Judex's heart pounded in his chest as the horde of civilians-turned-abominations surged toward him. His vision snapped into focus, the three-second advantage allowing him to see their every move before they made it. The ground shook as the first of the twisted civilians, their arms replaced with roaring chainsaws, lunged at him.
'They're coming! I'll be ready for them!'
Judex swung his scythe in a wide arc, the blood blade cutting through the air with a savage hiss. The first attacker's chainsaw arm came down hard where Judex had just been, but Judex was already gone, his body twisting to the side in a graceful dodge. The chainsaw slammed into the ground, splitting the earth with a violent roar, sending chunks of stone and rubble flying into the air.
The Minotaur roared behind him, its massive axes swinging down with brutal force. The first of the horde was cleaved in half, blood spraying in a fountain as the Minotaur's blade tore through flesh and metal. Another abomination rushed the Minotaur, its gun fused arm firing explosive rounds. The Minotaur grunted as the bullets ripped into its body, but it fought back savagely, cleaving the attacker's head from its shoulders in a single brutal strike.
Judex moved with precision, his scythe flashing in the dim light as he dodged and weaved through the chaos. He could see every attack coming before it happened, his three-second foresight giving him just enough time to anticipate the chainsaw swings, the gunfire, the blades. He ducked under a wild swing, the chainsaw buzzing just inches from his head, and retaliated with a spinning strike of his scythe, the blade cleaving through the abomination's midsection in a spray of blood.
But the horde was relentless.
'I can't stay in one spot!' Judex thought, running away.
As the battle raged, more of the civilians-turned-monsters surged toward them, their bodies twisted into grotesque parodies of human form, chainsaws whirring and guns firing. The Minotaur, despite its immense power, was taking heavy damage. Its fur was matted with blood, both its own and that of its enemies, and its movements were growing sluggish.
Judex saw it all unfold in his mind's eye — the three seconds of foresight showing him the moment when the Minotaur would fall.
A barrage of bullets from one of the abominations, its arms fused with a pair of automatic rifles, tore into the Minotaur's chest. The creature roared in agony, its massive form staggering as blood poured from the wounds. Another abomination, this one with a chainsaw for a leg, leaped into the air, bringing its blade down in a brutal arc. The chainsaw **dug** deep into the Minotaur's neck, severing muscle and bone. With a final, pained roar, the Minotaur collapsed to the ground, its axes falling from its hands.
Judex gritted his teeth, his scythe slashing through the air as he took down another attacker. The loss of his summon was a heavy blow, but there was no time to mourn. More of the horde were coming, faster and more vicious than before.
The abominations moved with terrifying speed, their chainsaw arms and gun limbs whirling through the air in a deadly ballet of destruction. Judex's foresight allowed him to stay one step ahead, but even with his three-second advantage, the sheer number of enemies was overwhelming. His body moved on instinct, his scythe flashing in wide, sweeping arcs as he dodged, parried, and struck back.
A chainsaw came down toward his head, but Judex was already moving, his body twisting to the side as the blade missed him by a hair's breadth. He spun on his heel, bringing his scythe around in a vicious upward slash that severed the abomination's torso from its legs. Blood sprayed across the ground as the creature fell, its chainsaw arm still twitching.
But there was no time to rest.
Another abomination lunged at him, its gun arm firing explosive rounds. Judex dropped to the ground, rolling to avoid the blast, but the shockwave from the explosion sent him tumbling. He gritted his teeth as he pushed himself back to his feet, blood dripping from a gash on his side. The pain was sharp, but he forced it down, focusing on the battle.
The abominations weren't just fast — they were ruthless. They swarmed him from all sides, their attacks coordinated and relentless. Judex's foresight allowed him to predict their moves, but even with that, he was taking hits. A chainsaw grazed his arm, leaving a deep, bloody gash. Gunfire peppered the ground around him, and one of the bullets found its mark, tearing through his shoulder.
Blood dripped from his wounds, staining the ground beneath him, but Judex didn't stop. His scythe cut through the air with deadly precision, each strike aimed to kill. He ducked under a swinging chainsaw, his scythe coming up in a brutal arc that cleaved through the abomination's chest. The creature let out a gurgling scream as it collapsed, its blood mixing with the dirt.
But the horde was relentless.
