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Lightning flashes and thunder echoed.
“I tried.”
His voice sounded small compared to the crashing of the thunder. As quickly as it came it faded. The world around him grew dark.
“You did tremendously, fellow glutton brother.”
Impulse quickly turned to face where the voice came from. Two smiling faces stood before him, illuminated by the glow of the portal behind him.
“Not bad, man,” Tango added, holding out his hand for Impulse to take to steady himself. “It takes a bit to adjust to the void.”
Impulse nodded. Memories were faint but he knows where he is; the Void. The place The Watchers keep them before and after they die.
“Sorry, I lost,” Impulse said quietly, letting go of Tango’s hand and running it through his hair. “I really did try.”
“You did better than Tango,” Ren commented quickly.
Tango shoved an elbow into Ren’s side and gave him an annoyed look. Impulse couldn’t help but laugh. The laughter echoed through the void. The eyes of players and of beings he couldn’t see who were watching the world he left behind could be felt on him.
Tango wrapped an arm around him, “Ignore them.” Leading him away from the portal window the three Gulten Brothers put some distance between them and other others being held in the Void.
“You should be chuffed, my man. You fought to the very end. Unlike this guy who blew up,” Ren joked.
Tango laughed half heartedly. He knew Ren’s words didn’t have any bite to them but they still hurt. He nodded his head and the other two carried on.
Impulse was so focused on detailing his last few moments on the server that neither he nor Ren noticed Tango left to sit alone.
•
The end of the games for Scott brought relief. He found comfort in the thunder and lighting that engulfed him. It was a sign that rest was coming. As the dark Void appeared before him he smiled as he said outloud, “Well, that works.”
As light from the portal that showed the world he left behind illuminated the view before him he saw the crew he shared a cabin with standing waiting for him.
“That ended quickly for ya, huh Scott?” Etho asked as he chuckled.
“It should have been you in that corner,” Scott smiled.
“That’s what I was saying!” Scar exclaimed. “I said that exact thing, didn't I BDubs?”
BDubs rolled his eyes as he joined the circle of his Cabin Crew members. “Yeah yeah.”
“You played a good game,” Etho complimented Scott as he reached to shake his hand. Scar and BDubs stood beside him and patted his back while congratulating him for making it as far as he did.
Scott thought back to how he played this past game. He did his best to not make many enemies. He certainly did his best to keep his team together even though it almost seemed impossible at times.
He even managed to succeed in curing the Curse the Watchers gives them several times.
Scott cautiously rolls his eyes remembering he is now in the Void.
“Hopefully next time it will be one of you,” he casually points to both Etho and BDubs.
“A dub for BDubs!” Scar cheers as he grabs BDubs’ shoulders, shaking him dramatically.
“Or me,” Etho adds with his arms crossed with an amused look in his eyes.
“OR ETHO!” Scar shouted into the Void. His voice echoed around them.
Scott couldn’t help but laugh. They had all just died not long ago but it’s as if the effects of it all faded the moment they were reunited.
•
“NO!”
The lighting flashes and his body crashes onto the ground in a dark bleak void.
Jimmy keeps his eyes closed. “I came in fourth, I think,” he mutters out loud, unaware that his fellow rejects were peering down at him.
“Yup.” BigB’s voice startled him.
Quickly he sat up and standing around him were BigB, Skizz, and Joel.
“Better than first out, Himmy.” Skizz extended his hand out to help Jimmy up.
Praises from his teammates washed over him as he stood. The warmth and pride in their words replaced the feeling of loss.
He may have lost at the end but at least he had beaten the curse once again and had reached a higher placement. Fourth place was definitely an improvement.
Joel patted him on the back, “Next time you’ll take the crown and join our ranks.”
It took a moment but he remembered that Joel was one of the Life Game Winners. Soon the winners will be taken before the others just like at the end of every game they played.
Jimmy laughed casually and nodded in agreement at Joel’s statement.
Joel maybe said it to make him feel better but it was his mission to prove everyone wrong about him. He would be a winner. Not even a curse or any kind was going to stop him.
•
The familiar rush of being sent to the void after a Red Death overcame him. The lighting flashed. The thunder clapped. As quickly as he was sent to the server at the start of the game he was back in the void where the Watchers kept them.
He felt himself settle with his feet planted on the ground. His heart sank. “I’ve got some explaining to do to Gem.” Opening his eyes properly to adjust to the lack of light in the void he sighed, “Where is she?” He looked around but didn’t see Gem or Pearl. “It was a mis— bad guys never win.”
A chill went up his spine as he admitted that outloud.
“Grian!”
He turned around quickly to face the direction his name came from. “Gem!” He exclaimed, “I really thought Martyn had died!”
Gem ignored his words. “What is wrong with you?!?”
“I really- I’m sorry!” He cried out in a panic.
She pointed toward the portal, “You let Martyn take that win!”
“I’m just a villain! I’m just a little villain!”
“You’re an idiot villain,” Gem added and the two of them burst into laughter.
After they laughed off the stressful moment Grian caught his breath and wiped at his eyes. “Gem, I really thought Martyn had died and I had the victory in my eyes. I didn’t realize he had bucket clutched.”
