I looked cautiously over the barren waste land with the wind blowing sand in my face and saw a jungle of trees out in the distance down over a slope. As I walked down the slope I noticed movement in the trees. With one eye towards the trees, I reach for my energy gun, ready to kill. I watched for any diction of enemy movement and suddenly, I feel a blast of energy shoot into the back of my skull as if I was going to die.
As I took the helmet off from the giant gaming computer, I thought of how great it is to be a pro-gamer -- the biggest thing that goes on in the world of 2023. The only thing that isn't so great is that everything that happens in the game feels so real; you would feel the pain of being shot at. The other thinks that worries me is that I to have to play in a cube box that's 10 feet tall and 10 feet wide, but the only reason I don't like it is because you get locked in from the inside by George, the 'She' computer. And she is the only one that can lock and unlock the doors.
As I looked at the two best friends anyone could ever have, Quentin said, "I guess that's a tie, wouldn't you say Matt?"
Matt makes a smile and said, "I think Ghost just let you catch him off guard with the illusion you made of yourself in the trees."
Everyone calls me Ghost because I never liked my real name.
"Doesn't matter, it's still 20-20 for today and I'm happy about it!" Quentin says.
I still can't keep my eye off the big gaming cube inside at the main Pro Gaming building. With millions of seats set around it up high and low for people to watch the giant TV screen on top of the cube as their idol either succeeds to victory or dies to a blast of energy so violently.
Today is the day of the final battle of the tournament this season. But before I go get ready for the tournament in 3 hours, I'm going to get revenge on Quentin. "Quentin you ready for a rematch?"
"Sure if you're ready to lose again Ghost."
As Matt looks at us I said, "And yes, you're the referee Matt."
So while Quentin and I are getting our helmets on in the cube, Matt asks, "What map do you want to play on, the same as before?"
"Of course not, Ghost needs to train up on Crystal Caves!" says Matt.
"Ok then, Crystal caves it is!"
As I look at both Quentin and Matt, I wonder why they like to torture me with this area. I dislike Crystal Caves because of the reflections of your opponents in the crystals. I always shoot at something that is just a reflection. "Ok you guys ready, Quentin, Ghost?" We both say "Yea" at the same time.
I look around and see I have the advantage; I can use the ceiling Crystals to reflect an image off of three other Crystals. Giving me the ability to snipe out Quentin from him shooting at the Crystals, that is really just a reflection. Now all I have to do is wait for him to fall into my trap.
I can hear Quentin trying to sneak around the corner; boy does he fail at it. As I keep one eye on the corner, I set my energy sniper up for the kill.
Quentin finally comes around the corner and shot twice at my reflections, in the process I have my sniper ready for the kill. I pull the trigger and the energy bolt hit Quentin in the leg.
As I reload my sniper Quentin yells. "Nice usage of the area, but it's not over yet!"
"We shall see." I yelled back.
When I look over my shoulder Quentin fires a blast and missed, but I notice a crystal above Quentin barely hanging on the ceiling. So I fire at it.
"What was that? You didn't even hit me!" Quentin could barely say it from laughing so much. Then I started counting out loud, "1, 2, and 3!"
"Game over." George said as I took my helmet off.
"WOW! Nice move Ghost!" Quentin says.
"Thanks, Quentin. Didn't see that one coming did you?"
"Not really, but nice, I'm sure you can take on Grimith in the tournament tonight." Grimith, my worse rival since I joined the Gaming League. I dislike Grimith because he is cocky and he is a big shot of the Gaming League because of his dad being part of building George.
"Guess it's time to get ready for the tournament." said Matt nervously. "Yeah, tournament starts in 20 minutes Ghost."
"Yeah let's go back to our room and get dressed." I said, excited and ready to win the tournament.
15 minutes later....
"You ready for this, Ghost?"
"Yes stop asking me, Matt...."
"Yeah I got money on Ghost to win, so if you lose Ghost you owe me 10k."
"Quentin, stop getting rich off me, would yea..."
We walk to the gaming cube looking around and see that all the seats are full as can be. People were holding flags for their idols and foam thumbs with their name on it. I didn't even know foam thumbs existed anymore.
I enter the cube and see Grimith on the other side. "Good luck." I said like I didn't mean it.
"You're the one that'll need the luck, Spooky." Of course, he calls me the name people made fun of; my real name.
"Ghost, ready?" asked the referee
"Yes."
"Grimith, ready?"
"Just start the game you idiot."
"I hope you get your ass kicked..." said the referee under his breath.
"What was that you said referee?"
"I said I hope you get the 'Grass' map Grimith..."
"We start in, 3, 2, 1!"
Of course we have to do the random map; where we spin the wheel and whatever it lands on is our map.
"The map is..... The Barren Waste!"
I spawned in an old guard tower about 20 feet off the ground, the perfect place to use my sniper to my advantage using the window.
As I wait for Grimith to show up I scout the area for objects he may use to his advantage, but all I can see is a tree and truck that won't run.
I can hear something in the distance; it keeps getting louder by the second....
Then all sudden a blast of energy ricochets less then a foot from the window nearly blasting my face off.
"Game on!" I told myself. Grimith comes running up to the tree and I fire twice, both were a miss.
"Your aim still blows."
"Look who's talking." I said with a laugh.
