Avatars Rising: SILOS I

by David R. Bernstein

  “You know, these things should be discussed before making a decision,” Myco says to him.

  “This island is called Death Island for a reason,” Rohan says.

  Myco stares at the ground.

  “I don’t mean to be blunt,” Rohan says. “This place isn’t made to be easy for anyone, the Grips included. ‘Salvation’ won’t be won just because we want it. It has to be earned.”

  Myco lifts her gaze to Rohan and nods. He looks around.

  “We shouldn’t be too much farther.”

  I steel myself, and we all continue, allowing the silence to weigh on us once more. At the top of the trail, the scent of hot sulfur stings my nose, stronger than it was before. I cover my mouth, but the gesture only intensifies the smell. I hope I don’t die with that scent in my nose. I try to remember the salty smell of the ocean breeze, instead.

  The rumbling sound is closer now, but it doesn’t vibrate against my boots. Rather, the quake is coming from ahead of us.

  The trail ends at a ravine. A thirty-foot wall of lava pours down in front of us like a hellish waterfall. Searing heat rolls off the flow, and I shield my eyes. They water anyway.

  Rohan and Lucas walk to the edge of the trail and try to peer around the molten flow.

  “It’s not like we can go through it,” Myco says.

  Rohan runs his hands through his hair. “I don’t understand.”

  I scan the area. “Is this the arena?”

  “No,” Rohan says. “You know when you’re in arena battle zone.”

  “Do we have to be a certain Level for the arena to appear?” Lucas ventures.

  Rohan shrugs, then digs his hands into his hips as he tries to find another trail. There isn’t one, unless he plans to scale the side of the mountain. That, I’m not up for. I don’t want to get closer to the lava but, other than going down the mountain, we’re at an impasse.

  “We’re sitting ducks,” Myco says. “If the game senses our code, then we’re screwed.”

  “I know,” I say. “We can’t give up, though.”

  Rohan grows increasingly frustrated, charging around the area, looking for another way around the impossible obstacle before us.

  “What if there are other avatars with the boss?” Lucas suggests.

  Rohan stops pacing and faces him, bobbing his head a few times. “That seems possible.” He peers over at the lava. “As I said, not many make it this far.”

  In my mind, I hear Lucas telling Rohan to have hope—his catch-phrase—but he doesn’t say it aloud.

  Rohan’s shoulders drop a notch and his fists uncurl. He moves around at a slower pace, but doesn’t give up. Myco and I stand farther back on the trail, keeping our distance from the lava. Even though I don’t want to be anywhere near the scalding liquid, I’m drawn to it. Getting an up-close view of the molten fire isn’t something we had time for when we first arrived.

  Staring at the flickering reds and oranges, I marvel at the molten rock as the thick, bright, liquid fire oozes down the slope and off the cliff’s edge. A black spot appears in the center of the fiery waterfall cascading to the ravine’s floor. I blink. The hole doesn’t go away. My heart thunders against my chest as the opening widens.

  “Guys?” I say, pointing at the searing red flow. I want to make sure I’m not imagining the opening. The others gather around and peer at the sight, then look at me with wide eyes. Rohan has never had a bigger grin on his face.

  The lava splits open like a curtain, an invitation beckoning us to enter the arena. Lucas holds out his hand for us to wait as he inspects what’s beyond. I don’t wait. I can’t. I have to see what’s on the other side.

  Myco follows, and the four of us walk up to the entrance and through the space under the lava. I burst forward, unsure if this is a trick or not. The arena takes shape before us. The dark stone walls reach up toward the sky. A small opening at the top reveals black clouds streaked with an occasional crackling flash of lightening. Lava cascades down the walls, pooling at the bottom to form a ring of fire around the edges.

  We’re in the center of a caldera. How fitting for a final battle.

  I don’t see a boss anywhere. Turning around, I notice that Myco hesitates on the other side of the lava. Just like before, we all need to cross the threshold for the battle to begin. I wave her over and she sprints over, gripping my hand when she makes it to my side.

  A deep churning echoes from the entrance as the lava closes and seals us inside the arena. The heat from the wall increases, making this intense moment even more distressing.

