A Sequel to the Quillan Games

Chapter 1: Back to Quillan

Quillan. The game playing territory known for its wide variety of challenges, from physical battles to mind-racing obstacle courses to computer-driven tests of speed and agility, in which Challengers from all across different territories compete. But on Quillan, the stakes are much higher. It’s not just your simple game of chess or a harmless round of checkers, Bets are placed on the competing challengers and depending on whether or not your chosen challenger succeeds or fails, you could be in big trouble. Real, big trouble.

The “Losers” were taken off by Quillan’s security force of Dado’s and once you grabbed on by those guys, there was no getting away. They were snatched and dragged off helplessly. In other words, they were killed.

The winners on the other hand, lived the life of a King. They were pampered, well fed and were given whatever they desired whether that was arts, music, clothes, you name it. One in particular had played these games, right up to the Grand X itself and in the end...had succeeded. His name was Bobby Pendragon or better known as in the city of Rune, Challenger Red.

Bobby had agreed to play these deadly games and luckily enough, he thrived. He'd triumphed in games from Zadaa, Eelong and Cloral and others like Tato, Hook and Tock and last, but not least...the Clown Forest. More so, he’d walked out successful of the Grand X after defeating the champion, Challenger Green, none other than Saint Dane. But Quillan had paid a great price when Bobby realized he and the rest of the Travelers had been betrayed by one of their own.

Nevva Winter had given away the location of Mr. Pop, resulting in its sad and heartbreaking destruction, crushing the territories’ last glimmer of hope. Once their past, Mr. Pop had been burned and crushed to the ground...all hope was gone. Ever since, those games carried on just as successfully with your hosts, announcers and CEO’s of the Quillan Games, Veego and LaBerge. Things hadn't changed a bit.

It was on one day, home on Second Earth at Courtney's house, her parents off at work, when Bobby’s ring began twitching and quivering. Up till this point, his plan was to chill out and relax for a bit before jumping into the flumes and re-entering the territories but it looked as if that wasn’t the case. It was so unexpected and uncalled for, he jumped up in surprise, as if that were the last thing on his mind. He was kidding himself, on that one, but he favoured at every moment he had to just sit back with Courtney and Mark...and his life on Second Earth.

Besides, after just coming back from the Ibara, and overthrowing a vast army of dados, he felt the exhaustion starting to build, worse than ever. But the one thing he felt relieved about was the simple fact that his best friend, Mark Dimond, was back home. Courtney had found him aboard the Queen's Mary and after a hassle and a fair struggle in getting through to him on all she'd seen....they left First Earth.

“What the-” Mark began. He stared wide eyed at the ring, his mind starting to race.

Bobby put the ring down, stepped back and watched the spectacular ray of beams as they cast the room into a great shower of light.

“I-I don’t know what’s going on,” said Bobby unsurely. “Usually I’m the one sending journals, and we're not near the flume."

“You think it’s from an acolyte?” suggested Courtney, staring curiously at the growing ring.

Bobby shrugged and shook his head.

“I dunno,” he answered. “I didn’t think there was anything important going on at the time, but, hey, guess I was wrong. Then again, isn't there always something going on?"

After the familiar lights and musical notes came to an end, there next to it, was a small, neatly rolled up parchment. The paper was hard, crunchy and held together with a bright red colored ribbon. TA delivery had been made.