WORLD 7 - LEVEL 3

. . .

A dial tone.

. . .

A deep breath.

A dash of confidence.

And ringing.

We join Gabe Bachgan, the founder of Funsoft and creator of Nirva's Sword, the video game that our hero is from. He presses a phone against his ear, pacing back and forth in his depressing hovel, the ground quaking under his girth. A female voice chirps from the other end.

"Hello?"

"Ai! It's Gabe Bachgan."

A smile appears on Gabe's face as he speaks, Ai's voice sounds delighted to hear her old friend.

"Gabe? Haha, it's been too long. How are you?"

"I'm well but it's been a crazy few days. Yourself?"

"Same here haha."

"Haha. Listen, I'd love to chat but this is pretty urgent. Do you still have the Nirva's Sword beta cartridge?"

"Nirva's Sword? That something I haven't thought about in years. But yes, I still have it."

Gabe fist pumps.

"That is fantastic. I need to borrow it, just for a couple of days. Any chance I can swing round soon?"

"Eh.. Gabe I'm sorry but I'm in Montreal right now, Ubisoft is making another Assassin's Creed and they need to hit there different race and religion quota. It sucks, they want to set this game in early 1900s Australia. Aboriginal assassin running around the sand and jumping off big rocks. They've gone off the deep end here."

"That sounds awful. Would the Aboriginal be fighting the British? Trying to stop them making the place a giant prison?"

"Basically yeah, all the British there will be Templars looking for another piece of Eden hidden in the Great Barrier Reef. We're bringing back sailing too, but Billabong specific."

"I'm guessing there will be some boomerang tech?"

"Mhm. Tons and a hidden boomerang too, it's probably the stupidest thing ever BUT they don't want to go to Japan yet, get all the money off the customers first and when they're failing, bang. Japan Assassin's Creed."

"Well in 2020 I will look forward to it's debut trailer and it being delayed 3 times before release."

"Hahaha, why can't it be simple like before?"

"I wish it was Ai. Dammit I said I wasn't here to chat, shame you're in Montreal. When do you get back?"

"I'm here for a few months."

"Crap."

"... You seem pretty hellbent on getting Nirva's Sword. Tell you what, I'll text you the address to my apartment. I'll call the building so the doorman will let you in and make reception hand you a spare key. The game's in my office, can't miss it."

"Ai, you're a lifesaver. I owe you one."

"Don't worry about it. But why do you want the game now? Thinking about fixing it up and releasing it?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Trust me. But getting it released is a good idea, get a Kickstarter up. Make it downloadable only, people love the retro stuff. Shovel Knight, Gunlord, Volgarr the Viking."

"Go for it, I can help out when I get back to Hollywood."

"That'd be great."

"Could catch up over coffee too, if you'd like."

Gabe hesitates. His smile wide as he let's out a small chuckle.

"That sounds nice."

"Awesome. Anyway, I have to go. The team wants to put in an assassin kangaroo as an easter egg."

"Good to see Ubisoft are focusing on the big selling points."

"Tell me about it. Haha. See you soon GB."

"Goodbye princess."

A smile still stuck on his face, Gabe takes a seat on his couch and grabs his laptop. He taps on the keyboard with lightning speed and opens up Kickstarter. He stares at the homepage for a few seconds, tapping his finger on the hard plastic of the laptop before sighing and closing the browser to the desktop wallpaper of a young Gabe and his group posing for the camera. Ai looking royal wearing a tiara and pulling a funny face, Gabe lets out a small laugh as his eyes fix on the screen.

Meanwhile somewhere not on boring old Earth.

- Dragon Lake, Southern Narfinex -

We join Game Girl trudging through knee high murky water, her boots in her hand as she steps slowly with a scowl set on her face, displeased with her current situation. A large crystal ball floats from far behind Game Girl and slowly makes it's way next to Paige. Our hero raises an eyebrow at the large glass sphere and grabs the handle of her hammer poking from her bottomless satchel. The ball fizzles and the milky white turns to an image of Gretchin, stood in her shack. Paige release her grasp of her hammer and relaxes a little, still making her way through the shallow water of the swamp.


"Oh, hi Gretchin."


"Game Girl."


"What's up?"


"Just checking in. Gabe made contact with a woman named Ai, he will retrieve the cartridge soon."


":D That's fantastic news!"


"That it is. Where are you now?"


"I'm making my way through the Dragon Lake swamp lands. Should be coming up to the woods soon and then the Valley of Torment."


"You're making good time. How long has it been since you left? 7, 8 hours?"


"6 hours and 23 minutes. Running low on stamina potions though, might not be able to keep up the pace."


"Hm. There should be an inn pass the valley. Rest up there."


"Good to know, thanks Gretchin."


"Happy to help. You have a match in the XWF soon too, make sure you're prepared for that as well."


"Shouldn't be a problem. I have 2 Adrenaline vials just in case. . . Is it true that time moves differently on Urf?"


"Indeed it does. Half a day here is longer than a day on Earth. You can go into your match and come back here and not miss the wind changing."


"Cool. Glad to know I'm not wasting my time here while I deal with Sebastian Duke."


"Very regal name Sebastian, from what I've seen he's a tough competitor and such a strapping man."


"Ew. :/ . I'm a little worried, he's one of the best in XWF. Hope I don't screw up."


"I'll be proud of you whatever happens dear."

Paige smiles widely, looking at the crystal ball with starry eyes. Gretchin hesitates for a moment as Paige starts to put her books back on, the water more shallow than before. Gretchin changes the subject..


"What match are you in on Earth? Smash Brothers? Mortal Kombat? . . . Super Mario Bros?"


"Nah, 2 out of 3 match. Again. Er, singles, finisher and ladder. Earth rules are weird, not sure if I like them."