  We move forward collectively and enter the arena. Myco lets go of my hand and steadies her crossbow, aiming it in front of her. I grip my daggers and position my back against hers so we have a 360-degree view of the space.

  Crumbling rocks cascade down a section of wall as a gaping hole splits the towering mountain side open. Thunder shakes the ground and I look up, expecting to see a raging storm churning above us. But the sound is actually in front of us, and I quickly discover pounding booms are not from thunder.

  The final boss lumbers toward us from the new opening in the wall.

  I swallow the rock-sized lump in my throat. Standing at least twelve-feet tall, the demon’s hulking frame enters the arena. Like old, thick leathered armor, his charred and cracked skin scales every inch of his muscled body. Sinewy flames engulf his large hands, snaking and coiling up his thick forearms. Two black, massive horns jut from his angular head and twist toward the sky. Smaller, bony spikes protrude from his bulging shoulders and neck.

  Lucas bumps into me as our circle tightens. None of us can look away from the creature.

  The boss beats his fiery fists over his broad, tattooed chest. His glowing red eyes widen as he opens his fanged maw, letting out a guttural roar that echoes off of every steaming rock and settles in my rattling bones. Heavy chains, roped around his neck, clank with each fisted beat on his chest and then crash together when he charges.

  Terror pours over every inch of me.

  CHAPTER 21

  “SPREAD OUT!” ROHAN shouts.

  I glance at Myco, already bolting in the opposite direction, her crossbow ready to fire. The beast has his eyes locked onto Rohan, so I run in the opposite direction to attack from behind, gripping my daggers in my hands.

  The lumbering boss swings his arm out wide, aiming for Rohan. At the last possible second, Rohan does a forward roll through the demon’s trunk-like legs and comes out on the other side, jumping to his feet with his sword raised high. Black soot rises around Rohan.

  Letting go of my breath, I charge. The boss whirls around, his face tightened with anger. His hands become fists once more and the flames intensify up his corded arms.

  Splitting up isn’t going to work. We need to go at this creature with force. I spot Lucas closer to Myco. I want to tell my friends this, but I have to find a way to get to them first.

  I’m about to take off when the boss hammers his fist into the ground. The force of the blow sends out an intense energy blast, and I’m thrown backward. A blur of entangled, bright red energy flies past me as I fall. My back slams into the ground and shooting pain rockets up my legs. I try to blink away the stars in my vision, but they only twinkle more.

  I cry out, and Lucas’ head whips in my direction. He’s on his knees and struggles to get up. Myco is farther away from me, staggering as she tries to stand.

  On her feet now, Myco readies herself and shoots. Her bolts fly into the air at the monster while Lucas races to my side. He carefully helps me up from the ground. “Are you all right?” he asks, eyes wide.

  I rub the welt forming on the back of my head. “I’ll be better when we kill this thing.”

  Explosions pepper the ground near the bosses’ feet as Myco’s bolts connect with the charred Earth. The demon jumps out away from the explosions, avoiding any damage. The curl of his black lip and deep growl roaring from his mouth sounds more angry than afraid. Spit flies from his mouth as he dodges more arrows
.

  “Let’s get this boss while he’s distracted,” I say to Lucas. “That thing will go after Myco soon.”

  I sprint forward, readying my daggers. To use them effectively, I’ll have to be close. But with the beast focused on Myco, I may stand a chance to do some real damage.

  I hope.

  Rohan is now with Myco, standing in front of her to shield her should the beast charge again. I’m close enough to the boss that I feel the heat radiating from the fire writhing around his hands and arms.

  Unexpectedly, the beast turns in my direction and reaches out.

  I desperately thrust my daggers at him, but he bats them away like they’re nothing. I’m unable to move out of the way before he picks up the handles of the daggers and jerks my weapons toward him. The circular bands constrict around my wrists, and I fly forward. He whips me around above his head and then lets go. I close my eyes, expecting the worst as my body crashes into the stone wall at the edge of the arena.

