ENTER THE RED GATE

"Wait!" Aildrin said. He took the stairs and chased after Sophia.

But Sophia did not turn back. She increased her pace with no intention to let Aildrin catch up.

"Aildrin, I'm done setting your Battle Station. Check it out!" Sol said when Aildrin came out of the basement. He did not mind at first, but he finally noticed the tension between the two.

Aildrin bowed. "Thanks, Sol. I'll check it later." He then continued to run after Sophia, who already went out through the man gate.

Sol smiled and muttered, "good luck" to Aildrin.

"Hey, Sophia! Wait up! I didn't mean that. I'm sorry," Aildrin said. He finally caught up with her; she was already inside the truck. "Where are you going?"

Sophia smiled. "They're way better than what you think of them. Give them a chance."

"Of course, I'm willing to work with them. And I'm a rookie now, so I should learn my place and earn their trust. But where are you going?"

"I'm off to prepare for a match tomorrow."

"A match?"

"Yup. Good night, Aildrin." Sophia rolled up the windows and hit the road.

Aildrin returned to the warehouse with questions left unanswered.

"Is everythin' alright?" Sol said. He sat on a worn sofa arranged near the right wall. Pat was with him.

"Yes. All is good," Aildrin said.

His lips started to form a question, but Pat's steely gaze intimidated him. "Did he eavesdrop on our conversation?" Aildrin thought.

"Sophia does not sleep here, rookie," Pat said.

The last word made Aildrin's ears tingle. "Ah. I see. Well, that's expected because we're all boys here and we don't really know each other, right?"

Sol's gaze darted between the two.

"Yeah. We don't know you," Pat said with a shrug. "Just don't delay our preparation for the Rookie Challenge, or I'll have to make a hard choice as the captain. If you know what I mean."

"Rookie Challenge?"

Pat crossed his arms. "It's an event to welcome a new season after the playoffs, rook."

Aildrin nodded. "Thanks. I'm not interested in joining anyway."

"You're not welcome in the first place," Pat said.

"Stop." Sol finally interceded. "Pat, you're the captain of this team. I'd like to see you acting like one. Can I have a private talk with Aildrin?"

"I'm sorry," Pat said. He shot a last gaze at Aildrin and returned to the basement.

Sol stood from his seat. "I'm sorry, Aildrin. Patrick is not like that. He's just...threatened."

"I'm sorry too, Sol...for disturbing the team. I'll repack my Battle Station and take a leave tomorrow."

"No! Aildrin, we'd love to have you here with us," Sol said. He stood closer to him and placed a warm hand on his shoulder. "I've heard your stories from Sophia, and I know your capability. Please. Stay with us. Reclaim your position as the captain."

Aildrin hesitated. "What do you mean?"

"Challenge Patrick in a duel. In Wargrounds."

"But I have not even started yet. The level gap would be too high."

"No. They're actually the rookies. The three of them have just started playing a week ago. You can still catch up. We'll set the match two days from now," Sol said. He then grinned. "This place is new too. I had just bought it a month ago. Help me rebuild it back to its glory. Will you?"

Aildrin sighed a deep breath. "Okay. I'll stay a little longer and see how things will go."

Sol's eyes brightened. "Great! Come, I'll show you our system here."

They proceeded to Aildrin's Battle Station. It was set-up in the middle of the row, a place usually intended for captains, but Aildrin did not dare to assume.

"Do you like it?" Sol said.

"Yup. This set-up looks more...professional." Aildrin sat on a black leather chair with a headrest. At the end of its thick armrests, a glass cylinder with a yellow substance in it glowed. He tapped one of them with his finger. It was sturdy and warm. "What are these?"

"Boosters. They provide nourishment for the body by way of absorption and they're integrated with your gloves," Sol said. He then pressed a button behind the chair, and a secret compartment popped out of the armrest. The gaming gloves were stored inside.

"And this chair stimulates the muscles so you could fight off the regression brought about by sedentary lifestyle," Sol added.

Aildrin nodded. "Can I use it now?"

"Sure. I'll be at my station if you need any help," Sol said. He then pointed at the desktop table with two giant computer monitors on it at the end of the hall. "I've installed an external chat group to the system so we can have private chats and calls in the game. You'll just have to activate it from your end. It got our team's logo as an icon—bottom right of your virtual screen."

"That's cool," Aildrin said. He then put on the gloves; each one had a transparent tube connected to the boosters. "Where's my helmet?"

"Kindly click the button beneath the left armrest," Sol said. He had already begun walking towards his station.

Aildrin followed, and his chair's headrest transformed into a gaming helmet that perfectly fitted him. It had a built-in microphone.

[Existing user detected.] It was Kerstein's voice.

A glass tube rose from the floor and enclosed Aildrin's station. "Sol, what's this?" he said through the microphone.

"It's protection against external intervention and cancels outside noise. That tube also helps in circulating and cleaning the air for better ventilation. Plus, it's the one that facilitates the absorption of the nutrients from the booster," said Sol. He was already on his station with headsets on.

"Alright, thanks. I already have the helmet on, but it's not integrating. What do I do?"

"There's a button on top of the helmet," Sol said. "Click it and the integration will start. If you need to leave, just contact me via our in-game group chat, and I'll disconnect you from the game. Remember, I can't disconnect you if you're engaged in combat. Enjoy and welcome back to WisDoom!"

Aildrin searched the top of his helmet and found a button. He then pressed it. Warmth surged through his body and in just a split-second, he was back on the white plane—the virtual world.

[Welcome back, Ilidran. The empty throne awaits the likes of you.]

A golden array glowed beneath Aildrin. And three portals materialized before him.

[You have previously been disconnected and have not decided if you wish to announce or not your arrival to the Continent of Fitz.]

"I do not wish to announce my arrival," Aildrin said.

[Very well.]

[There are three doors to enter the Continent of Fitz. First to your left is the entrance towards the Coliseum of Creation or commonly known as the Custom Room. It is where you can test the virtual world with your creativity and skills. You may create rooms and worlds of your own in that place.]

Aildrin glanced at the yellow swirl of energy. It shone brightly.

[Second is the gate to Alistor City. That's where your search for the Empty Throne shall begin. But first, you must earn your key through your first war.] The second portal was a blue wooden door. It had a brass circular handle.

"It's the war that Lilia told me about," Aildrin thought.

[Enter the War Room and earn your fist blood, Ilidran. You will then be awarded a key that befits the result of your prowess on the battlefield. May the gods of war be with you.]

The third portal, a red metallic gate, blazed and then opened with a creak. And out of it came the chorus of screams and swords.

[You may now enter.]

Aildrin willed himself to move, and the gate swallowed him whole.

[Ilidran, Level 1, Rookie Rank—Tier V, Human Swordsman has entered.]

[Waiting for other champions...]

[Champions complete.]

[War begins.]