[The Dream Tower gives the people any of their dreams or more fitting desire they've always wanted!]
Looking out the crowd in the train were confused as some of them immediately took out their phones and recorded the screen outside
All of them were oblivious to the danger outside, other than Eleri that is.
Suddenly the door of the train opened revealing a conductor wearing a black and gold suit as he raised his golden cuffs and fixed his hat, but what is unusual about the conductor is that he is wearing a smiling white mask on his face
Seeing him the crowd was inattentive but Eleri frowned and her hand holding the handle tightened.
The conductor clasped his hand as he said "Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, today we are going to be playing a game I'm sure everyone's going to enjoy"
"A game?" Everyone asked the same question and looked at him
Seeing that he caught everyone's attention the conductor is satisfied and said "Yes, a game that will put everyone to the test, a test to see who is the fittest player to play the Dream Tower"
Before anyone else could speak a policeman suddenly came out from the crowd, stepped forward and asked "Are you related to what's happening outside?"
Seeing this Eleri couldn't help but grit her teeth and thought 'Idiot!'
The conductor didn't replied which made the policeman think it was a yes and so stepped forward and was about to arrest the conductor when--
Bang!
"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!"
The policeman's body fell to the ground as his head exploded into pieces
Everyone in the cart retreated as they saw this and some started running towards the opposite direction and tried to open the door but found that it was locked
The conductor wiped off the blood on his shoulder with a handkerchief as he said "Oh dear, forgive me for my rudeness I forgot to introduce myself"
Looking at the crowed he smiled underneath his mask and said "I'm the Judge for this game, the conductor"
Eleri widened her eyes as she thought 'I knew it…he's a Judge!'
[Judge] are the beings raised by the Dream Tower that are the hosts for the games, just as their name suggests they are the executioners for each game no matter whether it is in the tower or outside each game that are for multiplayer has their own Judge
And this time Eleri will be playing a game with a Judge surveying them
Seeing that most of the passengers are still panicking the conductor was surprisingly not angry but was instead more pleased as he said "Then I'll give the task for this game"
-Ding!
[Game: Ticket to Hell]
[Difficulty: E]
[Time Limit: 1 Hour]
[Reward: 100 Coins]
[Penalty: Death]
After presenting this the conductor then said "Well then I shall tell the rules for this game"
"Out of 20 people that are currently present right now only ten have a ticket here, which means--"
"--Only ten people can live"
Hearing this the crowd fell into silence as the atmosphere turned ice cold
Even though the faces of the people turned gloomy the conductor still continued happily "For those who do not have any ticket by the time finishes will die"
"The rules are very simple don't you think?" The conductor curved his eyes happily as he saw the expression of fear in everyone's faces
Not giving any chance to recover the conductor announced "Well then, the game begins--"
"--Now!"
After the conductor said it golden papers suddenly appeared out of thin air and fell into the hands of some people, no…to be more precise it was the tickets for the game
Seeing the ticket those who do not have any immediately tried to grab and steal it from the others
"Hey they're mine!""Give it to me!""My life is much more precious than you!"
A riot rose out as Eleri frowned and looked down at her hand. There is a golden ticket in her hand and she silently hid it in her pocket
"Give it to me!"
Bang!
"Ahhh!"
As a brawl started Eleri could only watch from the sidelines as she drooped her eyes and thought 'I can't do anything about it…'
Bang!
"Ahhhh! He killed someone! He killed someone!"
As a lifeless body collapsed right infront of her Eleri looked indifferent and thought 'This is simply human nature'
As a person was about to grab her she immediately grabbed the person's wrist and broke it
Crack
"Ahhhh!"
Eleri ignored the scream of the person as she looked up at the conductor that was watching on the side and thought 'This is--'
'--The survival of the fittest'
*****
[Time Limit: 00:00:00]
-DIng!
-Time limit is over, the game ends. Congratulations to the dear survivors for completing the game!
As the train was about to reach the station it was silent unlike the roars outside. Inside the cart seven the whole place was a mess as blood stains covered the floors and walls, the people left were sitting on the seats as the conductor clapped his hands and said "Bravo! That was a fun game isn't it?"
Eleri raised her eyes and looked at the conductor but her eyes had no resentment nor fear unlike what the conductor expected but was instead empty and motionless
"Oh?" The conductor was interested and wanted to say something but sighed as he said "Although I would like to stay a little longer I'm afraid that my time is up dear passengers"
-Ding!
