《Sins Loom: The Unwilling Weaver》 Chapter 1 Sitting down in his usual spot in the corner, he watched as the surrounding students shifted away from him. Listening to the rain as it slid down the window, Ed jotted down the key points from the projector screen into his notebook. Making sure to connect these points to the core content of the course. Listening intently to the lecturer, he noted down the time for Friday''s exam. Thud. Turning back to the window, he saw a bird slide down the glass, leaving a trail of blood. He sighed. That¡¯s the third one today. Walking out of the building, he unfurled his umbrella, and unhurriedly stepped out into the rain. I still have a 3-hour break before my next lecture. I¡¯ll head to the library and revise for the exam, that¡¯s what''s most important right now. I only have one more assessment and an online quiz left, so this exam should be my focus. Deep in thought, he heard the high-pitched wincing of tires sharply turning against the road. Hmm? Looking up, he saw a car barrelling towards him. Sighing, he dodged backwards, narrowly avoiding getting hit by the car. The car shot past him, colliding with a nearby tree. The car started to smoke from the impact. Immediately, he jumped into action, pulling open the front door and dragging the unconscious driver out onto the grass. Pulling out his phone, he dialled emergency services. I should get someone to call campus security as well. Flagging down a passerby, he told them to call for campus security. ¡°I need an ambulance at Newcastle University, on Ring Road between Auchmuty Library and the psychology building. There was a car accident, and the driver drove directly into a tree. He is unconscious and bleeding. No one else was hurt, but the car is currently smoking.¡± Ed calmly listed off all of the necessary information he can find. ¡°Okay, help is on the way. I¡¯m going to need you to check the victim''s breathing for me.¡± The woman on the phone said. Leaning down he tilted the person¡¯s head back and leaned down to check for breathing. ¡°He¡¯s still breathing.¡± ¡°Good. I need you to put him in the recovery position for me. The ambulance will be there as soon as possible.¡± With the help of the other person, Ed managed to get the person on to his side. As Ed continued to watch the man¡¯s breathing, the campus security arrived. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you again. What happened this time, Ed?¡± The old man sighed irritably. Ed recounts everything that¡¯s happened so far, letting them take over the situation until the ambulance arrives. Ed sits there watching calmly as the person is driven away to the hospital and the car is cordoned off with tape. Never once did his emotions fluctuate throughout the entire incident. ¡°You¡¯ve really got me running around here kid, can¡¯t you just give an old man a break?¡± The old security worker said. ¡°I can¡¯t really do anything about it. You should probably just get used to another three more years of this.¡± Ed said plainly. Looking into Ed''s eyes, the man felt uneasy. As if the person in front of him was completely detached from what just happened. He sighed. "You¡¯re going to be the death of me one day. Well, just make sure to take care of yourself." After chatting for a while with the man, Ed walked off to the library. Shaking off the umbrella, he wipes his feet before stepping into the library foyer. Passing by the help desk, he makes his way to the second floor. Grabbing the psych textbooks off the far shelf, he takes a seat in the corner near the stairs, making sure to avoid everyone else in the library. Pulling out his notebook he turned to today¡¯s page. Now where was I... There it is, ¡®How do changes in a person¡¯s environment affect their mental well-being?¡¯ If I remember correctly, page 212 of the textbook should have an answer to this question. Flicking through the textbook, he starts revising all of the notes he made in class. 2 hours pass by as he flipped through the textbook. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Buzz. Looking down at his phone, Ed noticed that his phone was ringing. Picking it up, he saw that it was his grandpa. ¡°Hey Ed, how has your day been?¡± his grandpa asked. His voice was harsh, but strong. ¡°I¡¯m doing fine Pop; just been dealing with more of the usual, you know how it is.¡± ¡°Yeah, I do... I know it can be tough, but you¡¯re a strong kid, you¡¯ll get through it. I¡¯m just calling to let you know I might not be home for dinner. There are leftovers in the fridge, just warm them up when you get home.¡± ¡°Thanks Pop. Make sure to get mum some flowers for me. I¡¯ll give you the money later.¡± ¡°I always do. Take care Ed. I¡¯ll see you later tonight.¡± ¡°Bye.¡± Taking his phone away from his ear. Nineteen years... I wish I got to know you better. ~ Getting home, Ed kicked off his shoes, placing them neatly on his shelf of the shoe rack. He tossed his bag into his room before heading to the kitchen. He saw a note left on the fridge door. I left you a little surprise in the fridge, Happy birthday kid. Opening the fridge door, he saw the leftovers his grandpa mentioned, as well as a slice of cake. Thanks, Pop. Heating up the dinner, Ed wandered to the couch, noticing a torn-up photo on the coffee table. Picking it up, he saw that it was a family photo from before he was born. It was torn in half, with only his mother¡¯s side of the family in the picture. Tears left stains running down the happy faces of the family in the photo. He sighed, and put the photo away, making sure to clean the rest of the table as well. Ding! Heading back to the kitchen, he pulled out his dinner, taking it to the dining table before digging into it. Finishing off the slice of cake as well, he suddenly felt a bit tired. I guess I can rest for a bit. It¡¯ll still be a while before he gets back. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes. ~ ¡°Hello Ed, welcome to your new job. In front of you there is a computer, on it is a file that is the key to your continued survival. You are expected to complete the required quota each day, otherwise there will be severe consequences. Good luck.¡± The dull robotic voice rang through the room, rousing Ed from his slumber. The piercing cold of the chair beneath him shot through his body. His eyes landed on the screen in front of him, a red notification sitting in the upper left corner. He tried to turn his head around to see where he was, but his head stayed locked on the screen. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Ed, you cannot be trusted to leave your chair right now. If you do your job well, you will be allowed to move around.¡± The notification flashed with greater intensity. A throbbing sensation pulsed through Ed¡¯s brain in time with the flashes. Clicking on the notification his mind eased, as a densely filled document covered the screen. ¡°Every day you will receive a new document containing the biography of a person¡¯s life. They are all sinners, and it is your job to find out how they sinned and submit a project that will make them repent. The information you need to get started is contained within this document. Good luck.¡± Name: Larry Smith Age: 37 Occupation: data entry clerk Biography: Born to parents Norman and Olivia Smith, he grew up in a working-class family... He graduated from university before settling into office work as a data entry clerk... He got married to Susan when he was 30, with which he had a daughter ... one night after working overtime he walked past a homeless man who was lying on a park bench. A few minutes later the homeless man died of pneumonia... He received a raise due to his excellent work ability... took good care of his daughter Sally... -End of document- ¡°I don¡¯t know how this is the key to my survival. He seemed to have lived a very normal life.¡± Closing the document, Ed pressed his fingers to his temples. ¡°This man has sinned, and it is your job to punish him for it.¡± a glowing app resembling a construction site appeared on the screen. ¡°In here you will eventually be able to design and create anything that comes to mind. Right now, however, you are limited in what you can do because you cannot be trusted. Your current options include: Both of which are also limited in what you are allowed to do. With what you have available, design a trap that will make Larry Smith repent for his actions.¡± ¡°But he didn¡¯t do anything wrong. How was he supposed to know that the person was dying?¡± ¡°Are you saying that leaving someone to die cold and alone is okay?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying. I¡¯m saying that he had no way to know that the person was going to die, so he ignored them and went home like anyone else would¡¯ve done. I¡¯m not going to punish him for that.¡± ¡°Failure to complete the quota will result in you being punished. You have five minutes to start complying before I will be forced to act.¡± Ed sat there staring at the screen, I just won¡¯t do anything. Whatever that thing does, it can¡¯t possibly be that bad. With a moment to rest, he started to think back on what happened. The last thing I remember I had just had dinner, and I was waiting for Pop to come back. I know I fell asleep for a bit, but that doesn¡¯t explain how I got here though, or where here even is. I would like to ask it where I am, but I doubt it would tell me. It really creeps me out, how is it stopping me from moving? Can it hear my thoughts? Just more questions that I need answered. I can¡¯t possibly torture people, I¡¯m no saint but this is clearly psychotic. I¡¯ll just suck up and accept whatever punishment it¡¯ll give me. Who knows, it¡¯ll probably just not give me anything to eat today. ¡°Failure to comply has resulted in punishment. Preparing in 5¡± The temperature in the room started to fade away. ¡°4¡± The lights flickered, before blowing out. ¡°3¡± The air was sucked out of the room. ¡°2¡± Ed dropped to the ground. ¡°1.¡± Chapter 2 What happened? Where am I? Ugh this headache is killing me. It doesn¡¯t feel like I¡¯m in that room anymore. Maybe that was all just some weird dream. Though it¡¯s definitely colder than the library was. Ed shivered as the cold wind seeped into his veins. Sitting up he looked out, finding himself in a clearing. A dark expanse of trees beyond it, and an old park bench beneath him. What am I doing here? Cough, fuck, it¡¯s really cold here. I need to find shelter. Getting off the bench, Ed starts walking down the footpath, hopefully I''ll run into someone who can give me directions. After walking for a few minutes, he found himself in another clearing. Whoever designed this park did a really good job making sure it had adequate seating. Continuing on, another few minutes of walking and he spotted another clearing. Picking up the pace he jogged past it, coming to another clearing. Somethings not right here. I feel like I''m just going in circles. Maybe the path is a bad idea, I¡¯ll just cut through the forest. Jogging past the bench he ran into the forest the cold wind battering his face. Once again, he stopped at a clearing with a bench sitting on the other side of a footpath. Cough, maybe I should just catch my breath for a minute. Sitting down at the park bench, he breathed deeply, trying to get some air back into his lungs. I should leave something here to see if I¡¯m in a loop. Getting up he found a small branch and etched his name onto the bench. Setting the branch aside, he followed the path, but was now moving at a slower pace. I¡¯m definitely stuck in a loop. Looking down at his name that was etched into the bench, he knew that something strange was going on. Maybe that room wasn¡¯t a dream after all. What happened in there again? Something about a punishment. But how is this related to what happened? Looking around he tried to see if there was anything that stood out. That¡¯s it! That homeless man died in a park, maybe that psychotic machine is punishing me by putting me in his situation. I might as well stay here on this bench since I can¡¯t go anywhere. Sitting on the bench he looked out across the trees. It¡¯s really quiet here, I can¡¯t hear any animals at all. Not even crickets. Cough. I need to find some way to keep warm, but I still need to keep an eye out for anyone walking past. According to that machine Larry should walk past me sometime tonight. It¡¯s already dark out, but I can¡¯t see the moon at all. If I guess that the sun went down at 6, then that would be the earliest that I was left here. At most half an hour has passed so I¡¯ll just say that it¡¯s 6:30 right now. Assuming he works a regular 9-5 job, and considering that he¡¯s working overtime, the latest he¡¯ll finish is probably 9pm. That means at most I¡¯ll have to wait for 3 hours before he shows up, then I¡¯ll ask him for help. I should be able to last that long. Lying on the park bench, Ed faced his head into the backrest, blocking the wind. Time ground to a halt as the night got colder and colder. His face burning up with the onset of a fever, sweat soaking his clothes. An hour passed as all his energy was sapped from his body, as a permanent fatigue set in. His body ached all over. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he gasped for every ounce of air available. A sharp pain stabbed into his lungs, causing a coughing fit that quickly turned to vomiting. The spew clinging to his lips, where am I? He thought, his mind wandering. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! An hour passed, his body was shaking constantly in the wind, his lips were a pale blue under the bile and blood. His mind churning slowly, thoughts eking through with great difficulty. What time is it? His muscles ached as he curled his blackened fingers in his jacket. The light tap of footsteps shattered the silence in the park, like a thunderous cacophony rumbling in Ed¡¯s ears. Larry? As if a switch was flipped, his brain burst into overdrive. His memories of the past hours spent in the room and the park flooded back to him with each footstep. His mind urged his mouth to open. To call out for help. Instead, all that came out was a hacking cough and some blood. The words in his mind refused to come out. No this can¡¯t be happening. Come on please, just do something, Get his attention somehow. His mind raced as he tried to find a solution. His body retched as the last contents of his stomach shot through his throat. The footsteps echoed louder in his mind, coming closer to the clearing. This is my only chance. ~ Man, work is killing me, I still have a few vacation days saved up, maybe I can take Sally to visit my parents, she loves the meadow behind their house. At least they didn¡¯t have me stay back too long this time, I don¡¯t think I could take another day of that. Larry made his way through the park, glad to be on his way home. He passed by the clearing, spotting someone curled up and lying on the bench. I wonder if they''re okay. Feeling a buzz in his pocket, he took out his phone, and picked up the call. ¡°Hey honey, yeah, I¡¯m almost home, I¡¯m just in the park now. How was your day? That''s nice, and how is Sally? That¡¯s good. I plan on taking a day off work. I¡¯m thinking of taking Sally to my parent''s place, I know how much she loves catching butterflies, and I think it¡¯ll be good for us. Yeah, we¡¯ll figure out exactly when later, I¡¯ll be home soon, love you, bye.¡± He put his phone back in his pocket as he walked out of the clearing. ~ ¡°... love you, bye.¡± FUCK. No, no, no. Come on, just fucking move. Do something, anything. Ed¡¯s body collapses on the bench, refusing to move. It¡¯s useless. Well, I guess this is how I die, alone and covered in my own vomit. What a brilliant way to go. At least I can die knowing that I didn¡¯t harm an innocent person. Ha, that robot can go and screw itself. His thoughts dissipated as his breathing came to a stop. The park around him ground to a halt. The trees no longer moved in the wind. As if glass was shattering, the world around him fell apart. First the trees, then the footpath outside of the clearing. His body protected in the clearing, as around it stood a dark void, eclipsing the clearing on all sides. Bit by bit, the ground fell away into the abyss leaving the bench floating there, before it too disappears. ~ ¡°Hello Ed, welcome back to work. I hope that you will behave yourself and complete the quota this time.¡± Chapter 3 The room fell silent as Ed sat there, unmoving. His brain not catching up to the changes around him. His eyes stared blankly at the screen. Slowly, he blinked, as his life came back to him. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°You died of pneumonia. Your punishment has been completed, so you are free to come back to work now.¡± The robotic voice echoed through the room, shocking his brain awake. His memories of the night before passed through his mind, the pain and suffering tore away at his consciousness. A thought flashed across his mind, catching his undivided attention ¡°This can¡¯t be right. If I died, how am I still here?¡± ¡°Because you have work to do, Ed.¡± His thoughts screeched to a halt hearing that. Is there no escape? Am I stuck here forever? The temperature in the room grew cold as his back was drenched in a cold sweat. The thoughts of his pain bore through his mind. That was awful, I couldn¡¯t breathe, I couldn¡¯t move. Even when I was trying to get help, there was nothing I could do, my body just wouldn¡¯t listen to me. Luckily, I¡¯m feeling better now. It seems that the robot needs me to be in a good condition so that I can do my job, well at least physically speaking. I need to get some more information from it. ¡°What should I call you?¡± ¡°You can call me Buddie.¡± ¡°Okay Buddie, when I earn your trust, will I be allowed to leave?¡± ¡°Yes, you will be able to leave the room.¡± Okay that¡¯s good, if I gain his trust, I will be one step closer to getting out of here. But, while I¡¯m trapped here, I need to focus on my survival. I¡¯m not feeling too hungry right now, but I don¡¯t know how long that will last. I don¡¯t know when I can get food, maybe I was supposed to after completing the quota, but since I refused, I didn¡¯t get any. The same would probably be true for water. Blinking on the screen, the notification for a new file had appeared. Before he could fully focus on it, it opened. Name: Sally Smith Age: 6 ¡°6! She¡¯s a child, this is too much. I don¡¯t even have to read this to know that she hasn¡¯t done anything. You are going too far Buddie.¡± This is outrageous. How can he expect me to hurt a child. ¡°She has sinned Ed, now continue reading.¡± Ed¡¯s body froze as his eyes locked onto the screen. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Name: Sally Smith Age: 6 Occupation: Child/Student Biography: Born to parents Larry and Susan Smith, Sally loved it when her dad read picture books with her... She also spent a lot of time with her grandparents out in the countryside who adored her. She often spent her time in the meadow to the south of her grandparents'' house chasing butterflies. Whenever she caught one, she would pull its wings off, killing the creature. -End of document- Is this Larry¡¯s kid? Is something special about this family? Memories of last night when Larry was near filtered through his mind, gathering every piece of information he had so far. This is definitely Larry¡¯s daughter; all of the information adds up. The names could be a coincidence, but I remember Larry talking about taking Sally to visit his parent¡¯s house, and that she loves catching butterflies. Maybe this can help me figure out more about why Buddie is doing this. ¡°Buddie, is this Larry¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°Her father¡¯s name is Larry, yes. Are you doing okay Ed? It tells you this at the beginning of her biography.¡± Am I doing okay? I just died for fucks sake. Calm down Ed, you won¡¯t be able to get anything from him if you don¡¯t calm down. ¡°I¡¯m doing fine Buddie, I just wanted to confirm if the Larry mentioned in this file is the one whose file I looked at yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes, they are one in the same.¡± ¡°Are you targeting this family.¡± ¡°Of course not, the files sent to you are randomly selected from anyone who can be deemed a sinner.¡± ¡°The likelihood that you would randomly give me the files of people that are related to each other should be remarkably low, after all there should be a lot of sinners out there.¡± ¡°The likelihood is indeed low, but random occurrences like this can still happen.¡± Okay, it seems to be a random occurrence, or at least that¡¯s what he is saying, and I doubt I¡¯ll be able to get anything out of him that¡¯s different. I might have to shelf the idea that this is targeted at a particular family or group until I have more information. ¡°Besides, all she did was kill a few butterflies, there are plenty of people who¡¯ve done something like that as a kid. Surely this can¡¯t be considered a sin?¡± ¡°All life is precious Ed. Since she has snuffed out several lives in such a vile and vicious manner, she deserves to be punished accordingly.¡± This is just insane. ¡°A human¡¯s life is worth far more than just a few butterflies. This should not be considered a sin Buddie.¡± Its value of life seems to be off; does it consider all life to be equal on a planet wide scale, and that is why Sally is labelled as a sinner? Or is it her act of intentionally ripping off the butterflies¡¯ wings that caught Buddie¡¯s attention? Would accidentally stepping on an insect be considered sinful? I¡¯ll have to keep my eye out to see if this comes up again. I don¡¯t feel like I should ask Buddie about it, at least not while I don¡¯t have its trust. ¡°You do not have the authority to determine what is counted as a sin. Design the trap now, or you will be punished in her place.¡± A sharp pain stabbed into his lungs, memories of lying on the park bench drilled into his mind, leaving Ed gasping for air. Maybe I should... no, I must stay strong, I won¡¯t hurt a child. I can take whatever punishment it throws at me. But it did give me some vital information. Authority? It seems to be out of my reach at the moment, since it doesn¡¯t even trust me, but one day I might be able to hold authority over Buddie, and I¡¯ll be able to stop it from hurting innocent people like Larry and Sally. I¡¯ve got a long-term goal now. I won¡¯t let Buddie win. ¡°I refuse to punish her.¡± ¡°You should have listened to me Ed. Punishment initiated.¡± Wait, wha-. Chapter 4 Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Chapter 5 ¡°Hello Ed, welcome ba-¡± Buddies words were cut off by a gut-wrenching scream as Ed woke up. ¡°Hel-, Hello E- Let me just fix this.¡± The scream stopped half-way as Ed froze in his seat. ¡°Now that that¡¯s been sorted out, hello Ed, welcome back to work. Have you learned your lesson now?¡± Being frozen and unable to scream only helped to intensify Ed¡¯s pain. The searing pain of having his limbs torn off submerge his mind in a seemingly endless suffering. ¡°I need you to calm down Ed, you have a job to do.¡± Instantly the pain eased, not quite disappearing, but staying at a far more manageable level. Slowly, his thoughts started coming back to him, and only then was he given control of his body. ¡°Good. Now the file has just come in, you know what to do now.¡± The file opened, revealing information about the new target. Staring at it, it took Ed¡¯s fractured mind a few minutes to understand what was in front of him. Name: John Gibbs Age: 53 Occupation: Obstetrician Biography: born to parents Paul and Lorraine, John grew up in an upper-middle-class household. He studied at a private school before entering medical school and eventually residing at a wealthy private hospital as an obstetrician... As a highly outstanding member of his field, he received a high salary of $587,400, with which he was able to provide for his parents in their old age... Compared to his career, he was unable to succeed in his romantic life due to his arrogant demeanour... Growing spiteful watching people less successful than himself being able to start a family, he maliciously misdiagnosed the state of an unborn child, telling the parents that the child was healthy and that they¡¯re wouldn¡¯t be any problems. This caused complications during labour, resulting in the death of both the child and the mother. Distraught by the loss of his wife, the husband later drunkenly committed suicide. Dr Gibbs crime was never discovered, and he continues to enjoy a high salary and outstanding reputation. -End of document- While reading through the file, the pain in Ed¡¯s mind fluctuated like waves, slowly intensifying as he continued to read. He struggled to continue reading, the pain dominating his mind. His lungs burning, his limbs shattering and tearing constantly. His entire body pushing him towards the brink of insanity. Please. No more. ¡°Please just make it stop!¡± ¡°You know what you must do Ed.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do anything just make it stop.¡± ¡°Okay Ed.¡± The pain disappeared, as if it never existed in the first place. His body felt refreshed, and his mind slowly gathered itself back together. On the screen, the file closed, and the construction app opened. Blinking in front of Ed were two options: Feeling the relief slowly wash over him, Ed asked ¡°Which should I start off with?¡± ¡°Either option is reasonable, and you can always go back and change things later on. Now that your mind is in a better state, I recommend reading the file again and seeing if it provides you with any inspiration.¡± That sounds like a good place to start. Reading back over the file, Ed started to fall into thought. John Gibbs... caused the death of three people. I don¡¯t know if I could have survived another punishment, so I¡¯m glad that Buddie gave me an actual criminal this time. ¡®glad¡¯, no I can¡¯t think like this, what I am doing is awful, I should not be feeling happy about this at all. But if anything, I am a victim in this as well, and John is not innocent, so it is better that he suffers than me. And who knows, maybe he will survive, turn himself in and be punished by a proper justice system... Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Do you have an idea, Ed?¡± Buddie interrupted his thoughts. ¡°Yes, I think I do. Let''s start by designing the trap first.¡± Glowing, the menu disappeared as it opened to show an empty space. ¡°What do I do from here?¡± Ed asked, confused as to how to continue. ¡°For now, I have simplified the functions of the app, simply tell me what you want to do, and I will make it appear on the screen. If it doesn¡¯t fit what you want, you can make adjustments from there. Feel free to ask any questions that may help your design process.¡± Okay, that sounds simple enough. ¡°Buddie, can you make an accurate model of John Gibbs?