"Forest of Curses" an rpg that is infamous for its hellish difficulty, each level of that game is plagued with traps, relentless enemies, and puzzles that make even the most seasoned players quit in frustration. The game is notorious for its permadeath mechanic—one wrong move, and you're sent back to the very beginning. Players hate it, and that was the downfall of the game. Even now it only had less than a hundred players and only three or four online.
I was one of those players. I'm not particularly skilled at anything or a genius that would understand the game just after Playing it once I was just a guy who loved the game even though it kicked my ass every single time I played it. There was something about the challenge, the atmosphere, and the sheer satisfaction of getting past a part that felt impossible that kept pulling me back.
It was the only thing that kept me sane in my boring everyday life, I joined in a firm at the age of 22 and been doing overtime since then without overtime payment. It wasn't bad at first, but as the months dragged on, it became soul-crushing. Every day felt the same—wake up, go to work, deal with endless tasks, and come home too exhausted to do anything meaningful.
The only escape I had was "Forest of Curses." No matter how brutal the game was, it gave me something my job never did—a sense of accomplishment, no matter how small. Passing a tough section or surviving a new trap felt like I was actually achieving something, even if it was just in a game.
Tonight was no different. I got home late, tossed my bag onto the couch, and slumped into my chair. The monitor flickered to life as I booted up the game, the familiar title screen greeting me with its ominous music and haunting visuals. I logged in and checked the server list—four players online.
Same as usual.
I selected my character and started a new run. The game loaded, and I found myself at the edge of the cursed forest again. The warning flashed across the screen: "Abandon all hope, ye who enter."
"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, skipping past it.
The first level unfolded just as it always did. Swinging traps, hidden spike pits, and the low-level shadow beasts lurking in the undergrowth. My rusty sword swung through them with ease, muscle memory guiding my every move. One of the annoying thing about it is after the first level the games pattern would change, it is unpredictable the same strategy won't work again and there were new npc, items and monsters every single time. That was what made "Forest of Curses" so unique—and so infuriating. You could never rely on guides or walkthroughs because they quickly became outdated. Every playthrough was a fresh challenge, and while that kept things exciting, it also meant I was constantly on edge, never knowing what to expect.
After clearing the first level, I reached the checkpoint—a small, decrepit shack in the middle of a clearing. Checkpoints were rare in this game, and while they didn't save your progress, they gave you a moment to breathe, heal, and restock your items. I stepped inside, greeted by the familiar sight of the old merchant NPC sitting behind his counter.
"How can I help you today?" the NPC said in his usual gruff tone, the same line I'd heard dozens of times before. His design was simple: a hunched figure with a hood covering his face, his hands always busy polishing some strange trinket.
The shop inventory was completely random every run, so I eagerly opened the menu to see what he had this time.
The inventory loaded, and I quickly scanned through the items. There were the usual potions, a few old scrolls, and some weapons, but there was one item that caught my eye. A dark, shimmering crystal that pulsed with a faint glow. It was something I hadn't seen before.
I clicked on it, and the description popped up.
Cursed Soul Crystal - a shining crystal of unknown origin, it can grant either a blessing or inflict a deadly curse.
I stared at the crystal's description, my cursor hovering over it. The fact that I'd never seen it before meant one of two things—it was either incredibly rare or something that had just been patched in. Either way, it was a gamble.
I hesitated. The smart thing would be to ignore it. This game wasn't kind to reckless decisions, and an unknown item with a built-in risk factor? That was just asking to be screwed over. But at the same time… what if it was something amazing? What if it gave me an edge?
Screw it. I bought the crystal.
The merchant didn't react, just kept polishing that same trinket like he always did. I half-expected some cryptic dialogue or a warning, but nothing. Just the sound of the menu closing and the crystal appearing in my inventory.
I left the shack and stepped back into the forest. The atmosphere felt heavier, but that was probably just my nerves. The game was designed to make you paranoid. Every sound, every shadow—it was all meant to keep you on edge.
