Naoi's fingers trembled as she shuffled through the cards in her hand, her mind swirling with a fog of confusion and disbelief. "This has to be a joke…" Her heart pounded in her chest, but she forced a grin, playing it off with her usual nonchalance. "Alright, Jester-boy," she muttered, "let's see what kind of game you're playing."
'The last thing I smoked…this is probably the after effects. Man, that's some strong shit.'
The cavern around her was dark and oppressive, the stone table cold under her hands. The cards in her grasp felt too real, too heavy.
"It's just the joint I had. Just a bad trip." She chuckled to herself, but even her own laugh felt hollow. Across the table, the shadowy figure of the Jester leaned forward, his eyes—black pits of endless shadow—gleaming with malice.
"God revealed: The Jester."
The glowing crimson letters hung in the air above him, twisting and curling like smoke. His wide, jagged grin stretched across his gaunt, pale face. His voice was a sickening mix of mockery and song. "Care to play, Naoi?"
She smirked, leaning back in her chair, trying to maintain her casual attitude. "Yeah, yeah. Let's get this over with. What's this, some kind of cosmic card game? Blood, souls, power, yadda yadda?"
The Jester's grin widened. "Oh, my dear Naoi, it's so much more than that. This is The Cairn of the Eclipsed Gods. A game of strategy. Of sacrifice. And the stakes?" His voice dropped to a whisper, low and sinister. "Well, you'll figure that out soon enough."
Naoi flicked her wrist, shuffling her cards. "Yeah, sure. Let's do this."
'I'll admit it. This is the best high I've ever gotten.'
The Jester placed his first card, The Worm, a sickly, writhing creature with low attack but insidious defense. Its stats appeared in front of Naoi's eyes, hovering in the air: 1 Attack, 5 Defense.
Naoi snorted. "That's it? A worm? Alright, easy enough." She glanced at her own hand, her fingers brushing over the cards. "I've got a few good ones here… but let's not overdo it."
She picked out her first card: White Dove with HornsIt was a strange card, a grotesque twist on a symbol of peace. But it had solid stats, and a special ability that caught her attention. 'It can counter the Worm's defense, but it'll take time to wear it down. I won't sacrifice too much yet.'
She placed the card on the table, and the dove materialized, flapping its pale wings, the sharp horns curling from its skull. Its stats hovered in the air: 3 Attack, 2 Defense.
The Jester's grin widened. "Ah, but you see, Naoi, in this game, time is your greatest enemy." He placed his next card, The Parasite, a grotesque, writhing creature that latched onto the Worm. Its ability flashed before Naoi's eyes: Each turn, The Parasite drains the life from one of her creatures, growing stronger in the process.
Naoi's stomach twisted. "Of course you'd have something like that." Her hand hovered over the cards in her hand, her mind racing. 'If I focus too much on the Parasite, I'll lose control of the board. But if I leave it alone, it'll drain my creatures dry…'
The Parasite latched onto her White Dove, its sickly tendrils wrapping around the bird's body. The stats of the Parasite changed as it drained the Dove: 2 Attack, 2 Defense.
Naoi winced as a sharp pain shot through her chest. "What the hell?!" She clutched her chest, her vision swimming. 'This is real. This is actually real…'
Naoi almost cried because of the pain, saying, "The…fuck is happening?! You kidnapped me..?"
The Jester chuckled, his voice dripping with mockery. "Oh, did I forget to mention? The pain is very real, Naoi. When your creatures suffer, so do you."
Naoi gritted her teeth, her heart racing. 'Okay…! Okay…I don't wanna die. I need to think. I can't just throw cards down. I need strategy.'
She glanced at her hand. Pure Ram. White Branch of Pure Radiance. And then, something caught her eye: a blank card, its surface smooth and featureless. What the hell is this?' She hadn't drawn it before, and something about it unnerved her.
But she didn't have time to hesitate. "Alright…I'll play the Pure Ram." She slammed the card on the table. The ram appeared, its white fur glowing faintly, its horns curling in an elegant spiral. Stats: 4 Attack, 3 Defense.
The Jester's eyes gleamed with interest. "Interesting choice. But how much will you sacrifice?"
Naoi hesitated. She could feel it—the pull. The deeper sacrifice she made, the stronger her card would become. But the cost… she could already feel the weight of it pressing down on her.
'If I give too little, the Ram will be weak, and the Parasite will drain it next. But if I give too much…'
She clenched her fists, a tear rolling down her eye, feeling the tug at her core. "Just enough.." She let go—a sliver of blood, a fragment of memory. She felt a sharp pain in her head, like something was being torn away, but she pushed through it.