Judex barely had time to recover before more of the abominations were on him, their chainsaw arms and gun limbs slashing and firing in a frenzy. He could see the attacks coming, but there were too many — his body couldn't keep up with his foresight. One of the abominations tackled him from behind, knocking him to the ground. Before he could react, more of them piled on top of him, their chainsaws buzzing as they tore into his flesh.
Judex let out a strangled cry as pain exploded through his body. He could feel the chainsaws ripping into his back, his arms, his legs. Blood poured from his wounds, pooling on the ground beneath him. He was pinned, trapped beneath the weight of the horde, and for a moment, it seemed like it was over.
With a roar of pure rage, Judex exploded from the pile of bodies, his scythe flashing in the dim light as he slashed wildly at the abominations around him. His body was a blur of movement, his strikes fast and precise. Blood sprayed in every direction as he cut through the horde, each swing of his scythe leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
One of the abominations lunged at him, its chainsaw arm raised high, but Judex was faster. He ducked under the swing, his scythe coming up in a brutal arc that severed the creature's arm at the elbow. The abomination let out a screech of pain as it staggered back, but Judex didn't give it a chance to recover. He followed up with a spinning strike, his scythe cutting through the creature's neck.
More of the abominations rushed him, but Judex was ready. His foresight allowed him to predict their every move, and he used it to his advantage, dodging and weaving through the onslaught. His scythe moved like a living thing, each strike precise and deadly.
"Out of my way!!" Judex screamed to the top of his lungs, killing more and more.
The abominations were fast, but Judex was faster. His body moved with an almost unnatural grace, his scythe flashing in the air as he cut through the horde. Blood sprayed in every direction, and the ground beneath him was slick with gore. But even with his foresight, the battle was taking its toll. His body was covered in wounds, his movements growing slower with each passing second.
Another abomination lunged at him, its chainsaw arm slashing through the air. Judex dodged to the side, but the blade caught him across the chest, leaving a deep, bloody gash. He gritted his teeth against the pain, his scythe flashing in the dim light as he retaliated with a brutal strike that severed the creature's arm.
But more were coming.
Judex could feel his strength waning, but he refused to give in. His foresight flared to life again, showing him the next three seconds of the battle. He saw the abominations rushing him, their chainsaws raised high, their gun limbs firing. He saw the attacks coming before they happened, and he moved with the precision of a seasoned warrior.
The first abomination swung its chainsaw at his head, but Judex ducked under the swing, his scythe coming up in a vicious arc that cleaved through the creature's torso. Blood sprayed across the ground as the abomination fell, but more were coming.
Another lunged at him, its gun arm firing explosive rounds. Judex dodged to the side, the bullets whizzing past him, but one found its mark, tearing through his leg. He stumbled, pain flaring through his body, but he refused to fall.
With a roar of defiance, Judex swung his scythe in a wide arc, the blade cutting through the air with deadly precision. The abominations fell before him, their bodies torn apart by his savage strikes. Blood sprayed in every direction, and the ground beneath him was slick with gore.
But even as he fought, Judex knew the battle was far from over.
Judex staggered through the ruined streets, his body battered and bloodied from the relentless battle. His breath came in ragged bursts, every step sending a jolt of pain through his leg where the bullet had torn through flesh and muscle. His right hand clutched his blood-scythe, though the blade had dulled, its crimson glow fading with each passing moment. His left hand gripped a torn strip of cloth, hastily wrapped around his waist to preserve some semblance of dignity in this nightmarish place.
The world around him was a twisted blend of eras, a cityscape where skyscrapers stood broken beside the crumbling ruins of medieval castles, and ancient siege towers lay overturned next to the charred wreckage of tanks. Fires burned in the distance, casting a hellish glow over everything. The air was thick with the stench of blood, oil, and decay. Every other breath tasted of smoke and ash.
As Judex limped through the debris-strewn streets, his sharp eyes scanned the destruction around him. Bodies littered the ground—some of them were nameless civilians, twisted abominations fused with weapons, their lifeless forms still twitching in the aftermath of battle. Others were players, their naked bodies torn apart by the horrors of this place. Some had died quickly, their faces frozen in expressions of shock or pain. Others had not been so lucky.
He could still hear the destruction out in the distance, the gunshots, the screams, and clashing of blades.
The fight was far from over.
