Life in Exile

Dave has been wandering through life for a long time — bored by his day job and unable to meet his family's expectations. His only escape is his love of MMORPGs. But when he becomes the subject of a test without knowing it, he's portaled into a game-world called Eloria with no way out — and his wife and daughter come with him. Now Dave must balance protecting his family with exploring his dream, all while trying to stay alive. Monstrous beasts roam Eloria, and worst of all, an undead army is led by a vile Death Knight.

Despite monsters and a small army of goblins and skeletons, Dave and family have survived their first few weeks in Eloria — mostly. Eight-year-old Sara has been captured by a goblin scout, and neither Dave nor Emily are going to let a monster get away with their little girl. Their victory in the Battle of Eris' Rise has thrust the Nelson family onto the stage of politics torn between the human kingdom to the south and the moon elves to the north. Worse, the powers that created the Death Knight have more sinister plans, and Dave's actions have marked him as an obstacle to be removed.

The Nelsons have grown in just about every way since being exiled to Eloria — and now they face their biggest challenge yet. It has become apparent that there are larger forces at work and more powerful enemies behind the scenes. The monstrous dark mage Seimion seems almost unstoppable, and behind him lurks the mysterious Master. If the Nelsons are to save not only their home but the very kingdom of Albia from utter chaos, all of them — including the youngest — will be called upon to play vital roles.

The Nelsons are tired of waiting for danger to come to them — now they're taking the fight to their enemy. Whether through hit-and-run attacks against a larger goblin army, a raid into the sewers under the capital, or the final confrontation with Duke Holstein, they are taking their destiny into their own hands. They will exploit the dungeon's time distortion, develop new crafts, and seek to put to rest any challenge to their place in Eloria.

Coming of age is hard enough without having to face monsters — but when your family is stranded in a magical world, you don't have much choice. Jackson's class as an Ironwood Monk puts him right on the front line: he grows stronger the more he gets hit and can pass that on to the rest of the team, if he can get his mom to actually let him fight. No one — least of all Jackson — fully understands the importance he holds for his family's future or that of all Talos. He must navigate challenges both in dungeons and the halls of power to find a new home.