Ambush Read online

  StabTwist: Medium

  Instant Kill

  +60 XP

  At last, the tentacles relaxed and the mouth released its hold. The beast shuddered several times as Matt held his stance. Finally, the dozens of tentacles fell and appeared to melt as they hit the ground. The giant mass of creature seeped into a messy puddle of a tar-like substance, staining his blade.

  @doomsday16 arrived, panting from his sprint.

  “You…” he spoke between breaths, “You did it!”

  Matt stared at the mess of black goo at their feet and took several deep breaths to calm himself. He was surprised by how realistic the dark beast had appeared with its many tentacles and large gnashing teeth, but what was even more surprising were the voices inside his head threatening to consume his soul.

  “Man! I sure hope we don’t run into one of those things again!” he panted.

  “You’d better get used to it.” @doomsday16 laughed, “Those nasty beasts are crawling around everywhere. The higher Level Voidspawn are even more dangerous than this one. You'll see. But we gotta get out of here quick! Those things can respawn from that black mess of goo in mere minutes.”

  ***

  It was nearing midnight in the real world, and Matt was caving fast. Regardless of the stamina his avatar had earned, Matt’s real body was starting to lose the ability to go on.

  “Hey James, how much farther do you want to go before calling it quits?” Matt asked, exhausted.

  @doomsday16 ignored him and continued to forge ahead.

  “James?” Matt asked again, “Hello?”

  “Are you talking to me?” @doomsday16 turned around to face him.

  The avatar’s eyes were closed.

  “Oh…” the realization struck him, “You’re not James, are you?”

  “No.” the avatar spoke gruffly, “Now stop following me or I’ll make mincemeat out of your naked Neanderthal hide.”

  Matt backed away carefully and struck off on a new path.

  Why would James just take off without telling me?

  Matt was troubled by this new development, and was extremely tired from the lack of sleep from the night before. He pressed his right temple and was about to log out, when he remembered that he had silenced all of his communication channels.

  He activated the virtual keyboard and logged into his communication channel. As expected, there were three voicemails, 26 instant messages, and an email from Tiffany.

  I’ll deal with those later…

  Buried in the messages he found three from James:

  @doomsday16: Hey Matt – I’m running out of steam. You?

  @doomsday16: Are you there?

  @doomsday16: I guess you pooped out before I did. No worries. I’ll see you tomorrow.

  All three messages had been sent an hour ago.

  Great. Just great.

  He glanced at his character sheet again. Sighing at his minimal progress, he hit the Log Out button on his virtual screen.

  Are you sure you want to log out? As a Premium Member of the Arena, you are eligible to activate Sleep Mode.

  ***For more information about Sleep Mode, you can chat with a CyberBolt Associate HERE***

  Log Out | Sleep Mode

  He hesitated as his finger hovered over the Log Out button, remembering he didn’t have a place to stay tonight.

  I doubt Derek would answer his phone this late…

  He realized that he’d have to stay the night in a hotel.

  Dang it. I don’t have a car…

  Slowly his finger hovered over to the right. The entire concept went against his conscious, but after seeing the dismal stats on his character sheet...

  Whatever. Why not? One night can’t hurt.

  Chapter Seven

  Level Up

  With Matt staggered and fell, landing hard on the foam surface. He shook his head groggily, his eyes wide in alarm.

  Where am I?!

  Over the past several months he’d grown accustomed to sleeping on the couch, so waking up in a foreign place caused his pulse to rise rapidly.

  Thank you for using CyberBolt’s Sleep Mode service. We hope your experience was tranquil. To help improve the quality of our services, please take a moment to fill out this customer experience survey.

  Oh, duh.

  A line was forming near the exit of the arena. He was surprised that the exit was so close, considering the large distance toward the city he thought they had travelled.

  “Hey Matt!” James walked up and reached out his hand, “Did you sleep well?”

  “I, uh... yeah. I did.” Matt was surprised as he took the extended palm and pulled himself back onto his feet, “I honestly feel more rested than I’ve felt in a long time.”

