"Aeryn!" I heard as I rushed down the alley, my aggressors were easily some of the worst people I had seen recently, but that doesn't mean much since this was my first time outside in almost a month. After all, I had more enemies from my shenanigans than there were people in my school. Of course, I cared how they felt. But these few people were a bunch of assholes. Picking on a bunch of children was where I drew the line.
I came up against a fence that was easily twice my height, but those jerks were still chasing me. I took the time to take a few steps back before dashing towards the fence. I leapt and placed my foot on the wall before pushing up and grabbing the top of the fence. I used the little bit of physical strength I had to climb it, but my ankle was grabbed as I reached the top. I felt my hand stand as air rushed past my ears and I felt my back hit the pavement. Gravel embedded itself wherever clothes weren't and the shards of glass I hadn't noticed before were now scratching against my skin. I took some time to think of my own appearance, especially since it's gonna be ruined in a few minutes.
I have auburn skin, and heterochromia. My left eye is red and has three dots under it. While my right eye is brown. My hair is black and my hair was in twist, since it was normally just a fuzzy ball on my head. I'm a good height standing at 5 ft 9, and my build is definitely meant for a sprinter.
"This is the last time you fuck with us!" The biggest one shouted. I could've swore his crooked nose was emitting steam from his face. He wasn't the most intelligent person out of the four men now surrounding me. He was however the most imposing. Standing at a solid six foot tall, with pure muscle. I'm sure he could've caught me sooner if it didn't take so long for him to realize what I had done. While he stood over me, I took a few seconds to be proud of my handiwork. His black exercise shirt, and sweatpants were now soaked with a mixture of paint, rotten food, and what I could only assume was dog shit.
But strangely enough he looked better with it covering him. The guy to the left of him was about five foot seven inches tall. He was wearing a tailored suit, just like his friend was now ruined. He had a face that was just made for glasses, with blood red eyes and pale skin. His hair was combed back, like he was some sort of business man. But it just made him look even sillier.
To his left, was another gym rat. This one with crooked yellow teeth that anyone could tell weren't ever taken care of. He was about five foot ten inches tall. Easily over three hundred pounds. This guy ate more food than a hippo. He had big beady eyes that were a dark brown, and his matted blond hair made his pudgy build slightly more hilarious than it otherwise would've been.
The last guy was the smallest. A five foot six, sprinter with legs that could probably put me in the ER in a single kick. But he was the most rational of the group. Which was easy since he had pretty much come out of my shenanigans unscathed.
After I had finished studying them I was lifted off my back and slammed into a wall. The glass that hadn't fallen off my skin, now pierced it. Blood ran down my arms in small streams. Nothing too bad, but it was definitely uncomfortable. The shortest guy walked up to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. The palm of his hand was raised towards the sky as he let out a sigh.
"Who do you think you are?" He questioned me. His gaze was fixed on me. Seriously. Malicious.
"I'm Aeryn," I replied. A smirk formed on my face against my wishes, and he shook his head a little before he grabbed my throat. My head was slammed into the wall yet again from the impact and I found myself digging my fingers into his skin. I kicked him in the chest and he let go just enough for me to gasp for a breath.
"No, no, no." He started. Before kicking me in the chest. The air left my lungs as I felt bones crack. My vision blurred for a second before coming back, and I had to take a series of deep breaths. The biggest of the group. Punched me in the chest, and I felt my food come back up. I vomited on his shoes and his response was even more punches. By the time they were done with me I was a battered mess and barely even managed to stand. My once prize winning smile was now ruined, but I didn't care. If they were gonna beat me up. I would at least hurt their pride.
"Is that all you got?" I stuttered. "I know babies that hit harder," He grabbed me and slammed me into the wall over and over. My arms grew sore and my body was screaming at me to stop him, and with the little bit of adrenaline that began surging through my veins, I threw the best punch of my life. Hitting him square in the jaw. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and he collapsed. After that, I collapsed with him and couldn't muster enough strength to even move my arms. I laid there in my own blood, my vision growing darker, and my breaths slower. There wasn't much I wanted to do. But I definitely wanted to finish my game. Then my eyes slipped closed.
