This Fortnight Adventure

This Fortnite Adventure: Death in Second Life

It was as if they had been built straight out of solid stone blocks—a very unusual sight for this world. At first glance, it appeared that there were no people around; however, after walking down one side street and peering into an alleyway, Jared found himself looking at a familiar figure standing in front of him with arms crossed: the man who'd saved them back when they got lost earlier today!"Hey!" said Jared happily. "You're still here?!" But then he noticed something strange about his savior's face... His eyes looked like two black holes surrounded by red veins. He seemed more dead than alive, but perhaps because he didn't seem hostile or threatening right now, Jared felt comfortable approaching him. After all, it wasn't every day you saw someone wearing a giant suit of armor made entirely out of bones.The skeleton-armor wearer turned toward the voice behind him. A moment later, another player dressed in full plate mail stepped forward. This guy also wore a helmet with horns coming off its top. However, unlike the skeletal warrior before him, this knight carried only a sword in hand. Both men stood staring at each other silently for several seconds until finally the armored fighter spoke."...Who are you?"Jared blinked. "...Uh..." What should I say? Should we introduce ourselves again...? Or maybe just ask what their names are?! The latter option won out over time, so he asked the question instead. "Um, my name's Jared," he began. "And this is... uhm." He paused awkwardly. "I don't know your real names, though."The knight narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Why do you want to meet me?"Aha, thought Jared. So that means he doesn't recognize us! That's good news, actually. Maybe he'll tell us where our friends are without any trouble!He smiled widely at the man. Then he held out a hand. "Hi there. My name is Jared Leto, and I'm glad to make your acquaintance—"Suddenly the armored figure drew his blade across Jared's neck, slicing through skin, muscle, and bone alike. Blood sprayed everywhere, splattering onto the ground, leaving a trail of crimson footprints. In a matter of seconds, Jared fell lifelessly backward. Just as he hit the cobblestone road, the skeleton warrior moved in fast, slashing open the fallen hero's chest cavity. As he did, blood squirted forth like water from a fountain, painting everything nearby in scarlet.Both men watched silently as the life slowly drained away from Jared, whose body gradually shrank into a small pile of dust. When nothing remained of him except a few scattered pieces of clothing, the skeletal warrior kicked the remains aside."Hmph... You're not much of a challenge, either," he grumbled. Then he turned to look at the knight next to him."What shall be done with this trash?"There was silence for a long while. Finally, the armored soldier answered, "We should take him back to headquarters and see how many of those useless brainiacs can solve a simple riddle."***After being attacked by the knights, the player known as the Skeleton King took Jared's corpse to a large building located near the center of Plaza District. There, inside an underground chamber, he laid the young man facedown upon a table covered in a white cloth. He removed the hood covering his head, revealing a pair of sharp gray eyes beneath.With a clack of his tongue, he muttered, "Well, well, what have we here? Is this some kind of joke?"His voice sounded like sandpaper scraping against glass, making even the slightest sound uncomfortable. Yet despite the harshness of his tone, there was none of the malice typical of most players. Instead, the words themselves conveyed a sense of boredom mixed with curiosity.The king stared at the boy's face for quite a bit longer than necessary before asking, "Do you really think anyone would believe that such a pathetic little thing could possibly defeat me?"As soon as these words left his mouth, the air itself shimmered violently, causing the entire room to shake. Suddenly, a dark shadow descended over Jared. And then a second later, a massive arm came crashing down atop his tiny form, crushing him under its weight.But the king merely shrugged indifferently at this display of power and continued speaking. "Of course, if you insist on doing so anyway, I will grant you three wishes in exchange for your soul."Just then, a deep roar echoed throughout the hall, sending everyone running outside. They couldn't help but notice that the door leading into the chamber was gone completely—and