Welcome, my be-ay-yoo-tiful Rulers! The book you're preparing to read is called Games. The main pairing throughout this story is Skylox (with Skybrine and a tad of Enderlox near the beginning), but there's also quite a bit of Ssunkipz and a bit of Merome.

I got the idea for this story from a dream I had. I woke up after #30 in the badly formatted outline that I'll be posting at the end of this book (cause it'd just be cruel to post it here and expect you to have enough self-discipline to not spoil the ending for yourself). I literally jumped out of bed after yanking my glasses off the nightstand and stumbled out to the living room. Nearly knocked over my guitar, which I had stupidly put right in the middle of the hallway the night before. Anyways, I ran over to the laptop, which is behind the couch in the living room, and started typing immediately. Literally, immediately. And my mom walks into the room and kinda glances at me like, "Uh, ok. Whatever." And then she says "Morning," like normal people usually do on mornings, and I'm just like, "nnnghghghg." She left me alone after that.

WARNINGS: This thing is chock-full of feels, I'm warning you now. Maybe not this chapter in particular, but man, there are a few chapters that are just insane. ALSO, there is quite a bit of gore in some parts, and I describe pain as descriptively as possible to try to induce feels. This is also a book with boyxboy in it, so I mean, you probably shouldn't be roaming the 'Skylox' section of wattpad/fanfiction . net if you don't wanna read that.

ANYWAYS, EN-JUH-HOY CHAPTER ONE OF GAMES! PREPARE FOR MAJOR FEELS LATER ON!

Games

Ch 1: Challenge Times Eight

"This isn't fair," I complain, staring at the wide screen TV in the TC headquarters. "Why hasn't anyone stopped this GameMaster dude yet?"

"Because no one has the power to stop him," Ty tells me, turning down the volume on the TV. "Apparently you can only harm him if you're in the game. And anyone who enters the game is immediately stripped of all supernatural abilities."

I grab the remote from Ty and turn the volume up again. The TV is playing the latest season of "Challenge Times Eight." It's exactly what it sounds like: a challenge times eight. Well, sort of. It's eight challenges, all put together by the GameMaster. The GameMaster forces the players to compete in these challenges. The challenges could test mental, physical, emotional, or social ability. Basically, the goal in this huge game is to get more points than all your fellow players; each time you win a challenge, you get three points.

There are also mini-challenges between the actual challenges. If you win those, you get one point and you get a small advantage in the next full-size challenge.

It's definitely an interesting show to watch.

But it's freaking evil.

You see, people can volunteer to go on "Challenge Times Eight" if they want to, but no one really does. This is because if you lose "Challenge Times Eight," you could possibly die. And if no one volunteers for the show, the GameMaster uses his teleportation powers to just zap eight random people into the game against their will.

Another thing about "Challenge Times Eight;" most people who enter the game get their memories wiped (or at least most of their memories) before the gameplay actually begins. The GameMaster has a much smaller chance of rebellion from the players if the players don't even remember a life before "Challenge Times Eight."

Sometimes the GameMaster will let one or two of the players keep all their memories, just to make the season interesting. Usually when he does this, he does it to someone who's in a relationship with another player. For example, Person A could be completely in love with Person B and vice versa, but when "Challenge Times Eight" begins, the GameMaster erases the memory of only Person A, and Person B is left with a lover who doesn't even know their name.

Those episodes are especially painful to watch.

Of course, we don't have to watch them, but everyone does, especially if one of their loved ones suddenly goes missing. It's only common sense to check who the next season's players are going to be whenever someone goes missing, because the person is probably only missing because the GameMaster needed more players.

This show has been going on for seven years. No one's been able to stop it.

I want to stop it.

"I want to volunteer for the show," I announce suddenly as a person on screen falls into a pit of lava. Ouch.

Ty's eyes widen, as do everyone else's. "What? That's crazy, Sky!" Jason says.

"Why? Doesn't seem crazy to me."

"You'll probably end up dying, Sky. You won't be able to use your powers once you're in there," Ian points out.

"I'll be fine, promise. It'll be fun! And anyways, I don't need my powers to defeat the GameMaster. I'll get in there, win the game, and when he's giving me my reward, I'll bash his face in!"