Judex's steps slowed as he passed the first group of survivors—players who had not yet succumbed to the violence but were clearly on the edge of breaking. They huddled together in the corner of a collapsed building, their naked bodies trembling in fear and exhaustion. One of them, a woman with dark hair matted with blood, clutched at her side where a deep gash bled sluggishly. Her face was pale, her eyes hollow.
Next to her, a man with a gaunt face and sunken eyes was weeping quietly. His body was covered in cuts and bruises, his arms wrapped tightly around himself as if trying to hold his very soul together. A piece of him was missing, Judex could tell. The same curse that had touched many of them—the Cairn of the Eclipsed Gods—had taken its toll. The man's eyes were clouded with confusion, his memories fractured, and Judex could see the pain etched into his every movement.
The woman glanced at Judex as he approached, her eyes filled with both fear and recognition. She tightened her grip on the cloth she used to cover herself, her voice barely a whisper as she spoke to the man beside her.
"We're not... we're not going to make it, are we?" Her voice trembled, thick with despair.
The man shook his head, his voice hoarse and broken. "I don't even remember why I'm here. All I know is that… something's missing. I can feel it. My power... my mind... it's slipping away."
Judex glanced at them briefly, his face impassive, though a flicker of pity crossed his sharp features. He had no words to offer them, no comfort to give. The curse of the Cairn had taken a piece of him too, but he had been careful. He had sacrificed strategically, knowing the cost. Not everyone had been so fortunate.
He moved past them without a word, his mind too focused on the task at hand to linger on their suffering. But their voices followed him as he limped away, fading into the background of the ruined city.
As Judex continued through the desolate streets, his mind raced with thoughts of Aresoth. The war god was playing games, hiding from him, taunting him with his vanishing act. Judex knew that Aresoth could be anywhere, his form shifting and melding with the surrounding chaos, but there had to be some clue—some distinct sign that would give him away.
His right eye throbbed with pain, the dull ache intensifying every time he tried to use his foresight. He could still see three seconds into the future, but the strain was overwhelming. Every time he reached out with his mind, trying to grasp at the threads of possibility, it felt like his eye was being torn apart from the inside. Blood trickled down his cheek, mixing with the sweat and grime that covered his cold skin.
"Where are you, Aresoth?" he said bitterly, his teeth gritted against the pain. "What form…are you hiding in?"
He tried to think logically, to strategize. Aresoth was a god of war, a master of conflict across all ages. If he was hiding, it wouldn't be random—it would be something tied to his nature, to the battlefield itself. Perhaps he was hiding in one of the weapons scattered around the city, or in the ruins of the ancient structures that dotted the landscape. But which one? The possibilities were endless.
'The High One, sending us here naked, is tricky in his own right. Cunning, smart, even trying to set me up on the first Cairn game I played. And this war god, Aresoth, he's the same way. Playing with me, toying with me..wants me to prove myself. Does he even know of the High One? What am I thinking, of course he does. He mentioned a new batch of sacrifices, people have been here before us. The High One and Aresoth act alike in toying with people, cunning attitudes. They know each other. They have a relationship. There's nothing more right than that.'
Every time Judex used his foresight to scan the area, he saw nothing but more death and destruction. The future flashed before him in fragments—more waves of abominations, more chaos, more blood. But no sign of Aresoth.
The thought made Judex's blood boil. Aresoth was toying with them, savoring the chaos and bloodshed he had orchestrated. He wasn't just a god of war—he was a god of conflict. He thrived on the suffering of others, on the violence that tore people apart, both physically and spiritually. Aresoth wouldn't be hiding in fear. He was waiting for the right moment to strike.
Judex wiped the blood from his eye, grimacing at the sting. "I'll find you. I'll tear this city apart if I have to, but I'll find you."
Suddenly, Judex stopped in his tracks. His sharp senses picked up movement ahead, just beyond the remains of a shattered building. He stepped cautiously around a crumbling wall, his scythe held low, ready to strike if necessary. But what he found made him pause.
Two players—both naked—were entangled in each other's arms, their bodies pressed together in the shadows of the destroyed structure. Their faces were flushed, their eyes closed in a moment of shared desperation. Judex's eyes narrowed, and he took a step back, unsure whether to interrupt or leave them to their own devices.
The man was thrusting in and out of the girl, his manhood pulsating with her as she moaned over and over, kissing him at the same time. The man sucked on her breasts, rubbing her thighs at the same time, while the girl switched around and nibbled his ear, rushing him to finish.
