends really justify such risky means?

It was a sunny Friday afternoon when everything changed. Alex was walking across the university quad, backpack slung over one shoulder. He waved to fellow students enjoying the warm spring day, giving no thought to the coming storm that would soon disrupt his tranquil life.

His phone buzzed with an unexpected call from Metropolis General Hospital. They informed him that his mother had been admitted after collapsing at work. Alex's heart dropped - she had seemed perfectly healthy when he'd seen her that morning! He rushed to the hospital, mind racing with possibilities.

When he arrived, Alex was led to her room by a solemn-faced doctor. His kind eyes filled with sympathy as he explained they were still trying to determine the cause, but it appeared to be an autoimmune disorder. Alex reeled in shock as the doctor described potential treatments and long recovery times.

At his mother's bedside, Alex fought back tears as she weakly gripped his hand. She had raised him alone after his father left, working tirelessly to provide for them both. Now here she lay, her vibrance suddenly sapped away by this mysterious disease.

Over the next few days, Alex rarely left the hospital while doctors ran test after test. When the diagnosis was finally confirmed as a rare autoimmune disease called chronic demyelinating polyneuropathy, he had to Google it to even understand. It meant his mother's nerves were damaged, causing weakness, numbness, and pain.

The doctors spoke of medications, plasma exchanges, and physical therapy. But the long-term prognosis was uncertain. Tips of recovery ranged from one year to indefinite.

Alex knew immediately he couldn't stay at school - family had to come first. So he withdrew from classes, gave up his spot in the dorms, forfeited his full academic scholarship. His mother tried to convince him otherwise, but Alex refused to abandon her when she needed him most.

Those first months were challenging, with Alex acting as his mother's full time caregiver between medical appointments while she could barely get out of bed some days. He wished desperately for a magic cure to make her healthy again.

Over time, her condition stabilized, but any exertion left her chronically fatigued. She required medications that cost a fortune even with insurance. Alex picked up odd jobs to pay for bills, rent, and treatments not covered.

Two years later, they still struggled to keep up financially as his mother's health plateaued but did not improve. Doctors said her nerve damage may never fully heal. With no other family to turn to, the full responsibility fell to Alex alone.

Now here he was, on the cusp of graduation but weighing risky choices in order to stay afloat. As bleak as their situation seemed, giving up was not an option. His mother needed him now more than ever. Failure was simply not a possibility after all they had endured already.

This entire ordeal had tested Alex to his limits, forcing maturity and sacrificing his own dreams for her wellbeing. But he harbored no resentment. She was his whole world - the parent who had given him everything. Now it was his turn to be there for her in this time of crisis.

Alex woke up when his phone buzzed with a notification. Another loan he had to pay off.

The internal debate raged on as the sun set outside Alex's window. Another day gone with no solution found. Finally in the darkness, exhaustion overcame him. Alex closed his eyes, hoping an answer might come in his dreams. Because conscious reasoning had failed him. When he awoke, he knew he would have to make a decision one way or another.

For better or worse, contacting Zane would set events in motion that could change the very course of Alex's life forever. He would stop at nothing to get his strong, vibrant mother back once more. Their lives depended on it. After hitting rock bottom, the only way left to go was up. Alex clung to this fragil

e hope as he opened Zane's message, stepping into the unknown.