He's gone, isn't he? BOOK 1 - Espressleine - EspressoxMadeleine

The Process of Elimination.

"Buzz!.. Buzz!.. Buzz!.."

The rapid buzzing noise rang 3 times, before the doors opened and guards with guns exited in a proper format. Cookies rushed out of their slumber, some got off the floor and the crowded group formed once more. Espresso had also arised from his slumber during his time, wiping the small crust that formed on his eyes whilst he slept and placed his glasses back on. He wasn't as rushed as everyone else, since he just woke up he didn't really understand what was happening quite yet.

The Guards took note of when everyone finally gathered in the big group, the guard wearing the square mask was not carrying a gun. But that guard was the one that spoke, in a disguised monotone voice that sounded the same as every other guard standing beside them.

"If you are standing here that means you survived the first game. Congratulations, you will be moving on. I will now announce the results of the first game." The square guard spoke, sounding more robotic than human. But you could say that about any other guard that stood among the rest. They were like robots, or even puppets that pulled their own strings. Well, nobody quite knew yet that they were actually having their strings pulled by a higher authority, a host.

The Intermission sign turned to numbers, and it started off with 456. After the guard spoke, it took a moment for the numbers to start decreasing. But when they began, it seemed like it was taking forever for those numbers to stop dying down. But as they went lower, the faster it went so it of course did stop eventually. The number it stopped at was 201, which everyone already assumed was the amount of players left. This made the Paladin's stomach twist, but the guard wasn't finished speaking their announcement quite yet.

"Out of 456 players, in the first game a total of 255 were eliminated. Meaning 201 players successfully completed the game." The Guard spoke, after you could hear small gasps and whisperes echo throughout the crowd for a pure moment.

"Please! Don't do this sir! Please, its too cruel!" A light blue haired woman shouted, running out and getting on her knees as she cried. "Don't kill us off! Everyone here just wanted some cash, please look past our greed nobody here deserves this!" The woman continued to cry, begging to be spared. Other cookies from the crowd eventually joined her, falling to their knees and begging.

Since some people were temporarily on the floor, Espresso was able to skim his eyes through the crowd and pinpoint Latte and Madeleine. He swiftly and quietly moved over to the two, who were observing the conversation between the begging cookies and the higher authority guard. Madeleine was crossing his arms, a bit enraged at the way the Square Guard was making this whole deal seem like just a game but he would of course wait longer so he didn't loose his temper.

"I think there has been a misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the games. These games were set up as an opportunity for some to climb their ways out of a whole of shame, we have no intention of harming you. Everything in this establishment is simply just a game." The Square guard spoke, reassuring practically everybody but Madeleine. The begging people shut up when the divine paladin began to yell above the crowd.

"JUST A GAME?! INNOCENT LIVES WERE STOLEN ON THE FIELD! YOU MAKE US PLAY A GAME, AND YOU SHOOT US FOR FAILING?! THIS IS A HELLHOLE!" Madeleine yelled, he normally was a calm-honorable cookie that was devoted to the divine. But everything happening in this unknown establishment went against absolutely everything he believed and honored in. It was a slaughterhouse, and everyone here was being played like a silly game. He felt strongly about this, and he didn't want to let the mastermind of these games get off the hook with it so easily!

"The people who passed only were eliminated for not following the rules of the game. We assure you, harm does not need to be involved. But if you break the rules of the game you will be eliminated, follow the rules and you'll leave with a bountiful cash prize." The Guards spoke again, trying not to sound annoyed. The entities seemed at peace with the concept of dying so easily in the game, maybe that was what made everything a tad more horrifying. These beings had zero sign of remorse in their voices, or regret, or hesitation. They'd kill who disobeyed the game rules, and that was it.