Ty rolls his eyes, slapping his Enderdragon tail against the ground. Oh, did I not mention our powers? I probably did, just not in detail. Ty is an Enderdragon hybrid, in case you hadn't figured that out yet. Ian goes crazy Derp when his glasses are taken off. He can summon cake, which may seem pointless but actually comes in handy pretty often. Jason is a Wither hybrid, and if you make him mad, he'll grow two extra heads and start firing explosive skulls at you. Luckily, he's not easily angered.

Then there's Quentin, a fish- er, Mudkip. He's a boss at swimming, and he can breathe underwater, but he can breathe above water as well. And we can't forget Seto, he's a sorcerer. That power is pretty self-explanatory, but just in case you're an idiot, I'll tell you what he can do. He can throw orbs of electricity, fire, water, earth, clouds, poison, and just about anything else at your face.

It hurts.

Trust me.

We also have Jerome, a Bacca who is practically in love with his diamond ax, Betty, and Mitch, a regular guy who is unnaturally good at PVP. (Notice I worded that so that it could also be read as "Jerome, who is practically in love with Mitch." Yeah. I'm good, I know.)

And then there's me.

I'm Skybrine.

I get to summon lightning and make creepy noises that cause most people to wet themselves without even realizing it. Also, my eyes glow, which is definitely a plus. Sadly, I can't turn the glow off, so sneaking around in the dark is pretty hard unless I wanna close my eyes the entire time. That's why I'm always wearing sunglasses. I have the ability to cause someone pain just by touching them, too, but I don't use that power much. I don't like hurting people, which sucks since my dad is basically the King of Pain. Yeah, I'm Herobrine's son. The majority of the world hates me before they even get to know me.

Much unfair, very idiot, such cliché. But whatever. I don't really understand why people will accept a humanoid with a dragon tail and a talking fish that insists he's an amphibian but not me.

At least Team Crafted accepts me. Anyways, back to life.

"That is the worst idea you've ever had," Ty says, "and you've had some pretty stupid ideas."

"Just because it's stupid doesn't mean it won't work."

"One of your plans worked. Literally one," Jason reminds me.

I groan. "Come on, guys, we have to do this! We can't let this guy continue to kidnap random people!"

Mitch sighs. "Well, it's stupid, but..."

"It is our job to protect people," Jerome finishes.

"Exactly! Team Crafted was created so at least eight of the people in the world would be using their powers for good, and if we're just sitting here being bumps on a log, then Team Crafted is pretty pointless," I say.

Seto shrugs. "Okay. Let's do it."

"Be bumps on a log?"

"No, you idiot!" he laughs. "Let's volunteer for the show. The latest season ended a few days ago, so the GameMaster will be starting the next one soon."

"Geez, does this guy ever take a break?" Quentin mutters.

"Nope. He only takes five days between seasons to prepare," Ian informs him.

"Well, Seto's in! How about the rest of you?" I ask cheerfully, turning the TV off so they can't see one of the players on the show getting set on fire and then pushed into a vat of bubbling green acid.

Ty sighs. "You realize we could die if we go in there?"

I nod excitedly.

Ty glares at me. "Well, if you're going, I'm going. Though, as your sane friend, I must insist that you not go-"

"I'm going."

"Fine. I am too."

I smile. "Jason? Mitch and Jerome, Quentin, Ian? You guys up for it?"

Mitch pumps his fist in the air. "YEAH! LET'S DO THIS!"

Jerome cheers. "WOOHOO! TEAM CRAFTED IS PLAYING 'CHALLENGE TIMES EIGHT!'"

Quentin and Ian shrug. "Why not?"

"Uh, because we might die?" Ty suggests. I glare at him, and he glares back.

Jason grins. "This'll be fun."

"Alright, then. It's settled. Let's go sign up," I say. We all stand up from where we were sitting in various spots around the living room. Everyone files out of the room (and by 'files', I mean 'runs out of the room in the form of a big blob of people') except for Ty and I. "You know, you don't have to go if you don't want to," I tell him quietly.

He shakes his head. "I don't want to go, not at all. But I can't let you go alone, can I?"

"I wouldn't be alone, I'd have the rest of the team," I remind him. Something flickers in his eyes, and for a second, I allow myself to think it might be love. But I don't want to get my hopes up, especially right before entering myself in "Challenge Times Eight."

"No. If you're risking your life like an idiot, I'm gonna be right next to you doing the same thing," he insists.

I smile. "Let's go, then."