The world of gaming was Wesley’s area of expertise. The first day he picked his console as a child, became the day he got hooked on gaming, for him it wasn’t just a hobby, it was his escape, his passion. He had fun in overcoming challenges in virtual games or in overcoming powerful and strong enemies or in solving complicated problems and story lines. These had always interested him. He thus had gained a lot of experience in the game, but this night was going to challenge all that he had learnt with regards to the gaming field. Wesley had advanced to a new rank, the game had been difficult from the beginning so more than anything wesley was ready for the worst. This level of the game was in a battle through impenetrable darkness with the overlord Nalakar under whose rule some players are turned into slaves after failing through his test. Wesley had logged back into Valhalla but this time, however, it was being very obvious that he was tense. If he were to fail, then the outcome
Wesley and Strong were in the same level again, and both of them found themselves in front of a campfire in the middle of the forest. Lily and Zily, their fairies are also with them. They once got separated from each other at some levels but now they have met again. They both sat in front of the fire while talking, and the firelight illuminated their faces with shadows. For weeks they have been playing the game trying their best to make their way out of it or finally win the game. "Well, have you ever thought whether we’ll actually win this game?" Wesley probes the fire with a long stick. “Of course we will. I’m not planning on staying in this virtual prison forever." Strong responded, crossed arms, and leaned on a tree. “Yeah, you’re always so sure of yourself. ” Wesley says, laughing weakly. Strong, now looking at Wesley with a wide smile on her face, “You have become so much stronger Wesley, you are casting spells and defeating enemies like a pro." “Oh, that’s only because
"And you are pushing Strong too hard! Not everyone needs to be thrown into the fire to grow." Lily said, furious as her wings shimmered. Wesley looks at Strong hoping for backup. Frustrated Wesley said, "Strong can you please talk to Zily? This is getting out of hand." "Trust me I've tried, Zily doesn't listen to me when she's in one of these moods," Strong sighed, rubbing her temples. "That's because you know I'm right, Strong. We didn't get this far by playing it safe." Zily added, glancing at Strong with a smirk. ‘Okay, okay, I understand both parties here but we are in this together, we have to fight this as teammates.’ Wesley said in frustration. “Right, that’s what I was thinking too We must find balance Zily, you have been more reckless with your strategy and Lily, I see you are overprotecting Wesley” Strong nodded. The two fairies gaze at their players, though they no longer glow, yet their faces are attentive. “Fine, I’ll try to not go overboard but only if Lily will
Wesley forged ahead of the weariness and trepidation that began to nestle into him. The forest boomed with a brilliant range of tricks, illusions of gigantic creatures, swirling fog that hid his way, and echoes of menacing laughter. Wesley tripped, but he centered his attention on the fixed, strong light Lily had pointed out for him.Using all his strength, Wesley moved through the jungle, directed by the slight, resilient light of the clearing. At last, he broke into the expansive space, gasping for air. Surrounded by a golden glow, the clearing showed off a great altar, glimmering with energies of divinity. Lily danced joyously around him, her magic gleaming like fireworks. "You did it, Wesley! You've completed the trial!"In the clearing, the goddess White emerged, her countenance being both serene and luminous. She looked at Wesley with a smile and her gaze was filled with encouragement. “You have proved your value and your bravery and doggedness have been clearly recognized.” "
There were people all along the roads, but something about them was different. They walked around almost aimlessly and as Wesley paid them more attention hebrealized they were not actually moving forward. They were moving backward. Surprised, Wesley turned his gaze downward toward his hands. His fingers twitched involuntarily qas if some prior gestures he had made had immediately replayed themselves. His heart raced as he tried to understand what was happening. “This couldn’t be right," he whispered. “I’ve fallen into another glitch.”As he walked forward, the world around him was moving in reverse. The marketplace was incredibly active, it seemed like someone had pressed rewind on a film reel. Merchants put the fruit back on the stalls, children picked up their coins that they threw on the ground, and birds flew backwards through the air.They spoke in reverse too, their words becoming an indistinct murmur that buzzed through the atmosphere around them. Wesley’s eyes widened and his
As Wesley proceeded into the next space, the air became thick and offensive. In front of him lay the Swamp of Death, an evil and eerie place, filled with crooked and twisted tree trunks, and stinking water that was very stagnant and bubbly. Thick, green fog rolled across the surface of the swamp, carrying a stench of decay so strong that Wesley nearly gagged. A disembodied voice, which was cold and mechanical echoed in his head, "Beware. The Swamp of Death. Few who enter never return. Choose your path wisely." Wesley stopped at the border of the swamp and looked for a cross means without any sign on the horizon. His foot descended into the green ooze and it seemed as though the earth wanted to pull him in further with each step he made. Despite lurking threats in the air, it was impossible to turn around and go home. The noise of splashing water beside him made him stop immediately. Out of the corner of his eye he caught some movement, a creature coiled and wriggling through the
"You... I remember you. The first time we crossed paths, I barely made it out alive." Wesley said. "Ah, yes. The trembling player who thought he could escape my grasp. How foolish." The zombie lord said. "I was weaker then, now I know this world better. I know you better."From the swamp of death, Wesley was lifted into another level. He had passed the trial needed to get to the next level, although he wasn't aware. Earlier in the game, Wesley had confronted some mini bosses, all fingers- associates to Shadow, the grandmaster of the dark world. He would now subsequently come face to face with those mini bosses one after the other. The first of them being the Zombie Lord, he was in charge of dispatching and commanding zombies to do the bidding of Shadow. He had his own mini kingdom however - moreso, an area he had jurisdiction over. "You've grown stronger, true. But strength alone would not save you here. You're still bound by the same rules, Wesley." The zombie lord explained.
