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vii

CHAPTER SEVEN
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[ NIGHT ONE ]

❝ z e r o ❞

KRRR.
screeeeech.
click, click, click.

the sounds of scraping metal is unnerving. the eight Operations still, and listen to the faraway sounds that seem to get closer and closer. Zero holds her breath, gulping as the anticipate. they cannot run, not when the it, whatever it is, is too close for comfort.

click. click. click.
screeeeeeeeeeeech.

the sound is loud now. she realizes that it is close. she tenses up, waiting.

krahhhhh

a giant scorpion appears from the right. the metal of its body glimmers in the moonlight, while its menacing barbed tail is swaying slightly, almost as if it was playing. if there had been no reflection of light, she would have missed it entirely in the dark, dark night. Zero's breath hitches. it opens its wide jaw, showing off the clockwork-like grinding inside, and roared. its breath stunk to hell, and the wind almost blew her off her feet. it came charging right at them, screaming in fury, even though they had done nothing. "tame it, Zero! tame it!" One screams at her.

but before she can reach a hand out to unleash any sort of spell or even utter a word of it, Four jumps forward, lighting his hands on fire. sweet, raging, golden flames dance on his hands, but not even a scar decorates the delicate skin. "it won't help us that way!" he shouts, but she disagrees. strongly.

if she could tame them - if - then they would have the scorpions on their side. would it not be easier for them to overcome the other obstacles?

"Four, no-"

he melts a scorpion, and turns his furious eyes to scan the surroundings. now it is too quiet. Five's words echoed my thoughts: "that was too easy." they knew that in the L.I.E. Games, the control never underestimated their own Operations. the day they did would be the day Six had energy to run and exercise.

screeeeeeeeeeeech.

krr.

krr.

karrrhhhhhhh.

Zero holds her breath, her heart pumping too loud, too fast in her rib-cage. "bring it," Four grits his teeth, the longing to kill those monsters raging with ferocity.

scorpion after scorpion floods us, and one by one they are felled by Four. they try to get him to stop, but all the boy did was brush them off or burn them away. Zero was helpless - a feeling she didn't like.

and the battle raged on.

"g- guys..."

she whips her head around, and so does the Operations around her - even Four.

One's chest is an explosion of gleaming silver that stains the black shirt that he has donned on. they could only stare in shock. protruding out of his chest was a barbed tail. 

his eyes roll to the back of his head, which now lolls around, exposing his neck. his body hangs in the grip of the scorpion.

and he fades to dust, never to be seen again.

the scorpions, whose job has been fulfilled, follow suit.

 PLAYER ONE has been eliminated   ‹