Grimith jumps 4 feet in the air and does a roll towards the truck, exactly what I was planning. I had my gun ready to fire when he hit ground. It didn't miss this time.
"Lucky shot..." Grimith said in pain.
I walk down the steps with my dual pistols out and sniper on my back, getting ready to finish this game quick and easy.
As I make it down to the bottom and plunge into the sand, I see a bolt of energy coming right at me as I hit the ground.
"Not even close 'Gaymith', next time aim lower since we are playing in SAND!" He hates being called Gaymith, because of the fact that he isn't gay.
As I pull myself out of the sand, I see Grimith moving back to the tree getting closer to hit me with his pistols. I fired cover shots as I ran back inside the tower. Grimith follows.
I went all the way to the top and hung off the side waiting for him to look over the edge so I could blast him.
He fell into my trap.
I blasted him but the game didn't end.... I was sure it should have killed him...
As I climb back over the edge I see him laying there. I walk up to him and he pulls his pistols out and shot me twice.
But the game still wasn't over...
"Why isn't the game over? You lost, Gaymith!"
"No, no, no, I killed you."
"No, I got you first! besides it doesn't matter were still in the game and I can't take my helmet off."
"I can't either, Spooky, you must have glitched us."
"Stop calling me Spooky, my name is Ghost."
"Then stop calling me Gaymith!"
"Fine."
"Ghost and Grimith, we can not get inside the gaming cube! The password will not work; it is as if George changed the password." The referee said.
"Hey referee we can't take our helmets off, how do we end this game? We can't even kill each other." I said confused.
"It seems that George has created a mind of her own. You must look for the hardcore on the level you are on, and destroy it. That may cause the game to end; although I have no clue what else it will do..."
"Well Grimith it looks like we have to team up and destroy the hardcore."
"Team up? With you? What a joke."
"Ok then, you can go alone and face what guards the hardcore separately." I said sarcastic.
"What make's you think something will be guarding it?"
"How about the fact that George can input random objects, and you don't think she will protect something that keeps her alive. Aren't you the stupid one?"
"Fine, let's end this game so I can get my trophy as the tournament winner."
"We shall see who the winner is when this is over, Grimith."
"How do we even know where this so called 'Hardcore' is?"
"How about in that old castle over there on that hill with water surrounding it..." I said nervously.
"Oh that.... Well I didn't know it would be this easy."
We both walked with our pistols, out waiting for an enemy ambush; surprisingly we made it to the Bridge with no problems.
"How do we get the bridge down Ghost?"
"Easy..."
I got my pistols charged and shot the chains holding the bridge up, and the bridge crashed down. We walked across it into the castle.
"Look how huge this place is..... How are we going to find the hardcore in this place?"
"Let's bring down the second floor!"
I charged my pistols at high velocity and shot the columns holding up the 2nd floor.
"Well are you going to just stand there or help me shoot these columns down, Grimith?"
"Yea, yea...."
Soon the second floor crashed down as we stood at the castle entrance. As it fell down we saw a bright blue round object with millions of wires attached to it.
"That must be the hardcore, Ghost! Wow this was so easy thanks to my skills."
"What skills? I did all the work."
As we approached the hardcore, something large started walking around it...
"What the heck is that?!
"Looks like a bull..." I was pretty sure it looked like a bull.
"Yeah, you could say that, except for the fact that it's 10 times bigger!"
Grimith was still looking at it in amazement while I got my pistols charged and ready to kill it.
I fired at the bull, but there was no affect...
"Why is it starting to make that noise, Ghost?"
"I think I pissed it off. I think we better run!"
"Couldn't agree more!"
I ran to the left of the bull and Grimith ran to the right.
We both charge our pistols and fire at the bull's eyes, stunning him, but not for long.
"Go climb up those stairs and fire at the hardcore while I distract this beast!"
Grimith yells back, "Why do you get the fun part?"
"JUST GO!" I yelled back while firing at the bull.
I ran behind columns and wait for the bull to charge. He gets his horns stuck in the column and I run to the next one and fire from behind until he gets unstuck and repeat the process.
"Hey Ghost; I've fired at this thing a million times! Nothing is happening."
"I'm a little bit busy here!"
As the bull gets his horn's stuck again I ran up to the steps and pull my sniper out and lean on the railing.
"Pull your sniper out Grimith, and fire when I say so."
"What for?"
"Just do it!"
Grimith pulls his sniper out and leans on the railing as I am.
"Aim at the biggest wire entering the hardcore, and get ready to fire."
"Alright, I hope your plan works..." Grimith said, still confused of what I planned.
"Get ready to fire in 3... 2... 1... FIRE!"
We both fire at the same time and it penetrated the wire and went through the hardcore and came out the other side.
"How did you know that would work?" Grimith asked, amazed at what we just did.
"I didn't." I said happily.
As I pull my helmet off I can see that we are back and I'm soaking in sweat. Grimith is covered in sweat too.
"Ghost! You're back!" Quentin and Matt said at the same time.
"Glad to be back."
As I walk up to the door that is still locked, I typed in the word 'George' and the door unlocked and we were free from the cube.
"How did you know that would work?" Quentin asked surprised.
"Because that's the name of the computer."
"Guess it makes sense..." Grimith said as he walked up to me. "Good game, Ghost."
"You too, Grimith." I said, "Now lets see who won that trophy shall we, Grimith?"
“We shall Ghost.”
