Chapter 10: Digital Doom!
'With Digit now in the game, does the team have a fighting chance to reach level 12 before the timer hits zero?'
King Adam's announcement to rule cyberspace has driven Digit over the edge. Just how will his joining the team benefit the players?
"This is unbelievable!" Slider begins fuming. "While that scum has plans for my girlfriend, there is nothing I can do to stop him because I am stuck here in this game!"
"Don't worry, we'll come up with something Slider." Matt says with comfort to Slider. "We will get out of here and save our girlfriends."
"Listen to the kid, he makes a lot of sense!" Digit's voice now rings out from behind the team.
Hearing the cybird's voice now gets the team's attention as they turn around and spot Digit.
"Digit?" Hacker, Matt, and Slider says in surprise.
"In the circuitry." Digit says replies, now approaching the group. "No autographs please."
"I thought you were helping Dr. Marbles outside the game." Hacker says.
"I was in the start, but I knew I could do a lot more if I came to help you guys out personally." Digit replies. "Besides, Dr. Marbles has Buzz and Delete assisting him in trying to cut Adam off from the game. So while he's doing that, I'll be helping you guys get to level 12, kick some royal butt and then save the girls."
"I thought I'd never say this in my life time, but I'm glad I invented you Digit." Hacker says, true sincerity shining through in his tone.
"Well, don't thank me just yet as we still have a mission to complete." Digit replies. "Level 9 is straight ahead, let's get going."
Having already climbed the final wall in the stage before Digit's arrival, the team and Digit now cross the icy bridge and arrives at level 9's doors. Without hesitation, they now enter level 9 and upon entering, notice the type of stage it is. Level 9 is a prehistoric stage, it closely resembles the earth millions of years ago before it became inhabited with animals and people. Matt, Slider, and Digit look around with mouths wide open and their eyes nearly bugging from their sockets.
"When Hacker said the game was called Dragon Gates, he wasn't kidding." Slider comments, continuing to look around.
"Hacker, for you to come up with a game like this and to think up stages like this, you must have had a lot of time on your hands." Matt comments.
"Well, when you're a born genius like me, you want to put your all into your work." Hacker gloats. "And as you can see, my brains as well as my charm were well placed in this game."
"Um yeah, whatever you say." Slider replies to Hacker's gloating.
Continuing to look around the stage, the Radopolis skater now spots a treasure chest.
"Hey, a treasure chest!" Slider points out, getting everyone's attention.
"I call first dibs!" Matt yells with him and everyone now making a mad dash for the chest.
The team now reaches the chest with Digit being the first to open it. With the chest open, everyone notices what is in the chest. There are 3 potions of gold, red, and blue color, 4 gold snelfus coins, and a dagger. The gold potion is a transformation potion, the blue is an ice potion and the red is a fire potion.
"What is all of this?" Digit questions, now removing the gold potion from the chest. "Are these supposed to be energy drinks or something? This one reads transformation which I'm assuming transforms you from tired to energetic?"
"They are potions Digde." Matt answers the cybird, lightly laughing at the bird's assumption. "They are to help us as we go through the game. The gold one is for transformation, the blue is for ice and the red is fire."
"I have to hand it to you Hacker, you're good." Digit says. "Even though you created this game for revenge, you at least give the players something to look forward to."
A wide grin finds its way onto Hacker's face from Digit's compliment.
"Ok, you all know the drill." Matt says. "We distribute the items among ourselves so when the time comes we need them, we'll know who has them. Slider, you get the potions, I get the coins, and Hacker, you get the dagger."
Everyone nods in agreement as they begin emptying the chest. Continuing to go though the chest, an ear piercing screech now rips the air. Hearing the screeching, everyone looks up to see a hoard of mutant Pterodactyls heading right for them.
"Great! Just what we needed!" Slider fumes. "We just made it to this stage and we're already being attacked!"