in fact, the wall beyond it had become part of the floor. Only the ceiling remained intact.Then a huge beast burst out from the hole, snorting loudly. Its appearance was vaguely reptilian, but it had four legs and a thick tail. On its back sat a rider, clad in gleaming silver armor.In the midst of all the chaos, the riders' voices rang out clearly: "Don't worry, everybody! We've come to rescue you!"That night, the Skeleton King gathered his forces together once again. With a single word, he ordered them to attack the city square. All of the skeletons charged forward simultaneously, leaping high above the heads of the terrified citizens. Once they landed, their claws slashed down mercilessly. Their blades cut through flesh and bone alike. People screamed as they ran screaming in terror, trying desperately to escape the onslaught.However, the battle went nowhere close to smoothly for either party involved. One minute, the humans fought valiantly to hold back the undead horde; the next, the monsters were slaughtered with ease. Some of the soldiers managed to flee, but others died quickly, unable to run far enough. Meanwhile, the Skeleton King himself was barely able to stand up to the assault of enemy swords.Finally, the leader of the human resistance gave in to despair. "How...how can we win?!" he shouted, wiping sweat from his brow.The Skeleton King simply laughed derisively. "If you're going to lose, why bother fighting at all?"The rest of the army nodded in agreement. "Yes, sir!" they chorused.It was true that the Skeleton King was vastly stronger than the average player. The Skeleton King started default dancing. "Oh, yeah, baby, I'm gonna show you exactly what happens when you mess with the boss!"When he finished performing his dance moves, he summoned a magic ball of light from his finger and hurled it directly at the group of enemies. Before they knew it, the glowing sphere wrapped itself around them. Even the strongest warriors among them collapsed instantly, writhing helplessly in agony on the ground as their bodies withered away piece by piece. Within moments, only the king himself remained standing amid the corpses of his former comrades."Ha ha! Ha ha haaaah!" The Skeleton King roared in laughter, spraying spittle everywhere with each giggle. "Now it's my turn to play with you, punks!!"Once he completed the final step of summoning a portal between worlds, he transformed into a gigantic monster. It resembled a dragon with eight limbs and a humanoid torso. Though the creature was incredibly powerful, it was surprisingly easy to fight against thanks to its slow movement speed. Of course, the same couldn't be said for the people trapped in the area surrounding the portal."Fortnite is looking kind of different these days!" exclaimed Jared. "Where are all the buildings? Where are the roads?"He gazed around in wonder at the unfamiliar landscape. Compared to the version of the game he played regularly, this one was almost unrecognizable. He wondered if he'd somehow gotten transported to a new map altogether.The Skeleton King grinned evilly. "Ahaha! Looks like you're having fun exploring, eh kid?"At the end of his sentence, he shot a beam of energy directly toward Jared. It struck him in midair and sent him flying backward with a loud thud.Jared tumbled along the dirt path for several yards before landing hard on his rear end. He groaned in pain, then opened his eyes to find that the Skeleton King had already disappeared somewhere ahead of him. "Ugh...gotta keep moving..." he murmured weakly, getting unsteadily to his feet.Soon, Jared spotted the blue sky overhead and breathed a sigh of relief. "Glad I'm still alive..."But then suddenly he heard footsteps rushing toward him from behind. It was his father MooMoo. The old man had apparently been chasing after him ever since he'd vanished earlier today. Now, he stopped right beside him, breathing heavily and glaring furiously at him."Son...where have you been?!" he demanded, shaking his fist menacingly. "You told me that you wanted to go out adventuring, yet you never returned home!""Yeah...sorry about that," said Jared quietly, holding his hands up apologetically. "I guess I sort of wandered off without telling anyone...""Wandering off...without saying anything...to your own father...you insolent child!" MooMoo exploded angrily. "You disobeyed me!! Do you realize what might have happened if I hadn't found you?!"Jared froze in fear. "N-no, no, I'm sorry! I promise I'll stay closer next time!""Good heavens, what am I supposed to do with you?!" MooMoo shook his head sadly, muttering, "No, wait...""AGGHGHHGHHGHGHG!" yelled Jared Leto. His scream pierced the ears of every living thing nearby. A moment later, the ground beneath him cracked open, swallowing him whole.