Samara blinked, clutching at the fading memory of her standing on the stage. One moment she was accepting her award, the next a blinding flash enveloped her and a violent tugging sensation dragged her into a kaleidoscope of fractured images and deafening noise.

She tumbled through a tunnel of chaotic colors and distorted shapes, tumbling end over end as her stomach lurched. An acrid metallic taste filled her mouth and a high-pitched ringing pierced her ears.

Just as suddenly as it began, the maelstrom spat her out and she crashed onto her hands and knees, gasping for breath. She landed in a wide open field filled with grass as she rubbed the earth beneath her palms.

Lifting her head, she blinked at the strange landscape. In the distance, she could see massive stone spires jutted from the ground at impossible angles, some crumbling with age while others appeared newly hewn. Gleaming metal buildings were stacked haphazardly between the spires, interconnected with twisting bridges and staircases. Strange animals resembling horses pulling what seemed to be futuristic buggies that zipped along train tracks, while armored beasts with armed guards on their backs lumbered down wide cobblestone streets.

Overhead, two suns hung in a vivid lavender sky, their light filtered through a shimmering energy field surrounding the city.

This was not home.

A scream tore from Samara’s throat as the implications sank in. She scrambled to her feet, heart pounding, and peered at the crowd materializing around her. Thousands of people were appearing out of thin air, stumbling and disoriented just like her.

She wasn’t alone. But that did little to quell the panic rising in her chest.

They were no longer on Earth.

Samara swallowed hard, trying to still her racing pulse. She had to stay calm and figure out where she was.

People stood about calling out names in all types of languages. Some languages she recognized, others Samara was not familiar with. Reaching into her pocket, Samara scrambled to find her phone. Pulling it out she checked the signal already knowing the truth, yet, still grasping on the blind hope that she knew didn't exist.

In a daze, she stumbled through the crowd as she called out her own loved ones' names. People all around her were in states of panic and disarray before a loud chime was heard from above forcing everyone to look up at the sky.

A booming voice echoed across the field, seemingly coming from everywhere at once. "People of Earth, you have been summoned to the world of Nexus. Two societies exist here, Mystica and Technos, who have been at war for centuries. You must venture into this world, learn its ways, and compete to become the one true ruler who will unite these two civilizations."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd at the proclamation. "Ruler? What ruler?" Samara shook her head, more confused than ever.

"In total 50,000 of you have been summoned." Samara's mind was struggling to grasp the fact that 50,000 people had been teleported to this strange world. Just what on earth was happening here, Samara thought to herself as she looked around at the thousands of people that now filled the field.

"In order to be crowned the ruler you must conquer The Nexus Tower, a 100-floor tower filled with dangerous challenges, tenacious monsters, and other hidden secrets that lie in wait. The first person to reach the 100th floor and complete the Ruler's Challenge will be crowned the one true ruler."

A murmur rose through the crowd at the mention of the 100-floor tower. "Failure to participate in the Ruler's Challenge will result in being trapped here forever."

Trapped here forever. The words ignited a spark of anger in Samara's chest. She didn't ask to come to this world, let alone compete to rule it. All she wanted was to go home.

"The Nexus awaits you. Choose your path, and may fortune favor you in the trials to come." With that, the voice fell silent.

Samara stood frozen amidst the crowds, her future stretching before her in an endless sea of uncertainty. She had no idea what this world held in store, or if she would ever make it home.

All she knew was that the fate of Nexus now depended on the Earthlings who had been summoned against their will. And ready or not, the game for the throne was about to begin.

Samara blinked as a floating interface materialized before her eyes, filled with strange symbols and an unfamiliar language. But as she gazed at the interface, the words seemed to shift into English, as if her mind was translating them in real-time.

Quest unlocked: Explore Nexus

Objective: Spend one month exploring the lands of Nexus and learning about the native societies of Mystica and Technos while completing quests.

Reward: +100 XP, unlock next quest in the Ruler's Challenge storyline.

Failure: Permanent entrapment in Nexus.

