David sat in the car, staring at the dashboard, his fingers lightly tapping the steering wheel. The city outside passed by in a blur, its lights flickering like stars in the night sky. But for David, everything felt distant, like he was floating outside of his own life.
The basketball court, once a place of pride and victory, now felt like a distant memory. A life he used to know but could never return to.
His heart sank at the thought of the national team—the team he was supposed to be on. His name, once written in dreams of gold medals and championships, was now just a footnote. He couldn't stop replaying the moment it all shattered. The hip injury. A single, stupid fall in a meaningless game.
That was the end of it.
He had tried to fight it—to keep playing, to keep pushing his body beyond its limits—but it was no use. The doctors told him it was over. And the one thing that kept him going, his love for basketball, was taken away in an instant. No more courts. No more slam dunks. No more cheers.
Just nothing.
"David!"
The sound of his sister's voice startled him from his thoughts. Janet slid into the passenger seat, her energetic presence immediately filling the space. She tossed a VR headset into his lap, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
"What's this?" David asked, his voice tinged with a hint of exhaustion. He wasn't really in the mood for anything new.
"It's a new VRMMO game!" Janet said, practically bouncing in her seat. "I've been playing this for a while. You should try it out. The best part? Every in-game coin is worth real money! You can make enough to… I don't know, buy that new bike you wanted or pay for something more important."
He didn't respond immediately. His mind was elsewhere, but the mention of real money caught his attention. It wasn't that he needed a new bike, but something—anything—sounded better than sitting around in this funk.
Janet, sensing his hesitation, pushed forward. "Listen, David, I know you're frustrated. But this could be a way for you to start over. You're good at thinking on your feet—imagine if you applied that to something new."
Her enthusiasm was infectious, even if it felt forced. David sighed. He was tired of feeling sorry for himself. He wasn't going to get his career back with the flip of a coin or the press of a button. But maybe, just maybe, this would give him something else to focus on.
"Fine, fine. I'll give it a shot." He snatched up the VR headset and tossed it on, letting the world around him blur into nothing as the game world loaded.
The virtual reality game opened with a flash of light, and soon, David found himself standing in front of a huge stone archway, its surface glistening with strange, glowing symbols. He had no idea what he was supposed to do, but before he could get his bearings, the system's voice echoed in his ears.
System Voice:
"Welcome to the world of Aetheris. Choose your class to begin your journey."
A glowing interface appeared before him, offering several options. Warrior. Archer. Mage. Rogue.
He didn't even hesitate. Warrior. That was the class he wanted—strong, dependable, a force of nature. It fit him. This game wasn't going to be his second chance at sports, but it could be his way to earn some money.
He clicked it.
But the screen flickered. His selection suddenly disappeared. A red error message popped up, glaring at him.
System Voice:
"ERROR: Warrior profession not available.
Please select a valid profession."
David frowned, confused. What was going on? He clicked on Warrior again, but the same message flashed.
"What the hell?" He muttered, growing frustrated. He tried to select Archer, but it was the same thing. Mage. Rogue. All unavailable. What was happening?
The screen seemed to glitch for a moment, and a new, unexpected option appeared: Monster Tamer.
He blinked. Monster Tamer? What was this? This wasn't the warrior class. This wasn't what he wanted.
Before he could react, a confirmation window appeared.
System Voice:
"Congratulations! You have been assigned the Monster Tamer class.
Please proceed to your designated starting location."
David stared at the screen, dumbfounded. This had to be a mistake. There was no way he wanted to be a Monster Tamer. But no matter how many times he tried to go back and select something else, the system wouldn't budge. He was stuck.
David's Thoughts (in frustration):
"What kind of stupid game forces you into a class you didn't even pick? And what's this 'Monster Tamer' crap?"
But with no other option, he clicked Confirm, and before he knew it, the world around him began to shift. The stone archway faded, and he found himself standing in front of an imposing, ancient building.
Welcome to the Academy of Monster Tamers.
David blinked at the sign, his head spinning as he realized what this meant. Instead of being dumped into a starting town like most players, he had been teleported directly into an academy—a place that specialized in training Monster Tamers.
A robotic voice echoed through the air.
System Voice:
"Welcome to the Academy of Monster Tamers. As a new Tamer, you will undergo rigorous training, study various species of monsters, and develop your taming abilities. The academy will be your home until you reach proficiency."
He was in shock. This wasn't just some game. This was a whole new world—and he had no idea how to navigate it. The academy grounds stretched out before him, filled with students wearing tunic-like uniforms, each holding a monstrous creature by their sides. There were griffin-like beasts with shimmering feathers, giant lizards with glowing scales, and even what appeared to be some sort of multi-headed serpent.
It was like stepping into a fantasy novel, but David wasn't ready for this.