  The rigid stones cut into my back at impact right before I crash to the ground. The wind is knocked out of me, and I struggle to stand up, expecting the boss to land another blow at any second.

  The demon struts toward me, head cocked to the side. A slight, fanged grin brightens his face. He’s enjoying this.

  Dazed, I blink slowly, and his form shimmers and blurs. Falling back to the wall, I press my hand against the stone to keep my balance as a hot stickiness rolls down my back. I don’t need to see the wounds to know how much blood I’m losing.

  Looking down, I only have one dagger still attached to my wrist. The other is several feet away. I don’t have enough time to grab it. Instead, I ready myself for impact.

  The boss is nearly upon me when he halts mid-stride. A ripping sound tears in my ears, and then something protrudes from his midsection.

  The creature looks down, and then swivels from side-to-side. Rohan is attached to his back. It takes me a second to comprehend what I’m seeing. The boss turns toward me again and focuses on the tip of Rohan’s blade sticking out of his middle. Rohan’s grunting, trying to pull the blade out.

  A low, rumbling laugh rises from the boss. He reaches down and wraps his fiery hands around the sharp end of the sword, pulling it through farther. My stomach rolls as I realize he’s pulling Rohan closer.

  “Let go!” I call out to Rohan.

  “Not a chance,” Rohan says, digging his heels into the ground to get a better hold on his weapon.

  Lucas runs up next to Rohan, lifting his rifle at the monster. The boss sneers and backhands Rohan, sending him across the arena. Rohan slides several yards before settling near the farthest wall.

  The boss turns back to me, ignoring Lucas. I’m the easier target. Once the creature gets me down, then it’s only two against one. Better odds.

  “Hey!” Lucas calls at the boss and shoots his plasma gun.

  The fiery beast scoffs and turns back to Lucas. An idea strikes. I get to my feet and charge forward. My head is clear again, the pain in my back lingering, but manageable.

  Leaping up, I use Rohan’s blade as a jumping off point and climb up to the boss’ shoulders. I stab the dagger into its shoulders and neck over and over, hoping I can damage a weak spot.

  The demon whips around, and I wrap my legs around his neck to keep my balance. I avoid the burning arms while I continue to plunge the blade into his hide. Thick blood courses out over my hands, but he still fights me.

  “Why won’t you die?” I scream.

  A searing pain coats my ankle as he grabs my leg and yanks me off. I reach my hands out to break my fall. Rolling across the ground, I avoid a massive foot as the creature hits the arena floor with a heavy thud.

  Lucas shoots, pulling the demon’s attention away from me again. Myco comes to the beast’s far side. Between Lucas and Myco, it appears they have the boss cornered. Rohan is on his feet again, too. His eyes lock onto his weapon, which still impales our enemy.

  “Stand back!” Rohan calls to Myco. “Get this thing from a distance!”

  Other than her weapons, Myco stands no chance in close combat with the boss.

  I try to stand, carrying my weight on my good leg. I don’t dare look at the damaging burns on my ankle. An intense, stinging sensation pulsates around the wound.

  Rohan runs forward while I shuffle toward Lucas. I barely take two steps before the boss raises his leg and then crashes it to the ground. Knowing what’s going to happen next, I crumble to the ground as the powerful energy flows over me and across the arena. It forces me to roll away, but at least I’m not thrown this time.

  Lucas and Rohan are on the other side of the arena, knocked over by the energy burst. Myco’s still standing, out of the blast radius of his strike. The explosions from her bolts continue to erupt near the boss.

  One of them lands close to his foot before exploding. There’s no hesitation as he charges toward its next target.

  “Myco!” I call out. I’ll never get to her in time. “Run!”

  I can’t get through to her over the thundering footsteps of the enemy racing toward her. She continues to fire bolts until there are none left in her quiver. Backing up, she almost falls into the fiery lava wall behind her.

  She tries to run, but the boss grabs her around the neck before she can take a step forward. The fire around his arms intensifies, the flames reaching higher before they move, coiling around her body like a snake. Her screams fill my head.

  I get up and stumble toward her. Lucas and Rohan are faster. Myco’s legs flail in the air. Her voice is gone as the boss crushes her airway.