"Ah…" The girl moaned.
"Ah.." she continued with tears in her eyes.
The man, noticing him, glanced up. His expression was a mix of exhaustion and defiance. He didn't stop what he was doing, nor did he seem ashamed. Instead, he locked eyes with Judex and spoke, his voice hoarse.
"You should leave." The man's tone was flat, devoid of emotion. "We're all gonna die anyway. Might as well enjoy it while we can."
Judex stared at him for a long moment, his mind still racing with thoughts of Aresoth, of the impending battle, of the bloodshed to come. He said nothing in response. There was nothing to say.
What could he say?
'That's…odd.'
Then he thought about Espen, and how she was all up on him. He shook his head, almost slapping himself. He didn't want to think of that right now.
Not at this moment.
One false move, it could be the end of him.
Without another word, Judex turned and walked away, his gaze fixed on the distance. The sound of the couple's breathing faded behind him as he continued his slow, painful march through the war-torn city.
Every step was a reminder of the battle still to come, every breath a reminder of the ticking clock.
Two hours.
Two hours to kill Aresoth.
Or die.
'I think I get it now..The nature of the Cairn of the Eclipsed Gods... every decision we made carries weight. Every victory, every sacrifice, every card played in those damned trials shaped the world we're in now. Shaped me. But it's not just about me anymore, is it? I can feel it—the way the past clings to everything, like a shadow that won't let go. The choices we made... they didn't just change us. They've altered reality in the eyes of the High One. It's like he making them come to pass. Could he be a god of fate or reality, life itself? All around me, I can see the impact. The blood on the ground, the hollow faces of the survivors, the twisted abominations lurking in the shadows. Everything is a consequence. And now, as we get closer to Aresoth, I can't help but wonder—how much of what's happening is because of what I did?'
'I remember from the game, when I played certain cards and made certain sacrifices. Curse of Blood and Sacrifice... I remember those trials, the ones that forced us to give up parts of ourselves. Blood. Memories. Fragments of our own souls. That type of stuff that was explained. I didn't think twice about it back then. It was just survival. But now? Now I know better. Those sacrifices are coming back to bite us. I can feel it in my bones. The ones who gave away too much... they're barely hanging on. Weaker. Diminished. I didn't let it take everything from me, but I can feel the strain. I balanced it well, but for how long? How long before Aresoth sees the cracks?'
His heart pounded, he didn't wanna die. His breathing went ragged, his hands shook at the thought of Aresoth brutally killing him.
'And then there's the Devourer's Influence…. that card. So much power, but at what cost? It was tempting, and I used it more than I should've. Now, I can see the consequences. Aresoth's soldiers—his twisted warriors—they're drawn to me. They sense the hunger, the mark the Devourer left behind. I might as well have a target painted on my back. They won't stop coming. They'll come harder, faster, because they know what I carry. They know I'm a prime target.*
'And the Martyr card...The Martyr's Legacy. I thought I could control it, use it without consequences. I sacrificed, sure, but I didn't think it would follow me here. Now, though? I gave up too much, and now I'm paying for it. Why do I feel guilty for that girl's death? I was gonna abandon everyone. I was gonna leave them to die, to save myself. Why should I even fucking care? I don't know them! Why did I even try? I made myself not like anyone, to become the one who seemed to be in control, because I didn't wanna be bullied or taken advantage of. My entire middle school life was like that, I had to change my situation. Or else I would've taken my own life. Am I really afraid of death? I'm only 19 years old, and yet…I don't even think I've really lived..'
'And then… there's the Unknown... that card. Pure chance. Pure chaos. I didn't rely on it much, but even now, the unpredictability of it hangs over me like a storm cloud. Random events—things I can't control—keep happening. A helicopter crashing into a horde of abominations, or a siege tower collapsing right when I need cover. Sometimes it helps. Sometimes it doesn't. But it's always there, lurking, waiting to throw me into madness. And I can't shake the feeling that it's going to hit harder the closer I get to Aresoth.'
'Everything we did in the game, everything I did... it's all coming back. It's all connected. And now, as I walk into the heart of this nightmare, I can't help but wonder—how much of this is my fault?'
'Because I made the choices? I just wanted to live. To survive.'
'Because I caused this war with a god?'
'And how much more of me will be left by the end?'