The Night Awaits

Chapter 5 (Buried Alive)

"Awww hell no. In the name of the Lord, I banish you, demon!" Shalom screamed as she made a cross sign with her fingers. The guests were panicking around and not knowing what to do. "People are walking outside?" Keiona asked in confusion. "Keiona you blind, those aren't people! Those are literal walking skeletons." Nadhira joked. Satya realized that the recent key they got has a skeleton shaped pendant attached to it. After he took it off, an army of skeletons barged in the lounge. The group managed to dodge and outrun the army's grasp and finally arrived in the Greek Exhibit.

Bertrand's Confessional: I was fangirling the moment I saw statues of Greek Gods and Goddesses. Honey, I've been playing Smite for years. I was born for this moment.

"Look, the pendant matches this symbol on the chest. Try sticking it on." Rafa inspected. Satya stuck the pendant on the chest and it opened. Inside is a bunch of stone slabs with names sculptured on them and a scroll. "The names of the Greek gods have been forgotten." Nashira read. Bertrand excitedly took the stones and correctly put them on each God's foot in less than a minute. Once he was done, a random square-shaped thing jutted in. Bertrand's first instinct was to stick his hand into the hollowed thing and immediately an unknown entity grabbed his hands to the point where he can't stick out anymore. He then began screaming in fear of losing his whole arm.

Leonna's Confessional: I know Bertrand is very smart, but he lacks common sense. I mean, who sticks their hand into hollowed place?

Then, a statue fell and shattered into pieces, revealing a note. "Once all 5 statues are shattered, a thick field of poison gas will fill the room, eliminating those who breathe in. Start by balancing the scales of the Goddess of Equilibrium." Phillip read in panic. "Adrestia is the Goddess of Balance and if I remember correctly, there's a scale below her!" Bertrand shouted. The group ran to Adrestia's statue and saw 3 scales. One had 3 coins on one side. On the other scale has a symbol of fruits on it. Bertrand told them that Persephone is holding a pomegranate. Keiona ran and took it before another statue fell. Once the scale is balanced, the group went to another scale which has a compass on them. At this rate, they have decided that the best way to do it is to find everything that can perfectly balance the scale. With only 2 shattered statues, the group finished balancing the scale and Bertrand's hand is freed from the hole. "You guys, I have a diamond ring!" he exclaimed in excitement. He also received a scroll tied with a rosary. "The maiden of the night has secrets deeper than life," it said. He leads the group to Nyx's statue to investigate it. After a while of looking, the group couldn't find anything related to secrets so Gazel decided to smash the statue. Inside it has a triangular pyramid with an eye artifact. They brought it back to the lounge to think about what to do with it. "We have a rosary and an artifact. What now?" Kenzie asked. Turo realized that one of the painting is tilted. Then, he took it off and behind it revealed an ancient Greek Tablet. "A mortal soul must be traded with one who belongs in the underworld. All will be unveiled once the ritual is done. To begin the descensum ritual, the artifact of Argus must be tied 6 times with a rosary. The holder of the artifact must be circled by soul sands and chant the magic words. The wearer of the jeweled ring is forbidden to enter the realm of darkness. The sands can only be obtained by defeating an undead entity summoned by thee. The magic words are written behind this tablet." Turo read. "How do we kill those things? They're armed with swords and bows. One step outside and we're dead." Nashira asked. "Wait, try putting the tablet back where it belongs but backward," Phillip said. Turo put the tablet back and something even bigger opened like a mini door. Inside is a musket and a smoke bomb. The Mobster volunteered himself to do something bigger and took the gun before leaving the lounge. Once outside, he rolled the bomb and thick gas released to the air, covering the sight of the skeletons. He rose his musket and shot a skeleton through its head. The skeleton dropped dead and turned into ashes. He gathered the ashes and returned to the lounge. He walked through the lounge feeling proud of himself.

Then, the group gathered the ashes and circled the artifact. "We need someone to do the bidding." Satya declared. "I can't do it since I own this beautiful ring." Bertrand sassed. "Ken, come one, prove yourself useful for once." Phillip assented.

Kenzie's Confessional: I thought Phillip and I were friends! Someone here enjoys the taste of betrayal. I got fake people showing fake friendship to me.

Kenzie felt forced to agree but he did it anyway. Turo took back the tablet for Kenzie to read. "Awaken all within this room be it alive or dead come now for the time is at hand. Awakened not for doom or gloom but to help those in need. This spell I cast in desperation this last resort must be taken. Awaken all and help me now for I am willed to trade my soul for thee." Kenzie chanted as he tied the artifact with the rosary. The gloomy night started to be covered with thick dark fog as demonic laughter can be heard from afar. After a few moments of silence, Kenzie's eyes were fully black and was crying blood. "I was the scion house of Illyria and I dedicated my life to Hades for power. However, my loyalty to him made me corrupted with an evil incantation. He made me become his slave in the underworld. Free me for I have his key." Kenzie said with a demonic tone to his voice. The thick fog slowly disappeared as Kenzie slowly started to regain himself.

Phillip's Confessional: What. The. Shit.

"Oh my gosh, that's the most terrifying moment of my life. I hate you all for putting me into this." Kenzie stammered in fear. "So what happened to you?" Alya asked. "I became this slave woman and I saw a skeletal king sitting on a throne with his sword. Everything around me was just people being tortured in many ways. Burned alive, demons eating people alive, pulling their intestines, gouging their eyeballs out, etc. Around my neck was the jeweled key. All of a sudden a woman's voice spoke in my head saying; "We don't have much time. You must find me in the yard, Gambler." The group then left the lounge and went back to the yard, the place where Jihad died. "There's a red X!" Rafa pointed. The men took the shovel and dug the X zone. Deep down in the sands unveiled a coffin. They brought it up and opened it. Surprisingly, there was nothing in there but a note. "One of you must be voted to be buried alive." Shalom read in fear. They looked to each other before splitting into groups to discuss who deserves to die. "I think it's either Kenzie or Turo since they both haven't done anything," Nashira whispered to the girls.

Kenzie's Confessional: The boys decided to vote on Alya since she was being mean but I go my ways and decided to vote Phillip in. He wanted me possessed!

After each one picked a card and gave it to Maximus, he shuffled the card and picked a name. "Kenzie," he said as he pointed to the person. Kenzie cried in fear as he tried to run off but unfortunately was caught by Phillip and Gazel. The two strong men carried Kenzie to the coffin as he begged for his life. Once he was in the coffin, Satya closed it and locked it. The men brought the coffin back into the hole. They can still hear his scream and cries were muffled. They all gathered the sands and covered the coffin. After a while, Kenzie stopped screaming which means he is dead. A portal appeared behind them and a lady wearing an ivory-purple dress and a purple mask walked through it, bringing a key. "I am Diana, scion house of Illyria. Using the magic of descensum, Hades was underpowered and is defeated by his slaves back in hell. You have given me a second chance in life and for that, I owe you mine. I shall guide you until the end of time. I hope this key can help you in some ways." she introduced herself. The group mourned for Kenzie's death but they must head-on if they all want to live. They made it back to the lounge and inserted the key into the box. "5 more keys, you guys!" Nashira exclaimed. "Which means 5 more people are gonna die," Rafa replied.