  “No,” I breathe, and find a small reserve of energy deep within me. I ignore the pain from my ankle and sprint to her.

  Rohan reaches the boss first, ripping his sword out of its middle. He strikes down on the boss’s leg while Lucas blasts the demon with the plasma gun. I lift one of the bolts from the ground and stab the beast in the side over and over, hoping I inflict damage. I have to do something to save her.

  The boss drops Myco like a discarded ragdoll and twists around.

  With no choice, I focus only on the boss. We continue to hit him from all sides. Rohan churns his blade, tearing into the beast’s mid-section. Lucas fires at its head with great accuracy. My daggers rip through him over and over again and I growl with each snap of my wrist. We’re at an advantage, and can’t stop until the hellish creature is dead. We’re so close to achieving critical damage that the boss backs out of range to gather himself. But he’s staggered too close to the lava wall.

  Thick, hot, searing liquid spills over his shoulders as he stumbles into the lava flow. The demon bellows in pain as the lava moves down his torso to his waist. Fire ignites all over his scaled body. We step back as the beast flails and flings molten rock with his frantic movements. A glob drops near my foot, sizzling before turning dark and cool.

  Within seconds, the mangled boss stiffens and crashes to the ground in a crumpled heap. A small blast of energy shoots out from his motionless body as red and yellow orbs burst from the boss, more than I can count.

  I whirl around toward Myco and fall to the ground next to her. “Not again,” I mutter as I assess the damage.

  Her eyes are frozen, staring up at the black-clouded sky. Most of her face is badly burned. Her skin flakes from her arms and her shirt has melted away, exposing even more burns under her clothes.

  I glance at the orbs. There are more than enough to help her.

  I shove my arms under her body and pull her toward our reward. “Help me!” I shout at the guys.

  As if they were under some spell, they snap out of their lock on the dead boss.

  “I don’t think this is going to work,” Rohan says. “She’s too far gone.”

  “Shut up!” I shriek and move as quickly as my good leg allows. Once we reach the orbs, I lower Myco to the ground and step aside. I don’t touch them for fear of them leveling me up instead of saving my friend.

  My body shakes, and I wrap my arms around
myself to keep my cool. Tears well in my eyes as I stare at Myco.

  She’s going to be fine. She’s going to be fine.

  She has to be. This isn’t the first time she’s died.

  But the orbs don’t absorb into her as they did before.

  Lucas touches my arm, and I jerk away from him. An unseen weight presses against my chest, and I’m unable to breathe. I try to swallow, but instead I choke on my spit. My entire body is tense as Myco remains lifeless before me, the stupid orbs floating above her.

  The minutes drag on, and the silence in the arena amplifies my sadness.

  “We have to move on,” Lucas says. His voice is thick. “The Moderators…” His words trail off.

  As if I care about the Moderators.

  “Myco would have wanted us to move on,” Rohan says.

  “She didn’t want to do this to begin with!” I snap at him.

  “Esa, I know you’re upset,” Lucas says. “We all are. But there’s nothing we can do for her now. We need to level up and get out of here before the fight resets.”

  My jaw trembles as I take a step closer to her. I reach down and tuck a swath of her hair behind the undamaged part of her face. “I’m going to find our answers. I promise.”

  Lucas and Rohan work on absorbing their orbs, and I reluctantly do the same. The boost in energy doesn’t heal my heart, but it heals all the physical wounds that our final battle inflicted. I roll my ankle to test it, and it’s perfectly fine.

  Unlike Myco.

  Some of the red orbs remain floating in the air. “We can’t move past Level 10,” Rohan says. “But take the upgrade orbs. We don’t know what’s on the other side of this battle.”

  “I thought it was ‘Salvation’,” I mutter.

  “It might be,” Rohan says. “I like to be prepared.”

  He hands me two yellow orbs, and I take them.

  Glancing at Myco again, my heart stutters in my chest. My jaw drops as her body slowly disappears. Cracks of energy burst from every inch of her before nothing is left. Disbelief consumes my thoughts.