***Sometime later, a bright light shone down from the sky. For several minutes, nobody dared move or speak, waiting patiently for the event to pass. But eventually, the noise subsided, and the darkness lifted. When morning arrived, the sun rose up into the clear blue skies and revealed a strange sight indeed: an enormous crack that stretched from horizon to horizon, cutting straight across the land. From the depths of this fissure emerged countless figures, all dressed in black. Each one bore the mark of death upon their faces.They walked slowly through the desert, stepping carefully over the jagged edges of the great rift. No matter which direction they looked in, they saw nothing but scorched earth stretching endlessly onward until the very edge of existence.These were members of the BTS Army, led by the Skeleton King himself. At last, he appeared at the front line, staring grimly upward at the Fortnite Skybox. After taking a deep breath, he spoke aloud, letting the wind carry his voice away."So this is where you ended up, huh...? Well, I suppose this makes things easier."A moment passed before another person joined him in gazing at the sky. This was a female avatar who wore red robes and carried a staff. She stood slightly apart from her companions, watching intently. Her hair was jet black and hung down past her waist, framing her pale features.She seemed familiar to Jared Leto. She was Rose from the Kpop group Blackpink. As he thought back, he recalled seeing her perform in concert during their trip to Seoul.Rose smiled gently as she asked, "Are you enjoying yourself?"The Skeleton King scoffed. "What does it look like? If I had any interest in this 'game,' I wouldn't have abandoned my throne.""Hmm...but don't you want to know more about it?""Why? What difference would it make?"The woman sighed softly, then began walking forward. "BLACKPINK in your area!," Rose yelled as she prepared her attack.Suddenly, two other players appeared before the Skeleton King and Rose. One was wearing a green tunic and pants, while the other sported a white robe and hat. Both of them wielded swords, ready to strike. In response, the Skeleton King raised his hand, and the pair fell dead instantly. Then he turned to address the newcomer. "And just who are you supposed to be, anyway?! Why did you dare interrupt us?!""My name is Michael. You may call me the Vsauce."Michael held up both hands placatingly. "Please, please calm down. My intentions aren't hostile towards you. I merely wish to kill you.""Kill me? How rude. Who are you calling stupid?!" snapped the Skeleton King, narrowing his eyes dangerously. However, Michael didn't flinch. "Well, whatever. Just die already."After finishing his speech, the Skeleton King swung his sword down forcefully. There was a dull clang as it sliced through the air. Unfortunately for him, however, it also hit something else entirely. Something invisible that neither player could see.With a snap, the Fortnite Sword shattered into pixels. The entirety of the KPOP sensation BLACKPINK rose from the smoke. They glared fiercely at the Skeleton King and Rose."Hmph...what now?" muttered the Skeleton King. "Did someone summon some kind of ghost here too? Is this even possible?!"His words drew the attention of the entire party, including the mysterious girl named Rose. They stared at each other silently for several seconds, but finally the Skeleton King broke the silence first."Whoa, whoa, whoaaaaaaaahh! What the hell?!" he gasped. "Wh-whoever you are—don't scare me like tha—"Before he could finish speaking, a blast of pure energy shot out from the point of contact between the three parties. Everyone was blown backward with such force that they flew off into the distance. Only the Skeleton King remained standing, clutching his chest in pain.As the dust settled, the members of the Blackpink team stepped forth. First came the dark-skinned boy whose avatar resembled Justin Bieber, the new member of the KPOP band Blackpink. Next was Rose, with long black hair flowing freely around her shoulders. And last was the pink-haired beauty known as Lisa. Together, they faced off against the Skeleton King and his minions."Hey, hey, heyyyy," sang Justin Bieber. "We're the new kids in town, and we're gonna take over everything!"Lisa nodded. "Let's get rid of these jerks once and for all!"Their voices rang loudly throughout