The most isolating form of suffering is the one you have to suffer alone, whatever it may be. This was the realization that dawned on Joel his first day in the game. Little did he know, however, of the hardships that awaited him - and the world that he would one day help save.

Seventeen-year-old Joel lives his life in the immobilizing grip of chronic pain. Not wanting to die, but not being keen on living, he accepts when presented with the opportunity to live without pain. All he has to do is join a trial that is testing a new fully immersive virtual reality game at the behest of a friend. The allure for Joel is the revolutionary neural inhibition technology, which promises him complete relief from pain.

However, when the game becomes too immersive for Joel to tell the difference between what is real and what is virtual, he finds himself with a decision to make: stay and live without pain, or die and return to his old life. As Joel realizes he has swapped one form of pain for another, he wades through his own personal hell in an attempt to find meaning in isolation.

What to expect in the first arc:

- LitRPG, fantasy style levelling.

- A level grind and battle system with their own familiar but unique twists.

- An initial dungeon-like setting.

- A sprawling world with various continents and cultures.

- Graphic deaths and an insight into trauma and isolation.

If you like a slow burn, and want to join me on my journey to writing my first novel, then come along!