  “And sore, I’ll bet.”

  “Definitely a strange combination of feelings, for sure.” he smiled, “But I feel great!”

  “I saw you took quite a tumble there.” James laughed, “I did the same thing for weeks. Don’t worry - you’ll eventually get accustomed to waking up on your feet.”

  Matt pressed his right temple, and after a brief moment of static he quickly pulled up his stats.

  DarkForce: Player Stats

  Name | @Andrex

  Class | Warrior

  Level | 11

  Experience | 3,950

  XP to next level | 350

  HP | 700/1,100

  Mana | 75/100

  Strength |Total: 14 | Original: 5 | Level Ups: 1 | Bonuses: 8

  Agility |Total: 7 | Original: 5 | Level Ups: 2 | Bonuses: 0

  Stamina |Total: 12 | Original: 7 | Level Ups: 5 | Bonuses: 0

  Intelligence |Total: 6 | Original: 1 | Level Ups: 3 | Bonuses: 2

  Willpower |Total: 8 | Original: 2 | Level Ups: 6 | Bonuses: 0

  “Dude!” Matt was ecstatic, “It worked! I’m at Level 11!”

  James smiled, “I told you it’d be worth it.

  ***

  Later that morning Matt found himself sitting in the District Attorney’s office, pleading his father’s case.

  “This looks really bad for the Precinct.” D.A. Michael Rossi moaned, “Several news stations have already taken flight with the story. My office has been slammed with phone calls all morning. How do you intend to fix this, Detective? This is your father’s legacy on the line.”

  “I will retrieve the records. I just need time.”

  “Whether or not you successfully retrieve them is the least of my concerns right now.” he huffed, “I want to know how you are going to rectify this security breach and how you intend to appease the public.”

  “I’m not sure yet, but I will do everything in my power to...”

  “I don’t want to hear excuses.” he interrupted, “This is a double-sided problem right now. The Timberland family has also contacted multiple media agencies as well as the American Civil Liberties Union.”

  “But what does the ACLU have to do with anything?”

  “They claim that the Timberland’s son is being held against his will rather than being provided with the medical treatment he needs.”

  “But we just found out about this so-called ‘medical condition’ a few hours ago!”

  “Regardless, the media will spin this story however way they please.” he sighed, “The ACLU is already demanding an answer from me as to how I intend to resolve this ‘blatant abuse of human rights’ regarding Jack’s detainment.”

  “This is turning into a nightmare.”

  “Agreed.” he nodded glumly, “That’s what happens when you arrest adolescents who have wealthy parents.”

  Matt’s head hung in frustration, “So what do you want me to do?”

  “I want you to hold a press conference tomorrow.”

  “And say what, exactly?”

  “Confirm to the public that Jack is being released back into his parents’ custody.”

  Defiant, he squared his shoulders, “But he’s our only lead to the stolen files…”

  “Drop it.”


  Aghast, Matt stared at him for a long moment.

  “My sources tell me you have three bigger fish to fry anyway.” he raised his eyebrow.

  It was true. He hadn’t personally interrogated the three men yet.

  “Fine.” he huffed and stood to leave, “But you need to be there too.”

  “As long as my wife can tag along.” he smiled, “We’ll make it a double date. You should bring Tiffany.”

  Matt steeled his gaze. The two of them had been close friends since our grade school years.

  He gave him a concerned look, “How is Tiffany doing these days?”

  “She’s fine.” Matt spoke in monotone, “Sorry to disappoint you old friend, but I highly doubt she will want to come.”

  “Too bad.” he paused with a suspicious look in his eyes, “Keep me informed on the case. I have to run, I’m due in court. See you this afternoon!”

  As Matt left the Attorney General’s office, his mind ran back to simpler times when they had shared classes in High School. It was then that he first became addicted to MMORPG games, but had been unsuccessful in convincing Michael to join him.

  Look at me now.

