The Genesis Game

(Note - Volume I is available for Free on Kindle Unlimited)

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When the World Dungeon revealed itself by ascending to the surface of the Earth, the entirety of the globe was shocked at the impossibility of it. In ignorance, unknowing what to do and how to react, many reacted as the scared and fearful do,which is poorly.

Seismic machines went off the charts, portraying great disaster as the massive entrance to the World Dungeon pushed itself through the walls and the rock foundation of the Mall in which it had disguised itself as an adventure game while recruiting its initial cohorts.

Unprepared for the sudden shifting of the dirt and the destruction of the Mall, those closest to the emergence site lost their lives first. Many crushed by the falling debris as the World Dungeon displaced and destroyed the shopping center. The very ground around it warping, caving in, and the ground shifted to accommodate the newly emerged Dungeon.

A great doorway had appeared in the heart of the city amidst all the destruction. People nearby panicked thinking the shockwaves they felt were from an earthquake, while people further away wondered why traffic had come to a stand still.

The doorway was easily thirty to forty feet wide, appearing heavily ornate of thick banded oak. As the doorway slowly opened, and from inside only a perpetual darkness could be seen, spreading a residual gloom that covered the entryway area in a fog.

All around the doorway concrete hung loose, connected in odd angles by rusted steel mesh, and bent pieces of torn rebar. Many of the loose pieces falling down and breaking apart due to the instability of the remaining ruins of the mall after it had been reduced to rubble.

From everywhere, above, under, and within the ruins, the cries of pain and groans of disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e were prevalent as the former shop govers struggled to find their way to safety in an impossible situation that lacked anything resembling safe.

Within the darkness of the doorway of the World Dungeon a sound could be heard. A sound like the howls and barking of dogs, but wilder, deeper, and hungry. The nearby survivors held their breath as a pack of large canines came through the gate. With matted fur of the deepest black that was slick from oil and smelling of sulfur. The eyes dark, but not otherwise abnormal, the beasts themselves three times the size of a normal dog, each appearing to weigh at least a hundred pounds. Hellhounds the lot of them, though of a lesser breed.

The rough beasts sniffing around among the dirt and the shattered rocks before trotting off at a quick run, tongues salivating as they caught the smell of something on the wind. Heading towards the highway, leaving behind the weary surviving to care for themselves.

As the humans spoke and encouraged one another, helping as they could, a sound of warning went out as more monsters came through the gate. This time, short humanoid looking creatures, their skin green and weathered with a similar look to that of tanned leather. Twin tusks jagged, extended out from their lower jaws. The group that had come through was comprised of hundreds of the monsters, no two looked alike, but everyone of them looked twisted. With guttural barbaric sounds they split off in all directions in groups of three and four. Signs of perverse p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e on the faces of each monster as they set out to wreck havoc and harm on the surrounding area. The strange creatures alien and wholly terrifying to those who watched them come through.

The procession continued for long hours as different monsters exited the gate. Monsters that had never been seen before, and monsters taken directly from myth. Bulbous shadows, with long tentacles, one-eyed giants, snakes hundreds of feet long, birds the size of cars and many, many more.

Until finally no more monsters came through the gateway, instead just a man who emerged from the gateway of the World Dungeon alone. But to those nearby, they knew he was more than he seemed to be as the air shifted where he walked, glimmering and distorted, much like a mirage in the heat of day. The man had sharp features and angled facial hair, wearing a polished professional suit of mixed reds and greys. An odd contrast to the earlier creatures that had exited the gateway.

Carefully stepping, the man avoided disturbing any of the treacherous ruins that abounded around the location. With dramatic flair, he adjusted himself, dusting off imaged dust from the cufflinks on his tailored shirt before looking around and acknowledging every injured survivor. Each of them feeling the intensity of his gaze, but the man appeared to be looking for something more. His gaze finally stopping, resting on an unbroken cell phone on the ground.

Grabbing and turning it on, having no issues with either password or knowledge of how to use it, the man with a few quick clicks and swipes began a livestream as he addressed both the world, and the nearby survivors.

"Greetings Humans." He said to them with a smile, trying to get a friendly wave into the picture as he angled the video to show the gateway behind him. "My name is Mephistopheles, though for all our sakes you may refer to me simply as Mr. M. This is my first time doing things this way, feel free to feel honored. I'm here to make you an announcement, and the rest of you a deal."

"Behind me you should see a giant doorway, this doorway leads to the World Dungeon, a place where you may go to gain a strength beyond your wildest imaginings. For the infirm, you will walk again, for the crippled, your limbs will heal, for the sick your illness will be cured. All this I promise you, if you but go through that door." He smiled, and those who watched him, both in the present and on recording waited for more.

"Today is emergence day, this world and its people have been judged worthy of destruction. You have but one chance to survive. Inside the World Dungeon, on the final floor in the darkest part of the dungeon there is an Altar, if anyone is to reach the Altar, the game is considered as over, and the World Dungeon will grant one wish to whoever reaches it. Any wish." Mr. M emphasized.

"Until then, from this gateway monsters will continue to come forth, some strong, some weak, they will travel far and wide from state to state, country to country, and continent to continent spreading misery, pain, and death, only those who have gained the strength of the World Dungeon will be able to stop them. You are both powerless, and empowered against this if you so choose." He passed, letting his words sink as feelings of fear sunk in for those who heard his words.

"I will remain here for 30 days to ensure that those who wish to enter the dungeon, can do so unmolested by both monster, and by man. After that, you are on your own. Should anyone attempt to attack this area or seize the gate, it will be dealt with severely. To prove my point, let me roll this dice." He said, pulling out a D20 and rolling it. "On this dice are the names of different cities of the world of importance. I just rolled London, one second, I'll be right back."

Still on camera, the man snapped his fingers and disappeared, reappearing a mere moment later, his hair slightly disheveled, a look of annoyance on his face as he fix it. "Please, check your news feeds, I believe the damage I've done to London in the span of seconds is proof enough of my power. If you want this power for yourself, all you need to do is come to enter the Doorway behind me. Now, my deal is simple, if you want me to save you in the meantime, to come for you and bring you hear, all you need but do is say yes."

Nearby, one Mother who was clutching her two children, all of their faces bruised and bleeding, covered from the dust of the are destroyed mall past him nervously what happens if we say yes.

"Oh, it's quite simple really" Mr. M explained, "I traveled to you, more of a blink then a walk, I heal your wounds, I remove your obstacles or whatever it is that keeps you from entering the gate, and then you walk through that doorway on your own accord."

"And what happens if I don't say yes?" Said another man, bracing himself against a piece of rebar.

"Thats simple enough as well, you either stay where you are in this safe area as long as I'm here, or you die to the people who will take it once I'm gone, or by the monsters released from the dungeon. One way or another, you'll die. But truly though, it's not a threat, just simply stating your choices. Tick tock though, tick tock." Replied Mr. M holding his wrist up.

"This has been Mephistopheles, your own Mr. M, signing off. I'll see you soon" With another wave, he blinked out of existence, appearing before the first person to say yes as the Genesis Game begins.