Screech---!!
The sound of the train's breaks could be heard as it grinded against its wheels, announcing it's arrival to all at the train station
Train Announcer: The doors will be opening. Please make way for alighting passengers. Thank you.
The announcement was played twice before the doors opened slowly, contradictory to the stampede of people rushing in and out of the train, as if their lives depended on it. (Y/N) similarly battled his way through the stream of people, aiming to clinch a seat on the train that's packed tighter than secrets in a diary.
(Y/N): Phew.... Managed to get a seat. FUCK dude.... I mean I get that it's rush hour, but does it always have to be this packed? Haah....
(Y/N) thought to himself, grumbling at the fact that he was still shoulder to shoulder with others even while sitting down. The carriage being filled with incessant chatter wasn't helping either, as if it was a flea market on wheels.
(Y/N) pulled out is headphones and his portable console, Mist Deck in an attempt to drown out the noise. He quickly navigated to the game he was currently immersed in, Path of A Hero: Warbound. He did so with ease, a practiced grace to his movements, as if he's been booting up the game his whole life. The reason why? Well, it's because (Y/N) has spent countless hours playing this game to the point where others ridiculed him for dedicating so much time and effort on a game labelled as one of the worst games of all time.
Path of A Hero (POAH) is a series consisting of two games, allegedly developed by one person who goes by a pen name of YourDeus. Their true identity on the other hand, remains obscured. Normally, this mystery would have been a hot topic within the community, but it was overshadowed by the amount of hate and dissatisfaction towards the series' second game, which (Y/N) was playing now.
The first game, Path of A Hero, was a pretty well-received dating simulator game, with many lovable heroines. The one thing that tugged at every player's heartstrings was of course, the plot. A plot that no one expected. No one foresaw ALL of the heroines, except the one with the highest affinity with the player towards the end, to all meet their end in the game. What started as a story that made even made grown men giggle like a little girl, soon turned darker than the abyss. This sudden change garnered the attention and love of many, much like (Y/N).
Then came the second game, POAH: Warbound. After its reveal, many thought it would be another masterpiece of a visual novel but to everyone's surprise, it turned out to be a Soulslike game, a direction no one expected. The worst part however, was its difficulty that lay beyond the realm of possibility. On top of skill-testing boss encounters, one had to grind in order to level their gear and when the player dies, everything is reset. Not just the gear no, but even the player's progression, meaning they'd start from the very beginning. The cherry on top would be that the content was heavy. Very heavy.
Most, if not all, players who tried their hand on POAH: Warbound gave up and even those who were well-known as streamers that often tackled grueling challenges or those who mesmerized other gamers through their sheer skill alone, couldn't overcome this seemingly insurmountable wall. This is what led to the game's downfall, causing it to remain buried and forgotten in a pile of games labelled as "trash games" for half a decade ever since it's release.
But (Y/N)... (Y/N) was different. He was obsessed with the series. The world-building, the characters, the story... Everything. His fascination turned fever towards the series allowed him to push through POAH: Warbound. How many times has he started over, one would ask. Three times? 50 times? A hundred? No. (Y/N) has died in the game and started over a total of 999 times, over the span of 5 years. His mad obsession with the game spurred him to endure the battle of attrition against bosses, the grind, the multiple times he fucked up and made numerous careless mistakes.
After countless trials and moments of hopelessness — on his thousandth run — at long last, the end was in sight.
Whooong——!
As the game boots up and the Mist Deck's screen came to life, (Y/N) loaded into his current run in the game, at the last checkpoint before the final boss fight. It was time to face the gatekeeper to (Y/N)'s success. As the passengers on the train alighted from the carriage, (Y/N) methodically checks through his gear and items, making sure he's well prepared for the upcoming battle. As for strategies, none existed as this was the first time he's come this far in the game. Of course, that doesn't mean that (Y/N) intends to throw this bout. As the train carriage frees up giving (Y/N) more space, he leans forward, psyching himself up. At last, under the weight of unspoken tension, (Y/N) takes a deep breath and enters the boss room.
Rumble rumble—!
A cutscene plays out where the game's protagonist, Ron Heita, opens an ancient stone door within the lair of the final boss' dungeon. The gigantic stone slabs scraped and grinded on the floor as it opened, slowly revealing it. Araxus. The final boss that, perhaps, only (Y/N) has seen.
Araxus: You've come... Hero. I applaud your tenacity and... hmm... foolishness.