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± On the screen appeared a lifelike model of a middle-aged man. Overweight, his gut stuck out slightly from the rest of his body. Clean-shaven, with a well-groomed head of hair and an angular face, aside from his weight, he looked like an attractive and elegant gentleman. Zooming in on the model, Ed was stunned by the quality Wow, this is incredibly realistic. ¡°Can I have his height and weight, please?¡± ¡°He is 181cm tall and weighs 92kgs.¡± Good to know... I should keep this trap simple so that he can escape, he may be a scumbag, but I¡¯m not a murderer. Suddenly, his brain froze. ¡°He is a sinner, Ed; he doesn¡¯t deserve sympathy.¡± Buddie¡¯s voice echoed throughout the room, causing Ed¡¯s back to break out into a cold sweat. His limbs began to feel a forceful tug on them ¡°Continue.¡± Regaining control of his body, Ed breathed in slowly. I need to focus on my own survival, I can¡¯t be weak. As the pain started to fade away, it left something in its place. An idea. I can still feel what it''s like to lose so much of my body. He would probably be fine with losing a bit of weight. ¡°How much does the average newborn weigh?¡± ¡°3.2kgs.¡± ¡°Okay. Sit the model down and put it in restraints but leave just enough slack so that his arms can comfortably reach his stomach.¡± Watching as the model¡¯s position was changed and it was put in restraints, Ed¡¯s thoughts continued to race. ¡°Are items that are not directly on his person considered as part of the trap, or are they part of the room?¡± ¡°Any and all items not directly attached to the person¡¯s body are considered as part of the room and are thus categorised under the create a room feature.¡± Looking at the model, Ed nodded his head. ¡°I think I¡¯m done with the trap for now, save the model in its current state and change to the create a room feature.¡± The app Switched over to a blank screen, displaying another empty area. ¡°Create a rectangular room out of concrete that is large enough to contain him sitting down, some empty space on the side and a door on the opposite end.¡± the model of the room quickly took shape on the screen. ¡°Put in the previously saved model and connect the restraints into the floor. Give him enough light to see.¡± The human model appeared in the room, sitting down and restrained to the wall. ¡°To his right place a scalpel suitable for cutting through fat, and on his left, just within reach place a scale.¡± The items appeared in the room. ¡°When he has placed 3kgs on the scale, have it open a box nearby with a key to his restraints. Is this suitable enough to be considered complete?¡± Hopefully this is good enough. ¡°From the information you have provided me, there is limited to no external threats, thus your plan requires a time limit. Tell me the details of your plan and I will make any adjustments to prevent potential loopholes.¡± Phew, I can do that. Preparing his thoughts, he remained silent for a short while. ¡°Okay the plan is...¡± ~ ¡°Thank you for the clarification, Ed. Your plan is currently being prepared and I will let you know when it will be put into action. While we wait, you shall be provided with your choice of food as a reward for submitting your first project.¡± Wait, food? Hearing the mention of food, his stomach rumbled. Well, that answers one of my questions. Now I know that my basic needs will be provided for as long as I comply, or at least I hope so. Thinking about what food he should get images of a juicy steak flashed through his mind. ¡°A steak please, nice and juicy, served on top of rice.¡± A steaming plate of food appeared on the table. The mouthwatering smell of the steak suffused throughout the entire room. Ed was stunned, as drool slipped out of his mouth. ¡°It is best to enjoy the food while it''s still warm.¡± Knocked out of his stupor by Buddies comment, he tore into the steak, his hunger making him ignore the utensils on the side. He ravenously devoured the meal, making sure to empty every spec of it into his mouth. Almost choking, he looked to the table and saw a glass of water. Gulping it down, he sighed in satisfaction as he slumped in the chair, growing tired. ¡°Remind me when everything is ready.¡± Chapter 6 Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Chapter 7 The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Chapter 8 A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Chapter 9 Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Chapter 10 A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Chapter 11 Ed winced as he woke up, an overwhelming headache swept through his mind like a hurricane. As he looked around the room, he saw flashes of it being soaked in blood and bits of brain matter, before it quickly changed back to normal. His entire body felt like it was on fire as low unknown whispers battered his ears. For a brief moment, he looked at his body from above, before being forced back in. His head spun as everything started to calm down, leaving Ed confused as to what had happened. ¡°Good morning, Ed. To protect you from your actions last night, I have wiped your memory of what happened. Currently your body and mind are still facing some side effects from the incident, but those will eventually fade with time. I can tell that you are confused, but right now your best course of action is to get some rest. I will wake you when the file comes in¡± Alright. His eyes closed as he went back to sleep. ~ In a large office building, a group of employees hurriedly moved around, completing their work. Along one wall was a large open window spanning the entire length of the building, looking out towards the night sky. Animals flew in and out of the window, dropping off an assortment of papers, parchments and USB drives, before flying off again. These items were then sorted before being handed to the relevant workers for filing. At their desks a group of workers typed away at their keyboards, organising the constant inflow of information. Quickly, files of varying lengths were created, each one portraying a person¡¯s entire life. When the file was completed, the worker would put their hand through the screen and pull out a bundle of paper. Occasionally, workers walked up to one of the walls with a bundle of paper in hand. Along this wall was a series of large pipes. They opened a hatch on the pipes and sent the papers off to where they needed to go. In a private office on the floor above, a woman sat quietly, casually reading through some files whilst enjoying a cup of tea. A new piece of paper appeared from a pipe in her room. This better be good. Placing down her cup, she walked over to the pipe and pulled out the piece of paper. Sitting back down, she got to reading. Name: Ed Armitage Age: 19 Occupation: intern for the production, research and development department Information: An extraordinarily calm man, Ed has worked for 4 days for the company and has just started on his 5th. For his first 2 days he argued with Buddie and refused to do his work and was adequately punished. For the next two days he complied with Buddie, and successfully completed two projects which both resulted in the death of a sinner. At the end of his 4th day, he tried to read a completed file. Despite Buddie warning him about the dangers he continued. This resulted in his body being overloaded with information, inducing several misfires in his brain, and resulting in his head exploding. Throughout this time, he also asked Buddie a series of questions related to the company and his situation. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. -End of document- Placing the paper down, she picked up her tea while smiling a little. Interesting. Not many interns are curious enough to ignore Buddie¡¯s warnings. He¡¯s also a defiant little one. I wonder what traps he designed. ¡°Kieran, get me the information on the traps made by the intern Ed Armitage.¡± She called out to the other side of the door. A few minutes later there was a knock at the door. In walked a handsome young man with pale skin and slicked back, wine-red hair. He looked nervous as he respectfully handed a paper to the woman before disappearing. Ignoring Kieran, she read through the papers with slight interest. Crude, but effective. I guess his work is acceptable considering the limitations of an intern. His disobedience will impede him from getting the job. Maybe I should provide him with a bit of help. Hopefully he can make my work a little less boring. Pulling out a quill she wrote a note on a piece of paper before placing it in an envelope with the earlier information. Sealing the envelope, she walked over to her window and held it outside. ¡°Send this to the HR department.¡± An ethereal owl grabbed the envelope from her hand and disappeared through dimensions. ~ ¡°Wake up Ed, today¡¯s file is here.¡± Buddie¡¯s voice echoed throughout the room, waking Ed up. Still feeling tired, he struggled a little to keep his eyes open. The pain from earlier played on repeat in the background. Turning his attention to the screen, Ed started reading the file. Name: Sarah Lyndsey Age: 21 Occupation: Cashier Biography: Born to parents Bob and Kendall Lyndsey, she grew up in a working-class family alongside her two brothers, Paul and John. She graduated from high school last year, and has been working as a cashier at her local supermarket to earn money for when she moves out... She is passionate about music, and has started her own band, where she is the drummer... She vapes, drinks, and smokes weed regularly ... She works 30 hours a week and is always in a rush to get back home to work on her music, because of this she will regularly jaywalk to get to her destination... -End of document- Still tired and feeling dizzy, it took Ed a while to read through the biography. Is it the alcohol and drugs that makes her a sinner? He didn¡¯t make any mention of alcohol being a problem with Anthony, but that could just be because the cheating was more prevalent. He slowly ran through the possibilities. ¡°Buddie, is it her use of drugs that is sinful?¡± ¡°No. The drugs she is using is completely legal for her to obtain and use, thus it is not sinful. Her sin is jaywalking.¡± Jaywalking? That¡¯s it? This is just another innocent person... Well, she is technically breaking the law, but clearly this hasn¡¯t caused any accidents or hurt anyone, otherwise Buddie would have mentioned that. I wouldn¡¯t consider this a sin, but I can determine that anyone that breaks the law is considered to be a sinner in Buddie¡¯s eyes. Now, how does this treatment extend to incredibly niche and weird laws. Would Buddie consider me a sinner if I was to ride a cow while drunk in Scotland? What is his criteria for what counts as a sin? Flashes of pain from his past punishments stacked on top of the pain he woke up to, causing Ed¡¯s mind to slow. I can barely think right now, I need to rest, but I don¡¯t think Buddie will let me until I create the trap. I don¡¯t want to hurt an innocent person, so I¡¯ll accept another punishment; it can¡¯t possibly be any worse than what I¡¯m feeling right now, and maybe I¡¯ll be able to get some rest before I die. ¡°Buddie, I don¡¯t consider jaywalking as a valid sin, so I¡¯m going to accept whatever punishment you have ready for me.¡± ¡°Are you sure? This can severely impact whether you will get the job after your internship.¡± Ed¡¯s mind raced for a moment before he calmed down. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Okay, Punishment initiated.¡± chapter 12 Beep, beep, beep. The alarm blared rhythmically, echoing throughout the bedroom. Ed¡¯s arm flailed around sleepily, trying to silence the alarm clock. Waking up, he felt the warm comfort of the quilt, trying to convince him to sleep again. No, I can¡¯t go to sleep... I need to figure out where I am. The softness of the pillow called him back to sleep. Maybe five more minutes will be fine. ¡°Sarah, wake up. Breakfast is on the table.¡± A voice came from downstairs. Like a lightning bolt striking, Ed¡¯s mind was suddenly clear. Sarah, where have I heard that before? That¡¯s right, the file I read was Sarah¡¯s. Am I in her house now? Looking around, he saw a messy room. Clothes were strewn about everywhere, and a bunch of empty bottles were scattered across the ground. On the walls were various band posters from Metallica and Slipknot to Deicide, Edge of Sanity and DevilDriver. Man, this place is filthy. How can someone live like this? Throwing off the blanket he got out of the bed and stood up. How will her mother react when she sees me? I can¡¯t just go down there, maybe I can sneak through a window and figure out what''s going on? Moving to the window Ed spotted himself in a mirror and froze. Instead of seeing his usual tall, lanky self and the familiar messy black hair, he saw a completely unfamiliar woman. Standing several inches shorter than he¡¯s used to, long black hair with vibrant green streaks loosely fell down her back. The left side of her head was shaved, and her eyes were a striking green. What the fuck? Trying to process what was going on, Ed continued to study the reflection. Adorning her face was a series of piercings; several on her ears, a nose ring, and a few lip rings. Feeling something on his tongue, he opened his mouth and through the mirror saw a stud on the girl''s tongue. I guess I¡¯m Sarah, but why did this happen? I didn¡¯t turn into a butterfly the last time, so why did I change now? ¡°Sarah! Come down here before the food goes cold.¡± I shouldn¡¯t keep her waiting. ¡°Coming mom.¡± She called out in a slightly raspy voice. Why did I call her mom? Stepping over the mess, she opened the door and went out. Looking around, Ed saw various family photos hung on the walls. This house is pretty nice. Making her way to the kitchen, she heard running water, and saw a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon on the kitchen isle. On the other side of the isle was her mother who was washing the dishes. Hearing the footsteps, she called out. ¡°Quickly eat your breakfast before you get ready for work.¡± Maybe I can get some information from her. Nodding, Sarah quickly shoveled the food into her mouth before heading back upstairs. Damn, why didn¡¯t my body listen to me? Getting back into her room, she suddenly froze before moving again. I¡¯ve gained control again. It seems that sometimes Sarah will gain control and follow her usual routine, like some form of muscle memory perhaps. She gained control when I tried to ask for information. Maybe this is some kind of way to prevent me from doing stuff that she wouldn¡¯t do. I have to admit that this could be quite useful. I¡¯ve got no clue what¡¯s going on and I don¡¯t want to see what happens if I do something that could give away that I¡¯m not her. I guess I should get ready for work. Grabbing a towel, she made her way to the bathroom for a quick shower. Getting undressed Ed noticed a few tattoos as well as a belly piercing. After showering she wrapped herself in the towel before heading back to her room. Now where is my work uniform? Instinctively, her body moved to the bed and picked up a black top, underwear, and a pair of black jeans. I guess this is it. After getting dressed she slung her bag over her shoulder before rushing back downstairs. ¡°I¡¯m heading to work!¡± She called out to her parents in the other room before grabbing her skateboard and rushing out the door. My body knows what it¡¯s doing so I¡¯ll just let it take me there. It¡¯ll give me some time to think. Stepping on her skateboard, she quickly made her way down the street. Taking a few turns here and there, she reached the main street of the town, across the road from her work. Speeding up, she raced across the street, narrowly missing a car before coming to a stop. Woah that was close, did she even bother to look? Picking up her board, she made her way to the back area of the supermarket and stuffed everything in her locker. Clocking in for work, she got to the registers and started working. That was close. I need to keep an eye out when I get off from work, maybe I can take control of the body and slow down. Going into customer service mode, she quickly got the customers through when they come up to the registers. During the gaps between customers, she tapped her fingers rhythmically on the counter, knocking out a simple beat to distract herself. A customer walked up to the counter and slams her basket down. ¡°Excuse me, why are you just standing there?¡± Looking up, she saw an angry look on the woman¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I must have been distracted. I¡¯m still a little tired¡± she said while scanning through the woman¡¯s items. ¡°That¡¯s not good enough. You are at work, you should be focused at all times so that you can serve the customers like you are supposed to.¡± The woman said smugly. Looking at the woman''s shit-eating grin, Sarah forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry ma¡¯am.¡± She scanned through the items quickly, just trying to send the customer on her way. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t want that item, take it off.¡± She said while pointing at the item that was just scanned. ¡°Okay¡± Sarah took the item from her bag and removed it from her purchase. ¡°Did you remove it? I don¡¯t want to pay for something I don¡¯t want.¡± Wow she is being incredibly rude. Is this what retail is like? ¡°Yes, I removed it.¡± she scanned through the rest of the items. ¡°Wait a minute, I need to go grab something.¡± She said while walking off. Glaring at the back of the woman¡¯s head, she called up a coworker to serve the customers in line. A couple minutes later, the woman came back with nothing in her hands. ¡°I¡¯ll be paying by card.¡± Barely keeping her smile together, Sarah quickly sent the woman on her way. ¡°What a bitch.¡± she mumbled under her breath. A few hours passed by as she called someone up to the register to take her place while she went on break. Rummaging through her locker, she grabbed a bottle of water and sat down to scroll through her phone. She saw a message in a group chat telling her to meet up at the usual place after work. I feel pretty safe in here, clearly, the main danger is going to be the roads, but as long as I¡¯m careful I should be safe. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Quickly time passed, and she clocked off from work. She grabbed her stuff from her locker and ran out the door. Setting her skateboard down she rested a foot on it before stopping. Careful now. Picking up the skateboard, she looked both ways, making sure it was safe, before crossing the street. Immediately after getting to the other side, she raced off on her skateboard. That¡¯s the best I can do. I guess it¡¯s pretty hard to stop her from doing things differently. Riding off, she took a few different turns before making her way to a dingy skate park. Already waiting there is the band¡¯s bass player. Walking up to him, she slapped him on the back to get his attention. ¡°Took ya long enough.¡± He said while breathing out a puff of smoke. ¡°I got here as soon as I could asshole.¡± She smiled while snatching his joint from his hand, breathing in a lungful. Seeing him reach for it, she rode her board down into the bowl, flipping him off as she did so. I guess they¡¯re pretty casual with each other. Chasing after each other, they messed around until the rest of the band showed up. Grabbing her stuff, they went to the lead singer¡¯s house. Opening up the garage door, she tossed her bag into the corner before sitting at the drums. Twirling her drumsticks in her hands, she waited for everyone else to set up. ¡°What are we doing today?¡± asked the guitarist, while plugging his guitar into the amp. ¡°Let¡¯s play stabwound, I feel like beating the shit outta something.¡± Sarah said. Nodding their heads, the band signalled that they were ready to go. ¡°All right. 1, 2, 1234¡± ~ Lying in Bed, Sarah casually scrolled through her phone. That was exhausting, but at least I know what I¡¯m dealing with. I even have a little helper nudging me towards the types of things Sarah would do. I can even hand over control if I just want to relax and think for a while. If I¡¯m careful, I can make it through this punishment without dying. I wonder when Buddie is going to pull me out. This has already been significantly longer than the previous punishments. Watching the time tick by, Sarah started to feel tired. Nothing should happen while I¡¯m sleeping. If I¡¯m right, I¡¯ll wake up here, if not I¡¯ll wake up back in the room. Wrapping herself up tightly under the blanket, she fell asleep. ~ She slowly woke up and noticed she was still in the messy room. Looks like I was right. Getting up she grabbed her phone and noticed that it was 11am on a Saturday, Sarah lazily made her way down to the kitchen to have something to eat. Looking at her phone she saw a message in the group chat. ¡°Meet up at my place at 3.¡± Heading back to her room, she spent some time just lying in bed, knowing that she had more than enough time to get ready. Her life seems a lot easier than mine was. Of course, I didn¡¯t have to deal with rude customers, but something about just playing your heart out to music seems so much more relaxing. Maybe when I get out of here, I can learn an instrument myself. Heading to the bathroom, she quickly showered before returning to her room, thinking about what to wear. I¡¯ve got no clue. This is my first time wearing something that isn¡¯t work or sleep related in her body. I¡¯ll just let her sort this out. Rummaging through the clothes, she pulled out a crop top, a leather jacket, a red and black skirt, fishnets and a pair of converses. Quickly chucking everything on, she skated over to his house. Banging on the garage door, she shot across a text saying that she was there. BEEP. Hearing a car horn from behind, she turned around to see everyone piled into a car. ¡°Get in, there¡¯s gonna be a party tonight at my place, we¡¯re gonna get some beer for it.¡± Yelled the guitarist. Hopping in, the car sped off towards the liquor store. Picking up a couple cartons of beer, they tossed them in the trunk before driving back. I don¡¯t get why everyone drinks beer. It just tastes like piss. I''d much rather have a glass of vodka... I might need to ask Buddie for something to drink later. Getting back to the garage, they practised for a bit to kill time before heading off to the party. Pulling out a couple of beers, the people in the back seat started drinking. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s just the fact that I¡¯m in a different body, but this doesn¡¯t taste half bad. Turning around the corner, they could already hear the music coming from the party. Looking at the sea of people in the front yard, the driver decided to park the car a little way down the road. Everyone got out and helped lug the cartons of beer to the house. Squeezing through to the backyard, they placed the beers down onto a table before splitting off to go say hi to other people. Standing there, Sarah nursed a beer while thinking. I¡¯ve never been to a party this crowded before. I¡¯ll just let her go ahead and take control. I¡¯ll sit back and watch. Maybe I¡¯ll learn something new. Giving her control, she strolled around, casually chatting with different people. Meeting up with the other band members inside, she saw them rolling some joints. Sitting down next to them, she casually grabbed a joint, and they spent some time casually passing it around and drinking some more beer. Feeling a bit tipsy, she noticed a cute girl standing in the corner by herself. Walking over, she waved at the girl, catching her by surprise. ¡°You look a bit lost, is this your first time here?¡± The girl looked at Sarah and blushed a little. ¡°Is it that obvious?¡± ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s okay. If you want, I can stay with you so that you don¡¯t feel left out. I¡¯m Sarah by the way.¡± ¡°Yeah, that sounds nice, I¡¯m Taylor.¡± Chatting with Taylor, Sarah told her about her band, and asked her about her interests, helping Taylor to relax. The night slowly passed as Taylor opened up and started feeling comfortable at the party. Drinking a few beers, they both unwound and talked about their work. She found out that Taylor also worked retail and that it was stressing her out, which is why she came to this party in the first place. ¡°Tell me about it. I had this one customer at work yesterday who was causing all kinds of problems, she was rude, was changing her minds on things just to spite me, and even left for a few minutes, insisting that I wait for her.¡± Blushing a little from the alcohol, Taylor leaned in close to Sarah and whispered. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry that you had to go through that. Let me make things better for you." Before Sarah could react, Taylor leaned in for a kiss. Shocked by it briefly, Sarah leaned into it, quickly getting more intense. After a while, they both pulled away, breathing heavily. Huh, didn¡¯t realise Sarah swung that way. I¡¯ll leave her to it then. The rest of the night passed in a blur as she spent it with Taylor. Come morning, both are knocked out and sleeping on the floor next to each other. ~ Waking up, her head ached as she looked around. Guess I must¡¯ve passed out. Looking around, she saw Taylor next to her and smiled. Slowly everyone left the party to go back home. Sarah made sure to drop Taylor off after getting her number and asking her out on a date. Making it back to her room, she slept the rest of the day away, occasionally getting up to send a text or to get something to eat. Quickly the weekend passed and she was back to work. Rushing out the door, Sarah skated to work. Being careful while crossing the road, she dodged any incoming traffic before clocking in at work. Going through another boring day at work, she left as soon as she could, heading to meet up with the band. ~ A year passed as Sarah and the band continued to practice their music, playing at local bars and music competitions, they started to become somewhat popular in the local area. Sarah quickly hit it off with Taylor, and they started dating, eventually moving in together after they had saved up enough money to rent an apartment. Continuing to work retail, they both saved up money while pursuing their dreams on the side, Sarah with her music, and Taylor going to college to get an art degree. Giving Taylor a quick peck on the cheek, Sarah skated to work. I¡¯ve been here for a lot longer than I thought I would. Is Buddie just not going to pull me back at all. