Hell and Back (EXO x Reader)

A Halfway Leap (Trials 50-60)

Word count: 3839

Chapter warnings: Mild language, strong themes, severe gore

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The Faith Trials would end up being the least favorite of hers in the bunch.

Looking back on her own story, she never would have guessed the shit she was about to be put through. It was unimaginable, and yet, she had nothing better to do than think about it. Rushing past her, thousands of millions of entities, and yet no way to stop, all she could do was think. And what better to think about than them?

She hated the Faith Trials because they drove everyone apart. It was the smallest little things, yes, but they would fester and grow until there was nothing left but sickness and disgustingness between them. She was no exception.

How was one to know when a friendship was over? Is it when you're first forced to Google that fateful question? Is it when you have nothing to talk about, or the you begin actively hating each other?

They only had three trials left incomplete. They chose two truths, and one dare. She didn't care to remember the truths. They made everyone angry. Why else would they be given to them, after all? Of course, in the course of events, someone must know what happened. The boys certainly remember what happened. The narrative does exist. However, this is Y/N's fault, her prize, her story. If she doesn't remember, there is nothing to be done. She scolded herself for forgetting. It was like deleting a few scenes of your favorite movie just because your favorite character died. It was incomplete. There was a significant difference, though. This was most assuredly not her favorite movie.

She was elated when that fateful screen graced her vision.

Congratulations! You have completed the Faith Trials. Welcome to Round 5, the Delegate Trials! Round 5 will consist of 8 trials for any and all players. If a player cannot continue or chooses to drop out, the trial will be null for that player and they will be penalized with the dropout fee. Other players are not affected. Round 5 will end after trial 60.

They all slept alone the night before these trials. The Delegate Trials. Certainly a gruesome experience. It was also the shortest set of trials since the preliminaries. That didn't mean they were any better. Maybe it was the sheer visceral reaction of what was to come that made her memory so flawed regarding the trials beforehand. Their concept was simple. Each trial would select a Player. Sometimes they'd be given the option, other times not. That player could choose to complete one task, (again, obviously, chosen by the game), or force another player to do a different task. She didn't know exactly what these choices were based on, but the task was always revealed before the first player made their choice, so it was complete guilt. What a perfect game to play just after their foundations had been so steadily shaken.

For example, Trial 53. A classic party game. All the trials seemed to start out this way, with a mildly risky, innocent game of fun. By the end of each section, they were lying under trains. In this case, they selected two players. Suho demanded a turn, as well as Kris. Once they'd been put into the app, they were offered a decision. One was to place his hand on a dartboard, (something that, as boys, they actually did own), while the other threw darts. The initial player could position their hand however they liked, but couldn't move it during arcs. They could only rearrange it between throws. No darts would be taken out of the board under any circumstances until five had been thrown, and any that missed didn't count. Their other option was to force Baekhyun and Lay to take up the same offer.

They had argued heavily regarding this trial. Baekhyun had significantly smaller hands than all the other players involved in the challenge, so he was the obvious choice for the dartboard. In fact, he pointed this out himself, more than willing to take it on, and putting no risk on Lay. Suho, as always, had a problem with this, as he wanted to assume the brunt of the danger, even if they were all a bit on edge. In the end, Baekhyun had no ability to dictate his decision, and since Suho had requested to keep the trial, he was the one who got to put his hand on the board.