Filed to story: Outplayed Story (Brooklyn & Ethan) Book PDF Free
Bravura:
It looks like the key is a part of something bigger. I’m guessing we’re collecting the bits and making a key at the final stage.
Good. She thought the same as he had. Useful to know.
Bravura:
There’re some markings on it. They look like hooks. Or sickles of some sort.
Were there? He rotated the key again and zoomed in. Oh yes. What he had taken for texture markings resolved themselves into a stylised drawing of curved hooks. How had he missed that?
Blaze:
Good spot!
Blaze:
Looks like speed is the thing we need for this.
Bravura:
I may not be much in a fight, but one thing this character can do is run fast. 🙂
In their initial meeting, Ethan had assumed that Bravura was going to be someone who he needed to carry along with him. Getting a teammate through a public lottery was always dangerous. Most people who entered would be good players, but there was always the risk of opportunists entering, just so that they could get hold of a limited edition headset. At least Bravura was keen to play and her observation skills were apparently better than his. Perhaps this wasn’t going to be such a disaster after all. He had come into this expecting it to be nothing more than a bit of fun, but now that he actually needed to win, things had changed.Brook rubbed her hands on the side of her legs. Nearly time. She hadn’t had time to practise, so she was just going to have to do what she could. She bounced lightly on her feet and stretched her neck from side to side.
‘Good luck,’ said Niro, who was sitting on the sofa again.
‘Thanks.’ Brook puffed out a breath, put on her headset, and became Bravura. At first she was standing in a field at sunrise. The theme song played and the lyrics scrolled overhead. She read them, even though she already knew them by heart.
Welcome to the Quest, my friend
Be the fastest to the end
The paths depend on which you choose
When one dies, you both lose
Choose the right, not the wrong
Spare the young, heed the song
One last thing you have to know
Where one goes, you both go
Where one goes, you both go
When she lowered her gaze again, Blaze was standing several metres away. He looked at her. ‘Ready?’
His voice was clear in her headset. It was like he was standing right next to her, instead of metres away.
‘Ready as I’ll ever be,’ she said.
The words ‘Quest One’ appeared in the sky and the scene changed.
She was standing in what looked like an old stone dining hall. It was a single, large room, with well-spaced sconces dividing the room into light and trembling shadows.
She turned. Blaze was standing next to her, frowning. This was the first time she’d seen the avatar actually playing, rather than messing about practising. There was a whole new intensity to him. If he’d looked attractive before, having an actual expression on his face only made him sexier. Even if that expression was a frown.
He took a few steps into the room. Oh yeah. Game. She wasn’t there to gawp at Blaze. If she was going to get to know him, she’d have to play. She turned and took in the smashed crockery and the overturned benches. ‘Looks like it’s been ransacked.’
Blaze peered around, still frowning. ‘Everything of value must have been taken.’
‘But they must have made us start here for a reason,’ she said. ‘There must be something in here we’re meant to find.’
His frown gave way to a raised eyebrow. ‘That’s a good point. You take that side, I’ll take this one.’ Without waiting to check, he strode over to his side.
Brook shrugged and started to methodically straighten things up and search for anything that looked like it might be useful.
After a few minutes, Blaze said, ‘This is useless. There’s nothing here. We should try outside.’
‘Why would they start us off here, if there wasn’t anything we were meant to find?’
He shrugged. ‘I don’t know. I only have the same information you have.’ He headed towards the door.
Brook stared at the table. The tablecloth was still on it. ‘Everything is smashed up, but the tablecloth is intact. This might be useful. I don’t know what for, but-‘
‘Grab it then,’ said Blaze. ‘Come on. We’re against the clock. We can’t waste time dawdling.’
He drew his sword, threw open the wooden door, and crouched, ready to fight.
Behind him, Brook did the same. Nothing happened. They both straightened up.
‘Okay,’ said Blaze. ‘Let’s go.’