Next to him stands a young woman wearing a red corset with silver clasps across the front. Her curly brunette hair drapes over her shoulders, and a silver dagger hangs from her waist. Her gaze is fixed as she stares at the camera.
I can’t help but laugh at the notion of a vampire and a vampire hunter teaming up together.
“How did you decide to take on Aliya as your apprentice?” asks Nancy.
Lyle smirks at the camera before answering. His red pupils pulse in an eerie way. “I had a little tournament of my own. I invited anyone on Darkwood to travel to the Village of the Night. I offered to mentor the first eligible person to kill me. It took her a week, but Aliya here finally got the job done.”
Over the next few hours, I learn about more champions than I ever cared to. Human is by far the most common race for avatars, but we see a fair amount of fantasy and sci-fi races, even a few robots and cyborgs.
Dean and I are still laughing at a rainbow-colored clown that managed to win a racing tournament driving a tiny car, and his apprentice, a pink unicorn centaur, when the next challenger is announced.
The camera pans over a vast valley that stretches before a castle. A dark cloud of smoke moves across the landscape, and a thunderous roar emanates from within. Several hundred yards away, an army stands in position outside of a medieval city. Blue banners wave in the wind. Rows of knights are positioned at the front, followed by those on foot. Drums of war compete against the oncoming thunderous cloud.
As the cloud of darkness travels toward the army like a sandstorm of death, it leaves a trail of decay in its wake. The green fields are left blackened and charred, as if every bit of life had been ripped from the soil.
The knights charge into battle, vanishing in the depths of the cloud. Amidst the crack of thunder, a buzzing fills the air. The soldiers press on, but some on the back lines turn and run.
As more and more soldiers rush into the darkness, it pulses with dark energy, growing in size.
The hair on my neck stands up as I realize what has happened. The gates to the kingdom are closed, preventing the turncoats’ retreat, and the darkness swallows them as well.
The buzzing and crackling fades, and the cloud begins to disperse, revealing an undead army of thousands upon thousands. A chasm forms in the center, and a small speck of orange moves through. The camera zooms in, revealing a black horse with a fiery mane, tail, and hooves. A nightmare. Fire explodes from its nostrils as it neighs. Upon its back sits a behemoth of a man wearing heavy black armor. The ominous armor has skull pauldrons and a breastplate engraved with two skulls facing each other. A helm with two horns that curl around the side conceals the rider’s face, but I would never forget this armor, not in a million years. Two orange eyes glow brightly beneath the helm. Skeletal fingers hold the reins in one hand and the other holds a broadsword that nearly touches the ground.
Dean sits on the edge of his seat, watching the action unfold.
The image splits to one side of the screen as the castle gates open.
Nancy grins at the camera. “And there you have it folks, our next challenger needs no introduction, but he’ll get one anyways. He’s won more tournaments this year than any other challenger. And in the clip you just witnessed, Ryken became the first player to overtake the Valmar Kingdom without forging a single alliance. Here’s Pangea’s very own Ryken “The Black Death” Tanaka and his apprentice, Dawn Warren.”
Ryken and his army of death fades away, replaced by the death knight sitting on a throne in his home portal. The throne is as black as night, carved from obsidian. A row of skulls with jeweled eyes top the backrest, the eyes glimmering in the light of the candle chandelier above.
I roll my eyes. Of course he has a throne. He fancies himself as the greatest player to ever grace Pangea.
Dawn sits at his feet, clad in black armor in the same style as her mentor. Hers is more ornately designed, with black roses on the pauldrons and two foxes facing one another on the breastplate. A helm with a thin slit in the eyes sits at her feet, a black feather protruding from the top. If not for the fact that we knew she was a woman, one could never tell by the armor alone.
They’re a far cry from the cowboy clothing we last faced them in. I’m sure part of the reason for Ryken’s success is the intimidation his look and class bring.
Ryken’s eyes glow a menacing orange as he stares at the camera.