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s real anymore. It all feels real, like everything that happened with Buddie was just some twisted nightmare. But I know that none of these people are real. But I¡¯m fine with that. I¡¯m happy to spend the rest of my life like this. I guess sometimes it¡¯s better to live in a fantasy then, especially when reality is so twisted and cruel. BEEP!!! A car slammed into Sarah, sending her flying off her skateboard and skidding across the pavement. Quickly bleeding out, Ed laughed in his mind. Well, it looks like that won¡¯t happen. I¡¯ll just sleep through this and wait for Buddie to wake me up. Chapter 13 ¡°Hello Ed, welcome back to work. I hope you are ready to get started, as today¡¯s file will be here soon.¡± Slowly waking up, Ed took a while to get readjusted to his body. He tensed up, expecting his body to ache from being hit by a car, but instead, nothing happened. Even the pain he felt from his previous deaths had become almost negligible. It was still there, but no longer as overwhelming as it once was. Minutes passed by as he continued to wait for the pain to wreck his body, but it didn¡¯t. Instead, his body felt more relaxed than ever before. ¡°I can see your confusion, Ed. The reason why you aren¡¯t feeling the effects of the car crash is because that didn¡¯t happen to your body.¡± ¡°Is that why I was in Sarah¡¯s body this time? So that the pain wouldn¡¯t follow me through to here?¡± ¡°Yes, that is correct.¡± ¡°But why? You didn¡¯t do this the other times, so why now?¡± ¡°The impact on your body from reading the full-length file was greater than anticipated. Any more damage to your body would have pushed it other the limit of what humans are capable of withstanding. We care about our employees'' health, so to prevent this from happening, we put you into Sarah¡¯s body for your punishment. This way you would feel the pain, but only temporarily.¡± I guess in some strange way, they really do care. At least I know I won¡¯t permanently die while under their care. It also explains why this time was so much longer than the others. I needed time to heal. ¡°So that¡¯s why I was in there for so long.¡± ¡°It may have felt long to you, but it was only a single workday. Your body only needed a day to heal, but your mind needed more time, so we made it feel longer so you could relax and unwind.¡± That makes sense I guess; I already don¡¯t understand how he¡¯s doing all the stuff that he does, so he might as well be able to dilate time. ¡°Today¡¯s file is here.¡± Ed stopped thinking about what happened and turned his attention to the screen. Name: Elijah Pierce Age: 46 Occupation: Truck driver Biography: Born to a single mother Isabella, he struggled through his early years due to the lack of money. In order to help his mother, Elijah started working odd jobs when he was young and dropped out of school when he was old enough to work full time... Picking up work as a truck driver, he spent a lot of time on the road and would send any spare money to his mother so that she would be able to work less as she grew old... As his mother''s health declined, he struggled to get enough money to pay for her frequent visits to the hospital... Getting desperate, he chose to accept a shady offer to deliver a shipment of goods across the border. Seeing how much money he made from this one job, he continued to work for them, eventually joining a large drug trafficking ring... Blinded by the money, he now lives a wealthy and lavish lifestyle as he rose through the ranks, making his money by feeding people¡¯s addictions. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it -End of document- Drug trafficking, preying on people¡¯s addictions... yeah doesn¡¯t sound like a good guy. His initial reason for taking the job I can understand. He was in need of money, his mother was sick. I get that. But he seems to have lost himself at the end there. He definitely seemed to be enjoying what he was doing. ¡°What will you do Ed?¡± Tapping his fingers on the desk. He thought for a moment. I don¡¯t think my mind is fully healed. It¡¯s a lot better than it was before, but the pain is still there. I don¡¯t want to risk my health by taking another punishment. I need to be careful with how many times I die. This guy has profited off destroying other people¡¯s lives. Hopefully, he¡¯ll learn from his mistakes and walk out of this alive and as a better person. ¡°I¡¯m ready¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have anything that can be classified as a trap, so I might just need to create a room today.¡± Create a room opened. ¡°Do you want to use the same room as before?¡± ¡°I was thinking of having it be a long hallway this time. Make it well-lit, as well. I want him to be able to see properly.¡± A long, well-lit hallway appeared on screen. ¡°Place his model on one side, and a door on the other. Leave the door unlocked, and if he makes it through it he¡¯s free to go.¡± An overweight middle-aged man with tanned, harsh skin and a beer belly appeared on the screen. Looking at him, I can see clear signs of the difficult work he went through when he was younger. ¡°So far this doesn¡¯t seem like a trap. I am seeing no risk of death. If this is what you wish to submit, I will treat it the same as you refusing to work.¡± ¡°Just wait a minute, this was just the prep work for it. Cover the floor between him and the door with hypodermic needles, also have some hanging at various heights from the ceiling.¡± The room was filled with needles. Some were dangling precariously from threads attached to the ceiling, but the majority littered the floor. A small area surrounding Elijah was open and clean. ¡°I can see a minuscule chance of death now. If the needles stab into any vital areas he could bleed out and die quite easily. But as long as he¡¯s careful he can avoid the real danger of the hanging ones and escape easily with just some bloody and scarred feet. I need you to change it to increase the difficulty so that he can truly repent.¡± ¡°Okay, fill some of the needles with drugs. Enough that it will affect him, but not too much that he will overdose, unless he manages to inject all the drugs in the room into himself.¡± ¡°What kind of drug do you want to be used? ¡°I¡¯m not sure, what did he usually traffic?¡± ¡°He dealt in a variety of illicit substances, including heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and several others.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know much about these drugs. Choose one that best suits my requirements.¡± A dark brown liquid, bordering on black filled some of the needles. The liquid was spread unevenly across the room, some syringes having none or only a few drops, to some being filled to the brim. ¡°This room has reached a satisfactory level. Is this what you want to submit?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s good to go. You can start building it now.¡± ¡°I will let you know when it¡¯s completed. Now that you¡¯ve finished your work, what do you want to eat today? Vodka does sound nice right about now, but I can¡¯t give up my daily chance of water for it. Maybe I¡¯ll be able to try it later. ¡°Can I have a plate of hot buffalo chicken wings with rice, and a large bottle of water.¡± A plate of steaming hot wings appeared on the table. Ed dug in, filling his stomach while he waited. Chapter 14 Elijah woke up confused, no longer feeling the comfort of the plush bed he slept in, nor the soft pillow under his head. Instead, he felt the cold roughness of the concrete floor beneath him. Where am I? Looking around, he failed to see anything as the room was too dark. Did I sleepwalk? No... I don¡¯t remember having a room like this. Becoming more alert, he stood up, shaking off the remnants of his sleep. He looked around, stepping forward slightly to prepare himself for any danger. Ow! The room suddenly lit up. The bright lights blinded Elijah. He stumbled forward, his eyes slowly adjusting to the lighting. As his vision went back to normal, he saw a sharp needle dangling just in front of his eye, one step further and it would have pierced straight through. Breaking into a cold sweat, he stepped back, pressing himself against the wall. He saw the room clearly now, a series of hanging wires attached to needles, and a floor covered in a layer of needles. In some of them, he saw a dark brown liquid. Is that heroin? Looks like the type we sell. What the fuck is going on? ¡°Good morning, Elijah. Life has been very tough on you. As a young boy you struggled to provide for your family, taking up the role that your absent father left behind. As you grew older, the amount of money you could make increased, but so did the costs of taking care of your sick and dying mother. Eventually you came across an offer you couldn¡¯t refuse. Blinded by the wealth you made from transporting drugs, you pushed yourself deeper into this new lifestyle, enjoying the luxury and wealth. You ignored the damage that you were causing to other people¡¯s lives. Now it is your turn to see what it¡¯s like on the other end of the needle. All you have to do is cross this room. Don¡¯t worry, the door is unlocked. As long as you make it through, you will be safe to leave. But watch your step. Good luck, Elijah.¡± What kind of twisted shit is this? ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but when I get out of this, I¡¯m gonna hunt you down and kill you. And trust me, I¡¯m going to make it as slow and painful as possible.¡± Banging on the walls, he tried to make as much noise as possible. ¡°Can anyone hear me. Get me the fuck outta here.¡± Why isn¡¯t anyone answering? He continued to make noise for a while, before sitting down to rest. Is nobody here? ¡°I¡¯m not gonna take part in your twisted little game, I¡¯ll wait here until someone lets me out. Someone¡¯s going to notice that I¡¯m missing, and when they do, you¡¯ll be completely fucked.¡± A couple hours passed as his stomach grumbled. Why is nobody coming? This can¡¯t possibly be serious right? Calming down, he looked at the floor. Looks like my feet are gonna be cut up pretty badly, but I don¡¯t have much of a choice. I can¡¯t believe this shit. Stepping forward he took a moment to breathe in before taking his first step on the needles. His foot lowered down to the ground but stopped just before touching the needles. Wait, what am I doing? Taking a step back, he ripped his shirt off. Turning it into two pieces of fabric and wrapping them around his feet. It won¡¯t help much, but it¡¯s better than nothing. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Taking the first step forward, he carefully navigated the needles, avoiding any that contained heroin, or any that were sticking directly up. He also carefully moved to avoid the hanging needles. Getting partway through the hallway, he came across an area of densely packed hanging needles. I need to be very careful with this. Slowly, he inched closer to the needles, using his hands to move some of them out of the way. Unbeknownst to him, the cloth around his left foot snagged on a needle, coming undone as he lifted his foot up. Focusing on the needles hanging in front of him, he wasn''t paying as much attention to his feet. Stepping down, a needle jabbed straight up into his foot, injecting a small amount of liquid into his body. Oh Fuck. He stumbled slightly from the pain, cutting himself a little on the hanging needles. The needles swung around rapidly as he made his escape, the threads wrapping around each other. Getting through the area, he stopped himself. Looking down, he saw a needle jammed into the bottom of his foot, and the cloth sitting just out of reach. Shit. Seeing that he was less than halfway to the door, he decided to go back for the cloth. I won¡¯t lose too much blood, so it¡¯s best if I take it out now. My balance is more important. Carefully, he pulled out the needle. Blood slowly dripped out. Seems like it didn¡¯t pierce a vein. Let¡¯s hope I can see a doctor before it gets infected. Slowly stepping back, he took care to only step on the syringes with his left foot. Quickly, he was in range of the cloth. He reached for it, pushing the hanging needles away. The needles swung, some clinking against each other, while others swung unimpeded. One of the needles swung at the bundle of threads that wrapped around each other earlier, causing the threads to fray. Bending over, he reaches for the cloth, and grabbed it. As he pulled himself up, the threads above him snapped, and the needles dropped down, piercing into his neck. Jolting up in pain, his head rose, just in time to meet a needle as it swung back, impaling him straight in the eye. Falling over from the immense pain, he landed on top of some of the needles, injecting a large amount of heroin into his body. Writhing on the floor, he slowly bled out with the needles still jammed into his neck and eye. ¡°Unfortunately, Elijah, you were not careful enough, and now the drugs you have used to ruin so many people¡¯s lives have become your undoing. You were smart. You thought that you would be able to survive in here just like you survived out there. But one wrong step sealed your fate. Enjoy Hell Elijah. Goodbye.¡± The room darkened. Chapter 15 The screen faded to black as the camera footage opened on the darkened hallway. A vague outline of a figure appeared on screen. Why is the room dark? I asked him to make it bright so that Elijah could see. Watching the figure move forward slightly, he worried that he¡¯d step directly onto the needles. Suddenly the video brightened up as all of the lights in the room turned on, blinding Elijah. Seeing him stop just before the needle impaled him in the eye, Ed breathed a sigh of relief. That was too close. ¡°Good morning, Elijah. Life has been very tough on you... Eventually you came across an offer you couldn¡¯t refuse... You ignored the damage that you were causing to other people¡¯s lives. Now it is your turn to see what it¡¯s like on the other end of the needle. All you have to do is cross this room. Don¡¯t worry, the door is unlocked. As long as you make it through, you will be safe to leave. But watch your step. Good luck, Elijah.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but when I get out of this, I¡¯m gonna hunt you down and kill you. And trust me, I¡¯m going to make it as slow and painful as possible.¡± Well sadly that is impossible. I don¡¯t think you¡¯d be able to hunt Buddie down. Watching him take his anger out on the walls, he waited for him to calm down. There¡¯s no timer on this one, so I wonder how long it¡¯s going to take before he moves forward. ¡°This will take significantly longer than the previous ones. I will fast forward through it for you, and I will stop when he gets started.¡± ¡°You can fast forward this? I thought I was watching it directly as it was happening.¡± ¡°You are watching it as it is happening. I called it fast-forwarding as that would be the simplest way to explain it to you. What I¡¯ll actually be doing is the inverse of what was done when your mind was put into Sarah¡¯s body. Your sense of time will be condensed, making time pass faster for you, essentially functioning the same as a fast forward.¡± This is insane, but it makes sense. I guess it¡¯s just another power he has. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Quickly, time fast-forwarded, going back to normal when Elijah was about to take his first step onto the needles. Focusing on this, Ed wanted to see what he was going to do. There are a few options he has. Directly stepping on them is the dumbest option, but also the fastest. The safest option would be to carefully move them to the side and behind him with his hands, but that would be incredibly slow. Watching him wrap his feet up with the cloth from his shirt, Ed nodded slightly. A nice middle ground between the two options. He just has to be careful with where he steps. Elijah slowly stepped forward, carefully navigating the needles, and avoiding any danger. Watching him move forward safely, Ed¡¯s attention was caught by an area of densely packed hanging needles. This will be the most difficult part, but if he can get through this safely, he should be fine with the rest. Watching him move through the needles, he saw the cloth snag on a needle on the floor. This isn¡¯t good. Ed winced as he saw him put his foot down, impaling himself on a needle. Seeing him stumble around, cutting himself on the needles, Ed shook his head. That was a pretty big mistake. Seeing Elijah calm down after getting to relative safety, he nodded. At least nothing bad happened. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Time seemed to slow down for Ed as he saw Elijah reach for the cloth. Hearing the snap of the threads, he grit his teeth, preparing himself for what was to come. Seeing the needles jam into his neck, he knew that it was all over. There¡¯s no way that one of those hasn¡¯t pierced an artery. Distracted by this thought, he didn''t notice as a needle swung back down, stabbing straight into Elijah¡¯s eye. Yep, it¡¯s over. ¡°Unfortunately, Elijah, you were not careful enough, and now the drugs you have used to ruin so many people¡¯s lives have become your undoing. You were smart. You thought that you would be able to survive in here just like you survived out there. But one wrong step sealed your fate. Enjoy Hell Elijah. Goodbye.¡± There¡¯s really no need for this, he¡¯s probably already dead. The screen switched back to the plain desktop. ¡°Congratulations Ed for another successful project. Now it is time to reward you for your performance.¡± What? Waiting for Buddie to continue, Ed sat there looking at the screen for a minute. Confused, he looked around, wondering what Buddie is talking about. Pausing for a moment, he realised that he could see behind him. Jumping up, the chair fell to the floor behind him as he got a rush of energy. I can move now! Does this mean that they trust me now? God this feels weird. My proportions feel all wrong, I feel so lanky. Stretching to feel more comfortable moving, he began to study the room around him. Looking at the plain walls around him he shrugged. At least it''s clean. Opposite the screen, he saw a plain door, matching the ones that were in the trap rooms. Guess I¡¯m trapped just like them. Walking up to the door, he breathed in, getting rid of the nervousness. Gripping the handle, he paused. ¡°Buddie, what¡¯s on the other side of this door?¡± ¡°A Hallway.¡± Very helpful Buddie. Pulling on the handle, he pushed the door open to see a well-lit hallway. Taking a step out, he breathed a sigh of relief when nothing strange happened. The hallway seemed to stretch on forever, going far past the horizon. Just how big is this place? Looking to his left, he saw three doors identical to his own. Am I going to see what the other employees look like? Walking up to the door on the left, he confidently pushed it open. The smell of blood wafted out of the room, his heart dropped as he looked in to see John¡¯s body lying there, a large chunk cut out of his stomach. Feeling the urge to vomit, he quickly shut the door. ¡°Each of these doors leads to the trap rooms that you have set up. As you are currently still on your trial period, you are unable to leave this area, nor are you allowed to meet the other employees.¡± So I¡¯m just stuck here with these rotting corpses. Great. ¡°How long until the trial period ends?¡± ¡°That depends on your performance. If an employee excels during their trial period, they will be hired immediately, and sometimes they will receive a special job offer if they catch the higher ups attention.¡± Should I try and catch their attention. I don¡¯t want to risk getting a job worse than this, do I? But I also might be able to get away from the blood and gore. Who knows, maybe they have an HR department, that wouldn¡¯t be too bad. ¡°Hey Buddie? Does the company have an HR department?¡± ¡°Now that you have reached this point, it is suitable for me to tell you a bit more about the company. Currently the company exists of 7 departments: Human resources, Operations management, Information technology, Marketing, Sales, Accounting and finance, and Production, research and development. Each department has a department head, who answers directly to the boss.¡± ¡°Which department am I a part of? And who is the boss?¡± "Currently you are an intern in the Production, research and development department. You are not in a high enough position to know anything about the boss, only the department heads have direct contact with the boss.¡± This is a lot for me to think about. I should go and rest for now. Chapter 16 Flapping its wings, an owl flew through a dense forest, weaving between the trees before flying to the top of a gigantic mountain. At the top, the mountain turned into a flat plateau. In the centre of the plateau stood a magnificent tower carved from the former peak of the mountain. The owl dropped the envelope onto the hand of a giant stone statue in front of the tower. The head of the statue turned to look at its palm and saw that it was covered in envelopes. Stepping off of its pedestal, the ground shook beneath it as it walked to a larger lever at the base of the tower. Pulling on it, the top of the tower opened, revealing it to be hollow on the inside. The statue dropped the papers in, watching them quickly disappear into the darkness. The envelopes fell down the long tunnel in darkness before drifting into separate small passageways. The Owl¡¯s envelope floated down through various twists and turns before landing on top of a desk. A skeletal hand reached out and grabbed it. Two orbs of fire appeared in the darkness. Reading the front of it, he saw that the letter was from one of the managers of the marketing department, Miss Elizabeth. Unsealing the envelope, he quickly read its contents, stopping before reading the additional note from Elizabeth. This intern is rather disobedient, I don¡¯t think he is fit to work for this company. Someone who is unwilling to do even the simplest of tasks should be fired immediately. This document shouldn¡¯t have even gone through the hands of Miss Elizabeth. It should have been sent here as soon as they processed the information over there. There is no need for either of us to be involved. Well, let¡¯s see what reason she comes up with for as to why he shouldn¡¯t be fired immediately. Unfolding her letter, he starts to ponder over her intentions. Why does she want to keep him? So far, he is the least promising candidate for the job in this cycle. His curiosity is good, but that alone won¡¯t put him above the others... I¡¯ll trust her judgement for now and I won¡¯t fire him. If he shows his value by the end of the internship, then I will recommend him with her. ~ ¡°Good morning, Ed. Today¡¯s file will be here soon.¡± Waking up well rested, he thought about the events that happened yesterday. I¡¯m glad that I can finally move now. I don¡¯t want to see the corpses, so I won¡¯t visit the other rooms, but I can start exercising now that I have some space... Buddie didn¡¯t give me a lot of information about the company, but it¡¯s a good start. Hopefully I can move to a different department after I finish this internship. I don¡¯t know how much more of this I can take. The HR department is probably the best choice, I¡¯ll take any chance I can get to move there. Leaving his seat, he started stretching in the area behind him, preparing to fill the remaining time by going on a jog. Opening the door, he paused. ¡°Buddie, is it okay for me to go on a run before the file comes in?¡± ¡°Yes, that is fine. The door to this room will appear beside you when it is time to come back.¡± Good to know. Closing the door behind him, he set off on a jog down the hallway. I wonder how many other interns there are for this position. I don¡¯t even know what job I¡¯m fighting for, but I need to make sure I get it. Passing by the doors, he stopped to think. John¡¯s body should be starting to smell by now. I wonder why I can¡¯t smell anything out here. This place is strange, I need to figure out what¡¯s going on. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ~ ¡°The file is here.¡± Hearing Buddie''s voice, Ed, now fatigued from his run, looked to his left to see an open door that wasn¡¯t there a second before. Walking through, he sat down in the chair and pulled up the file. Name: Nico Johann Age: 36 Occupation: Automotive mechanic Biography: Born to parents Leon and Irma Johann, Nico studied how to be a car mechanic under his father, joining the family business after he graduated from school... After a decade working for his father, he eventually took over the company when his father became too old to work. Initially, the business was running steadily, but he was eventually left behind by his competitors and struggled to make ends meet... Losing money day after day, but not wanting to put his workers out of a job, Nico decided to use the knowledge his father taught him to break into and steal cars, selling them for profit... He was always careful, spending days meticulously casing his target, and only stealing from people who went to his competitors, successfully ruining their reputation... Business began to pick up due to the lack of competition. Playing it safe, he erased any traces of his past crimes, and continued to sustain himself by more legitimate means. -End of document- Motor vehicle theft... It doesn¡¯t say how many cars he stole, but he was clearly a repeat offender, so he is not innocent. Now what can I do with this information? Taking some time to think, Ed opens the app. Obviously it has to be car related, but what should I do? ¡°Open create a room. Make a room that is identical to the main room of his repair shop but have the garage doors closed.¡± On the screen a mechanics garage appeared, one wide enough to work on three cars at a time. Various tools and equipment were scattered throughout the space. ¡°Place a car in the room, hoist it up on a lift, as if someone was actively working on it. The particular model of the car doesn¡¯t matter, but make sure it has a sunroof.¡± A Toyota Camry appeared hoisted up in the air. ¡°That should be good for now.¡± Opening up the design a trap function. Ed quickly got to work. ¡°I want to see the same car as you placed in the room, but this time I want an inside view of it. Create a model of Nico and place it inside the car.¡± An inside view of the Toyota Camry appeared on screen, with Nico sat on one of the seats. ¡°Sit him directly onto the centre section of the car, between the two front seats and just behind the gear. Now have all of the seatbelts extend and wrap around his body, akin to a complicated web that he will have to try and escape from. Have the car turn on when your message starts, slowly leaking gas into the car, and fortify the windows.¡± The model of Nico moved in the car, changing to being tied up by the seat belts. ¡°If he hits the gear stick, have it spark a fire outside of the car that will trail up to him, causing the car to explode. Give him just enough time for him to be able to unbind himself, open the sunroof, and get out of the car before it explodes, assuming he does everything perfectly.