6 The Players

Liam felt himself being transported yet again as he heard the familiar hum and saw the tell-tale sparkles of the multiverse portal. He kept his eyes closed and breathed deeply, preparing himself for another adventure in a world that was not his own.

'This place doesn't fail to always surprise me.' When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing at the bottom of a massive mountain with a wide forest stretching out behind him. The trees were like nothing he'd ever seen before, their trunks twisted and gnarled like the fingers of a witch, their leaves and branches glowing with a soft, ethereal light.

He wasn't alone for long. One by one, other players began to materialize beside him, coming from different planets and universes as they entered this new world. Elves, Goblins, Orcs, Imps, Humanoid Reptiles, Gargoyles, Trolls, Harpys, Centaurs, Minotaurs, Murkees, and Gnolls all standing together in a strange and exotic gathering.

Liam watched them warily, taking in their strange features and costumes. Some were dressed in elaborate armour and weapons, ready for battle, while others were adorned in silks and jewels, their eyes gleaming with avarice. The mix of creatures was disconcerting, and Liam felt a chill run down his spine.

A red-skinned woman was the first to speak, her voice loud and grating. "Ugh, I can't believe I got stuck with a pervert and a bossy," she said, gesturing to a red-skinned man and woman beside her. "This is going to be a disaster."

Liam could hear whispers and murmurs as the other players began to check each other out, their eyes wide with wonder and awe. Some were clearly shocked by the exotic looks of the creatures around them, and Liam could see the fear etched on their faces.

But not everyone was interested. There were those, like Liam, who seemed to be lost in their own thoughts, their faces drawn and melancholy. Liam had been through this so many times now that the novelty had worn off, and he was getting tired of it all.

Why did he have to keep getting sucked into these strange parallel universes? What was he supposed to be learning or doing in all these worlds? It was all starting to feel like an endless game, a never-ending cycle of battles and challenges that left him feeling empty and alone.

He looked around at the gathering once more, catching sight of a group of Trolls who were eyeing him with suspicion. He didn't blame them, his own outfit was plain and unassuming, and he blended in with the other Humans in the group. But Liam didn't care about impressing anyone; he just wanted to figure out why he was here and what he was supposed to do.

As the creatures began to angrily scan each other and exploring the vicinity, Liam remained standing, keeping to the fringes of the crowd. He wanted to observe and learn, to understand where he is and his purpose here. Heck, he didn't even know if these otherworldly creatures are real.

Perhaps there was something he could learn from them, some hidden secret or wisdom that would provide the answers he was looking for. Or maybe, he would find another lost soul like himself, someone who was searching for meaning in this chaotic and confusing multiverse.

Either way, Liam knew he wasn't going to give up, not until he found the answers he was looking for, even if it meant facing impossible challenges and risking his life in these strange new worlds.

The sun was low in the sky, casting long shadows across the rugged terrain. Liam looked out at the mountains, the jagged peaks stretching up to the sky, a challenge and an invitation. He wasn't sure what to expect, but he knew it wouldn't be easy. He took a deep breath, his heart hammering, his hands shaking slightly. This was it. The trial.

Suddenly, a shimmering light appeared in front of him, and a notification sound like those that came from smartphones in Liam's World called Earth reverberated across the landscape. It was an eerie sound, out of place in this rugged wilderness. Liam looked around, but he couldn't see the source of the sound. He looked back at the light, his eyes widening as words began to appear on the screen.

"Welcome to the Pre-trial Stage!" the message read. "Pass the Pre-trial to be a legitimate player in the Tyrant's Mighty Tower. To pass the trial, your first objective is to kill 10 creatures within 4 hours. There is a Green Zone on top of the Mountain and you must stay there AFTER you killed 10 creatures until the time expires. You can kill anyone outside of the Green Zone and everyone who's in the Green Zone cannot be attacked. The Floor Map feature in your system is now available. Failure: Permanent Death. The trial will start in a minute."

Liam felt his heart drop to his feet. Kill 10 creatures? In 4 hours? He was an enforcer of justice in his life on Earth so he knew that what they were asking of them is not easy. The system was asking as if killing is as easy as killing a mosquito. He didn't even know where to begin now. He looked around, hoping to see someone who knew what was going on, but the other players looked just as lost and terrified as he did. And some began emanating murderous intent against everyone.

Then, the message on the screen faded and was quickly replaced by a timer. Liam watched, his pulse racing, as the seconds ticked by.

He had to do something. He looked at the map, trying to get his bearings. The Green Zone was on top of the mountain, which meant he had a long trek ahead of him. He looked around at his surroundings, trying to see if there were any creatures nearby that he could take on.

That was when he saw the first one. It was a small, furry creature with bright yellow eyes, darting across the rocks. Liam hesitated, unsure if he could do it. But the timer was ticking, and he knew he had to try.

But then, he remembered something.

Liam knew that he had to be careful. The other players were eyeing each other warily, sizing each other up, trying to figure out who they should attack first after the 1 minute preparation time ended. Liam had to be smarter than that. He had to think outside the box if he was going to survive this trial.

He looked down at his system, studying the Floor Map feature. It was a new addition, one that had only been introduced a few minutes before the trial. Liam had spent the remaining seconds of the 1-minute preparation time studying the map, trying to find any advantage he could.

And then he saw it. 'I knew it.' Liam grinned to himself, knowing that he was onto something.