"Well, if it's a fight they want, it's a fight they'll get!" Matt says with determination as he wields his sword. "Like Inez says, when the going gets tough, the tough fights back!"
"Make that times two." Slider agrees, now wielding his sword as well.
"Stand down you two, I'll handle this." Digit speaks up. "Slider, hand me the transformation potion."
"The Transformation potion?" Slider asks, now facing the cybird. "Digit, that potion hasn't been properly tested. It could be dangerous if you use it without knowing how it will affect you."
"Well then, consider me the first experiment." Digit replies, his tone very serious. "Now hand it over!"
Without a word of protest, Slider now hands Digit the transformation potion. Uncorking the top of the vial, Digit consumes the entire potion. Dropping the empty vial to the ground, a bright gold light now consumes Digit. The light becomes very blinding as everyone shields their eyes from it. The light that consumed Digit now fades, revealing a very changed Digit. The cybird has been transformed into a huge and powerful blue falcon with powerful wings, very sharp feet claws, and a razor sharp beak. His beak is something to watch out for as it is sharp enough to tear through the toughest material.
Everyone blinks twice just to make sure they aren't imagining what they are seeing.
"Is that…" Matt begins, his words becoming caught in his throat.
"Digit?" Slider finishes Matt's thought.
"Of course it's me." Digit replies, his voice deep due to the transformation. "It seems the only side effect those potions have are enhancing what's already well put together."
"Awesome!" Matt cheers.
The Pterodactyls are continuing to make their way towards the team as they're screeching rips through the air once more. Digit turns to the mutant birds and narrows his sharp eyes at them. Grounding his sharp claws into the ground, Digit raises his wings into the air as he begins flapping them. The wind created by his wings is a powerful one, which now impacts the mutant hoard, instantly wiping them out.
"Way to go Digit!" Slider cheers. "You took them out in one fellow swoop!"
"It was no sweat." Digit says as he turns to the team. "So far, the coast is clear, which means it's time for us to make our exit. Climb on."
Everyone piles onto Digit's back with Matt being first, Slider being second and Hacker being last. Loosening his claws from the ground, Digit now takes flight.
"Our next stop, the gates to Level 10!" Digit says. "Hold on tight everyone because we are out of here!"
With one strong flap of his wings, Digit's flight speed increases as everyone is now on their way to the gates of the third to last level of the game.
Level 12
Having been escorted to Adam's chambers, Jackie and Inez have made themselves comfortable. Well, only Jackie has made herself comfortable as being held captive has unsettled Inez to the point of pacing. If it's one thing that Inez hates more and that's staying in one spot for too long.
Jackie has planted herself on the bed as she continues picking at the skirt of her dress while Inez is pacing back and forth in front of Jackie. Taking her attention away from her skirt, Jackie looks up to the pacing Inez.
"So how are you supposed to assist me again and with what?" Jackie asks. "What exactly do hand maidens do?"
"They assist the person they have been assigned to." Inez answers, continuing to pace. "They are personal servants or maids and according to Adam, I am your personal servant. I get you whatever you want with no questions asked."
"Oh no, there is no way I am treating my best friend that way!" Jackie protests. "The only thing I want you to assist me with is continuing to be my best friend."
"That's good to know." Inez replies, a small smile forming on her face as she continues pacing. "There has got to be a way to get out of here. Who knows how much more of the game Adam warped to his liking and no telling what is happening to our guys."
"And Hacker." Jackie adds in.
Hearing Jackie say that causes Inez to stop in her tracks and turn to her.
"Did you say Hacker?" Inez asks, making sure she heard Jackie clearly.
"Yep." Jackie answers with a nod. "Hacker has gotten into the game with the guys and is surprisingly helping them out."
Inez is staring at Jackie as if her best friend was a being from another planet. She is still not believing what she is hearing. Hacker, their very worst enemy, is actually helping out the cybersquad? Something about that just isn't right. The only questions that are swimming through her mind right now is, is Hacker in it for himself or does he really have a sincere circuit in his body after all?
