MIND GAMES: Guild Tryouts

Chapter 19

"Full name and your number please?" The organizer asks Jay.

"Jay," He says, "Jay Corvidae. Number three."

"Alright, Mr. Corvidae, you'll want to go down that hall and take a left. Enter the door with the '#3' sign above it."

"Right, thank you," Jay responds.

—After making his way into the Decimation, Jay is split up from the rest of the party, as everyone reports to their designated groups to await further instruction. Jay never thought he would be going into the backrooms and corridors of the Decimation, but it was really happening.

Everything was levels above the arena the Slayer's Pack had built for this last tryout session, which was a relief. Jay and many other players didn't like the feel of the poorly structured dome that they took their exams in, so moving from an environment like that to an environment like this was a big surprise.

Jay still didn't know what to expect at this point. He knew that he would be facing nine other players in an all-out deathmatch, but he had no idea what his competition looked like or what the battlefield entailed for him. All he knew at this moment was to meet up with the rest of his group.

Jay recognizes the floor tiles as he stares down at them to clear his mind, clarifying how expensive this building was. The floor had gemstones embedded into it in distinct patterns, and a single meter would cost a player anywhere from 100,000 to 125,000 GOLD in Spahn's Market.

It was a marvel to inspect. Like most in the game, this building was created by the developers and programmers, so the cost wasn't in mind when creating the Decimation's architecture.

As Jay progressed down the hallway, he kept looking at the top of the doorways for the '#3' sign above it. He had already seen the '#1' and '#2' areas already, which meant his room was sure to be just around the corner.

'I wonder what Axel, Ivy, and the rest of the party are doing right now...' Jay thinks, squinting his eyes in the process.

His eyes turn from relaxed to open as he spots the '#3' sign above a doorway just ahead of him. His heart slowly but surely picks up its pace as he draws near to it. The thought of seeing his competition was scary but exciting at the same time. Jay takes in a deep breath and exhales as he turns the doorknob and pushes the door open.

Sure enough, the room is packed with other prospects, all minding their own business. Jay counts eight other players in the room, excluding himself. They all looked exceptionally skilled, but Jay knew he had to come across as an enemy rather than a friend. After surveying the room, Jaya walks over to one of the back corners. There were no chairs, but everyone else was either using Aspect or sitting on the ground to compensate. Jay calmly sits on the floor.

Looking up, Jay's mind rests at ease. He was expecting some big names to be here, but everyone around him seemed to be in the same boat as him. In fact, Jay had sat close by another player not to seem so reclusive.

The player next to him, only a couple of feet away, had spiky blonde hair that was shorter on his sides and his back compared to his top cut. He had a white cape stretched from his back all the way onto the floor, wrapped underneath his legs. He had a large circular shield that he had planted onto the ground, which he was inspecting. It had a large gem in the middle of it, which illuminated a bright red hue. The player's uniform he had on—paired with his cape—was black with lines and designs in bright pink.

'He looks like a colored pencil or marker!' Jay thinks in disbelief, 'Wait for a second...'

"Have I seen you somewhere else?" Jay asks the player.