Elevator Game

2nd Floor: Battle in 5 Seconds

"DON'T MOVE!" A voice yelled making them stop and look over where the voice was coming from.

They saw a girl wearing an oversized gray sweater and a short.

"What are you doing here?" the girl asked as as she made a fighting stance. "We're sorry, we just needed some place to stay in," Yuji said and raise his hand as a surrender causing for the blanket to drop.

"Or are you just the test they give?" she suspect as Yuji shakes his head multiple times. "N-no, we just arrived in this world a couple of hours ago," he answered.

"I see ..." the girl said and stood up straight and looked away trying to remember something. "The preparations are now complete," she added.

"Preparations? What do you mean?" Ethan asked as the girl looked at them. "If you guys wanna know why, come and follow me. Leave those stuff behind," she said and they looked at each other, it yook their efforts for fiding those stuff but they just nodded.

They followed the girl because of what she said, "If you guys just arrived it only means that the batch of the players are now complete," she talked.

"Batch?"

"Yes, Every week, 20 people are being transported here in this world. The only requirement is enter a building with 10 floors. They choose worthy people living in the real world to participate here in HADES," she explained and turn right.

"Our world, was called EDEN if you're here. And also divided into seven, if we have North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and Antarctica. They called our continent as Arcadia, Valhalla, Avalon, Elysium, Zion, Utopia, and Nirvana,"

" They never classified which but passing through the gates of the game venue would classify where you are from since they divided our planet on vertical order making North and South America be a same continent,"

"Is that important?" Ethan asked as the girl scoffed. "It is, one of the game I entered was about that," she said as Yuji hummed.

"But this world is only divided into 4, Ara, Katara, Anathema and Kataromai,"

"Enough of that, how many are we here?" Ethan interrupted. "Every batch should be 20 in every elevator. Only 5 would be transported in this continent, right now, were at Katara continent," she replied.

"But, we're only three when we arrived here" Yuji said as the girl laugh. "It only means that the other two is already dead," she said as they arrived in front of a*****e covered with black curtains from the inside.

"What do you mean dead?" Ethan asked as the girl stopped and looked at them. "I knew one of the player in your batch died since I've been observing the elevator for hours now,"

"The batches don't actually transport together, the actual Elevator Game usually only start when a single person enter and play the game. It is impossible for you guys to come here together since the game won't activate if you guys were in the elevator at the same time," she answered.

"Maybe Marie is one of the player, but I never knew the other one. Maybe they survived," Yuji said as the girl hummed and opened the glass door.

"Maybe or maybe not, come in" she said and went inside to lead the way. "This is my base, I have some accomplice but died in a game last week so I'm alone again," she said and took a seat in one of the sofa.

"By the way, I never had a chance to introduce myself. I'm Haven Miracle," she said.

"I'm Eugene Dwyer, this is Niethan Varville and this is Xyrylle Lenoir,"

" ... hi," Xyxy said and waved a little. "Come here, and Niethan, go grab the new blankets over there. The night here is so cold. Also the climate here is like all seasons in one day, first it's gonna be cool morning then hot noon, later a cold after noon then a winter night" Haven said as Ethan grabbed blankets and gave it to Yuji and Xyxy also getting his own.

" ... hey Haven," Xyxy called as Haven looked at her. "May I ask, when did you got here or how long have you been stuck here?" She asked.

"I'm one of the 17th batch and that is 33 weeks ago," she said.

"The last batch are the 50th week and 50th batch. I still have no idea on how many we are," she added

"What are the games exactly?" Yuji asked. "Random, fight to death, code cracking and many more. The games only appeared during night time-"

" .. how will we know?"

"Did you notice that we don't have lights? The lights here are the generator, a deceased player created. It needs battery but it doesn't work so we had to make something else which is now need water as a fuel and a rechargeable one. Electronics here doesn't work by the way, so we take all opportunities on charging the generator at the venue of the game," Haven answered.

"Are you guys friends?" Haven asked as she pointed the three of them one by one. "Yes, were classmate actually and I'm not really close to them on the other world," Yuji replied scratching his nape.

"Hm, high school?"

"Yes, Already in 11th grade. How about you?" Ethan said

"2nd year college,"

"You're an old hag-" Yuji was cut off when Haven smacked him. "Shut up brat, in case you don't know I'm a delinquent back in our world," she said as she smacked him again and again.

"Haven, it hurts! It hurts!" Yuji said making Xyxy chuckle a little.

Suddenly, a cold breeze then entered the room giving them goosebumps and chills. "That's 9 o'clock for you," Haven stated.

"Come on, let's sleep. We're safe here so no need to worry, whoever enters the room will activate the sound traps I put," she said and stood up to get the huge japanese futon and soft pillows at the shelf and lay it on the ground.