Roaring in rage the health bar drops to 60. "You insolent little worm" the zombie lord said and a dark aura activated, causing the area a wide fear status. You cannot withstand the darkness of the cursed realms. Wesley under the effect of fear vision felt himself loosing. "What The...? my movement speed just dropped by 50% what's this?" "Your time is up! you will be another soul trapped here for eternity!" the zombie lord said, charging forward with his sword raised. "Not so fast! I've got one more trick up my sleeve!" Wesley said. Cleansing orb of purity inventory warning: one left. This better work... He uses the orb and boom, the buff removed! No more fear! Hissing in anger the zombie Lord said, "impossible! no one has ever survived my fear aura before!" "Guess I'm not no one," Wesley smirked. He dashed in, activating 'power strike combo'. "Time to bring that health bar down. Strike, strike, strike! Crut gut! Down to 35%! You're loosing this fight, and fast." Staggering,
"Here's the plan, you use your ember to place is all in an invisible demarcation. At least it can last for a whole day and that should do!" Strong chuckled. "I have a different plan. The ember is powerful, wave it and she'll be puffed into a little rat!" "No, it doesn't work that way, Lily," Wesley laughed. I'll just say we would get on the ship and watch her moves, she just might not have that instinct, seeing we're already headed for an even greater battle." Wesley added, pasting a nervous, light smile on his face. "Good thing to have each and everyone of you on my back. I hope you'll enjoy the ride and don't forget to come back for more. As you all know, we're headed for the tower of decision, some of you are headed there for business, some for bargain and some for... Battle. Eitherways we're all headed in the same direction, so let's stick together and we'll definitely see each other on the other side! See you on the other side!" Menon explained. They sat put on a shaky be
They arrived at the nearest harbour on the beach. Goffer, the witch at the Street of Confusion, had mentioned the name of the ship to be, Menon. They got to the harbour and continued to make their inquiries. "Hello. Please we're in search of a certain ship, it's named, Menon." "Oh Men? He just started on another voyage. You'll have to wait two days, that's how long it takes him to return from a voyage to the other side." "Okay then, any place to maybe sleep and freshen up here?" "Not at all. I thought you're trying to see a possibility to stay around so we don't miss the ship when it comes." "Oh, no one misses the ship. Except they want to miss it. When the ship returns, it makes a loud, deafening sound, so that everyone knows his back and those who would need to get on the ship would make themselves available. There's a hotel, just opposite us. You can stay there for the next two days." "Alright. Thanks a lot. We appreciate." As they entered the hotel room. It was very co
"Welcome." She said. "Just follow me. I'll show you the most intriguing sight in the entire world." "Alright, I'm following you. Intrigue me!" He chuckled. The mermaid had granted him the temporary ability to breathe under water as long as he was close to her. He lost the ability of he went farther. They swam on to the deepest depth of the ocean, until they arrived at what looked like a city under the water. "I've been here before. We just even left off this 'water city' when you met me." Wesley added. "Oh really? Then how come I never met or saw you?" "I don't know, it's a big city, so that's very much possible." "Here, this is my room." They had now arrived at a huge mansion. Wesley saw Merpeople swimming across and above, going about their needed duty. It all seemed like a different planet under the water. "I'll love for you to meet my parents." "Meet you're parents?" "I only came here to see the most intriguing sight on earth, nothing more." "I know. You could as well
As the continued on. They were suddenly expunged from the tunnel. They were now in the sea, and in the mist of the red fog. It smelt like human blood. "What is all that red stuff?" Wesley asked, turning to Lizot. She was excellent at history. "For the first time, I'm just blank, Wesley. But you can ask the ember and see, if any answers would be provided." "Why ask an ember when I'm right here for you?" They all turned to see the pixelated whale. "I'm the messenger whale, I help drowned players make it to where they can breathe. But from the way you folks look, you're not lost in anyways. Or am I wrong? Please let me know." He said fluffing his huge fins, he had a deep baritone voice that seemed to echoe through out the oceans. "Are the Merpeople aware of your presence?" "Who are the Merpeople?" Strong questioned. "They are the major inhabitants of the ocean. They are like you, they have your physical appearance, the only difference is they possess fish tails, fins and default a
