Strange Invitation

Boundless Alliance Studio — Chicago, Illinois

Jacyn Phoenix stood in his VRC, struggling on his latest project for the most recent game he was playing, his hands swathed in a pair of sleek black gloves with micro-sensors and filaments embedded in the fabric and fingertips. His fingers seemed to dance in the air as the virtual model took form around him in the white space. In the background played his favorite game channel. The channel aired various commercials and games updates, including regular updates of the rankings of the current top games.

As he turned to concentrate better on the construction, he was focused on his project again when the next commercial appeared on the screen.

<Enter Ilrathia, a realm of myths and legends, a realm where dreams come to life. A world divided by war in the past. Will you gather with others to form a guild? A clan? An empire? What will your future be, who will you become? Embrace your prospects in the Shattered World. >

His head jerks up as he hears this, a look of interest crossing his face as the virtual model falls apart. Glancing over at the screen with enthusiasm, he performs a gesture to widen it.

<'Tournaments are now accessible for sign-ups in each region for participants to have one of the beta slots for the game. There are three days left before tournaments start in all centers. Some names that we can hope to encounter are Xander and Xavier Scott and the core members of their Shadow Legend Guild…'>

Hearing the names of the identical twin brothers, he growled under his breath. Those two were infamous for causing issues for lifestyle players, by seeking to defraud them in some fashion. Lost in his opinions, he missed part of what it reported as he struggles to determine if he should take part.

<'Apparently Lee Marsh from the Boundless Alliance is going to be showing up. Does this mean we might see Jacyn Phoenyx, turn up to take part in the tournament as well? We'll just have to stand by and observe.'>

Having lost the design, he shakes his head as he groans. ~'Sounds like I'm going to have to call for a guild meeting of the core group and determine who takes part in the event. Maybe I'll be able to find out who else we can foresee at the event before I choose if I want to sign up.'~

Shutting down the cabin, he opens the door and walks out of the Augmented Virtual Environment Cabin. Better known as the FAVE cabin, it was one of his favorites of the FAVE Gear that existed. Besides the cabin, he had his own personalized pod, the Phoenyx Group, HELIX Core Boundless Inferno. It was designed for him by some of the finest engineers in his family's company. Even his brother Drake, one of Chicago's top medical specialists, had helped with creating the capsule's medical systems. Each of the elite core members had a HELIX Core Boundless Platinum.

Looking down at his Helix FAVE band, he pauses as he sees the new mail icon flashing for his private email. ~'Huh, must be from Lee about the tournament.'~ Giving a snicker, he heads over to his pod and places his palm on the palm reader for it to unlock. That was the wonderful feature about the HELIX Core pods. They were purposely created to use biometrics as part of the security systems to make them tougher to tamper with.

Slipping inside and into the seat, he opens his inbox and looks at the new email with the header reading {SPECIAL INVITATION}. ~'What the..... I don't know how whoever sent this got my private email,… it further not be another one of Lee's pranks. If it is, I'll bust him down to dealing with the probationary patrols so fast, his eyes will spin.'~ Chuckling to himself at the notion of Lee's reaction, he sighs and shakes his head at the prospect. ~'Before I do something like that, I better check out the mail first.'~ Accessing the pod's advanced security package, he scans the email before opening it to turn up a link.

He sits there for a few minutes before tapping his band, shaking his head. "It's gotta be one of his strange videos…" His friend had a tendency to find some of the strangest videos to send in emails, and never used his email. Glancing at the contacts list on his band. "Message Lee." Taking a breath, he chuckles as the FAVEchat request connected with his friend.

"Jace, what's up? I was just signing up for the qualifiers for the tournament. Will you be joining in?" Lee glances over at the camera before turning back to look at what he's working on. "Are you going to sign-up for the tourn...."

"Nice try on the prank, Lee, but I'm not falling for it this time."

"Dude, what prank? I've down here in the front office working on finishing up the paperwork for the tournament, and trying to figure out who is currently here and wanting to sign-up." Besides being one of the guild's Vice-Leaders, Lee was also in charge of dealing with Logistics for the Studio.

"If this wasn't you, then who sent it?!?!"

"Sent what??!!" By now, Lee was really curious as he got up and rushed up to Jacyn's suite. That was the great thing about Jacyn and his sister having purchased this old hotel on the Magnificent Mile. After renovating it, they were able to turn the bottom two floors into the main offices and facilities for running the studio and the rest of the floors into living space for those members that wished to reside there. This was just one of the perks that was earned after reaching core rank.

"If you want to know, get up here and you'll see."

*Huff, huff, huff*

Lee was completely out of breath having run from the elevator outside of the suites and up the stairs in Jacyn's suite, not realizing he had nearly ran over his friend's sister, Ashley, in the process.

"LEE!!! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!!" Ashley came rushing after him, jumping on his back and taking him down to the ground as he came to a stop. Jacyn couldn't help but start laughing, holding his sides as he watches his sister grab a pillow and beat him over the head with it.

"Jace man, get this she-devil off me..."

"SHE-DEVIL?? Wait... no.... stop..." Ashley yells as she hits Lee harder with the pillow, beating him upside the head before she starts laughing as Lee retaliates by tickling her, his fingers easily finding her weak points.

"Alright you two, call a truce. Ashley, you should see this too." Wiping tears from his eyes, he motions for them to follow him to the game cabin as the pod closes behind him.

As they enter the cabin, he looks at his sister and his oldest friend, "you both ready?" His voice is low, but clear as he opens the email.

"When you are man."

"Are you sure it doesn't have a virus embedded, Jace?" His sister and with a worried tone to her voice.

"Yeah, I scanned it with everything I could. There aren't any viruses to be found."

"Alright then, I guess I'm ready."

Nodding to them both, he glances behind him at Lee for a moment then back to the email when he doesn't get a response from his friend as he reaches out and touches the link.

Within moments the cabin's environment changes, the floor showing them standing on a cloud soaring over a vast landscape towards an imposing mountain range. As they draw closer, their speed slows for them to navigate through the mountains for several minutes before finding themselves before a castle. Jacyn's eyes widen before a smile slowly all appears on his face as he sees symbols engraved into the thick bands of obsidian set into the castle walls. "Runes..." He says in a low voice.

Seeing the markings and the look on his face, Ashley and Lee shake their heads and mouth to each other. "We've lost him.." causing them to suddenly put their hands over their mouths to keep from laughing out loud, causing him to turn and glare at them before they all turn in surprise as the doors on the balcony in front of them open and a voice can be heard from within.

"Enter, traveller and be welcome to Runeholt." The cloud slowly disappears as it takes them into a library and sets them down. As they look around, a figure dressed in a long black robe with a deep, dark hood hiding his face, suddenly appears behind a desk. "Cynder Ebonflame, you have been invited to join us in the Valley of Sanctuary on January 1st, 2051 at 12:01 A.M. ." A scroll appears floating in front of Jacyn as the figure vanishes. Reaching out to take the scroll, it vanishes as his fingers touch the vellum and the scenery clears, leaving the space as it was, except for the registration page open on one wall.