Her eyes widened. A quest? Like in an RPG? She peered at the interface again and noticed a series of bars at the top, each filled with a different amount. This couldn't be real. Maybe this was some kind of realistic video game or a government experiment gone wrong, Samara thought to herself.

She pinched herself, hard, but nothing changed. Samara took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing mind. She had no idea what was happening, but she knew one thing for sure - she had to survive. She couldn't let herself be trapped here forever.

Glancing around at the crowds of people, she noticed that some were already starting to move, splitting off into small groups and heading toward different parts of the city. It seemed like everyone was trying to figure out what to do next.

Samara hesitated for a moment, unsure of where to go or who to follow. The interface in her vision flickered, drawing her attention back to it.

At the bottom of the screen, a new line of text appeared.

Tip: Level up your stats by completing quests, fighting monsters, and conquering dungeons.

A chill went down her spine as she realized what this meant - if she wanted to make it out of here alive, she needed to get strong. She needed to level up and to do it she would have to kill monsters. Turning away from the crowds, Samara looked for a place to sit so she could attempt to wrap her mind around everything that just happened.

Finding an open space on a large rock, Samara sat down with a sigh. Will I see my family and friends again, she thought to herself. What happens if I die here, will my body return to Earth? Her mind was moving at a million miles per second. She tried closing her eyes to block out all of the thoughts racing through her mind but realized the interface was still there.

Confused she tried waving her hand through the floating interface. Her hand passed straight through. Testing out an idea that popped into her head, Samara turned her head left and right. The interface followed, adjusting itself to remain in her line of sight. She tested it again by moving her head up and down, slow at first and then rapidly. The interface remained floating in front of her.

Thinking about the LITRPG and fantasy web novels she used to read, Samara whispered to herself, "Open help menu." She raised an eyebrow as the interface shifted to show a series of options.

Reading through the menu she learned that there were five core attributes that influenced one's development.

The first was Physique (PHY). According to the interface, this represented one's physical power, agility, and endurance. This attribute affects melee damage, carrying capacity, accuracy in ranged combat, initiative, and hit points. It also influences certain physical skills like climbing, acrobatics, lockpicking, and sneaking.

The next attribute was Intellect (INT). This impacted one's mental capacity, problem-solving abilities, and knowledge of both magic and technology. This attribute affects the number of skill points needed to gain per level, the effectiveness of their magical or technological abilities, and certain mental skills like investigation, knowledge, spellcraft, and device crafting.

Third on the list was Perception (PER), which influenced one's intuition, perception, and common sense. This attribute affects the ability to notice hidden magical or technological objects or enemies, resist mental effects, and certain mental skills like insight, survival, and healing.

Charisma (CHA) was the fourth core attribute. It reflected one's personality, charm, and social skills. This attribute affects the ability to persuade, deceive, or intimidate others, as well as their ability to lead groups of magical or technological beings. It also influences certain social skills like diplomacy, performance, and leadership.

Affinity (AFF) was the fifth core attribute and it represents one's natural talent and affinity for both magic and technology. This attribute affects the potency of magical and technological abilities, the ability to learn and master new spells or devices, and the resistance to magical and technological effects.

Samara absorbed the information, thankful for the clarity it provided. She now had a better understanding of the world she found herself in and what she needed to do to survive. There was still more she wanted to search in the help menu, but looking around, she saw that most people had already dispersed, heading in different directions.

She had to make a decision and quickly. She knew that her survival in this world depended on her ability to level up, and to do so, she needed to complete quests, fight monsters, and defeat opponents.

Taking a deep breath, Samara stood up, looked at the interface, and muttered, "Show me the nearest quest."

The interface flickered for a moment before displaying a new message.

Quest located: Help the Emberwood villagers

Objective: Travel to the Mystican village, Emberwood and help them with their problems.

Reward: +50 XP, +100 gold coins, unlock next quest in the Ruler's Challenge storyline.

Failure: None

Samara's eyes lit up at the thought of receiving a reward for completing the quest. She had no idea what kind of problems the Emberwood villagers were facing, but it was a start. She took a deep breath and began walking toward the direction indicated on the interface.