'If possible..I'd make this stupid game erase so many memories…there wouldn't be any reason for me to ever smoke again. That's my escape.'
The Ram's stats shifted: 6 Attack, 4 Defense.
Naoi grinned, despite the pain. "Alright, let's see your fucking worm deal with that."
The Jester's grin faltered for a moment, but then he placed another card: The Decayed Colossus. A towering monstrosity with 6 Attack, 6 Defense, its shadow stretching across the table, casting everything in darkness.
Naoi's heart skipped a beat. 'This thing will crush me if I don't deal with it. I can't sacrifice more of myself—not yet.'
She glanced at the rest of her hand, her fingers brushing the blank card again. 'What is this?' The Jester's eyes flickered toward it, and a slow, twisted smile spread across his face. "Curious, are we?"
Naoi's gut twisted. 'This card… it's dangerous. But I might not have a choice.'
Naoi's mind raced. The Decayed Colossus loomed over her field, its massive presence threatening to destroy everything she had built. The Parasite was still attached to her Dove, leeching its life away turn by turn. She could feel her own life force draining, her vision blurring slightly with each passing second. 'I can't let this go on… but what's the right move?!'
She stared at the blank card in her hand. This could be my salvation… or my end.' Her fingers hovered over it, sweat beading on her forehead. 'I need to play it, but what will it cost me?'
With a deep breath, she slammed the blank card down. The moment it hit the table, the air around her shifted. The card's surface warped, twisting and bending as if something inside it was trying to escape. Then, with a burst of light, it revealed its form: The Mirror.
Naoi's eyes widened. 'The Mirror… it reflects the strength of the next creature I face.' She glanced at the Colossus. 'Him!'
The Jester's expression darkened slightly, his grin fading. "Ah… you've drawn the Mirror. A dangerous card, indeed."
The Jester placed his next card: Blood Golem. It had 5 Attack and 5 Defense, but the Mirror reflected its strength, creating a duplicate on Naoi's side of the board. Now, she had two powerful creatures to face the Colossus.
Naoi's heart raced. 'I have a chance now. I just need to survive for one more turn…'
But then, the Jester played his trump card: The Eclipse. A dark, swirling void emerged on the table, its presence consuming everything around it. The Eclipse will end the game in the Jester's favor after three turns unless Naoi could defeat him before then.
Her heart sunk. "Three turns… that's all I have."
She cried slowly, but she sucked it up.
'Don't cry yet..stop..it's embarrassing. I don't wanna lose…'
The Jester's grin returned, wider than before. "Three turns, Naoi. Can you handle the pressure?"
Naoi's mind was spinning. The Eclipse loomed over the battlefield, a ticking clock counting down to her inevitable demise. Her creatures were strong, but the toll on her body was growing heavier with every passing second. Blood dripped from her nose, her vision swam, and her hands shook as she drew her next card.
"I-I need to think." She glanced at the cards in her hand. White Branch of Pure Radiance. Lantern Keeper. Each card had potential, but the sacrifices required… she wasn't sure how much more she could give.
The Jester watched her, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "What's the matter, Naoi? Feeling the pressure? You remind me of a brat I had faced earlier. Forgot his name, he was insane, had the nerve to attack me."
She gritted her teeth, wiping the blood from her face. 'I can't let him win. I can't.'
She placed the White Branch of Pure Radiance on the table, feeling the pull inside her again. This time, the tug was deeper, more insistent. It wasn't just asking for blood—it wanted more. Much more.
Naoi hesitated. 'If I give too little, the Branch will crumble. But if I give too much…'
Her hands trembled as she let the pull take more. More blood. More memory. More of herself. The pain was excruciating, a burning sensation that tore through her chest, but she forced herself to stay focused.
The Branch appeared, its radiant light pushing back the darkness of the Eclipse, if only slightly. Its stats: 8 Attack, 6 Defense. Naoi gasped for breath, her vision blurring. 'I've sacrificed so much… but it's still not enough! Don't do this to me right now!'
The Jester chuckled, placing another card on the table: The High Priest of Shadows. Its ability was brutal: It sacrifices the weakest creature on the field to gain immense power.
Naoi's heart sank as the Priest turned its gaze toward her weakened Dove, still barely clinging to life. "No…" she whispered, but it was too late. The Priest consumed the Dove, its power growing exponentially. 9 Attack, 7 Defense.
