It began as a simple drawing app.
Elias doodled a tiny floating island: one tree, one river, one sun that never burned too bright. But something strange happened. As he zoomed in, the island didn't pixelate or blur. Instead, it gained depth—grass swayed, water shimmered, the leaves rustled in a breeze.
His heart raced.
He added a cottage, and it appeared. He added a sky full of stars, and they twinkled. The world responded to his imagination like wet clay under his thumbs.
He named it Elyria.
After school, he raced home to build forests, mountains, creatures made of light and stone. Elyria greeted him without judgment. It grew with him, shaped by his dreams and fears.
For the first time in his life, Elias felt power.
For the first time, he felt… seen.