Story [Issue 13] The Overseer

[Meliora 1,652]

“The winner of this battle will advance on to Tanki, and the loser will be forced to leave from here forever, and there is no point trying to return – you will be destroyed immediately. Normal rules apply – you may store the supplies you pick up in one area, or carry them around with you, however, in the final duel you may only use the drop supplies, not your own. As you all know, things are very different in Tanki. This is just a little taste of what you’ll see in the real game.” A pause. “And now, the first pair to dispatch...”


“Parker, Matthew, versus… Hmm, Bloodmore, Gilbert.”

Matthew froze in horror as his worst enemy stepped up before him, a sly grin evident on his face. “You and I, eh, Matt? Ready to face your humiliation?” he jeered. “Come to think of it, you already have,” he continued, “by being alive!” Matthew glared at Gilbert, but said nothing. The pair trailed away into the depths of the dark forest, carefully analysing their surroundings.

Around them lay bushes, identically cut, to form the words “DO NOT TRUST THE FATHER” and tall, towering trees, watching over the two novices below. They reached a low-lit area where there were two Twins-Viking tanks waiting, and behind them a gaunt man, standing with his arms folded. He had wiry jet black hair which failed to reach his shoulders. His face was long and pointed, as was his nose. His mouth was as straight as a needle, which reminded Matthew of someone he knew.

“Your task,” he hissed, which a voice freakishly similar to Gilbert’s, “is to destroy your enemy. But this is no duel – there will be obstacles – many of them – and the first to overcome these, if they are not dead already,” he added with a hollow laugh, “will have an advantage on their adversary. Now, enter your tanks, and drive to your designated spot.” He gestured to two other areas quite a distance apart, labelled ‘Matthew Parker’ and ‘Gilbert Bloodmore.’

Matthew took tank one closest to him, and was just about to swing his second leg on when Gilbert cried out. “Hecto – erm – Sir! There’s something weird in my tank!” Matthew expected the man to ignore this, but was proved wrong. “Parker,” he sneered, “get out. Now.” Matthew was almost beside himself in anger.

“But –”

“No ‘buts, Parker, or you will have no tank.”

Matthew stepped out of his tank, swore under his breath, and whispered to Gilbert, “There’s nothing there, you filthy liar –”

“Oh, there is now,” Gilbert grinned as he dismounted. Matthew clambered on, shaking his head irritably. He felt something moving beneath him and looked down in disgust to see at least a dozen slugs, squirming around viciously at his feet.



“Parker, Bloodmore,” called the overseer dramatically, “you may begin… NOW!”

The pair had been placed randomly in the forest, but well away from each other. Matthew wasted no time in planning out his actions. He remained stationary in hope that any ‘obstacles’ would find him in his comfort, where he had also stored supplies. Seeing a double power fall, he drove up towards it, but it didn’t move. Matthew circled the supply impatiently, and even tried shooting it, but – “AAAARGH!”

He was falling into the ground as the grass beneath him gave way. Matthew screamed as he hit rock, and looked up to find two Mammoths, one a Smoky, the other Thunder, ready and waiting. “Fell through our trapdoor, eh? Very unfortunate,” one of them said. Matthew took this opportunity to look around. He had found himself underground, and the land directly above him was a cliff. The area where the Mammoths were standing now was where you’d have landed if you were to jump off the cliff.

“You’ve trespassed into our lair, and it is time we show you what happens to intruders,” the Mammoth continued. They began to get closer to Matthew, whose mind was racing. All his supplies were at base, and he had nowhere to hide.

“Look behind you!” Matthew exclaimed, knowing this was extremely stupid and useless. He gasped as the Smoky turned away and the Thunder hesitated for a second. But this was ample time. Matthew began shooting the soil around him, but he was thrown away by a Thunder shot. He crashed turret first into a wall of soil, which began to sprinkle like snow onto him. Matthew rushed into the open, where the two Mammoths were positioned, as if having predicted his move.

