Dark Realm, The Read Online Free PDF Page A

she felt her focus tighten up. Every shift of her fingers sent her character dancing away from the tank-bot.
    Fernald let out a vicious laugh. “Fancy moves aren’t going to win this for you. Listen. You can still surrender.”
    “I don’t think so.” Jennet dodged away, keeping far enough that Reaper couldn’t hack at her, but not so far that he could use his cannon again.
    Just in time, she realized Fernald was backing her into the pit. Certain death from razor-sharp stakes waited at the bottom. For a moment Nika teetered on the edge, and she heard the other gamers suck in their breaths. She twisted the mouse violently and managed to fling her character to the side. Too slow. She’d evaded the pit, but the tank-bot was on her, clashing and slicing. There was no escape. Her screen flashed red, and Nika went down in a splash of blood and flutter of black cloth, defeated.
    Jennet let out a silent breath. Okay. One round gone. She had to do better than that. She would do better than that.
    “Yeah!” Fernald leaned back and cracked his knuckles. “You like that? Want some more?”
    She was getting the rhythm of the game back into her body. This next fight she’d go on the offensive, take the tank-bot down with a quick assault. She didn’t think Fernald would expect that.
    “Best two, remember?” She batted her eyelashes at him. “If you can beat me again, that is.”
    “Heh. In your dreams.”
    This time, when the arena opened, she didn’t hesitate. In two fast moves, she blocked Reaper’s clashing hands and slid a blade into his right eye. With a clank and groan, the tank-bot tilted and fell backwards. The ground shook when he landed, and a puff of dust rose in the air.
    The gamers were silent. Most of them were staring at Fernald’s screen, but Marny was looking straight at her. A smile lifted the corner of the big girl’s mouth.
    Fernald’s expression was as black and stormy as a tornado. “Lucky break. It happens. Even the worst noobs sometimes win - by a fluke.”
    “But, dude,” the skinny boy began.
    “Shut it, Clarc,” Fernald gave him an elbow to the side. “And get out of my way. It’s time to take the princess down.” He shot Jennet a narrow-eyed look. “Here comes your loss.”
    He’d be on guard now, but Jennet knew she could take him. She grinned at him over the screen.
    “In your dreams,” she said. She heard Marny smother a laugh.
    Fernald scowled at her. Good. She had no doubt he’d rush her character and try what she’d just done. A quick and bloody death.
    Sure enough, the tank-bot charged forward, this time carrying a huge axe. The weapon whistled down - but Nika was already gone, sliding around the side of Reaper, her blade seeking the weak spot under his ribs.
    Fernald pivoted his character and tried to pound her again. At least he wasn’t a hopelessly bad gamer. Just an annoying one. She swallowed, and danced Nika back a few paces.
    Click. Barely heard - the sound of a mine, primed and ready. Adrenaline surging, she hammered the dash command and ran Nika across the arena in a blur of black. There was a sudden, fiery explosion right where she had been standing.
    “Dammit!” Fernald wasn’t as quick. The blast rocked Reaper, but didn’t take him down.
    Now she was in trouble. Nika was out in laser-cannon range again, and she wouldn’t be able to dash for another ten seconds. Plenty of time for Fernald to hit her with a couple deadly shots. She had to keep him off-balance - and her character out of his sights. She dodged Nika behind one of the stubby pillars scattered through the arena.
    “Hiding?” There was a sneer in Fernald’s voice.
    “Yeah, and you’re it. Come and get me.” She checked the cooldown on her dash . Eight seconds.
    Reaper clanked to the side, trying to maneuver for a clear shot. She circled Nika around the pillar, letting a flutter of black cloth show. Red beams shot past, taking out a part of the pillar. Time to find a new hiding spot - the