The beginning of the end

It was just like any other day of his life but, Markus had this ominous felling itching inside his heart.

Markus was coming back from a holiday weekend travel with his friends. He never was the talkative type, but in some way or another, he was able to make some good friends.

"Oh man, please don't tell me we are going in the wrong way... again..." .The one that just spoke was Sylvia, a young blond with sharp nose and eyes. Daughter of a major of the military, the authoritative tone in her voice was easy to understand. Her always ice cold blue eyes was analyzing her surroundings with a apprehensive look."This don't seems like the road we take to come."

"Hey don't blame me, I had said a hundred times that it was best to wait for the morning but , noooo , no one ever hears me..." said Allan. If we can say that Markus was a introverted young man, the guy driving was the exact opposite. Allan was the dork type of guy, full of confidence with a white teeth smile that shine like the sun. His green eyes make the smile that more appealing. He was driving for hour's now, and a unsatisfied look was hanging on his face. Well, it was indeed the second time they had lost the way in the way back home. The night was cold, and a full moon shone through the car . They had gone to a nice and peaceful environment in the mountains, away from the aggressive and fast-moving pace of the city. It was what they needed before the finals exams. Peace and the refreshing air of the mountains. It was Allan idea to' slow down and take it easy' before the exams and the exhaustive routine began. Everything was perfect:the weather, the place, everything but one thing.

"Nobody was blaming you dear, but, Markus got that problem with his father, we don't had time to lose.". Oh yeah, the owner of that voice... How to describe her? Well, imagine a perfect woman if you may: A redhead, slim face, with the most charming smile that you will be able to see in your life. Her green eyes full and deep, giving off a felling of carefree intusiasm; her long , red hair that slide trough her back. Her name was Amy . Well it could be perfect, if she wasn't your best friend girlfriend. Markus, a little absent mindedly, nodded his head with a guilty look and mustered the strength to say: "Sorry guy's, I always mess up..."

Sylvia rolled her eyes and said nothing.She couldn't take the sorry look of the boy by her side , acting like a weakling. The couple in the front was holding their hands, and a look of pity flashed through their eyes. The boy close to his 18 years was really good looking , but just him did not seem to see it.

"Oh man, don't you fucking say sorry... It's not your fault." Allan gave a little smile to his friend. They had been together for almost all their life, and he always looked to the other like a brother. It was Markus that was always there when his father was drunk. He remember how Markus would always hide him in his bedroom. The boy always was a little strange and taciturn, but had a big and nice heart. He would always help him in the math lessons that was hard to learn, so he would always protect him from the bullies. It's just that the boy would prefer stay in his house playing 'FF' than to go to the hot party he was called for.

The group then went silent, as every one was in their deep thoughts. The introverted Markus , took his phone to se the message he received again:

"" Dad had a accident, in the way back from work. Come back fast, it's urgent!!!"."

His mother really looked troubled, so he had to speed up the holiday. He really like to be with his friends, even if he don't say it loud. They were special in their own way. Even Sylvia 'the Spartan' was important to him. It is just that, he wasn't good with words. Allan would always say that 'if he stay like this he will be one of these forever alone guy's that don't do anything but watch anime and play games'. But he was happy like this, and Allan respect it. The thing that made he so addicted to games was how it was easy to be someone else. He could be a powerful mage, or a brave warrior fighting for the world's peace. But the essence was this: be someone else. He just always had that felling of not belonging to anywhere. This was the reason for him to be so quiet. But he would always regret his lack of confidence and courage in the right moments. Just like when they had met Amy. Only if he had the confidence to speak to her when she had forgotten her cellphone in the cafeteria... Everything could be different.

Some minutes later

The night was really dark. Even the moonlight couldn't pierce through the heavy foliage of the forest. By day, this was one of the most beautiful views they had ever seen before. But in the middle of the night, the obscurity and darkness made their backs shiver as they got cold. Just like those horror movies, when the scary jump scene is about to take you.

