Three days passed in the real world while Mia barely left her bed. Grief consumed her, sharper and more real than anything she'd felt for actual people in her life. The penthouse felt like a prison, every luxury item a hollow mockery of the simple joys she'd found in Aldoria with Kael.

  The Eternal Realms system sent daily notifications about the special world that awaited her, but Mia ignored them all. How could she return to that virtual universe knowing Kael was gone? What was the point of exploring new worlds without him?

  On the fourth morning, she finally dragged herself to the shower, letting hot water wash away days of tears. As steam filled the bathroom, she caught her reflection in the mirror—hollow eyes, pale skin, a ghost of herself.

  "What would Kael say if he saw you like this?" she whispered to her reflection.

  She knew the answer. He would tell her to stand tall, to face her pain with the same courage she'd shown on the training grounds. He would remind her that true strength comes from moving forward despite loss.

  And his st words... "Find me again."

  Could it be possible? The system had spoken with his voice, promised he would be waiting. What if there was more to Eternal Realms than she understood? What if Kael hadn't been just an NPC?

  Wrapped in a robe, Mia opened her ptop and began researching in earnest. She needed to understand what had happened. Most official information about Eternal Realms was marketing material, but in obscure gaming forums, she found whispers that intrigued her.

  "The NPCs in the high-tier worlds seem almost sentient..."

  "My character met the same personality in two different worlds, but with different bodies..."

  "There's something ancient about that system, like it existed before humans programmed it..."

  One post in particur caught her attention—a theory that Eternal Realms wasn't entirely created by its developers, but built upon a mysterious virtual framework they'd discovered. The post had been deleted shortly after publication, but screenshots remained.

  Mia sat back, mind racing. If even a fraction of these theories were true, there might be something to Kael's promise. And if not... well, she had nothing to lose by trying.

  Opening the Eternal Realms app on her phone, she viewed the message again: "New world avaible. Special parameters detected. Your presence is requested."

  The mysterious second line still glowed beneath it: "Have faith. Our story isn't over."

  Her finger hovered over the notification. "Is it really you?" she whispered.

  As if in response, her screen flickered, and for just a moment, an image appeared—a silver locket, identical to the one Kael had shown her in the tower. Then it vanished, leaving only the original message.

  That was enough. Mia stood with newfound determination, moving to her kitchen to prepare proper food for the first time in days. If she was going back into the virtual universe, she needed her physical body well-nourished.

  While eating, she accessed the Eternal Realms preview for the special world that awaited her. "The Great Steampunk Empire," the description read. "A world of mechanical wonders, political intrigue, and industrial revolution."

  The suggested role caught her eye: "Mechanic's daughter with unusual talent for complex machinery." Unlike her previous noble role in Aldoria, this would pce her in a working-css position, facing different challenges.

  That evening, Mia prepared the VR pod methodically, checking the nutrient feeds and waste disposal systems that would maintain her body during extended immersion. If she was going to search for Kael across worlds, she needed to be thorough.

  As she climbed into the pod, a sense of purpose repced her grief. She didn't know if she would find Kael in this new world, or if the system messages were merely glitches, but she had to try.

  "System," she said as the neural connections activated, "I'm ready for the Steampunk Empire."

  "Welcome back, Mia," the system replied, its tone warmer than the standard interface. "Your journey continues."

  As reality dissolved around her, Mia focused on one thought: If Kael was out there, in whatever form, she would find him again. No matter how many worlds it took.