I moved carefully, keeping my weapon ready. The path ahead was unfamiliar, but that was normal. The second level was always different. The only thing that stayed the same was the difficulty spike.
I glanced at the message in the chat box while dodging a swinging blade trap, it was from Rook.
Me: Yeah, just started. Why?
Rook: Did you check the forums?
I sighed, rolling my eyes. Rook was always keeping up with the community drama while I just played the game.
Me: Nope. Something big?
Rook: Yeah… they're shutting the servers down.
My fingers froze over the keyboard.
Me: You serious?
Rook: Dead serious. Not enough players, I guess. Devs finally pulled the plug.
I leaned back in my chair, staring at the screen. Forest of Curses—the game that had been my escape for years—was coming to an end. Just like that.
Me: So this is the last run, huh?
Rook: Yeah… Kinda sucks, right?
Me: Yeah. I mean, I love and hate this game, but I didn't think it'd actually end.
Rook: Same, man. I figured if it died, it'd be because I finally rage-quit, not 'cause the devs gave up.
I smirked at that. Rook was probably the only other person as stubborn as me when it came to this game. We met about a year ago in one of the worst areas of the game—the Hollow Wastes. A place filled with invisible traps, enemies that copied player movements, and a boss that punished you for even pausing the game.
I had been stuck there for days, making no progress, dying over and over. Then, out of nowhere, Rook showed up in the server chat.
Rook: You stuck in the Wastes?
Me: Yeah. You?
Rook: Nah, I cleared it a while back. You wanna tag-team it?
At first, I didn't think much of it. Just another player offering help. But then, for the first time in weeks, I actually got through the area. We spent hours breaking down the mechanics, testing out new tactics, and eventually… we won. After that, we just kept running into each other.
Sometimes we'd work together, sometimes we'd race to see who could clear a level first. It wasn't much, but it made the grind a little less lonely.
And now? It was all about to disappear.
Me: Guess we gotta make this run count then, huh?
Rook: Damn right. No holding back, no cheesing the bosses. We go all out.
I grinned, gripping my mouse tighter. If this was the last time, I wasn't gonna half-ass it.
Then, before I could respond, the screen flickered. A system notification popped up at the top of my screen, covering the chat.
[SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT]
Attention, remaining players.
The servers for Forest of Curses will be shutting down permanently in 30 minutes.
Thank you for playing.
I stared at the message, my hands still on the keyboard. 30 minutes. That was all we had left.
Rook: Damn. They really just threw that out there, huh? No fancy farewell event? No dev messages? Just—poof, game's gone?
Me: Cold as hell.
Rook: Hey? Check your mail.
I opened my in-game inventory and navigated to the mail tab. A single, unread message sat there, sent by the system itself.
[SYSTEM MAIL]
To: Remaining Players
Subject: Farewell.
"To the final souls who remain,
You walked where others feared to tread. You braved the shadows, the curses, and the endless cycle of death when all others abandoned the path. This world was cruel, unfair, and relentless, yet you endured. Perhaps out of stubbornness, perhaps out of love, or perhaps simply because no one else would. But in the end, you stayed. And for that, we thank you.
This place will soon be gone, its data scattered, its memories lost to time.
This is our final farewell to you—the ones who refused to give up.
—The Forest of Curses Development Team"
I stared at the message, a strange mix of emotions tightening in my chest.
Me: Damn… that was kinda poetic.
Rook: Yeah. For a game that's been nothing but pain, that was almost sentimental.
I glanced at the player list, something I hadn't done in a while.
Only four names were online:
Me (IGN: Wraith), Rook, Kuro, and Vexen.
I recognized Kuro and Vexen's names from the old forum days. Kuro was a solo player, known for trying to clear the game without any upgrades—a true masochist. Vexen, on the other hand, was a theorist, always digging through game files, looking for hidden lore, trying to prove that Forest of Curses had some deeper meaning.
Me: Yo, you guys seeing this?
