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2006.
The wind blew, flowers blooming, life was anew.
I was unaware of what would come before my eyes.
Greeting the HORRID Co-Founder proudly, shaking his hand.
I was the first player.
Meeting the Co-Founder and the Founder.
The Founder,
Such a sweet man.
The next few months, new people came.
I felt welcomed. There’s always good in bad.
Yet bad in good.
It was a peaceful year. I made games, decals, whatever.
I played games. Those stupid games that eventually brung me terror.
2008.
I met my best friend that fateful fall morning.
I guess the Founder must’ve told Apollo about me.
While I walked, crunching the leaves under my feet,
I heard a voice.
“Hey!! Heyyyy!! Hey you! Are you the uhh… that player??”
I stopped, turning to see a new.. Type of player. A guest, they called it.
“Eh– Hello?? Hi-?”
He catches up to me, panting.
The guest wipes the sweat off of his forehead.
He catches his breath, looking up at me.
“Hahh.. Okay. I’m Apollo!”
He puts out his hand, ready to shake.
I hesitate.
I shake.
I just knew something was off. I always sensed that, yet I shrugged it off.
There was something wrong.
On the good side, we were best friends.
You couldn’t separate us.
Like glue. Strong glue.
2010.
Me and Apollo were great in competition!
The higher-ups would give us little events, like they cared.
I miss those days, plagued with joy and whimsy.
But anyways,
Me and Apollo let each other alternate between who would win,
since you could say we were equally the same.
He encouraged me to do these competitions, which I felt helped me throughout my entire life.
I never predicted that he’d be gone.
And sometimes…. I feel like he always knew he’d be gone too soon.
I miss him.
2013
It was a strange year.
People heard no updates from the founder, which left people pondering;
Was he even alive?
Then, people realized, finally.
The Founder was gone.
Gone.
The Co-Founder broke the upsetting news.
The Founder was dead.
David was now the CEO.
Him. Just why HIM?
The one who suggested the stupid ideas.
The one who suggested the crappy ideas.
The one who was just an absolute idiot.
A sick and twisted imagination that he had.
And I despise it.
Apollo seemed.. Off that day.
His hands would shake.
He hugs himself, while everyone cheers.
Anxious, paranoid.
Like we switched.
I can’t believe the people, the same people who DESPISE him, cheered.
Their joy just made me angry. It made me so furious.
So stupidly angry. So stupidly a-
Coward. I was a coward. A coward. And I admit it. I could’ve done something.
2014
Hanging around Apollo made me feel calm. Maybe I was over-protective, but this year, I felt like we had fun.
Those hackers were really fun to hang around, surprisingly. That was funny.
Even if David was “terrified”, it was still fun.
I’ll repeat myself- It was a really fun year. If I had a time machine, you better bet I’m going back to twenty-fourteen.
Anyways, there was that April-Fools hack, which had the hackers. Yeah, like the funny ones.
That was really fun. We also had lots of egg hunts. But, well, less competition-like.
Me and Apollo won like- well, all of them. In fact, we started not being counted.
Or we sucked. Who knows?
2016.
I rush towards the ROBLOX HQ,
While rain pours down, slamming onto my umbrella.
I stepped into the damned place, greeted with dread.
I shivered.
The anxiety rushed through my bones.
Adrenaline flowed through my blood, into my heart.
My heart beat rapidly.
Feeling the blood beneath my feet, slowly flowing.
“Apollo?”
I whispered.
My voice echoed through the silent halls.
I followed the trail of fresh blood.
At the end of the hall, all I could feel was FEAR.
The body was fresh. Still a tiny bit warm.
..Mostly because of the Firebrand he was stabbed with.
I shivered, tears flooding my eyes and streaming down as I broke down.
Fuck. FUCK. FUCK IT.
I ripped out the Firebrand. My tears were still fresh.
I saw David at the end of the hall. Blood dripped down onto the floor from the sword.
The Firebrand lit up with flames, as I ran up to David, ready to slash.
I was filled with rage. I knew what David truly was.
A shitty, bitchy, trashy, horrible CEO.
The next thing I saw was the Banhammer ripping the Firebrand out of my hands.
“ ####! “
My hands were burnt.
I flinched in pain, putting my hands up.
I knew it was OVER.
It-... wasn’t David.
The owner of the swords. Telamon, or as you know him, Shedletsky.
“Noobie- Are you okay? “
Shedletsky asked me.
I teared up, constantly apologizing.
“Sorry- sorrysorrysorry–”
He shushed me.
“What happened?”
“I- I don’t know.. I- the blood led me to Apollo’s b- body…. And- and—”
Telamon left, with the firebrand.
Crap.
I ran out the building, running from the HQ.
2017-19
During the egghunts, I met a few people.
Guest 666, and Bacon.