Naoi screamed as the pain tore through her, blood bursting from her mouth. She collapsed onto the table, gasping for air. 'I can't… I can't take much more of this.'
The Jester's voice was soft, almost pitying. "You've been so weak, Naoi. Always hesitant. Always afraid. Always holding back."
Naoi's hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms.
"Shut up, damn stalking kidnapper hippie. Seems like you have little magic going on, and I don't stand a chance. But I will one day."
She drew her final card: Lantern Keeper. Her heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing.
But to make it work, she had to give everything.
Naoi's entire body trembled as she placed the Lantern Keeper on the table. The pull inside her was overwhelming now, an insistent demand for more—more blood, more memory, more soul. She could feel it—the cost of this card would be greater than anything she had given before.
Her fingers hovered over the card, her vision swimming.
With a deep breath, she let go. She let the pull take everything.
The pain was unbearable. It felt like her very soul was being ripped from her body, torn into pieces. Blood poured from her eyes, her ears, her mouth. She screamed, collapsing onto the table, her hands clutching her head.
"Aghhh! Come on!" She yelled.
The Lantern Keeper appeared, its light flickering weakly at first, but growing stronger, brighter. Naoi looked up, her body shaking, blood dripping from every part of her. "Come on… please, work."
The Lantern Keeper raised its light, and for a moment, the Eclipse faltered, its darkness retreating. Naoi's heart surged with hope. 'I did it… I did it..'
But then, the Jester laughed. "Is that all you have left, Naoi? How pathetic."
A small gasp came from Naoi.
'What..?'
The Eclipse surged forward, its shadow consuming the Lantern Keeper, extinguishing its light in an instant. Naoi's heart stopped as the card shattered, and a wave of darkness washed over her.
'This game…it's rigged. It's designed to see how far we would go to win…! And if we do win…it's a small chance!'
'I've always been weak..losing is no surprise to me. But I still can't get used to it. I hate it..'
She screamed, clutching her chest as the pain tore through her, her mind fracturing. She could feel it—a piece of her soul being ripped away, lost to the void.
The Jester leaned in, his cold breath brushing her ear. "You've lost, Naoi. Just as I knew you would. Haha! Pathetic!"
Naoi collapsed onto the table, her body broken, her soul fractured. The game was over, and she had lost.
Her vision swam, the darkness creeping closer. Her breath was shallow, her body wracked with pain. 'I… lost.'
The Jester crouched down, his voice a low whisper. "But don't worry, my dear. You'll have another chance. You'll regain what you lost… when you kill a god."
Naoi's eyes flickered, her lips curling into a bloody smile. "Go to hell.."
"Hell? We're already in it. You've lost, meaning I get to choose what crutch you walk away with, or if you die here."
"…Do your worst…"
"Losing a piece of your soul should do. When you try to use your new abilities, it'll hurt you to do so. Good luck! Haha!" The Jester smiled as he waved.
Naoi's body flickered and shimmered as the darkness from the card game slowly consumed her, pulling her away from the cold stone table. Her mind swirled with confusion, pain still pulsing from the missing piece of her soul. As her vision blurred, she could feel herself being stretched, torn, and then — nothing.
When her vision returned, she was standing in a vast throne room. The world around her shifted into sharp relief.
At the far end of the room, seated on a massive throne of silver and ivory, was Leie, the Goddess of Honor. Her posture was stiff, her head resting in one hand, her fingers tapping impatiently against her cheek. Her eyes — cold and sharp, like amber shards — surveyed the room with irritation. She looked down at Naoi, her lips curling slightly in disdain.
'Where am I? Why are there so many people around? People?! I have to talk to them!'
There were at least a thousand other players out there, talking amongst each other in confusion, fear, anger, and trying to stay calm.
Naoi's hand instinctively went to her side, where the pain still throbbed from the soul she lost in the game. She grunted, her body still attempting to adjust to the reality of what had happened. 'This is real. That game was real.' The weight of it hit her like a punch to the gut. As she tried to push herself to her feet, her legs buckled, and she stumbled.
'I lost that very stupid game. The worst game in the world. And because of it, losing a piece of my soul was the price…! Everything else I sacrificed during the game is back. I wonder if everyone around me played the same stupid creepy game. Seems like everyone else is as confused as me..'
Before she could fall, a hand caught her arm.
"You alright?" A smooth, gentle voice asked.
