The Nexus Interface Terminal or NIT for short, was a gaming system like no other before. It was a direct link between mind and game.
Roughly the size of a small desk tower, but levitated slightly above its base due to embedded Aether crystals. The shape was a floating black obelisk design with smooth, reflective surface. Thin, glowing lines ran across the surface, shifting in color depending on game state (blue for idle, purple for connection, red for system warnings). A built-in holographic projection system allowed users to navigate menus and system settings with gestures.
The neural integration helmet (the Nexus Crown, for short), was a sleek, silver-and-black headset designed for neural immersion. It didn't need direct contact with the skin—it read neural patterns through electromagnetic fields. The front of the helmet featured a circular Aether crystal, which pulsed with light as it synchronize with the user's brainwaves.
The Aether Recliner was optional for players and wasn't needed to play the game. The ergonomically designed reclining chair was built to support full-body immersion during gameplay. It came with built-in life support systems for extended sessions, including hydration ports, nutrient intake, and basic physical stimulation to prevent muscle atrophy.
But gamers like Cora didn't really care about stuff like that, all they needed to know was how to enter Elysium Nexus Online. Luckily Marcus Blake supplied instructions included with the NIT.
Cora settled into the Aether Recliner, allowing it to automatically adjust to her body. Since it provided maximum comfort and support.
After that was done, she placed the Nexus Crown on her head, marveling how it hovered slightly above her scalp. The Aether crystal at the crown's centerpiece synced with the console and mapped her brainwave patterns. As the crown powered on, soft pulses of light ran along its surface, indicating a successful neural link.
Once the physical setup was completed, the system initiated neural calibration. The system scanned Cora's brain in real-time, mapping neural patterns and adjusting the immersion settings to create a personalized gameplay experience.
A calming androgynous voice guided Cora through mental relaxation exercises—designed to help ease into the experience and synchronize brain activity for a seamless transition.
Cora was immersed in a series of subtle sensory tests:
Visual: A glowing sphere expanded and contracted, guiding Cora's focus.
Auditory: A soft chime echoed through the mind, syncing with Cora's natural rhythm.
Tactile: Gentle vibrations pulsed through the recliner, connecting physical sensations with neural responses.
Nexus read Cora's emotional state, offering calming affirmations if stress levels spiked.
The AI can adjust game difficulty, sensory intensity, and comfort levels based on the player's current mood.
The glowing Aether crystal in the Nexus Crown shifted from blue to a radiant violet, signaling a successful neural sync.
"Calibration complete. Your mind is ready for transcendence.
"Now… Let go of the physical. Drift forward. I'll handle the rest."
The most revolutionary part of the setup process was the Consciousness Transfer. Here, Cora's mind disconnected from the physical body, fully immersing into the digital fabric of Elysium Nexus Online.
Weight, temperature, sound began to fade as the neural connection deepened.
Visuals dissolved into a soft, swirling void of light and color, as though falling into an endless galaxy. Aether currents—shimmering streams of light—flowed around Cora's consciousness, drawing her deeper into the digital plane.
Time began to feel distorted. A process that took only a few seconds in the real world felt like several minutes within the immersion sequence, allowing the mind to adjust to the new environment.
The body's senses were replaced with virtual stimuli—Cora began to feel her in-game surroundings as though she was real:
The warmth of light.
The subtle chill of digital winds.
The sound of distant echoes, hinting at the vastness of the Nexus universe.
"You're almost there. Just a little further… Welcome to Elysium Nexus Online."
Cora's consciousness solidified within the game world, awakening in the starting zone: The Nexus Chamber.
A vast, ethereal expanse suspended in an endless void of stars and cosmic energy. The floor was a smooth, obsidian surface laced with glowing, silver runes that pulse with Aether energy. Massive floating pillars of light drift through the air, each representing different aspects of character creation—Essence, Form, Skill, and Fate.
The sensation of standing on solid ground returned—but enhanced. The air felt crisp, the gravity balanced, and every movement felt natural and fluid.
Cora was dressed in a shimmering robe of stardust—a neutral appearance awaiting her customization choices.
A soft voice echoed within the chamber:
"Welcome, Aetherborn. Here, you will define your form, your essence, and your destiny. The world awaits you. Will you forge yourself as a mortal, an elemental force, or something beyond comprehension? The choice is yours."
Cora's eyes widen in amazement as she looked all round her. The space was an ethereal expanse of floating galaxies, shifting nebula, and cascading streams of pure energy. The ground beneath her feet, were a reflective mirror of stardust, pulsating gently with each step she took. Large, crystalline monolith levitated in the distance, each representing different aspects of character customization.
In ENO, unlike all the other games, players did not start as predefined races or classes; instead, they shaped their form freely within the six Pillars of Creation, which acted as interactive stations for customization.
She was startled when a shimmering, ethereal figure made of stardust and flowing energy, appeared infront of her. Its form was fluid and adaptive—becoming feminine for cora's comfort. It's eyes glowed softly with pulses of Aether light and watched Cora with no judgment.
Hovering just inches above the obsidian floor, the Assistant spoke in a calm, comforting, yet comsic depth voice:
"Welcome, Aetherborn. You have left behind the weight of the physical. Here, you shall forge a new truth. I am your guide—your voice in this void of possibility. Shall we begin?"