"How did you find out?" Inez continues her questions.
"After having dinner with that scum of cyberspace, I stood up from the table and turned around to the video stream." Jackie begins explaining. "The guys were on an ice stage and I saw hacker with them. Adam said he was putting them through some sort of test. I don't know what it was, but that's what he said."
"Anything else?" Inez asks.
"Nope, that's it." Jackie answers.
"I see." Inez simply says, now going back to her pacing.
"I miss Slider so much." Jackie says, her tone now becoming depressed. "We will never see our guys again as long as we're stuck here with no way to get out."
With Inez continuing to pace, an idea now hits her.
"I wouldn't speak too soon Jax." Inez says, now stopping in front of her best friend. "I just got an idea. With me being your hand maiden, I'm to get you anything you want right?"
"According to Adam, but not to me." Jackie replies. "But what are you getting at?"
"Think about it." Inez continues. "If I am to get you whatever you want, I have to know where everything is so I can 'right'?"
Hearing the 'right' at the end of the sentence, Jackie nods in agreement, now knowing what Inez is getting at.
"So, here's what I'm thinking." Inez continues explaining. "All you have to do is ask Adam for a tour of the castle, pretending to be on his side when in reality, you'll be seeking out something that will help us escape, get back into the game, and find the guys. All without letting on what is really going on."
"That means I'll have to be nice to him." Jackie says with a shudder. "Something I really don't want to do."
"Well, don't think of it that way." Inez replies. "Think of it as doing this for Slider. The sooner you get Adam to show you around, the sooner we can get out of here."
"If it's for Slider, then I'll do it." Jackie says.
Getting to her feet, Jackie begins gathering her composure and strength to face Adam. Having gathered enough of her composure and strength, she now faces Inez.
"I'm ready." Jackie says.
"Great." Inez cheers. "Now, once you've found something that will benefit us, make an excuse to come back here and report to me what you've found."
"I sure hope this works." Jackie replies.
"Trust me, it will." Inez says with assurance. "Adam will do anything for you so whatever you want, he'll see to it that you have it."
Nodding to Inez, Jackie now slips out the chamber doors to go face Adam.
"I hope this works too." Inez mentally says to herself. "Who knows what's happening to our guys under Adam's control. I miss Matt so much."
Northern Frontier
With Digit in the game, Dr. Marbles has worked rigorously to get back into the game's configurations. After by passing difficult sectors, Dr. Marbles has gotten back into the game's configurations using Hacker's main frame, Hacker 2.0: The Ultimate System. Currently he is in the game's management settings. That sector lists the number of players, the number of stages, and anything else that is relevant to the game.
"Let's see here." Dr. Marbles says as he begins looking over the sector. "Number of players, 4, number of stages 12, each player has 95 points each."
Continuing to look the sector over on the screen, he notices that a timer is counting down. The timer is currently at 2:05 and 37 seconds. The sight of the timer angers Dr. Marbles.
"Only Adam would stoop so low." Dr. Marbles says, narrowing his eyes as he grips the master controller. "Well, I'm sure Adam wouldn't mind if I slowed things down a bit. No, I'll do one even better, time can't be against them if it isn't moving, so I'll freeze it."
Hitting select on the game controller, a password prompt now comes up on the screen. Putting in the password he thinks it maybe, the password is approved as the timer stops at the current time 2:03 and 59 seconds. The timer and the seconds both begin flashing.
"Now that's what I call time management." Dr. Marbles says with a grin.
"Yay, you did it!" Delete cheers. "Now the boss and the kids won't have to worry about that clock anymore!"
"That's just one of many things Delete." Dr. Marbles says, releasing a long held breath. "There's still a long and hard job ahead of us with many more obstacles that needs to be cleared. With the timer stopped, I will now begin working on cutting Adam off and getting the game under my control. After that, getting the team out of there!"
"Is there anything that we can do to help?" Buzz asks.
