"WAKE UP EVERYBODY!" the voice was high pitched and squeaky as it echoed throughout the circular cavern.
It was a massive dark, and damp space. With the walls lined with crimson red burning torches that barely lit the cavern.Ā
On the floor people were passed out, hundreds of them strewn across the cavern and spread out from the center.
"I SAID WAKE UP!" resonating with power the voice shook the cavern and the crowd quickly stirred and stood up.
From young to old the crowd of people were filled with individuals of nearly every race and ethnicity. As the people grasped their surroundings the cavern began to ring with their confused voices.Ā
"How did we get here?"
"Where are we?"
The voices melted together and nothing could be understood through the commotion.Ā
"QUIET!" the high pitched voice rang again. This time the force of it knocking people over.
Silence. Not a sound was heard as everyone looked to the center of the cavern with bated breath.Ā
Floating in the air and slightly glowing gold was a small sprite. Wearing adorable clothes, chubby cheeks, and a pointed hat the sprite looked to everyone present and spoke.
"Ahem. . ." the sprite sheepishly cleared it's throat with one hand curled in front of its mouth.
"Welcome! You're probably confused and this place doesn't look safe. Understandable! But let's cut to the fun! I've been waiting so very long for you all to wake up after all." the sprite said with a coy smile on it's lips.
A man pushed himself through the crowd. He was gruff and slightly unkempt, with a smokers voice he loudly said, "What do you mean 'welcome'? Let us out of here! I don't care for whatever tv show we're on, my rents due tomorrow and I need to get to work, let us out!"
A dark light rose behind the sprites eyes as it smiled ear to ear, "Oh, I love volunteers!"
Raising its arm steadily and pointing at the man, "That's my full intention! Things can't be fun in here forever after all. There's only one thing however." From the finger tip pointed at the man, a small golden light shot out and pierced his head.Ā
A hole no larger than the pupil of an eye appeared dead center in his forehead and began to smoke as the man collapsed.
Stunned into silence the crowd stared first at the smoking body and then at the sprite.
"There was two hundred and fifty of you." the sprite squeaked. Pausing for a moment the sprite looked around the crowd and continued, "Now there is two hundred and forty nine!"
Giggling the little creature looked around again at the crowd as a toothy grin appeared on it's lips that now seemed too large for its face.
With a squeak it said, "The game we play is quite simple~"
"Survive!" the air around the sprite shook.
"It should be fun, you know!" spoke the sprite "There's only one rule, don't die!"
The sprite snapped it's fingers. All around the room small knives appeared. Everything from kitchen knives and box cutters to pocket knives and scalpels.
"There is one issue, we only want one hundred of you. Good luck!" a splash of gold appeared covering the sprite and it disappeared.Ā
Everyone looked around confused, many grabbing one of the weapons that appeared in front of them. Few others ran along the walls hoping to find an exit.
Up higher in the air a small noise popped and the fairy appeared again.Ā
"Oh! I forgot. You all probably aren't used to killing. That's okay, we'll help you out!"
The little sprite snapped again, long and cruel hooked
spikes shot from the walls. The unlucky few searching for an exit were impaled and screamed as nearby people looked on in horror.Ā
"Now, you have about ten minutes before your all crushed! Squish! Just like that. But, if you bring the number below one hundred yourselves we'll let the rest of you live!"