Snippet #2139731

Ark continued stealthily down a winding path, looking over his shoulder every few feet before whisking his way into an alley. The ally was dark and narrow, but void of life which came as a relief to the young player. The commotion which was going on in the main square had all, but silenced behind him. He was far enough to where he could barely hear it. As for his pursuers it seemed for the moment that he's lost them. He slumped against the wall, sliding down until he was sitting on the cobble stone floor of the alley and ran his fingers through his hair. It's texture was soft against the skin of his fingers. It felt so real. He stared at his open palm, holding up towards the sky. "What...is this?" That's when he received a message.

After reading the message, he jumped up in anger. "What kind of prank is this!?" he yelled with his fist balled tightly. "What kind of person would do this to innocent people!?" he argued to himself. "This can't be real..." That's when he received another message.

From: Unknown
Subject: Wanted/
Message: Greetings Ark Euhndr, your reputation throughout the worlds proceeds you. The high feat of betraying the guild you created and hunting them down like pitiful dogs has gotten you noticed. Lucky you. You have been locked in this game, but I've taken pity on you. So, that you wouldn't feel lonely I ensured that at least one hundred members of your former guild were online when I initiated the wide-spread "Lock In". I've given them fifty thousand gold in order to aid them in their pursuit to keep you company and added you to their mini maps so they can always find you when you are near them. Have fun!

He could only stare at the message with his jaw hanging open. Words escaped him. His lips moved, but no sound came out. You've got the wrong guy, he mouthed. You've got the wrong guy... As he was about to reply to the message he heard the pounding of footsteps from the other end of the alley. He looked up. It was his pursuers and they were closing in. He cursed and turned to flee, but was met by a fist to his face. He was knocked back to the ground. The others caught up and together they rushed him, stomping him, kicking him, laughing madly.

"Alright enough of the games!" The leader yelled to the others. "Let's drag him out of the area so that we can do to him what he did to us." The other guild members howled in agreement.

The beating hadn't depleted his health at all. Each kick felt like he was being pelted by intense pressures of air. Not true pain, but close to it. He was yanked to his feet then dragged through the town and out to the fields. "No!" The thought hit him. He was "trapped" in the game. What happened to his real body? If he died in Second Life, how would that affect his body in Real Life. Would that cause an automatic log out? Would he be returned to his life? Or would he die in real life as well? "Please, don't kill me!" he cried, tears streaming down his cheeks. "I don't want to die! Please, don't do this! You'll be murderers!" He struggled against them, but he was held in place by his captors who had each of his arms restrained.

"Shut the fuck up!" The Leader yelled annoyed. "When your health points reach zero, we'll use a revive to bring you back." An eerie smile spread across his lips and then he spoke darkly. "Then we'll kill you again. Revive you again then kill you. Revive. Kill. Revive. Kill. Until you've died as many times as the number of people you've killed from our guild. vengeance, Ark. That's what this is."

They tossed Ark into a field and surrounded him. He counted fifteen people. His chances of escape were slim. Their weapons reappeared. He rationalized that they couldn't use their weapons in the town and now that they were outside the safe zone.

He was at their mercy.