NOVEL NEXT CHAPTER 103: Day Six : Leaderboards
The Red Fairy appearing in the sky was never a good sign. Today would prove no different.
“Good morning, my little wasteland wabbits!" the fairy chirped, her wings fluttering as she appeared before the group, hovering just above their heads. "How ever have you been? Today’s day six. I hope you've been enjoying your trip through our paradise."
Clark grimaced slightly at the sound of her overly cheerful voice, but he couldn’t help but glance up as she waved her tiny wand, summoning the holographic leaderboards into the air.
Across the wasteland, settlements stopped what they were doing to stare at the glowing display. Gasps of shock and disbelief rippled through the various camps as everyone noticed the same thing—Team Portal Crusher and Atlas had added one more point than anyone else.
The fairy smiled mischievously as she noticed the reactions, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Don't forget," she added with a sing-song tone, "tomorrow is day seven, and whoever's at the bottom is going to be in for a little surprise!"
Clark swallowed hard, the weight of the fairy's words sinking in. The stakes were about to get even higher, and suddenly, his burger plan seemed like the least of his worries.
‘‘TOP 10 SETTLEMENTS‘‘
1. Portal Crushers: Atlas - 6.1 points
2. Earth’s Children: Wayne - 5 points
3. Cell Block 21: Liam - 5 points
4. The Coven Clique: Emma - 5 points
5. Faith: Kumar - 5 points
6. Belief: Oliver - 5 points
7. Cocoon: Amelia - 5 points
8. America First: Jed - 5 points
9. Blackstrike: Noah - 5 points
10. Help Everyone: Sophia - 5 points
‘‘CURRENT 10 LOWEST-RANKED SETTLEMENTS‘‘
10. Don’t Kill Us: Samuel - 3 points
9. Please Help: Joh - 3 points
8. We Need Food: Knop - 3 points
7. People Are Dying: Amilii - 3 points
6. Please Forgive Us: Hillary - 3 points
5. Earth Bring Us Home: Billy - 3 points
4. Please Please Please: Nobody - 2 points
3. We Demand to Go Home: The Group - 2 points
2. Where Is the Government: Voters - 1 point
1. This Is a Dream: Fhhyr1346‘d - 1 point
‘‘‘
Clark’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Olivia. “See, Olivia? It looks like Atlas has cleared another camp. He’s probably enslaved everybody.”
Olivia’s eyes widened in horror. “Atlas? The hero from the TV show? Running around enslaving people?”
“And that’s not the worst of it,” Clark continued, his voice low and serious. “What you didn’t see on that TV show was that he loves satanic rituals. I bet right now he’s creating pools of blood and stacking bones into some kind of twisted shrine.”
“What?” Olivia recoiled. “That can’t be true.”
“It’s true,” Clark insisted. “It was something I always had to fight him about when I was in his group. He would pretend to agree but never actually stop. He’d hide out in the forest, collecting bones and performing rituals to summon demons.”
“No…” Olivia shook her head, struggling to process what she was hearing.
Ronald, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up. “It’s true. I saw him collecting bones myself.”
Olivia was aghast. “Then what should we do?”
Clark leaned in, his voice conspiratorial. “We should attack them before they get any stronger.”
Olivia shook her head firmly. “You know that’s not our way. We would never attack someone without provocation.”
“If that’s your only choice, is it really an attack? It’s more like preemptive defense,” Clark countered.
Olivia paused, considering his words, but finally said, “No. Our people would never agree to that.”
Ronald’s voice was urgent. “Don’t you see? That’s our only chance! If you wait until he attacks, it’ll be too late.”
But Olivia stood her ground. “No, there’s always a choice. Diplomacy is always a choice. And in fact, you two have convinced me. I’m going to take a delegation to the Portal Crushers’ camp and have a discussion with them. We need to find a peaceful solution before he destroys more settlements.”
Clark didn’t like the direction the conversation was going. “Are you sure? If he captures you… I don’t know what he’ll do. I know he seemed friendly on TV, but if you get captured and enslaved as a female… all I can say is, good luck.”
