Aetherborn.
A game that shook all gaming markets in the world. A VR RPG that make gamers became addicted and also broke them down mentally with the tough quests it gives. Players that played this game called the creator insane and crazy. That one game made even the hardcore gamers breakdown to finish it.
And the only player that finished this game is a cancer patient, Peter Codes. He is a blood cancer patient who has a little over 2 years to live. In this two years, he played this game continuously and cleared it in different routes. He explored everything he can, exploited the bugs, found hidden mechanisms, almost roamed the planet of Arcia.
Those gamers who heard this called him even more insane and crazy than the creator for something like this. Because this game was abandoned long ago by everyone and even if they got the walkthroughs of peter, they ignored it. Because the difficulty is hell and grinding is endless.
Trying different routes with different difficulties he found it amusing to his lone and dying soul. At the end of his final playthrough, he cleared the game 35th time before taking his last breath on earth.
Blackwood Territory, Kingdom of Stormfall :
At this time, the whole territory of Blackwood is silent. The announcement came out of nowhere, that the second lady of the house Brightheart, the second wife of Marquis Rowan Lucien Brightheart, Lady Selene Brightheart is dead. Ambushed bybthe evil cult and killed when returning from her trip to the maternal House, Darkholm.
Lady Selene Brightheart, is know for her kindness and gentle nature among the servants of the house and territory. Sh is a 5-star mage with dark and fire attributes. So the announcement caught everyone off guard. A 5-star mage was killed in an ambush by evil cult is a bit of blow to everyone.
Marquis Rowan launched a purge of the evil cult and destroyed any bases of the cult he can find in his territory to vent his anger and grief. He loved his second wife deeply. So much that, his first wife hated her for that. His first wife Helen Brightheart is from the Noble House of Vane.
Known for their earth and nature magic. She is also a 5-star mage like lady Selene. But she is known for her cold and distant personality. There was a rumour that she hated Selene as Marquis Rowan loved and cared for Selene more than her. She bore two sons for the Marquis along with a daughter.
While Selene gave the Marquis a son. Unlike Helen who always maintains a noble personality and cold look, Selene put on a smile and had an approachable aura. That's why she is regarded as a gentle and kind lady by everyone as she listens to their problems and speaks with the count about it. The noble circle is maintained by Helen for the blackwood territory while the territory problems and interactions with common folk to know their problems was handled by Selene.
In the marquis manor, the only child of lady Selene, Damian Von Brightheart, locked himself in a room and refused come out or eat anything. When the servants barged two days by the order of Marquis Rowan who returned from slaying those cultists later they found Damian collapsed on the ground.
Damian is no more than 12 now. Looking at his son who locked himself instead of getting stronger to avenge his mother, Rowan is a little disappointed but at the same time, he felt heart ache for his youngest child. In a few months, his ceremony will appear and he can use mana. But Selene won't be there for Damian and Helen hated Damian since he was born. He told the butler to fed some nutrition tonics and potions to Damian for recovery.
At this time, Damian woke up and looked around. He groaned in pain as his head felt it's prickled by something and a screen appeared in front of him:
[ Synchronzing with remnants of past life ]
[ Synchronisation complete ]
[ Welcome back Damian Rodriguez ]
[ Aetherborn welcomes you back ]
Damian blinked. Did he had too much beer last night while playing Aetherborn. He must be hallucinating, he fell on bed and got back to sleep. But then memories rushed into his mind once again. Memories of his past 12 years in this world without the awareness that he lived in a different world.
Now the memories merged completely, Damian looked horrified. He is really in Aetherborn world, and as a small villian no less. Damian Von Brightheart, he is a small villian that will appear at the start and defeated by hero, then turned into one of his lackeys that appears whenever the hero wants.
Damian's story isba tragic one. Once a bright and energetic kid who turned complete opposite after his mother Selene's death, manipulated by a servant who belongs to evil cult, turned into spoiled young master and a fool who wasted his own talent and his foundations eroded by the poisons given by the servant from evil cult.
He will be stuck as a 4-star knight forever. Like Mages are divided to 9 stages with stars, knights are also divided into 9 stages with 3 sub stages in each. nine stages represent nine colours. Above the ninth stage is transcendence whuch wasn't achieved by anyone except the founder of this kingdom, Louis Alvric Tempest.
The founder Emperor was a Transcendent knight blessed by the sky god. His lineage bears the mark of storms and sky. With swift and deadly sword style they dominated the battlefield even after the death of Louis. The founding emperor mysteriously died despite being a transcendent. Many said he died peacefully in his sleep.
While some said the sky god Caels called him to his embrace. No one knows how the transcendent tier knight who can live thousands of years at the least can embrace death in his 70's. But the lineage of the founding emperor is also very strong, not to mention the blessing from the sky god and the techniques they inherited.
The rebellious are quickly suppressed and the invasions are also repelled by the later descendants. The kingdom of Stormfall held on for centuries even after the death of founding emperor. This is the background of Stormfall kingdom.
The family which he is in, is the Brightheart family. Rowan Lucien Brightheart, the marquis of Blackwood territory and one of the strongest knights in the kingdom and this world. He is a 8-star peak knight. He is just a step away from the highest stage of the knights below transcendent tier.