📺
Marcus Vey's impeccable face filled the screen, his perfect smile and tailored suit gleaming under the studio lights. Behind him, a holographic screen pulsed with real-time images of the Ether Tower, a colossal structure of crystal and steel towering over the city, bathed in the multicolored shimmer of the ether.
"Welcome, dear viewers, to the beginning of the fifth season of the Ether Games!" Marcus announced, spreading his arms as if embracing the entire world. "Today is a historic day. All 50 participants have arrived at their new home, and in just a few hours, they'll begin their transformation from mere individuals into... living legends!"
🎤 Lightning Interviews: The Favorites
The cameras cut to the participants, descending from luxurious ether transports. Marcus narrated enthusiastically:
"Just look at these competitors! Some are already stars; others are about to discover what it means to shine."
* 📌 Team Solaris:
* Zara Nix, the queen of social media, blew a kiss to the cameras as her blonde hair danced with a life of its own. "I'll be the first champion to win without losing a single challenge. I promise."
* Caden Voss, beside her, adjusted his gloves with a defiant smile. "Team Solaris isn't just going to win. We're going to redefine the game."
* 📌 Team Vanguard:
* Kael Torrin, the leader, crossed his arms, his taut muscles gleaming in the light. "We're not here to make friends. We're here to break bones... metaphorically, of course." (His ironic wink at the end made fans on social media swoon.)
* 📌 Team Outcast:
* Ethan Voltaire paused his walk to wave at the fans shouting his name. "Everyone deserves a chance. Even the underdogs." (The camera didn't show Danny, who silently disembarked from the transport, hiding behind Jake.)
Marcus reappeared on screen, now with a hologram of the Architects floating beside him.
"But wait, it won't all be battles from day one!" he exclaimed, as if revealing a great secret. "Our participants will spend two weeks in... learning mode!"
Marcus concluded with his signature dramatic flourish:
"In two weeks, the games will begin... but until then, get ready for epic tutorials, unexpected rivalries, and who knows, maybe even some romance under the ether! Don't miss a thing!"
Danny followed the service android through the wide, gleaming corridors, feeling like an intruder in a world that wasn't meant for him. Each step echoed on the unbreakable crystal floor, beneath which veins of luminous ether flowed like rivers of living energy.
The first place the android showed him was an immense room filled with equipment that looked straight out of a spaceship, the machines humming under the bluish light. Next, a lounge with floating tables and plates that refilled themselves according to each person's appetite. Danny just nodded, trying to avoid drawing attention.
They saw water that shimmered in turquoise and silver tones, capable of solidifying into platforms to walk on. Danny merely observed from a distance. They passed by giant screens, consoles that responded to thought, even a virtual reality corner where one could experience ether battles firsthand. Floating shelves were filled with books that updated themselves, scrolls that projected 3D images of ancient spells. Sports courts catered to most tastes, except for Danny, who already felt nauseous just walking by the place.
The android stopped in front of a door that opened with a soft hum.
"This will be your residence during the games," it announced.
Danny stepped inside and held his breath. It was enormous. A king-size bed with sheets that adjusted to body temperature. A floor-to-ceiling window offering a panoramic view of the city from above. A desk with a touchscreen where he could jot down his equations. There was even a small corner with an automatic beverage dispenser (including, to his surprise, his favorite soda).
"All this... is just for me?" he asked, incredulous.
The android nodded.
"The Architects believe in the comfort of their participants. Leave your belongings and follow me."
The android led them to a circular room with smoked glass walls, where the rest of Team Outcast already waited in an awkward semicircle. Danny stayed near the door, feeling the weight of their gazes brushing against him as if he were a casting error. The cold light of the room accentuated the shadows under Lena's eyes, Jake's military posture, Ethan's calculatingly kind smile.
"Welcome to your first team meeting," the android announced in its monotonous voice. "You must choose a leader before this hour concludes."
The silence lasted exactly three seconds before Jake stepped forward, his shoulders taking up more space than necessary. "In the precision test, I hit four out of five shots without corrections," he said as if reading a military report. His challenging gaze swept across the group, lingering especially on Danny.
Ethan leaned against the wall with studied nonchalance. "I won the popular vote in the auditions," his laugh sounded like thick honey. "Two million followers could be useful when we need special buffs." The numbers floated in Danny's head: exactly 6,145,893 followers, according to public EtherLink data.
Danny watched his new teammates, feeling more and more that his presence there was an impossible miscalculation to correct.
Jake Torrin naturally occupied the center, as if his broad, muscular body—marked by years of military training—demanded that space. His hands, calloused and large, held his fork with the same firmness with which he'd dominated the strength test. "Leader by unanimous vote," he had declared, and no one, not even Ethan, dared to question him.
To his right, Lena Voss adjusted her augmented reality glasses. "The shooting test only confirmed what I already knew," she had said without raising her voice.
Ethan Voltaire, the crowd favorite, shone even under the artificial light. His perfectly disheveled brown hair, his smile designed to captivate cameras, his relaxed yet impeccable posture. "I didn't need calculations," he had confessed during introductions, "I just trusted my instinct." And instinct, it seemed, had given him an extra million and a half votes before the games even began.
Sophia Riel, the youngest, nervously twisted her ether bracelet. Small, agile, with eyes that seemed to absorb every detail. A national parkour champion, she had dodged every obstacle in the physical tests as if the air itself guided her.
