ALL NOVEL CHAPTER 71: Bets & Skeletons
POV: CELESTIAL WAGER
In a brightly lit casino, aboard a distant space station, two aliens leaned over a holographic display, their elongated fingers tapping rapidly as they adjusted their bets. The sounds of betting machines whirring around them as the melodic jingle of mana coins being spent and won enveloped them.
Bling! Bling! Blllllerzak.
"I told you, this season's going to be wild!" one of them exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "With Atlas and his Portal Crushers armed to the teeth, it's only a matter of time before someone's head gets shot with a crossbow!"
The other alien chuckled, tapping a few more buttons. "You're right. Last season was a snooze fest compared to this. But with Atlas in the mix, I'm betting on at least two deaths in his settlement before the first day is over."
"Two? You’re underselling it! I’m putting my money on four, and that’s just for starters. But let’s not forget about the other categories. Who do you think will cry first?"
“Ah, the crying pool,” the second alien said with a grin. “I’d put my money on Stu causing a lot of people to cry. That guy has a temper, and it’s only a matter of time before he loses it.”
The two aliens laughed, their voices mixing with the background sounds of the casino. They continued adjusting their bets, their excitement making their head tentacles wave around.
‘‘‘
POV: WASTELAND OUTSIDE OF SETTLEMENT
Back in the wasteland, the Portal Crushers continued their journey, the horizon stretching out before them. The landscape was a mix of ruins and desolate terrain, the remnants of ancient civilizations scattered across the ground. As Atlas led his team forward, the distant shapes of skeletal figures began to emerge, their hollow eyes glowing ominously.
“Stay sharp, everyone,” Atlas called out, his voice carrying across the wind. “We’re approaching the skeletons. This is where we show them what we’re made of.”
Wang Bo nervously tightened his grip on his club, his eyes focused on the approaching figures. Isabella adjusted her club, her gaze steady and determined. Alexander hefted his club, his confidence evident in his stance.
‘‘‘
Atlas and the Portal Crushers were already far ahead, cutting through the wasteland like a well-oiled machine. The new refugees, on the other hand, were struggling to catch up. The distance between the two groups was growing by the minute, and it was becoming increasingly clear that the newbies weren't going to make it without some serious effort. Some of them were barely keeping pace, their breaths coming in ragged gasps, while others were on the verge of giving up entirely.
“Slow down!” a guy in a bathrobe called out, his voice tinged with desperation.
Another woman, who’d shown up in what could only be described as a half-sleep, half-club outfit, echoed his sentiment, “Yeah, we’re not all marathon runners here!”
The complaints kept coming, but the Portal Crushers who could barely hear them in the distance didn't stop. Atlas had drilled it into them: in a place like this, every second counts. The faster they moved, the better their chances of survival. It was hard, it was exhausting, but it was necessary.
Meanwhile, the stragglers were getting louder. “I can’t believe we’re doing this without shoes,” a man grumbled, hopping over a sharp rock. His words were met with a chorus of agreement, and it was clear that morale was plummeting fast. They were moving, but they were moving slower and slower, and the gap between them and the Portal Crushers was only widening.
Up ahead, Atlas paused to glance back. The noobies were falling far behind. He considered doubling back to motivate them, but the sight of Stu bringing up the rear convinced him otherwise. ‘I’ll let him handle it for now.‘
At the rear of the group, Stu was doing his best to keep everyone moving, but it was clear that he was struggling with this task. His usual abrasive style wasn’t cutting it with this crowd, and the newbies were starting to resist more and more.
"Alright, everybody, take a fucking breather!" Stu yelled at the noobies, his tone as aggressive as ever. Amber and the rest, who were panting heavily, were glad to take a break. It had been a short jog, about five minutes, but unlike the Portal Crushers, most of them weren't in shape. Some were struggling to catch their breath, and most weren't even wearing proper clothes. Only a couple had been fully dressed, as they had planned to go out clubbing or drinking.