Araxus, who stood at 6 meters tall, greeted the player's eyes with a gaze overflowing with contempt. It's body, a fortress of muscle, seemingly threatened to rip apart it's reddish skin. It's veins, bulging beneath the skin, stretched tight over raw, brutal strength. It had deep red eyes, a color that resembled the dark red hue of blood, with reptilian-like pupils. It's lethally serrated horns were seemingly both sharp and strong enough to pierce through even the strongest of metals.
Araxus sat upon a throne made of bones, as he says with a deep condescending tone, sneering at Ron.
Araxus: However... Your journey... Ends. Here.
On the last word it mutters, Araxus shows a blood-curdling grin, before releasing a wave of red demonic energy. Staggering back, Ron covered his eyes with his hand, barely resisting the demonic energy. As the energy settles down... No. It started to condense, twisting and coiling around Araxus' body as if it was alive. Araxus' stands up slowly, his presence alone overwhelming, as he pulls out a colossal sword that was stuck deep into the ground beside his throne.
The cutscene ends and control over the character, Ron, once again retuned to (Y/N). Without hesitation, (Y/N) systematically input a series of buttons to perform a powerful skill.
Vrmmmm—!
Ron's sword immediately charges up, mana condensing into the blade. With a flash of light, Ron swung his sword down, slicing into the outer hide of Araxus. While it did do some damage, it wasn't nearly enough to indicate that this would be a short fight.
(Y/N): Seriously? Ha...hahah... In for a penny, in for a pound I guess. Let's do this...
(Y/N) laughs bitterly at the almost insignificant damage he dealt to the boss. He licks his lips, zeroing in on the challenge ahead of him. Araxus hits Ron with his own set of attacks, tormenting (Y/N) with a killer moveset that could almost one-shot his maxed out character. Araxus, swings his colossal sword upwards, the tip tracing a deep line into the ground before sending debris flying towards Ron as it reaches the peak of its sword path in the air. (Y/N) controls Ron with expertise, dodging the attacks — but not completely — as a few chunks of stone grazed past Ron, surprisingly taking a third of his HP. Unfazed, (Y/N) pops a health potion, healing Ron, and dives back into the fray. A flurry of swings, then a dodge. Next — a spinning slash — and once again followed by a dodge. (Y/N) exchanges attacks with Araxus, landing attacks one by one while dodging the boss' attacks, the culmination of the gameplay skill he had honed being proven at this moment.
With grit and determination, (Y/N) empties out Araxus' seemingly never-ending health bar. The screen turns black and a cutscene is played.
Araxus: You... You! How... Dare you, you impudent human!
Araxus roars, making the air heavy, thick with bloodlust, while clutching its wounds as it looks at Ron menacingly. Ron stares at Araxus, eyes heavy and panting excessively, clear as day that the battle so far had taken a toll on him.
Araxus: A worthless human like YOU... DARE... to resist!? How insolent! I will end the likes of you!
Araxus plunges its hand into its stomach, causing a gaping hole to appear. It starts chanting an unknown language, each syllable leaking out malice. The air trembles as countless blood red lines of mana coil and converge, weaving a magic circle laced with the mark of ruin behind it. Its demonic aura, starts to coil and twist even more aggressively, before gathering and solidifying around its back, forming wings made of unholy energy. The aura continued to expand, slithering and wrapping itself around Araxus's body, forming an armor that gleamed with a sickly crimson light, its jagged edges, dripping with malice, as if seeking bloodshed. Araxus lets out a deafening roar, as it enters a berserk state.
Ron Heita: You... you took everything... EVERYTHING... away from me....
Ron exclaims in between huffs and puffs, tormented by the memories of his loved ones, whose lives slipped through his hands and wasn't able to save, just so the Hellsworns — a group of humans who swore allegiance to the demons and Araxus — could revive Araxus and bring ruin upon the world.
Ron Heita: The world cries for your end — and I'll be the blade that answers.
Ron proclaims, as he feebly stands up and raises his sword, summoning every ounce of energy and adrenaline left to push him through this ordeal.
The cutscene ends and (Y/N) is free to control Ron again. A second health bar unfurls, slow and deliberate, as if mocking the player and telling them that it was far from over.
(Y/N): What the fuck!? A second phase???
