Demise Game

[TRUE END] paradoxic

That voice...  It couldn't be Shuuen's.

        Trust me on this, human.  It's in the couch cushions.

        While you were certain Shuuen wasn't above that kind of deceit, the voice felt much heavier than Shuuen's.  Centuries old, and it seeped cold over your body.

        For a moment, you deigned the thought that something else was there besides you and Shuuen; but if there was, Shuuen didn't react or notice.  Perhaps the game was playing tricks on you.

        "I get one guess?" you confirmed, and Shuuen's grin grew wider.

        "Correct."

        Shit.  This was nerve-wracking.  Your palms felt sweaty, and your heart was racing.  Everything rode on this one guess.

        That voice better be right...

        "It's in the couch cushions," you told Shuuen, feeling victorious when his smile dropped.  Then it was back in place.

        "Which one?"

        You mother—

        You froze, looking at the couch.  Was it in the left, middle, or right?

        It's between the left and middle one.

        "Between the left and middle cushion," you blurted out.  Finally, Shuuen's smile dropped all the way, and he slowly pulled the plush from the couch cushion before throwing it on the ground between you two.

        "Lucky guess."

        Not really.  Pretty sure I just cheated.

        You didn't say that though.  What Shuuen didn't know, didn't hurt him.  Besides, this meant...

        "I won," you gasped, your eyes wide.  "You have to keep up your end of the deal.  Bring them all back!"

        "I will," Shuuen snapped.  "In due time."  He cursed in that strange language you had rarely heard him speak.  "I'll need to figure out how to work this.  I'll have to start over from scratch...  fuck!"

        Something in his words had you pause.

        "Start over from scratch?"

        Shuuen gave you a lazy grin, but it didn't meet his eyes.  "What, did you think the game would stop just because you won?  That wasn't the deal, little human.  No no no, this game is far from over.  I'll have to start from the beginning, but perhaps if I try this every five years...?"  He seemed to muse over his future plans.

        This game is far from over.

        You couldn't allow it to happen any more.  What was the point in beating Shuuen if the game still continued?

        But that wasn't in your terms.  Shuuen had been very specific in saying only that those affected would be brought back.  Nowhere did he promise to never run a Demise Game again.

        That...  Had been an error on your part.

        So what could you do to stop this for good?

        "Actually," you started suddenly.  His gaze pierced into you.  He once more wasn't smiling, the look in his eyes barely concealing smoldering rage at his loss.  "What if we made a deal."

        "Oh?  A deal?"

        You wanted to back pedal, but it was too late.  "I want you to stop the game.  For good."