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LOCATION: ISLE OF DARKNESS SCENARIO
CITY: SEYCHELLES
DATE: SEPTEMBER 2, 2026 | TIME: 12:00 PM
Noon on the second day of the Isle of Darkness Scenario brought another two-hour respite.
Gideon Blackwell and the 21 other men set down their weapons, entered the water to clean the blood and… other matter from their armor and hair, and then picked a lounge chair near the pool to relax.
The previous day, Gideon had entered the scenario to find that the men had been grinding ever since August 22nd.
They had a total of ten hours a day of rest, split into five two-hour breaks. But the rest of the time, it was constant waves of enemies.
When Gideon's arrived, however, they could all see something had shifted in the man. He'd always possessed leadership qualities, but now there was something else about him.
He emanated a new kind of charisma. It was the sort of edge a man gets when he's stared death in the eyes a thousand times. Or, in Gideon's case, stared death down and lost a thousand times.
But the path of self-reflection he finally took upon himself had brought with it a new sense of clarity.
Gideon Blackwell was the sort of man who never had to admit defeat or wrongdoing. He'd surrounded himself with scapegoats, and he was an expert and pointing fingers.
At anyone and everyone but himself.
Until just a few days ago.
When he gathered the men together yesterday, for a pep talk, he began where he should have years ago.
"I have to start with an apology," he said, looking from man to man, meeting each one's gaze. "Over the past ten days, I have died nearly a thousand times inside this nightmare scenario. And I'll tell you one thing: this System, whatever it is and however it's taken over our reality, is a true fucking wonder."
Gideon looked out over the ocean. It was morning according to the System clock, but the sky was dark and stormy.
"It caused a man like me, admittedly one of the most foolhardy and arrogant men on Earth, to question everything. And when I finally began to see the error of my ways, my path… I realized just how much I have wronged the people of Earth. I owe each one of you an apology."
He looked down at the sand. Then back up to meet their gazes again.
"I'm sorry that I led you down this path. We should have used our wealth and influence to empower, not to dominate and subjugate. And it's because of my decisions that you all find yourselves here with me. In this nightmare."
He exhaled again.
"So, I am sorry. But I've seen that while the System is clearly strict, it is also fair. So find it in your hearts to expand your scope. Elliot Voss was a great man. And he should be celebrated for providing the two serums to all of humanity, not vilified. Once you get your mind wrapped around that reality, once you truly feel it in your heart, you will find things changing."
He put his arms on the shoulders of the men to his right and left.
"We've got two more minutes. Let's work together to take on these enemy waves. Leave no man behind. Protect each other's flank. Have each other's back."
The men, who had been exhausted when Gideon had shown up, cheered loudly. He could see a renewed determination in their eyes.
And when the Barracuda Spearmen came from the ocean next, they met a solid line of resistance.
To everyone's surprise, the Spearmen retreated after ten minutes of the onslaught.
Nothing happened for a half hour. Stronger enemies arrived onshore, but wave after wave met the strength of 22 men united in a common purpose.
It was no longer every man for himself. And the longer they fought together, the stronger they became.
Finally at noon on September 2nd, a System notification appeared for everyone at the same time.
---
System Message
Congratulations.
You have earned a two-hour respite.
No enemies will come during this period.
Use the time wisely.
Countdown:00:01:59
Note: A Special Challenge Scenario is available, should you wish to test yourself.
Do you wish to commence Special Challenge Scenario Alpha? [Y/N]
Note: At least 2/3 of those present must agree before Special Challenge Scenario Alpha can begin.
Current tally: 0 / 22
---
"Fuck that," one of the men said. "I need to rest."
Gideon held up his hand.
"Hear me out," he said. "I had one of these in my… solo instance. And it was very enlightening. I recommend we wait until just before the end of our two-hour break and vote. That way, we can still get our rest and also see what this is about."
Some of the men nodded, others just went to lay down and close their eyes.
Vitalyx and Rejuvenex may have enhanced their physiology, but grinding 24 hours a day for more than ten days took a psychological toll in addition to the obvious physical one.
Gideon walked to the end of the diving board over the infinity pool and sat down in meditation.
The image of him doing so was almost comical to some of the men. They'd known Gideon for decades. Meditation? He'd be more likely to find mental clarity at a shooting range. Or a driving range. Golf or guns. Never meditation.
But there he was. Gideon sat cross-legged and closed his eyes. He hands rested in his lap, and he didn't move a muscle.
An hour went by, and he sat still.
Some of the men whispered to each other, and when Gideon checked the Special Challenge status, he was pleased.
---
Current tally: 21 / 22
---
Gideon cast his own vote, and suddenly the world shifted around them all.
Fog began roiling forth across the surface of the water, beginning as far as the eye could see, and then within minutes surrounding the 22 men.
There was a thirty-foot circle where the men huddled together where the fog stayed away. The air smelled of mist and saltwater.
"What's going—"
Suddenly a deep horn bellowed forth from the ocean depths.
Gideon and the others heard quiet splashing. The splashing was followed by a lot of light scratching as if thousands upon thousands of seashells were rubbing together.
The men stood still, unsure what to do. Gideon checked his System interface, but it was blank.
"What do we do now?" one of the men whispered.
"Not sure…"
A few minutes later, a light breeze began blowing, and with it some of the fog cleared.
The fog thinned… and one hundred figures stood revealed, encircling the beach.
They stood six feet tall, and they were covered in sharp, jagged coral and barnacles. Each one held a shield made of the same jagged coral in one hand, and a sword that sparkled in the little light that filtered through the cloud cover.
Their faces were covered in coral helmets that covered everything but their eyes. Eyes like obsidian, depthless and cold as the ocean floor.
In the center, standing two feet in front of the 100-figure lineup, was their leader. He stood eight feet tall, and his armor and weapons were much more decorative. Jagged spikes jutted out at odd angles from his armor and shield.
And his eyes, unlike the others, were a deep, crimson red. He stared right a Gideon, his gaze never wavering or moving.