"Two hundred and eighty two down, how many more?" Stella mused.
There were only two people left, a muscular American adolescent, the other, a seemingly obese boy. Both of around the same age, and seeming to know each other.
"Josh, I'll wait, you're our last hope anyway." The obese one patted the muscular one on the shoulders.
"Hmm? Oh okay sure. I guess yours might be something related to knowledge or sports, so I guess I'll go first. You probably won't pass anyway."
"Name?" Stella asked for the two hundred and eighty third time.
"Joshua Pritchard." Josh replied.
"Very well. Your challenge is… The Spider's Justice. May Ganesha be with you."
Josh was transported to above a skyscraper. He was in a very familiar suit, red with the pattern of spider webs, hints of blue on the sides and legs. He was Spiderman.
Stella instructed Josh of what he was to do. Basically, he had to steal something from the CEO of the building of where he was.
Simple as it sounded, it was hard. The building was severely protected with reinforced glass.
Josh made it simple, he crashed straight into the panes and found the CEO who was faintly outlined from the everything else.
He shot a spider web from his hand and entangled the CEO by the neck, but then a deafening bang came, and Josh was back at the Sports Hall.
"I knew I shouldn't have gone for speed. The Cameras caught up…" Josh sighed.
"Well then if you're giving up, might as well have all of your souls I guess." Stella chuckled.
"Sure we've given up any-" Elvis started.
"Wait!" A voice cried, loud and clear.
Everyone turned their attention to where the word came from.
"What? Do you think you're gonna pass? Fatty?" Stella laughed.
The voice came from the obese boy that was left behind, with his chance to go through his challenge.
"A-at least I know I've d-died like a man! I won't give up until t-the last second."
The look in Stella's eyes changed, from the eyes of madness to somewhere to almost admiration.
"Very well O' brave one. You have my respect, may I ask of your name?" Stella's tone turned into one of politeness.
"Jason Lin."
"O' Brave one, may Ganesha guide your path." Stella slightly nodded as she began announcing the final challenge. "Your Challenge is… The Everlasting Hongmoon School!"
I awoke, in a small shack. Why does it feel so weird? It feels like I've been here before…
"Wake up Cricket!"
No, no it can't be!
"S-Sister Jinyung?" I sprung up from my bed.
Indeed, it was the silver haired Hongmoon disciples. She had wide eyes and a stern emotion, but I knew she wasn't really mad. She was just tired of me getting up late. I hesitated, where is my trial? I needed to save… lives?
Pain.
In an instant, I felt pain, it spread from my head to my torso, to my arms, to my legs and to my toes. Everything hurt.
"Your test: Prevent Hong Sokyun, and any of the Hongmoon students in "Blade and Soul" from dying when Jinsoyun strikes, including Lusung." Stella's voice rang in my head.
"Cricket, are you alright? What's happening?" Sister Jinyung asked nervously.
"I'm fine. Just a small headache y'know?" I laughed sheepishly.
"People don't scream when they have a headache."
"Ahahaha…"
"Get dressed and go get Brother Gilhong and Hajoon, they're probably awake by now from you screaming."
I wore the "Hongmoon" uniform that lay on the drawer, it was made of soft silk and other types of cloth.
Brother Gilhong and Brother Hajoon were indeed awake. Gilhong yawned, ruffling his brown hair, while Hajoon combed the fur on his squirrel tail and ears. It was another day at Heaven's Reach I guess…
Here comes the hard part. According to the storyline in this short arc, Brother Lusung sends off a raven when I get there, most likely to inform Jinsoyun that it is the time to strike. What I need to do is "persuade" him to join our side before it is too late. He's the traitor out of all of us, joining forces with Jinsoyun for power.
"Brother Lusung!" Sister Jinyung smiled, as we approached the long haired Hongmoon brother.
"Oh, why how are you Jinyung, Cricket?" Lusung replied softly and kindly, "I could hear you screaming from here Cricket, is something the matter?"