Kuro: Yeah… Never thought this game had a soft side.
Vexen: Crazy, huh? After all the hell this game put us through, they actually acknowledge us?
The chat went quiet for a moment. It was hard to put into words, but I think we were all feeling the same thing. The whole reason we kept coming back to Forest of Curses wasn't just for the challenge or the grind. It was the feeling that we were in it together, even if we never met outside of these moments.
Rook: Yeah, I didn't expect a "thank you" from the devs. Hell, I thought they'd just let it die without a word.
I chuckled. Rook was always straightforward like that. But I couldn't help but agree. The developers hadn't exactly treated the game with any tenderness, so for them to send something like this… it was a rare moment of grace. A part of me hated the thought that we were all going to lose this place, but another part of me felt strangely satisfied.
We'd survived.
Me: I'm gonna miss this.
Rook: Same here, man. I've spent way too many nights up playing this game to let it go quietly.
I looked at the remaining online players: Me, Rook, Kuro, and Vexen. Four of us, the last ones standing.
I never thought about it much, but these guys were my friends. We didn't hang out outside of the game, didn't exchange social media accounts or real names. But we understood each other in ways other people didn't.
Rook and I had met in the Hollow Wastes, like I mentioned earlier. It was one of the hardest areas in the game, and I was stuck there for days, dying over and over. But something about Rook's attitude clicked. He wasn't the kind of guy to let a little frustration stop him. When he asked if I wanted to team up, I didn't expect much, but we gave it a shot. That's how we started working together—spending hours finding the smallest details to beat the challenges. Eventually, it became a partnership.
We didn't always succeed, but we always learned something new.
I sat there, staring at the message. The idea of leaving the game, of the servers shutting down, was hitting me harder than I expected. I hadn't realized just how much I'd come to rely on these moments, this place, this strange, unforgiving world of "Forest of Curses."
Rook was the first to break the silence. His message popped up, full of his usual irreverence.
Rook: Man, I think I'm going to cry... I need some time alone. Gonna log out.
I leaned back in my chair, feeling the weight of his words. I couldn't blame him—there was something final about it. I could almost hear the sigh in his message. He didn't say much, but it was clear he was taking this harder than he let on.
Before I could respond, Kuro's message flashed across the screen.
Kuro: You bastard, give me your Dex ID before logging off.
I couldn't help but chuckle at that. Typical Kuro, always straight to the point.
Vexen's message came next, and it felt a little more thoughtful than the others.
Vexen: Yeah, why don't we share our Dex IDs? We can keep in touch after the game dies.
There it was. A request to stay connected, to not let this be the end. It was strange, how something so small could feel so meaningful.
I hesitated for a moment, thinking about the Dex platform, the social media tool where we could stay in touch long after the game was gone. Even if the servers were shut down, at least we could have this. The idea of it brought a strange sense of comfort.
I pulled up my Dex ID and typed it out, but before I hit send, I paused again.
Was this the end? Was this really the last time I'd see these guys?
I glanced over at the player list again. It was still just the four of us. The last remaining souls of Forest of Curses.
I closed my eyes for a moment, then typed my Dex ID into the chat box.
Me: Dex ID: 31FD-93B2-28A7 (Guess this is it. Stay in touch.)
Rook logged off first, his message appearing briefly before his name disappeared from the list.
Rook: Logging off…
Kuro followed shortly after, sending a quick goodbye.
Kuro: Logging off…
Vexen was the last to leave, a final, cryptic message before he disappeared.
Vexen: Logging off… Farewell, all of you.
I stared at the empty player list, feeling a sense of finality wash over me. It was over. Just like that, Forest of Curses was nothing but a memory.
The timer in the corner of my screen ticked down: 1 minute remaining.
I kept staring at the screen, and finally fatigue caught up with me. I slowly fell into sleep.
In my sleep I saw a dream, a dream about falling through the swamps of forest of curses.
As I slept quietly my monitor displayed a strange message.
[Welcome to the Land of Curses V.0.2.]