¡± With this I should be able to get some clues as to what is going on with the other rooms. ¡°Do you want anything to happen if he doesn¡¯t hit the gear stick?¡± ¡°No. The slower death from the gas should be good enough.¡± As long as he is careful and doesn¡¯t panic, he will have a higher chance to escape. ¡°Combine the room and trap together and we should be done. You can get to work on it anytime.¡± ¡°Construction of the room has now begun; I will inform you when everything is ready. What would you like to eat today?¡± ¡°A chicken schnitzel with french fries and vegetables please, plus a bottle of water.¡± Digging into his meal, his mind wandered. I should check to see when the doors appear in the hallway. After finishing his meal, he passed the time by reading through the files. Getting out of his chair he walked into the hallway, and noticed that the fourth door was already there. The door appears when the room is still being made. Making note of this, he went back into the room and waited for it to start. chapter 17 Ugh, what happened? Feeling a throbbing pain in his head, Nico looked out, trying to see what was around him. Why am I in a car? Shaking off the drowsiness, he noticed that the seat below him didn¡¯t feel comfortable, and he was being pulled tightly all across his body. Looking down, he saw seatbelts wrapped around his body. What is going on? Looking out the windows of the car, he saw that he was still in his garage. Did I pass out? One of the boys must¡¯ve thought it would be funny to pull a prank on me. I¡¯m too tired to deal with this shit. ¡°Okay, very funny guys, now that you¡¯ve had a laugh can you let me down? The client will be really pissed if they see us goofing off in their car.¡± When did this car even come in? I don¡¯t remember it being here before I blacked out. Noticing the silence, he looked around to see that nobody was in the room. Why would they prank me if they¡¯re not even going to see it? Maybe they¡¯ll come through the office door. Looking over, he hoped to see the door open, but nothing happened. Starting to panic, he spotted a trail of oil spilled across the floor, leading up to the car. ¡°Good morning, Nico. Right now, you should be finding yourself in an environment that you are quite familiar with. You are currently inside a Toyota Camry that has a few problems. Gas is slowly leaking into the car, the doors are jammed, and the wires are faulty and could cause a spark at any time. Because of this, the vehicle has found itself in your repair shop, and it is your job to rectify the issues before it endangers anyone¡¯s life. There is just one problem. You are currently on the inside of the car. You are used to breaking into cars, but how good are you at breaking out of one? Good luck, Nico.¡± Hearing the engine start, Nico began to sweat. Looking around, he tried to figure out how to untangle himself. This is crazy, all I did was steal some cars. Quickly he unbuckled the two front seats, slightly relieving the tension, but unfortunately, they remained mostly in place underneath the other straps. What kind of sick fuck would do this? Stretching back, the seatbelts strained to keep him in place, making him move at a snail¡¯s pace. Was it someone I stole from? But how would they even know, I covered my tracks perfectly. Inching closer to the back, he splayed his hand out, trying to reach the button for the middle belt. Come on. Just a little closer. Click. Pressing the button, some of the pressure was removed from his chest, allowing him to stretch out a bit further. It must¡¯ve been one of my competitors. Those bastards were just jealous that I was able to keep my business afloat. It has to be one of them. Pushing the next button, the tension released from his shoulders as he stretched for the final one that was slightly further away. With a soft click, he released the final seatbelt. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Pulling himself back up, he moved to start untangling the seatbelts. Once I get out of here, I¡¯m going to figure out which one of them locked me up in here. Feeling slightly dizzy, he paused for a moment. God damn, I must have sat up too fast. Slowing down, he fumbled as he pulled the first seatbelt off. Hearing it snap back into place caused the throbbing headache to return. Shaking his head, he continued to slowly take the belts off. The snapping of the belts made the headache worse and worse. Wincing in pain, he paused for a moment before finally setting himself free. He fumbled to the driver-side door. Trying to pull it open, his muscles started to burn up as it failed to open. Why won¡¯t it open? Slamming his body into the door, he started to feel exhausted as the headache and dizziness messed with his mind. His stomach churned as he vomited all over the dashboard of the car. Looking around, he appeared lost in his own mind, not sure what he was supposed to be doing. Moving to try the front passenger door, he stumbled over the middle of the car, bumping the gear stick with his knee and causing it to shift forward. Moving to the window, he saw sparks fly outside of the car, setting off a fire in his garage, slowly trailing up towards the car. Fuck. Shocked by the fire, his confusion cleared for a moment as he looked around for a way to escape. All the doors are jammed, and there''s no way I can break the glass. Looking around, he grows more desperate before spotting a sunroof. There! Rushing to find the button to open the sunroof, he stopped, confused. This brief moment of clarity sucked away the rest of his mental acuity, leaving it to move at a slow crawl. Luckily, he pressed the button, causing the sunroof to start slowly opening. The fire trailed up starting to heat the underside of the car. Starting to sweat. Nico rushed to the sunroof, trying to squeeze himself out. It got easier and easier as the sunroof started to fully open. Now with enough room to escape, he squeezed out, trying to push his stomach through. With half of his body through, he felt the heat from the flames as he continued to desperately push through. I¡¯m almost there, just a little more. BOOM! The fire reached the gas, causing a massive explosion, engulfing his entire body as he screamed out in pain. The entire room burned red as everything in the room was destroyed by the explosion. Fire covered the entire room, burning scorch marks across the walls and ceiling. ¡°Unfortunately, Nico, it seems like your nimble hands and the skills your father taught you failed you in your final moments. As a mechanic, you used your knowledge and skill illegally, and pinned the blame on your competitors, solely because your business couldn¡¯t keep up. Their livelihoods went up in smoke, and now so has yours. Enjoy Hell Nico, Goodbye.¡± The fire continued to burn. Chapter 18 The screen lit up, showing a closed-off garage. Tools were scattered everywhere and a car was hoisted above the ground. Zooming in through the car¡¯s windscreen, the footage focused on Nico tied up in the middle of the car. Watching him slowly wake up, Ed nodded as he saw him keep his calm and not knock into the gear stick. At least his fate isn¡¯t immediately sealed before he could do anything. ¡°Okay, very funny guys, now that you¡¯ve had a laugh can you let me down? The client will be really pissed if they see us goofing off in their car.¡± I¡¯m sorry Nico, but this isn¡¯t a prank. ¡°Good morning, Nico. Right now, you should be finding yourself in an environment that you are quite familiar with... Gas is slowly leaking into the car, and the wires are faulty and could cause a spark at any time. Because of this, the vehicle has found itself in your repair shop, and it is your job to rectify the issues before it endangers anyone¡¯s life. There is just one problem. You are currently on the inside of the car. You are used to breaking into cars, but how good are you at breaking out of one? Good luck, Nico.¡± Hearing the engine roar to life, Ed hoped that Nico could quickly pull himself together and escape. Knowing what was to come, Ed watched him quickly release the front two belts, and stretch back to the other ones. Good start. Hearing the clicks and snaps of the belts, Ed watched him make quick progress towards his freedom. Nico clumsily unravelled himself from the belts, carefully shifting towards the driver seat. Watching him try and open the door with all his might, Ed shook his head. Did he forget what Buddie said? It seems like the effects from the leak are starting to kick into gear. Ed winced as he watched Nico slam himself against the door, knowing that it was only making things worse. Ed sighed as Nico stumbled towards the passenger seat, knocking into the gear stick. It looks like this one is over. The screen zoomed back out, showing the wires spark, setting the trail of oil alight. Through the window, Nico burst into action, looking around for a chance to escape. Watching him slow back down, Ed knew that he won¡¯t be able to escape. Watching him try and squeeze himself through the opening gap in the roof, Ed prepared for the inevitable explosion. Shifting his focus away from Nico, he watched as the fire trailed up the car, causing the trapped gas to combust. BOOM! Watching the explosion on his monitor, he turned around, expecting to find signs of the explosion in the room. Instead, he was met by near silence, the only sound in the room coming from the monitor. Why was there no sound? The room should be on the other side of the hallway by now, then why is there no signs of it at all, no sound, no rumbling, nothing. This doesn¡¯t make any sense. Turning back to the screen, he watched as the fire covered the entire room, leaving nothing behind. ¡°Unfortunately, Nico, it seems like your nimble hands and the skills your father taught you failed you in your final moments. As a mechanic, you used your knowledge and skill illegally, and pinned the blame on your competitors, solely because your business couldn¡¯t keep up. Their livelihoods went up in smoke, and now so has yours. Enjoy Hell Nico, Goodbye.¡± The footage turned off, leaving Ed to think about what just happened. ¡°Congratulations Ed for another successful project. What would you like to eat?¡± ¡°Can I have my meal later Buddie? I have something I need to check.¡± ¡°Yes, that is fine.¡± Getting up out of his seat, he walked out into the hallway. Walking up to the fourth door, he placed his head near it. Not feeling any heat coming from the door, he placed his head against it, trying to hear the fire. I can¡¯t hear anything at all. The rooms must have some sort of soundproofing. Well, considering that he can put my consciousness into another body, it wouldn¡¯t surprise me if the rooms are isolated from each other in space. It would make sense since Buddie was able to create a door to my room right next to me when I was far down the hallway. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Preparing himself, he went to open the door. Slowly pulling the door open, heat burst through the gap, flames pushing through into the hall. Slamming the door shut, he leaned against the wall. Okay. So, the fire is still very much active on the other side of the door. It seems like when I open the door, the spaces are immediately connected. Keeping it closed, the door acts as a barrier, isolating the room and anything that is inside it. Heading back to his room, Ed asked for a hamburger with fries and some water. Digging into his meal, he thought about the implications of his discovery. I have to assume that I¡¯m in some sort of isolated space, and not in some building on Earth. Could I be in another dimension perhaps? That would mean that other dimensions exist, potentially an infinite amount, similar the many worlds'' interpretation tells us. Buddie would most likely be from one of these dimensions. Or is it better to call it a different reality. How advanced would a civilisation have to be in order to break through the fabric of reality and push into other dimensions? Clearly much more advanced than our own. Finishing his meal, he looked around the room, trying to see if there was anything that could give him more information. Thinking about what he¡¯s done so far, he questions the goals of this civilisation. Since they have the ability to enter other realities, why would they not just take over Earth directly? And why would they need me to work for them at all? Surely, they would have conquered countless dimensions, and wouldn¡¯t lack people. Are they just doing this for fun? To see what would happen if you give a person the power to control other people¡¯s fate? Leaning back, he stared at the screen, lost in thought. ¡°Is something on your mind Ed?¡± Hearing Buddie¡¯s voice, he pulled himself out of his spiralling thoughts. ¡°Uh, yeah. I have a few questions. Am I not on Earth?¡± Silence fell on the room for a moment. ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°Does that mean that I am in another dimension or reality right now?¡± ¡°No, you are currently still in your home reality.¡± Knowing that he¡¯s still somewhat close to home made him feel better, ¡°So that means that other realities exist. Also, you used the word reality, does that mean that other dimensions don¡¯t exist or are they the same thing?¡± Pausing for a moment, Buddie seemed to think about what he was allowed to say. ¡°Dimensions and realities are two separate things. Think of reality as the overarching whole, while dimensions are independent bubbles found within.¡± So, they are different. The rooms must be separate dimensions then. Or is the whole building its own dimension, and the rooms are just isolated spaces within? This is too confusing. If I keep thinking about this, I¡¯ll be stuck here for a long time. ¡°Then does that mean the company is from a different reality? What is it trying to achieve by doing this?¡± ¡°You are correct, the company is from a different reality. As to our goals, that information is classified, and you are not allowed to know that.¡± I have so many questions, but I should probably leave it at that. I don¡¯t know how much more I would be allowed to get from him. However, I am genuinely surprised with the amount of information Buddie was willing to tell me. Is it because I had figured this out on my own, so there was no harm in telling me, or is it just something that every employee knows. Regardless, this is probably a good thing for my chances of getting the job. ¡°That¡¯s all the questions I have for now. Thanks for answering Buddie.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Ed. Now I have a question of my own, how did you figure this out?¡± Taking a minute to figure out how to answer, Ed decided to just go through his thought process. ¡°Well, when I was going on my run earlier today, I noticed that there was no smell coming from the other rooms. Logically speaking, John¡¯s body should have started to smell at this point considering how many days have passed since he died. But I couldn¡¯t even smell anything. Not even blood. With this and the fact that the door appeared next to me to get me back into the room, I knew that something was strange about the hallway." "Reading through Nico¡¯s file I figured that I could test to see if I would hear or feel anything by setting up an explosion. However, when the explosion happened on camera, nothing changed in this room. Later I went out to test it and noticed that the door to the room was completely cold and that there was no sound coming from it. I opened the door, and the fire and heat immediately tried to burst out into the hallway. This helped me confirm that the rooms were isolated in some way that was impossible for humans on Earth to accomplish. Then it was just a matter of running through the possibilities and, naturally, some questions popped into my mind, so I had to ask.¡± ¡°Thank you for your detailed account. You have done well, Ed. You should rest now; you have another day of work ahead of you.¡± Heeding Buddies advice, Ed fell asleep. chapter 19 Looking out into the eternal night sky, Elizabeth stood bored at her office window. Sipping from her cup of tea, her eyes followed the paths of the creatures flying through the sky. I wish I was out there. Hearing a knock on her door, she called out to let Kieran in. He passed the papers to her, before waiting nervously for her commands. Snatching the papers from his hands, she turned to sit back at her desk. ¡°You can leave now.¡± The door closed behind her as Kieran was gone. Keeping her attention on the papers, she set down her tea and started reading. He may be a little defiant, but it also shows that he¡¯s very well-composed. It¡¯s rare for humans to be able to adapt to a new body so quickly, let alone be comfortable changing back after an entire year. Continuing to read on, she looked through his traps with interest. Well designed and quite suitable for their targets, while still maintaining a nice balance of fear, violence, and hope. It¡¯s not as fun when they just cut the people up without giving them a chance to redeem themselves. With a smile, she nodded as she got to the next part. Smart. Much better than those brutes he is competing with. The other interns are all caught up having fun torturing people, they haven¡¯t even bothered to question what¡¯s going on around them. Let¡¯s see what he¡¯ll do with a bit more freedom. ¡°Buddie, I want to give Ed a bit more freedom with what he can design. Pass on a message to the person in charge of the new interns in the R&D department. I¡¯ll write to HR for the go ahead on this.¡± ¡°Do you want me to send the message to HR for you? It will be faster this way.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I need something to do anyways.¡± The message will never get to the person I want to send it to if it goes through you. Writing out the letter, she sealed it before holding it out the window. ¡°Send this to my friend in HR.¡± Sitting back down, she waited to see what Ed would do. ~ Reappearing at his desk, Kieran wiped off his sweat before sitting down. Why did I have to be put under her? I feel like she¡¯ll kill me if I do something wrong. ¡°Hey Kieran, how¡¯s the new boss holding up. I heard that she¡¯s from a different department, I wonder how she got this position?¡± One of the other secretaries walked up to his desk, passing him a glass of wine. Drinking from the glass, he looked up at his friend and sighed. ¡°If you want the job, you can have it. I can barely stand in the same room as that woman.¡± ¡°That bad, huh? I Heard that she was quite aggressive in her old job.¡± ¡°Yeah, I can feel that. She barely acknowledges my existence unless she needs something. She¡¯s showing more interest in one of the interns than she even is in her work. She¡¯s had me collecting information on this guy every few days.¡± ¡°That sounds rough. Well, I¡¯ve gotta get back to my work. Take care, Kieran.¡± ¡°Thanks, you too.¡± ~ ¡°Good morning, Ed. For your outstanding performance yesterday, it has been decided that you will be given access to an additional feature not normally available for interns.¡± Waking up, Ed was mildly surprised hearing the news. Oh, a new feature? This could be useful, depending on what it is. ¡°What is the new feature?¡± ¡°Now when creating your traps, you can include other humans in them, like how Larry existed in your first punishment.¡± Other people? Why would I put innocent people through that. They would be terrified just seeing what the room looks like after the trap goes off, let alone watching it happen in front of them unless they¡¯re also sinners. Does this mean that I have to punish multiple people at a time now? ¡°Are you going to be sending in multiple files that are related to each other in some way, and then I¡¯ll have to punish all of them?¡± ¡°No. These new people will be characters created by you and played by other employees. There¡¯s no need to worry about their health, mental or otherwise, as this is their job and they do it on a regular basis, they also receive the same care that you do whenever they get injured.¡± I¡¯ll finally be able to see other employees, I wonder if I can meet them after the trap is over? Poor things, their job seems worse than my own. It¡¯s like they¡¯re being punished every day, but it¡¯s their job. On the upside, I won¡¯t have to worry about things being too much for them. ¡°So, they¡¯re like actors, and I¡¯m the one writing the script and directing them?¡± ¡°That is an appropriate comparison, yes.¡± I¡¯ve already stood out in comparison to the other interns, let¡¯s see if I can push for some more things for myself. ¡°Then do I get to meet them beforehand, so that I can tell them what I want face to face?¡± The room went quiet as Ed waited for a response. It seems like Buddie might be asking for permission from someone else. ¡°Yes, I can allow that. You will be able to meet them after the room is constructed, then when you come back the trap will begin.¡± Yes! It seems that whoever Buddie was talking to agreed. Getting up out of his seat, Ed stretched his limbs, loosening himself up. ¡°Thanks Buddie, I¡¯m going to go on a run now, let me know when the file comes in.¡± Walking through the door, he jogged off down the hallway. ~ The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Sitting back in his seat, Ed wiped off his sweat before opening the file. Name: Claudio Patenza Age: 45 Occupation: Owner of a casino Biography: Born to parents Pier and Romana, Claudio was raised in a wealthy upper-class family. He graduated from university with a business degree, and during his time studying, he fell in love with gambling and casinos... After inheriting his father¡¯s immense wealth, he decided to create his own casino, but unfortunately just before he got started, casinos were made illegal, and were forced to close. Unwilling to give up on his dream, Claudio created an underground casino, calling it the Noble Star Casino. The casino soon became an open secret between the wealthy and powerful individuals of the country, as it was a place where they could unwind and connect with each other... as a known gambler, Claudio would regularly bet and compete against other people, sometimes winning, sometimes losing, building up the reputation that his casino was fair and upright. However, the casino secretly ruined many families, rich and poor alike, all in attempts to keep the Patenza family at the top... -End of document- Okay, so he ran an illegal casino and ruined the lives of many families, taking them for everything that they¡¯ve got. I already have an idea for this one, and I can make use of the new feature as well. I just have to run something by Buddie first. ¡°Can we partially extend the employee benefits to Claudio, not enough to fully heal him, but enough that he won¡¯t die no matter how bad the injury is? Like a temporary immortality while still having his body take all of the damage.¡± ¡°That would depend on what your idea is. He has to have a feasible way of dying. If you can have that, then I will allow it.¡± Opening create a room, Ed quickly got to designing the room. ¡°I want a private gambling room from his casino, with a poker table set up in the middle.¡± Watching the room come into being, Ed whistled at the extravagance of it. He really put a lot of money into this, didn¡¯t he? ¡°The rest of this is quite simple, I¡¯m not going to have any trap, instead I want him to play a game of Texas hold¡¯em against four other people. I also want a dealer and a guard, so please place in some models for all of these roles.¡± Models of six people appeared in the room, taking up the seats around the table were two women and two men. The guard appeared at the door, and the dealer stood at the other end of the table. I wonder if Buddie based these models after the employees available to work with me today? ¡°I don¡¯t see how this can be considered a trap, nor how this will require extending benefits to Claudio.¡± ¡°I was just about to get to that part. The rules of this game will be simple. It will follow standard Texas hold¡¯em rules, it will last for an hour, and instead of betting with money or chips, the players will be betting with flesh. To provide them with a bit of leeway, we will use pounds as our unit of measurement instead of kilograms. The guard will be there to make sure that Claudio follows the rules. As long as he doesn¡¯t run out by the end of the hour, fully heal him back to normal and set him free, but if he can no longer bet, that will be the end of him.¡± I should apologise to the actors in advance for having to do this. ¡°That should be all Buddie, you can get started on building it now, just make sure to tell all of them what they are getting themselves into, I would like for them to be at least somewhat informed before I chat with them.¡± ¡°Congratulations on completing another project, this one shouldn¡¯t take too long to complete, I¡¯ll make sure to let you know when the room is complete so that you can talk to the others. In the meantime, what would you like to eat?¡± ¡°Thanks Buddie, I¡¯m feeling like a nice big lasagna today, with some water as usual.¡± Eating his food, he prepared himself for his first chat with the other employees. I guess I¡¯ve already technically met some of them, Larry in the first punishment, and everyone in the third one, but this will be my first time talking to someone else outside of when they¡¯re working. This is a big step moving forward. Enjoying his meal, he waitd for the room to be built. ~ ¡°The room is ready, Ed.¡± Getting up, he stretched, preparing himself to meet them. I wonder what they¡¯re like? Walking into the hallway, he came to the fifth door, opening it up to see six people waiting patiently in the room. Breathing calmly, Ed introduced himself. ¡°Hello everyone, my name is Edward, but you can just call me Ed. I am currently on my internship with the company, and this is my first time creating a trap that actively involves other employees. I would like to apologise in advance to the players today, as you will have to go through quite a bit of pain, I will try to make it up to you if I can.¡± Seeing that they were looking at him with a mixed look of confusion and slight shock, he wondered if he said something wrong. Maybe they can¡¯t understand me because I¡¯m speaking English, they¡¯re most likely from a different dimension, so they probably speak an entirely different language... No, the company wouldn¡¯t be able to run efficiently at all if that was the case. They have to have some sort of multiversal translator just so that everyone can communicate. Noticing the awkward silence, a charming young woman with long black hair stood up to greet him. ¡°Sorry for our reaction, none of us have heard of an intern for the R&D department being allowed to do something like this. So, we were all just a bit surprised. My name is Avery by the way, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± Shaking hands with Ed, the rest went on to introduce themselves. ¡°So, something like this doesn¡¯t happen very often?