Civilization

"Good luck!"

"Cya bro."

The doors close behind me silently and the darkness creeps in. My eyes take a while before they could focus. I gulp down on my saliva and drip the spear and shield tightly ready for anything. As my eyes focus I realize that the whole place was empty, other than a small wooden pole in the middle.

"Okay…Empty room. Pole in the middle. Am I going to get jump-scared here? Sigh, why did I say yes to this?"

I end up looping around the whole interior of the Ikanda, pressing my back against the wall and looking forward until I got back to the door but in the end, nothing happened. Thus, I slowly moved forward towards the middle and once I got to the wooden pole, I saw an arrow pointing to a small red square button.

"Serious? A red button? This screams danger man. Ahhhh, I got no choice. Let's do this, all or nothing."

I reach out hesitantly and pressed the red button, then a system message popped in front of me giving me the scare of my life. My heart raced so fast and a small scream left my mouth. I took a breath before reading the message.

[ Welcome to the Ikanda. As this is your first time here would you like to read the rules? ]

"Yes."

[ As a player, you will undergo a set of challenges. If you complete the challenges you will be rewarded with the passive skill. The next passive skill can be obtained after a 1-month cool-down period. A player's unit will undergo a set of challenges as well however their difficulty might vary. ]

[ The following are the rules; 

1. The player or unit may not leave the Ikanda until they complete all the challenges

2. All equipment will be unequipped once the challenges start

3. There is no healing

4. All skills will be blocked for the remainder of the player's or unit's time ]

[ Are you ready? If you are, press the red button again to begin the challenge. ]

"WHAT! No equips? Why did I go through all that trouble in finding the best equips then?"

I hold my head in agony as I read the rules of the Ikanda. With nothing left to do but regret my life, I press the red button again. I felt so tilted as I read the rules, how much worse can this get right?

The moment I press the button, the wooden pole slowly descends into the ground and my equips disappear off my body one by one until I had nothing but the clothes on my back. Once the pole merges with the ground, a felt a slight tremor below my feet. The walls seem to extend in all 4 directions and the space expands as far as the eye can see. A blue circle appears below my feet, expanding outwards slowly it disappear from my vision and when I thought it was over blue sparkles start to appear around me. It slowly collects into different groups, merging together into the outline of different weapons. A sword, a spear, a bow and arrow, an ax and a club. All the weapons float around me, slowly moving around in a circle. A system message appears in front of me once all the outlines of the weapons become straight and clear.

[ Please pick a weapon ]

[ Sword of light, Spear of Light, Bow and Arrow of light, Ax of light, Club of light ]

The weapons float in front of me and I look at each one as they float past me. What to pick? What to pick? Since I don't know what the challenge was I didn't want to pick a weapon that might disadvantage me. The bow and arrow were immediately out since I wasn't proficient in archery. I didn't want the club since I could just use the ax. Then there was the sword, spear and ax left to choose. Normally, I used an ax or a spear so I didn't think I should choose a sword. I stand there for a couple of minutes just looking at the spear and ax as they float around me. I rack my brain for any advantages I could think of if I chose a certain weapon. 

After a while, I decided on the spear. The extra range might be helpful since the challenge could be anything. However, the sheer force that can be projected using an ax at close range might have been helpful. Nonetheless, the spear was my choice of weapon. I reach out and grab the spear from the air and as I do the spear slowly materializes in my hand. A sleek blue spear with a crystal-like head appeared and at the same time, the rest of the weapons burst into blue sparkles. 

[ First challenge: Run ]

"Huh?"

Once the system message appeared in front of me, the walls on the left and right zoomed right into me leaving me with only enough space to swing my spear around in a circle but in front of me as a long alley into the abyss. I move forward, jogging slightly with my hands on the spear, I didn't know what was happening other than I need to run. What am I running from? I look behind me and saw nothing. With a confused face, I turn back to the front where I saw the ground fall.

"What?"

Each second passed and part of the ground fell into darkness and with each second it got closer.

"Oh no."

I turn around and start to sprint. My heart race fast and I hold onto the spear with my right hand. I peek around my shoulder and to my dismay, the darkness was approaching. The ground was falling faster than my feet were moving.

"Oh, no, no, no."

I push off the ground faster, swinging my arms faster running forward not knowing where the finish line was and everything in front of me looked the same. The same ground, surrounded by the same walls on the left and right, with nothing changing and no landmarks. My chest was aching, my sides were hurting my mouth was dry. I pump my legs hard and harder and each time I look behind me the darkness creeps closer.

Until.

The ground became air.

I feel gravity pulling me down.

I reach forward, moving my legs in the air hoping for something to happen. 

But.

Nothing.

I scream as I fall. The darkness flies around me. I see nothing but space as my screams echo in my ears.

Then.

The ground appears before me. I face plant onto the ground. I feel as my body merges with the ground, bones cracking and breaking, flesh melting off my bones. My pain was greater than anything I have ever experienced before. 

Then.

[ You have died. ]

My vision turns black for a second and back to where it all started the next. In an alleyway, looking towards the darkness with walls closer than ever. 

"What…?"

I look down at my hands. I was still holding onto the spear, my body was okay, no damage. I pat myself around but nothing. 

I know that pain was real. 

I felt it. 

The excruciating pain of my body splitting apart, blood spurting everywhere and bones disintegrating into tiny pieces. Only one word to describe it.

Horrific.

In the corner of my eye, I see it. The ground falling into the abyss and the darkness creeping towards me.

"Shit. Not again."

I turn around and run.

I run.

Faster.

Harder.

I grit my teeth and push forward.

I never want to feel that again.

But it's not enough. The delayed start made it worse.

I fall again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

A never-ending cycle of running.

I curse and yell.

I scream and shout.

I feel like my leg should have given out by now but with each death, the fatigue goes away, like I was in a brand new body. 

And with one final death. I see the game fade away and the ceiling of my room. 

My breath was ragged.

My sheets were wet with sweat.

My eyes were unable to focus on anything.

I felt like I was still falling even though I was just lying there on my bed.

I feel a tear escape my eyes and down the side of my cheek.

My arms and legs felt like lead. I could barely move them.

My throat felt as dry as a desert. 

I roll the VR helmet off my head and lay on my bed, contemplating about life.

"Shit man…I have to do that again tonight."

I felt my phone buzz on the table next to me. With minimal movement I reach out and grab it, unlocking my phone with my 4 digit password. Ian had messaged me.

"How was it?" - Ian

"Shit." - Kingston