“Well, Ryken, you’re one of the most popular streamers around and a favorite to win the tournament. Do you have anything to say to the people watching at home?”
He clenches his hand into a fist and leans forward. When he speaks, his voice is deep and cavernous, like it’s bouncing off the walls of a cave. “Enjoy the show. We’re here to win, and I will take out anyone who stands in our way.”
“And what about you, Dawn? Any words for those watching?”
She smirks as her gaze finds the camera. “I prefer to let my actions do the talking.”
“Gah, these two are annoying,” Dean grumbles. “I hope I get a chance to shoot them all over again.”
I can’t help but laugh. For whatever reason, Ryken is a popular streamer, but he has a certain unlikable quality about him that I just can’t get over. Is it sullied by our first encounter? Maybe. But truth be told, the guy is a bully and a giant dick.
Maybe his followers use him as some kind of wish-fulfillment fantasy as he travels from world to world, destroying everything in his path and winning tournaments, but with an attitude like that, I very much doubt they would like him if they actually met him.
As I stew on my disdain for Ryken, Nancy interviews the next challenger. Her home portal is filled with plants and tree limbs that stretch from one end of the portal to the other. Large jungle cats perch on its branches. A dark-skinned woman sits on one of the branches, gently stroking a large jaguar.
Dreadlocks drape down the side of her face, and she wears a very simple outfit of tan cloth. Golden arm bangles wrap around her biceps, but aside from that, she is very rustic and plain. Yet there is an intensity that burns in her eyes. An intensity that I’ve seen before.
“Wait!” I say to myself more than anything. “Is that Talia?”
“Who?” asks Dean.
“I used to play Team Deathmatch with her on Spaceworld. And she helped Buzz with a quest that allowed him to upgrade his chicken farm. She always wore the advanced spacesuits back then. I never would have expected her home portal to look like this.”
Dean squints as he examines her before shrugging.
On the other side of the jaguar, a shirtless young man with an afro looks uncomfortable as he stares at the camera. He fidgets with his thumbs, before fixing his gaze on his dangling feet.
“Talia Tate,” Nancy begins. “I think I speak for everyone when I say this is not the portal I envisioned for the reigning champion of Spaceworld Solo Deathmatch.”
She sits up straight and winks at the camera. “You know what they say, Nancy. You can’t judge a book by its cover.”
Nancy laughs. “Very true. Now tell us about your apprentice, Chadwick Tate.”
Chadwick looks up once again, his eyes wide.
“Chadwick is my brother, if you couldn’t tell by our last names. We aim to show the power of family pride to all of Pangea.”
They both form their arms in an X and tap them twice against their chest. Chadwick suddenly looks a little more relaxed.
I turn to Dean while Nancy continues the interview. “This is good. We’ll at least have one other friend to lean on during the early stages of the tournament.”
He cocks an eyebrow. “You sure about that? I wouldn’t trust anyone but my partner in a tournament like this.”
I understand his hesitation, especially considering his upbringing. “We wouldn’t be here if I didn’t trust people. Talia is a good friend. And she’s one of the most honorable people I know.”
“If you say so.”
By the time the interviews are over, it’s nearly 8pm. After
watching Talia’s interview, Dean and I played ping pong and foosball for most of the remainder. I hope I never have to sit through something so boring ever again.
After the last interview is completed, Nancy sends the broadcast back to Benjamin.
“There you have it, folks. The complete list of challengers in the Pro-Am Tournament. I hope you’re as excited as I am to watch these titans compete against one another. As much fun as it was to get to know the competitors and newcomers, I’m sure you’re dying to know about the stages. To keep the tournament as fair as possible, we’ve decided not to announce the stages ahead of time. Each stage will be revealed at the moment all five hundred players enter the portal.” He pauses for a moment, letting the words sink in. “How’s that for a game changer? What I can tell you is this—there will be three stages, and one of them will be unlike anything you have ever witnessed. As for the first stage, I see no need to wait a week for the action to start. Competitors, be in your home portal at eight a.m. tomorrow morning. All weapons, items, levels, and abilities will be stripped from your avatar upon entering the gameworld, so bring your wits and determination, for that is what you’ll need to win.”