Naoi blinked, looking up in surprise. The man who had caught her was, without a doubt, the most handsome person she had ever seen. His features were sharp but soft in all the right places — high cheekbones, a strong jawline, and deep, warm brown eyes that seemed to radiate kindness. His hair was a rich chestnut, tied back neatly, and he wore a long, tailored coat with elegant embroidery that shimmered faintly in the dim light of the throne room. His smile was soft, reassuring, and his grip on her arm was firm but gentle.
"My name's Caius," he said with a warm smile. "You looked like you could use a hand."
Naoi swallowed hard, feeling her heart race. Her cheeks flushed red as she quickly stood upright, though her body still ached. 'Why am I so nervous?' She rarely felt nervous, but something about him threw her off balance.
"Th-thanks," Naoi stammered, feeling heat creep up her neck. She had never been the type to get flustered, but now her hands were shaking slightly.
"Don't mention it," Caius said, his smile widening just a little. "It's a lot to take in all at once."
Naoi blinked, trying to regain her composure. "Yeah... I think I lost a piece of myself in that game." Her voice cracked, and she cursed herself internally for sounding weak.
'Great. Embarrassing myself already.'
Caius's eyes softened in sympathy. "You're not the only one." He glanced around the room, his expression contemplative. "A lot of people here seem like they've been through hell."
Naoi followed his gaze and saw what he meant. The throne room was filled with people — hundreds, possibly thousands — all standing, sitting, or pacing in various states of shock and confusion. Some were crying, others were muttering to themselves, and a few were hitting their own faces or arms, clearly thinking they were stuck in some kind of dream. The air buzzed with fear and uncertainty.
There were even children.
"A child?!" Caius exclaimed. "How sick!"
"A child…passed the game?"
"That kid is probably dealing with some after forces. Soul power being corrupt, memories, all that extra. Who would make us go through this? Even a child?"
Naoi's thoughts raced. Her hand instinctively went to her side again, where the loss of her soul gnawed at her like a constant reminder. She bit her lip, trying to keep her composure. 'I need to focus. Keep it together.'
"But How did your game go?" Caius asked, breaking her out of her thoughts. His voice was so tender, so genuine that Naoi found herself relaxing, despite the chaos around them.
Naoi exhaled through her nose, trying to hold back a wave of frustration. "It was brutal. I thought it was just a hallucination at first, you know? Because I kinda..smoke? Don't take offense to that please. I'm not some feen. But then... I played this card game against some god or whatever, and I lost a piece of my soul. I could feel it, like... like something was tearing me apart from the inside." She grimaced, her hand still pressing against her side. "I lost. And now I'm here. Mentioned if I use whatever powers I have, it'll hurt me."
"Means it'll hurt you and your power itself, it won't have a large effect."
"Uh huh…you seem to be smart."
"I tend to try and decipher things as I see them. Don't worry, you'll get used to me."
"No, you're fine. Need someone like you around."
'This guy…he seems genuine. Pure almost.'
Caius nodded, his expression thoughtful as he took it all in. "That sounds rough. But you survived. That's something."
Naoi looked at him, feeling a strange warmth bloom in her chest. 'Why is he so nice?' She felt her heart flutter again, and she quickly averted her eyes, trying to play it cool. "Yeah... I guess."
Before she could say more, a voice interrupted them.
"Is this hell?" A gruff voice asked from nearby. Naoi turned to see Enzo, a tall man with slick black hair and sharp green eyes. His arms were covered in intricate tattoos, and his expression was one of indifference, as if the chaos around him didn't faze him in the slightest. He adjusted the cuff of his sleeve, not bothering to look at anyone directly. "Because if this is hell, I'm not impressed."
A few feet away, a young man with spiked brown hair was pacing back and forth, muttering to himself. His freckled face was twisted with anxiety, and his blue eyes darted around the room, constantly assessing every corner. Gill, Naoi realized. He looked barely 17. "I need to be ready. I need to be prepared. What's the next step? What's the next move? I can't let my guard down. Not for a second." He stopped suddenly, staring at his hands as if expecting something to happen. "What if they attack again? I need a plan. I need—"
"Relax, kid," Enzo said with a sneer. "You're gonna give yourself a heart attack. All that worrying just makes things worse. We're here, what can we do? These guys have power, can't stop anything now."
Gill shot him a paranoid glare. "You don't get it, gangster man! We need to be ready for anything! What if there's another challenge? What if—"
"Heyyy Shut up already! Wanna duel for a little to get your mind off everything? This shit is sick! A world where we have powers??," a woman's voice cut through the air. Yoh stood nearby, her dark purple eyes narrowed in frustration. Her long, braided pigtails swayed as she shifted her large hammer from one shoulder to the other. She wore weather-worn overalls and had an air of impatience about her. "All this talk about 'what ifs' is pointless. What's the challenge? I'm bored."
"Why did I have to end up with a bunch of lunatics?" Enzo muttered to himself, though not quietly enough for anyone to miss.
A soft voice spoke next, calm and sweet amidst the chaos. "Perhaps we should try to understand the situation before we argue." Raija, a woman with long red hair and a white blindfold around her eyes, stepped forward. Her movements were graceful, almost ethereal, despite her apparent blindness. "We are all here for a reason, are we not? Fighting among ourselves will not solve anything."
Naoi found herself nodding in agreement, but before she could speak, a young man with a metal arm stepped into the conversation. Seth, his braided brown hair tied back in a ponytail, grinned slyly. His mechanical arm whirred softly as he adjusted it. "You're all thinking about this the wrong way. This isn't about surviving… it's about playing the game. I've been in tough spots before." His blue eyes gleamed with cunning. "You just have to know how to play your cards right."
Naoi narrowed her eyes at Seth, feeling a strange sense of unease.
Yoh scoffed. "You talk big for a thief. I know you."
Seth shrugged. "I talk big because I know how to get out of situations like this. You don't survive in my line of work by being dumb."
"Or maybe you just got lucky," Enzo said dryly, crossing his arms.
Seth smirked. "Luck's a part of the game too."
Naoi gritted her teeth, feeling a surge of frustration rise inside her. 'This is insane. We're all stuck here, thrown into some game by gods, and these idiots are bickering about luck and plans.' She clenched her fists, the pain in her side flaring up again.
Gill said to Naoi, "Are you trying to be a part of my group? Sticking together is the ultimate game plan here. I won't take any chances."
"Ehhhh, you're wayyy to paranoid for my liking."
Enzo agreed with Naoi, "Finally someone said it."
Seth asked Enzo, "Why didn't you say it earlier then?"
"Didn't feel like it. It would've created a long conversation."
Naoi found herself agreeing, "God I hate those."
Caius, noticing her discomfort, leaned in slightly. "You okay?"
Naoi blinked, her heart racing again at his nearness. "Y-yeah," she stammered, embarrassed by how flustered she felt. "Just… processing all of this."
He gave her a soft smile. "We'll get through this. Just keep your wits about you."
As the conversations bubbled around them, a loud, irritated sigh echoed through the throne room. All eyes turned to Leie, still sitting on her throne, her chin resting in her hand as she surveyed the room with open disdain.
>Goddess revealed: Leie Of Honor<<
Those words hovered above everyone in cursive.
Naoi was shocked, saying, "I didn't even see her there..maybe she can help us!"
"Let's get this over with," she muttered, her voice laced with impatience. Her fingers drummed against the arm of her throne, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the crowd.
"Over with?" someone shouted from the crowd. "What the hell is going on?!"
Another voice followed, filled with anger. "You drag us here, force us into some twisted game, and now you want to rush things?!"
The throne room erupted into chaos, as more and more voices joined the chorus of outrage. "Is this some kind of sick joke?!" "What gives you the right—"
Leie's hand twitched, her eyes narrowing even further. But before she could respond, a shadow fell over her.
"I'll kill you all…" Leie said with a menacing smile.
Those words from her..that expression…sent shivers to everyone in the large throne room. Naoi's heart pounded.
Caius rubbed her shoulder, saying, "Calm down..they're just trying to intimidate us."
Just then The High One appeared behind Leie, his presence immediate and overwhelming. He placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice calm, yet filled with a quiet, dangerous power. "Is that irritation I hear from you, Leie?"
Leie's posture snapped straight, her previous irritation vanishing in an instant. Her lips curved into a forced smile, her voice suddenly sweet and submissive. "Of course not, my lord. I'm merely eager to begin."
The crowd fell silent, the air thick with tension. Naoi's heart pounded as she looked at the High One, her mind racing. 'Who is he? What kind of power does he have to make her—'
A voice from the crowd broke the silence. "Who the hell are you?! What are we doing here?!"
The High One turned his gaze toward the speaker, his expression unreadable. "You are here," he said slowly, his voice echoing through the room, "to kill gods. You will all be heading to Vordheim, and will kill Aresoth, the God Of War, and retrieve the eye of the mad god..from the one they call Judex."
The words hung in the air, heavy and final.