Six was a rebel, somehow never getting banned.
They led raids, usually only raiding Roblox-made games.
Bacon? He sold Bloxy Cola and made experiences,
Usually assisting Six with raids.
The CEO rolled out terrible updates constantly, making the community upset.
Robloxia was still in it’s “prime”, at least. Was there ever a prime, even?
Bacon sold Bloxy Cola to keep the egghunts going as a distraction.
Six helped the platform actually stay … Perfect.
2019
It was all ruined.
Six was terminated, and Bacon was banned.
I was alone. I made it MY mission to save the people I cared for.
I couldn’t wallow in my own tears anymore.
I had to FIGHT.
I HAD TO WIN.
I HAD TO SUCCEED.
And face my fucked up fears.
And to get the SWORDS back.
Another second wasted, another second I could’ve saved Apollo.
2020
Robloxia grew, and grew.
The largest platform. I knew it would happen again.
The platform would slowly rot and come back to dust.
I would have to gain the firebrand, along with other swords, to TAKE MY REVENGE.
Freewill was now gone.
We were chained up, with the illusion of choice.
My fellow players were just as weak as me.
I was the only one left who remembered.
Thank god for their stupidity.
The rest were blinded by fun, comfort, and joy.
The CEO only cared about money, investors, and more.
Greed blinded the staff.
2022
The world was silent.
This is what I mean. They didn’t want us to be creative.
They wanted money.
Almost like a purge of audio.
I would cry everyday, knowing I’m not even a step closer to saving my friends.
Aside from an emerging depression, I was making progress. I did gain the Firebrand.
All I needed was to go to the HQ.
THAT WAS ALL I NEEDED.
Step. Step.
Every step felt like I was ruining my life.
TOO SILENT.
TOO SILENT.
TOO SILENT.
TOO SILENT.
TOO SILENT.
TOO SILENT.
TOO SILENT.
TOO SILENT.
TOO SILENT.
TOO SILENT.
TOO SILENT.
TOO SILENT.
TOO SILENT.
I couldn’t scream.
I could hear my blood flowing.
My heart beating.
My eyes blinking.
Myself breathing.
I covered my ears, falling to my knees.
I had to keep going, or the world would crumble.
Everything hurt. I stepped up, terrified and in horrific pain.
I finally got up. Dizzy. Scared. Enraged.
I look up.
I saw him.
The CEO.
The terrible CEO.
The greedy, terrible, CEO.
David Basucki.
He pushed me down, taking away all the hope I had left.
As I looked up at him, my eyes watered.
Sniffling, crying. The man whom ruined EVERYTHING.
“ Would you take an offer? “
…That was unexpected.
My eyes hurt from rubbing them.
“H.. su-sure..??”
I didn’t know what to say.
This could even help me.
“ Join me. “
My heart raced. What shall I do?
I thought about it, although, yet not enough.
“..So, Player?”
…I couldn’t stall any longer- but what would I say?
“ Answer me. “
“Ug– Yes!-”
I panicked. I couldn’t back out.
Goddamnit.
Next thing I know, David is dragging me by my wet-with-tears hands to his filthy, almost burnt to the ground HQ.
What now? I thought.
I was consumed into a hellhole full of dread and corporate greed.
Now that I think of it, David acted.. Rather fishy after Apollo died.
I just know it was all his fault. And he would guilt-trip me and gaslight me.
I was in the HQ. The dreadful HQ.
But, yes, I do have that damned firebrand. His time is near. And my victory.
2023
This year consisted of long, grueling work. People protesting that a normal player like me shouldn’t be admin.
Honestly?
I agreed.
Anyways, constantly having to agree with stupid rules was HELL.
If I didn't comply, guess who’s getting BANNED.
The days felt like a loop.
Wake up.
Force a smile.
Work.
Sleep.
Wake up.
Force a smile.
Work.
Sleep.
Wake up.
Force a smile.
Work.
Sleep.
Wake up.
Force a smile.
Work.
Sleep.
Until, I just SNAPPED.
I felt like I was losing my sanity.
I woke up that day, instantly gripping the Firebrand I somehow kept.
I hid it in my bag, ready to go.
I walked into the HQ, my footsteps echoing.
I arranged a last-second meeting with the CEO.
I sit down in his office. My forced smile fades.
You could hear a pin drop.
“ Why are you here? To stare? “
He laughs.
“Apollo.”
His smile fades. He looks serious.
“ We had to terminate them, Noobie. They-”
“Don’t pull that bull####.”
“They were dangerous.”
“But you keep criminals?”
“....... Get out, Player. “
“No.”
The CEO is fuming.
To be honest, I was too.
“ I can do anything to you. “
“ So can I. “
I grab the Firebrand, pointing it at him.
Dead silence. I remember the glass windows, revealing David’s office.
Fuck.