¡± Smiling gently, Avery responded. ¡°Well, you¡¯re the first time that I¡¯ve ever heard of it, and I¡¯ve been working here for five hundred years.¡± Five hundred! She can¡¯t be human, unless other realities have found a way to stop ageing entirely. ¡°But you only look like you¡¯re in your twenties, how have you been working here for so long?¡± Giggling, she waved off what he said. ¡°This is just the form I chose to use for this project today. Most of us in this job have the ability to transform somehow.¡± Well, that answers that question. ¡°What department are you all a part of? If you don¡¯t mind me asking.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t mind at all, most of us in this room are from the operations department, but he is from the HR department, as he is responsible for healing us when it¡¯s all over.¡± She said, pointing at thin air. ¡°But there¡¯s no one there.¡± Ed said, confused. ¡°Oh yeah, that¡¯s right, you can¡¯t see them. To be fair most people can¡¯t tell where they are, I just have a very good sense of smell that lets me know where they are. The healers in the HR department are typically invisible at all times.¡± A hand appeared where she pointed, waving back at Ed and Avery. Wait, that means it wasn¡¯t Buddie healing me. Was there someone in my room the entire time? That''s kind of creepy. ¡°Thank you for enlightening me on that. I think we should get down to work today. As you would have already been told, today you will be playing a game of poker, more specifically Texas hold¡¯em, that will last an hour. The sinner will be here shortly after I finish talking to you. The only difference between this and a normal game of poker is that you will all be betting with pieces of your own body. Your ¡®wealth¡¯ will be entirely dependent on how much you weigh, as you will be betting in pounds." "I don¡¯t have any particular restraints on how I want you to play. Just treat it as a normal game and play however you feel like. You will be cutting off however much you bet when you lose, however your body will still be able to function until it¡¯s all over, then you will be fully healed back to normal. I apologise for putting you all through this much pain.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ed. We are all more than used to dealing with a little pain. This is going to be a fun hour for us.¡± ¡°Well as long as you¡¯re all okay with it we should be all done here. Last thing before we get started, I want you to act to match the setting. You can pretend that you are in the same situation as him, or just treat everything that is happening as normal.¡± Shaking hands with everyone, Ed left the room. Chapter 20 ¡°Let me out of here! Do you even know who I am?¡± Waking up to the sounds of someone yelling, Claudio looked around in a daze. Looking at where the sounds were coming from, he saw an elegant and beautiful young woman shouting at a well-dressed man across the table from them. Turning around, he saw a door being blocked by a large bouncer, and three other people asleep around the semi-circle table. A poker table, am I still in the casino, what¡¯s going on? ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± he asked, turning to the angry woman. ¡°Oh, thank God, somebody else is awake.¡± She said, turning to Claudio. ¡°These two bastards are refusing to let us leave, saying that we have to wait for the others so we can play a game.¡± Turning back to the dealer, she pointed a finger at his face while yelling. ¡°When I get out of here, I¡¯m going to make sure that you are both arrested and left to rot for the rest of your lives.¡± Looking around the room more actively, he felt a sense of familiarity. Wait, is this one of my private rooms? Looking at the dealer, he failed to match a name to the face, not recognising him as one of his workers. Pulling the woman back from the dealer, he whispered into her ear. ¡°I think it''s for the best if we wait for the others to wake up first. We don¡¯t want to agitate these people. We¡¯ve got no clue what they are willing to do, at least for now we are somewhat safe.¡± Paling at his words, she started to shake in fear. ¡°Do you really think they will hurt us?¡± Gently soothing her, he whispered. ¡°It is a possibility, so let''s just calm down before we do anything rash. My name is Claudio, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Avery, I just wanted to have some fun at a casino. I heard about a good one from a family friend, I didn¡¯t expect it to be this dangerous. I never should have come here.¡± Seeing her calm down, he continued to ask her questions to distract her. ¡°Do you have any clues as to where we are? Where were you before you woke up here?¡± ¡°I was in The Noble Star casino. I was just getting my chips ready before I blacked out.¡± The Noble Star Casino... Am I actually trapped in my own casino, or did they take us somewhere else? ¡°These men aren¡¯t employees for The Noble Star Casino, I can tell you that. I¡¯m not sure if we¡¯re still there, the room does look familiar, but they could¡¯ve just reconstructed a room somewhere else.¡± Confused, she looked at him. ¡°How do you know all of this?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m the owner of the casino. I¡¯ve never seen these men before in my life, but this does look exactly like one of my private rooms.¡± Recoiling away from him, she looked at him warily. ¡°How do I know that you¡¯re telling the truth? What if you¡¯re working with them and you¡¯re just trying to lower my guard.¡± ¡°I can see why you don¡¯t trust me; I promise you that I¡¯m not working with them, I hope that you¡¯re willing to trust me, as it¡¯s the best way for us to get out of here alive.¡± Looking down, she started to think for a few moments. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll trust you. I hope we can make it out of here.¡± Turning around, he saw the others slowly starting to rouse. ¡°Good morning, everyone. You all have your own reasons for being here. One of you, out of fear and greed, has willingly destroyed countless families. So, I have put you in here as a way to seek forgiveness and face retribution. The rest of you will just be considered collateral damage until this person truly repents, so know that one of you controls the fate of everyone in this room. Today will be a game of skill, courage, and willpower. You should all be able to see that you are sitting in front of a poker table. You will play against each other for an hour. All who survive will be allowed to leave and go back to their lives. The rest of you will die in this room. The rules of the game are simple; it will be a standard game of Texas hold¡¯em, something you should all be familiar with. Good luck.¡± The room went silent after the voice stopped talking. Everyone still processing what they just heard. Hold¡¯em... I think I can last an hour. I have to try and figure out who is doing this, and how they know what I¡¯ve done. If what he said was true, then they should already have enough information to control me for the rest of my life. They could have just gone to the officials with this, and I would be done for. They must want control over everything that I have. He briefly glanced at Avery. I¡¯m sorry that I am putting you through this. ¡°Where are the poker chips?¡± said the man beside him. Hearing the question, he turned to look at the table noticing the lack of chips. Strange. Picking up the sealed pack of cards, the dealer showed it to everyone before breaking it open. Shuffling the cards, he smiled at the surrounding players. ¡°Today you won¡¯t be betting with money, as there is too much of a disparity in terms of wealth within this group for that to be fair.¡± The dealer paused, giving a quick look at Claudio. ¡°Instead, you all will be betting with a different form of currency, namely, pounds of flesh.¡± Everyone in the room turned pale, as the dealer dealt out the first hand. This is insane, there¡¯s no way they can make us do this. Looking over at Avery, he saw her shivering in fear. Poor girl. Comforting her, he looked up at the dealer, seeing a wide grin on his face. Sick bastard. ¡°I can tell what all of you are thinking and trust me, it will be easier if you all just comply. Otherwise, my colleague here will have to step in and enforce the rules personally.¡± The dealer said, pointing at the guard at the door. ¡°Also, the timer only counts down when you all are actively playing, so don¡¯t think about just sitting here to waste away the hour. Besides, we wouldn¡¯t want anything to happen now, would we?¡± Seeing everyone start to sweat, he nodded. ¡°Good. Now that we have that out of the way, let¡¯s establish some base rules. A game will only be considered active if two or more players make it to the turn card being revealed, if this doesn¡¯t happen, the time lost will be added back to the clock. The minimum wager will be two pounds, and blinds are active. A small blind is a pound, big blind is two pounds. This here is the dealer button.¡± He said, spinning a plain white chip in between his fingers. ¡°If a player folds, their flesh will be paid at the end of the round before revealing the community card, if they don¡¯t fold, all flesh will be paid at the end of each game. To keep things simple, you all have been given a number, you are player one¡± he said, pointing at the person to his left, before counting around clockwise. ¡°Now that we have that covered, let¡¯s begin.¡± Leaving the dealer chip in front of himself, he dealt out cards clockwise to the players. Picking up his cards, Claudio gave them a quick look before putting them back down. A two of hearts and a five of clubs. Not much I can do here, I¡¯m safe for now so I¡¯ll just fold, but this strategy won¡¯t hold for long. Looking around, he saw that there were two people either side of him and knew that he¡¯d be the next to pay the big blind. ¡°I fold.¡± he called out, taking his arms off the table. To his left, Avery also folded. The following player paused for a moment, before calling. The other two players called as well. The flop cards were turned over, revealing an ace of spades, a four of clubs, and a six of diamonds. Seeing the cards, player five called. Player one folded and player two called. Player one looked between the dealer and the guard. Moving so quick that he couldn''t even be seen, the guard appeared next to him, accurately cut off three pounds of flesh, then moved back to the door. Seeing the flesh land on the table, Avery screamed and closed her eyes. Gritting his teeth, Claudio continued to watch the game unfold. The turn is revealed, showing the queen of hearts. Player five thought for a moment before calling. Looking back at her hand, player two hesitantly folded. She flipped her hand over revealing a four of spades and a five of diamonds. Player five flipped over his hand, revealing an ace of hearts and a queen of clubs. ¡°Player five wins the pot by default.¡± Collecting the cards, the dealer moved the button around and started shuffling. Six pounds of flesh fell on the table, gathering with the rest before moving over to player 5. What the fuck. Claudio stared wide-eyed in shock as the flesh moved on its own. His body tried to vomit, but it refused to leave his stomach. Distracted by the flesh, he didn''t realise that the cards had already been dealt. ¡°I fold.¡± said Avery, bringing Claudio¡¯s attention back to the game. Checking his hand, he tried to think about what to do. A ten and a jack of clubs, this could be good. I¡¯m already going to lose a bit because of the blind, I might as well try and win this round. Hearing everybody but Avery call, he decides to call as well, hoping to get something good from the flop. The cards were turned over, showing a jack of hearts, a nine of clubs, and a seven of clubs. Good, I just need an eight of clubs, then I¡¯ll win. Player five folded, and two pounds were cut off. Player one called while player two folded, losing three pounds. Getting to his turn, Claudio called, hoping to get something good from the turn. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. The turn was revealed to be a three of hearts. Useless for me, let¡¯s see what he does. Looking over at player one, he saw some hesitation in his eyes. Folding, player one showed his hand to be a king of spades and a seven of hearts. His best hand from this was a pair of sevens, I guess he decided to cut his losses. Flipping his hand over, he waited for the dealer to take the cards back. ¡°Player three wins the pot by default.¡± The dealer prepped for the next hand as his colleague got to work. The flesh wiggled towards Claudio, making him want to vomit. Trying to ignore the pile of flesh, he stared at the dealer, waiting for the next hand. Hearing some shuffling next to him, he turned to see Avery trying to move away from the piles, but unfortunately found herself stuck in between both of them and unable to move away from the table. Poor girl. Turning his attention back to the game, he picked up his hand. A pair of sevens. Not bad. I¡¯ll see how the flop goes. Player five started off by calling, while player one immediately folded. Seems like he¡¯s learned to play it a bit safer. That¡¯s good. Seeing player two call, Claudio followed up by calling, and turned to see what Avery would do. She folded, visibly shaking and terrified, knowing what was about to come. Before the guard even moveed, she started wailing in fear. ¡°Please don¡¯t do anything. I did nothing wrong. Why are you doing this to me?¡± She cried out, pleading to the dealer. Ignoring her cries, the blade came down, quickly cutting off her flesh. Disturbed by the scene, Claudio turned away, trying to block out her wails by focusing on the cards. The flop was revealed, showing a two of clubs, a king of spades, and a jack of diamonds. Players five and two called, while Claudio decided to cut his losses and folded. Some of the flesh in his pile split off, crawling towards the pot. The turn was revealed, showing a jack of clubs. Seeing this, both players confidently called. The river was turned over, showing a three of hearts. Again, they both called, believing that they had the winning hand. They both revealed their hands. Player two had a pair of jacks, while player five had a pair of kings. Four of a kind vs a full house. ¡°Player two wins the pot with four of a kind vs player five¡¯s full house.¡± A pound of flesh was cut off player five, joining the pot before it moved to sit in front of player two. The next two games passed in the same way, with two players betting until they revealed their hands. Players two and four competed in game four, with player four coming out the victor, and in game five Claudio bested player one to win the game. A large chunk of flesh was cut off of player one. Weighing 18 pounds, it thudded on the table, adding to Claudio''s ever increasing pile. Player one was sitting there, looking frail and weak. The cards were dealt for game six. A two of hearts and a nine of diamonds, no luck. Claudio folded. With a confident smile Avery immediately called. Player five folded, while players one and two both called. The flop was turned over, revealing a king of diamonds, a six of clubs, and a two of diamonds. Avery stared down the other players before raising the bet to four pounds. Looking at their hands, players one and two followed, waiting to see what the turn card was. The card was flipped over, showing a six of hearts. Avery raised the bet to 10 pounds. Confident in his hand, player one followed Avery up with a call, while player two hesitated, before deciding to fold. The blade came down as player two wailed. The river is turned over showing a five of diamonds. Breaking out into a smile, player one looks over at Avery, and sees that she is now forcing her smile to stay up. Avery hesitated for a moment, growing solemn before calling out, ¡°I raise... 150 pounds.¡± she struggled to keep her smile on her face, showing her determination. The room fell silent, everyone shocked by her actions. What is she doing? Having spent years gambling, Claudio looked into Avery¡¯s eyes, trying to see through her schemes. Nothing, she must be breaking under the pressure. Unable to find anything, he looked at her with pity, hoping that the young woman could survive. Delirious from the blood loss and confident in his hand player one called her bluff, going all in. Both players flipped over their hands. ¡°Player four wins the pot with a full house vs player one¡¯s flush.¡± The room fell silent after the dealer stopped talking, everyone staring slack-jawed at the cards on the table. Player one turned pale, frozen to the spot in fear and disbelief. Before he could say anything, his body exploded, sending chunks flying across the room. Bits of viscera landed in Claudio¡¯s open mouth, sliding down his throat. Still shocked by everything that was happening, it took his brain a moment to realise what just happened, and when it did, he bent over trying to vomit everything out. Feeling something wiggle in his throat, he started to choke, struggling to breathe as the chunks of intestine started to squirm back up his throat. The rest of the blood and bits from across the room started to congregate on the table in front of Avery. Finally, it dislodged itself from Claudio¡¯s throat, landing on top of the enormous pile. Looking at the pile in front of her, Avery looked at it with glee, giggling madly as she pulled it closer towards herself, staring down the other players, as if she was afraid that they would try and take it away. Eventually pulling himself back together, Claudio looked over at Avery, seeing the most disturbing scene he¡¯d ever witnessed. Like a child, she picked up some of the flesh and played with it, all the while giggling like a little girl. Completely broken, she dipped her fingers in the blood, smearing it all over the desk and herself. Afraid to continue watching, everyone turned away. When I get out of here, I¡¯ll try and help her family. That¡¯s the least I can do. After a few minutes, her laughter finally stopped as she grew quieter, sticking to playing with the flesh in front of her. Seeing that things had calmed down; the dealer continued the game. Focusing back on the cards, Claudio tried to ignore her. A pair of queens, I¡¯ll try and win this round. Stuck in his thoughts, it took him a while to realise that nobody had made their move. Looking at the others, he saw that they¡¯re both staring at Avery. Claudio realised that it was her turn, and frowned when he saw that she hadn''t touched her hand, but was instead playing with a heart, rolling it in her hands. Leaning towards her, he triee to get her attention back on the game. ¡°Hey Avery, it¡¯s your turn, do you want to put that down and play with us instead?¡± he ask3e, trying to be gentle. She looked at him in fear, pausing for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s mine!¡± she shouted, before shoving the heart into her mouth. She sealed her lips shut, shaking her head as if to tell him to not come closer. Seeing this, everyone tried to vomit, bending over and retching, but nothing came out. She giggled as the heart tried to wiggle back out into the pile. Seeing this, the dealer sighed. ¡°Seeing that player four is unwilling to make a move, we will consider this as a fold on her part so that the game can continue.¡± Everyone nodded, and the game continued. The next four games played out quickly. With Avery not able to focus on the game, she was made to fold every round, as the three remaining players took turns winning small pots, trying to stall out until the one-hour mark. Game eleven began as the hands were dealt. A nine of diamonds and a queen of spades this could be decent. He turned over to player five, waiting to see what he would do to start the game. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Avery¡¯s bloody hands pick up the cards, holding them in front of her eyes as if they were a new toy. Distracted by the cards, the heart flopped out of her mouth, landing close to the pot. ¡°Player four has called, placing her bet forward.¡± Some of the flesh from her pile moves forward to meet the heart, bringing it up to two pounds. Shocked for a moment, player five fumbled over their words, before calling. Player two looked at her hand before quickly folding. Claudio also called. The flop was turned over, showing a queen of diamonds, a seven of clubs, and a ten of diamonds. I could get a straight flush here. Looking over at Avery, he waited for her turn to be voided. While playing around, Avery pushed forward a small pile of flesh, giggling as it jiggled around. ¡°Player four has raised the bet to ten pounds.¡± The dealer called as the pile wiggled into the pot. Distraught watching it move away, Avery cried, trying to get it back. Soon, she was distracted by the larger pile in front of her and forgot all about it. Gulping, player five hurriedly folded, not daring to risk anything. Claudio hesitated but looked at the pile in front of him and decided that he could take the risk. ¡°I call.¡± he said calmly, looking at the cards in the centre. The turn was revealed to be a jack of diamonds. All I need is the king of diamonds and I¡¯ll win. Then we will be safe to survive till the end. He turned to stare at Avery, wondering what would happen next. Picking up a handful of flesh, she pegged it at the middle of the table, trying to knock the pile of flesh over. Stopping after a few throws, she sulked in her chair, having failed to knock it over, instead only making the pile bigger. ¡°Player four raises the bet to fifty pounds.¡± Gritting his teeth, Claudio called, waiting to see what the last card will be. The river was flipped over, showing a king of diamonds. I¡¯ve won. Hopefully she doesn¡¯t participate in any other rounds after she loses a big chunk of her pile. Still sulking, Avery grew angry, pouting and throwing a tantrum. She pushed everything away, causing most of her pile to land near the pot, with only little bits still left lying around her as she slumped on the table. Smiling the dealer started speaking. ¡°Player four has once again raised the bet, this time by two hundred and seventy pounds. Completely shocked, Claudio grew quiet, hesitating for a long moment. How is that two hundred and seventy, her pile wasn¡¯t that big. Looking over, he saw that part of Avery¡¯s body was splayed over the desk. He¡¯s counting her body as part of her bet, this bastard. Slowly breathing out, Claudio went all in, knowing that she would still have enough to survive. No one should have to go through something like that. Even if she does make it out of this alive, she will just be reduced to a blubbering mess, I don¡¯t think she would want to live like that. If only I had more than her, then I would be able to put her out of her misery. Looking over at her, Claudio saw her looking up at him. Almost as if he could see the last remnants of her sanity pleading to him, he flipped over his hand waiting for the dealer to give him the victory. Seeing that Avery hadn¡¯t flipped her hand, the dealer leaned over and flipped it for her. In front of everyone, her hand was revealed to be a two of clubs and an ace of diamonds. What. Completely shocked, Claudio¡¯s head buzzed as he looked at her cards, hoping that his eyes were playing tricks on him. I¡¯ve lost. ¡°Player four wins the pot with a royal flush vs player three¡¯s king-high straight flush." Rooted to the spot by the dealer¡¯s words, Claudio failed to notice as Avery went back to normal, casually wiping the blood of her face before giving him a pleasant smile. ¡°You have run out of pounds to spare Claudio. Unfortunately, that means your time here has come to an end. You have spent your life gambling and built an entire business empire based around gambling. In the end, just like all gamblers, you went too far and risked too much. Gambling has become your undoing. Enjoy Hell Claudio, Goodbye.¡± The voice from earlier grew quiet, leaving the room in silence before Claudio burst open, his body scattering across the room. Chapter 21 Ed walked back into the room, closing the door behind him ¡°Everything is now in place; Claudio is in the room so we shall begin.¡± The screen lit up, showing the room he was in moments ago. The only difference was that all of the players were now asleep in their seats. Well, that was quick, I only just left. Turning back around, he wondered how they got Claudio into the room without him noticing. Probably some form of teleportation. They wouldn¡¯t have been able to carry him into the room without me noticing, unless there was a secret entrance. Turning back to the screen, he saw that Avery was the first to wake up. I¡¯m curious to see what they decide to do since I¡¯ve given them free rein with their characters. ¡°Let me out of here! Do you even know who I am?¡± In an instant, Avery changeed from perfectly neutral to screaming at the dealer. The quick switch stunned Ed for a moment. He smiled as he watched her try and scream the dealer¡¯s head off. The camera shifted focus slightly to Claudio as he woke up. Watching him coax Avery, Ed applauded her acting ability. He¡¯s fallen right into the palm of your hand... Oh, and now you¡¯re acting scared of him, clever. Watching the others wake up, Ed waited for the games to begin, wondering what kind of strategies each of the players would employ. ¡°Good morning, everyone. You all have your own reasons for being here. One of you, out of fear and greed, has willingly destroyed countless families. So, I have put you in here as a way to seek forgiveness and face retribution. The rest of you will just be considered collateral damage until this person truly repents, so know that one of you controls the fate of everyone in this room... The rules of the game are simple; It will be a standard game of Texas hold¡¯em, something you should all be familiar with. Good luck.¡± ¡°Today you won¡¯t be betting with money, as there is too much of a disparity in terms of wealth within this group for that to be fair. Instead, you all will be betting with a different form of currency, namely, pounds of flesh.