Hell and Back (EXO x Reader)

Split Decisions (Trials 75-78)

Word count: 2686

Chapter warnings: Mild language, strong themes, mild gore

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Congratulations! You have completed the Vat Trials. Welcome to Round 7, the Unit Trials! Round 7 will consist of 15 trials completed by units. A unit is a smaller group of several players. Depending on the trial, these units may be split, combined, changed, etcetera. 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. The remainder of the unit will still have to complete the trials. If all players in a unit drop out, the unit will be null for those players and the trial will be assigned to a new unit. Round 7 will end after trial 86.

Players will be rewarded one skipped trial for every fatality going forward. This will cause players to skip to trial 75. This rule will be kept in place until further notice. Press start when players are ready to begin Trial 75.

After Lay's death, they had no choice but to continue. Unlike with Suho's death, they weren't allowed to leave. They couldn't eat, drink, shower, think... Of course, they always had the option to sleep, which they most definitely had taken. They'd left the room with Lay's body in it. They couldn't bear to look at it, but they had no means of burying him. After such, they spent a fairly long time trying to calm Kyungsoo down. He ended up tiring himself out on her shift with him, falling asleep in her lap as she leaned against the wall. Soon, they were both out cold. By the time she'd awoken, most of the group was laying on the ground as well, all but Chanyeol fast asleep.

She'd had a short conversation with him, at the end of which they'd come to the same conclusion. To get out of here, they'd have to drop out, or finish. She even saw a small sliver of hope in his eyes as he commented that, if their wish was to form the band like they'd intended, they'd have to bring everyone back. She didn't have the heart to tell him that it wasn't possible- not because the wish was invalid, but because of her own mistruths.

Once they'd awoken, they began to grow concerned simply for their own health. There was no food or water in sight, and they were all getting hungrier and thirstier. Kris, especially, was going out of his mind with a pounding headache, definitely at his own fault. He didn't admit to it, but he was definitely drinking the wine off the walls of his vat. Even the thought of it made her want to gag. He dry swallowed a few Tylenol to try and get rid of the headache- it seemed to be the most useful item they'd brought so far.

All the other members agreed that they had to continue, regardless of whether they wanted to. It wasn't an option at this point. It was here that she saw the new trial requirements, as well as the fatality rule. They grew concerned. Four skipped trials meant four fatalities. They had five dropouts, but they were under the impression that Luhan, Tao, and Chen were all alive... Was that... was that not the case?

"This means only one of them is alive." Kai said grimly. "That can't be right."

"Who cares?" Kris asked, rubbing his head in pain. "It's free trials, we'll deal with it later." That didn't sit right with her... This didn't seem like a game that generally made mistakes. Still, it was as he said: they were now on Trial 75. This whole unit concept was strange to her, but there wasn't really much of a choice.

"Wait, before we start," Sehun asked, "Is there any way for us to get water?"

"There's..." Chanyeol said, trying to find a way to say it that wasn't awkward. "We don't have water powers anymore."

"Hey, Xiumin has ice, right?" Kris yawned. "Have him make that and we can just melt it with body heat." He looked between them.

"O-oh, I don't know if that's..."