He winks at the camera and the feed goes back to the Pangea Online reporters. They looked as shocked as I am. I don’t think anyone expected the tournament to start a day after interviews. For something this big, usually there is at least a week of buildup.
“I don’t think anyone saw that coming.” The woman in the red dress turns to her co-anchor. “I’ve got a feeling this tournament will be full of surprises.”
The man nods. “Sometimes we all want to eat our dessert first. And it looks like we’ll be digging into it first thing in the morning. Stay tuned as we turn the broadcast over to our analysts as they reveal their favorites to win the tournament and dissect all of today’s news only on the official Pangea Online stream. As for us, we’ll be back here bright and early for the first stage of the Pro-Am Tournament. For Cynthia Blackstone, I’m Greg Orwin, it’s time to level up.”
I turn off the feed as it transitions to a table with four analysts. The last thing I need is to hear their thoughts and predictions.
“I hope you’re ready, Dean. Because tomorrow will be unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.”
His face is grave as he stares at me. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s show them what The Boxes are really made of.”
“We will. Now go home and get some rest. I need you at your best tomorrow.”
After Dean leaves, I sit on the couch to the sound of Fenrir’s snoring. We have some stiff competition. The odds are definitely not in our favor, and I don’t even want to know who the analysts have their money on. Probably Ryken. I can’t let Dean down, though, so I’ll be going at this with everything I’ve got.
I sound like Ryken as the thought crosses my mind, but two words stand at the forefront.
No mercy.
Chapter Fourteen
When I arrive home, I send a message to Buzz, Grayson, and Aleesia telling them not to worry about me, but I’ll be muting all incoming messages for the night—for everyone except Dean, but I don’t tell them that. If he needs me, I’ll be there, but I want time to myself to get in the headspace for the tournament. I know the others will want to wish me well, but the last thing I need is encouragement.
I expected to have more time. For what, I’m not sure. Dean and I have spent weeks training on so many different worlds just to get a feel for what may come, but the truth is that we have no better idea than anyone else. Well, that’s not entirely true. I have one advantage that others don’t. I know that full-immersion is coming.
Will it be unveiled from the start or is going to be in a later level? Will the Broken Lands be a part of the tournament? If so, will Carter and the others be a part of it?
I lay down in my bed and stare at the ceiling. More questions than answers. The story of my life.
Closing my eyes, I try to quiet the voices in my head, to silence the worries. If I’m feeling this stressed, I can only imagine how Dean is feeling. If he is stressed, he does a good job of hiding it. Maybe he’s better suited for this tournament business than I ever was.
The dull ring of my alarm slowly amplifies, gently waking me. I eat, shower, and strap into my haptic suit. Fenrir greets me enthusiastically as I enter my portal and a few minutes later, Dean arrives.
My jaw hits the floor when he steps into my home portal. Instead of going home and getting rest, it looks like he spent the evening shopping for a new outfit. His cowboy outfit is gone, replaced by something resembling my own.
He wears a red tunic, hemmed with black. A golden axe is embroidered on each collar. A golden wolf buckle stands out prominently against his black belt. Black pants tie the whole thing together. His outfit is practically identical to the one I’m wearing, but in a different color.
He looks at me expectantly. “What do you think?”
My face flushes, and I’m suddenly aware of just how much this means to him. I could make a joke about how we look like a better combination than a warrior and a cowboy, but I don’t want to downplay what he’s done. “I think we look like a damn good team.”
A grin spreads across his face. “Yeah, but we both know I wear it better.”
“Ha, whatever you say, kid. Just know I’m the original.”
Dean plays tug-of-war with Fenrir while we wait for instructions about the tournament. The giant wolf slings him around my portal like he weighs nothing.
