Game Over

Hi, my name is Ray Zachary and I live in the year 2023. There have been some major changes lately, like cars that hover about one foot above the ground, robots as most workers, holograms, etc, etc. I'm a levelheaded eleven year-old and in 5th grade.

One day something unbelievable happened to me. It started as an ordinary day...

"I got it! I got it!" Shouted Jon, as he came rushing up to me on the sidewalk. Jon was my video-game-obsessed friend who never took anything serious.

"What do you have?" I asked Jon.

"A new video-game, Fantasy Arena Online! Also know as F.A.O. itttt's the coolest!" (Jon always stammers when he's talking about a game he likes) "You see yooour always online when fight people or bbbosses!" Jon said, showing me the package of F.A.O.

It had a picture of a wizard holding a shield, while a dragon spewed fire.

"Heard 'bout it. Suppose to have good graphics." I said.

"Good, more like amazing!" Jon protested.

"A guy gave it five out of six stars."

"I give it seven!" Jon boomed.

"Whatever, we're going to be late for school." I said.

I ran to school and on the way I lost Jon. I thought he forgot something and went home to get it. I just hoped he didn't play hooky just to play F.A.O.

"Good morning class, I've been informed by Jon's mother that Jon is very sick." My teacher said.

"Yeah, with video-game fever." I muttered to myself.

"I'll take his homework to him Ms. Johnson." I said raising my hand.

"Thank you Ray." She said.

After school I went to Jon's house to see him playing F.A.O. (In 2023 all video games are virtual-reality.)

"Hey Jon." I said.

"Huh?" Jon took of his virtual-reality goggles and gloves to see me.

"I brought your homework. How did you get your mom to think you were sick?"

"What are you talking about?" He said nervously.

"I can see it in your eyes. Tell me." I said collapsing in a couch.

"Well you see I ran some hot water on the old-fashion thermometer when my mom was taking my temperature. She always leaves the room when she does that, don't know why."

"Clever." I said.

"Anyway want to play it's two-player." Jon said. "Wanna play?"

"Sure." I replied.

Jon pushed a button on the main unit where the goggles and gloves were hooked up to.

"I'll be the wizard, you can be the knight." Jon said.

"Whatever." I said as the game came on.

I putt on my goggles and gloves and the game came on.

"F.A.O. Get ready to battle!" The computer boomed.

"Character select." It said

I choose the knight and Jon choose the wizard. The game loaded and Jon was right, the graphics were breathtaking.

"Whoa." I said. I had a shining silver sword in my hand, brown leather gauntlets, metal chest-plate and the rest of a suit of armor.

"Whoa." I repeated.

"Are you going to say whoa all day?" Jon asked. Jon had a purple pointed hat dotted with crescent-moons, a red robe, and carried a brown wand that was tipped with a sparkling gold crescent-moon.

"Whoa." I said.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"I'm done". I said.

"Good." Jon said.

"RAAALL!" A voice shouted that seemed to come from nowhere.

"Ray, is that your stomach?" Jon asked.

"No Jon, I think it's an monster."

"Huh?" Jon asked.

"Look be-"

"Yeah, I know. There's a monster behind me." Jon interrupted.

Jon looked behind him to see a giant yellowish raptor with black stripes from snout to tail.

"Jon where are you in the game?" I asked.

"First boss." Jon said pointing behind him at the giant creature.

The raptor swung its claw at Jon. Jon tried to avoid the attack but fell and amazingly, avoided it because of his fall.

"Whoa!" I said.

"Again I ask, are you going to say whoa all day?" Jon asked still on the floor.

"Jon get off the floor and do some hocus-pocus." I said.

"Whatever." Jon said pushing himself up. Jon pointed his wand at the giant raptor and a fireball flew at the giant raptor from Jon's wand.

The raptor roared with pain, I knew Jon hurt it. Then the raptor sent an icicle from its mouth at Jon. Jon didn't even try to avoid the blast.

"Frostbite, is that the best you can do?" Jon said pointing his wand at the raptor. Jon sent another fireball at the giant raptor, but it sent Jon's blast back at him sending Jon flying backwards.

"My turn." I said dodging Jon as he slammed against the cave's rocky wall.

