In a mesmerizing circus where the boundaries between reality and illusion blur, Dex becomes entangled in a deadly game that only allows one victor to survive. With each step through the dazzling tents and enchanting attractions, he discovers that th...
Just a little ticket can send a person on a rollercoaster of events, but in the end, they are no longer the same as they were at the beginning.
Dex and Niko stood before a popcorn stand, which was more like a snack booth. There were relatively attractive women with blonde hair and blood-red lips running it. They all looked somewhat identical, smiling at everyone with glistening white teeth. They wore violet uniforms with long black pants.
"What would you like?" suddenly, a deep voice inquired in front of them. It was a man with long blonde hair, tied into a ponytail. He had long rabbit ears, one of which was severed and bound with a bandage. He wore the same uniform as the women but was much more muscular, and scars were visible all over his body. He also had dark circles under his eyes.
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Dex had to admit he would have preferred one of the women to serve them, but it didn't seem to bother Niko. "One popcorn and two colas, please," Niko ordered. The guy nodded and handed them their order.
Before the man could state the cost, Niko asked, "What do you do for a living?" The man and Dex looked at him with confusion. "Niko, you don't ask that kind of stuff," his friend muttered to him, but Niko just shrugged. "I work backstage," the man explained, "moving stuff around, if you catch my drift." Niko nodded, then asked, "How's the new director?" without really thinking. The man's face darkened significantly. "7.20," he replied with an annoyed tone. Niko twitched slightly and quickly handed him the money. They both grabbed their food and left.
"Man, we didn't even say goodbye," Niko mumbled as they sat at a table. "Are you out of your mind, Niko!? You don't ask those kinds of things," Dex scolded. "I didn't know he'd react like that. I thought he wouldn't understand me anyway because I thought he was from a different country. But he didn't have an accent," Niko tried to defend himself. Dex slapped his hand to his face and sighed, "Just don't do that again..."
"Are you enjoying it here?" someone suddenly said, and both Dex and Niko jumped in surprise. It was a man with blue hair and a dark top hat. The hat had a red ribbon with what looked like a plastic eyeball attached to it. His skin was entirely white, and his eyes were red with a dark cross in the center. Brown horns protruded from his hair, giving him a somewhat goat-like appearance.
Dex stared at him for a moment, clearly taken aback, but then he nodded nervously and said, "Yes, it's bigger than I thought," with a forced chuckle. Niko, without thinking, blurted out, "Are you the director?" The man smiled warmly and replied, "Indeed. You must be from Redwood High. It's wonderful to have such talented students here." Dex scratched his head, thinking to himself that not everyone at Redwood High was necessarily talented.
Redwood High was a renowned school, praised for its diverse student body and its commitment to excellence in learning.
"Casper, the new director. I'm planning a game after the show, and when I saw you two, I thought you might be interested," he said, pulling two violet papers from his pants pocket. They resembled tickets you'd get at a movie theater. "What kind of game?" Niko asked curiously. Casper smiled broadly and replied, "One that will change your lives." He seemed momentarily mischievous, but his expression quickly shifted. "Hmm... it sounded better in front of the mirror." Niko chuckled, but Dex continued to eye the man suspiciously.
"After the show, you'll receive a paper with a list of items to collect. You'll have the entire night. During your search, my staff will try to 'catch' you. If you're caught, you're out. The winner gets one wish granted," Casper explained. "Exciting!" Niko exclaimed, eagerly taking one of the tickets. Dex still regarded the man suspiciously. One wish? Was he so wealthy that he could buy anything Dex wanted?
"But you don't have to participate," Casper said. "It's your choice." "But the teacher won't let us stay here all night," Dex pointed out. "Oh, don't worry about that. I'll take care of it," Casper grinned even wider than before.
"Please, Dex," Niko pleaded, giving him puppy-dog eyes. Dex sighed and took the last ticket. Casper looked at them both satisfactorily. "Then I'll see you at the show," he smiled and walked away. Dex continued to stare at the ticket, feeling like he might have made a mistake.
Then, finally, it was showtime.
Dex and Niko sat eagerly in their seats, ready for the show to begin. The room was enormous, with rows of seats extending high up, and in the center, a stage covered by curtains that concealed an entrance for the performers. Colorful lights illuminated the space, and music filled the air.
Dex's class was seated in the middle of the audience. As the lights and music dimmed, he could feel Niko squirming with excitement beside him. Suddenly, loud music blared, and the curtains parted.
A graceful, slender lady with brown hair tied in a bun and wearing a green dress stepped onto the stage. Her skin was incredibly pale, almost doll-like. More performers followed her, all of them having the same ghostly complexion.
These were the acrobats, showcasing astonishing and seemingly perilous feats that had the audience on the edge of their seats. The spectators erupted in applause as the so-called "Flying People" took the stage, and the brown-haired woman was among them. She, along with two other men, stood high above the ground. One of them held onto a pole suspended from the ceiling and swung around.
Suddenly, the woman leaped from her perch, grabbed the approaching pole, and swung herself back into the air. Her movements were so elegant it seemed like she was flying. Just before she hit the ground, the other man caught her and tossed her back to the pole. This breathtaking performance left the audience in stunned silence, their eyes fixed on the flying people. When they finished, they received thunderous applause, and Dex could see the wide grin on the woman's face.
Next, the blond man from the food stand emerged onto the stage. "Didn't he say he only worked behind the scenes?" Niko asked Dex, but his friend just shrugged in response. Behind him, a young man with dark hair wheeled out a table with sharp tools on it. Dex could hear the audience gasping in shock, and he was equally curious about what was going to happen. The dark-haired man picked up two axes from the table and tossed them to the blond man, who caught them effortlessly and began juggling them.
Dex watched with bated breath as the man expertly juggled these dangerous, sharp objects. After a while, his assistant added more items to the mix, including knives, scissors, and even a tiny pin. With a serious expression, the man continued his juggling act. It looked deceptively easy to Dex, but he knew the man was concealing the effort and perhaps his fear. Finally, the man caught all the objects in both hands, and the pin landed in his mouth. The audience erupted in applause.
But that wasn't the end.
Suddenly, two more assistants pushed a violet and white wheel onto the stage from behind. Additionally, the brown-haired woman from earlier appeared and was attached to the wheel.
"OMG! They're not going to do what I think they are, are they?" Niko exclaimed, leaving Dex initially confused, but he soon understood as the wheel began to turn. The blond man with rabbit ears positioned himself in front of the wheel and aimed an axe at it.
The entire tent fell silent as everyone watched the wheel in suspense. Then, he threw the first axe at the wheel, creating a loud noise as it struck. Without hesitation, he took the second axe and hurled it at the wheel, following immediately with the third and final one.
As the wheel slowed down, Dex held his breath. The brown-haired boy let out a relieved sigh when he saw that the woman was unharmed. It would have been too ridiculous for the director, he thought. When he glanced back at the blond men, he felt a shiver run down his spine. The man was staring directly at him, wearing the same annoyed expression. Dex swallowed hard but ignored the gaze; maybe he was still upset about Niko.