"Oh nothing! Uhh, Sister Jinyung can you leave us, we'll be there in a bit, I just want to have a quick word with Brother Lusung." I stammered.
"Alright! Make sure you go to Master Hong after you two are done." She grinned and set off.
I made sure to watch her glide off towards Master Hong's quarters before I turned to Brother Lusung.
"Well Cricket, what do you want to discuss with me that is private?" He smiled again politely, I could only feel disgust slowly creeping up my stomach.
I leaned in on him, my mouth near his ear, and whispered, "I know you put poison in Master Hong's herbal tea every day. I know you work for Jinsoyun, don't we all know him? The one who left Miryung in the scorching sands in hunger for power? You try to hide it but you will never be able to, especially in front of me. Brother." I spat the last word out as if it were a piece of over chewed gum, sticking on my tongue, tasteless. "You only have one chance, join us, or die."
His face was pale as steel as I left him there, his sweat dripping, soaking his own uniform. He was frozen like a statue, unmoving.
I ran over to Master Hong, he was coughing a bit, not too bad if it was a normal person at his age.
"Master." I bowed.
"Cricket… where is Lusung." The old, hunched man asked. The chimes dangling from his ears slightly ringing.
"He said he was having stomach pains so he told me to inform you that he would be late." I lied with a smile on my face.
"Ah I see, well then in that case, we will start without him. As all of you know, I can only accept one successor to know my secret techniques."
Everyone listened intently, I knew what would happen but I played along.
"The one to inherit my secret techniques is… Cricket!"
I tried my best to act surprised, and showed my greatest respect to the old furry. It wasn't very convincing, but it did the trick.
"Congratulations Cricket, now follow me to my quarters." Master Hong walked slowly up the stairs, gesturing for me to follow.
I bounded towards him as he started to glide up towards his room.
I reached the room, I knew the Martial Tome in the game would be on the shelf, so I turned to the shelf and pulled it out. It was an old dusty book with a brown cover.
"Master Hong, you were going to give me this, correct? Also, I know of the secret techniques book that you put under the tiger-skin rug." I asked politely.
The old man was shocked for a moment, and asked, "Cricket, how do you know of all of this?"
I kneeled, two knees slamming down onto the ground, my forehead touching the ground, and finally my palms pressing down onto the smooth, wooden floor.
"Master Hong, you may not believe this, but I am from the future. My name is Lin Jason (Asians have their surnames first), I've seen the future of Hongmoon." I cried, "I've seen it thrice, but I couldn't stop it! You may not believe, this, but I've only known you as a character in a game until now. Please, trust me! I will do my best to prevent the fall of Hongmoon."
"Characters of a game… So we're not real? Answer me Cricket!" Master Hong exclaimed.
"Please, I am not worthy of the title Cricket! I will tell you the whole story of how I came here. I'm probably not your Cricket anyway!"
We both froze, even though I felt as if I was doing the wrong thing for telling him, I dared not to look at him, for his power overwhelmed mine.
"No," his voice came again, I was ready for his disappointment, "you are our Cricket. Only a Hongmoon pupil will care so much about the school of Hongmoon."
I looked up, seeing the kindness in his old eyes, my eyes teared up. "Thank you." I croaked weakly, "Thank you for your help."
"Now, do explain what do you mean by you come from the future." He smiled.
I told him everything, how I saw the tragedy in Blade and Soul, how I got here from the Sports Hall of my school, and that I needed to stop this from happening.
"Please! I beg of you! Please believe me!" I begged, I had to save those lives back at my school.
"I believe you Cricket." Master Hong didn't seem to want to stop calling me Cricket.
"Thank you."
We walked out of the room. Master Hong glided down to where everyone stood. I ran down the stairs.
Lusung was here, but he seemed scared, I guess I scared him too much.
"Class, today Cricket is in charge. We must be by his side." Master Hong calmly stated.
It was then that the skies turned black, and hundreds of dark shades came in from the sky shrieking at us. In front of them, stood three figures, three figures that I knew very well.