“Let’s make this cruel,” the Smoky whispered. “You shoot, we kill you. You don’t shoot, we kill you.” Matthew picked up a falling N20, and tried to gain momentum as discreetly as possible. Just as Matthew saw a flash from the Smoky’s turret, he backed away swiftly. White electric sparks flew as the shot hit the soil wall, and it began to collapse, directly on top of the Mammoths…


Emerging, Matthew clambered over the soil gleefully, and took one last look at the two tanks lying unconscious. But there was only one.

“Over ‘ere, Matty!”

Matthew jumped in his seat in shock. It was the Thunder, but his tank had parts hanging loosely off it. His paint was chipped, and Matthew could not help but grin at his accomplishment.

Matthew fired first, circling the Mammoth while shooting him. With just over half of his health left, there was no taking chances. The Thunder still did not shoot, trying to get his timing perfect. “You see,” he laughed, “you’re not doing me much damage with your puny Twins. And I, unlike you, have Double Power, ironically.”

At this, Matthew rammed up close to the Mammoth, who involuntarily shot him with such force Matthew felt himself flipping over in midair. He cried out in pain as he landed, but somehow he had not been destroyed. Turning towards the Thunder, Matthew notices that his tank was rusted, and had crumpled completely, leaving only the turret intact. Matthew thanked God for splash damage, and swapped his turret with the Thunder.


Matthew forced his way through the thick branches of the forest, keeping a watchful eye out for any signs of the next task. The bushes’ words from the very beginning echoed ominously in his head, but Matthew could make no sense of them. He looked around for any more of the weird bushes, but –

“Oof!” Matthew spluttered. He had bumped into something. Before him lay a vast maze, so big that he could not see the other opening. Was Gilbert Bloodmore already here? Or did he have a maze of his own? Matthew dived into the maze, the Maze of 1,000 Corridors.

To no surprise of Matthew’s, there were many more bushes, but none displayed any words. The start of the maze looked simple enough, with only two of three-pathed forks, and Matthew immediately relaxed – until he reached a dead end.

“Who are you?” croaked a voice. Matthew saw a grassy lump ruffle, positioned just in front of the dead end. “Who are you?” it repeated.

“I am Ma – Gilbert Bloodmore,” Matthew lied bravely. At once the lump revealed itself to be a Freeze-Hunter.

“Why, hello, Gilbert!” he called, then reduced his voice to a whisper. “Lucky we are met, just as Hector would have liked.” He winked at Matthew. “This Maze of 1,000 Corridors is known to me through and through. So, Gilbert, I will show you the way out.”

Matthew could not believe this, and for every corridor in this maze was a question in his mind. Who was Hector? What relationship did he have with Gilbert? But there was no time to ponder as the Freeze had already began to lead the way ahead.

“So, Gilbert, how are Hector and Gertrude?” the Freeze asked. Matthew hadn’t a clue who they were, and if this Freeze figured that out, he’d be destroyed within seconds. “I’m quite worried about my opponent,” Matthew said, pretending not to have heard the question. “He may have already passed this stage for all we know!”

The Freeze took a sharp left. “I’m the only one who knows this maze so well. Trust me Bert, you’ll be miles ahead.” He paused to turn left again. “Now, do tell, how are Hector and Gertrude?” Matthew could avoid the question no longer. He stopped following for a bit, increasing the distance between them. “Oh yeah well, er, Hector’s doing good in Kungur, and –”

“You are no Gilbert!” the Freeze roared. He whipped around, but Matthew was already ready, fully drugged. He tried to shoot the Freeze as he tried to draw near, but Matthew missed by less than a millimetre. His next shot managed to spin the Freeze around 180 degrees.

“Hector will destroy you!” he screamed desperately. Matthew decided had heard more than enough and finished the Freeze off with one, simple press of a button.

Matthew drove on calmly as if nothing had happened. There was only one path to the exit of the maze, and as he broke away, he embraced the sun’s many rays.


Matthew soon came to a small arena, with two flags, on opposite ends. One red, one blue. He knew at once what this was. CTF.

