Ruby Fridays

Chapter 58: Play the Part

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N O W P L A Y I N G

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───── ❝ R U B Y F R I D A Y ' S P O V ❞ ────

║ Gregorian Calendar ║ 02 - 26 - 2027 ║

║ Friday║ (D - DAY) The Commencement of Olympia's Cup║

The ancient stone walls of the auditorium were illuminated by the flickering flames of makeshift torches, casting ominous shadows and revealing carvings of arcane words and cryptic symbols. The torches, fastened to the walls with rusty iron brackets, crackled softly as they swayed in the warm drafts that crept through the high windows. Their wavering light danced across the rows of stone benches that rise up around a massive arena floor where students sat waiting expectantly. 

At the front of the hall stood a raised dais, and upon it stood the headmistress, her figure half-concealed in the shadows. As we, the final students filed in, she began to speak, her voice low yet carrying an edge that commanded attention, "Welcome to the opening ceremony of the Olympia's Cup Games, my dear students! I am Miss Rose, the headmistress of our beloved institution. I know I don't need to remind you of the importance of the games we are about to begin. But, since the Olympia's Cup have been a cherished tradition of our academy for centuries, allow me to start the competition in the darkest way possible..."

While me and my team inched forward into the dimly lit arena hidden in the school, those words Miss Rose's ominous words echoed in our minds. The damp, musty air clung to my skin like a shroud as I scanned the space filled with players dressed in combat attire, gathering for this mysterious competition. The arena was eerily silent except for the sounds of our footsteps on the cold stone floor, and Miss Rose menacingly opening remarks.

"As you know, the games we are about to unveil are not for the faint of heart. Only those willing to leave their morality at the door will survive. I warn you now, turn back if you have any light or goodness left within you as these games will test your limits, push you to the brink of madness, and stain your soul with deeds you once thought unimaginable. Some of you will lose more than you bargained for in these games. Your hopes, your dreams, even your lives hang in the balance. So, those who wishes to drop from the game may stand up, and accept that your decision in that matter may risk your life..."

The torches lined the walls, casting long shadows that stretched across the stone floor like grasping fingers. The headmistress's voice echoed off the high ceilings as she warned of the challenges and dangers we would face in the coming days, and our possible punishment if we chose to not participate.

The air in the auditorium felt heavy and still, as if time itself had paused while the headmistress revealed the secrets of the coming year. Her red feathered dress fluttered in the warm wind that whispered through the torchlit hall, carrying with it the promise of adventure and mystery.