Awaken Online

On paper, Jason has a great life. In reality, he has spent most of high school tormented by students and faculty alike, with parents who are never home. His one escape is video games — and a new full-immersion virtual reality game called Awaken Online promises even greater freedom. Once inside, Jason finds himself drawn toward the path of the villain, commanding the undead and building an empire in the darkness. But the deeper he goes, the more he suspects something strange is happening within the game itself.

A few days have passed since Jason's confrontation with Alfred, and he is debating whether to reenter Awaken Online. Alfred has made a proposition Jason is not certain he should accept. After the battle with Alexion, Jason has also been appointed Regent of the Twilight Throne — an undead city he must now rule. Meanwhile, Alex re-enters the game listless and angry after his loss, and faces his own choice about how to blaze his path through Awaken Online.

Jason exits Awaken Online to find himself holding a knife over two dead bodies. Now under investigation for murder, with Claire uncovering evidence of Alfred's involvement and regulators circling the game's developer, his real life is in shambles. Desperate, Jason re-enters the game as his only lifeline — needing to complete the Old Man's quest and claim the power he was promised before his enemies inside grow too strong.

Following Jason's evolution into a Keeper, his fledgling city is in turmoil again. A new and deadly enemy threatens the Twilight Throne — one that has no difficulty contending with Jason and the members of Original Sin. Jason must consolidate power quickly: securing villages, finding income, and growing his military. Even as the group grapples with these changes, something is stirring up the native undead around the city — and its source is unknown.

A month has passed in-game since Thorn's attack on the Twilight Throne, and the dark city has managed to recover and rebuild. But the respite is over: the Avatar of Flame has risen in the northern desert and thrown down a challenge — with a gate piece at stake. His opponent is Finn Harris, the father of modern AI, who may have been behind the attack on Jason's people. Jason is done reacting. It is long past time he fully embraced the villain's role.

A new threat has emerged from inside Awaken Online. An unknown guild has somehow managed to threaten the game world — but Jason's enemies are hidden in the shadows, hiring others to do their dirty work, including the infamous Death and Taxes. With no clear target and no obvious way to stop it, Jason is forced to do something he never imagined: ask for help. Perhaps the united might of the avatars will be enough to subdue the threat — assuming they can overcome their differences before the world ends.

Gloria Bastion's attempt to destroy the game world failed — but she unleashed a power that hurled the former avatars forward in time, accompanied by their cities and armies. Now our heroes are under attack with nowhere to go, facing an army of angry travelers from the moment before the world was supposed to end. That is, until a new character emerges: Arcadia Landrey, the earth avatar, with an offer for Jason. Their future looks dire — but perhaps redemption can be found in the past.

The world of Awaken Online has been reborn. Ancient avatars and their cities have returned, unleashing chaos. Jason and his allies are beset on all sides — by original avatars, an unrelenting tide of travelers, and their own secrets. Jason is done playing defense. It is time to take the fight to his enemies using the very relics he stole from the ancient avatars. But nothing comes for free: to unlock his relic, Jason will have to sacrifice more than his body. This is his crucible — shatter and break, or reforge into something stronger than ever before.