¡± Ed watched as the dealer set out the rules for the game. As long as they all play conservatively, they should be able to survive, but something makes me feel like Avery doesn¡¯t want to do that. I wonder what she¡¯s going to do to mess it up? Watching the first round, he saw both Claudio and Avery fold immediately. Smart move, there¡¯s no need to bet if you don¡¯t have to. The other three players called, and the flop was revealed. Watching player one fold, Ed knew what was about to come. He watched as the guard disappeared, showing up next to the table and cutting at player one with his blade, slicing through him cleanly. Watching the flesh wiggle towards the centre of the table, Ed tried to ignore it. I didn¡¯t expect that it would move on its own. He watched as the rounds went by, the flesh moving around to stack in front of the different players. Seeing a small stack pile up in front of Claudio, Ed nodded. He¡¯s playing this quite well. He¡¯s not taking any risks. Avery still hasn¡¯t done anything big. The players picked up their hands as the new game started. Watching Claudio fold, Ed prepared himself for a long hour. Avery continued to raise the bet, pushing out the other players except for player one. What is she planning here? Watching as both players bet obscene amounts, he watched Avery closely, seeing her slowly start to breakdown under the pressure of the moment. So, this is what she had planned. Ed prepared himself to potentially see someone die and wondered how the game would end. They flipped over their cards and the entire room on the screen seemed to freeze. Avery won. Not getting too caught up on it, he turned his attention to the losing player. I wonder how he is going to ¡®die¡¯? Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. His question was soon answered as player one exploded into thousands of small chunks that flew across the room. Ed watched in disgust as one of these chunks slid down Claudio¡¯s throat. Watching the pieces slowly gather back together in front of Avery, his disgust only grew stronger as he could imagine what was happening inside Claudio¡¯s body. That¡¯s not pleasant. Ed watched the piece launch out of Claudio¡¯s mouth and land on top of Avery¡¯s pile. Ed started to enjoy Avery¡¯s performance, despite how macabre and disgusting it was. Almost believing that she was broken by these events. She was probably broken a long time ago, there¡¯s no way she would be able to stay sane doing stuff like this every day. I¡¯ll make sure to check up on them after all of this is over. The game paused for a moment as it stopped on her turn. How will they fix this? ¡°Hey Avery, it¡¯s your turn, do you want to put that down and play with us instead?¡± Hearing Claudio try to coax her, he wondered what she would do. Seeing her shove the heart into her mouth, he sat there stunned for a moment. Ed almost vomited, looking away to calm himself down. That¡¯s a bit too far. She didn¡¯t need to do that. Steadying his mind, he focused back on the screen. ¡°Seeing that player four is unwilling to make a move, we will consider this as a fold on her part so that the game can continue.¡± Ed nodded at the dealer¡¯s decision. The next few games passed quickly, with nothing eventful happening. Watching the next round start, he saw Avery pick up the cards. Looks like she wants to end this. He laughed as the dealer counted her ridiculous actions as her raising the bet, and frowned as he watched Claudio follow her for each bet. Either he is confident in his hand, or he is pitying her too much. It seems like all of her previous actions have built up to this moment. Watching him go all in and flip over his hand, Ed knew that this was the deciding moment. Seeing the ace of diamonds in Avery¡¯s hand, he knew that it was over and waited to see Claudio¡¯s end. ¡°You have run out of pounds to spare Claudio. Unfortunately, that means your time here has come to an end. You have spent your life gambling and built an entire business empire based around gambling. In the end, just like all gamblers, you went too far and risked too much. Gambling has become your undoing. Enjoy Hell Claudio, Goodbye.¡± Claudio bursts open, scattering across the room as the screen turns dark. ¡°Buddie, can you send the actors out into the hallway for me, I would like to talk with them.¡± ¡°Notifying them now.¡± Getting up out of his chair, Ed made his way to the hallway. Seeing all six of them standing there patiently, he walked up to the person who acted as player one first. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to go through that, I haven¡¯t felt what it¡¯s like to have my body explode like that, but I¡¯ve been through something similar so I can guess how it must feel.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t too bad. Besides, it¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve been blown up.¡± He paused, looking over at Avery. ¡°However, it did feel weird having to wiggle my way out of two different people¡¯s mouths, especially when one of them wouldn¡¯t let me. He could feel that? ¡°Does that mean you were conscious the entire time after the explosion?¡± ¡°Yeah, it has to do with how our kind shapeshifts, and the immortality given to us by the company.¡± That¡¯s interesting, I wonder if there are any other weird quirks like that. Ed turned his attention to Avery. ¡°And speaking of that, what made you think of pretending to break down?¡± ¡°I just thought it would be fun. Plus, I needed away to make Claudio lower his guard and walk into the trap willingly.¡± I don¡¯t see how that would be fun, but I guess that¡¯s as good a reason as any. ¡°I saw that you were leading him on from the start, why did you choose to do this? Was it just because he was the target of the trap? Either way, you made the entire process quite interesting.¡± ¡°When he was talking to me, he just came off as a bit of a weirdo and a creep, so I decided to get back at him.¡± ¡°But you just ate a person¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°So?¡± She asks, genuinely confused by his reaction. I guess she¡¯s more far gone than I thought. ¡°Never mind. Well anyways, it''s probably time for us to wrap this up, I¡¯m sure you all have things that you want to do right now than just stand in this hallway with me. I greatly appreciate the work that all of you have put in, and I hope we get to work together again sometime.¡± Shaking hands with everyone, he said goodbye to them before walking back through the door. Chapter 22 Standing in the hallway, the six actors looked at each other confused about what just happened. ¡°Do you really think he¡¯s just an intern?¡± One of them said. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but what reason would he have to lie about it? Besides, he seems to not know a lot of things about the company that¡¯s common knowledge, like about shapeshifters and the HR departments¡¯ healers. That can only be explained by him being an intern.¡± another responded. ¡°You¡¯re right, I think he was telling the truth. There¡¯s something off about him, but I just can¡¯t quite put my finger on it.¡± Said Avery. They all stood there trying to think about it. ¡°If I remember correctly, the internship for his department would have started over a week ago, meaning he¡¯s already designed at least a few traps, but the way he talked to us makes me feel like he couldn¡¯t have possibly designed anything.¡± One of them said hesitantly. ¡°Yeah, and most of the time the designers don¡¯t talk to us at all, let alone twice.¡± Said the dealer. ¡°He was far too nice to us, the designers usually don¡¯t care about us at all, just using us as part of the trap, and they''re always very strict with what we have to do. This entire thing feels weird." said the other female. ¡°It feels like he doesn¡¯t belong here in the company. He¡¯s more like a normal civilian we see when on vacation, not like an employee.¡± Said Avery. ¡°Are you saying that HR made a mistake when selecting him?¡± A voice appeared out of nowhere, startling the actors and making them realise that the healer was still there. Shivering Avery hurriedly denied that. ¡°Good. The company doesn¡¯t make mistakes, and everyone we hire is selected for a reason. Now that we have done our jobs, it is time for us to leave. He may have seemed harmless, but I can assure you that he is the one who designed those traps, and we should not get on his bad side.¡± Finishing their sentence, a door appeared in the middle of the hallway. Opening it up, they disappear, leaving the hallway empty once more. ~ ¡°Good morning, Ed.¡± Waking up well rested, Ed calmly greeted Buddie before thinking about what happened yesterday. The other employees are quite strange. They seem completely normal most of the time and can even have completely normal conversations. However, they all seem to be mentally ill. The way they acted during the trap shows that there is something seriously wrong with them. The most obvious case I can find is with Avery. The way Avery manipulated Claudio to his death without batting an eye shows that she is a skilled manipulator, and when she ate the heart, it showed that she was willing to use any means available to her to achieve her goals. While I can¡¯t quite figure out what is wrong with the others, just seeing how desensitised they are to everything tells me that there¡¯s something wrong with them as well. Of course, it would be weirder if they were completely normal after everything they¡¯ve gone through. If their work experience has been anything like mine, then I can completely understand how their illnesses came to be. But then why would the company do this? Assuming that the company¡¯s goal is to punish sinners and make them face justice, then wouldn¡¯t the company be the biggest sinner for destroying the minds of its employees, breaking them and reshaping them into these twisted shadows of their former selves? Or were Avery and the others already ill before they were hired, and they were chosen because of it? Is this true for all employees, even the ones not directly involved in the traps? What is it that the company sees in people that makes it hire them? If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. There are so many questions I need answers to, but I don¡¯t think that Buddie will tell me while I¡¯m an intern. I should get to work. After spending some time sifting through his thoughts, and being bogged down in the many questions, the file was sent to his computer. Name: Samuel Gavin Age: 83 Occupation: Police officer (retired) Biography: Born to parents George and Catrina Gavin, Samuel lived a very disturbing childhood. His father abused both him and his mother, regularly beating them, and even starving young Samuel. His father was eventually arrested and sentenced to several years in prison. After graduating from high school, he joined the military before entering the police force at the age of 22. He stayed in this job until he retired at the age of 55... Throughout his time as a police officer, Samuel murdered 12 men and women. All of his victims were in relationships with each other, and they were all people involved in cases of domestic abuse. These serial murders spanned across his entire working life... Samuel has yet to have been convicted for his crimes, with the police force unable to find any clues leading to the killer. -End of document- A serial killer, well there¡¯s no need for me to question Buddie about this as he¡¯s clearly a sinner. Now why did he murder these people? He didn¡¯t have a good childhood, his father was abusive, so his parents¡¯ relationship is the catalyst for his behaviour. The treatment he received from his father, as well as his time in the military and police force, are most likely what cultivated his murderous tendencies. What I can¡¯t understand is why he murdered the women too? His mother was also a victim in this case, so assuming that he targeted his victims because of the similarities they have with his parents relationship, the women should have been safe. Or did he consider her as an abuser as well because she didn¡¯t take him away from his father, and instead let him get abused for years. Opening the app, he paused for a moment, considering what he wanted to do. I might as well make use of the new feature, see what I can do with multiple people. He opens up the Create a room feature. ¡°Are my creations limited to one room?¡± ¡°Not at all, the building can be as big as you want it, with as many rooms as you would like.¡± Okay, I can work with that. ¡°I want a recreation of his childhood home¡± On the screen, a model of a decently sized two-storey house appeared on screen, nice and quaint, if a bit worn down and old. ¡°Put his model in his childhood bedroom, and somewhere else in the house place a model of his father.¡± The two models appeared, Samuel in his bedroom, and the father in the garage. ¡°Samuel¡¯s goal is to escape from his father and leave the house. I want the father to be constantly searching for him, and if he catches him, he will kill him. However, I want him to be able to escape as long as he is careful and smart.¡± ¡°That will be done. However, this doesn¡¯t seem too difficult, as all he has to do is break the window and escape from there.¡± ¡°While that is true, I meant that he needs to escape the house in a more metaphorical sense, as he needs to free himself from that abuse. In order to do that, he will encounter each of his victims in the house whenever he is not being actively chased by his father. When this happens, replicate the scene of the murder, with him in the place and mindset he was in just before murdering them. If he kills them, his victims will follow him around, making it harder for him to escape, but if he leaves them alive, they will make it easier for him to survive while being chased. The only way he can escape is when he repents, and his victims forgive him. If he kills one of them, the only way to get their forgiveness is to allow them to turn the weapon on him. This will weaken, but not kill him, unless he kills more than half of them.¡± Telling Buddie what he wants for this trap, he thinks if there¡¯s anything else he needs to add. ¡°If that is all, I will begin construction of the house now.¡± ¡°Let me know when the actors are there, I want to talk to them like last time.¡± Nodding, Ed got his meal from Buddie, and ate while waiting. ~ Walking through the door, Ed found himself in the living room of the house and saw that it was quite crowded. ¡°Hello everyone, you can call me Ed. I appreciate you all for helping me with this. I know that Buddie would have already told you everything when you got it, but there¡¯s just a few things I would like to re-emphasize. First off, the only one allowed to kill him is the person playing his father, the rest of you are only allowed to make it more difficult for him, and at most lightly injure him, if the situation calls for it. And the other thing that I want you to focus on is that the man is already quite old, so take things a bit slow.¡± Finishing off what he had to say, he went around to all the actors to have a quick chat, learning a bit about each of them and checking to see if they were ready. After saying goodbye, he walked back into his room and sat down. Chapter 23 Muffled sounds of a television played throughout the house, coming from the living room. Waking up in the middle of the night, Samuel looked around in confusion, his stiff neck slowly turning from side to side. Where am I? Looking at the walls he saw the paint flaking off in some places, with sizeable holes punched into them. The room looked decrepit and rundown, as if no one had lived there for decades. The room was cramped and small, looking more like a closet space than a bedroom. With no toys or decorations, the room lacked the fun and vibrancy typical of a kid¡¯s room. Slowly, his memories started to come back to him. The years of living in this cramped space, and all the years of abuse flooded back to him, filling the old man with inconceivable rage, but dwelling under that rage, there was an undercurrent of fear just waiting to bubble up to the surface. The staticky sound of the old TV played through the floorboards, and Samuel heard the muffled commentary of a football game. Am I having a nightmare? But everything feels so real... ¡°Good morning, Samuel. You had a very rough childhood. One constantly plagued by fear, pain and anxiety. Your father was a broken man who took out his anger on you and your mother. After years of abuse, he left an indelible mark on your soul. One so strong that even after he was gone, you couldn¡¯t wash it away. A lingering shadow waiting to pounce on you when you least expected. One day, it finally struck. Overwhelmed by the pain and misery deep in your soul. More than anything, you wanted this pain to go away, and so you indulged in it, allowing it to do as it pleased. After killing your first victim, it grew quiet. It infected your soul, turning you into the very same monster that you feared." "But luckily, you still have a chance to turn this around. It is time for you to face your fears and repent. Your one path to salvation is to seek forgiveness from those who you have hurt. So, will you let the shadow control you, or will you trudge your way back through your life, and cleanse yourself once and for all? The choice is yours. Good luck.¡± Samuel took a while to process what he just heard. This must be a nightmare. Nobody knows about what I did. I covered my tracks perfectly. Hearing the TV turn off, his heart raced, and he struggled to breathe. I need to get out of here. Quietly, he got out of the bed, shuffling towards the door. He gently pulled it open, making as little noise as possible. As he closed the door, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching. ¡°SAM, GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE.¡± George drunkenly shouted while stumbling towards the stairs. Hearing the footsteps getting louder and louder, Sam ran to his parents'' room, remembering that there was a closet that he could hide in. Getting out of the hallway, he ran to the closet, as fast as his old bones could carry him. He stepped inside, closing the door and blanketing himself in darkness. Breathing heavily, he heard his bedroom door slam open. ¡°Now where did the little shit run off to.¡± His father mumbled as he passed the bedroom door. Eventually the sound of his father¡¯s footsteps all but disappeared. Breathing a sigh of relief, he opened the closet door quietly, and stepped forward. His brain froze for a moment, before becoming flooded with an overwhelming sense of rage. In front of him was a young couple sleeping peacefully. His fists clenched, feeling the clinging elasticity of plastic gloves, as a knife appeared in his right hand. In his rage he lifted the blade, holding it above the man¡¯s neck. Pressing the blade against the skin, Samuel¡¯s mind cleared a little, allowing him to see the faces of the couple. His hand froze, the blade pressing the skin down, but not breaking it. The words he heard earlier played through his mind, slowly wiping away his anger. Shakily, he movesdthe knife away. It slipped out of his hand, clanging against the ground. Flinching at the noise, he looked towards the door, waiting for the sound of footsteps. Hearing nothing, he turned back around to see the couple sitting up and staring at him. A blank expression was left on their faces. Terrified, he dropped to his knees. ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt me.¡± He whispered, tears already forming in his eyes as he looked to the ground. Feeling them looming over him, he looked up to see them standing right above him, staring down at him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± he cried, as they moved closer, leaning in until their faces pressed against his. Pale as a sheet of paper, he started trembling, his body unable to move. ¡°All is forgiven. Find the others and you will be set free.¡± They said in tandem before disappearing. Left shivering on his knees, Samuel took a moment to calm down. He carefully got up, his bones creaked, sounding deafeningly loud atop the silence of the room. I need to find the others. Gently, he moved towards the door, listening for his father¡¯s footsteps. Hearing nothing, he steps back out the door, thinking about where to go next. Where will I find the others? Walking down the dark hallway, he tried to remember the layout of the house. Other than the bedrooms, there should be a study on this floor, I¡¯ll try there before I head downstairs. Getting closer to the study, he paused at the door, trying to listen into the room. In the silence of the night, he heard a light breathing coming from the other side of the door. Slowly, he put his eye up against the keyhole, trying to see who was in the room. Looking through, a bloodshot eye blocked the room. Freezing for a moment, the door slammed open throwing him into the wall. ¡°There you are.¡± His vision blurred, he looked up to see his father approaching him. Without thinking, he got up, and hurriedly limped down the hallway, rushing for the stairs. Hearing the heavy footsteps behind him, he ran as fast as he could. Getting to the top of the stairs, he stumbled, crashing down the stairs. Lying in a heaving mess at the bottom, he heard his father walking down the stairs. Dragging himself up, he limped past the living room and down the hallway. Getting to the end of the hallway, he took a sharp turn and opened the laundry room door. He closed it behind himself and jumped into the linen closet. Heaving, he tried to listen, hoping that his father didn¡¯t find him. Minutes passed, and still, no one had opened the laundry door. Calming down, his body ached all over. Shit. He stayed in the linen closet until the pain subsided. Opening the door, he stepped out and the rage flooded back into his mind. Prepared this time, the rage failed to overwhelm him, seeing the couple standing at the washing machine, their backs turned to him, he instinctively raised the knife. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Shaking his head, he cleared his mind and threw the knife to the ground. Turning around, the couple saw the old man on his knees, his head pressed to the ground. ¡°Please forgive me.¡± Hearing them walk closer, his heart started to race, hoping that they would be like the others. Hearing nothing, he looked up, only to feel a heavy thud as they both slammed their heads into his. Staying still his head started to ache, but his breathing stayed calm. ¡°All is forgiven.¡± They said before disappearing. Letting the headache subside, he crawled towards the door. Pressing his ear against it, he heard the sound of the tv again. He must be sitting in front of the tv. He opened the door. Looking down the hallway, he saw the light from the TV hitting against the wall. Relieved, he walked to his left, keeping an eye on the hallway at all times. Opening the door slightly, he squeezed in before taking one final look down the hallway. The TV turned off and his mind froze up in fear as he saw a figure standing in the hallway. The rage flooded back in, mixing with the fear. Moving towards the shower, he pulled the mask over his face with one hand, while lifting the knife with the other. The sound of running water got louder as he stepped closer. The room filled with steam as the glass fogged up. Opening the shower door, his arm stabbed forward several times, the knife squelching as it slid in and out of flesh. The bodies dropped to the floor as the blood washed down the drain. Heaving, Samuel stood over the bodies, a look of rage and satisfaction on his face. ¡°AAAAAHHH¡± A banshee-like scream shattered the rage in his mind, leaving him standing there with a blank look on his face. Looking down, he saw two faces staring back at him, smiling creepily. They both opened their mouths to let out another scream. Stepping back in fear, he heard footsteps coming down the hallway. His mind racing, he tried to run for the door, but felt a heavy weight on his legs, making it difficult for him to move. Looking down, he saw the bodies gripping his legs, digging their nails into his skin and drawing blood. Out of fear, he stabbed them a few more times, even trying to slash off their hands, but to no avail. They remained tightly connected to him. Hearing the footsteps get louder, he gave up on trying to get rid of them. With all his strength, he made it to the door. He burst through the door and tried to make his way down the hallway. Blocking his way, he saw his father walking towards him, George¡¯s face flushed as he looked at him with rage. ¡°Stop running.¡± His father said as he walked past the kitchen door, blocking all possible exits. What do I do? There¡¯s nowhere for me to run. His breathing grew heavy as his father got closer. His pace weakened as the added weight overwhelmed him. Grinding to a halt, he waited for his father to catch him. He stared down at the ground, unable to look his father in the eye. Hearing him get closer, his heart ground to a halt, as he felt death approaching him. The walking stopped and for a moment all was silent. Hearing a thud, he looked up to see the first couple standing in front of him. Past them, he saw his father crumpled against the wall, clutching at his side in pain. ¡°Go.¡± The couple shouted as for a moment, the weight was lifted, and he could run. Without thinking, he sprinted up the stairs and barged into the study before slamming the door shut. Getting a moment to breathe, his heart started to go back to normal as he looked around the room for a place to hide. Spotting an old wardrobe in the corner, he crawled into it. He finally started to think about what just happened. The couple saved me. I thought that everything was over, but they protected me. He tensed up as he felt a heavy weight on his shoulders, turning his head around, he stared into the lifeless eyes of the couple he killed in the bathroom. This time, instead of holding onto his calves, they had piled themselves on top of him. ¡°Why would you do this to us?¡± They whispered into his ear. Freaking out, he fell out of the wardrobe, landing heavily on his back. Ow. As he got up the bodies reattached themselves to him, and the rage took over once more. Sitting at the table in front of him, there was a young couple working on university assignments together. Sluggishly he walked over to them, his body being weighed down by the corpses, making him even slower than normal. This allowed his mind to start working again before he could get close to them. Hearing a heavy thud behind them, the couple turned around to see Samuel kneeling. They pushed themselves against him, somehow helping to relieve the pressure. ¡°All is forgiven.