The game

I can’t sleep. I keep trying, but those god-awful things come back to haunt me. Every time I went to sleep, I’d see them brutally taking apart Penny in some kind of factory. So, I have no choice but to stay up all night with Willow. “So. Why aren’t you trying to kill me like the rest did?” I had already taken my seat on a fallen Willow Log near the fire that was set up.
       “Why kill. Someone so. Kind.”
       “Why let someone so idiotic live?”
       “Do not. Beat yourself. Up for. Someone to. Weep for. You.”
       “Why should I not beat myself up? I mean, I’m only 14, and I have a child. And what’s more, is I have to try and survive. I’m not no Jordan Dooling here. I’m not no hero of Hyrule either. I have only one chance, and if I let that chance go, I’m gonna die.”
        “The fear.”
        “The what?”
        “The fear. Of dying.”
        Oh god, that’s right. They’re more than real here. And more than hostile. “Then, what are you the fear of then?”
         “The fear. Of sorrow.”
         All that registered into the motion of which I took, was a nod. But after that, we sat quietly. All that my mind let me do was look deeply into the fire, wondering more and more about this place. “Do ya’think... Maybe Penny is my daughter?”
          “You are. Now burdened. By a. Child. It is. Your responsibility.”
          “I guess... Thanks, Willow. You remind me of my mother. I wonder how she’s holding up without me...” All Willow gave me was the motion to sleep, as she had been getting tired. So, I lay on the log and drift to sleep. Hope I can this time.

It’s morning, I was woken up by Penny. What’s happening right now? We’re eating some edible tree bark that Willow made. Tastes just like buttered baked potato. Though I keep wondering how she made it. “Hey, Willow. How’d you make this?”
           “Some things are not meant to be said around a child.”
           Well... That answers that doesn’t?

After breakfast, me and Penny got our wits together and headed out. She’s up on my shoulders again.
            “Hey daddy...”
            “Yeah?”
            “How did you and Mama EAT meet?”
            “Oh. She stopped me when I was going to get some food. And then we kinda... Clicked.”
            “How are babies born?”
            “You... You will learn when you’re older.”
            I guess to most I’m sort of just the out of the norm guy who was chosen out of many to go through a portal, then chosen to fight off some giant wooden goddess thing. I guess I can start telling about myself. The name I choose to go by is Ein, my real name being a secret to many. My last name, well... Let’s keep that a secret. Ein sounds badass as it is. I’m sort of an author, which is why I mention Jordan Dooling at times. He’s the creator of my favorite series, OH GOD THE RAPTURE IS BURNING. I mean like, all of this is kinda like that. But sort of just more... Chill.

We’ve found our way into another village, this one seems more abandoned than anything. Everything’s in perfect order from what I can see. But Penny says that there’s a lotta bad people around. Well. Let’s see what happens!

OH MY GOD WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT

IT’S EVERYWHERE NOW

WHAT IS THAT MY HOLY GOD WHAT THE RRRRRRUUUUNNNNN

Holy shit, it was like a cross between multiple fears in one. Like... How can I explain it? Imagine a corpse split in two. Now imagine both parts being able to move. Now imagine the veins connecting them being seeable and covered in all sorts of things that just make you want to puke. Holy fuck. Now that I think about it, I’ve been pretty lucky. I’m still alive, despite how weak I am to these guys. Though, surprisingly, I’m not fearful. But I have a... Fear of something... Oh hey a book! ‘History of the Game Board’ Hm. Should kinda help me? Might be what this place is.

‘History of the Game Board chapter 1

If you are fearless enough to read this, I clap to you! You, obviously, have the potential to beat this game. Oh, you didn’t know it was a game? Poor you, toying in a place of dangers and you don’t know what you’re doing. Well, read through this and you’ll understand EVERYTHING!

Now, what you’re wondering is how you got here. Each fear from your human realm is selected to pick a human at random to throw into the game. And if the human completes the game? Well... The fear who selected them will gain more power than they already have. Thus so, it’s a total trust game. If the human doesn’t make it, the fear remains their power. But it capped by 1 human per year. And so far, that’s where every fear is at now. There are many places to the world you are put in, with a rival fear as the main evil doer! It’s like a fantasy novel all over again, how exciting! Oh, you’re wondering how to beat the game? Very simple, beat the main evil doer. How do you do this you say? Well, you progress!

Each human will be assigned a weapon when they reach a certain level. But how will they receive it, you ask? Well, they get to meet their favorite person! If they have stuck around in one place for long enough, then they would've already seen a glimpse or two of them. And how does a human level up? Well, by the time the human receives a child to take care of, they’re only one level away from getting the weapon. Oh, that leaves the answer for how they level up out of it? Well, you need to explore and kill things of course! You can’t leave your starting area without being level 2. That’d be silly! Though, I made an exception. Every once in awhile, there will be a lucky player. That lucky player will have to play twice in order to win. The second time, his attributes lowered rather than heightened. So if you’re a lucky player, watch out.’

The rest are just blank... Well, I guess it’s of no use... Wait, I can use it to attack the things outside! “Sit back and tight Penny. I’m gonna take ‘em out.” And without letting her respond, I just thrust up from hiding, attacking them all with one book.

DIEDIEDIE I WILL MEET YOU AFTER THE GAME IS DONE YOU FUCKS

Whoa, what the fuck. A random long scarf trilby wearing dude just came from the heavens and sliced all of their heads off. With a fucking longsword. Oh hello guy, you actually look cool.
     “Player, take the sword, you now have and inventory. Carry the book with you, make notes of your journey.” Well oka- HOLY FUCK IT LOOKS LIKE EXCALIBUR.
     “Gee, uh... Thanks ma-”
     “DADDY EIN!”
     DIRTY SWINE OF THE CREATURES ABOVE I SWEAR IF YOU- YEP SHE’S BEING ATTACKED.

Oh god. That was a lot of creatures. Man, this sword is pretty light. Shiny too. Though if that book was right, I better take this advantage whilst I can.

After saying goodbye to the mystery scarf trilby man, I put the sword on my back, the book on my side, and Penny on my shoulders. I set out to another place. I mean, my god. This is getting so intense.