NOVEL WEB Chapter 6: Chapter 5: The First Trial
My heart raced as I stared at the giants towering above us, their emotionless gazes making it impossible to discern their intentions. The corpse of the man who had collapsed moments earlier still lay on the cold stone floor, his blood forming a stark crimson pool. My breath hitched. The giants showed no urgency, no remorse, just strange, detached indifference.
The leader, his armor gleaming with faint alien runes that pulsed like dying embers, glanced at us briefly before turning to one of his subordinates. "No one else. Take that away."
The other giant stepped forward without hesitation, hoisting the lifeless body as easily as one might lift a sack of grain. The same giant picked up the box of larvae and carried it out of the chamber.
One by one, the giants began to leave, their thunderous footsteps echoing as they exited through the towering doors. Only the leader remained, his menacing presence making the air feel heavier.
He stood silently, his piercing gaze sweeping over us. Then, with a single nod, he turned and left without another word, the doors slamming shut behind him.
"Bunch of illiterates," I muttered under my breath, frustration bubbling beneath my unease. Not even an explanation, nothing.
The silence that followed was oppressive, broken only by the shuffling of chained feet and whispered conversations. Some prisoners sank to the floor in exhaustion; others huddled in small groups, their eyes darting nervously around the vast chamber.
I scanned the room, searching for a corner where Celia and I could rest undisturbed. The chamber was cavernous, its walls, mixed with metal and stones etched with strange, looping patterns that seemed to shift when I wasn't looking directly at them. Finally, I spotted a secluded spot near the edge of the room, partially obscured by a jagged pillar.
"Over there," I whispered to Celia, motioning toward the spot.
She nodded, her face pale. Together, we shuffled to the corner and sat down, leaning against the cold, unyielding wall.
For a moment, neither of us spoke. The weight of our situation hung heavy in the air. I could feel Celia's tension beside me, her breathing steady but shallow.
"What do you think will happen to us now?" she asked softly, her voice laced with quiet despair.
I hesitated, unsure of what to say. "I don't know," I admitted. "But for now, we're safe. I hope."
"Hope, huh?" she repeated, a faint sadness in her tone.
Her expression made my chest ache. She looked so fragile in that moment. I couldn't let her sink further into despair.
Spotting a small stone on the ground, an idea sparked. I grabbed it and scooted closer to her.
"Hey," I said, holding the stone in my closed hands. "Which hand is it in?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Do you think I'm still a kid?"
"Come on, it's just a game. Humor me," I said with a small smile.
She sighed but sat up straighter. Reluctantly, she tapped my right hand.
I opened it.... empty.
A smirk crept across my face. "You lose."
Her eyes narrowed in mock suspicion, and she quickly pried open my left hand. It was empty too.
She gasped. "You liar!" she said, laughter bubbling in her voice as she lunged at me, checking behind my back.
There it was, tucked between the folds of my shirt.
"Aha!" she exclaimed, holding it triumphantly. "I knew you couldn't be trusted!"
She settled back down beside me, still smiling. Her earlier sadness had faded, replaced by a faint spark of joy.
Cheering up, successful.
The moment of levity was short-lived.
The ground beneath us began to tremble violently. A low, guttural rumble filled the chamber as cracks spread across the metallic stone floor, oozing thick, red liquid that glowed faintly in the dim light.
Blood.
It surged upward like a tide, cold and viscous, quickly rising past our ankles. Panic erupted around us. Some of the prisoners screamed, clawing at the massive doors, while others stumbled and fell, unable to keep their footing.
"Grab my hand!" I shouted to Celia.
She didn't hesitate, clutching my hand tightly as the blood rose higher, reaching our waists, our chests. It was suffocating, the metallic stench overwhelming my senses.
And then, it consumed us entirely.
The world went black.
Moments..... or was it hours? passed in darkness. I couldn't feel, couldn't breathe. It was as though I had ceased to exist.
Then, suddenly, consciousness returned, flooding my senses like a tidal wave.
I gasped, bolting upright, the phantom weight of the blood still clinging to my skin. My heart pounded wildly as I looked down and saw Celia's hand still gripping mine. Relief washed over me.
"Celia," I whispered, shaking her gently.
Her eyes fluttered open, confusion clouding her face. Before I could say anything, a glowing screen materialized before me, its luminescent letters burning into the air:
[Registration Complete]
[##0924##]
"0924," I muttered, my voice shaky. "Is that… my number?"
As I stared at the screen, trying to make sense of it, Celia's own screen appeared before her. Her eyes widened as she read the glowing text.
Before either of us could react, the screen shifted.
[First Trial Is About To Begin]
My stomach dropped.
"What does that mean?" I whispered, sweat trickling down my back.
"Agon…" Celia's voice was trembling. "Look at where we are."
I turned, and my breath caught in my throat.
We were no longer in the chamber.
The ground beneath us was muddy, lined with veins of pulsing crimson, as though it were alive. A massive, bloody river stretched endlessly through the land, its surface swirling with oily patterns of black and red. On either side of the river, enormous stone snake statues arched across the water, their sculpted bodies coiled in elegant yet menacing patterns. Their eyes glowed faintly with an unnatural orange light, casting an eerie reflection onto the river's surface.
The sky above was heavy with swirling clouds of sickly grey and deep red, their restless movement creating a dizzying, chaotic backdrop. Distant deformed mountains jutted up like jagged teeth, their peaks alight with a dull, flickering glow that seemed to pulse in time with the river below.
This was no ordinary place.
We were in another planet.
A desolate one...