(Y/N) thought to himself as he paused the game momentarily and looked up to check the train's route displayed in the carriage. He was still far from his destination. Unbeknownst to (Y/N), the train, which had increased in speed exponentially, should have reached his station over 30 minutes ago and the fact that... he was the only one left in the carriage...
(Y/N): Phew... Let's do this.
(Y/N) muttered in a small voice to himself, unbothered by the increasing turbulence due to speed of the train carriage. He resumed the game, psyching himself up to beat this god-forsaken game once and for all.
Araxus thighs tensed and contracted, corded with strength. In the blink of an eye, it leaped towards Ron, forcing a *quick time event* that gave (Y/N) barely any enough time to react. Araxus followed up with an onslaught of blows and slashes from its colossal sword, its attack pattern more aggressive than earlier. (Y/N), with unmatched concentration, weaves past most of the attacks and skillfully completes the sudden and random quick time events thrown at him by the game. With every small and scarce window of opportunity (Y/N) chanced upon, he took it masterfully, countering with his own attacks and working his way through the daunting health bar.
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*Quick time event* — It's usually a game mechanic where players have to clear succession of buttons that they have to press in a certain order, testing their reaction time!
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(Y/N) mashed buttons endlessly, barely scraping by through the ordeal of attacks he had to maneuver through just to stay alive. Araxus' health bar was three quarters down. (Y/N) had half left. To make matters worse, he had exhausted all his health potions and buffs, forcing him to fully rely on his skills alone. The situation was bleak but, he was so, so close. He was almost there, to the end.
(Y/N): I can do this... I can do this...
(Y/N) whispered to himself, beads of sweat slowly crawling down his cheek, the high pressure weighing down on him.
No matter the crushing odds, (Y/N)'s spirit burned fiercer than ever, as he pressed forward. He skillfully swerves and parries the boss' attacks, while dishing out his own damage carefully and cautiously, making sure not to be neither greedy nor too passive.
And at last, with a tiny fraction left in Araxus' health bar, (Y/N) unleashed one final move, aiming to end it all.
(Y/N): Come on...!
Time slowed as his strike connected, promising success... soon replaced by horror, as (Y/N) watch the health bar drop, leaving a miniscule amount of health left. With his mouth agape, (Y/N) watched Araxus recover from the attack way too quickly, and drove its colossal sword right into Ron's heart with an unstoppable force.
(Y/N): FUCK! FUUUUCK!
(Y/N) cried out, stomping his leg onto the ground in frustration, as he watched Ron's health bar drop to zero, the blade sinking deep into Ron and the light from his eyes dimming out. With this... it was over. All his efforts were in vain. The phrase "Game Over" popped up on the screen followed by melancholic music..
Or, it should have been.
A mini cutscene plays instead.
Ron Heita: Backup reactor, online. All limiters — disengaged. Entering protocol: Overclock.
Ron's eyes which were devoid of life whirred back to life, glowing a luminescent blue. The once limp body, spurred back into life, waves of overflowing mana flowing through his veins.
Araxus: Impossible.... HOW!?
Ron channels the never ending supply of mana into his right hand, the other gripping onto the colossal sword still embedded in his chest, nails digging into the metal, as Araxus swings the sword wildly in an attempt to throw him off.
With his right hand shining bright, seemingly about to burst from the amount of mana gathered in it, Ron aimed his right hand like a cannon towards Araxus' chest, releasing a concentrated beam of mana.
Ron Heita: HRAHHHH—!
The beam, shining a bright blue, pierced through Araxus' chest unforgivingly, penetrating through even his demonic aura turned armor.
Araxus: GRAAAAHHHH—!!!
Araxus let out a grueling howl, the unstoppable force sending him flying, causing him to release his grip on its colossal sword.
Araxus crashes into its throne. The throne that was once imposing, was now reduced to rubble, crushed by the force and under the weight of Araxus. Ron drops onto the floor with a heavy thud, slowly and agonizingly pulling the colossal sword out of his chest.
Ron Heita: Nghh..!
Blood leaks out of Ron's lips, as he languidly makes his way to Araxus, step by step.
Araxus: How... How is this... Possible? Bested by a human...
Ron stops in front of Araxus, a sword in hand, a glint of death reflecting off of it. Araxus looks at him, anger mixed with curiosity in its eyes.
Araxus: No... You're... Not human. What are you?
Ron stares back at Araxus, his breath haggard, before barely croaking out a response, a final act of mercy towards it.
Ron Heita: Go...lem...
