32. Level Six-Killer Game
CHAPTER 32
Level Six-Killer Game
Rez
“ W ho’s sick idea is this?” Lynx asks as we look at the battleground before us.
“My guess is Beleth’s,” I respond. The chaotic landscape fills me with dread. And as I look around, I groan. “And why are we split up again?” I stomp my foot in anger. Once again, my group has been separated, and I’m with Lynx, Knots, Ryker, JP, and Reaper.
We’re standing on a hill scattered with skulls, scorched earth, and smoke coming from the ground, with a small hut behind us displaying a glowing blue flag that seems to be acting as a beacon shooting into the air. Well, there’s no way to hide that from anyone. Spinning around, I spot the corresponding red beam of light across the field. That must be where the other flag is.
There are various tree stumps, graveyards, bonfires, huts, trees, paths, ponds, and fences between the two huts.
Wow, talk about a battlefield. Damaged and rusted weapons lie discarded next to bodies at different stages of decay, and pools of blood are spread across the grounds.
“So what is this supposed to be?” Knots asks, stepping closer to the flag.
“I think it’s Capture the Flag,” I reply, picking up on the similarities to a game I used to play online, though with much more blood and gore.
‘Welcome to Level Six and my domain,’ a low and growly voice rings out inside my head, pulling my attention away from Knots and the flag. ‘There is no escape from Death, but there is a limit, and you must win. Do you have the courage to face one-thousand deaths in two hours? Or will you spend eternity with me? Make no mistake, you not only have to survive but also win your games here.’
A loud ding rings out, and a bright light flares in the sky, pulling my eyes to the boards where there are two clocks: one with our two-hour countdown and another with fifteen minutes. Three short horn blasts ring out, and a roar echoes from the hut across the field, preceding an orc running out swinging a battle axe.
“What’s the odds that he’s the only one we have to go up against?” Lynx cocks an eyebrow.
Before anyone can answer, a swarm of enemies comes rushing out of a structure I didn’t notice off to the side of the hut.
“Why is it we’re always up against impossible odds?” Lynx groans.
“We’re in Hell. It comes with the territory,” Ryker imparts, pulling his knives.
“Well, let’s go play a killer game.” Knots takes off, jogging towards the mob of creatures.
Killer game, yeah. That’s what I’m afraid of.
I take a step to run after Knots and jerk back as a searing pain blooms from my left breast. Grabbing at my chest, I find an arrow sticking out of my leathers and blood pouring out of my wound. Dropping to my knees, I see the fucker with the bow and arrow up in a little tree structure, nocking another arrow. Before I can fall completely, the last thing I see is another arrow spiraling toward my eyes before lights out.
My eyes shoot open at the searing pain throughout my body as I gulp in a breath of air. What the hell? I’m alive? Is that what Beleth meant by one-thousand deaths? I wasn’t expecting that, nor the pain of dying. Fuck that hurt. I rub the phantom pain at my breast and scowl with a slight shake of my head. I wonder if that asshole could have gone through my shield. Quickly donning said shield, I start panting as I catch my breath. Wow. Why am I having such a hard time reaching my magic to make my shield? I sit up and look around, noticing I have respawned in a graveyard, and beyond that is the chaotic battlefield. Knots’ blue wings catch my eyes as he hacks away at enemies like he’s buttering toast.
Red streaks fly across the ground, and taking a closer look, I realize Lynx, in his cheetah form, is running back to our home base with the enemy’s flag attached to him. Sweet! I quickly place a shield around both of them while my death is fresh on my mind, hoping it gives them a little protection in this deadly game, but who knows since the whole of this is dealing with 1,000 deaths. I feel another twinge in my side after placing their shield but breathe through the awkward feeling. Maybe I need to replenish my magic like Mages need to.
JP’s perched on a stump, shooting down enemies in Lynx’s way with his water arrows like the boss he is, and I add my shield to him as well. There’s no sign of Ryker, so he’s either stealth-moding his way around here or he’s resurrecting somewhere on this battlefield. I’ll apply a shield to him when I see him next.
As my pain subsides, I’m able to gather myself and hit the field with my glaives. As the guys take on a more aggressive fighting stance, I’ve decided to take a subtle approach as I hide behind a bush and scope out my target. I want that bastard's bow and arrows that took me out. Now, only to find him from here.
Thwack.
Ryker tumbles ten feet in front of me, an arrow pierced in his back. Where the hell was he? His body slightly shimmers before it disappears, and I realize he had up a glamor for the enemy. I was so concerned with looking for the enemy that I overlooked him. I can normally see through his glamour, but obviously Beleth’s fucking with our dynamic. If I hadn’t died and reappeared in the graveyard, that sight would have shocked me, but knowing he’ll be okay allows me to focus on the shooter. To the left, in the tree, I catch a glint and see the fucker that got me too.
