Tens of millions of viewers around the globe watch live as we go all out for glory in the World Championship of sword-and-sorcery. The others in my crew are Qrysta, a dual-wielding sword dancer, and Grell, the best damn Orc you’ll ever see with a battleaxe. In Real Life, I’m a retired teacher, and hard-core gamer; but in-game, I’m Daxx, an apex-level battlemage / healer. I built his avatar to be young and heroic – well, why would I want him to look like dull old me?

The virtual crowd in the arena goes wild as we win – but before our triumph can sink in, I’m hurtling off and away from the cheers, and my crew, and my actual living room on a wild ride to… somewhere very else indeed. Where I land all alone, in the middle of a wilderness of trees and hills and mountains, my only gear a crappy, noob-level sword and buckler.

And I’m not who I was IRL anymore.

I’m Daxx.

For real.

And I can hear wolves.