Cora blinked. 'Well, this is starting off even better than I thought.'
"Sure. I appreciate the help. Mind telling me where I am?"
"You are quite welcome. And this is the Nexus Chamber—the space between all things. Here, identity is not chosen, but revealed."
The Assistant turned and gestured toward the floating monoliths, each pulsing with elemental energy. As they appeared, the voice guided Cora:
You stand within the Nexus Chamber—your threshold between thought and form, between who you were... and what you are about to become.
It then went into further detail on each pillar, starting with the one closest to Cora:
Each one a gate. Each one a choice. You will not walk through menus. You will walk through yourself.
I am the Nexus Chamber Assistant. I will guide you through each Pillar. Starting with explaining the Pillar of Flesh.
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1. The Pillar of Flesh – Body Customization
"The body is not given. It is chosen."
When you step into the liquid essence—alive and responsive—you will shape your physical form with motion, thought, and feeling.
🔷Morph height, musculature, posture, and proportion.
🔷Add beast-like traits, wings, horns, or ethereal elements.
🔷Apply texture, markings, and elemental skin.
🔷Your body will affect how the world sees you, fears you, or follows you.
This is not customization. This is your becoming.
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2. The Mirror of Souls – Face & Identity
"The face is the echo of intention."
When you approach the floating mirror. It ripples—not with reflection, but recognition.
This Pillar is where you:
🔷Sculpt facial features with gestures and focus: eyes, jaw, mouth, ears.
🔷Choose from heterochromia, glowing eyes, sigils, and mythic traits.
🔷Let your choices shape a Face Title whispered by rare NPCs and mythic beings.
You will not see who you are. You will see who you have always been—unmasked.
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The Codex of Essence – Race & Trait Alignment
"You are not of a race. You are of a resonance."
The Codex will not ask for species. It will ask for truth in:
🔷Through symbolic questions and reactions, your Essence Infusion will be revealed.
🔷Choosing your elemental attunement (fire, light, void, etc.), and your nature (mortal, hybrid, divine).
🔷Your answers shape your racial evolution: Celestial Ascendant, Abyssal Spawn, Ancient Fae, or something… forgotten.
This is the page where your soul is written, not typed.
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The Weave of Fate – Starting Abilities & Affinities
"Power is not assigned. It is remembered."
Once you step into the glowing glyph-ring. You will feel which energy pulls you.
Here, you will:
🔷Choose from the four Fated Currents:
🔹 Raw Might (strength, combat, resilience)
🔹Arcane Pulse (magic, control, casting)
🔹Spectral Veil (stealth, speed, deception)
🔹Primeval Instinct (nature, beasts, shapeshifting)
🔷Your affinity opens early skills—but does not lock your path.
Fate does not trap. It beckons.
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The Forge of Origin – Gear & Starting Item Creation
"Tools are not given. They are forged in will."
Entering the forge suspends above molten Aether.
Here is where you:
🔷Choose your material: molten metal, enchanted wood, or ethereal essence.
🔷Shape a weapon, armor, or non-combat artifact with your hands, your voice, or your emotions. 🔷Non-combat options include:
🔹A musical instrument that changes emotion
🔹A tome of blank spells that grows with you
🔹A relic that bends time, fate, or memory
This will be your first tool. It will remember how you shaped it.
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The Gate of Rebirth – Finalization & Name
"You can shape your form. You can chose your truth."
A towering portal of light and memory awaits.
This is where you lastly:
🔷Inscribe your true name in the air—it will echo through the world of Eldrinis.
🔷Choose your entry:
🔹As Mortal—for a grounded beginning.
🔹Or as Something Greater—to awaken a secret path tied to your soul's composition.
🔷This final step locks your essence and begins your legend.
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"Is this explanation satisfactory? Do you have any questions? I will answer with the best of my abilities."
Cora thought through all what the Nexus Chamber Assistant explained.
"Where do I start? Is there an order I should start with, or does it even matter?"
"Your question is valid. To answer you simply—there is no fixed order in the Nexus Chamber. You may approach the Pillars as you feel drawn. They will respond based on your essence, not your sequence.
However… I will provide guidance if you wish for structure."
Cora, thinking there was no harm in getting some suggestions, nodded.
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The Pillar of Flesh
"Shape your vessel before it walks."
Begin with the body. Feel yourself form—see what instincts rise when there is no template to follow.
The Mirror of Souls
"Give your shape an identity."
Once your body is formed, define your face. The Mirror will show you what even you cannot.
The Codex of Essence
"Align your soul."
Let the Codex read your truths. This will influence the world's reaction to your form, and unlock deeper evolution paths.
The Weave of Fate
"Choose your rhythm of power."
Select the flow of energy that feels most like you. This determines how your story begins—but not how it ends.
The Forge of Origin
"Forge the first echo of your will."
Create your first item. It will be more than a weapon or tool. It will carry your intent into Eldrinis.
The Gate of Rebirth
"Cross the threshold."
When all is ready… speak your name, make your choice, and pass into the world that awaits your legend.
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"...Hmm." Cora nodded in contemplation. 'The order to which the assistant thing suggested made some sense. And when it comes down to it, it really doesn't matter which order I take.'
"Alright, I'll start with the Pillar of Flesh."