Knights and Ladies

The Mysterious Game

The youth with black rough and puffed hair sauntered along the street, hands in his hoodie pocket deep in thought.

The weather is a lazy shade of blue with the occasional blast of the unforgiving African sun just as soon as the clouds take a vacation. The young man, fair complexioned, a few pimples here and that does not bother as the sun glares at him, unbothered by any coouds.

He is, infact, very used to it.

The smell of short grasses still hangs lowly on the side of street to his left, where an uncompleted and dilapidated building is, filled with weeds and rodents. The smell is not so pronounced as it's being sort of long since the rain fell, in the morning but for Sam and his sharp senses, he still detects the scent.

"Chai, all this people starting building without considering the whole cost only ending up broke later on. Very foolish!" He muses, looking at the building and having the descriptive look of a frustrated Nigerian.

With Ash hoodie, black and white joggers and a very road unworthy Pam slippers that has been worn out considerably at the top and end of his feet, Sam pats his dishevelled head, walking out to the junction that meets the city road.

Fair with a yellow skin, full rough and thick but yet short hair, acne littered face, face outlined by a rough line of teddy and beards that appear to be small but still rough enough to stand out in clusters, Sam sighs, fatigued.

But who wouldn't be?

He was school politician in the university,smartly playing all the games while his academics wasn't disturbed. He was that smart!

Smart enough to have a cluster of people who wanted him to teach them how he did his things.

But however,since the Advent of the virus and the lockdown, his life had been constraining and frustrating.

Having to stay in the house, with all that sibling issue. Who ever said having siblings was a nice idea?

Plus his parents were suddenly trying to involve him in affairs. Affairs he'd rather rush to school to avoid.

He was that emphasized on personal space.

But with the jobs closure, people had to go home, shops closed, schools and religious bodies in inactivity, it was a night mare.

One that chipped daily at his sanity.

And for 4 months, he had barely survived, hanging by a thread. Phone got damaged by curious younger sisters who wouldn't wait till they grew up to have their own phones, laptop suffered same fate as well. Books were scribbled in by his baby brother who suddenly had a liking for any thing his.

"God!" Sam facepalmed, standing by the road. "I'm just tired of everything!'

And true, he was.

He no longer smiled, laughed. Just went all morose and static in the house. Personal hygiene hardly taken care of and so his clothes smelt,being donned on an unbathed body and all.

He was broke, frustrated and Frustrated!

And today, he was going to check for a cheap game he could afford and play just to beat the boredom and frustration, because just opposite him at the other side of the road was a shop selling gaming materials that was illegally opened.

"It's not like anyone is enforcing the lockdown rule anymore. We just all are tired and no one cares again!" Sam muttered, dashing across the road as vehicles swerved to avoid him.

"Bastard!"

"It will not be well with you!"

"God go punish you!(1)"

Swears and curses rang after him but he merely smiled. This was Nigeria, and the typical response to anything amiss was hauling of curses.

"Hello. Good afternoon!" Sam greeted the store attendant behind the counter in the long, corridor styled shop

"Hi. What do you want to buy? Look around!' The bald dark skinned and bulky man said cheerily as he rose from his seat.

Sam did, noting the stacks of game packs one could play on PlayStation cased on the shelves on the wall.

Noting the price tags, he frowned before turning to the dilapidated brown, dusty counter.

"Oga(2) These your games are at cut throat prices oh!"

"Hmpf! The country is hard boy' The man looked to the side with arms stacked over his chest.

"Oh, that game being you on that shelf. looks good!"

"oh this?" The man turns picking the single displayed game pack up.

"It's just 1000 naira."

"Ah! why so cheap?"

"No body is buying the game because they are complaining. And it's the last game pack so I want to sell it and wash my hands off." The man look at the pack.

"Ah... Why?" Sam asks warily.

"You've never heard of knights and ladies game?" The man's voice dropped dangerous low.

Sam shook his head.

"It's even illegal to sell the game because those who play the game either ran mad or vanished without a trace."

"What?"

"Yes. And I like you, so I don't want you to buy this game. You can see I didn't display it with the other games. You know, nobody has ever heard of the game developers. They are like spirits too. And I an swear, this game is occultic. Very demonic game!" The man drops the game pack on the counter.

"Wow! It's occultic?"

"Yes, i mean why would the same players all vanish or run mad after it is confirmed they were playing the game?"

"Damn! my blood is boiling. I'm excited and I want that game."

"No! but, I want to sell the game and be done with it. It's a thousand!" He tossed the game to Sam who catches it with both hands to his chest.

He looked at the game pack, seeing the image of knights and dragons and ladies and castles and basically everything signifying a fantasy medieval world and smiled.

Here was something to burn out the frustration.

************

Hours later.

Sam sat down on the bed with so many clothes and dirty beddings, facing the plasma screen on the shelf.

The PlayStation is on and loading and beside it is the game pack of Knights And Ladies while Sam holds an analog game pad, staring intently at the screen.

Suddenly, the screen went red as if one splattered blood all over it as the game started and the Knights and Ladies text appeared in stylish calligraphic writing.

The blood vanished and below the title read.

-

[You have been chosen to enter the world of Hearth, an alternate reality where blood and steel and magic dictates the order. Do you wish to proceed or are you scared of vanishing too?]

Sam frowned.

Vanishing?

His heart did a double beat.

-[Click Yes to continue, click No to run mad]

"What?" His frown deepened as his body suddenly became tense with anticipation.

Moving the analog directional buttons, he clicked yes.

DING!

[Congratulations, Gamer XX65, you have being randomly assigned the character 'Lady Samantha, the weak sickly lady of castle Titledom in Kingdom of Xerxes...

Please Wait... Randomly simulating game scene for your first appearance.]

"Why is it random? Shouldn't i be able to choose my character at least?"

[...Game Scene Selected...

Game Scene: Battle of Castle Titledom

Scene details: Rogue Knight, Sir Galahead has brought with him Dark Knights from the Sorcerer Supreme to capture Titledom and it's castle, on the border of Kingdom Xerxes!

Lord and Lady unceremoniously killed, Lady Samantha in a precaurious position as the castle defences fall. The King's Reinforcement takes so long to come as death and blood flows about.

Game Objective: Become Supreme.

Scene Objective: Defend your honour and that of Titledom, Lady Samantha. And lead your Knights into victory.]

"Oh, this should be interesting!" Sam's says, smiling.

BLEEP... BLEEP... BLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE..........EEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!

"AHHHHH" The nose was deafening as Sam threw the game pad down, cringing as he grabbed his ears to shut out the high pitched screech from the game.

Ba- Thump!

His heart doubled.

Just then, blood began dropping out of his nose as his vision begin to fade, a sensation of nausea beclouding him.

Just what did he sign up for?

He suddenly became weightless before hitting the ground with a heavy thud,his face contorted in pain and aches.

Ba- Thump! Ba- Thump!! Ba- Thump!!!

His vision and sense of being suddenly vanished, as Sam's body convulsed, toes curled and muscles taut.

His body was dying...

And he could feel it too...

If only he just hadn't bought this demonic game!

If only...

But now, it was a little late for regrets!

The game screen changed into that of a Knight and a lady in exotic dressings behind him as he sort of struck out a protective pose with his sword and steel armor as if protecting the lady!

If only he just hadnt bought this demonic game!

If Only!!!

________

Translation T/N

1. God will punish you

*Pidgin/Broken English

2. Boss

*Pidgin

*