❦ℂ𝕒𝕘𝕖𝕕 - ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣 𝕩 𝕋ℙℕ❦

«24 - Forbidden Game»

This is a secret hunting reserve." The boy says.
"A secret... hunting reserve?" I ask, getting used to the loud music.

"Is this another plantation? Or maybe they're the ones called 'Poachers'..." Emma speculates.

"I knew it, you aren't like them. You know about the plantations, about the monsters."

"Wait, there are others here? And how come they don't know about the plantations? Weren't they taken by the demons after escaping?" I add, confused as to why the other kids here wouldn't know about the plantations.

"You, me... all the kids here... The only reason we're alive is for the purpose of hunting. The farms don't know about this place. It's like a hidden playground." He ignores my question.

And hunting? One of rules for the promise was, 'Demons shan't hunt humans'. No wonder they kept this place hidden.

Does that mean Minerva is just leading escapees to this hunting ground for demons who thirst for the old days? No, that wouldn't make sense.

Minerva is a human, right? I mean, maybe when he disappeared, demons found this place and decided to use it for a Forbidden Game.

It's not all hard to find and for demons, not hard to access. It's on a map, dammit.

"When you said, 'All the kids'..." Emma trails off.
"They're just innocent newbies. Once a month, they replenish their stock. They have some special permission that they use to ship farm kids here." He begins, "They all think they grew up in a loving orphanage ready to find a happy home when they were kidnapped by monsters that hunt them. Sad, really."

"The rule board. Music, Monsters, Run. Does that mean the 'Monsters' are headed this way now and hunting us as we speak?" I ask, wondering why we aren't running.

"Yes, that's pretty much it. On that note, we should start hiding before they find us." With that, there is a loud scream and we look towards the sound, except for the boy.

"I'd like for you to meet- HEY!" Emma begins running towards the sound of the scream, interrupting the boy's sentence.

I give him an apologetic smile and run after Emma.

We run into a forest, like the ones from books. I don't have time to examine my surroundings, seeing as Emma is running full speed.

We run past a boy, maybe our age, holding an axe. Emma grabs it and he looks back when he realises.

"Run!!" I shout, pushing the body towards the opposite direction.

Emma flings the axe at four demons that were surrounding two children.

As the axe slices through the air, another demons appears catching the axe, putting it to a full stop.

It has a mask that looks like it was bandaged around its face and a small top hat that has a shiny, necklace-like chain around it. He's wearing a black suit accompanied by a black cape that sways in the wind. Around the collar of the suit's shirt is a knot tied with a thick, white string.

By the time the black-caped demon catches the axe, we're gone, disappearing from their sight.

These are most likely the 'Poachers' Mr. Asshole was scared of. I wouldn't blame him.