I ran towards the raptor, avoiding its attacks. Once I got close enough I jumped sky-high, coming down sword first. The raptor moaned with pain and lost its balance.

"Nice move." Jon said recovering from his blow. "Looks like knights are better at avoiding attacks then wizards." He said.

"Ya think." I said.

The raptor regained its balance and started to glow red. Then it picked up Jon with its huge claw.

"Bad move." Jon said.

The raptor opened its huge mouth and Jon sent a fireball down its gullet.

"Good move but yet gross." I said.

The raptor fell down hard and then caught on fire. The fire dissolved the raptor into nothing.

"Yeah!" We said.

"I have to go home." I said. It had been loads of fun, but I had homework that wasn't going to do itself.

"Okay see ya." Jon said.

I started to leave Jon's house.

"Could you take off the goggles and the gloves." Jon said

"Huh? Oh, yeah." I said taking off the stuff.

I left the house thinking that F.A.O. rules.

Ever since video games evolved into virtual-reality kids to some grown-ups have been more addicted to video games then ever. Video games may build hand-eye-coordination and help problem solving, but too much video games are bad for you.

The next day I went over to Jon's house to play F.A.O.

"Hey, Jon I'm here." I said.

"Great, I'll start the game."

The game started and we where in a black mid-evil castle. They're before us stood a guy with gray hair in a black robe with golden shoulder armor.

"Remember we're online." Jon said.

"Whatever, it looks like were fighting an arch mage, a more powerful wizard."

The mage sent a bolt of lightning at us. I dodged it and pushed Jon out of the way.

"Warn me next time you do that." Jon said on the floor.

I charged at mage and whacked him a couple times.

"Not so fast." Said the mage. He sent an icicle and a fireball at me.

"Whoa!" I said trying to avoid the blasts.

"When will you stop saying that!" Jon shouted.

"Not the time, Jon." I said.

"Take this!" Jon said sending a fireball at the mage.

The mage dodged the fireball only to get blasted by another.

"Nice move, Jon." I said.

"Yep, and my mom said all those movies would rot my brain." Jon said.

"Whatever." I said. I tried to whack the mage and Jon shot fireballs at the mage. If I hit the mage he flew into Jon's fire and if I missed he still flew into Jon's fire.

Soon the mage was defeated, but the person on the other line of F.A.O. was very mysterious. He had a plan for us.

"Hmmm... not bad. I can use these two." The "mage" said. He pressed a button, and we never could've guessed what would happen to us.

"Yeah!" Jon said.

"Another win!" I said.

Then the house began to shake. Everything started to turn blue after that.

"Jon, I don't think this is part of the game!" I shouted.

"I know!" Jon said.

Pretty soon everything disappeared.

"What's going on?" I shouted.

"I don't know. Is it a glitch?" Jon replied.

"Jon, we took our goggles off!" I shouted.

Next thing we knew we where in a huge metal dome with people in the stands cheering. There was a broadcaster's booth also, except the broadcasters were robots. A blue force field protected the stands and the booth.

"What the?" I said.

"Welcome all to today's fight! Wizard Jon and Fighter Ray versus Mage-Warrior Dakota!" A robot in the booth shouted

"This is happening too fast." I said.

"Pick armor." A computer said.

A small hologram appeared in the shape of a blue chest-plate. I touched it and re-appeared on myself, life-size. It had a weird emblem on it. Then a metal handle appeared in my hands.

A black robe appeared on Jon with another weird emblem. Instead of the hat a cloth headband appeared on Jon's head. A metal wand appeared in Jon's hand.

"Man this thing is heavy." Jon moaned.

"START!" A robot shouted.

Then a green glowing sword appeared in my hand from the handle.

Dakota was wearing green armor and had a large black striped metal sword.

Dakota charged at me and then stopped at the last moment.

"Huh?" I said.

Jon sent about seven fireballs at Dakota. Dakota dodged all but one.

"Oh, come on!" Jon said.

Dakota then hit Jon with his massive sword.

"Whoa!" Jon said falling back.

"Now look who's saying it." I said to Jon.

Jon sent about two fireballs at Dakota and had two hits.

"Arrg." Dakota moaned.

"This is just like the game." I said.

"You catch on quick." Dakota muttered.