"You know, this is just like a horror movie I saw one day- " Sylvia began to talk, but wasn't able to finish.

BANG!!!

In the middle of nowhere, some huge shadow thrown itself into the left side of the car. Markus could see It. No , he didn't want to believe in what he had see. It was like a monster made of shadows, with a pair of scarlet bloody eys. Allan lost control of the car, and then , trying to take the car back to the way, the car began to spin, and they fall on the ditch. They began to roll, and went down , depper and depper into the forest, before colliding into a tree.

Some moments later

Markus tried hardly to open his eyes. And with great difficult he was able to do it. His head was aching , and his vision was blurry. But when his eyes finally had adjust to his surroundings he then wished he could be already dead...

Allan in the driver seat, had a bronken tree trunk a arm large piercing his abdomen; Sylvia head wasn't where it should had been, it was decapitated by a glass that had broken and may have rolled somewhere else; and the worst of it all was Amy: her body was thrown off the car, an was twisted in a strange way...

In the middle of the night, a tragic accident took four lives. Yes , it was four.

Markus was completely frozen in place, as a surge of all the type's of emotions, feelings and memories come in a chaotic wave. He screamed with all his power to no avail. No one could hear him. No one but...

"Huhuhuhuhu"

A cold laugh echoed in the forest, a hoarse and gloatful voice full of mockery. Following It, a shadow could be see coming. It was like a bear, but bigger. It's eyes shone scarlet red like the flames from the netherworld. In its head a pair of twisted long horns was sitting like a crown. It came, step by step, closer as it was laughing heavily.

Markus couldn't breathe. It's was like he had forgot how to breathe. And then, he remembered those eyes, the same eyes he had see in the crash, and they were now looking down on him.

The creature come closer and closer. When it finally came in front of the destroyed car, the motor suddenly exploded. The combustion then exploded the rest of the car with a boom.

Markus could feel his skin burning, his flesh slowly melting. It was like his soul was burning in the hellfire. The mad laugh of the creature got a picht higher, as it was having what seemed to be the best time in his live. Markus screamed some more, and then , not more. But before his conscience could fade totally away he heard:

"See you in the Tower, challenger... Hahahaha!!!"

In what looked like a infinite long moment

Markus opened his eyes full of fear, like a children that had just woke up from a terrible nightmare. But the scenery in front of him was even more strange. When he opened his eyes full of fear of not what would happen, he came across a strange room. The room looked like a secretary room. A beautiful woman with green long hair was sitting above a desk. Her slender legs intertwined was really revealing, and her green dress made her really sexy. She was reading some papers in deep thought , when she finally looked to Markus. She smiled and winked to him. A Brazilian Bossa-Nova was playing in the surrounding , giving off a office aura to the place.

The woman in green then talked to Markus.

"Sir Markus, Mr.Lucius is ready to see you. Please go trough that door." she then pointed in a certain direction. Markus had the felling that a moment before, there wasn't any door there, but now, there it was. In gold scribbling was a big 'Mr. Lucius'. Markus got a shiver. Just reading the name , made he go cold.

"Please sir Markus, don't make him wait. All your questions will be answered inside."

Markus looked deeply to the woman, that gave a grin , and then focused on the papers and charts in her laps.

Mustering all the courage he had, Markus finally get up, walked to the door and slowly and cautiously opened it.

The room was like a company president room. A desk of black marble was in the center. The room was spacious, and in every wall and corner was bookshelves and shelves full of strange, old and esoteric artefacts. In the wall behind the desk was a big glass window. And looking at it with its full attention was a man around his thirties. By the glass reflection, Markus could see a serene and business like face. The man then looked back at Markus and said:

"Welcome Mr. Markus. First of all, yes, You Are Dead- more or less. And yes-" the man turned back with a grin and said straightforwardly : "This is the beginning of the end... But before all, come on, do you wanna play a Game?"