The morning sun did little to warm the wasteland.
Liam Crest sat on the hood of an abandoned car, fiddling with his drone. The Eye of the Apocalypse had survived the haunted hospital, but its battery was now at 8%—a fact that made his stomach twist.
"If this thing dies, I die," he muttered.
Aria Thorn didn't look up from sharpening her collapsible staff. "Then stop wasting power on stupid monologues."
Liam grinned. "But chat loves my monologues!"
[Audience: 312]
A new message blinked:
[Sponsor Request: Stream the Stronghold of the Lost. Reward: Solar Core Battery (Unlimited Charge).]
Liam's breath caught. Unlimited power. No more fear of the camera dying. No more fear of him dying.
Aria saw his expression and scowled. "No."
"Aria"
"We don't even know where this 'Stronghold' is," she snapped. "And 'Beware the Tyrant' doesn't exactly scream friendly neighborhood barbeque."
Liam hopped off the car. "Exactly! It's content! High stakes, high rewards!"
Aria's grip tightened on her staff. "Or a trap."
Before Liam could argue, a voice cut through the ruins:
"Well, well. If it isn't the Level Zero celebrity."
They turned.
A man leaned against a crumbling wall, arms crossed. Tall, broad-shouldered, with a scar splitting his lip into a permanent smirk. A camera drone hovered near his shoulder—smaller than Liam's, sleeker, meaner.
[Player Identified: Kane – Level 8]
[Stream Title: *Brutality Unfiltered]
[Audience: 500+]
Liam's smile turned sharp. "Kane, right? Saw your streams. It is a bit one-note, don't you think? Just stab, scream, repeat'?"
Kane's smirk didn't waver. "My viewers like it raw. No gimmicks. No faking." His eyes flicked to Liam's drone. "Unlike some people, boring."
Aria stepped forward, staff half-extended. "Say what you came to say and piss off."
Kane pushed off the wall. "The Stronghold's east of here. Ruled by a guy called The Tyrant. He's got a bounty on entertainers." His grin widened. "Thought you'd like to know, before you walk into a slaughterhouse."
Liam's pulse jumped. A bounty?
Kane's drone zoomed in, capturing Liam's reaction. "Oh, and Liam?"He tapped his own camera. "Try not to die too fast. I want our rivalry to last."
Then he was gone, vanishing into the ruins.
Aria exhaled through her nose. "He's baiting you."
Liam didn't deny it. "Yeah. But he's also right about the battery." He pulled up the sponsor's message again. "Unlimited charge, Aria. No more fear of the camera dying. No more me dying."
Aria's jaw clenched. "And if the Tyrant skins you alive on stream?"
Liam's grin was all teeth. "Then chat gets a hell of a finale."
[Audience: 350]
[New Donation: *Map to Stronghold of the Lost – 50 AP]
A glowing parchment materialized in Liam's hands.
Aria stared. "They're paying you to walk into your death."
Liam folded the map. "Welcome to showbiz."
The Stronghold wasn't a fortress.
It was a stage.
A massive, crumbling coliseum stood at its center, surrounded by makeshift shacks and watchtowers. Players milled about, their levels displayed proudly—Level 5, Level 7, Level 12. At the entrance, two armored guards crossed spears.
"No entry without paying the toll," one growled. "One Ascension Point. Or fight in the Pit for free passage."
Liam glanced at Aria. "Guess we're fighting."
The guard smirked. "Pit's solo entry."
Aria's eyes narrowed. "Bullshit."
Liam squeezed her shoulder. "I'll be fine. Cameraman Never Dies, remember?"
She grabbed his wrist. "If you vanish in there, I'm burning this place down."
Liam winked. "Save me a front-row seat."
Then he stepped into the Pit.
The coliseum stank of blood and sweat.
A roar went up as Liam entered, the crowd already chanting:
"TYRANT! TYRANT! TYRANT!"
At the far end, a throne of scrap metal sat atop a dais. And on it, The Tyrant.
[Player Identified: Dain – Level 25]
[Title: The Iron Showman]
Dain was massive, his armor welded from car parts and monster bones. A jagged crown of broken blades sat atop his head. His eyes were the worst—gleaming with the same blue light as the Astrals.
"Ah!" His voice boomed. "Our special guest! The Level Zero who thinks he's a star!"
Liam's drone activated on its own, zooming in on Dain's face.
[Audience: 500]
[Sponsor Alert: Survive the Pit. Reward: Solar Core Battery.]
Dain grinned. "Let's see if you're entertaining enough to live."
The gates opened.
A monster lumbered out.
[Boss: Gorefang – Level 15]
[Ability: Blood Rage – Strengthens with each injury.]
Liam's mouth went dry.
Then the crowd screamed, and the fight began.
Gorefang was fast.
Liam barely dodged the first swipe, **[Flash Step]** sideways as claws tore the ground where he'd stood.
"Chat!" he yelled, rolling behind a broken pillar. "We've got a big boy here! Let's see if he likes fireworks!"
He triggered [Astral Echo].
A ghostly afterimage of himself burst forward, mimicking his movements from seconds ago. Gorefang bit—only for its jaws to close on empty air.
The crowd oohed.
Dain's grin faltered.
Liam didn't stop.
He baited, dodged, and performed, turning the fight into a spectacle:
And here's the classic fake left, go right—OH! I almost lost a kidney there!"
"Folks, that's what we call anger management issues!"
"Aria, if you're watching, I told you I had this!"
[Audience: 700]
[Fan Gifts: 15]
But Gorefang wasn't tiring.
And Liam was running out of tricks.
Aria's voice cut through the noise.
"LIAM! NOW!"
She threw something into the Pit.
Liam caught it—a smoke grenade, looted from the military bunker.
He didn't hesitate.
"Cue the dramatic exit!"
He pulled the pin.
The Pit exploded in smoke.
Gorefang roared, blinded. Liam [Flash Step] not away, but onto the beast's back, gripping its fur.
"Hey, Dain!" he shouted over the chaos. "Tell your boss the Astrals that their show sucks!"
Then he jammed the grenade into Gorefang's ear.
The monster screamed and detonated.
Silence.
Then the crowd erupted.
Dain stood, his face thunderous. "You cheat."
Liam grinned, blood dripping from his nose. "Nah. I entertain."
[Challenge Complete!]
[Reward: Solar Core Battery Acquired!]
A glowing orb slotted into Liam's drone. The battery icon flashed—100%. Permanently.
Dain's voice dropped to a whisper only Liam could hear.
Run, little streamer. The Astrals aren't your friends.
Then, louder: "GET OUT OF MY STRONGHOLD!"
Liam didn't need to be told twice.
Outside, Aria grabbed him. "You're an idiot.
Liam laughed, giddy with adrenaline. "But I'm a living idiot!"
[Audience: 900]
[New Message: The war is coming. Choose a side.]
Aria's grip tightened. "We need to go. Now."
Liam nodded, but his mind raced.
Choose a side?
The game was getting bigger.