"Just be on standby for when I need your assistance." Dr. Marbles instructs.
Dragon Gates Level 9
Falcon Digit and the team are continuing to make their way through level 9 as Digit is swiftly flying the team to the gates of level 10. As Digit continues flying everyone their destination, the team is looking around for any signs of obstacles.
"Man, what a death trap." Matt speaks up, now eyeing the venous cavernous plants below them. "Thank goodness you came along when you did Digit or we would be goners right now."
"For sure." Slider agrees, also noticing the man eating plants below.
"Well, at least the coast is clear all the way to level 10." Hacker adds in.
Having said that, another mutant hoard of Pterodactyls now appears in front of the team. They are on a one way collision with them.
"You spoke too soon Hacker." Digit replies. "We have company."
The hoard is continuing to make their way towards the team as their screech now rips through the air.
"How do those things keep finding us?" Matt asks with frustration.
"It's called hunting." Digit answers Matt. "In the prehistoric age, dinosaurs of all sizes hunted their food to survive and in this case, they are the hunters and we are the hunted, but I'm going to turn the tables so we become the hunters. Hold on."
Picking up his flight speed, Digit whizzes by the hoard and does a U-turn with him now facing the back of the hoard. Opening his mouth, Digit releases a sonic scream with blue rings appearing. The rings quickly make their way towards the mutant hoard, now wiping them out. Having taken out the hoard, Digit turns around and continues leading the team towards the gates to level 10.
"Digit, that was awesome!" Slider cheers.
"Who knew I had it in me?" Digit says with a gloating tone. "Now hang on everyone, level 10 is up ahead and not that far."
Increasing his flight speed once more, Digit continues flying the team towards the gates. Flying a few more inches, the team now reaches the gates to level 10 with Digit landing right in front of the doors. Everyone now climbs off of Digit's back.
"Alright! Just two more levels and Adam is history!" Slider says.
"He's so going down!" Matt agrees with him.
With level 9 done, everyone now enters level 10 and notices the level is a forest level that closely resembles the Amazon rain forest.
"Seriously Hacker, what is with you, the color green, and leaves?" Slider asks, taking a look around the stage. "Didn't we just leave a similar stage not too long ago?"
Before Hacker can answer Slider, a window now appears in front of the guys with King Adam appearing on it. He has a wild look in his eyes followed by a wild grin.
"King Adam!" Hacker, Digit, Slider and Matt say with disgust in unison.
"Hello boys." King Adam greets. "How's it going?"
"What do you want King Adam and are the girls ok?" Matt demands an answer.
"Oh your precious gems are just fine." Adam answers. "However, none of you are!"
"What are you flapping your lips about Adam?" Hacker asks with demand.
"I've hope you've enjoyed playing Dragon Gates because things are about to change!" King Adam says, his eyes become wilder. "Welcome, boys, to the end of the road and the rest of your lives! The game is no longer Dragon Gates, but a game I'd like to call Digital Doom! I guarantee this is one game that neither of you will win!"
Breaking into a full blown maniacal laugh, the stage around the team now changes to a mechanical and computerized level with huge rusty buzz saws emerging from the walls, falling steel walls that emerge from the ceiling, and large rusty spikes that emerge from the floor.
Everyone looks around, not believing what is going on around them.
"Go ahead and make your move!" Adam challenges. "I dare you!"
Adam continues his maniacal laugh with it echoing through level 10. Slider turns to Matt, who turns to Digit who in turn, turns to Hacker. While exchanging glares, no one knows what to do now.
Oh no! The team is in yet another bind! Will they successfully find their way out of Adam's new game and reach level 12? Will Inez's plan for Jackie to butter up Adam work so they can bust out themselves and just how long will it take before Dr. Marbles cut Adam's ties to the game? These questions answered and more in next week's chapter of End Game! Next chapter: The team experiences Digital Doom with one unexpected surprise that awaits them at the end!
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