STAGE 5
The beast roared its last and fell into a heap of blood, mud and fur on the ground. The seeker with a red cross on his cheek grinned at his handiwork. He had so much power from killing three of the twenty-five seekers.
"Boss Defeated, Seeker: Andrew David Smith, Victorious."
"Fuck yes." He fist-pumped. "Later, suckers."
"Wait!" Emile yelled as a bright light flashed and Andrew disappeared. "Info-bot! What happens to his Hidden now?"
"Corresponding Hidden of Boss Killer shall remain as Void Player with grey symbol. When a new Seeker joins, that player will be linked to the Void Player."
"Shit. Where the hell are Tony and Skye!"
STAGE 10
Tony and Emile were lucky to have found an oasis. It's been hours since their water supply ran out. Their food supply was replenished when they scavenged from what seemed to be an ambushed camp of Seekers. They must all have left quickly but there were signs of an attack, everything was scattered and there were certain items that were burnt. It was a clear night and they managed to pitch a tent. The monsters skittered about and the two simply ignored them, used to the noise.
"How long has it been?" Tony said, scribbling on the sand, munching on one of the fruits they stole.
"Since you took a bath?" Emile joked, washing his face at the spring.
"No." Tony said gravely. "Since the game started. It feels like ages since my mark turned grey."
"You had a selfish prick for a Seeker." Emile said, now drinking. "I'm sure there'll be another one. We've got a day left in this stage, right?"
"Less than twelve hours."
"So, a work day."
They were quiet for a while as they both looked up at the sky. "Info-bot," Tony said nervously. "Player status."
"Active Players: Nineteen of fifty. Active Hiddens: nine. Active Seekers: ten. Casualties: twenty six. Boss Kills: Five. Seeker and Hidden Victory: Zero. Void Players: One."
"Tough." Emile said. "And to your question, we can't be too sure. Time seems different in the games. But it sure felt like forever."
"Maybe it was."
STAGE 15
Robert's eyes and hair were silvery-white and the air around them was so bitingly cold that breathing felt like inhaling and exhaling double ended pins. His face was void of expression, his stance was void of life. His powers were too great that the remaining Seekers and Hiddens had to band together to defeat him or else they all met GAME OVER here for sure.
"Hidden folk, y'all gotta stay back, hear me?" Said a pretty Seeker.
"Oh god. What are we going to do." Skye said, near tears. "That's Rob. Our Rob! We can't hurt him."
"Don't mind if we do, then!" Said a Emile's burly Seeker who passed a javelin and a spear to Tony and Skye's lanky Hidden respectively.
"No!" Tony said, running after him and the three other Seekers who charged off. "Don't hurt Rob!"
"Hey, you three." Skye's Hidden stepped in front of Tony threateningly. You're either with us or against us.
"I'm not hurting Rob and I won't let you!" Tony bellowed, charging after the Seekers who attacked. Skye's Hidden went after him and Emile and Skye called Tony simultaneously. The two of them immediately went after him.
A brutal multi-way fight erupted between the Seekers, Hiddens and Robert. Anthony, Skye and Emile tried their best to fend off the attackers. Robert however, did not recognize friend or foe and continued fighting whoever throws him a hit or whoever gets past the icicles. And all this took place on a platform of ice that's thickest where Robert stood. Once or twice someone nearly fell.
"For victory!" Yelled Emile's Seeker, charging to Robert at a lapse in defense.
"NO!" Tony threw the spear with an accuracy honed in the game.
"NO TONY, STOP-" Emile tried to warn him, blocking out his Seeker in an attempt to stop the spear.
Wrong move, very wrong move. Everyone stopped in shock. There was silence except for the bot message. Even Robert had paused.
"Hidden: Emile van Dyke, Eliminated. Seeker: Louis Peters, Mission Failed."
"EMILE!" Skye screamed as Emile fell, the spear had gone straight through his chest and blood was splattered everywhere.
"Em...mile," Tony croaked weakly, shocked.
"Fuck no!" Emile's Seeker cried before he and Emile both pixelated and disappeared. Skye screamed and screamed, sobbing messily as all that's left of her husband is the blood on her hands.
"This is why our enemy is him!" Skye's Hidden pointed to Robert, still being attacked by the others. "And because Anthony's chosen a side, he's an enem-"
Without flinching, Skye held him by the shoulders and plunged her flaming fist into the boy's chest, ripping his heart out. Her eyes were wide open and crazed. Her lip was quivering. "Emile," she whispered.
"S-s-skye-" Tony said weakly, losing control of his knees and sliding onto the ice.
"Hidden: Manuel Gregorio, eliminated. Seeker: Sophie Keating, ERROR-"
Skye screamed again, blasting air and fire everywhere.
"What the fuck!" A Seeker said, trying to evade. The ice where she was is pretty thin and it cracked when she stumbled. Tony was still petrified where he sat. Someone tripped over him and fell straight to the edge. Tony scrambled to help but he was gone. He froze again, looking at the emptiness below.
For some reason, Robert wasn't moving either.
The next thing they knew, there was a loud and painfully long beep, not so different from that of a fax machine. The bot was stuttering over an incoherent message as Skye continued to rampage.
Then, everything was gone.
GAME OVER.
INITIALIZING RESET.
>>>LOADING GRAPHICS....
>>>LOADING SFX....
>COMPLETE.
>>>LOADING MONSTERS....
>>>LOADING WEAPONS...
>>>LOADING BOSS...
>>>LOADING EQUIP...
>COMPLETE.
>>>LOADING PLAYERS...
>>LOADING NEW PLAYERS....
>>>>>ERROR
>>>LOADING r-sinclaire...
>>>ERROR
GAME START.