The days passed in tense silence for Yuki, Asahi, and Rainne. The jungle loomed around them, shadows stretching longer each day, as if marking the dwindling time. Rainne tried to stay alert, using her heightened senses to guide them through the dense forest and keep them safe from threats, but the weight of their circumstances had settled on her shoulders like a stone. She'd often find herself lost in thought, her focus slipping as she struggled to reconcile their grim reality. The possibility of needing to kill weighed heavily, especially on her, and it affected her ability to lead the way.
Yuki noticed her hesitation but didn't say anything, choosing instead to support her silently, staying close and ready to react. Asahi, ever upbeat despite their circumstances, tried to keep morale up with his usual jokes and lighthearted comments, though even he seemed to sense the strain weighing on Rainne's spirit.
Occasionally, they'd pass the remnants of camps left by other students, torn-up sleeping mats, discarded food wrappers, and even, once, a single shoe left behind. These small signs of others felt haunting, as each trace reminded them of the lives that had likely been lost or were now desperate and on the run.
With only three days left until the supply drop, the trio knew that time was against them. They were still short of the required gems, each uncollected gem a countdown ticking louder in their minds. The thought of their bracelets activating, poison sealing their fates, hovered over them like a dark cloud. Yuki's calm resolve, though tested, held steady, and he kept his focus on survival, on finding some way to meet the game's cruel demand without crossing the line of no return.
Meanwhile, Mikayla had chosen a different path. The trio's pace, the hesitation Rainne felt, and their careful planning weren't enough for her now. She had separated, striking out on her own, driven by a fierce desire for revenge. Alone, she moved quickly, relying on her instincts and her own determination to survive. She knew the risks, but they were worth it if it meant she could finally confront Nazuyami and hold her accountable. The thought of her former classmate's manipulative, deadly acts was a constant fire in her heart, fueling her each step as she braved the unknown alone.
But for Yuki and his remaining two companions, the challenge remained. They were at a crossroads, each day bringing them closer to the next supply drop, to a forced reckoning they had yet to come to terms with.
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Yuri and Axel crouched in the shadows, concealed by thick foliage as they surveyed the camp before them. Crystal's group had set up a crude but secure base, with makeshift barriers of branches and sharpened sticks encircling their camp. It was surprisingly well-organized, with several students gathered in small clusters, seemingly on high alert. A fire crackled in the middle, casting eerie, flickering shadows on their tense faces. Crystal herself stood apart, her posture commanding and self-assured as she gave quiet orders to her followers.
Yuri's sharp gaze took in every detail, watching the subtle movements and patterns in their behavior. He noted how they organized their guards and rotated their watch shifts—little clues that might reveal their abilities or weaknesses. "They're disciplined," he whispered to Axel, his voice barely audible. "That's rare here. Most groups are scattered, reckless."
Axel's usual playful expression was absent, replaced by a calculating look as he watched them with narrowed eyes. "Yeah, she's got them whipped into shape. Bet some of those guys don't even realize they're in over their heads." He smirked, his fingers crackling with a faint spark of electricity. "But it won't take much to scatter them. Just takes a little push."
"Not yet," Yuri said, placing a hand on Axel's arm. "We need information. Crystal has four gems, if what that other student said was true. If we can confirm it, she'll be a valuable target."
Axel's smirk widened, his eyes glinting with mischievous glee. "So, what's the plan? Slink in and get a feel for their 'vibe,' or are we gonna wait until they're vulnerable?"
Yuri's expression was steely. "We watch. Gather everything we can from a distance before we move. There's no telling what her ability might be, or if she's hiding anyone with a dangerous power in that camp. But when we make our move, it needs to be decisive. I want to see her crumble."
They settled into silence, watching as the camp's routines continued, unaware of the lurking threat. Yuri's mind was already calculating, weighing each possibility. Crystal's four gems meant she was dangerously close to winning or, at the very least, was holding power over other students desperate to stay alive. That kind of advantage would be a tempting reward, and taking it from her would send a message to the rest of the island that would be impossible to ignore.
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Night had settled thick and heavy around the small group's camp, its silence broken only by the faint crackling of their fire. Ryu, Marielle, and Angel had formed a tight circle around the flames, their tense gazes occasionally flicking towards the shadows that surrounded them, each of them knowing that danger could come from anywhere even within.
Nazuyami, who sat slightly apart from them, was watchful as ever, her eyes glinting in the dim light as she pretended to keep a lookout. But her gaze lingered just a little too long on each of her companions, especially on Ryu. He was the strongest among them, with his ironclad skin, but Nazuyami knew that if she played her cards right, even he would fall under her control. Her power was like a creeping poison, slow and insidious, and she had all the patience in the world.
The group had been through much together, and yet, with each passing day, an invisible wedge seemed to drive them further apart. Angel was the most vocal in her skepticism of Nazuyami, while Marielle—sweet, trusting Marielle—always tried to smooth things over. But lately, even she had grown distant, glancing at Nazuyami with a shadow of doubt. Ryu, ever the leader, held them together, but tonight, something felt different—a quiet tension lingering in the air, something unspoken yet palpable.
