Eleven's Ghost

Chapter 22: Hate The World

“Welcome, challengers!”

A voice echoed across the plains. Dahab jumped on top of the wall, a microphone floating around him. He clapped with a grin. “You’re here, as numerous as ever, answering the call of duty. You came here from across the lands to start a new journey! I clap for your courage! I clap for your resolve! I CLAP FOR YOU!”

He jumped to the ground in front of the open gate, and a floating board appeared above his head.

“This is a map of the inside of the building. The mentors of the teams and the team members will go in separate paths. This building has ten floors. The ones who will make it to the top floor within ten hours will qualify to fill out the application forms! These are the basic testing rules, and they are bound to change depending on the situation at hand. Flying is not allowed. Teleportation is not allowed. Speed buffs aren’t allowed.” He grinned. “Basically, cheating to get to the top isn’t allowed. Whoever tries to cheat will be kicked out of the building and disqualified. He will not be allowed in this building for the next ten years!” He paused. “Another thing that is not allowed is leaving the building. You cannot leave, no matter what! If you leave, you will be disqualified for five years!”

He glanced around at the contestants with a wide smile. “Now then, I counted ten thousands present here. Very well. You will split into two groups. The second group will go to the gate from behind and wait there. Don’t worry. Nobody will be allowed into the building until the second group gets to its position.”

He watched them splitting into two groups.

“The two groups will now form teams of five. This will be an activity in teams. You will be randomly placed into teams. You will recognize one another by colours that will flash over your heads every ten seconds. Gather up!”

Shams and Yayis frowned as they were placed in different teams. Yayis looked down anxiously and walked away with clenched fists. Shams looked for Malik with his eyes, but the grey-haired disappeared without leaving a trace. Shams glanced back in front of him and saw two males and two females standing in front of him. They smiled at him.

“It seems like we’re together for this round,” the first woman spoke. She had dark blue hair and a skin white as an egg shell. She bowed her head slightly. “My name is Vaga. I’m a vampire. I can manipulate blood. I’m fifty, by the way.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Fifty?!”

She nodded. “I look younger, but the body doesn’t matter for our race. We live for long, and we can control our physical age.”

He smiled awkwardly, embarrassed by his own ignorance. “I’m Shams. I can… fuse with my jinn. I’m a hu–a jinn too. I’m sixteen.”

“So small! You’re really young!”

The second girl hopped in front of him with sparkling eyes. “You’re so young!” She grinned. “My name is Louise! I’m from the merpersons race. I can’t summon anything yet, but I have my scales! I will be your tank, if needed!”

“I’m Mika,” a young man with purple hair spoke, “I can summon ghosts and skeletons. I’m from the undead race. It’s a pleasure being with you. I’m nineteen.”

“I’m Bayn,” a green-haired spoke, “I’m a dryad. I can summon any type of plant at will.”

“Now, then!” They glanced at Dahab. “After introductions, it’s time to start the game!” He stepped aside. “One last thing…”

He cleared his throat. “You can’t cheat your teammates no matter what! If you do, you will be disqualified for twenty years!”

He clapped a few times and jumped back on top of the wall.

“Three…”

Everyone got closer to the gates.

“Two…”

Torches burned at the entrance of the building.

“One…”

The contestants got in a running position.

“GO!”

They all ran inside of the building. The gates remained open.

Shams and his teammates ran up to the sixth floor and stopped to take a break. They exchanged glances.

Louise smiled, looking at them. “So… Isn’t it weird that we came across no enemies so far?”

Shams frowned. “Enemies? Won’t we just walk to the tenth floor?”

Bayn shook his head. “Is it your first time here?”

He summoned a carnivore rose that ate a fire arrow flying towards them. “It’s a PVP event, player versus player. Teams will fight amongst one another. Sirkus is very famous for events like this.”

Glancing behind, they saw another team that locked on them. Shams stared at the giant flower, terrified. “It looks… huge.”

“Don’t worry about her,” Bayn smiled at him. “She only eats humans. You should be safe.”

Shams laughed nervously and got away from the flower. He merged with Cherry and jumped skywards to cling onto the chandelier above their heads.

“Mastah!”

He blinked, hearing Cherry’s voice.

“Use Chewwy’s fire, mastah! You can cast an attack from this height and snipe or trap them!”

Shams nodded and pointed his hands in front of him. He used Cherry’s instructions, and a green circle appeared in front of him that faded within a second before anyone noticed. He blinked as a fiery belt surrounded two enemies and strapped them together. Louise charged forwards and screamed, slicing them with her scaled bare hand. She turned up to Shams and grinned, rising her thumb. He smiled and waved back.

By the time he jumped back down, the rest of the enemy team was annihilated.

“In case you’re wondering, this wasn’t real damage. They’re simple disqualified. They will be teleported out of the building in a bit.”

“Were they too weak, or were we too strong?”

“Who knows…” Mika walked ahead.

Vaga gazed at Shams, walking behind him in silence.

They reached the ninth floor after facing two hundred teams. The floor was dark, hardly any lighting was around. Bayn summoned a flower that shined, illuminating the entire corridor. Louise sat down with a sigh. “You’re a good soul, Bayn! Always looking after us.”

Bayn grinned. “I’m glad you appreciate my work.”

Mika moved his gaze to Vaga and then to Shams. He walked towards him. “Hold out your hand, Shams.”

Shams nodded and gave him his hand. Mika stared at it without touching it, and he poked his forehead next. “This is all I needed to do.”

“Whaa?” Shams touched his forehead. “What did you doooo?”

“That’s none of your concern.” Mika looked away from him and sat down to rest.

Vaga then held his hand and dragged him away. “Come with me.”

Shams blinked and nodded. Mika then opened his eyes wide, and they were shining purple. “I have an announcement.”

They all glanced at him.

“Shams is human.”

Louise’s gaze softened. “Sure! I knew from the start!”

Bayn nodded. “My flower told me.”

Mika looked away and shut his eyelids. “Vaga will suck him dry.”

“But you put a mark over him, didn’t you?” Louise smiled slyly. “Even though what she’s about to do is–”

Their eyes widened, hearing Shams screaming in pain. They exchanged glances and followed the trail Mika left behind. They saw blood on the floor as they moved forward. They stopped, seeing Vaga holding a lifeless Shams in her arms, tilting his head backwards and digging her fangs into his neck.

Louise stared at her with round eyes. Her green hair went darker as her scales thickened. “I will kill you.”

“Wait!” Bayn frowned. “Why didn’t Dahab show up?! He was supposed to disqualify her as soon as she bit him! She killed him… and nobody… nobody showed up?! She should get a twenty years penalty!”

“You were wrong, dad.”

They frowned and glanced behind to see Yayis and his teammates walking towards them. Yayis has an ice-cold look on his face. “Humans aren’t the ones to hate.”

A red fire wave burst from his body. Vaga gasped as it ate her skin.

“It’s the entire world.”