MIND GAMES: Guild Tryouts

Chapter 11

"So what's the big deal with Dillan? It seems like you hate him." Jay asks Axel.

—The two of them had been wandering the streets of Oasis City, looking for the Slayer passes in the race they're currently participating in. It doesn't feel like a race, though, since the passes were never at their original location. Now every race-contender has either given up or started a search on their own for the passes. Jay knows for a fact that Oasis was the city depicted on the map, and so did everyone else, but something wasn't what it seemed.

"Trust me when I say my blood boils whenever I see his face!! The fact you even met him and added him to our numbers was annoying enough!!" Axel starts, "But no, I don't *hate* him. I just don't like his spirit."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Jay asks.

"I guess it was something my father told me..." Axel says, pointing a finger to the sky, "'Don't make promises you can't keep, and make sure to walk the walk, not talk the talk.'—"

"—Dillan fought one of the strongest players in the world and acted like he actually had a chance of winning when his chances were literally zero!! He seems like the kind of guy who talks game but has nothing to prove his worth."

"Oh, I guess you have a point—" Jay says after Axel finishes, "—But he's already told me that this bullying or criticism you give him is the same thing everyone else does. All he wanted was to make a name for himself."

"Yeah, well, his fault for tarnishing it. If I'm gonna respect him, Dillan's gotta prove to me he has motivation and not just ignorance!!" Axel announces.

As harsh as Axel put it, he was half right. Dillan shouldn't have taken up that fight, but that doesn't mean he's a selfish guy or anything. Jay held back any other remarks and continued to scout the street as they walked.

The passes had to be somewhere around here, right?

"Odds on the passes not being here?" Axel casually asks Jay.

"In my mind, we have about a seventy percent chance," Jay responds.

"What about the other thirty?!"

"Chalk that up to another plot twist!"

The two laughed as they continued their path down an alleyway between some player-owned apartments. Oasis is a hotspot for affordable living in the Nexus since it's in the middle of a harsh desert. One step out of the city walls, and players will experience the worst weather conditions in the game.

"Hey Axel, do you think this is super confusing on purpose?" Jay asks.

"Hmm?" Axel looks at Jay.

"Like why is this race suddenly a puzzle?" Jay reiterates.

"beats me, but it sure did make a lot of players quit!!" Axel laughs.

"You think that was their intention? To make uninterested contenders give up?" Jay theorizes.

"Well, in my opinion, if you can't participate in something like this on command by the Slayers, then how can they trust you to perform for them?"

Jay nods his head, and they both agree that this puzzle was intended. There was no way the Slayer's Pack would mess up their tryouts by accident.

<New Message!>

Jay and Axel both freeze as they get the same notification from their game menu. They look at each other, nod their heads in unison, and both check their inboxes.

Jay's eyes widened as he read the text in front of him.

>Well, well, well, contenders! How is the race so far? Have you got yourself a Slayer's Pass yet? If you haven't gotten one yet, have no fear!