The Game Arena - A Sci- Fi Fanfiction

- Phase II -

"Welcome players, are you prepared to enter?" 

  Standing atop a neon circle, in a dark expanse of nothing but cold darkness and an eerie chill. He heard nothing, only the nervous thrumming of his heartbeat. Ver could only clench and unclench his sweaty hands, hoping that it will help ease those distracting thoughts tormenting his head. Turning to his right, he saw the others with similar uneasy expressions. On the far side, he could see Kotoka visibly trembling despite trying her best to remain as levelheaded as possible. How did this happen? Where are they? 

What is this place? 

Everything.......everyone......he could no longer remember anything now. Memories of his previous doings seemed to have been strangely erased, as if someone has pressed the delete button inside his brain. The only thing worrying him was all these unanswered questions right now, tempting to claw themselves out. 

"Enter.....t-there?" He stuttered on his words, pointing at a tall black concrete wall before him. "But- I don't see anything." 

"Maybe it's.....I don't know, a trap?" Doppio asked warily. 

"Whatever it is, this place is starting to creep me the heck out. We should just get out of here." One of their friends with long dark hair suggested, slightly fidgeting with her outfit. 

Shaking his head slowly, Ver could only answer while staring suspiciously at the weird robotic stranger. "No, I don't think we can. We're stuck here now as far as I'm concerned." 

"The last thing I remembered was preparing for my stream but even that memory is starting to blur together, what the heck is it this time?" With his surprisingly deep voice, Hex let out a pretty frustrated complain, both hands on his hips and facing the robot. 

Ver turned to face the stranger again and spoke, gesturing to the wall. "What's in there?" 

The Game Master could only remain silent, clearly awaiting Ver's respond to it's supposedly previous question. Taking the hint a few seconds later, Ver exchanged hesitant looks with his friends. "Look Ver, if we don't do something, we might never be able to see the light of day again. "

"Please, just do it already so we can get it over with as soon as possible! Should we enter or no?!" Kotoka demanded. 

"Honestly, I'd just go in by now if I were you. " Meloco agreed, crossing both arms in front of her, looking impatient. Ver finally nodded at the Game Master reluctantly. 

The robot made a blood curdling smile, sending tingling chills down his spine. "Quite the rough bunch here, different from our previous wave of players. Having no idea what hit them was truly......a pity." 

"Don't make me repeat things twice, just let us in already." Doppio groaned, shooting it a glare. What he heard come out of it's mouth was unsettling and he tried to ignore it. 

Unfazed, the game master continued on. "There is no need for such crippling anxiety here, this is just a game after all. Nothing to be surprised about, considering all of your......backgrounds." 

Hex's frown darkened. "What's with that little pause there for?" 

"There is no doubt that every single one of you here has been given an automatic bio scan as soon as you've set foot into this place. So rest assured, I now hold full possession of your personal information as well as both your strengths and weaknesses. There is no use for secrets here." The robot explained calmly. Doppio let out an angry curse but Ver held a hand out to him. 

Hex then pinched the bridge of his nose, sensing an incoming throbbing headache. "Look, I don't care just what this is about, our priorities now is to just win this game so we can get out. You said it yourself, this is just a game so there's got to be a final level, right? Come on, we've done this before just.....not in real life." 

"Yeah, and that is what's so different about this. This game is real and is happening to us right now. Who knows what might bloody happen if we lose a level?" Meloco queried. 

"This is your first time here, I presume?" It asked. 

Eyeing the Game Master warily, Ver avoided it's cunning questions and spoke up. "Quit the chit-chat already." 

-Processing-

With an almost fluid smirk, the robot lifted it's humanoid hand and tapped a holographic button in the air. Lights blinked and standing on the circles, each of the players there began to receive a thorough full body red laser scan. Their old outfits glitched away instantly, replaced with a smooth black metal suit that flicked to life from below all the way up with streaks of neon lights glowing on the sides, illuminating the dark. Just as always, three bars appeared on their arms, giving them a rough guess it had to be their lives. 

"Well that's encouraging....." Kotoka muttered to herself. 

"Fellow players, do you hereby swear that you will follow all the rules of the game and to never cheat on it despite the circumstances?"  

They each voiced their agreements in unison. With that said, the Game Master stepped aside as a huge door rumbled to life. Blinding lights filled their vision as the massive gates slid opened, moving with a hiss and a thunderous boom, cold smoke pouring out from the other side. Slowly letting their eyes adjust to the sudden flash of brightness, the Game Master gave a brief explanation regarding the Arena's rules, as per the policy. 

Giving each other reassuring nods, they took a deep breath and began to walk through the doors. Whether or not they will be able to make it out alive, only time can tell. In this world, there are all sorts of games out there with varying sets of instructions on how to pass each level. They will get progressively difficult but regardless of the odds out there, there has to have at least a loophole. A way out, a secret exit. 

Hope......in such a dark nightmare. Will they be able to make it out? 

As they at last vanished out of sight into the Arena, large doors closing shut plunged the Arena into cold night once more. The Game Master stood on the other side. What goes on in those eyes of it remains a mystery. 

"Time for round 2."