ARCADEIA

LEVEL 2

Three years later...

"It has been three years since Alt Kenway started the 'End Game Event' trapping fifteen million Gen 7 ARES users into ARCADEIA permanently. With no respawns or checkpoints. The only way to free ourselves is for some smart Scav to win the Hunt," the News reporter said. Then a separate screen popped up, showing the Memorial Obelisk, with another Reporter on scene next to it. "I'll throw it to you, Mayday."

"Thank you, ASDEF," the small screen of the Obelisk blew up, taking over to full screen. An on sight reporter was there, she was dressed as Laura Croft from the Tomb Raider games. "As you can see, The End Game Event Memorial Obelisk, where I'm sure you already recognize. Has just reached about six feet tall, from my rough estimation, roughly over three hundred thousand Avatars have already sadly passed away. And as you can see, the Obelisk never stops growing in size, it may slow down once in a while, but never stops. Also behind me is the sight where Alt enacted his "End Game Event'. That is what we users have dubbed the day the Hunt started." The camera panned to an empty town square. "In just that single day, roughly 10,000 lives were lost. And has been the deadliest day since the End Game Event had started. Back to you ASDEF," Mayday said, with a glum looking face. Her screen vanished, and a studio set replaced it. A man in a red power suit with red slicked back hair was sitting behind the red and white desk.

"Thank you for your report Mayday," ASDEF said. "November 1st will forever be know as the End Game Event. From our once hero and dare I say, god...betrayed us. And the Scavs have yet to find the first Item of the Hunt, so that means, for those of us not crazy enough to be a Scav. Buckle in tight, for we'll be here for much longer. That concludes this broadcast of the Player News Feed, I speak for us all when I say, stay safe out there. I'm ASDEF, and that was our on site reporter Mayday. In case I don't see ya, good afternoon, good evening and goodnight ARCADEIA."

"This has been another broadcast by ARCADEIA's number one voted news channel. The Player News Feed wishes you a safe night," a voice over said. Then a chime that resembled the old NBC chime played out, but with P-N-F.

"Still watching that shit?" Se7en said.

I closed out the screen and blocked the sun out of my eyes. He was standing at the edge of the pool wearing a leopard print bathrobe and a red silk man thong, his bulge peeking right at me.

"Yeah, todays the anniversary," I said, as I steered my floaty to stay facing his direction.

"So what?" Se7en said. "Best thing to happen to us, I think. And I know you know it too," he pointed at me with his blender full of frozen margarita, some of the cherry slush spilling into the pool.

I met Se7en about a year in to the Hunt. He's not interested in the Scavenger Hunt by any means. He agrees with me, on the End Game Event being the best thing to happen to humanity in a long time. He's taller than me, blonde hair and glasses. His Avatar looks like a normal blonde haired guy with glasses. Nothing crazy about his looks. But everything else about him is crazy.

He was the first person to try a PVP game mode, and find out that game modes like Battle Royals, and your basic FPS multiplayer matches let you respawn. Hades, Alt Kenway's Avatar did say it was safe to play them, but since he did just trap us to die in his game, no one believed him. But Se7en was the first person to try it out, and found out it was true.

Thanks to him, Professional Gaming League became a thing. The PGL was set up and ran by a board of players. They set up tournaments and competitions with the Battle Royal and FPS game modes. Se7en became the first Professional Gamer in ARCADEIA since the End Game started. The PGL quickly blew up, and gains millions of watchers with every live broadcast, and even gaining sponsors of Player owned businesses. Allowing prizes to go to the competitors. Se7en has won three championships since the start of the PGL, earning him some heavy Credits, from winnings and sponsorships.