"There's one thing, getting to the Tower of Decision and there's another, finding Lord Shadow. Well when you get there, you'll figure it out yourself!" "Alright! It seems you'll rather be a blind witch!" "No. No. No. Wait. When you get to the Beach of Riddles, there's a ship that speaks, it's name is Menon. It's the only ship that would be able to take you all over to the other side of the sea, that's where you find the tower. Can I go now?" "Sure". She walked off into the thin air, as if there was an open door in front of her. "You've heard the direction she gave. "What's the next step now?" Wesley asked looking in the direction of Lily and Lizot. "We start heading on as she stated." A notification popped on the screen.'Tempest, you have delayed at a particular spot. The time is ticking, the game is rolling, don't be left behind.' "Ouch! Didn't see that coming." Immediately he said this words, he began running in the direction needed, as stated by Goofer, the witch. Strong fol
The mini-boss had forgotten to mention to Wesley the fact that he would go through the Street of Confusion on his way to the Tower of Decision through the Beach of Riddles. They had slowly arrived at the Street called Confusion, without even knowing it. The fairies, Lily and Lizot were well aware of this, but were too engulfed in their conversation to realize how far gone they were on their path. They slowly came to a street with the sign post, 'Welcome To The Street Of Confusion', it was indeed confusion. They had been on the street, long before they saw a sign post indicative of where they were. The street was also actually longer than it seemed to be. Most players ended up here, being swirled away by one thing or the other. Wesley also noticed that it was hard to understand what the inhabitants of this street said when they spoke, because the words were all juggled up and confusing. The feminine voice they heard belonged to a witch who lived on that street. She was the only one w
Suddenly Wesley is suspended in the air. The two mini-bosses watch in astonished. Suddenly they disappeared into thin air as well as the cage he was put in. Wesley, amazed and confused at the same time with regards to what had just happened, however continued his journey on. He was now heading towards the tower of decision, he remembered everything he was told earlier by one of the mini-bosses he had met. He muttered to himself, "tower of decision? How am I supposed to get there now!" "She would guide you" he heard White's voice say from behind him. "Ouch! You sure scared the hell out of me! What the heck!" He exclaimed as he sat back on a golden pillar standing in front of him. He was now in the Golden City, an immensely beautiful city, just after the bridge of Despair. He had appeared here since he was victorious at the bridge. Few players make it past the bridge. "You're slowly coming to the end of the game. I must commend your strength and tenacity, there have been so many pla
"I don't know Son, please save me, don't let them have me, I saw them kill a young lady, right in front of me. I think she was a player or a relative to one of the players who couldn't meet up to their request." "Mother, I'm sorry you have to go through this. Please try to stay as calm as possible, I've got this. I'm gonna get you out of here. What was the request the player failed to fulfill?" "I can't remember!" She answered, amidst sobs. "That's the weirdest part of it all, I can't even remember what it was, if I could everything would have been a lot easier, I guess." "How did we get in here?" "I would explain that later Mom, please just put yourself together. This is not the end of the world. Now here's what we are going to do. I think I've figured this out. The game wants you to cry, so don't. Laugh instead. That would create an imbalance and thus we can escape. Are your hands tied?" "Yes they are." "With a rope? Or?" "I don't know what they call the material with
"Wow! Incredible!" "You deserve it. Your courage amazes me, even as a Lightan. Kudos." Wesley walked through the bridge with Lily behind him. They walked for a long distance, the bridge was getting despairingly long. Now they understand why it was named the Bridge of Despair. Wesley was getting weak. "Wesley! Come on, don't do that! Let's keep going. Don't despair! That's what the bridge wants, for you to despair." "The ember! It can boost my strength, I'm sure." Wesley highlighted as he reached into his bag pack for the ember, it wasn't there. He searched frantically for the ember, it was gone. And Lily was gone too. "No way!" "Yes way! You're our prey now. There's no going back. You're ours to feast on. We didn't kill you. Just something you should know in advance before you die." "Die? Do you really know me?" "We don't, we don't care to. We just want to party!" A host of weird looking creatures creeped out in their numbers from under the bridge. They crept out from all direct