"Their world, their rules I guess."


"Yeah. Just weird y'know. And we're fighting in a place called ay tee n tee. That's super weird right?"


"It is a very strange name for a region."


"Game Boy fitted in with the human stuff pretty well, but this is just so bizarre to me."


"I wouldn't worry about it Game Girl, you're fully equipped to deal with anything Earth throws at you."


"Hopefully. . . . So. . How's Princess?"


"It's sweet that you care."


"Shut up."

Paige says as she brushes hair away from her eyes, looking straight forward as she sees the treeline.


"She's .. Coping. Flynn and Palanius are handling the clean up well enough. But she's still mourning, and her feelings toward you don't help."


"Ugh. I don't blame her. I did do a pretty cruddy thing."


"She'll get over it, one day she'll realize what is more important."

Paige twiddles her thumbs and nods slowly. Suddenly an arrow pierces through the air and smashes into the crystal ball, the orb fizzles and stops mid air for a second before crashing into the water below. Paige looks up shocked, first at the ball then to the archer. Five skeletons stand at an opening to the forest, Paige looks in between them with wide eyes and pulls the hammer from her satchel. Two of the skeletons notch arrows in their bows and take aim. Paige grasp her Warhammer firmly and raises it in front of her.

GAME GIRL

A deep breath.

SKELETON WARRIOR

A dash of confidence.

And she charges the skeletons, determination stuck on her face. The two skeletons release their arrows and they soar through the air as GG speeds through the water. The first arrow misses barely, the second heads directly towards Paige's head but she throws up her hammer and deflects it away. The two archers ready their bows once more as the other three begin to clash their rusted swords against their wooden round shields. Paige gets closer to the decaying enemies and tow arrows head her way, Paige throws her left hand out. ⇦ ⇩ ⇨ ⇦ ⇩ ⇨ A B - Power Geyser! A pillar of energy bursts from Paige's hand, destroying the arrows instantly.

One of the skeletons rushes Game Girl and takes a swing with it's sword but hits the water as Paige side steps with energy coming from her feet, the animated skeleton turns it's head curiously and lets out a growl. Paige raises her hammer as the skeleton puts up his shield, but it's not enough, the hammer crashes through the shield making splinters out of it and the giant hunk of rare metal obliterates the skull of the skeleton. The foe falls to the ground with the clatter of bones sounding similar to a xylophone as they clatter against one another before splashing into the water.

SKELETON WARRIORS

120%

No time to celebrate one double dead skeleton as an arrow hits Paige's shoulder. Game Girl cries out in pain and rips the arrow from her shoulder, the two warriors charge Paige as the archers back up into the forest. One takes a swipe at Paige, slicing her jacket but missing flesh, GG steps back and kicks the skeleton's shield back and it stumbles. Paige swings her hammer but it is blocked by the second skeleton, saving his skeletal comrade.

The skeleton stabs at Paige but she rolls out of the way, still crouched her fist glows with a red aura and she uppercuts the skeleton's head clean off. The headless body of the skeleton flails it's arms but doesn't fall to the ground, still trying to swipe at Paige but missing with every swing. Game Girl steps away from the panicked skeleton towards the one with a head, it raises it's battered sword high but Paige counters with a quick thrust of her hammer into the warrior's ribs, cracking a few. Dazed, the skeleton stops it's attack. Paige rears her hammer back and breaks off the skeleton's right leg, causing it to fall skull first into the water.

Paige raises her Warhammer above her head and crushes the skeleton's head with a mighty blow. Water spills upwards from the impact and tiny chunks of bone float to the surface. Paige looks to the archers, a little further back taking aim on her. Game Girl grabs the warrior's shield and hold it in front of her with her spare hand, blocking both arrow shots. She then throws the shield with all her might like a discus and it soars through the air lobbing off one of the archer's heads. It falls to the ground motionless.

GAME GIRL

90%

SKELETON WARRIORS

50%

The last archer let's out a wretched roar as the headless warrior makes it's way to Paige, still flailing around. Paige deals with the foe with ease. One enemy remaining. Paige stares at the archer who releases another shot, quickly Paige mutters something under her breath. The arrow draws near and almost hits GG between the eyes before he vanishes into pixels. The archer looks around with a low growl for a few seconds but is quickly struck by Paige's Warhammer from behind, the final archer falls into a heap of bones. Paige wipes sweat from her forehead and sheathe her Warhammer in her satchel. Quickly she feels replenished and her wound heals.

CONGRATULATIONS! LEVEL UP! NEW MOVE LEARNED: Light Bomb! A huge ball of white energy bursts from Game Girl's hand, blinding and stunning any enemies nearby.

Paige makes a fist, knowing her body has been filled with a new power. She continues to smile and starts to whistle a tune as she turn into the opening of the forest and enters the...

- Cursed Woods, Valley of Torment -

Yes, that. Game Girl walks down an old trail. The sun was fairly high in the sky at Dragon Lake, but it appears to be almost night from the shade of the trees. Animals make chattering in the vegetation, emerald green leaves fall from the trees as crows take off from them. Paige buttons up her jacket as the air gets colder and a thin mist rolls in, getting thicker the further she walks down the trail.

After a few minutes of walking and frantic head turns, Paige sees a shadow of a man crouched in the distant. Paige squints her eyes to see past the fog, it doesn't appear armed nor does it see Paige yet. Game Girl's hand goes close to her satchel, just in case, as she comes closer to the shadowy figure. Several feet away, color can been seen on the shadow, red. But not blood luckily, just red fabric.

Several feet away, the figure stands to it's feet, not much taller than our hero. Paige stops dead in her tracks as the figure turns to face her. Paige's eyes go wide and she gasp, choking on tears.


"Game Boy?"