"I'll sleep beside, Uhmm .. What's your name again?" Haven asked as Xyxy just smiled. " .... Xyrylle but you can call me Xyxy in short," she said.

"I'll sleep beside Xyxy, I'll be on the side so, who'll sleep on the other side of Xyxy─" Haven was cut off when Ethan suddenly lay at the covers dragging Xyxy with him.

"Lovey-dovey," Yuji said and lay beside Ethan. "Did you guys slept together already, like in literal?" Haven asked the two. "We're basically childhood friends and whenever either of our parents are out, were sleeping on each other's house," Ethan answered.

"Let's just sleep, we never know if they will held a game tomorrow. Conserve your energy," Haven said and covered her body with a blanket.

"Good night"

"Night"

Morning came and Haven woke up first as she started on preparing foods for the youngster she's with. She just let them sleep and let them adjust on the new world they're now in.

"I hope you guys survive on your first game," she murmured staring at their faces with pity. She put her thought aside and started reading a book she saw on the bookstore of the mall.

" ... good morning," a voice greeted as she saw Xyxy sitting and rubbing her eyes. "Go wash your mouth and face and have your breakfast with me," Haven instructed as the girl nod and did what she was told to do.

Her breakfast was hot chocolate and a bread, since the food need to be reserved. "I see, they're heavy sleepers," Haven commented and pointed out the two guys sleeping.

" ... yeah, I always go to his house early in the morning to wake him up. But I guess it's to early since its still so cold as winter," Xyxy answered.

"Approximately 5 in the morning, the temperature will drop at 6," she answered.

" ... Haven, can I ask you something?" Xyxy question

ed as the lady in front of her nod. "Sure thing, what is it?" she asked back as she took a deep breath.

" ... 20 years ago, do you know what happened?" she asked as Haven lost her tracks for a second.

She regained composure and clear her throat, "Yes, Every 2 years they always held elevator game. But 20 years ago was the most memorable game for everyone here and from EDEN. A Player was able to almost c***k the game but can't. Tho, he was able to get out from here with 9 other partcipants who helped him," Haven answered.

"So basically, all we have to do is c***k the game to get out,"

The ladies almost jump because of the voice, they look back and saw Yuji and Ethan fixing the blankets, pillows and the futon.

"Good morning."

".... good morning"

"You said we have to c***k the game, but how will we do that?" Yuji asked as he put the clothes away.

"I don't know but if the head of the ten was the only one who worked by themselves, the other nine will die after going back to our world," she answered.

"I forgot, we have to find some clothes for you guys to wear after the games, mostly, we need to change every after games since most of it are killing creatures," she added.

"But we have to be careful, attackers will attack anytime."

" ... attackers? Why?"

"Elevator game's concept is to eliminate players. That is why, by eliminating others, the game that would be conducted will become less risky."

"The more the players, the more dangerous the game become. The lesser the player the lesser danger it has," Yuji concluded.

"Yes, and now that the 50th batch is done. The real game will begin. Every week, they conduct games. Here in Continent Katara, those who died in games for the last thirty-three weeks are fourteen. While thirty-one people were not able to step here because of the elevator. Plus that Marie person you encounter at the elevator yesterday."

" ... if twenty people got here every week, then each of the four continent will have two hundrend fifty players,"

"In total of one thousand people by completing twenty people for the whole fifty weeks . In this continent we're less than 200 if the first 17 weeks are counted," Ethan stated

Haven stood up and took the bat then handed it to Ethan. She later gave something to Xyxy and to Yuji. She took a medium sized metal pole as protection for her self.

"But when we encountered you, you don't have something with you," Yuji said as she smiled. "I have an electric pen," she answered.

They left the place and went back to the first floor where the wardrobe corner was located. "Go get some clothes for 7 days," she said and dragged Xyxy to the lady's section.

Xyxy took some clothes, socks and any thing girl would need. Also pads for monthly, As far as she remembered, the month's ending would be a week away.

As she roam around, she saw a hoodie. She was about to get it when someone swayed a knife making her cheeks got a scratch.

Xyxy then swayed the wooden sword she's holding driving the knife away. The person showed itself ad her eyes widen for who it was.

" ... B-ben," she called as the person smiled wickedly and attacked Xyxy again.

He was then knocked down by Yuji while Ethan checked the girl up. "So, Ben is the fifth," Yuji said.

"No," Haven spoke as the three of them looked at her. "Ben Huygens belonged at the 17th batch, he's also the one who started to kill fellow players," Haven said.

"Put him outside," Ethan ordered as Yuji nod and did it.

They then went back to the base. Haven sigh and removed the gray sweater leaving her white tank top. "You must avoid him at all cost."

" ... why?"

"He's the mastermind of the theory that killing fellow players will make the game easier. It doesn't matter if you're a comrade or not. He's just a real psychopath."

