The eerie voice of the ghostly figure echoed in the arena as Alex gripped Ethan's arm, sensing the fear practically oozing from his friend. Ethan stood motionless, his body trembling like a leaf in the wind. His wide, terrified eyes darted around, taking in the gruesome scene, too paralyzed to move.
"Ethan!" Alex's voice softened as he shook his friend slightly. "You have to do this. We're all in this together, and I'll be right there with you. Your parents are waiting for you. Don't leave them alone to suffer—fight back, please."
Ethan's lips quivered as he nodded, his fists clenching tightly. Alex gave him a reassuring smile, a surprising gesture given the horrific reality surrounding them. Even in this nightmare, Alex had to keep his mind clear, had to believe that somehow they could survive this hell.
Nathan stepped forward, his voice dripping with tension as he spoke directly to Ethan. "If you don't fight for your life, you'll end up as a snack for those things. And I don't think you want to end up like the bodies hanging on the walls, do you?" Nathan's eyes flickered toward the bloodied remains around them.
Ethan swallowed hard, his resolve strengthening under the weight of his friends' words. He nodded again, this time with more determination.
Oliver was the first to step out, strutting with false confidence, though his bravado did little to hide the tension in his steps. Isabella followed, flipping her hair arrogantly, as if the horrors around them were beneath her notice. But Alex could see the faint tremble in her hand as she tried to keep up appearances.
Alex's heart stopped for a moment as he finally stepped out of the room and entered the arena. His breath hitched in his throat at the gruesome sight. Desiccated bodies hung from the walls, some missing limbs, while others had their most intimate parts grotesquely mutilated. Women's bodies were torn open, their breasts and genitalia ripped from their corpses, leaving only bones and ragged hair clinging to their heads. Men weren't spared either; mutilated beyond recognition, many had their groins savagely cut out, their faces frozen in eternal horror. It was a slaughterhouse—a brutal, stomach-turning display of death.
Chloe's scream pierced through the silence as she doubled over, vomiting uncontrollably. Jessie stepped back, his normally confident posture shattered by the overwhelming sight. Even Isabella, who always kept her cool, turned pale, her face as white as chalk, as though her very soul was being drained by the gruesome scene.
The twins, Lily and Eve, clung to each other like lifelines, their bodies trembling with fear. They looked like fragile birds trapped in a cage, desperately searching for a way out but finding none.
Nathan's gaze shifted to the walls of the arena, his breath catching in his throat. Painted on the walls were enormous, nightmarish creatures, drawn with eerie precision. Their monstrous forms seemed to come alive under the dim, flickering light, their twisted expressions and razor-sharp claws promising nothing but pain and death. Nathan could almost feel their glowing eyes following him, watching every move with sadistic glee.
He swallowed hard, muttering under his breath, "We're never getting out of here..."
Above them, grotesque flying creatures circled the arena, their leathery wings flapping slowly, as if waiting for the right moment to swoop down and claim their prey. The monsters were real, and they were eager to tear the students apart if they dared to make a wrong move.
As the last of the students stepped outside, the voice returned, more terrifying than before. "Welcome once again," it hissed, sending chills down their spines. "Without further delay, let the test begin. Rule number one—no rules. Any mistakes, and the creatures above will correct them… permanently."
Alex's eyes darted around the arena, searching for the source of the voice. His gaze landed on a ghostly figure hovering high above, suspended in the air. It was massive, its body shrouded in swirling shadows. Its hollow eyes seemed to pierce through their very souls, while its jagged, tree-trunk-sized teeth gleamed menacingly. The creature's long, twisted fingers, sharp as steel blades, snapped with an eerie crack as it raised its hand.
"Here is your first game," it announced.
The students looked around, confused and terrified. There was no visible game, just the blood-soaked floor beneath them. Then, without warning, a violent wind swept through the arena, lifting them off their feet. Alex felt his body being pulled into a vortex, and within seconds, he was transported to a new domain.
The ground beneath him was made of glass, slick with dripping blood. The walls were high and transparent, each student now separated by glass barriers. Panic set in as they realized they were trapped—each one isolated from the others, with no way to help or be helped.
The voice crackled to life again, filling the domain with its cold, sinister tone. "Your task is simple: find the hidden patterns. Discover where you are… and escape before the timer runs out."
A collective gasp echoed through the arena. Alex's eyes widened in terror as a massive clock materialized above them, ticking down from five minutes.
Lily's sobs echoed through the room as she pressed her hands against the glass, her face twisted in fear. "Eve, I can't… I can't do this!" she cried, looking at her twin who stood on the other side, her face equally stricken with fear.
Eve locked eyes with her sister, her lips trembling as she spoke softly, "You have to. We don't have a choice. It's every person for themselves now…"
The realization hit them all like a punch to the gut. This was no team game. Each of them had to fend for themselves.
Alex glanced at Nathan and Ethan, separated by the glass walls. He gave them both a thumbs up, trying to muster any semblance of hope. "Good luck," he mouthed, especially to Ethan, who looked like he was about to break down.
Then, without warning, a bone-chilling bell rang, reverberating through the domain. The timer started, and with it came a wave of panic that sent everyone into a frenzy.
"Five minutes?" Isabella gasped, her voice filled with dread. She dropped to her knees, frantically searching the glass floor beneath her. The patterns were there—scattered fragments of strange symbols and shapes—but they made no sense. Her nails scratched the surface as she scrambled to make sense of the puzzle.
Chloe was hyperventilating, her breath coming in rapid gasps as she fumbled with the pieces on the floor, her hands shaking uncontrollably. "This is insane!" she cried out, tears streaming down her face. "We're all going to die!"
The arena was filled with the sound of frantic footsteps, desperate cries, and the ticking of the clock, which seemed to get louder with every passing second. Each student was consumed by the horrifying realization that time was running out—and no one wanted to find out what would happen when it hit zero.
Alex's heart pounded in his chest as he frantically tried to piece the patterns together. His mind raced as he focused on the symbols, blocking out the screams and sobs of his friends. He couldn't afford to lose focus. One mistake, one hesitation, and it would be over.
As the timer ticked down, his hands moved faster, sweat dripping from his brow. He could feel the weight of the looming danger pressing down on him.
But as the final minute approached, a sickening thought crept into his mind.
What happens to those who fail?
Sorry I couldn't post on Sunday now I will try posting a chapter daily if I couldn't make it then mass release on Sunday.