Ronald nodded in agreement. “Yes, you definitely shouldn’t go, Olivia.”
But Olivia was resolute. “There are things a leader must do, and this is one of them.”
She quickly gathered a few trusted members of the camp and explained her plan. “We need to go talk to Atlas, not attack him,” Olivia said firmly.
“But what if it’s a trap?” one of them asked, worry evident in their voice.
“It’s a risk, yes,” Olivia admitted, “but diplomacy is always worth trying. We must seek a peaceful resolution.”
Reluctantly, the group agreed, understanding the importance of her mission. They prepared to set out, hoping their efforts would prevent future conflict.
As they got ready to leave, the morning sun climbed higher in the sky, casting long shadows over the camp. Clark watched them go, a deep frown etched on his face. ‘This is going to cause me problems,‘ he thought, the plan to accelerate taking over the group had to be accelerated.
POV : FAITH SETTLEMENT
Meanwhile, as Olivia and her delegation made their way toward the Portal Crushers’ camp, the Faith settlement continued to mull over the implications of the latest leaderboard update. Kumar retreated to his private quarters, where he could meditate and seek clarity on the course of action they should take.
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. One of his most trusted followers, Nadir, stepped in, his expression serious.
"Kumar," Nadir began, "I've been thinking about what you said earlier. About Atlas and the path we're on. But... what if we're wrong? What if this is not a test, but a warning? Shouldn't we be preparing for war instead of watching from a distance?"
Kumar considered Nadir's words carefully. The Faith settlement had always prided itself on maintaining a balance between action and contemplation, but the Wasteland was a harsh and unpredictable place. While their faith provided strength, it also required wisdom to navigate the dangers that lay ahead.
"Nadir," Kumar replied, his voice steady, "our faith teaches us to be patient, to seek understanding before we act. But it also teaches us to be prepared. I want you to organize a group of our strongest warriors. They should be ready to defend our settlement if Atlas or anyone else becomes a threat. But we will not strike first. Our strength lies in our discipline and in our faith."
Nadir nodded, a sense of purpose filling him. "Understood, Kumar. I'll see to it immediately."
As Nadir left, Kumar returned to his meditation. The unsettling thoughts of Atlas, the Red Fairy, and the looming conflict swirled in his mind, but he forced himself to focus on the teachings that had guided him this far. ‘Patience,‘ he reminded himself, ‘and preparation.‘
But even as he meditated, a part of him couldn't shake the feeling that the Wasteland was changing faster than any of them had anticipated. The rise of Atlas and the Portal Crushers, the whimsical yet ominous presence of the Red Fairy, the unseen machinations of other settlements—it all pointed to a future fraught with danger and opportunity.
In the end, Kumar knew that their faith would be tested in ways they couldn't yet imagine. But he was determined to lead his people through whatever trials lay ahead, whether it meant extending a hand of peace or raising a sword in defense of their beliefs.
And as the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows over the wasteland, the Faith settlement quietly prepared for whatever was to come, their hearts steeled with faith, their minds sharpened by the uncertainties of the world they now inhabited.
‘‘‘
POV FORT BONE
As Olivia’s group drew closer to the Portal Crushers' camp, Atlas and his team were grimly working their way through breakfast. Those Ultra Manly breakfast bars were just as bad as the regular ones.
‘Who the hell decided that bacon and eggs were a good idea when stuffed into a protein bar?‘ Atlas thought, while working his way through the bar.
As they prepared to start their morning meeting to discuss the day's duties, someone rushed up and yelled, "Atlas, we've got people here!"
Atlas ditched the remnants of his not-so-tasty breakfast, made sure his swords were in place, and quickly dashed to the front of the settlement where the non-existent door was. The designated watchtower was standing tall, looking over the settlement and the teleportation point. ‘I've got to get myself that door and a better fence pronto,‘ he thought. The rest of the settlement followed quickly, strapping on weapons and armor.
As Olivia and her delegation approached, both sides prepared themselves for the confrontation—or conversation—that could shape the future of the Wasteland.
***
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