“I see you’ve arrived very early indeed, Parker,” someone hissed. Matthew turned to see the overseer, watching him – arms folded as usual. “In fact, I believe you have set a record.” Matthew smiled to himself; this man had no idea of his luck.

“Well, since Bloodmore is not here, you may capture his flag,” the overseer continued, then added to himself with a malevolent chuckle, “if I don’t stop you first.”

“No, Matthew replied. “It would be highly unfair. I will wait, with the pride that I have beaten Gilbert in the first two stages.”



Gilbert took no less than twenty minutes, and looked completely worn down. “I’m here!” he yelled triumphantly, looking up at the overseer. “There was this –”

“Forgive me, dear Gilbert, but we must press on,” the man interrupted. “You will respawn until the flag is captured. There must only be one opponent alive to capture the flag. Now, Parker, Bloodmore, you may begin.”

Matthew immediately made for Gilbert’s flag, while keep an eye on its owner. Gilbert himself was too flabbergasted by Matthew’s new turret to move. Matthew was becoming very close to the blue flag, and it was only then when Gilbert awoke. He quickly rushed nearer to Matthew, who had now taken the blue flag and was about to hide.

Gilbert knew Matthew’s tactic all too well, and just as he saw the Thunder turret peer from behind a small fence, he began to follow it, right at its tail. Matthew knew he was almost there, his own flag was just a few metres away, and –

The next events were a blur to Matthew – he saw Gilbert, yellow plasma balls hitting him from all around, a scream as his tank flew into the air and a burning sensation on his skin. He had not made it.

But there was still a chance. As Matthew respawned, he swore not to be so foolish. Time was now of the essence as Gilbert was rapidly approaching his flag to return it, and if he did this Matthew would have to start from square 1. He quickly took aim at the moving Gilbert, waiting patiently until he had it just right, then –

A flash of yellow knocked Matthew violently to the side before he could shoot, almost spinning him around completely. It took him no time at all to recognise the shot of a Shaft. He turned to see the overseer smirking, sitting comfortably inside a Hunter.

“It was you,” breathed Matthew slowly.

The overseer clapped his hands sarcastically. “I just wanted you to know, while I am here watching, you will never prosper.” He paused. “And, that is my tank you’re using.” He pointed at Matthew’s tank.

Matthew followed the direction of the bony finger, to see a small inscription. He gasped. In scrawly handwriting, it read:

“H. Bloodmore.”

Matthew hesitated for a second, and tried to concentrate on Gilbert, but what he had seen had opened up so many questions. He saw a Double Power supply, took it, and looked up. Gilbert had clearly also stopped driving to watch Matthew and the overseer’s little talk, and still had about five metres to reach his flag. Matthew readied his aim for the second time, and when the overseer tried to knock him off course, he was ready.

“YES!” Matthew laughed as Gilbert’s tank did a somersault in the air and rusted. Forgetting the overseer completely, Matthew rushed to retrieve Gilbert’s flag again. He was almost at his own base, two metres – one metre – three feet – two feet…

“HALT!” demanded a voice. Matthew froze instantaneously and his stomach flipped. “Do not move,” the voice snarled. Matthew turned to see the overseer, and beside him, Gilbert.

“But –” Matthew stammered.

“Shut up, or my father will kill you,” Gilbert said. At once everything made sense – the bushes, the Freeze-Hunter, the inscription… The overseer was Gilbert’s father, and… him…

“Move one inch and I will destroy you. I am Hector Bloodmore.”

To be continued...

Edited July 31, 2017 by Hexed

[Raphael2 3,263]

Incredible ! Long and cool story. Keep up the good work !

[hogree 4,179]

One of the many great stories this issue. Looking forward @ Episode 2.

[donut70 97]

I will probably figure it out more in the next part but for now I am a bit confused.

[I.Devastation 2,053]

Nice story, a good read, Miss. Annoying Thunder.

[jazz20 1,181]

Nice :)

[BLASTER872 1,892]

good one

[DESTROYER_13 1,019]

Diep.io?