‘JP, sniper at three o’clock,’ I call out to him in my mind, hoping he’s still taking calls. I snicker to myself, picturing a tiny JP secretary picking up the phone and taking a message. Come on, Rez. Get your mind in the game, I chastise myself before running from my hiding spot to the tree’s base. Peering around the trunk, I catch the tail end of JP’s water arrow spinning through the air and hear the thwomp as a body crashes to the ground in front of me.
Well, that’s convenient. Now, to find a way up into that structure. Circling around the tree, I find a makeshift ladder made out of rope and climb up, easing into the small platform to discover the bow and quiver of arrows on the floor. Jackpot.
Before I can settle in, I hear a faint unsheathing of weapons and roll forward, bringing up my glaives in a defensive arch. I catch the knife as it finishes its downward arch. Twirling, I swing out and find a demon with blood-red eyes and thick ram horns, wielding a wicked knife and an unsavory smile.
“So, you’re the mystery girl that has princess’ panties in a twist,” he hisses out as he takes a step back and looks me over.
“Don’t know which princess you’re referring to, but I’m sure the term you’re looking for is bitch, not princess,” I sneer.
“Angel said you had a filthy mouth and not a lot of brains.”
I fight the urge to roll my eyes so I don’t give him a chance to attack, giving him a bored look instead.
“It speaks highly of her that she could string those words together, and the fact that you believe her speaks of your intelligence or lack thereof.”
He growls before lunging at me, but a loud bang goes off, rocking both of us off balance.
“What the hell was that?” I groan as I push off the wall.
“Someone made a point; the game is resetting,” he moans.
Before I can ask what he means, the archer that was in the tree reappears in a flash beside me. His eyes widen for a brief second before he pulls his dagger and comes at me.
“Boy, this is too easy,” the demon chuckles as he approaches from my other side.
A bolt of fear zips through me briefly before a deadly calm comes over me as a voice purrs inside my mind.
‘Now you have a challenge. Use your glaives and your P.M.S. needles and take them down,’ the sultry voice purrs. ‘Make them bleed.’
I dodge and block the archer’s blow, swinging my glaive with my right hand, causing him to jump back. Without missing a beat, my needles fly out of my left hand toward the demon before he takes five steps. They impale him, but my magic isn’t strong enough to kill, only to maim him. Pausing only for a moment, the archer lunges toward me once again. This time, I’m ready. I twist in time to dodge his knife and thrust my glaives out and up, slicing into his gut. With a downward motion, I cut through his skin and armor.
‘Good killing blow. No need to watch him die; on to the harpy from Hell,’ the voice instructs. I don’t know where this voice came from, but I feel I have no choice but to trust her. She doesn’t feel like a threat to me. Plus, what’s the worst that could happen? Die? If I did, I would just end up in that graveyard again. I hope.
I face the demon only to get hit in the chest with searing heat above my breast. Shit. Red engulfs my vision as a ball of fire furiously spins, trying to work its way through my thin shield. The heat alone hints that this isn’t a normal fireball, but the faint tint of bluish center verifies it’s Demfire.
Taking a deep breath, I pull at my center and focus on the Demfire to guide it along my chest, down my arm, and into my hand. A small mocking smile graces my lips as I make eye contact with the demon. His eyes widen in surprise briefly before I fling the fire back at him.
“Still think it’s easy?” I mockingly ask as I push the needles still in him deeper into his organs. His death rattle is the last thing I hear before picking up the archer’s bow and arrows. I wipe the sweat from my brow as I push through the twinge in my side. Thankfully, the adrenaline coursing through me is lessening the pain to the point I can push through, but I know it’s there nonetheless.
I took archery at summer camp once. It shouldn’t be too hard to wield this thing. Besides, didn’t Murmur and Levi say magic is all about intent? I turn to spot my first target, another guy in a wagon with a bow and arrow aimed at Knots, who is taking the lead once again. I take aim and release the wire.
Whack.
Fuck, that hurt . The bowstring hits my inner elbow, smarting, but I don’t have time to grab it from the floor and re-nock. I mentally throw a shield up in front of the guy and watch as his arrow slams into it and drops to the ground, giving me a few moments to nock with another arrow.
Okay, Rez. Turn your arm so you don’t shave off your forearm. I aim once again as my target reaches out to touch my shield, and I let the string fly, watching as this arrow meets its mark, dropping another enemy. I stay up there and pick off as many as I can find until my arrows run out. Climbing down quickly, I turn in time to catch a dagger in the stomach. Damn, I knew I should have reapplied my shield after my last fight.
