The Player's System

Fourteenth Cura 2

Albert wiped his tears. He faced regret. The guilt that would end one day once he destroy the real culprits. It was pity that he was standing at the last part where the third line was present however it was hidden behind the shadow.

For now he was restricted under this Cura Interval because first and second path were yet to receive damage from players. The most important task was to defeat or damage the paths, well damaged paths might reduce the perks and increase the effort to cross broken line so it was preferable to defeat and safely reach third path.

It was up to the players and their methods. At the present moment, Albert could struggle to defeat Angry Nation. Albert remained on his knees and looked up with the blood red eyes. "You are clueless about my ways. I do not show my anger or bluff my mood. I am cool killer if you do not believe then try." Albert followed some strong rules in his life.

He was inspired from his father from his childhood. His father were disciplined person, the son liked this type of discipline in life. In his opinion showing anger was the habit of weak people. Strong people take revenge without twisting there facial expressions.

The eyes of shadow reduced some of the aura. "Even if you are strong, you won\'t b able to reach Theola Box. Not all of your team members are strong enough. And I will make sure you lost your sanity before your team members approach here." The angry eyes split in many.

Since Albert claimed that he was hard bone for the enemies, the shadows would not leave him sane.

Albert remembered that his main weapon never disappointed him. He spread the shield and smashed against one of the angry eyes.

Other weapons needed more than three hits against normal npc. Bosses were tough so several hits gave some damage. Compared to their weapons the shield was different. It could bear consecutive attacks or several attacks at once. It means the shield could work against stronger npc with single hit. Also the shadow split in several eyes so it was natural that one of it received damage.

The eyes slowly dissolved leaving some regret behind. Albert collected more strength to attack on all angry eyes. He smashed the shield against hard wall where the eyes wanted to scold him.

"I can do scolding competition and win it but I am not interested to be unfair..." Albert winked and laughed. He knew he was mocking in a different way.

The shadows thought it would be troublesome to continue the same attack type or else the player would kill all shadows on by one.

...

"These attempts are getting annoying. Do you have any other plan?" Sashi saw how recklessly Ahram tried to attack but the tiny lights were moving away at their ease.

"I think the weapon is not suitable for this attack. The shovel has different shape and leave some space for the tiny light to skip away." Ahram was not aimlessly attacking instead he wanted to test weapon.

"Something that could pin the tiny light on the ground. This would be another experiment, I still don\'t know if it would work. There is no harm trying all available weapons." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Do you want me to try with arrow but it is same." Sashi replied. She was not sure how the arrow would work. "I will guide you. See this tip of the shovel, smashing this on the ground scatter the energy because of its shape. The arrow is straight with the tip in the center. Your careful attack could possibly pin the tiny light if you focus your attack." Ahram taught her how she should attack with arrow.

Perhaps Sashi understood his pointer. "Alright it is actually test of my archery skill. The archery is all about target in the distance. I always thought that distance is what makes archery stand up however target is the first thing no matter if it is tiny light." She deliberated over her wrong choice of attacks.

Sashi prepared arrow and stood silently. She aimed at the tiny light and released the arrow. The arrow stuck in the middle of the light and it could not escape. For few moments Sashi kept looking at the perfect attack agape.

It was first ever achievement that she attacked none material thing with the arrow.

Unbelievably the tiny light remained stuck and pinned. "You did it perfectly." Ahram spoke to bring her in her senses.

"Uh..ha yes.. we captured the light?" She asked unsure. "Indeed and well done." Ahram appreciated and walked near the light. "You are here for reason. I know you have the path behind you or you know where we can find it." Ahram grimly spoke.

The tiny light flickered. "Did you notice, all other tiny lights disappeared for few moments and see coming back. It seemed we captured the main culprit."

Single tiny light was not enough to lit the Cura Interval. All of them create enough light like starry sky. This Interval was bigger but because there was not enough light both did not walk around much.

"Are you going to show the path or not?" Ahram strictly asked. The light flickered and other several tiny lights started to form a path. As soon as the light path came in to form, the Cura Interval opened up.

The first path got cleared.

...

The opening of the first proved blessing for Orin. He was stuck in the endless Cura Interval. Despite walking blindly, he was at the same spot. "This bullshit is the Fourteenth Cura? My feet started aching. I have been running who knows how many years passed and I reached nowhere? My temper is ending soon." Orin spoke and thought to sit and rest.

Perhaps rest was not in his choice. As he sat on the ground he felt he was sitting on the edge of abyss. It was horrible compared to the long walk. He felt the ground would eventually glitch to throw him somewhere unknown. "Where are others? When will the last quest end? Would I remain stuck in this darkness? Someone help..." Orin shouted with frustration.

He stood up to walk again. He was in a broken interval without any big problem. As the first path opened up, he saw some light at his left.

Now he was fit of stormy thoughts whether to walk toward the light. "Moving in the light is better than walking in the dark..." Orin sighed and walked toward light.

Well it was good decision. Soon he saw two players at some distance. "I am coming, wait." He voiced from afar.

He was glad that finally the marathon of endless years ended.

...

Jake received notification. The current interval came alive. Before Jake could speak anything, the bright light let him see the coming death. Huge hand reached near his head. It was black and shadowy.

It vanished next instant. Slowly light increased and the three players reached in the same interval. Jake saw them and understood who found the first path.

The limited light could not let them see beyond. Several traps appeared and captured all of them. The traps fastened them against walls. These were not real walls but the timeless restrictions.

They struggled to use daggers and cut the traps. The traps were not separated. A single unknown string captured them. Jake loosened his hands. He picked his dagger. The dagger was sharp enough but the string remained unscathed.

Other were struggling but the string seemed unbreakable. Jake thought to read detailed information about this interval. Now that it was active the task panel gave the necessary details.

It was string in single piece. They should open the string from its first knot then the rest of knots would open up. There were five players in this Cura Interval. They could search the first knot. The player who opened the first knot could use the string as guide toward the last path.

It was simple however all knots looked same. Opening wrong knot would kill one player. Jake read through information. He could feel sweat pouring from forehead.

"Stop, no one should try to open the knots." He almost shouted to stop Orin. Orin told that he could easily open knots by twisting his body and letting the string loose.

Jake could imagine the horrible outcome if Orin did haste in opening the knot. He was clueless and taking this trap ordinary and childish.

Orin got surprised, "Do not tell me the trap is going to kill me?" Orin asked unsure. Jake almost beg, "Please do not open it. The death of any player could bring damage to the entire team. Also do you think the end of level three and the last task could be easy as day walk?" He grimly asked.

His words gave some understanding to others as well.