"I never knew that," Yuji commented.

"Now that you know, also maybe because his other world self is nice and normal than the orginal him from our world," Haven said then leaned at the sofa.

"On the upcoming game, avoid him and his team at all cost. They're bad news but we should also avoud the cretures such as curses, ghost, goblim, demons, ghouls, hallows and dark elves. The game releases them in the middle of nowhere."

"Could you tell us some mode detailed information?" Ethan asked as Haven grabbed a bottle of water and shrugged.

"This world HADES, like our world, has people living here. But soon left when the new king of the central continent, Anathema created the game."

"So when the people discovered the elevator game, they gound a way to escape thid world leaving the king and his followers. So the Kng decided to do the same and invited people from our universe to participate his game."

"Remember the supreme rule?"

" ... don't talk nor look back, that is, if you want to stay alive."

"Whoever die behind nor beside you, don't ever look at them or call their names. You will die automatically because of the mark that will appear on your clothes that will serve as the bomb on you body. Anything you do thay go against the rule will become the detonator of the mark. I am from Valhalla. I can't do anythig for anyone since my role for everyone is to find the safe place."

"Safe place?"

"The safe place is located on either floors of the building. In some other cases, every floor has a a safe place. The venue should have elevator and atleast a maximum of five floors and a minimum of ten. Because the safe place is an elevator."

"It's easy to find an elevat─" Ethan was cut off when Haven shook her head as a disapproval.

"The elevator will be a camouflage. It will be designed like the other room so it will take a lot of time to find it. And to stop what's happening on the building or to the floor, you should press the room number where the elevator was found."

After talking seriously, they started talking about the game but Haven told them to not over think since the game will not be held yet.

They do their own things like reading books, writing something or listening to cassette tapes.

Xyxy then lay down to sleep for her to rest her hody and mind. Being transferred to the other world to just die is unacceptable. Anyone would tremble, anyone would feel fear.

"I think Xyxy's mind can't take it all," Haven commented making Yuji and Ethan look over at Xyxy's sleeping figure.

"Even me. All this thing was appearing before us all at once," Yuji said making Ethan hum

"Besides, Xyxy is so nice that she can't even hurt a fly."

After the night pass by, morning kick in making Haven leave the teenagers behind. She has observe and look for the locations for the games.

Sunset came also the presence of Haven appeared with a serious face.

"Fammia's lights are on," she reported making Xyxy tensed up. " ... I guess they're not planning a killing game, don't they?"

"We don't know, the cruelty is so much in this world."

They left the mall and started walking to the Fammia Private Academy. They saw a lot of people, either afraid, anxious, or already accepted death. But there is a certain group of guys everyone was avoiding. Ben and his group.

Passing through the gate, a certain mark appeared on their clothes, "That's the mark of Arcadia."

Haven smiled and looked at them with begging eyes, "Please ...."

The three looked at her with a questioning look, "Please survive," she said and walked ahead.

She went to the entrance and charged the generator. The generator was enough to light the base for three days and enough to fit in a back pack.

Haven then went to the table as the trio saw a watch, she handed it to them one by one. "The time will on the watch, if five minutes was finished and we still haven't located the safe place. You need to avoid the gunner, but the five minutes will have creatures so be careful," she reminded

"Let the battle begin in 5 seconds."

" … 5"

" … 4"

" … 3"

" … 2"

" … 1"

All of them teleported into the different floors of Fammia Academy. The academy was a U shape building making the center as the assembly area. There are five floors and in every floors consist of countless rooms.

Xyxy was teleported with Haven at the 5th floor and before them was a lot of curse. Haven then dragged Xyxy away since curses started attacking other players. Haven grabbed a knife and a bat, handing the knife to Xyxy. She then swayed her bat killing the curses one by one. But their numbers were just increasing.

But then all of a sudden, a guy run beside Xyxy and then looked back. And at that moment, Xyxy witnessed how the guy beside her explode. She turned pale as she started to feel the blood and organ dripping down her face and clothes.

She even forgot to breath and was nailed on where she was standing. She forced herself not to talk nor look at the body beside her.

Xyxy was blinded with trauma, and she can't think straight. Her mind was blank as paper but dark as the night without moon and stars.

" ... I-I ... I c-can't ... I-I c-can't ..." she murmured.

Haven heard this and can see through Xyxy's mind. She knew that word very well and knew that kind of scared face. And Haven was sick to heard and see same thing over and over again. She doesn't want to lose anyone again.

"Please Xyxy, don't give up on me. I'm begging you. I can't continue losing someone after being with them in a game!"

" .. this .... t-this is too much ... I-I c-can't."

Haven took a glimpse and saw Xyxy moving her head making Haven jumped at her stopping the young girl.

"Xyxy!"