By the time you get home, you know your evening has been ruined. You could always take Rose up on her offer, but you don't feel like you deserve the company. In fact, you're so upset by the day's events that you'd gotten closer than you ever have before to beating your bro in a strife. He'd attacked you on the stairs and you'd fought with a new fire in your blood. You'd left him stunned as you made your way into your room.
Now, you're sitting at your computer in the pitch dark of your room with the door locked. The only light comes from your monitor. In an attempt to cure your sorrow, you do what you usually do when you're feeling glum; you draw while listening to your music. Unfortunately, your heart really isn't in it.
With a sigh, you switch tabs over to YouTube where you find an ad. It looks like it's for some medieval RPG. It would certainly give you something to do...
Drumming your fingers on the desk, you click the link and wait as it loads the site. When it does, your eyes scan the page until you find the sign up button. Once again, you wait as it loads. When it does, you fill in your information.

Username: turntechGodhead
Password: ••••••••••
*Gender: Male
*Note: Classes for your gender are in italics. Choosing a neutral gender allows your choose any class.
Class:
Mage
Witch
Thief
Rogue
Knight
Bard
Page
Sylph
Prince
Seer
Heir
Maid
**Lord
**Muse

**Must be unlocked

Aspect:
Doom
Life
Light
Void
Blood
Rage
Hope
Space
Heart
Mind
Breath
Time

[Character Customization ==>]

Hair Color:
White
Black
Brown
Red
Orange
Blonde
Green
Blue
Purple

Hair Length:
Short
Medium
Long

Eye Color:
White
Black
Brown
Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Purple

Height:
Short
Medium
Tall

Species:
Human
Troll
Sea Dweller
*Cherub

*Must be unlocked

Skin Tone (Human Only):
Fair
Tan
Dark

God Tier Color:
White
Black
Brown
Tan
Rust
Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Jade
Teal
Cerulean
Blue
Indigo
Purple
Fuchsia

Much to your surprise, your character looks just like you. You take a deep breath and brace yourself for the worst as you press:

[Enter ==>]

Like all games, you're forced through a tutorial before you're allowed to actually play. The mechanics are simple enough. The goal is to go on quests and level up. Once you reach level 100, you can upgrade your character to be a Cherub. When you reach level 500, you can be a Muse. At level 1000, you can be a Lord. God, it would take forever to reach that. You're not sure you're that dedicated. However, the game is surprisingly appealing and you explore the map for hours. It finally brought back your good mood, which you were grateful for. You'd even began talking to a few people. At this point, you decide you might as well keep playing, so you follow your new friends to a pub. Once you sit at a table with them, you open the chat box and begin to type.

turntechGodhead: yknow I had my doubts about this game but its actually pretty cool
apocalypseArisen: Isn't it? We spend most of our time here.
turntechGodhead: really?
twinArmageddon: We don't really go out often. Bee2iide2, we have good friiend2 here.
turntechGodhead: id love to meet them
apocalypseArisen: Maybe you can!
twinArmageddon: AA, that2 not really our place. KK miight get mad if we just briing him
turntechGodhead: kk?
apocalypseArisen: He's the leader of our club!
turntechGodhead: what club?
apocalypseArisen: The Dead Hearts Club!
twinArmageddon: AA!!
apocalypseArisen: I'm sorry! I just get excited!
turntechGodhead: whatre you talking about?
twinArmageddon: We miight a2 well tell you now. The DHC ii2 a club for people who are corp2e2 with a beating heart. We're people who breathe to liive rather than liive to breathe. We're angels waiting to go home.

You sit back in your seat and stare at your screen. They're a depression group. It's a bunch of suicidal people all coaxing each other on to take that final step off the edge. Personally, you'd never truly thought about suicide before, let alone considered it. Sure, you'd been depressed quite a few times, but you've never practiced self harm. You glance down, holding your wrist. You need to help them. You need into this club.

turntechGodhead: i want in
apocalypseArisen: 0ωo Really? Sollux, message the leader and ask!
twinArmageddon: Yeah yeah. IIm already on it.
apocalypseArisen: Everyone there is really sweet! They can be kind of intimidating at first, but I know they'll come to love you!
twinArmageddon: He 2aiid he'll allow u2 to briing hiim 2o he can be judged.
turntechGodhead: judged? and whos the leader?
apocalypseArisen: The Lord of Blood. Follow us!

And with that, the two of them stand and walk out of the pub. You follow, almost nervously. This guy was a Lord. You're going to look like such a novice in comparison. You swallow thickly as they lead you through the woods, far out of the boundaries of the game. In the dark of your room, you find yourself constantly glancing around you.
The game is set in first person view, so you get a closer look at everything around you. The sky is darkening above you as a storm begins to brew. You know you have nothing to fear, for its just a game, but you can still feel yourself shaking regardless. Thunder claps through your headphones as lightning flickers through the artificial sky. The grass around you is gradually beginning to die and the trees are growing more gnarled. The roots stick up from the ground and the leafless branches hang low like arms. You speed your pace to a jog.
Finally, the duo in front of you stops. Before them stands a large gate which surrounds the ominous looking castle looming above you. The male, who's name you've yet to catch, pushes the gate open and steps aside for you and the girl to enter.
You glance at your clock. 11:36. No one could blame you if you lied, said you were going to bed, and left. But no, you have to go on. These people need someone. They need you. So, with a deep breath and a leap of courage, you follow them through the gates and to the dreary castle that awaits.