Enigma (Rogue #2)

7

Eniola was back with her team in the playing pit, surrounded by the best players from each country. She pretended not to feel intimidated. These weren't rookie teams. These were masters of SCOPE, and it would be significantly harder to get a win. Eniola calmed her beating heart.

Eunji floated in the middle on a hover and this time she was in a slinky, glittery black dress with a neckline that plunged super low. The slit in her dress revealed fishnet tights and chunky boots. Her outfit was oddly satisfying and so bold that Eniola couldn't look away.

"For the international games, we will introduce 3 new worlds," Eunji announced. Eniola smiled. At least there was variety this time. "Atlantis is the first world you've never encountered in the SCOPEverse, and is played in the underwater kingdom; that comprises mermaids, tritons, and sea royalty."

The holo-screens that floated above the arena transitioned to show a shimmery aqua underground kingdom. Alluring mermaids and pearl castles set the scene. It was beautiful. But Eniola was here to play, not marvel at the scenery.

"The international rounds work differently. Instead of being placed in the same playing field, players must unlock 2 levels before you can even see the disk," Eunji explained.

Eniola gulped.

An image of the international disk materialized right beside Eunji. It was bright gold with a glyphic image of a yeon embedded in it. It turned around, and with each new angle, it shifted into another shade. The audience 'oohed' and 'awed'.

"I wish you all the best of luck," Eunji announced before the landscape swirled and Eunji suddenly vanished. "And remember to swim."

Eniola raised an eyebrow. Of course, they had to swim in the water.

Eniola floated into the air easily, and her eyes flit to the ocean landscape with marvel in her eyes. Eniola swam through the virtual water easily, before she stretched back into a backflip. A coy laugh came from her, and she swam back again before she collided with something.

Jay turned around immediately. "Woah!"

Eniola sighed. "I thought you were the threat."

"Come on, I'm not that big," Jay laughed, before taking her by the arm and swimming her in the water like a dance.

"To me you are," Eniola mentioned.

"This world is really nice," Iris complimented, swimming with some glowing fish that passed by her, then through a wall of arched ruins. 

"We should prepare ourselves," Theo reminded. "Stay at the base."

"Loosen up," Lucia said, as she suddenly grabbed his shoulder. Theo turned back to look at her with bright eyes "Game doesn't start for another 30 seconds."

Eniola observed in the distance, and she could see the faint outline of a city. Was the disk there? No, it wasn't. She couldn't even see it until they beat the additional levels.

Eniola thought something would change, but it stayed the same, but that doesn't mean she wasn't alert. She took out the starter weapon for every player in the world of Atlantis, which was a huge sea triton they were all equipped with.

A snarling roar tore through the air and launched Eniola back through the war with a roll. Eniola snapped open her eyes again, to see a swinging bundle of scaley tentacles that whipped through the air.

"What?" Eniola breathed as the creature rose through the shadows.

It was an octopus that looked like it only came from the deepest caverns of your nightmares. And then someone found it and then put it on steroids. It was purple and red with jagged scales that led up to its pitch-black eyes and snarling mouth dripping with yellow spit.