A few minutes later, I receive a notification, detailing a special portal and the code to get in.
Dean and I go to the coordinates listed and input the code. We materialize inside of a massive white room.
You have entered The Vacuum. All abilities, levels, weapons, and items have been stripped of their power upon entering.
I open my inventory and sure enough, every item is grayed out and unusable. We all have our clothing, but any stats associated with them have also been removed.
Several hundred challengers are already here, and more materialize by the second.
Dean looks on in awe beside me. “This is a lot of people.”
Standing so close together, the competition finally settles in. Many of the faces around us are just as awestruck as we are. Two gnomes get lost among the host of large bodies. A giant with a young boy perched on his shoulder has the best view around.
We have quite a road ahead of us.
Off to the right, Ryken and Dawn stand with their arms crossed. A skeleton walks up to Ryken, says something, and then abruptly takes a step back.
“Esil!” A hand grips me firmly on the arm and I turn to see Talia. Her brother stands sheepishly behind her. “I was surprised to see you show up in the interviews. I thought your tournament days were behind you.”
I wrap my arm around her, giving her a half-hug. “So did I. But here we are.” I glance around the crowd. “It’s good to see a friendly face, though. I hardly recognized you in your new setup. Talia, this is Dean. Dean, Talia.”
“Nice to meet you. This is my brother Chadwick.” She spreads her arms wide, showcasing her tribal outfit. “You know I enjoy the spaceworlds, but in my free time, I like to get back to my roots. Maybe we can all keep an eye out for one another when the time comes.”
To our left, a group of beast people have huddled around one another. A couple of minotaurs, a centaur, others with the heads of lions and tigers. Are they forming alliances already or admiring one another’s avatars?
“I don’t think you’re the first person with that idea. We need—”
A gust of wind sweeps over the crowd as Nancy enters through a portal in the sky. Her pegasus flaps its massive wings as she hovers in the air above us. Her silver armor glimmers as it reflects the whiteness of our surroundings.
“Greetings, challengers, and welcome to the Pangea Online Pro-Am Tournament. I’m going to keep this short and simple. Your journey begins here. Complete stage one and you will move forwar
d in the tournament. Fail, and your journey is over. In the end, only one team will be victorious. Good luck, challengers!”
She snaps her fingers and bodies begin to dissipate all around me. The next thing I know, everything is black.
Chapter Fifteen
There’s blackness everywhere. I wait for my eyes to adjust, but it never happens. A faint beeping echoes in the distance. My feet are on solid ground, I can tell that much, but that is the only thing I know for certain. Extending my arms, I feel the space around me. My fingers graze a cloth-like material.
“AHHH!” someone yells.
The scream carries as something firm swats at my arm.
“Esil, is that you?” Dean’s voice is higher-pitched than usual.
“Yeah, it’s me.” I breathe a sigh of relief. We’re together, so this is clearly stage one of the tournament.
The ground shakes, and I wobble to find my balance in a world where I can’t tell up from down. The space around us rumbles to life and dim lights flicker all around us. A pathway ignites beneath our feet in orange neon and a hatch suctions shut behind us.
It looks like we’re inside some kind of spaceship. Panels and pipes run along the walls. Machinery hisses and grunts on the other side of the walls.
“Where are we?” Dean asks, his face bathed in an orange glow. His new clothing has been replaced by a gray unitard and matching gray boots.
I’m wearing the same thing.
In answer to his question, a prompt appears in my vision. Digital neon letters hover in the air before me.
In the year 2525, while passing through an interdimensional wormhole, the megatransport ship CS Lancaster disappeared while on a supply run to the intergalactic front. While the weaponry and armor on board are vital to our efforts to hold our territories from foreign invaders, there is a greater threat upon the ship. A rare artifact which could prove disastrous if it falls into the wrong hands. For twenty-five years, its whereabouts have remained unknown.
Pangea Online: The Complete Trilogy Page 59