Once upon a time, the realms of Chance and Men lived in peace and harmony. The balance of the worlds was perfect. Unfortunately, the thirst for power and magic is an inevitable poison, as insatiable as the noble families of chance. Their thirst led...
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Chapter 20
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"Dear players," the annoying voice interrupts the whispers, and everyone turns towards the game master. He is seated on a crescent-shaped statue, mocking us with his gaze. "Welcome to this fabulous, unique trial, specially designed for you!" he speaks as if he's offering us a gift, a poisoned gift. I swallow an acidic saliva and approach Killian and Philippe. Only the three of us remain. Where are Xavier and Elise? Does their disappearance have a connection to last night's discussion?
"The rules remain similar to traditional games. Survive to continue on your path towards the promise of your desires, Perish and finally find eternal sleep, Win, and you will be rewarded."
Silence greets this declaration, and the masked man continues:
"Beware of appearances, my children, for the worst among them are often the sweetest.
Jump, jump, jump, venture into the woods.
But beware your fingers, Beware your legs, Beware yourself, If your gaze drowns in their red eyes, without a sound, run away.
To conquer, seize the red flag, To survive, follow the other path."
"Without making a sound," I whisper quietly for only my friends to hear. I feel their sideways glances, but they make no comment.
A red mist surrounds the statue and the man, and when it dissipates, both have disappeared.
For a moment, nothing happens. Everyone is on high alert, and I tightly hold Killian's hand in mine. We slowly descend the staircase leading to the garden, and upon reaching the bottom, we are stopped by strange creatures. Initially, I think they are humans wearing rabbit masks, but to my horror, I realize that reality is worse than that. Despite their humanoid bodies, dressed entirely in white three-piece suits, their faces are those of oversized rabbits. Their blood-red eyes are motionless, and their hands with pointed nails hold bloodstained axes.
No one dares to move, and a voice from the sky declares, "Let the game begin!" The rabbits suddenly line up, and I notice their ears perk up and their eyes seem to search for something. They don't seem to notice us.
I observe that at the end of the field, there is a path on one side and the forest on the other. According to Philippe's map, we should go to the right, towards the Prince's castle and the finish line. "To conquer, seize the flag, to survive, follow the other path."
Based on the clue, it's obvious that we should head towards the forest. However, according to the map, it leads to a dead end with cliffs. I sense that Killian is about to move, so I grab his hand and signal him to stay silent. He nods, and the two of them remain motionless on either side of me.
On the other hand, the other players start moving forward, and suddenly, one of them starts running, soon followed by the rest, all running towards the path. Immediately, the rabbits go on the hunt, drawn by the sound of their footsteps in the grass and their frantic breathing. I don't budge an inch. And nothing happens. I was right, the rabbits can't see us, only hear us.
Killian smiles with relief, and Philippe's shoulders relax. The speed of the rabbits is terrifying, and soon, they catch up to the players. I watch in horror as one of them pounces on a woman's shoulders and brutally tears off her head with its teeth. I cover my mouth, feeling nauseous, and avert my eyes from the scene.
I look at my friends, and I know they understand what I'm telling them with my gaze.
It's time to put an end to these games once and for all.