This game really sucks.
The seconds tick on as I wait for the barrier around the graveyard to drop before I can join the fray. Before, I was able to move freely, but this time, there’s a two-minute timer before I can rejoin the game, and all I can do is pace as I watch all the death around me. Beleth definitely doesn’t play fair. He failed to mention that when the enemy scores, they get double points. So we have to work twice as hard. As of right now, we’re ahead, but that could easily change since the rounds are getting harder and harder. This round, there are tricks planted in the ground, and I can’t help but grimace every time I see one go off close to the guys.
‘I can’t believe a landmine took me out,’ Lynx complains as he paces next to me in his cheetah form.
“You?” I snort. “At least your killer had a form. I was stabbed by a knife, and I didn’t even see who wielded it.” A quick look shows a few more minutes until the game is over, hopefully, but the two-hour timer is still going. What else are we meant to do after this?
‘The blob,’ Lynx deadpans, bringing my attention back to him.
‘Yeah, okay.’ I give him a doubtful look and bounce on the balls of my feet as the clock ticks closer to our release.
‘No, seriously. There’s a clear blob that’s slinging weapons with its big ass nose that looks like a dick.’
“So what does this ‘blob’ look like then?” I ask, scanning the field while trying to find it.
‘A prehistoric gelatin dick with a frown,’ he tells me before he takes off as soon as the forcefield drops.
Before I can ask what he means, I spot the prehistoric dick close to where I died, and sure enough, he is a blob with only a long-hanging nose and a frown. Hell, he makes an Arte demon look like an elegant unicorn. Sure enough, his nose swings from side to side, and objects slide into his gelatin appendage before flying through the air. Nothing is spared: rocks, branches, knives, and even grass are slung around. Now that I know where and what it is, I think I know how to take it out. I can’t have him coming up on me again , I think as I head off in its direction.
A horn goes off, signaling a flag has been taken, and I look to the enemy’s hut but still see the red flag glowing brightly. Wait. That can’t be right. I jerk to a stuttering halt as I look around and catch the blue streaks of our flag coming out of the hut and off the small ledge with a horde of monsters.
Welp, that’s not good. Making a beeline for the battleground, I put on a burst of speed and call out to Lynx to redirect him to take out the horde instead of grabbing the enemy’s flag. He skids, crashing into a bush before bursting out with a ferocious roar in his manticore form. For as big as that sucker is, I’m surprised at how fast he can move.
As I run to join the fray, I finally catch sight of Reaper. I wondered where he was hiding. His fiery coat weaves through the crowd as if he’s playing tag and trying to catch up to the flag carrier. He’s small and quick enough that the enemies don’t even see him coming until it’s too late, as his flaming tail takes out a few people in his path.
A mud ball sails in front of my face, pulling my attention back to my situation, and I instinctively bring up my shield, blocking the blob from more attacks. Ignoring him, I run toward the converging pack of monsters. JP sends a few water arrows into the group and takes out a few of the protectors but not the flag carrier.
‘Okay, inner she-devil. If there were any time for you to work your badassery, now would be the time,’ I poke at the inner voice that seems to show up at weird times, and I feel a shudder throughout my body.
‘Now we get to play,’ the voice purrs before I feel the tension in my shoulders relax right as I reach the first target. The knowledge of his weaknesses comes to me as easily as picturing the back of my hand—like his bad left knee with how he runs and has a slight limp. And his right shoulder is lower than his other, showing a past injury.
So I go for the fastest takedown since he’s blocking the flag carrier.
I kick out, hitting his left kneecap, and quickly block his weapon as he spins, crashing to the ground. Easily sidestepping him, I move into his place and cut out the enemy in front of me with my glaive, leaving the flag carrier left in front of me.
Before I can make my move, he darts to the right and across the bridge toward their hut. Fuck! Doubling down, I throw myself into blocking, kicking, and trying to catch up with the carrier. Lynx, Knots, Reaper, JP, and I are in berserk mode, but we’re not making any progress. My heart sinks as I catch sight of the flag carrier crossing over the threshold of the hut, then freezes in his steps before his body crumbles to the floor. Ryker steps out from the doorway and wipes his knife while simultaneously touching our flag, sending it back to base. A horn blasts out, calling the play, and a flash in the sky highlights the end of the game and the scoreboard.
‘Congratulations. You’ve won your first game, but let’s see if you survive the last. All you must do is make it to your safe house in time.’
A chill runs down my back as Beleth cackles, and my world goes black.