All their plans had been destroyed with the surprise portals which sucked them into this surreal landscape.
But Stu didn’t care about any of that. After a minute he tried to get them moving again.
"Okay, enough resting, you little bitches! Follow me, we're heading towards where Atlas and the team are going!"
The group hesitated. A couple of them were reluctant to move, one person complained about not having any shoes, and the guy in only his underwear was clearly uncomfortable.
“We saw the show! It’s going to be fighting monsters. There’s no way we can fight monsters like this,” said a frightened older lady.
Clark, sensing an opportunity, smoothly suggested, "Hey, maybe those who aren’t properly dressed or don’t feel ready should stay here by the pile of goods. That way, they can keep an eye on things while we go ahead."
Stu, predictably, got angry at the suggestion. "No! Atlas told me to bring everyone, and that's what I'm gonna do! No one fucking stays behind!" He was visibly frustrated, not wanting to come off as incompetent in front of the group. He had been given clear instructions from Atlas, and he wasn’t about to deviate from them.
Clark, maintaining his calm demeanour, repeated his suggestion. "Look bud, it's just practical. We don’t want to slow everyone down, just because some of us aren’t ready. Atlas will understand."
The group, sensing the logic in Clark’s words, began to murmur their agreement. Finally, they decided to follow Clark’s suggestion, much to Stu’s irritation.
“Either you all come or I’m going to shoot you in your fucking faces!” Stu yelled, pointing his crossbow at the group.
“Whoa! No need to freak out! Remain calm,” Clark said, his voice dripping with concern. He knew that Stu was a hothead from the TV show and that telling a hot-headed person to calm down when they were already calm was a great way to set them off.
“I’m not fucking angry, you pasty white bitch!” Stu roared, his face turning an alarming shade of red.
“You’re clearly dealing with some issues and seem to have anger problems. Why don’t we discuss this like rational people?” Clark replied, keeping his tone measured and reasonable.
“I FUCKING am fine! You people gather around and come with me right now!”
Some people listened to him, but a group of five stayed behind, too scared or too tired to continue. Stu, in a hurry, angrily decided not to force the stragglers. Clark himself knowing Atlas would be looking for any excuse to deal with him continued along with Stu.
As the group split, Clark couldn’t help but feel a surge of satisfaction. His plan to take over the settlement from the inside was working better than he had hoped, and the fact that Stu was really dumb only made it easier.
‘‘‘
Stu and the four new refugees, including Clark, were now trailing fifteen minutes behind the Portal Crushers. He kept his attention focused on guiding them. The new refugees followed reluctantly, their anxiety evident as they also spotted the approaching skeletons.
“Come on, people!” Stu barked. “Stay together and keep moving. We’re heading right into the thick of it. No stragglers!”
The new refugees stumbled along, their nerves on edge as they followed Stu’s orders. Despite the tension, they were beginning to see the reality of the situation: this was no ordinary adventure. They were part of something much larger, and their survival depended on sticking together and following orders.
‘‘‘
Atlas and his team were now engaged with the skeletons, the clash of metal and bone ringing out as they fought with precision and skill. The formidable skeletons were putting up a tough fight with the Portal Crushers though.
Atlas yelled, “Alright team, don’t forget, they’re skeletons. Knock their heads off. Hitting them in their chest or arms isn’t going to do shit. If you’re not going to be able to get a headshot, go for a leg shot. If you can crush the kneecaps, they’ll stop walking.”
“Portal Crushers!” yelled the team, and they renewed their efforts, cracking the heads of those skeletons. One by one, the skeletons went down,
THUD
THUD
As each skeleton fell, a jingle of coins clinked around.
The reality of fighting the undead though, started sinking into the heads of the Portal Crushers, and fear started creeping in.
Atlas’s voice cut through the clatter of bones and the dull thud of weapons striking skeletons. "Don’t panic! It’s just like training!" he shouted, trying to keep everyone focused.