"Hey Jon, I've got a plan. Throw a tornado on the field. Then jump in it." I said.

"Worth a shot." Jon said. Jon made a tornado and then jumped in it. Just as I thought, Jon rose higher and higher.

"Great. Now fall!" I shouted.

"Are you crazy!" Jon shouted.

"Maybe." I said.

Jon rolled his eyes then fell.

"What's this?" Dakota wondered.

Jon's heavy metal wand smashed into Dakota, sending him flying. The impact also shattered Dakota's sword.

"WHOA!" I boomed.

"When will you stop saying that!" Jon shouted. Somehow, Jon released his anger as a huge blue fireball, and sent it straight at Dakota.

Dakota managed to get to his feet. It looked liked it hurt him to stand.

"I'mmm not finished." Dakota stammered.

I charged at Dakota with my sword leading. Dakota dodged my attack, and then kicked me in the head.

"How did you?" I said slowly on my knees.

"The armor packs more of a punch." Dakota said.

I got to my feet and low kicked Dakota, sending him off-balance. I then slashed Dakota in the middle of the chest plate. Dakota fell hard to the ground.

"Thanks for the idea, Dakota." I said.

Jon sent a couple more fireballs at Dakota.

"He's got to be finished." Jon said.

Dakota managed to get to his feet again. He then sent two lighting bolts at me, and he hit me both times. The bolts sent me flying into the metal dome's wall.

"Ow, that really hurt." I said rubbing my head.

"Jon ran up to Dakota and then sent a fireball in the air. He swung his metal wand at the fireball, giving it more force. Dakota was forced into the metal wall and even dented it. Dakota's armor was even split in half.

"AMAZING! Jon and Ray defeated Dakota. Two new-comers beat a Mage-Warrior." A robot said.

All of our weapons were teleported out of the arena.

"You two are good. Do you want to join my army?" Dakota asked.

"I don't know." I said.

"You see, this fight and all others here, are broadcast all over the galaxy. There are two main teams: my army or Dakota's Warriors and the Independence Fighters. My army always follows my orders, while the Fighters fight how they want. Did I mention I pay you for fighting?"

"You make the most. Right?" I said.

"Well of course I make the most, I am the games creator."

"Money! I'm in!" Jon said.

"Jon, we're eleven. We have lives outside this place," I said.

"I made the video game to test people on earth. Those who prove worthy are transported here to fight in my arena. " Dakota said.

"We're not on earth?" I said.

"We're orbiting the sun,." Dakota said.

"How come?" I asked.

"Well, the earth government thought it was to dangerous for humans, then told me to stop the show. The government also said I would go to prison if I didn't. So I'm an out-law, if you will." Dakota explained.

"We want to go back to earth and then turn you in. After all, we beat you." I said

"I was undefeated." He muttered.

Suddenly his warriors threw cans at us and booed Dakota. Then a warrior came up to Dakota.

"These so called Dakota's Warriors refuse to work for a loser. We Warriors will look for a new leader. That is all." The warrior said.

"WHAT!" Dakota barked "I'm outraged!" He shouted

"Too bad. We warriors have the final say. The emblem." The warrior declared.

Dakota took of his weird emblem and I noticed had the letters D.W.

"Your warriors hate you now Dakota, you might as well give up and turn yourself in," I said.

"I'll turn myself in if you keep the show running." Dakota said.

"Deal." I said. "With a few little changes."

"Little changes," Dakota asked?

"All the warriors will now be free to fight how they want and make equal pay."

The warriors heard what I said and started to cheer.

"But," Dakota protested.

"Plus extra profits will be given to charities," I said.

"But," Dakota said again. Another can hit him in the head.

"Maybe you'd like us to let your warriors have another crack at you?" I said. I had learned through the game that I could use my brain as well as my muscles.

Dakota stood there in silence for a second.

"Now that they don't fear and respect me I would never be safe here. I'll turn myself in. You win." he said, not at all happy.

"No, everybody wins," I said.

"Except for Dakota," Jon said.

"Good point," I said.

The warriors in the arena cheered us.

So we returned to our normal lives and Dakota got to stay in prison for ten years and never returned to the arena. As for the game, people played it for fun and weren't forced to fight in the arena. That's the end of my story.

The End