  As he got into his car, across the street he saw a strange sight. He'd been to Michael's office several times in the past few years, but never before could he remember seeing a large blue phone booth there. Not to mention the fact that it was an older British-styled Police Call box, and looked like something you'd find in a collector's exhibit or a museum.

  How strange. Who put that there in the heart of Chicago?

  Adding to the strange apparition, a tall man dressed in a black suit with shock-white hair opened the door and stepped out. The man looked straight at him, his eyes seeming to bore into his soul. Feeling uncomfortable, Matt quickly started his car and merged into traffic.

  Chapter Eight

  Atlantis

  That night with the promise of getting armor, @doomsday16 led him towards the domed city of Atlantis with its flaring giants as guards. The legends had been true - it indeed was a hidden city. He never would have found it had it not been for his friend's suggestion to go to the Arena.

  According to @doomsday16, Atlantis was the best place to get armor because it was one of the strongest places and boasted of smithies that made some of the most powerful weapons. Eager to find one of these smithies, he quickened his pace to keep up with @doomsday16, who for some reason held his sword tight. Matt had not seen him remove the sword from the scabbard hung at his buckle-belt.

  Matt sensed a strange kind of nervousness tackling his friend. @doomsday16 usually was a jovial chap, but now he looked more sober than @solbath92, another of his gaming buddies who was always serious. Matt had no idea why he clutched his sword so tight. Was he expecting a fight? As far as Matt was concerned, there were no monsters in sight and even as Atlantis loomed near, the flaring lights of the giant guards gave him hope. Then, why was @doomsday16 so anxious? What troubled his mind?

  He couldn’t guess. All he could do now was plod on towards a legendary city, whose mythologies and stories had always enamored him. Especially the ones with mermaids in it. Though, from what he could see, he felt trouble believing that mermaids ever existed in Atlantis. The city was far from buried under sea. Clearly, every construction in sight was over a huge piece of land and there was no sign of water nearby except if one counted the river joining the sea a few leagues away.

  The gate into the city was an archaic arch, carved with runes belonging to an ancient incorrigible language. Neither him nor his friend could understand what it meant, though it was said that those who bore the gift of imperial knowledge could decipher it. For that, one had to grow several levels.

  He hadn't reached there yet. And @doomsday16 was going to lead him to the best armor he, at his level, could afford. He expected a lecture from his friend, but every question of his met a brick wall. There was only silence on the other side.

  They passed underneath the gate, the gray bricks looming over them. The insides too teemed with alphabets of a strange language, similar to the ones inscribed on its front. How he wished he could read and understand them!

  Not more than a few minutes later, they came out the other side of the gate. He had expected a glowing city with its roads teeming with people, but instead, he found it as quiet as a graveyard. The light that glowed outside didn't shine inside. It was as though the flares he had seen were just a part of an illusion. Everything inside was bleak and dark, the walls on the houses torn apart.

  All light had gone out save for the moon in the sky. The roads had broken tiles, wet with blood, indicating a battle taken place. Carts lay strewn aside, the barrels on them rent asunder as if by great force. Swords and spears lay on the ground, some of them broken. Arrows were stuck everywhere, indicating they had missed their targets.

  Did James know about this? Why did he suddenly turn stoic?

  “Leviathan!” his friend cursed before he could ask that question.

  “What?” Matt remarked, brows raised.

  “Leviathan!” his friend said again. “This is the work of that great beast and its minions. Inexperienced players always think they can defeat them, but these are cunning monsters who always stay one step ahead. Rumor has it that they can anticipate their opponent’s moves. Quite handy, and that’s what makes them so difficult to kill. Usually The Leviathan itself doesn’t attack, but it sends its army of minions. Voidspawn are among their favorite of these vile creatures.”

  “Voidspawn? Like the one we encountered back there in the forest?” Matt cringed.