As they prepared to settle down for the night, Ryu offered to take the first watch, standing stoic by the fire while the others tried to get what little rest they could. But Nazuyami had other plans.
She waited until the others were lulled into an uneasy sleep, then moved quietly, a hand grazing over the bracelet on her wrist, feeling the power that thrummed within her. She closed her eyes, focusing on Ryu, sensing his pulse, his breathing. She reached out with her ability, letting it seep into his mind like a whisper.
At first, nothing happened. His iron will held fast, unyielding against her control. But then, just as she was about to pull back, she felt it—his defenses weakening, his mind beginning to bend under her influence.
Ryu's gaze grew distant, his body stiffening slightly, his fists clenched. Angel, who lay close by, noticed the shift and stirred, her eyes opening in sleepy confusion. "Ryu… are you okay?" she murmured, voice thick with drowsiness.
Nazuyami's lips curved into a subtle smile as she watched him sway, her control sinking deeper into his mind. She was careful, subtle, not enough to make him completely hers but just enough to sow chaos. She nudged his mind, urging him to distrust, to suspect, to see his friends as threats.
Angel, sensing something was wrong, sat up fully, a warning glint in her eyes. "Ryu?"
Ryu's head snapped to her, his gaze cold and strange, as though he didn't recognize her. His ironclad fists clenched at his sides, his body rigid as though he were bracing for a fight. He took a step toward Angel, his expression hardened.
Marielle woke then, blinking sleepily before realizing the tension in the air. "Ryu?" she whispered, her voice laced with concern. "What's going on?"
Nazuyami's eyes glinted with satisfaction as she watched the seeds of discord bloom before her. But Ryu fought back, his iron will clashing against her control, each step toward Angel slower, more labored.
Seeing her chance slipping away, Nazuyami acted. She shifted her control, her gaze snapping to Marielle instead, forcing her into action before anyone could react. Marielle's eyes went blank for a moment before she lurched to her feet, her face an empty, distant mask as she turned toward Angel, her fingers stretching out like claws.
Angel gasped, horrified, her gaze darting between Marielle's vacant eyes and Ryu's dazed expression. She stumbled backward, her heart pounding as she realized she was utterly alone.
"Marielle, no!" she cried, her voice pleading. But there was no recognition in Marielle's eyes, only an eerie emptiness as she reached out, her grip closing around Angel's arm with surprising force.
Ryu, seeing Marielle's attack, snapped out of his trance, shaking his head to clear Nazuyami's influence. He surged forward, grabbing Marielle's wrist, pulling her back. "Marielle, snap out of it!" he commanded, his voice sharp, desperate.
Marielle blinked, the trance fading, her wide eyes filling with horror as she realized what she had done. "Angel… I… I didn't mean…" But before she could finish, Nazuyami, now fully exposed, lunged forward with ruthless intent.
In a flash, she seized Angel, her grip vicious, her fingers digging into Angel's neck. Angel struggled, her breaths shallow, her eyes filled with a mixture of shock and betrayal. Ryu tried to intervene, his iron strength no match for Nazuyami's control over the panicked Marielle, who moved like a puppet, blocking Ryu with a blank, empty gaze.
Nazuyami tightened her hold on Angel, a cold smile playing on her lips. "Pity," she whispered. "If only you'd all listened to me from the start."
Marielle's trance faded in fragments, just in time to see Angel go still in Nazuyami's grasp, her eyes dulling as her last breath escaped. The sight broke something in Marielle, and she screamed, lunging at Nazuyami with desperation, only to be overpowered in an instant.
Nazuyami turned to Marielle, her expression one of twisted satisfaction as she prepared to end her as well. But Marielle, broken and battered, reached out with a trembling hand, offering her bracelet to Ryu.
"Take it," she choked out, her voice frail. "Please… survive."
Ryu cannot bring himself to do as taking her bracelet of her wrist means taking her breath away from her. Marielle, determined to do so, snatched the bracelet off her wrist.
Ryu, horrified and heartbroken, accepted the bracelet, his hand closing around it as Marielle's life slipped away. Nazuyami, seeing her plan unravel, realized she had little time left. She couldn't claim any gems, not tonight. With a sneer, she stepped back, leaving Ryu alone amidst the ruin of his friends.
Without a word, Nazuyami vanished into the night, her figure swallowed by shadows. Ryu knelt beside Marielle and Angel, his heart shattered, his mind reeling as he clutched Marielle's bracelet in his fist, a silent promise to remember the friends he had lost and to make sure Nazuyami would pay.
------
[Died - 23]
[Remaining Students -17]
Gem Collected Dashboard
Yuri - 6
Crystal - 4
Axel - 4
Nazuyami - 3
Takuto - 2
Unknown - 2
Ryu - 2 (new)
No Gems
Yuki
Asahi
Rainne
Mikayla
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown