CHAPTER 15: PLAY THE GAME
Ortho touched the tablet that was acting as controller, and the screen's cursor moved. He went to the menu, then toggled through different titles.
"Oh, so this is a collection of minigames?" Azul was intrigued.
"Yes, and they're all very fun!" Ortho said. "Let's start with this one."
He chose Legend of the Underworld, and the screen changed to a cloaked figure with a blue fireball. The figure was rowing a long boat through black water, which made the blue title jump out at the top.
"I'm not familiar with videogames, but it does seem interesting," Riddle admitted. "How do you play?"
"In this game, you play as the Ferryman," Idia said. "You go up and down the river, collecting souls while avoiding pitfalls. If you reach the end while carrying enough souls, you win the level."
"Ah, so you're playing as Charon," Jill said sagely. "He was the Ferryman who brought souls to the Underworld through the River Styx."
"How morbid," Vil noted quietly.
"Yes, Charon was a loyal worker for Hades," Ortho agreed. "Is it any wonder he got his own game?" He placed the tablet in Riddle's hands, with a quick tutorial on how to move. Then he pressed START, and the game began.
"Move up, Riddle!" Azul said. "That rock's in your way!"
"I'm trying, but this boat is too slow!" Riddle huffed, narrowly dodging the obstacle.
"Make sure you also gather all the souls." Idia pointed to one of the blue flames. "You need them to beat the game."
"This is more difficult than it looks," Riddle admitted. "But I can do this!"
For a beginner, Riddle wasn't half-bad. Thanks to the others' feedback, he was able to pilot his boat around the rocks while carrying all three souls.
"You did it, Riddle Rosehearts! You won!" Ortho praised.
"Yes, congratulations on beating Level 1," Idia snorted.
"That was fun," Riddle said with a smile. "I can see how games can be addicting."
"Mind if I play next?" Azul asked, and the tablet was handed to him. He went through Level 2, nearly hitting the rocks a few times himself, yet he managed to get by. He also faced a new obstacle—a Cerberus that would bite at the Ferryman with one of its three heads.
"What is that supposed to be?" Riddle demanded as Azul just narrowly missed the attack.
"That's Cerberus, the three-headed guardian of the Underworld," Ortho said. "He's the one that our defense system is named after, remember?"
"Then why is that dog attackin' the Ferryman? They're on the same side!" Grim argued.
"Yeah, this game isn't the most accurate," Idia admitted. "The developers probably just needed an idea for a new enemy."
Azul cleared Level 2, and he gave a satisfied smile. "You've been holding out on me, Idia," he said. "To think you've had such quaint games this whole time."
"Well, we're in Board Game Club, not Video Game Club," Idia said. "…But we really do need a Video Game Club in school."
"What other games do you have in this collection?" Jamil asked curiously.
"Let me see…" Ortho took the tablet back and went to the menu, choosing a new game. The screen now showed The Hydra Strikes Back, with a rock as the background. A dark creature with a long neck was leering at the title.
"What's that thing?!" Grim asked.
"That is the Hydra, Grim," Jill explained. "It's a terrible creature with multiple heads. The legendary Hercules slayed it as one of his trials to becoming a hero."
"Huh, so you do know your history." Idia sounded a little impressed.
"In this game, multiple Hydra heads will pop out of the holes," Ortho explained. "You have to tap the heads to destroy them, otherwise they'll attack you. If you lose your three lives before time runs out, you lose."
"So… it's just the game Whack-a-Mole?" Jill guessed.
"…Whack-a-Mole?" Azul blinked in confusion.
"I'll give it a try," Jamil said, and he started the game. As soon as the trial began, he started hitting Hydra heads. For a few seconds, he had it in the bag, until he came across an unexpected obstacle. "Wait, what did I just hit?!"
"Oh, you hit the legendary trainer," Idia said.
"You mean that… plush toy?" Vil pointed to the stuffed satyr that was popping up alongside the Hydra heads.
"That is Philoctetes, the satyr who trained Hercules," Ortho said. "He poses no threat to you, and is just a distraction. If you hit him, you leave yourself open to Hydra attacks, so watch out!"