As the door of the train opened the conductor started to fade away as he bowed before completely disappearing into thin air, before he completely disappeared Eleri seemed to feel like their gaze met for a moment which made her hair stood in one end
Although they completed the game the atmosphere in the train was filled with gloominess as a girl kept muttering to herself "I killed someone…I killed someone…"
A middle-aged man couldn't stand it anymore and shouted "Shut up!" but that only made the girl cried even more
Eleri was the first to stand up as she took her backpack and left the train
As she stepped out she saw a person on another cart leave aswell but the person was calm seemingly fine and normal if it wasn't for the blood all over his clothes
The person seemed to sense her gaze and looked towards her direction, both of them stared at each other as Eleri narrowed her eyes and thought 'Could he be-…a player?'
The person stared at her for some time before looking away and left as if nothing happened
Eleri stood there for some time until she suddenly felt the phone in her pocket vibrating and picked it up, seeing that it was covered in blood stains she casually took out her handkerchief and wiped it before she answered the call
"Caelab?"
-- …..
"...Caelab"
-- I- It's me d- detective L
On the other side of the phone Eleri could clearly hear that he was crying and asked lowly "Caelab, did you-"
-- I killed someone! Detective…(Sob)… I k-killed someone…(Sob)
Eleri closed her eyes and waited for the other to calm down before she said "Caelab, would you mind meeting with me still? I want to tell you something"
Although they aren't particularly close Eleri still has some good impression on the boy and wanted to atleast give him some survival advises about the game
-- M- Meet up? O- Okay…where?
"At your house, I'll be going there now"
Without giving Caelab the chance Eleri hung up the phone as she does not know how to comfort someone
Heaving a sigh Eleri looked up at the sky and saw that it was slowly turning crimson red as the clouds are starting to fade away
Slowly she sighed as she sang "London bridge is falling down…falling down…falling down…"
"London bridge is falling down"
"My fair lady"
*****
5:45pm
Arriving at the house of Caelab, Eleri sat down on the stool and waited for Caelab to finish shaking
"Caelab"
Caelab was startled and said "Yes?"
"Listen carefully at what I'm going to say since I'll be leaving soon. You did nothing wrong, in this world you will not survive if you don't kill, the world right now is cruel it is either you die or they die, you have to decide"
"What?"
Eleri looked out at the window and said "We are now players…players of the Dream Tower"
Caelab also looked out and was stunned as he said "You mean…the tower that recently appeared out of nowhere?"
Eleri nodded and said "Yes. In the tower you will be playing several life and death games and only the most cunning and cruel would survive there. After all the tower does grant any desire you wish for once you climb to the top"
Caelab was in daze before he said "Wait wait! How do you know all about this? Did you--"
Eleri nodded and said "Yes, I've already played the Dream Tower even before all of this happened"
Caelab couldn't speak for a long time before he asked "How…?"
Eleri stroked her temple as she said "It's complicated but while I was asleep I started to play it in my subconsciousness and if I fail the game I will die in real life"
Caelab froze as he heard and thought 'Detective L has been playing this dangerous game…all alone?'
Eleri frowned as she said "But who would've thought that the name Dream doesn't actually mean the dream of people whenever they are asleep but was actually the desire or wish of people… I was a fool"
Woosh
A gust of wind flew from the window as both Eleri and Caelab fell into deep silence
Heaving a sigh Eleri stood up, grabbed her backpack and said "Well then, I'll be leaving now"
Caelab was startled and stood up as he asked "Where are you going?"
Eleri stopped and said "To the tower"
Caelab: "But why?"
Eleri was silent and Caelab immediately realized it as he said "Do you…want to get your wish granted?"
Eleri didn't answered and just left.
Caelab thought 'So Detective L also has her own desire…but what could her desire be to even risk her life be worth for'
*****
Eleri was walking on a street as she pulled out a ruby red necklace from her shirt and gently stroke it as she muttered "Raizel…"
Closing her eyes she could still remember when they were together, the boy smiling at her, and she smiling at him
If only…if only she could see him again…
As she slowly opened her eyes she hid back the necklace and looked at the distance
Looking at the white tower she clenched her first as she muttered "I will win this game, and I would get you back, Raizel…just wait a little longer"
- Ding!
- The raid will begin in 2 days please prepare to attack the tower by then, and may your wish be granted dear dreamers!