«APRIL 7, 2062. Erypthan Continent, Car Magnaria.»

The afternoon wind blew wildly through the forest, shaking the canopies of the tall trees. Perched on one of the top branches, Cube tried to remain as still as he could. His right hand tightly gripped a seven-foot long spear, and his eyes intently scanned the region a few meters below him.

He had been lying in ambush for nearly two hours, waiting for anything that would betray the presence of his prey. Now, however, he was surrounded with nine other battle-ready avatars. They were scouts sent to clear the path for the new Viceroy. Each one of them emitted a shrill ping, like radars looking for targets. Their «SCAN» abilities can't reach him from that distance, but if they moved just a little higher...

A loud crashing sound came from the west, drawing the scouts' attention. They leapt to action, wings and boosters propelling them at full speed. So they were not simply scouts, Cube stared as they took off. Scouts don't fly out to meet threats head on.They were PvP specialists, too. Killers. "Dealers", like Cube himself.

Cube smirked at the idea. He had fought and defeated others of his kind before, but he had never faced Dealers hired by his target. It would have been an interesting fight, had he not been grossly outnumbered. He watched as the last avatar, clad in a flowing purple robe, disappeared towards the source of the noise.

A few minutes later, he heard a throbbing sound fast growing louder — an army marching to the beat of drums. As expected, Cube thought to himself. The newly-crowned ruler of this continent has brought a retinue of soldiers to protect him. He checked his Head-Up Display for the time. It was almost two. Just enough.

Cube glimpsed the head of the grotesque parade. Several dozen skeleton soldiers thudded on, mindlessly trampling the forest floor. He scanned the columns.  All NPCs. Shouldn't be a problem. 

As his eyes reached the other end of the march, however, he saw a bright orange chariot pulled by two pallid steeds. Its rider was dressed in a silken green robe that hid his dull steel armor. In his right hand was a bone-white scepter with a flaming orb on top, its other end tapering to a dangerous point. 

What struck Cube the most was the Viceroy's head. It was in the image of a huge carved pumpkin, the type one sees during Halloween. The orange skin was covered in a rotten brown veneer, and the chiseled eyes stared blankly ahead. Hideous, Cube muttered to himself. 

He raised a finger and swiped down in the air, pulling down his HUD's messaging window. In three short motions, he had sent a canned message to his employer. He then stood up and lifted his spear. 

Game on!

Above him, the sun's rays shone magnificently, glinting off the edges of his jet black armor as he jumped off his perch. Halfway down, the Dealer whispered one word.

«ECLIPSE»!