Chapter 0

Hey how are you doing?

My phone screen lit up as I got the message. It was from Rey, a girl that used to attend college with me. We never really spoke or texted so the sudden message took me aback for a moment. I opened the text and responded.

Hey, not bad! How about you?

Within seconds, I got the reply.

I’m not complaining I’ve been doing well. Listen I’m texting you because I have a favor to ask.

A favor, I wondered what sort of favor she could be asking from me.

Sure! How can I help?

Well a cousin of mine is an indie game developer. He recently made a beta version for a game and is looking for people that are willing to test it out. After you play for a bit you will need to answer a survey that will serve as the feedback. I suggested you because I remember from your social media activity in the past that you are an avid gamer. Do you think you could do that?

Reading the text I was surprised yet again by the fact that she even noted that I am a gamer, not only do I stray away from promoting my love for gaming on my social media too much I also figured that she was not the kind of person that would even register things like that. Perhaps I judged her too harshly. She must have noticed those rare occasions when I voiced my excitement for an upcoming game. I tried to think of an answer.

Um sure, I would love to.

It’s not like I had been doing anything worthwhile lately anyways, so I might as well help out someone while doing something that I would do either way. The gap between finishing college and getting a job was a rough one and that is exactly the gap that I was in these days.

Do you know anything about the game?

I added afterwards.

Not much, I just know it’s a “rouge-like RPG” but I won’t sit here and pretend like I actually know what that means haha, though you probably do.

Not only did I know what that means, I had even tried creating one myself once, though i quickly gave up on it. I decided that there was no need to tell her that.

Yes, I am familiar with the genre.

Great, so should I take that as a yes?

Sure.

Great, just give me your email and I’ll send it to you right away. Thank you immensely, btw.

I gave her the email and after yet another text of gratitude from Rey, I turned on my laptop, waiting for the email. A couple of minutes later, as I refreshed the page I was notified that I had received a new email.

The email had no subject and no body of text, just a single file attachment. “Pride of the Shadow” the title read. I suppose this was the name of the game. The title was just a tad too edgy for me, not to mention that it sounded too generic, with a title like that it would get lost in the sea of similar games in the genre. Should I mention that in the feedback? Speaking of which, there was no extra attachment for the survey that Rey had mentioned. Perhaps it appeared at the end of the beta version of the game or maybe there would be another email with the survey. For now, I unpacked the zipped file and downloaded the game onto my desktop.

There it was. The icon for the game was a dark background with a dagger in front of it, it almost appeared as if the shadows were transforming into the dagger. I quite liked the design of it. I finally opened the game as the screen window opened. Wanting to be as helpful as possible I pulled out a notebook that was inside of my drawer since I decided to take some notes while testing the game, just so I could be more concrete with my feedback.

[Welcome, new player], a textbox appeared. [Thank you for choosing to undertake this journey. Before we get serious, would you like to play the tutorial?]

[Play the Tutorial]

That was the only option available, so I clicked on it.

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[You have finally arrived. After all the toiling and fighting, your goal was in sight. If the words of the Ancient Oracle were to be believed, this is where you would finally fulfill your destiny.]

Above the text was an 8 bit image of what appeared to be an ancient dungeon. Grey thick blocks of wall with moss growing over them, along the walls there were a few torches. The art seemed really charming, although minimalistic in its presentation; the scenery was very nostalgic for anyone who was a fan of retro games.

I had been slightly confused that there had been no character creation and that I couldn’t access my inventory, but then again, this was a tutorial, I was not meant to be doing things that are not in line with what the tutorial wanted me to do.

I pressed [Continue].

A new image popped up, this time it was an image of tall stone gates, only now did I get the perspective of the dungeon that my character was in, I could see him near the bottom of the door like a small speck while the stone gates towered over him, if I were to guess they were probably meant to be a hundred meters tall at the very least.

[You felt uneasiness in your stomach, but it did little in quenching the fire that burned deep within your heart and the unspeakable depths of your very soul. The fire of revenge, it had burned for so very long, never lessening, never waning. Led by that flame of revenge you had arrived here.]

I perused the text trying to piece together the story that was being told.

[Continue]

Yet another image, showcasing the tall stone gates, which had writing and symbols all over them, opening slightly ajar, as some light poured out of it.

[Everything that was taken away from you, your life, your love and your dream, everything that you knew you could never get back, though you deluded yourself in those moments when the nights had been too cold and too long to handle. It all flashed in your mind now, this was the reason you came all this way, not to regain the things that were lost forevermore, but for the opportunity to avenge them.]

[Will you enter?]

Once again, the only option had been [Yes] and once again I chalked this up to the fact that this was a tutorial, a tutorial within the beta version of the game, on top of everything. I clicked on it.

At this point I had been following the progression of the game intently, though at least thus far, I had played no part in it.

I watched as a figure emerged from the shadows. It was some sort of knight, wearing an armor of black and gray, through his helmet his red eyes glowed.

[“Who are you, standing before me in that pitiful form?”] The dialogue from the knight read.

[“I have no name, I am but a shade, casted by the light of my desire for revenge, and that light has brought me to you. Are you the one I seek?”] My character replied.

[“HAHA, you need to be more wary to whom you offer your threats of revenge, you see someone might take you seriously. What is it that you are seeking to avenge, pitiful shadow.”]

[Were you…were you the one responsible for the Tragedy at Clay Hill?”]

[Ah…so there was someone that survived that, after all, that possibility was considered though no one bothered looking into it. But now that you are at my doorstep, it is only reasonable that I show you utmost hospitality.”]

The following image was a POV shot of my character holding a dagger in front of him, as the black knight pulled out his own sword.

[“I will…”]

My character began as I pressed [Continue] moving onto the next scene.

This time, it was a close up shot of the dark knight, his red eyes burning like two infernal flames, and inside his helmet, his toothy grin was visible, he was smiling in a twisted satisfaction.

[You have been stabbed.]

[You are bleeding.]

The textboxes appeared.

Another image appeared, through a small slit, it showed the dark knight disappearing into the shadows. My character was on the floor, I was watching the scene from his perspective.

I couldn’t do anything else but press [Continue] yet again.

The screen went dark for a few second until the next textbox appeared…

[You have died.]

What? I stared at it in disbelief. I died during the tutorial and I never even had the opportunity to do anything differently. Had this been intentional? The screen went to black again. I couldn’t press anything else.

I waited for a bit but nothing happened. As I went to restart the game a new textbox appeared.

[Tearful Lady has witnessed your sudden end. She pities your short-lived glory. Tearful Lady is willing to offer you her mercy and give you a second chance. Will you accept?]

[Yes] [No]

The choices appeared. So it had been intentional, this was probably the introduction to the game. I had to admit that it was pretty clever. The idea of dying at the end of the tutorial and then starting the story from there could make for an interesting beginning if done properly.

I clicked on [Yes] and waited.

The screen fleshed to white. It took me a moment to realize but the light slowly left the confines of the game’s window screen as it began spreading all over my computer screen. The light grew brighter as it shone out of the screen and into my room, blinding me with its brightness. When I opened my eyes I couldn’t see anything, there was only darkness wherever I looked. I could feel my environment spinning and twisting, it was hard to stay on my feet. I don’t know how it happened but I could feel myself fall unconscious. In my stupor I heard a voice.

[You have been given a second chance. Play wisely, grow stronger and move faster. Reach what you have always wished for. This is where your story begins, Pride of the Shadow.]