***
I woke up in the middle of a hospital, with some bandages wrapped around my chest and upper body. I got up and immediately stood up, my first thought was my game. I ran out of the room after grabbing my stuff and waving at the clerk. Who nodded at me, before rolling her eyes.
"See you in a month, Aeryn!" She called, before I was out of earshot. I continued to run. It was dark out now so I had been there for a few hours. I put my shirt on while I ran. My jacket was tied around my waist, and continued to billow as I ran. After a few blocks I pivoted on my foot and turned a corner. There I saw my home. One of the many apartments here in the city, but luckily mine was hard to access without any kind of biometrics. I placed my thumb on the thumb print and a blue light glimmered off the screen. When the screen glowed a light green, I pulled my thumb away. And a few seconds later the door opened. I wiped my finger print off the scanner as directed and moved into the building. Walking up the stairs and repeating the process to get into my room. Above my room was the number 303 in a deep burgundy that contrasted the off white walls that made up the halls.
After a few seconds I was let into my room, and I closed my door as quietly as I could. The door locked into place with a click. I walked into the living room, and grabbed one of my controllers off the charger. I had at least 4 controllers, and each had been tailored to a specific kind of game. But this controller was new, my controller for hardcore games, and the one I was playing was the hardest game in the world. "Oblivion Wings" , a new soulslike that made the players go through hell. I had yet to finish it, but right now there was an event, and it ended in the next couple of hours.
I logged on and was met with an attack.
"Shit," I mumbled, as I instinctively pressed my dodge. Dodging and getting slowed time as my reward. I used the time to quickly equip a stack of firebombs. Dropping one behind me and rolling in their direction. The explosion sent my character over the boss, allowing me to drop all the firebombs I had left and reduce it to a third of its max health in an instant. My character started falling, and the monster leapt into the air to meet me, swinging its great greataxe in a downward arc. I equipped a shield and absorbed the blow, my shield being reduced to half durability and my character being launched into the ground. My health was reduced to half its maximum. While the monster was in the air it triggered its phase change. I took the time to equip the strongest dagger I had, and used a backstab skill while backstepping. This janky decision, gave my character a small speed.
The monster lunged at me and its strike left a gash in the terrain. I used my small boost in speed, to get closer to the monster, hitting it with my shield and buying myself half a second to activate the backstab skill one more time. Dealing half of the remaining health it had left. The monster let out a roar that destroyed my shield, and swung its axe. I no longer had the speed boost, but my hands were moving by themselves, I dodged the attack, which made a crater in the ground, and broke the rest of my armor. I started sprinting at the monster, burning a little more than half the stamina I still had, before spending my health to increase my attack damage. With one hp, and half a second on my skill. The monster swung its axe. I pressed my button and thanked god when my character disappeared into smoke, and appeared behind the monster. The monsters health hit 0 and disappated into smoke, dropping an item I had never seen. An invitation.
When I picked it up a cutscene started.
"To whom it may concern, thank you for playing and beating "Oblivion Wings" on the hardest difficulty, would you like to participate in the early release of our newest difficulty?" There were three options, Yes, No, and Maybe. I had barely beaten this difficulty, but there was no way I was turning down this offer. I chose yes, and a smile appeared on my screen.
"Thank you for your decision, see you soon" It replied, before my screen, was filled with static, and the small cubes of static began to grow. The once fuzzy screen was now a giant black block that was devouring everything in my living room. I grabbed my backpack and stuffed my controllers, a few protein bars, and a water bottle inside the bag, while the screen was pulling me in. I dove and grabbed the corner of my couch, using the last of my strength to grab my phone, and a portable game system. Before I was completely sucked in.