Chapter Text
The Entity’s voice echoed through the hall.
„Welcome, survivors. Today, the last and largest trial will be held, with four killers hunting down eight survivors.
As usual, survivors will not get to see their hunters ahead of time.
Other rules however, will be changed for this trial.
Survivors are allowed to team up and fight back by any means they can find in the trialgrounds, and killers can be eliminated from the trial by sustaining enough physical injury.
Further, there are no sacrifical hooks, gates, or hatch. Get caught by one of the killers, and you will be sent to the void instead of resurrected. Escape through one of the three exit paths, and you will be sent back to your homestead.
Lastly, the exits need not to be powered by generators, but rather bloodshed. Have six of your fellows die, by cause of your own or not, and the exits shall reveal themselves. There have been eight chambers prepared. You will now have a few moments to yourselves, before you will be sent from the chambers to the trialgrounds. Good luck.“
A concert of screams, sighs and otherwise concerned noises arose among the group of survivors.
„EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP!“ That was David. The rough, muscular male slammed his fist onto the table. „Nobody seriously expected The Entity to play a fair game with us anyway, right? So why are you all crying about it?“ „Oh I don’t know David, have you considered that we might FUCKING DIE?“ Nea jumped up from her seat. „You can be tough guy all you want, but I’d rather not get brutally murdered and sent to whatever exactly the void is, you know?“ Now David also jumped up from his seat with so much force, it fell flat on the ground. „Better die than live this hell any longer! Do you want to live in endless pain?“ „Better this life than none!“ Nea snapped back. She looked like she was ready to jump over the table and strangle David right then and there.
„Enough you guys. You can hate each other during the trial all you want, but try to not kill each other before we even begin, yeah?“ Jake had spoken. The quiet survivalist rarely said many words, but the few he spoke bore weight.
„Alright. Anyone got plans?“ Meg scanned the small gathering of survivors, looking at each of them while she leaned back in her chair. „This is the best chance we got since we are here, we should give it our all.“ Claudette slowly raised her hand. „What if we stuck together in pairs? That way we could help each other more reliably, and maybe even escape a killer once we got found?“
David snorted. „You sure that won’t just lead to you getting found even quicker?“ „You can go alone if you want, but I’m taking Ace and getting out of here“, announced Nea, placing her hand on the gamblers shoulder possessively. „Wha- why me suddenly? I haven’t even said anything yet!“ he stammered. Nea had always been a bit of an imposing figure to him, confident, capable and not afraid of anything. Hearing her want him on her team felt like when he breathed in the clown’s tonic for the first time, disorienting and confusing. The street artist bent down until their eyes were level. „Listen. If we want to get out of in one piece, we’ll need more than skills. We’re also going to need luck, and you are the luckiest person I know.“ She extended a hand towards him. „You in or out?“ When Ace met her gaze, her eyes were hard as steel. She was dead serious. He cleared his throat and shook her hand. „I’m all in. Lets do this.“ She gave a short nod. „Alright.“ Without taking another look at the table, she marched out of the room, to one of the eight chambers the entity had prepared. Ace hastily got up, stumbling after her. „Good luck!“ he shouted back at the other survivors, eager to not lose Neas lead.
David was the next one to leave the table. „Sorry fellas, but I’m rocking this on my own. Wishing y’all good luck though.“ With that, he too marched out of the room, leaving just five of them remaining.
Claudette shrieked as a hand was laid on her shoulder. „Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.“ She immediately calmed down as she recognized the deep, rumbling voice of Bill, the war veteran. „What do you say we team up too? I reckon we have more of a chance together, and if not-“ he showed a pained smile „we’ll at least not die alone.“ Claudette nodded without much hesitation. She liked Bill, he was always ready to share any advice he had, and always had an open ear for her worries. Most of the survivors were fairly amicable, but Bill perhaps was the most trustworthy among them. „Let’s do it“, she affirmed. „Let’s see our families again.“ Bill smiled. „Good luck, Meg, Jake, Dwight. Hoping for us all to escape this hellhole. Are you ready, Claudette?“ She nodded, and they marched off to their chamber.
The pair had barely left the room, when Meg spoke up again. „Well Jakey, what do you think? Fancy running with me?“ The survivalist leaned back in his chair, examining Meg with crossed arms. He knew her athletic prowess and competitive spirit, but she could get hotheaded and carried away rather easily, and it only took one slip-up here to get them both killed. Still, he figured, they were a good fit for each other. Both self-dependent fighters, confident in their abilities, they might just make it out alive. „Sounds like a plan. Let’s do our best.“ She nodded, getting up and leaving the room, intending to get some stretches in before the trial officially began, Jake soon following her.
Remaining at the table was Dwight, who had only half registered what had happened, because he had been too busy chewing his nails in terror. Realising he was the only one left, he buried his face in his hands. „Can anyone tell me what on earth I’m supposed to do now?“