  “Yes. Which makes more sense why we ran into one so close to the city.” @doomsday16 whispered as he looked around nervously, “Watch out for that black goo stuff you see all over. They can spawn instantly if they sense a challenger in the vicinity. And they can’t be killed really. So if they are here that means the city has been overrun, and will continue to respawn no matter how many times one fends them off. I doubt we would meet The Leviathan here, but his minions are terrifying enough as it is. There's really no way to avoid it. So, keep your spear handy, mate!”

  He didn’t have to tell him twice. Matt already had his spear in his hands, his eyes suddenly cautious of the surroundings.

  @doomsday16 stepped forward and bent, his ears near to the ground. He wondered what his friend was up to. He opened his mouth to ask, but stopped short. Matt looked around anxiously as @doomsday16 held a finger against his lips. His eyes were closed, as if he were meditating. He turned his head ever slowly, focusing on the sounds around them.

  Several minutes passed before @doomsday16 finally broke the silence. “The battle is still underway deep in the heart of the city.”

  “And you know that, how?” he asked.

  “You could too, if you applied the Elixir of Audibility on your ears.”

  “I don’t have any. It didn't get any potions or elixirs from the places we raided or found monsters in.”

  “Gah!” came a grunt out of his friend’s mouth. “You get potions and elixirs everywhere. Houses, citadels, palaces, forts, everywhere has them, but you can find them aplenty in healing and alchemy quarters. I suppose you didn’t go look for them there?”

  “I did go to healing quarters once but only found health elixirs,” Matt stated, wondering to himself if he had missed anything in his previous raids. “Didn’t find any others.”

  “You probably didn’t look in the right places,” his friend stressed. “Stay close. I'll help you find some, and get you some decent armor while we're at it too.”

  Matt quietly followed, hoping not to run into any Voidspawn. @doomsday16 then stopped abruptly, taking another moment to focus.

  “Here's the plan.” he whispered, “You take a right here at this fork. Go a few blocks yonder and then circle back on the next. You will come up behind the monsters from their flank.”

  Matt gave a brief nod. @doomsday16’s plan made sense.

  “I, on the other hand, will face them head on.”


  “Are you sure?” Matt asked.

  “Yes. I’ll keep them distracted long enough for you to ferret the survivors towards the gates. Besides, I’m the only one with the armor here who can fend off the Voidspawn. You'd just wind up being a snack.”

  Matt chuckled at the lame joke, and watched as his friend disappeared behind a wall at the corner. As instructed, he turned right on the path. He had hardly crossed a few blocks when a sound made him cautious and look behind. A black puddle of goo formed on the street, a dark monstrous head rising out of it in the center. Its legs flashed out like tentacles with steely claws at its end. The crimson eyes in its head made him feel vulnerable.

  Threat Detected: Level 10 Voidspawn

  HP| 1,000/1,000

  Strengths: Long black tentacles allow for speed and easy subduing of prey. Head is covered with gnashing mouths full of razor-sharp teeth to allow for rapid devouring of trapped prey. Head is also covered with eyes to allow for 360-degree sight with intense focus. Cannot be killed.

  Weaknesses: Can be subdued into a temporary liquefied state, but has a five minute delay before it is able to regenerate.

  As the tentacles moved towards him, he staggered, keeping his spear ready to strike. One of them swooshed at his head, but he bent backward and avoided the attack by a few inches. The wind felt chilly, almost making him freeze on the spot. But he reverted to his original position, looking determined to face the monster ahead.

  Another freaking Voidspawn!

  His mind went wild with fear. He had not expected to face another one of these vile creatures by himself, let alone one that outranked him.

  If they can't be killed, is it worth fighting?

  It wasn’t like the monster would just allow him to flee. Taking his eyes away from it might lead him to get entangled with those tentacles. Why did he always have to face monsters with tentacles? Weren’t those Aracken monsters with the weak but smelly armpits enough? His avatar had almost died there. And these Voidspawn were supposed to be more dangerous than them… not to mention un-killable. At least those crossbreed Aracken could be killed. He wondered how he was going to fight them.