Ruby Fridays

Chapter 59: Labyrinth of Woe

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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║

"Now, go, my dears... and may the darkest hearts win!"

Those were the remnants of the headmistress words in my ear. Echoing like distant thunder through the corridors of my mind, a call to action for those of us with ambitions beyond what society deems acceptable.

The headmistress words continued to echo, a haunting refrain beckoning me into the darkness beyond. And with a determined smile spreading across my face, I stepped forward into the daylight, ready to claim my place among the darkest hearts.

"This is gonna be hell for me, I am certainly sure," I muttered under my breath as I glide my orbs to the forest arena spread out before me, a vast maze of dense trees and thick undergrowth. The bright sun shone down on the forest, its rows of tall trees stretched as far as the eye could see, their leafy branches casting dappled shadows on the uneven ground.

The thought that somewhere within this maze lays dark challenges, the ones I had to face dire as I tried to to find and win the Olympia's Cup fills me up. But strangely, it did not chill me to the bone as it once might have. Instead, I felt a strange thrill course through my veins, the intoxicating promise of freedom and glory just beyond my grasp.

With my plan of trudging onto the unknown path set in my mind, I took my first step forward. The darkness swallowed me up as I walked further into the opening of the maze, the walls towering high above. Every twist and turn brought more uncertainty, more ominous possibilities of what awaited me.

I marched on resolute, determined to see this through to the end, no matter the cost. The challenges would test my limits, push me to my breaking point. But I would not yield. I would find the Cup and claim my prize, or perish in the trying. The thought filled me with grim satisfaction, a dark joy at facing the unknown horrors head on. So, I walked into the shadows with my head held high, ready to meet my destiny, whatever form it may take. The stillness of the air sent an uneasy feeling down my spine.

Striding my feet forward little by little, and walking for several minutes, I then momentarily paused realizing the shoelaces of my brown combat boots are untied. I bent down to tie the knot, my eyes peering through the tall grass and sinister trees lining the path ahead.

As I did so, without warning, my wristband buzzed and a jolt of electricity shot through my arm, causing me to cry out in pain and surprise, "What the hell?!" I curse roughly as I fell back onto the damp earth, clutching my wrist as the shock swarm through every veins in my body.

The wristband at that moment, reminded me of the wretched place I really wanted to escaped from, as if they had activated this device to torture us remotely. Someone, or something, was monitoring my every move and had the power to electrocute me at any moment.