"These games you mentioned," I asked Marcus, "what more can you tell me about them? What exactly are we expected to do?"Marcus rubbed his chin thoughtfully before responding. "The games can take many forms, Damon. Sometimes they're tests of combat prowess, other times they involve solving puzzles or navigating treacherous environments. And occasionally, they require diplomacy or cunning to outwit your opponents.""One thing to keep in mind," Marcus added, "is that each game or challenge can have its own unique set of rules. For instance, in this particular game, we're not allowed to use our systems."I looked at him in disbelief. "Wait, what? Why would they give us these abilities and then take them away?"‘I already noticed that my system was disabled, just like the other time this happened,’ I thought to myself.“You’ve seen something like this before right? A random quest where you’re just pulled out of your normal world for no reason, and you can’t use your system till you comple
"So, Damon," Marcus inquired, his tone playful yet curious, "what about your stats? How are you shaping up in this crazy game we've found ourselves in?"I hesitated for a moment, feeling a twinge of embarrassment. After all, my stats were nowhere near as impressive as Marcus's. But there was no use in hiding them. "Well, I'll be honest, I haven't been the most diligent player," I admitted. "My level is only at ten, and I haven't even chosen a class or race yet. As for my stats, they're pretty underwhelming compared to yours."Marcus smiled encouragingly. "Don't worry about it, Damon. Everyone starts somewhere. The important thing is that you're willing to learn and improve. With the right strategy and a bit of luck, you'll be catching up to me in no time.""So, Marcus," I asked, my curiosity piqued, "how long have you had your system for? I mean, you're so powerful that it must've taken you quite some time, right?"Marcus grinned and nodded. "You've got a good eye, Damon. I've had my
Just as Marcus's words remained heavy in the air, a sudden, deafening blast of sound echoed through the courtyard.We were startled, and we both turned to see the horn-bearing man atop the platform, he held his breath and with all his light screamed, "Let the games begin!"All of a sudden, the man pressed the horn to his lips and blew with all his might. The resulting sound drowned out all other noise, leaving Marcus and me momentarily stunned, and I grabbed my ears in pain.The echoes of the horn finally faded soon after, ‘saved by the bell, or in this case, the horn!’ I thought to myself. A wave of relief washed over me. My heart was still pounding from the close call with Marcus, but for now, he couldn’t care less, as everyone was focused on the commencement of the games.I wondered what challenges lay ahead, and thought to myself whether I should’ve stayed close to Marcus, to increase my chances of survival.The excitement of the crowd began to swell around us, and Marcus and I
The anticipation mounted, our group and all the others were directed to separate entrances leading into the labyrinth. We found ourselves at the mouth of a dimly lit tunnel, and it felt like the damp stone walls were closing in around us. Our new allies exchanged nervous glances, some of them gripped their cheap makeshift weapons, and steeled themselves for the trials ahead.The air was thick with tension as the announcer's voice boomed into the loudspeakers once more, once he gave the signal for us to begin, the whole place would erupt into chaos."Competitors, ready yourselves!" the announcer commanded, his voice echoed through the tunnels."In just a few moments, the games will begin. Remember, only the first five to return with the flag will advance to the next round. May the odds be in your favor!"A hush fell over the crowd as the weight of the announcer's words sank in. I felt the pounding of my heartbeat in my chest, my muscles were tense and ready to spring into action.
As we made our way through the labyrinth, the girl who was shocked remained close, her hand was still trembling, and I could feel it because I held her hand. Marcus continued to press forward, it was clear he didn’t approve of our new companion, and his tense shoulders made him easy to read.In an attempt to break the heavy silence, I turned to the girl, and offered her a gentle smile. "I'm Damon, by the way," I said, I kept my voice steady even though I was still in emotional turmoil from the gravity of the situation we found ourselves in. "What's your name?"She hesitated for a moment, she exchanged glances between me and Marcus, as if analyzing if we were a threat.Finally, she cleared her throat, and her resolve returned, and she was no longer shaken. "I'm Olivia," she replied, her voice barely more than a whisper.I gave her hand a small squeeze. "It's nice to meet you, Olivia. We'll get through this together."‘It’s nice that I can at least have a conversation with someone oth
Marcus's words hit me like a punch to the gut, his cold logic was a reminder of the reality we faced.As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. In this ruthless world, there was no room for reckless heroism. We had to rely on each other, but we also had to be smart.I nodded, and I frowned a little when I heard his words."You're right," I admitted, my voice barely more than a whisper. "I won't make that mistake again."He studied me for a moment before giving me a curt nod. "Good," he said, his tone was only slightly softer now. "We need each other if we're going to survive this. Just remember that."He turned and looked at Olivia, who was peeping down the end of the ledge. "Let's go," he said, and I could see the determination in his eyes. "We've got a labyrinth to conquer."I took a deep breath when I heard this.We made our way back down the opening in the wall, and my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions.I glanced at Marcus, his face was hard and determined as he l
A bright light suddenly shone around my body.All the pain I felt earlier was now a distant memory, and my entire body felt rejuvenated.I crawled out of the hole and back to level ground, trying to get my bearings.NOTICEActivation of secret skill, Thou Shalt Not Die was successful.Weren't you supposed to be disabled?’ I thought to myself.….., was the only response I received.I closed the panel and examined my surroundings.The first thing I needed to do was to get out of the chamber, and reunite with Olivia and Marcus.But to do that, I needed to escape the monster.‘I can’t outrun it, the only thing I can do is outsmart it and try to defeat it,’ I thought to myself.So I made up my mind to confront the monster, and began to devise a plan.I paced forward and back trying to find out a plan, and I decided to try and assess my environment, to see if I could use the terrain to my advantage.I continued to walk the path after the hole and finally came to the edge.It was like a clif
The attacker lunged forward, and he aimed his weapon at my chest.His movements were sloppy, and it was clear that he was inexperienced, he lacked finesse.I dodged the blow easily, a simple step to the side was enough for him to miss his target and his knife struck the wall, sending sparks flying.He was disoriented and I saw the opportunity and took it. I swept my torch in a low arc, and hit him behind his ankles. My movements were quick and precise, and with a quick swipe I pulled the torch, sending him crashing to the floor. His weapon flew out his hands and skidded across the floor, before finally coming to rest at Olivia's feet.He scrambled to try to get to his feet, but I was faster. I pinned him to the ground with my foot, and pressed the torch against his chest as a warning. If he moved, I would hit him in the head, ultimately knocking him out.His eyes widened with fear as he realized he was defeated."It's over," I said, my voice was steady, despite the adrenaline cour