Zane Carter, a former fighter, had scars that stood out even in the dim light. His tattooed arms flexed unconsciously, as if he was always ready to fight. "I'll survive this like I've survived everything," he growled when asked why he was there.
Clara Nix, the sprinter, couldn't stop moving her feet under the table. Her body was pure defined muscle, without an ounce of softening fat. "I run faster than any spell," she had said, and the data confirmed it: 9.58 seconds in the 100-meter dash.
Tobias Hale, the climber, quiet as a shadow, studied the dining hall with eyes that seemed to calculate every emergency exit. His hands, marked by years of gripping rocks and walls, clenched and unclenched with a constant rhythm.
Kara Veld, a mixed martial arts specialist, kept her gaze fixed on Jake, as if already challenging him. Her short hair and bandaged knuckles said more than any introduction.
Liam Rohe, the fencer, toyed with a fork as if it were a sword, his posture straight even while seated. "Precision is my religion," he had mentioned, and his ten perfect shots in the test proved it.
And then there was Danny Mercer.
No defined muscles. No athletic records. No followers. No instinct.
Just a kid who had calculated a shooting angle, and who now, under the gaze of nine people who breathed competition from every pore, wondered how on earth he had ended up there.
"Well," Jake said, breaking the silence as he raised his glass filled with glowing liquid ether, "at least we have someone who can count."
Laughter followed, some uncomfortable, some genuine. Danny smiled, just enough not to stand out.
The vote was a formality. Nine hands went up for Jake, including his own. Ethan applauded with feigned enthusiasm. Danny watched as the leader's bracelet closed around Jake's wrist, glowing with an aggressive red.
🌐 The Networks Explode: The Internet Goes Wild
And the internet exploded with the chapter. Here's what was most talked about:
* "Did you see Danny's face? He looks like he's going to throw up." —@FanEther123
* "Team Solaris already won and it hasn't even started." —@ZaraLover
* "Someone save Outcast from themselves." —@UnderdogSupreme
🔥 Trending Topics: Favorites and Surprises
Conversations on EtherLink ignited. Here's how the hashtags moved:
* #SolarisSuperiority (6.2M posts): Fans of Zara and Caden tirelessly proclaimed them champions. "They were born ready," read @ZaraTheQueen, alongside GIFs of Zara making crown gestures.
* #RookTheEnigma (4.8M posts): The mystery surrounding Rook grew. @ConspiranoicMind posted a zoomed-in photo of his eyes, claiming he "knew something we didn't." Theories that he was an undercover Architect flooded the network.
* #SaveOutcast (3.5M posts): Team Outcast was the center of both pity and ridicule. Ethan's comment about "giving underdogs a chance" elevated him to "angel" for @EthanDefender, while @DannySauce's joke about Danny and the barbecue went viral, accompanied by edited videos of him looking confused.
* #VanguardVsWorld (5.7M posts): Kael's defiant attitude captivated many. "My heart is already in a cast," tweeted @KaelFanatic alongside a slow-mo of Kael adjusting his gloves, while @MirageTruther already anticipated the first battle against Team Mirage.
🚨 Key Moments and Rumors: What the Cameras Didn't Show
Beyond the hashtags, social media revealed juicy details from Day 2:
* Unexpected Leaderships: The election of Zara as Solaris's leader by a single vote (and Caden's tantrum) generated drama. In Vanguard, Kael was chosen by acclamation... until Brenna threw a bench at him. And Rook's appearance already wearing Team Outlaws' leader bracelet left everyone wondering.
* The Tower's Luxury: While Zara demanded a golden jacuzzi (and received a regular shower), Ethan wallpapered his room with photos of himself. But the most curious was Rook, who apparently has no bed, just a black mirror.
* Danny and the Treadmill: A video leaked by Ethan showed Danny trying to use a treadmill and literally flying into the air. The clip, with Ethan laughing hysterically, became the "fail" of the day.
* Surprising Connections: People started "shipping" Helios (Solaris) and Mira (Vanguard) after he lit her a forbidden cigarette. The strange dynamic between Tobias (Outcast) and Wren (Outlaws) was also noted when she stole his knife and he chased her, smiling.
* The Enigma of Tobias: @EtherDetective reported that Tobias (Outcast) disappeared for two hours during the tour and returned with ether leaves in his hair. "Where was he?" the conspiracy theorists wondered.
* Danny's Declaration: Among the most iconic moments, Danny simply asked, "Where's the bathroom?" in a room that turned out to be a mirror.
😂 The Fails of the Day: Guaranteed Laughs
* Elio (Solaris) tried to flirt with Lyra (Sage) using mathematical formulas and she corrected him.
* Finn (Outlaws) got stuck in an automatic door, and Rook saved him... only to then drop him.
* Gage (Vanguard) confused ether gel with machine lubricant, and his arms glowed all night!
💬 Impactful Quotes: The Heart of the Chapter
* Zara: "If I'm not the leader, I'm leaving." (She didn't leave.)
* Kael: "Whoever challenges me gets broken." (Brenna challenged him.)
* Rook: .... (Dramatic silence.)
* Danny: "Where's the bathroom?" (It was a mirror.)
(Updated every 10 seconds. EtherLink suggests taking a breath before the next scandal.)