Quest 50 | ONC 2024 HONORABLE MENTION ✨️✨️

Three:

Still holding onto Damon's sleeve, I looked around the fields. The number of demons intensified, emerging from the shadows without fear. They crawled on their knuckles like animals and howled into the sky. I locked eyes with one to the right of us. It grinned with red-stained teeth absorbing the abnormal light overhead. When it dipped its head, the alien above us laughed.

"I see a lot of you have survived, which amazes me. These creatures are small but our best; pets trained specifically trained for today's test," the alien said, its voice bellowing through the dark green clouds.

I gritted my teeth as Damon sidestepped. "What's happening?!" he screamed.

The shouts of other players nearby echoed as they fought the monsters. Based on the depth and sounds of their voices, they were either victorious or defeated. I gulped as a woman on my left let out a glutaral cry. I sharply turned in her direction. If I saw her, I could help.

"Those of you who survived tonight," the alien continued, "are in the running to become a part of our army. Earth is the only planet oblivious to the Galaxian War, and well, it isn't fair to the rest of us doing our part."

My heart sped. As each beat hammered in my chest, I stared up at the alien with wide eyes. There was a war out there in space. They invaded our planet to test our strength. Were they "recruiting" us based on how we survived? So many of us died since they arrived. There had to be more than just their army; they weren't the only aliens fighting.

The alien nodded when no questions arose. "There are three more tests to show your strength."

"And what do we get out of this?!" I shouted, balling my hands into fists.

"Nina," Damon hissed.

I shook my head. "You force us to play your games. We're in this fantasy realm leveling up like this is a video. What do we get?!"

The alien's cat-like eyes darted in my direction. Its thin lips stretched into a grin. "Life," it hissed as it narrowed its gaze. "You either fight for us, or we kill you ourselves. What is better?"

I stumbled back as shock came over me. Regardless of how well we played, if we didn't agree to their terms, we were dead. I didn't play this long to give in so easily. I didn't seek treatment and doctors in my reality to die. There were days I felt weak, and days I wanted to quit, but death had never been on my mind.

"Nina, we have to live." Damon tugged at my arm until I looked at him. I noticed his body was fading in and out, pixelating at the folds of his sleeves, and the wrinkles in his top. I blinked and shook my head. "Nina, say you agree."

I did agree but looking at him made me dizzy. "I know, I know." I squeezed my eyes shut. "What's happening?"

His hand slid down to mine. "I don't know."

My legs trembled as my muscles grew sore. My eyes snapped open. Why was this happening? Once I was in the game, my ailments would cease. I was stronger, faster, and able to do things I'd never imagined. And yet, when I looked up into Damon's eyes, I tightened my grip on his arm. He did the same for me. "I got you," he whispered.

"Some of you may feel strange if that was how you felt in your world, while the rest are perfectly fine," the alien said. "These test your ability to survive in our world as you would on Earth. This war isn't a video game."

My eyes widened. My disease followed me here? Had they turned off a switch, reversing the veil this fantasy draped over my eyes. This façade wouldn't last. Even if I survived these quests, would that be the end of me?

"Everyone will log out in two minutes," the alien sneered. "Return to your world and gather yourselves. Tomorrow, for the place we've created, there will be a boss battle."

Two minutes.

Damon turned and looked up at the alien. "How are we supposed to prepare? What does that even mean?" he shouted.

"How are we supposed to prepare for a boss, and we don't even know what it is?!" a woman complained.

The alien's lip puckered. "Humans are resilient, aren't they? And your generation that is filled with spirit and youth can figure it out."

A chorus of cries filled the air. No one wanted to fight in a war. We played this game to survive. I believed that if we had played long enough, the aliens would get bored and leave us alone. We'd fall back into our past existence to pick up the pieces left from our shattered reality. Traumatic memories were a given. But to forcibly fight in a war that had nothing to do with us? To become soldiers for an alien race making a game of our lives.

My knees buckled and I fell to the floor.

"Nina!" Damon bent beside me. His hand brushed across my cheek as he looked into my eyes. "Are you feeling your regular pain?" Biting his lip, his voice dropped to a whisper. "Are you okay to stand?"

A time clock appeared beside the alien's head. Thirty seconds flashed in red letters. "Almost time to log out small children," it cooed.

Damon looked back at me and cupped my face. "We're logging out. When we get back home, I'm coming over."

I blinked. I was nauseous and my head hurt.

"What are the meds you need? Can I go to any pharmacy?" he urgently asked. "Or is it a special place?"

"Tick-tock, children," the alien hissed.

"I just need—" I started to say, but the world was cut short, and I found myself in darkness.

***

I sucked in a deep breath as I opened my eyes in my room. Early sunrise poked through my windows, casting a purple and orange hue on my walls. Looking over at my diplomas and trophies, I had a moment of peace.

And then I felt sick.

"Nina!" Downstairs, my front door opened. Damon's voice carried up to my room and footsteps hurried up the stairs.

I closed my eyes as my muscles ached. Tiny pains shot up my back and shoulders. I wanted nothing else than to cry.

"Nina." Damon rushed into my room and kneeled beside my bed. He reached for my hand, linking our fingers together with tender care. He said he wanted to get me medicine. Last night, he swore he would. After the alien's announcement and the sudden change to my in-game body, did I want him to? My disease would cripple me if left untreated. Can I do this?

"Hey, hey," Damon moved closer, "can you move?"

I looked at him as a tear fell and traveled down my cheek.

"Nina, can you move?" he repeated, caring yet stern. He gritted his teeth. "We're going to do this together because I will not let you think you can't make it."

"There's a war," I whispered as I closed my eyes.

"So?" He stood and gently lifted my hand with him. "You've been in a war with your body for over a year and you've won so far. Aliens won't take that from you."

As I sniffed away my tears, I peered at him.

He shook his head. "I won't let them. Let's go."

***

A/N:

Word count: 4660 ~ 
Just a short update but we know what the aliens want. Will Nina and Damon survive their next quest??

Thank you so much for reading!!