the empty wasteland. All three of them swung at the Skeleton King at once. Their blades cut through flesh and bone alike, leaving trails of blood in their wake. Soon enough, the enemy's HP bar dropped below 50 percent. With a final slash, the Skeleton King crumpled to the ground, lifeless. The remaining monsters scattered wildly, running in every direction."That should be everyone," said Justin, panting lightly. "All that's left is to clean up the leftover trash.""Indeed," agreed Lisa, nodding gravely. "Though we will not leave a single corpse behind."Justin smirked happily at that. "Then let's get started, shall we?"Both of them ran forward, hacking away at the fallen enemies mercilessly.In less than five minutes, there wasn't so much as a shred of clothing lying anywhere in the vicinity. By the time the duo reached the Skeleton King, he lay motionless on the ground. He had lost nearly half of his health points due to their attacks; his body was covered in wounds and scars, and his armor was completely gone. Yet despite being defeated, he showed no sign of surrender. Instead, he simply watched as the two teenagers approached him, smiling thinly.Just as he was about to raise his sword again, however, he paused and glanced over his shoulder. Suddenly he jumped up onto his hind legs and roared, sending shock waves rippling through the air."AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!! AAAAHAAHHHH!!"The sudden burst of sound caused the two teens to jump in surprise. Looking back, they noticed that the Archdemon had grown larger and taller than when they'd last seen it. Its form shifted rapidly, becoming increasingly reptilian in appearance. Within moments, it took human shape. It was now a tall humanoid creature with sharp claws protruding from its fingertips.Its skin was grayish brown and scaly, giving it an overall ghoulish look. But most frightening of all was the beast's face—or rather, lack thereof. Where there should have been a mouth, nose, and eyes, only smooth scales extended downward from the top of its skull. Even though the monster was clearly alive, it gave the impression that it might actually be made of stone instead of bone.It was none other than the Archdemon, the highest level boss available in the current version of the game. It was rumored among veteran players that defeating this powerful foe was considered an incredible feat worthy of celebration.Jared Leto gulped nervously. "Uh...Dad?" he whispered. "Is this really you?""Ohhh, you've come to rescue me at last!" cried MooMoo gleefully. "Now, son...let us go home together!""Wait... I'm here to kill you not save you," said Jared Leto."Ahaha...of course, dear!" MooMoo chuckled heartily. "I knew you wouldn't forget your mission! That's why I decided to appear as myself! Ha ha!"He waved his arm carelessly. "There! See? Nothing to worry about anymore! Come along, son!"Jared hesitated, glancing around uneasily. "Um...dad? Can you explain to me exactly what's going on here?"MooMoo blinked innocently. "I'm gay," confessed MooMoo. "I faked loving your mother and you're adopted.""AHHHHHH I'LL KILL YOU!!!!" screamed Jared Leto. He charged toward his father. His father charged toward him and their blades clashed with a loud metal clang. Sparks flew into the air as the two stared each other down. "Ugh..." groaned MooMoo, holding his right wrist. Blood trickled down his forearm and dripped onto the ground."You little bastard!!!" shouted Jared Leto. "How dare you use my own blade against me?!""Ha ha! Oh, how I love hearing those words coming out of your mouth! Now give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right here and now!!""Because if I do, Mom will never find happiness," said Jared Leto coldly. "If you ever hurt her again, I swear I'll end your life without hesitation.""Ooh, ouch! Harsh!""Yeah, well, that's how it goes. So think hard before making any more threats or you won't live to regret it."MooMoo laughed derisively. "Ya little bastard!! I'M GAY YOU MORON. DON'T BE HOMOPHOBIC""Too bad."They ran at each other at the fastest speed possible in Fortnite. One slash determines the victor.Jared was milliseconds faster and impaled his father in the gut. Blood was rushing down MooMoo's mouth and was about to die. "Thank you for freeing me of my sins son." cried MooMoo."Shut the fuck up." said Jared Leto as he mercilessly decapitated his father. Smoke rose from the air as he walked away not looking back. His guilt was nonexistent. He just completed his mission given to him by the Skeleton King: to exterminate his father's race.