"If he's such a great trainer, then he needs to stay out of the way," Leona said, lazily spread out against the sofa.
"I see… so it all comes down to timing…" Jamil concentrated, and with seconds left on the clock, was able to hold out with one life. "I beat it!"
"Good job, Jamil Viper!" Ortho said. "Leona Kingscholar, how about you? Do you want to play?"
"Well, I was going to settle in for a nap," Leona yawned. "But if you guys are going to stand around and talk the whole time, I won't get any sleep anyway. Might as well." He got up and dragged himself towards the front, then took the tablet and started Round 2.
These Hydras were faster, but Leona was able to defeat them easily with lightning-fast moves.
"I wanna play next!" Grim said, fidgeting in Jill's lap.
"Don't worry, we'll get our chance," Jill assured him.
As soon as Leona cleared Level 2, he gave the tablet back to Jamil. "Done."
"That was excellent, Leona," Riddle praised. "Are you an expert at videogames?"
"Nah, I play sometimes, but not enough to be a geek like Radish Sprout." Leona shrugged. "Guess the game is just that easy."
"Actually, Leona Kingscholar, your skill might have to do with your anatomy," Ortho said quickly. "You are a lion beastman, meaning that your reflexes are quicker than a human's. Being a feline, you're also drawn to small moving objects."
Leona glared at the younger Shroud. Idia, Vil, Riddle, and Azul were trying not to laugh, and even Jamil had to press his lips together to keep from smiling.
"Grim, didn't you say that you wanted to play next?" Jill asked with a smirk.
"Never mind!" Grim pouted. "I want a new game to play."
"Yeah, I'm done," Leona said. "I might want to get in on that nap, being a cat and all." He slunk back to the sofa.
"Let's see… oh, this is my favorite!" Ortho selected a new game—one with a starry background and the shining words Star Rogue: A Hero's Dawn.
"Whee hee, that's a classic," Idia said with a grin. "Ortho and I played this baby all the time when we were kids."
"Jill, you and Grim should play first," Vil suggested.
"Are you sure? You know I'm bad at games, right?" Jill asked.
"C'mon, we'll play together," Grim assured her. "Let Grim the Great lead ya to victory!"
"In this game, you are a heroic starship out to destroy enemy fleets," Ortho said. "Your ship will shoot lasers once per second, so that's your attack. Just move around the stage, dodge asteroids, and pick up upgrades."
"Seems simple enough…" Jill admitted. She took the tablet and positioned it so that she and Grim could reach it. When she started the game, she was reminded of Space Invaders. She and Grim were piloting a Pegasus-like ship and shooting other ships that looked like Pain and Panic. Working together, the unlikely duo were able to go through the level unscathed—well, except when Grim hit an asteroid trying to get a shield upgrade.
At the end of the level, a gigantic rocky titan appeared. It had a glowing belly as its weak spot, and lava running along its body.
"It's the boss enemy guy! Wail on 'em!" Grim ordered.
With most everyone barking out orders, Jill helped navigate the Pegasus around the level, dodging the bullet hell that was unfolding before her. The ship lost another life, but just when Jill thought she'd get a Game Over, the titan was destroyed and the level was beaten.
"We… won?" Jill was blown away. "I can't believe it! I usually never win anything!"
"Myahaha, I told ya! I can help ya do anything!" Grim cheered.
"Alright, my turn," Vil decided, and he took the tablet. "I'm not one to pass up a challenge."
"Thought you were the type to only play mobile games," Idia smirked.
"Those still count as games," Vil admitted with pursed lips. He started up the next level, and like with Jill and Grim, nearly everyone was giving him feedback on where to go and what to do. Even Leona, who insisted on taking a nap, was watching the screen from his sofa.
When Vil seized victory from the enemy titan, he cheered and held up the tablet dramatically as if lifting a ton. And as cheesy as it was… Idia couldn't help but grin. Maybe these next three hours wouldn't be so miserable after all.
It's too bad they won't remember this, Idia thought. And too bad I can never play games with classmates ever again…
DRIP, DRIP…