Gem shook her head and continued to laugh. It wasn’t long before Pearl walked up behind Gem and joined them.
Pearl placed a gentle hand on Gem’s shoulder and smiled at Grian.
Grian couldn’t meet her eyes. Instead he lowered not just his gaze but his head. “I’m sorry I failed you both.”
Get nodded playfully. Pearl shoved her gently and moved to stand near Grian.
“You did great.” Her hand reached for Grians. She held on tight and gave it a squeeze. “We’ll have another chance.”
“How can you be so sure,” Gen asked.
Pearl just shrugged. She really wasn’t sure. She just wanted her fellow villains to feel better about how things ended. They stood by her even after death. Wanting vengeance and getting in by taking out Joel in a similar fashion Jimmy had taken her out.
Without words Pearl opened her arms wide. Grian and Gem knew what she wanted. The three villains huddled together and embraced for what little time they had left.
Soon Martyn would end his life and the Watchers will crown him as their new winner. Then they would all be divided and sent back to realms to wait for a new game to begin.
•
Eyes closed Martyn steps forward and falls into the square hole as thunder claps and lightning flashes signifying that his Read Life is over. The Game is over.
The thunder is still echoing in his ears when he’s transported to the void and before he could open his eyes he feels arms warp around him.
“Martyn!”
For the first time in weeks Martyn relaxed. Feeling Cleo’s arms around him and hearing his name in their excited voice settled his raging feelings that come with every life death.
“You won, Martyn! You did it!”
He wanted to reply to her but he wanted to remain in the moment they had created a bit longer but deep down he knew what was coming and that their time was limited.
He chuckled at the thought of limited time.
Gently he pulled away from Cleo. Smiling at them he nodded. Behind Cleo stood the others.
Every fallen player.
“I’m sorry it wasn’t you,” said Martyn quietly so hopefully only Cleo could hear.
Cleo shook their head and smiled genuinely. “The only thing I wanted is for my team to win. It was an honor, Martyn.” Playfully they saluted him as they stood up.
Martyn blushed as he stood to his feet and met Cleo’s eyes. Shrugging his shoulders he said, “This proves that we were correct to be linked in Double Life.”
Memories of that life rushed to Cleo’s mind. Not all of the good but they had managed to settle things and at the end they went out fighting. Just like that had in this Past Life. “I suppose so,” Cleo agreed.
“We'll have to team up again soon,” Martyn half heartily joked.
Cleo was about to say something when a loud crash echoed around them and a bright white light engulfed them.
It frightened the players and cries of terror and surprise echoed through the void. This wasn’t how they were sent back to different realms. The Watchers normally open a portal and one by one each of the players are sent through.
Once the light faded Martyn looked around. Shocked, he noticed every player besides Scott, Pearl and thankfully Cleo, were gone.
“Tango?” Scott called out when his vision returned to him. “He was standing beside me.”
“Grian? Gem?” Pearl turned to look behind her. “Where did they go,” she asked in a panic.
This was not how the Life Games ended. Usually they all went back to the realms the Watchers pulled them from. No one stayed behind.
Martyn looked to Cleo and reached out to take her hand.
Pearl noticed. “How come they get to stay together. Where are my teammates?!” She stepped forward towards the Watcher that loomed over them.
Scott rushed after her and pulled her back to where Martyn and Cleo stood.
Laughter erupted slowly from Watchers that remained in the shadows. The Watcher that stood before them raised his arms and the laughter stopped.
“You four have been selected,” their voice boomed. Arms still raised, The Watcher pointed behind them.
The quartet cautiously turned to see what was waiting for them.
It was Pearl who spoke out first. “Selected for what?” Her voice dripped with annoyance. She wanted answers, not more puzzle pieces.
The Watcher lowered his arms and the portals that were behind them started to glow. The portals looked ancient and weathered. Normally the portals they used to return were made of pristine obsidian. The obsidian that these portals were made up looked to be chipped and covered in moss. The normal muffed sounds that usually came from the other side of the portals were gone and replaced with what sounded like wolves howling.
Pearl stepped closer to the portals and almost reached out to touch the cracked obsidian but stopped. She looked back behind her and saw that the others had also stepped toward the portals. There was one for each of them to walk through.
“What happens when we go through?” Scott didn’t even look back as he asked the question to The Watcher.
“A new game to play awaits you,” The Watcher answered.
Cleo turned and asked, “Why four portals?”
“So many questions,” The Watcher sighed. “Each portal is a different path to the same realm.”
“Enough with the riddles! Tell us where we are going?” Marty shouted in frustration. The Watchers tortured them for their enjoyment and he was getting tired of it.
The Watcher laughed.
A force they could see but felt ushered them forward towards the glowing weather portals.
The players struggled against it. Doing what they could to keep themselves from being transported to who knows where.
Weak from the game they just finished their energy depleted and soon gave in. The portal's magic worked around them. Their vision blurring into purple swirls and particles. The swooshing sounds filled their ears but before the magic fully transported them to their new location the voice of The Watcher came though, “Enjoy the hunt in Oakurst.”