Glitchtrap started manipulating Gabriel by using his connection to the game. He tried to control Gabriel's mind and will, twisting his perception of reality, all to turn him into a pawn. Glitchtrap was relentless in his pursuit of power and personal vendetta.
After getting better from the wounds, the doctors decided it was time to let him free from the hospital. In all clinical situations, he planned a new meeting at
their meeting point, at the center of their hometown, in front of the fountain called The Golden Fountain. It was a yellowish fountain with a star holding a goldish statue in the middle.
But this reunion was not happy like their older meetings, and a feeling of fear and dread overshadowed it.
All of them were shocked and got PTSD from the events of the Martinez House, and Gabriel was traumatized from his nightmares and wounds from this place.
As they talked with each other for hours, they were disguised about what the group had learned and what they should do for the next step.
Glitchtrap was now free, and he was searching for his next victim, as he had already taken over the beta-tester Vanessa's soul and mind.
Gabriel was overwhelmed by guilt for unintentionally freeing Glitchtrap from its virtual prison, as that evil entity had the power to control other's minds.
And now he was hunting Gabriel Afton to turn him into another paw of his cruel game.
Gabriel knew his friend was in great danger because they were close to him. And they were included in the Martinez Incident, as the government called it.
Gabriel's closest friend, Alya, sensed Gabriel's inner fight and tried to comfort him.
She was armed with a stack of research papers, hoping to shed light on the nature of Glitchtrap and its enigmatic intentions.
As they delved deeper into the documents, they discovered that this entity could influence a person's mind through physical or mental contact.
And this entity not only was a corrupting influence, but it possessed powers that were beyond human understanding.
Aly found the documents and the old notebook written by an earlier tester about Vanessa's behavioral changes.
Gabriel's guilt deepened as he realized he was the reason for releasing this evil entity into the real world.
He felt disappointed in himself and as a failure for ruining Vanessa's plans to secure Glitchtrap forever within the game.
An unwavering determination drove Gabriel, and he developed a daring plan to reclaim Vanessa from Glitchtrap's control.
He had decided to enter the VR game again, where Vanessa's remains and Glitchtrap's digital form remained.
Alya specifically cautioned against it, reminding Gabriel of Glitchtrap's immense power and cunning personality.
She warned him that underestimating that entity would be a grave mistake.
But despite their warnings, the crew agreed to continue on this dangerous mission.
They knew their time was limited, as Glitchtrap's influence and corrupting power grew stronger over Vanessa grew daily.
Motivated by a sense of responsibility and a solid commitment to safeguard his friends, Gabriel offered to confront this entity alone.
He stated that his link to the VR game, which unleashed Glitchtrap from his containment, might give him an edge in this fight.
Alya accepted Gabriel's decision, torn between her concern for his safety and her faith in his abilities.
She knew he was maybe the only hope for retrieving Vanessa and defeating Glitchtrap.
So, with a heavy heart, Gabriel bids farewell to his friends and ventures into the digital realm.
He was aware of the risks of playing again, but Gabriel remained determined to end Glitchtrap's reign of terror and rescue Vanessa.
Upon entering the game, Gabriel immediately sensed something sinister within the code.
After Gabriel loaded the game, he noticed a significant change in his experience; he was no longer a security guard but a technician he had never played.
With the new UI in front of him, he realized that the game he once loved and enjoyed was now a trap that could consume his entire being anytime.
He was a prisoner within his own game; his body was his cell, and his mind was his warden.
[End of Chapter 2]