D3L3T3D - Prologue

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“This is the Deciding Chamber.” The Admin drew his sword. Though his armor had remained white, his skin was now nothing more than a shadow.3

Stamp looked around his new surroundings. There had been nothing to warn of his coming here. It was not a chamber at all in fact; it was a barren field. The sky was dark, rain fell hard, and synthetic white streaks of lightning bolted across the clouds. “How did I get here?”4

“You disobeyed an Admin. Twice.” His voice was low and raspy, not like the Admin Stamp had met before.5

Stamp remembered exactly what had happened to make his second offense. A Player had been struggling with a monster. The Admin had been standing back and watching, sneering and cat-calling. When Stamp stumbled upon this, he went to help, but the Admin told him to stay back. Stamp wanted to help—besides, how would he know he would get an offense on his record from it. The Admin must have gotten angry and blindly set the offense.6

“I was trying to help!” Stamp yelled out. Then, remembering his trusted ally, he looked around frantically. He had been standing just behind and to the side of Stamp.7

Xero was his name. His armor was nearly as black as the shadowy body of the Admin before him. The horns on his helmet hooked back across the top, ending in two razor-sharp points. No one ever saw his face, as it was concealed behind a large faceplate. Nobody knew much about him, nor how long he'd played the game—only that he was good at it.8

The Admin let out a hideous laugh, a high pitched cackle that made Stamp's hair stand on end. “Don't you read the signs? 'Disobey the Admins and You Will Be Removed.' It's everywhere!”9

Yeah, Stamp knew. The Admins loved that sign. They'd stand by it all day if they could, telling people to do whatever they wanted. Stamp took up an offensive stance, as he had already guessed what kind of 'deciding' was done in the Deciding Chamber. With one hand, he gestured to Xero to stay back.10

The Admin's sword, large and glowing blue, came down at Stamp with one swing. It was a poorly aimed swing, but a powerful one at that. When the sword made contact with the ground, Stamp took his opportunity to deliver a swift kick across the face, delaying the Admin's recovery time.11

As the Admin struggled with his oversize sword to get up, Stamp held out an outspread hand. The ground beneath the Admin's feet quaked and rose and cracked, sending the Admin sprawling over the ground—and dropping his sword.12

Stamp ran forward and lifted the large man up by the breastplate, then threw him down again. In the next instant, Xero was over the Admin with the blue sword hovering around the shadow's neck. His foot held him down.13

Then something happened. It was as though the fight had reversed. Stamp was standing, looking forward, Xero just behind him, and the Admin stood across unharmed with sword in hand.14

“Hmph,” was all the Admin could say. Then, “Remember, the Admins control this world. I'm not allowed to send you back without a fight. The next time you want to betray us, think about what happened here.”15

He's faking, Stamp thought. Xero ran forward, drawing up his greatsword, and leapt through the air to deliver a powerful blow to the Admin. But with the simple wave of a hand, an invisible wall appeared between Xero and the Admin, and the attacker flew backwards almost as far as he had jumped forward.16

“Now do you believe me?” the Admin asked cynically.17

Stamp stared the Admin down with a look of pure hate.18

“Good. Now go on with your game.”19