Araxus eyes widened slightly, taken aback by the revelation. It doesn't take long for it to chuckle, sneering at Ron.
Araxus: So you chose... To turn into a monster, human...
Araxus cackled, the light in its eyes slowly fading away. Ron weakly raises his sword, about to deliver an end to the greatest evil known to civilization when the blade falls.
Ron Heita: I had to...
Ron says bitterly, looking at Araxus one last time, gathering whatever strength he had left. His body was wrecked, a vessel that was already broken during the fight and yet, was forced to store an insurmountable amount of mana by pushing himself further.
Ron Heita: This is your end... Araxus.
Araxus sneers one last time, looking at Ron with contempt. The blade falls — sinking deep into Araxus' head, severing the string of life that it held onto once and for all.
Ron falls on his knees, a wave of exhaustion taking over him, causing him to lose consciousness.
(Y/N) watched the cutscene, breathing out after holding in his breath ever since the tense climax. The screen of his Mist Deck turns black, before transitioning to another cutscene. This time, it played serene music and showed Ron, growing old and living out a peaceful life in a hut by the river*. It was the conclusion to Ron's arduous journey throughout the series of POAH. A conclusion that (Y/N) was satisfied with.
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* — inspired by Assassin's Creed Embers, a cinematic about the greatest AC MC, Ezio, living out a life in the countryside XD
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(Y/N): Phew... That was aweso—
Before he could manage to complete his sentence, (Y/N) flew towards the other side of the train, crashing into a nearby pole, only now noticing that the train he was somehow still in, was evidently getting faster.
(Y/N): H-huh?? What the fuck!?
(Y/N) looks around, only now realizing he was alone in the carriage. The train was getting faster and faster, making it hard for him to even sit up straight.
Ding—!
A notification rang out from his Mist Deck. Normally, this wouldn't have been a situation where someone would check a pop up notification, not in this panic-inducing situation at least. But, something caught (Y/N)'s eye. Something that made him look.
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YourDeus:
Congratulations Player!
You're the 2nd player to beat this game, albeit with a thousand tries! But oh well!
|Continue|
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(Y/N): H-huh..? A personalized message from the dev?
(Y/N) looked up to see where the train was possibly heading, to no avail. It didn't seem like it was slowing down anytime soon, let alone be stopping. (Y/N) turned back to his Mist Deck, the message oddly drawing his attention towards it somehow.
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YourDeus:
Since you took the effort to beat my little game, you deserve a reward befitting of your struggles, dont'cha think?
So, will you accept it or not?
|Accept| |Accept|
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(Y/N): The fuck...?
A simple message, with two buttons to illustrate the illusion of choice. It could've been a prank, a little joke by the developer themselves, but something felt off. Something didn't sit right with (Y/N). He clicked one of the buttons hesitantly.
Then, the train sped up further, throwing (Y/N) off the benches. The wheels rattled, threatening to come apart, as it endured speed which it wasn't built for. (Y/N) looks up once more, and this time to his horror, sees a wall on the track a kilometer away, a wall that shouldn't have been there.
(Y/N): No no no nononono...!
(Y/N) scrambles up, grasping at the emergency lever, planning to use it for his escape. A plan that went awry. Even the emergency communicator that allowed passengers to talk to the train captain wasn't working.
Ding—!
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YourDeus:
Heehee! >∆<
I knew you'd want that reward!
Well then, there's nothing left to say except...
Enjoy, (Y/N)!
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(Y/N): Haha... Fuck....
The train rammed into the wall, its velocity resulting in a tremendous force, crushing the train. The front end of the train shattered, glass shards flew everywhere, and metal were bent and ripped apart as if it were softer than paper. As time seemingly slowed down, (Y/N) watched all this unfurl in front of his eyes, with only a singular thought in his mind — smiling wryly — before the world turned black.
(Y/N): I'm fucked.
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Author's Note:
Thanks for reading! I know this chapter alone is lengthy as hell, even to me, but fuck it we ball yeah? XD
I don't really know how to do pacing and stuff, formatting too, if that's a thing....
But hey, I hoped you enjoyed. Leave a comment for lil ol' me, I'd appreciate all advice and tips.
How and when I would apply them? Idk honestly, I'm just a dumbass hahaha.
See you in the next chapter!
P.S.: I'm typing this out on a PC so if the formatting looks weird to whoever is reading this on mobile, now you know why!
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