¡± They disappeared. Getting up, Samuel dragged his feet as he got to the door. Listening out, he heard someone rummaging through the kitchen drawers. Aching and feeling heavy all over, he waited for the sound to stop, and followed the sound of the footsteps as it made its way from the kitchen to the stairs. The sound grew louder as it made its way up the stairs. He waited for the sound to pass by him, listening as it disappeared down the hallway. Hearing a door open, he quietly entered the hallway and made his way downstairs. Hearing nothing behind him, he stopped at the kitchen door. Opening the door, it creaked open, causing him to tense. He quickly entered the room and dragged himself to the pantry to hide. Hearing the footsteps above him, he closed the pantry door and waited. The bodies squeezed up against him, their foul stench covering him, making him feel like it was impossible to breathe. The footsteps stopped, remaining upstairs. Struggling to breathe, he prepares himself for what was to come and opened the door. He felt the rage flood in, but he was able to fend it off. He calmly stared at the couple making dinner in front of him. Hearing their laughter, he dropped to his knees and begged for forgiveness. ¡°All is forgiven.¡± Hearing that, he breathed a sigh of relief. I¡¯m almost free. Just one more. He moved sluggishly, barely able to move forward. The weight of the bodies, seemingly no longer limiting itself to the physical world, but also weighing on his mind and soul. His mind felt like it was running through quicksand. He could no longer move as all his strength was sucked away from him. I need to deal with this. Looking at the bodies, he calmly knelt. Ignoring the smell, he pressed his head against their faces, feeling how cold their bodies were. ¡°Please forgive me.¡± He whispered, as the knife appeared in his hand once more. Taking the knife, the bodies stabbed it into him, twisting it. Samuel groaned and wailed, as the knife slid in and out. Blood seeped from the wound. ¡°All is forgiven.¡± The bodies disappeared as his strength was restored. Getting up, he was now able to move normally. Feeling freed from the pressure, his mind started running like normal. He stopped and listened. Hearing nothing he opened the door and started creeping towards the living room. Seeing the couple snuggling on the couch, he blocked out the rage and walked to stand in front of them. Suddenly his body froze as he felt a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Now I¡¯ve got you.¡± His father¡¯s breath hit his ear. His father gripped onto him tightly, not allowing him to move. Feeling like a child again, he was unable to react, his mind froze as he turned to see those bloodshot eyes next to him. Trembling, he felt his soul leave his body. George threw him into the wall. His bones creaking and breaking as he struggled to move. ¡°You should have stayed quiet.¡± George grabbed a hold of him again, repeatedly slamming his head into the wall with a sickening thud, blood splattering onto the white wall. ¡°Unfortunately for you Samuel, it seems like you were unable to liberate yourself from the horrors of your past. The shadow had too much of a hold on you, and no matter how hard you tried to get rid of it, it always came back. Now it is too late, and you have failed. Enjoy Hell Samuel. Goodbye.¡± Only the sickening thuds remained. Chapter 24 The screen flashes, changing to footage of a cramped room, with an old man lying asleep on a small bed. This was his childhood bedroom? This is more like a storage closet. Samuel wakes up and looks around the room in confusion. ¡°Good morning, Samuel. You had a very rough childhood. One constantly plagued by fear, pain and anxiety... he left an indelible mark on your soul. One so strong that even after he was gone, you couldn¡¯t wash it away. A lingering shadow waiting to pounce on you when you least expected. One day, it finally struck. Overwhelmed by the pain and misery deep in your soul. More than anything, you wanted this pain to go away, and so you indulged in it... you still have a chance to turn this around. It is time for you to face your fears and repent. Your one path to salvation is to seek forgiveness from those who you have hurt. So, will you let the shadow control you, or will you trudge your way back through your life, and cleanse yourself once and for all? The choice is yours. Good luck.¡± Buddie¡¯s message is very philosophical this time. Ed watches as Sam sneaks out into the hallway. Hearing George shout, he watches as Sam runs and hides in the master bedroom¡¯s closet. He was very decisive there; it seems like he hasn¡¯t forgotten the layout of the house despite how long it''s been. The footage splits, with one side showing Samuel, and the other showing George. Ed watches as George walks past the bedroom door, going further down the hallway and entering the study. Sam should be safe for now. He turns his attention back to Sam, watching him step back out into the room, but this time it isn¡¯t empty. On the bed there is a young couple sleeping side by side. Looking at Sam¡¯s face Ed can see that he has become overwhelmed by his emotions, and that he no longer has control over himself. Watching the knife press into the skin, Ed expects to see Sam fall at the first hurdle. However, to his surprise, Sam seems to regain control of himself at the last moment, moving the blade away and letting it drop to the floor. Seeing Sam turn around, Ed watches the actors sit up and stare at Sam with a blank expression. Sam falls to his knees, shaking miserably with tears in his eyes. ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt me... I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ed watches as the couple gets closer to Sam, wondering what they are going to do. ¡°All is forgiven. Find the others and you will be set free.¡± Seeing them disappear, thoughts flash through his brain. Invisibility? Or did they teleport to somewhere else? I can¡¯t say for certain. Ed watches as Sam slowly moves closer to the study. Looking over at the other camera feed, he sees George crouching at the door, staring through the keyhole with his bloodshot eyes. Seeing Sam lean over to look into the room, Ed prepares himself for it to be over. The door slams open, sending Sam flying into the wall. Ed winces as he sees Sam lying in pain on the floor. That¡¯s got to hurt. ¡°There you are.¡± Watching Sam try and escape from his father, Ed sees him fall heavily down the stairs, and despite the pain, Sam manages to escape. Minutes pass with Sam waiting in fear, while George searches throughout the kitchen rest of the floor trying to find him. Eventually he gives up and goes back to watching TV. Sam finds himself behind another couple and is able to hold off the influx of emotions, quickly throwing the knife away and begging for forgiveness. Ed watches them slam their heads together, causing a dull thud. ¡°All is forgiven¡± the couple disappears, giving Sam a chance to breathe. Two down. He should be able to get to the rest of them. Ed turns his attention to George and sees him standing in the hallway, staring at the end of the hallway. Did he hear something? Watching both screens, he sees George move closer while Sam sneaks into the bathroom. At the last moment, their eyes meet each other''s, with Sam freezing on the other side of the door. Fearing for his life, he is unable to block out the rage. Sam lifts the knife, stabbing through the hot steam, spilling blood down the drain. Well shit, this isn¡¯t good. Ed watches as Sam stands there, smiling. A banshee-like scream echoes throughout the room, causing Ed¡¯s ears to ring. Holding his head, Ed looks away, trying to block out the noise. Shaking his head, it finally stops ringing. Looking back up at the screen, he sees two bodies latched onto Sam¡¯s legs, digging their nails into his skin. Watching him struggle to move, Ed sighs as he looks over to see George standing in the hallway, blocking Sam from escaping. Sam uses all his strength to burst through the door, only to see George standing there. Ed watches Sam come to a stop, seemingly waiting for his father to catch him. Before he can even think, the couple appears between Sam and George, by simply raising a hand, George is flung backwards into the wall. Unknown to Sam, the other couple he saved appears behind him, dragging the bodies off him and shouldering the weight themselves. After a moment Sam looks up, confused. ¡°Go.¡± Sam sprints up the stairs, slamming the door behind him when he makes it into the study. Ed watches as he crawls into the wardrobe, breathing heavily. He should have a bit of a breather now. Let¡¯s hope he gets all of them before George catches up. He should have three left to get, plus seeking forgiveness from the one he just stabbed. Ed watches as Sam finds and apologises to two more couples, one in the study and the other in the kitchen. Just one more. He turns his attention to George, who is standing at the bottom of the stairs, shrouded in darkness. It¡¯s a little risky right now, he should wait a bit for George to move. Looking back at Sam, he sees him hand the knife over to the smiling bodies, who then stab him in the but, twisting the knife and causing Sam to groan. As the knife slides out, the couple disappears. Sam opens the door and sees the final couple on the couch. Like a lion waiting to pounce, George shoots forth out of the darkness, latching onto Sam¡¯s shoulder. Ed watches as George throws Sam into the wall. Watching Sam gasp in agony, Ed knows that it¡¯s over. He watches to see how George will end this, only to see a sickening and twisted smile on his lips. One too real to be faked. He¡¯s enjoying this. George grabs Sam, repeatedly slamming the old man¡¯s head into the wall. With blood dripping down the wall, the only thing left in Ed¡¯s mind is the sound of Sam¡¯s head thudding over and over again. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. The screen turns to black, but Ed can¡¯t take his mind off what was happening. The thuds still reverberating in his head. He starts to feel pain, almost as if it was happening to him. He starts sweating heavily as he pales considerably. ¡°Are you okay, Ed?¡± Buddie¡¯s voice enters his brain, gently soothing him like a warm blanket. Slowing down his breathing, Ed sits back against the chair, rubbing his head as he looks up at the roof. Did I go too far? He was a victim too. Yes, he did kill a lot of people, but I shouldn¡¯t have brought his father into this, that was too much... maybe this place is getting to me. I should rest for a while and think about it with a fresh head tomorrow. ¡°Yes Buddie, I¡¯m fine. Just a little tired, I¡¯m going to go to bed early today, so just thank the actors for me and tell them that they can leave.¡± Ed falls asleep immediately. ~ Ten cloaked figures sit at an antique wooden table. nine of them sit on the sides, looking deferentially at the person at the head of the table. Each of them is holding a folder, preparing to hand it over to the leader. The leader looks between the door and the empty seat at the table. ¡°If the final person doesn¡¯t come in a minute, I will remove their candidate from the running.¡± The room falls silent as the clock starts ticking. Forty seconds later, someone nervously rushes throw the door. Stumbling as they get into the final seat, their folder looking like a mess. Hurriedly tidying the folder up, they bow to the head of the table, apologising for being late. ¡°The meeting shall now begin. As you all know, the company has made contact with a new reality and is now expanding further. Your department is currently not in need of new trap designers, so we in HR have decided to limit you to two new hires for the moment. If the situation changes, we will look at recruiting more people. Now I want each of you to introduce your candidates and tell me why they should be hired.¡± They all gulp, now nervous after hearing just how few would be hired. Starting from the ones closest to the member of HR, everyone takes turns introducing their candidates, their voices strained and hoarse under the pressure being emitted from the head of the table. They hold the folders in front of them, and as they speak, it floats out of their hands and lands at the end of the table, flipping open. They talk about the traps they designed, how many they¡¯ve made and other details about their internship, as well as going into detail about the candidate''s life on Earth and how they are suitable to work in the company. Still a little nervous, most of them stumble a little under the pressure from HR, until it gets to one of them, who calmly stands up, handing the folder in their hands over. ¡°My candidate is Zara Morgan. She is twenty-three years old and was a medical student when she was on Earth. She has shown exceptional talent when it comes to designing traps that are most suited for her targets, requiring minimal input from Buddie. She has designed nine traps since the start of the internship, which is the maximum amount that we have allowed them to make at this time, but she has continued to ask Buddie if she can make more. She has never once argued with Buddie and has been enjoying herself the entire time. All of her traps have been successful, with each one maximising the amount of punishment the targets have to endure...¡± They continue to go on, introducing each of her traps in detail, concluding with her being the best talent they have had for the position in years. The rest of them introduce their candidates, clearly lacking in confidence after hearing about Zara. Nervous it finally gets to the last person, the one who arrived late. Standing up they pass their folder to the head of the table. ¡°My candidate is Edward Armitage. He is nineteen years old and was a university student who majored in psychology when he was on Earth. Umm... he refused to do his work for the first two days, for which he was adequately punished. He successfully completed his next two projects, both of which resulted in the death of his targets. At the end of the fourth day, he tried to read a complete file, which resulted in his head exploding. On the fifth day he also refused to work, resulting in him being punished again. Because of the damage that his soul received from his previous deaths and the head explosion, we had to slow down his perception of time, resulting in him spending a year mentally in the punishment. On the sixth day he completed his project, once again resulting in another death, and for this he was allowed to move around his room and into the hallway. On the seventh day he created another project that was ideally suited to his client, just like all of the others, but this time he also used it to gather more information, and with this he was able to determine that he was no longer on Earth, and in fact in a separate dimension, he has already figured out that the company is from a different reality, that realities and dimensions are different, and that each room is its own isolated space. Because of this, he was rewarded by being allowed access to the actors, with which he was able to create two more perfect traps.¡± They then go on to describe his traps in detail. Pointing out how they are on the same level as Zara¡¯s, if not higher. Seeing their candidate being challenged, the other person stands back up. ¡°That¡¯s all well and good, however, I can¡¯t help but notice that your client has failed to complete seven days'' worth of projects, which is the minimum amount required for them to even be considered for the position.¡± Floundering, they try and think of something, unable to come up with anything. ¡°Umm, well you see... that is true.¡± They lower their head, going to sit down. ¡°Hold on.¡± The person at the head of the table stops them from sitting. ¡°In this folder I have found some rather interesting letters. It seems that Edward has received two recommendations from employees in managerial positions. One from Marketing, and the other from HR.¡± Everyone else at the table is surprised by this development, not believing their ears. ¡°However, it is a fact that he has failed to meet the minimum requirements for him to be selected. Hmm... I¡¯ve made my decision. The first candidate to be selected for the position is Zara Morgan. The second spot shall be left for Edward, however if he can¡¯t meet the requirements by the end of tomorrow, the position will be given to someone else. Meeting adjourned.¡± After speaking, they disappear from the table, their cloak falling onto the seat. The rest of them stay for a while to think about what just happened. Slowly they file out of the room, until only two of them are left. ¡°It seems like both of our candidates have made it through, what will you spend your bonus credits on?¡± The last one says, speaking normally now that the pressure from HR is gone, revealing his voice to be old and gruff. ¡°Don¡¯t think that Ed has made it through, he still has to make one more trap. What if he acts up again and decides to take the punishment? Then you won¡¯t be getting the bonus at all.¡± The confident one says, her voice sounding sharp. ¡°Oh, trust me. He will get the position.¡± He says before leaving the room. She sighs, following him. Chapter 25 ¡°Good morning, Ed. Are you feeling better now?¡± Buddie asked, seemingly concerned for him. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m feeling better now, thanks for asking.¡± Ed says, feeling slightly better now that he¡¯s well rested and had some time to think about things. I need to remember why I¡¯m doing this. They¡¯ve forced me to do this, I¡¯m just trying to survive. But I also went too far this time. I need to set some boundaries to stop this place from changing me too much. No matter what happens, I mustn¡¯t become like them. They aren¡¯t doing this to survive, they¡¯re having fun. No matter how vile a person is, or what crimes they have committed, I must not make use of their past trauma. I will solely look at their actions and what they¡¯ve done. Seeing that he¡¯s feeling better, Buddie offers him breakfast to make up for the lack of a meal yesterday. After eating, Ed goes for a light jog through the hall waiting for today¡¯s file to come. ~ Name: Mason Caldwell Age: 18 Occupation: unemployed Biography: Born to parents Elliot and Lucy, Mason was expelled from high school for attempting to set fire to a classroom. He spent a bit of time working at a gas station before being fired for drinking on the job, and is now currently unemployed... He freeloads off his parents, refusing to get a new job while frequently asking them for money... One night while out on a drunken stupor, he found himself in front of the gas station he worked for. Fuelled by the alcohol, the anger he had been holding in erupted. Hiding his face, he ran in, saying that he had a bomb under his jacket, and threatened to blow the place up. He blocked the door, causing the customers and staff inside to panic. The police were called, however he fled before they could arrive, and nobody was able to identify him because the person working didn¡¯t know him, and he hid his face from the camera. He is currently still jobless and living with his parents, who are completely unaware of what happened. -End of document- I¡¯m going to take this one easy. I don¡¯t want to go too far this time. Ed takes some time to think about what he wants to do. Should I use actors for this one, or do I put him by himself this time... I¡¯ll think about it. Opening the app, he quickly gets to work. ¡°Okay Buddie, this time I want a perfect recreation of the gas station interior at the time of the bomb threat. How many other people were in the store?¡± ¡°There were four other people in the store. The person working, and three customers.¡± Four people... yeah, I¡¯ll have them as well. ¡°Include the people who were there at the time, have the actors match them perfectly." The screen fills up with the gas station interior. The shelves covered in a variety of items typically available for purchase at a gas station. An employee appears behind the counter, and the customers appear spread throughout the room. ¡°Have Mason enter the room through the automatic door, but then immediately have it stop working, and fog up all of the glass so that they can¡¯t see outside.¡± Mason appears, his face covered by the hood of his jacket. ¡°Can you temporarily take control of his body to have him repeat what he said that night?¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°That can be done. When do you want him to gain back control?¡± ¡°Give it back to him immediately after he finishes saying it. At the same time as you give it back, you can have your speech, so that he can understand what¡¯s happening.¡± Switching over to the design a trap function, Ed pauses for a moment, figuring out exactly what he wants to do. ¡°Bring up the model of Mason for me.¡± Where should I put the bomb? Thinking for a moment, Ed settles on placing the bomb on Mason¡¯s back, in a place he can¡¯t see. ¡°Place an IED on his back, hidden underneath the jacket. Have his back coated in a somewhat thin layer of wax, causing the explosive and his jacket to be stuck tightly to his skin, and unable to be pulled off. Instead, what he¡¯ll have to do is get a knife from the gas station and cut through the wax himself to cut the explosive off. He will have three minutes from the end of your message to cut the explosive off before it explodes. The wax will be thin enough that he will most likely cut into his back, while still being strong enough, that using a knife is the only option.¡± ¡°What if he tries to get help from the other people to cut it off?¡± ¡°Have them run away from him whenever he gets close and have them refuse to get near him no matter what he says.¡± ¡°Good. Is there anything else you want to add?¡± Ed stops to think for a moment. ¡°Yes. Have the worker on call with emergency services and have that act as the timer for the bomb. It will explode just when the response team is supposed to get there... I think that¡¯s all I want to add. You can go ahead and make it now. I¡¯ll talk with the actors as usual; it shouldn¡¯t take too long.¡± To fill in time before the actors get there, he slowly enjoys his meal, deciding to have a nice lasagna this time. The rest of his time is spent leisurely reading through the files for more information. ~ Ed walks into the gas station, seeing the actors waiting for him. ¡°Hi everyone, my name is Ed, it¡¯s nice to meet you all. I won¡¯t be taking up too much of your time today as both this chat and the trap will be a relatively short one.¡± He goes up and shakes hands with the actors. ¡°Hello again Ed, we¡¯ve already met before. I was one of the players in your poker trap.¡± One of the actors says while shaking his hand. Oh, it¡¯s somebody I¡¯ve already met. Ed looks at the person, trying to figure out which one it is. I¡¯ve got no clue; I¡¯ll just pretend I know which one he was. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, how have you been?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m doing fine. Work hasn¡¯t been too bad, and I¡¯ve almost saved up enough to go on holiday... You¡¯ve got no clue who I am, do you?¡± ¡°Yeah... I¡¯m sorry, I know you¡¯re not lying to me, but I just can¡¯t tell for the life of me which role you played... Well, it¡¯s difficult to tell when you look completely different. Speaking of which, how do you guys tell each other apart?¡± ¡°You just figure it out after a while. It¡¯s like how if someone gets a new haircut you can still tell that it¡¯s them. The change is just a lot more extreme and happens incredibly often. Also, some species have special ways of telling people apart, like through scent.¡± Huh, that¡¯s good to know. ¡°Thank you, that explanation makes a lot of sense. I just don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to do that. Also, you said that you¡¯ve almost saved up enough for a holiday, I thought that the company paid for those?¡± ¡°The company will sometimes give certain employees holidays for good performance, but usually you¡¯ll have to pay some company credits if you want to go on one yourself, but that¡¯ll all be explained to you when you get the job, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that for now.¡± Company credits? Does it have its own form of currency, and in turn its own internal economy? I guess I¡¯ll just have to figure that out later... I¡¯m getting distracted. Ed turns to face all of them. ¡°Your job today is going to be fairly simple. The target is going to come into this gas station with a bomb, you just have to act like ordinary civilians and stay as far away from him as possible out of fear. No matter what he says, or how close he tries to get, you have to refuse to even get near him, let alone help him.¡± Seeing them all nod, Ed turns to the one playing the employee. ¡°You¡¯ve got one more thing you¡¯ll need to do. You will call emergency services when he threatens to blow up the room. When Buddie stops talking, you will say that the emergency services are on their way and will be there in a few minutes. Essentially, you will be acting as the timer until the bomb explodes.¡± Having told them everything, Ed says his goodbyes before heading back to his room, waiting for it to start. Chapter 26 DING DONG. The automatic door opens as the bell rings, telling the employee that another customer has entered the store. Mason drunkenly stumbles into the store. He tries to look around but is confused when his body doesn¡¯t move the way he wants it to. Am I dreaming again? Why does it always have to be this place? Still trying, he fails to gain control of his body. Guess I¡¯ll just let it do its thing. Mason watches on as his body stumbles on up to the counter, just like he did that night. ¡°Hello sir, how can I help you?¡± The worker asks, wary of the clearly drunk man who¡¯s hiding his face, he quietly picks up his phone, ready to call the police if something goes wrong. ¡°Keep your hands where I can see them. I have a bomb under this jacket, and if you try and call for help, I won¡¯t hesitate to blow this whole place sky high.¡± Mason says matching word for word with what he said that night. This really is a dream. He says it quietly enough that only the worker can hear him, not drawing the attention of the other customers. The worker, now visibly shaking slowly raises his hands so that they can be seen, hiding his phone under the counter. ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt me. What do you want? I can give you all the money in the register, please just don¡¯t blow us up.¡± Although scared, the worker manages to stay quiet enough not to alert the others, in fear that Mason will follow through with his threats. ~ With a packet of chips in one hand, and a can in the other, Bob makes his way to the counter, hoping to get back home as soon as possible to watch the basketball game. Can¡¯t wait to watch Giannis demolish people on the court tonight. Stepping up to the counter, he sees that someone¡¯s already in line, so he decides to wait. He waits in line for a while with nothing happening. What¡¯s taking them so long. He looks up at the worker and sees that he¡¯s sweating and shaking. Something¡¯s not right. He turns his head to look at the person in the hoodie and spots a suspicious lump sticking out on his back. What is that? He leans in closer, trying to hear what¡¯s going on. ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt me. What do you want? I can give you all the money in the register, please just don¡¯t blow us up.¡± He can barely make out what is being said. Slowly his mind starts to connect the dots and he freezes in place, the can dropping to the ground. The person in the hoodie turns around, staring at him. Bob stumbles back, falling onto the floor. ¡°He¡¯s got a bomb!¡± He yells, as everyone in the store freezes in place. ~ Pandemonium breaks out as everyone tries to flee, but the door refuses to open. They try smashing through the glass, but it refuses to even budge. Seeing that they can¡¯t escape, they huddle together, as far away from Mason as possible. Mason freezes in place, staring at them as they huddle together in fear. Why is the door stuck? This didn¡¯t happen last time. Behind the counter the worker quickly calls the police, telling them what happened as he ducks behind the counter, only peeking his head over to keep an eye on Mason. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Mason gains back control of his body, feeling a cold sensation on his back. What is happening? ¡°Hello Mason. You have threatened many people¡¯s lives, but somehow you have managed to get away with very little consequences. You tried to burn down your classroom, which could have led to the deaths of many staff and students, and for that, you were expelled. This time, you threatened to blow up a gas station, threatening to kill everyone inside, and yet you managed to escape with no punishment. This time you will follow through with your threats. There is a bomb currently stuck to your back with wax, and this one will explode and kill you. Don¡¯t think of running away like last time, that won¡¯t work. Your only choice is to cut through the wax and remove the bomb from yourself. I hope you know where you can find a knife. Good luck.¡± Mason freezes for a moment, slapping himself to see if he¡¯s dreaming. Feeling the pain, he turns pale. This is real. But how? Everything is the same as that night. He reaches around to his back, feeling a bulge on the middle of his back. Mason looks around, before sprinting at the door, trying to break through the glass. His shoulder starts to feel sore, but the glass doesn¡¯t break. He stops, knowing that it¡¯s useless. He tries to pull off his jacket, but it¡¯s stuck to his back. Getting desperate he tries to run to the other people for help, but they keep running away in fear, knocking things off the shelves while trying to keep their distance. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta help me! I¡¯ve got a bomb. Please just help me get it off!¡± ¡°Sir, calm down. Just stay where you are, we don¡¯t want anyone to get hurt.¡± The worker says, attempting to calm the man down. Mason keeps moving around. No longer paying attention to what¡¯s happening around him, he starts deludedly mumbling to himself. ¡°It¡¯s all the same. I thought this was a dream. Why do I have a bomb? This can¡¯t be real...¡± He keeps on mumbling to himself, sounding increasingly more deranged as time goes on. Seeing this, everyone else gets even more worried about their safety, as the person is noticeably crazy, and only getting worse. At this time all the customers are crowded around the counter, with Mason muttering in the centre of the store. Trying not to aggravate him, the worker speaks quietly to the others. ¡°Help is on the way. We only have to wait a few minutes, then we¡¯ll be safe.¡± Mason continues to wander around the store, tossing things onto the ground. ¡°This doesn¡¯t match what happened. There was no bomb. It has to match.¡± After a minute, he stops in front of a shelf. ¡°There it is.¡± he says while picking up a pocketknife. He reaches behind him, feeling for where the bomb starts and ends. Grabbing the knife, he presses it against the area just below the bomb, and slowly starts pushing it in. The knife pushes through the fabric, into the wax. Mason stops just as it starts to sting. Slowly he starts to carve around the bomb, leaving a cut on his back as blood starts pouring out. The other people watch on in horror as Mason continues to drag the blade across his back, his mumbling becoming completely incoherent. His breathing grows heavy as the stinging pain starts to get at him, but he continues to push through. Reaching the top, he pauses for a moment to readjust, changing hands to continue cutting. As he starts to cut down, the blood pours onto his hand, making it difficult to keep holding on. Sirens start to sound, as flashing red and blue lights start to come through the foggy glass. The blade continues to cut down as the sirens get louder and louder. Distracted, his hand slips, pushing the knife in deeper. He screams out in pain, reaching out in front of him to stabilise himself. He tries to reach back around and continue, but a knocking sound comes from outside, trying to bash the door in. Looking back, he sees the glass of the door start to crack. I¡¯m free. BOOM! The bomb explodes, shattering the glass and sending everything else flying. ¡°It looks like you have failed to remove the bomb in time Mason. Now your hatred fuelled wish has come true, and you have gotten your revenge against those you believe had wronged you. But what did it cost you? Your entire life, ended in an instant. I hope you have learned that hurting others can come at a cost, and that sometimes that cost is more than you are willing to pay. Enjoy Hell, Mason. Goodbye.¡± Chapter 27 The automatic door opens on screen as Mason walks into the gas station with his head down. Buddie should be in control right now. I wonder what Mason is thinking right now? Ed watches as Mason stumbles up to the counter. When will he realise that something is off, does he not feel the wax on his back at all? ¡°Keep your hands where I can see them. I have a bomb under this jacket, and if you try and call for help, I won¡¯t hesitate to blow this whole place sky high.¡± What a blatant threat, what would he do if he got caught. He just doesn¡¯t seem to care about living a better life at all. Ed watches as one of the customers walks up to the counter, preparing to buy some things. ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt me. What do you want? I can give you all the money in the register, please just don¡¯t blow us up.¡± Seeing the can fall to the floor, he knows that everything is about to truly begin. Ed watches as the customers run around like headless chickens, trying to break down the door, trashing the place in their attempts to stay far away from Mason. ¡°Hello Mason. You have threatened many people¡¯s lives, but somehow you have managed to get away with very little consequences... This time you will follow through with your threats. There is a bomb currently stuck to your back with wax, and this one will explode and kill you. Don¡¯t think of running away like last time, that won¡¯t work. Your only choice is to cut through the wax and remove the bomb from yourself. I hope you know where you can find a knife. Good luck.¡± Smack! A crisp slapping sound comes from the screen, Ed turns his attention to Mason and sees that his face is now visible. Ed notices a red handprint on his cheek, contrasting with his paling skin. He should have just realised that this is all real, he doesn¡¯t have much time. I wonder if he will waste it? Ed sighs as he watches Mason slam himself into the glass door for a fifth time. Yep, he¡¯s wasting what precious little time he has. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta help me! I¡¯ve got a bomb. Please just help me get it off!¡± Ed watches as everyone continues to flee while Mason desperately chases after them. Well, it¡¯s safe to say that the store is completely trashed now. ¡°Sir, calm down. Just stay where you are, we don¡¯t want anyone to get hurt.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all the same. I thought this was a dream. Why do I have a bomb? This can¡¯t be real...¡± Ed slumps in his chair as Mason starts muttering to himself. I can already tell that this won¡¯t end well. It seems like this has completely broken him. Ed tries to think about what makes this one different from the previous traps. The others were still able to maintain their survival instincts even while in despair. No matter what they had to do, they latched onto it, knowing that it was their only chance to survive. But Mason here seems to have completely lost it. Is it because it matches up to the criminal event too closely? All of the others where just traps based off of what they did wrong, but his is a near perfect recreation of the event, the only differences being that the door is stuck, and the bomb is real. Is it because it''s realistically impossible for it to be identical, so he thinks that it has to be a dream? That would make sense... But if it¡¯s just about it being impossible, then Samuel¡¯s trap is far more unrealistic than this one, and he was still able to control himself. ¡°Help is on the way. We only have to wait a few minutes, then we¡¯ll be safe.¡± The voice from the screen pulls Ed from his train of thought. He should only have a few minutes now. Ed turns his attention to Mason, only to see that he¡¯s still wandering aimlessly. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°There it is.¡± Seeing him finally picking up a knife, Ed hopes that he¡¯s still rational enough to know what to do with it. The camera changes to focus on Mason¡¯s back. The knife sinks into the fabric, pushing through until a little bit of blood starts dripping out, Ed watches tensely as Mason continues to carve around the bomb, blood starting to drip onto the tiled floor. He could do it. Ed thinks as Mason stops halfway, swapping hands to continue. Hearing the sirens, the camera zooms out to see flashing red and blue lights through the glass. Mason screams out in pain as his hand slips, pushing the knife in deeper. The camera splits, one side showing the knife in his back, and the other focused on the door. Mason tries to reach for the knife, hoping to continue what he was doing, but is distracted by the banging at the door. Ed watches as the glass starts to crack. It¡¯s over. BOOM! ¡°It looks like you have failed to remove the bomb in time Mason... Your entire life, ended in an instant. I hope you have learned that hurting others can come at a cost, and that sometimes that cost is more than you are willing to pay. Enjoy Hell, Mason. Goodbye.¡± The footage fades to black as the screen goes back to normal. Sighing, Ed gets up and heads to the door. I wonder if the actors are okay. Ed walks through the door into the gas station. Smelling a foul stench, he blocks his nose while looking over to wear the actors were all gathered. Instead, all he sees is a large puddle of blood and flesh undulating. Looks like they were all caught in the blast. I should give them some time to sort themselves out. Turning around, he walks to where Mason blew himself up. On the wall is the noticeable outline of a person, but other than that, nothing remains of him. The explosion must have completely wiped him out from that distance. He continues to study the area as he hears a series of sloshing noises. He turns back around after the noises stop, to see all of the actors standing there, double checking that they have everything. ¡°Sorry that you all had to go through that. Have you pieced yourselves together?¡± They all confirm that everything¡¯s in place. Hearing this, Ed continues on by thanking all of them for the help and spending some time getting to know them all better. He turns to the one he was talking to before Mason appeared. ¡°Where are you thinking of going on your holiday to?¡± ¡°Well, Earth has just been opened up to us, so I¡¯m thinking of exploring it for a little while, I just haven¡¯t decided where to go.¡± ¡°I could list off a few spots for you. It might help in narrowing it down for you.¡± Seeing him nod, Ed continues. ¡°If you¡¯re interested in man-made objects, you have the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Colosseum in Rome, and the Great Wall of China which are some pretty notable landmarks. There are also some places of great natural beauty, like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Grand Canyon in the United States, and the Amazon rainforest in South America. All of these are some pretty good options, of course, there are countless other places you can go, but I think you can take your time to explore the world.¡± Ed says, while checking to see if he¡¯s still paying attention. ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll consider what you¡¯ve told me.¡± the man smiles, thankful for the information. After chatting with the others for a while more, Ed heads back to his room, while they all get back to work. ~ The cloaked figures meet again around the antique wooden table. This time all of the side seats are filled well before the meeting starts. Everyone waits patiently for the person in HR to arrive, discussing about who will be selected. At the head of the table, the cloak starts to rise, forming the shape of a person. The room falls silent as an invisible pressure floods out from the cloak, suffocating everyone as they struggle to adjust. ¡°The meeting will now begin.¡± He turns to face the person in the last seat. ¡°Has your candidate met the requirements?¡± Feeling the pressure focus in on him, he swallows heavily before nodding. ¡°Yes. Here is his most recent trap.¡± The document in his hands floats over to the head of the table. Quickly glossing through it, the figure nods. ¡°I hereby confirm that the two candidates to be hired are Zara Morgan and Edward Armitage. This information will be provided to Buddie, and they will be introduced to the company properly. Meeting adjourned.¡± Chapter 28 ¡°Good morning, Ed.¡± Waking up, Ed stretches. Relaxed after a nice long rest, he readies himself for another day at work. I hope I can take it easy today as well. I still don¡¯t feel quite right. ¡°Morning Buddie. How long until today¡¯s file comes in?¡± ¡°There will be no file today, as the company has something else planned for you.¡± Ed stops stretching, worried to hear what Buddie is about to say. ¡°Congratulations Ed, due to your performance during the internship period, the company has decided to offer you a position as a trap designer. If you head through into the hallway, you will find a door on your right which will take you to a waiting room. An employee will arrive shortly to guide you through the company building where you will be staying for the foreseeable future.¡± Oh, thank fuck. I thought I was about to die. Ed breathes a sigh of relief, celebrating that he managed to survive the internship process. ¡°You scared me there Buddie. I thought you were about to tell me that the company had picked someone else and that I would be killed.¡± ¡°That was a distinct possibility. When the meeting was held to determine who would be hired, you had yet to meet the basic requirements for the position. However, they decided to hold off on deciding because your performance received two recommendations from people in higher management.¡± Recommendations? That must¡¯ve been why I was allowed to use the actors. Thank God I figured that shit out, otherwise I would¡¯ve died without even knowing how I failed. Ed gets up out of the chair, prepared to head out to the waiting room. As he looks around the room he spent the last several days of his life in, he stops for a moment to take it all in. Will I still be working here, or will I be working in a crowded office? ¡°Hey, Buddie? Will I still be able to come back here?¡± ¡°You will be allowed to continue working from this room if you so wish, as this area is designated specifically for you. But you can also work in a livelier environment if you so wish.¡± ¡°Thanks Buddie.¡± Ed walks out into the hallway and spots a door on his right. Reaching out to it, he slowly turns the handle. Here we go. ~ At the same time, in a room identical to Ed¡¯s, a young woman is sitting in front of a screen, using her arms as a pillow. Her long blonde hair being used as a blanket as it blocks half her face. ¡°Good morning, Zara.¡± Zara wakes up with a smile. Pushing the hair out of her face, she hops down from the chair, ready to start the day. ¡°Good morning, Buddie.¡± She says cheerfully, beaming as she waits to start work. ¡°When will today¡¯s file get here? I¡¯ve got some ideas floating around in my head that I really want to try.¡± ¡°There will be no file today, as the company has something else planned for you.¡± Zara pouts, but quickly perks herself up when she hears that something else is going to happen. ¡°Ooh, ooh, what does the company want me to do? Do they need me to spy on another employee and design the perfect trap for them? Who is it? You can trust me; I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± She says, practically vibrating out of her chair in excitement. ¡°No, that is not what will be happening today.¡± ¡°Aww, why not.¡± She settles down, waiting to hear what he has to say. ¡°Congratulations Zara, due to your performance during the internship period, the company has decided to offer you a position as a trap designer. If you head through into the hallway, you will find a door on your right which will take you to a waiting room. An employee will arrive shortly to guide you through the company building where you will be staying for the foreseeable future.¡± She jumps out of her seat. ¡°Yay, I knew they would pick me.¡± She immediately runs out into the hallway, excited to finally see what the company is like. ¡°I wonder what the other employees are like? I¡¯ve got so many questions I want to ask them.¡± Seeing the new door, she immediately opens it and rushes through into the waiting room. ~ Opening the door, Ed looks into the waiting room before stepping in. It looks like the kind of waiting room you would see in a business tv show. I¡¯m surprised that they have art hanging on the walls. I expected it to be more barren and impersonal. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Hey, you must be the employee here to show me around. Buddie said you would be coming soon. I¡¯m Zara, what¡¯s your name? Where will you be taking me to first? How big is the company? How long has it been around? How come I¡¯ve never heard of it before? Buddie refused to answer my questions. It¡¯s not fair.¡± A warm vibrant voice calls out to him. Where did that come from? Ed looks around to find a petite young woman walking over to him with a radiant smile on her face. Wow, she¡¯s beautiful. Ed forgets himself for a moment while looking at her, but quickly grows tense and wary upon remembering where he is. Don¡¯t get distracted Ed. She should be a new hire just like you, which means that she had to have killed several people to get here. No normal person would be acting this way in this situation. I should keep my distance from her, she might be very dangerous. Lost in his thoughts, Ed takes a moment to process what is going on. The room falls silent as she waits for him to answer, a big grin on her face. ¡°I think there¡¯s been a bit of a misunderstanding. I was also just hired; I don¡¯t think I would be able to help you.¡± Before he can say anything else she drags him to the seats. ¡°That¡¯s fine, we can wait for the employee together. Do you think they hired anybody else?¡± Shit. Looks like I can¡¯t get away from her right now. ¡°I¡¯m not too sure. If there was anyone else, surely, they would¡¯ve shown up by now. I feel like Buddie would have told us all at the same time, but I could be wrong. How long have you been waiting here for?¡± ¡°About a minute, I raced out the door the second Buddie told me about it. I¡¯m super excited to meet new people, I¡¯ve been bored out of my mind stuck in there for days with no one to talk to. Sometimes I would go into the trap rooms just to feel like there¡¯s someone else in the room with me.¡± Wait. Is she saying what I think she¡¯s saying? ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit weird to talk to the corpses? You could¡¯ve just talked to Buddie; he seems like a fine conversationalist to me.¡± She looks up at him, genuinely confused. ¡°Why would it be? I did it all the time before I came here.¡± Looks like I was right. I am not safe here. ¡°May I ask what you did for a living?¡± ¡°Oh, I was a medical student. Spend enough time around cadavers and it sort of just happens. I thought that was kind of a requirement, what did you do?¡± ¡°You might be on to something. I was a psychology student, so maybe a requirement for this job is to have a deeper understanding of humans in some way.¡± They spend the next few minutes talking about their lives on Earth while waiting for the employee to come. ¡°Why aren¡¯t they here yet? Buddie said it wouldn¡¯t take long. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I like talking to you, but I want to know what they¡¯re like. Will they like me at all? Besides, this is taking up valuable time I can spend making sinners understand the error of their ways.¡± She bounces up and down on the chair, looking around the room, waiting for someone to show up. Oh, I can see why the company picked her. She seems like a model employee to me. I can¡¯t wait until I¡¯m back in the safety of my room. ¡°It¡¯s okay, there¡¯s nothing for you to worry about. Trust me, you will definitely get along with them. They can be very... dedicated to their work.¡± Zara immediately turns her attention to him, no longer caring about anything else. ¡°What do you mean by that. Have you met other workers already. How?¡± Her eyes widen, staring directly at him as if she will be able to read his mind. ¡°I figured out some information about the company, so Buddie allowed me to use actors in the rest of my traps. I was able to talk to them in person before and after each trap went off. They seemed to have their own little quirks, but they weren¡¯t too bad to talk to.¡± She sinks down into her chair, sulking. ¡°That¡¯s not fair. I could¡¯ve really used that. I already have some ideas I could do involving multiple people.¡± Zara gets into the zone thinking about what she could do with this ability. ¡°It¡¯s just so unfair that you got to have so much fun when I couldn¡¯t.¡± Ed puts a hand on her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay. If I remember correctly, Buddie said it was something that would normally be given to us when we are no longer interns. So, you should be able to do whatever you want with it when we get back to work.¡± She immediately perks up, a big smile coming across her face. ¡°Really! That''s amazing. Do you think they¡¯ll do whatever I tell them to do?¡± ¡°Well, I saw one of them eat another person¡¯s heart, and she decided to do that all on her own. They''re also quite used to being blown up. So, I think they¡¯ll be fine with whatever you tell them to do.¡± ¡°She ate someone¡¯s heart?¡± ¡°I know right, it was so wei-¡± ¡°That¡¯s so cool. I wonder what that tastes like?¡± She immediately falls into thought, occasionally taking glances at Ed¡¯s chest. Seeing Ed flinch she immediately giggles. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± Seeing her reaction, Ed relaxes a little. ¡°Relax. I don¡¯t feel the urge to taste a heart right now. Besides, there are far easier ways of sourcing a heart. So, I promise you I won¡¯t try and eat yours.¡± She pokes his chest. I guess she¡¯s not wrong. The company probably has a lot of leftover remains, surely it would be easy to get your hands on one... Wait why am I even thinking about this. Ed relaxes. She¡¯s weird, but maybe I¡¯ll be able to get use to her. She¡¯s far more normal than the other people I¡¯ve met so far. It¡¯s probably a good idea to get to know my future colleague anyways. While they wait for the employee to arrive, Ed decides to fill her in on all the information he knows. Chapter 29 ¡°So, you''re saying that there are an infinite number of realities, and that the reason why I haven¡¯t heard about the company is because they just came into contact with our reality?¡± Zara asked Ed, making sure that she understood what he said. ¡°Yes, that is correct. I¡¯ve got no clue how it works, nor how far reaching the company is, I just know that it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°That means there¡¯s an infinite number of worlds out there for us to explore, I can¡¯t wait to see what it¡¯s all like.¡± Zara gets excited, already impatient to explore the new world that¡¯s opened up to her. I never thought of that. I was so focused on trying to get back to my normal life that I never thought about everything that¡¯s now opened up to me. We¡¯re probably some of the first humans to make contact with other intelligent life. I have to take this opportunity to learn as much as possible. ¡°There¡¯s still plenty of things we have to do before we can go out exploring. I don¡¯t think the company will just let us go wherever we want without doing our jobs.¡± They both stand up and turn around after hearing a door opening. ¡°So, why don¡¯t we start by exploring the company first, then we¡¯ll see what everything else is like.¡± ¡°Sure, sounds like fun.¡± Zara smiles as the employee walks up to greet them. ¡°Hello, you must be Ed and Zara. I¡¯m Roger, and I¡¯ll be giving you a tour of the building you will be spending most of your time in for the foreseeable future. If you¡¯ll just follow me through this door, we can begin with the tour right away.¡± After a dry greeting, Roger turns and starts walking through the door immediately, expecting them to keep up with him. They fall in right behind Roger, following him through the door. ¡°Here is the office space you will be working in. As you can see, everyone in this room does the exact same job as you. If you ever need suggestions on what to do, they will be able to help.¡± While Ed is making note of what Roger has to say, from the corner of his eye, he sees Zara looking around the place in curiosity, seemingly not paying attention to Roger at all. There are rows upon rows of tables, each long enough to comfortably give two people enough space to work. The majority of tables have people working away on the monitors, their desks covered in various knickknacks. Some of the seats are empty, but the tables show clear signs of ownership. Only a few desks are left completely empty. Looking around the room, Ed grows curious, wondering why there are so few people doing such an important job. The company will never be able to punish all the sinners if they only have around fifty people designing traps. Ed turns to Roger. ¡°Does the company only have fifty people designing traps for our reality? That number seems rather low even if Earth is the only planet with intelligent life in this reality.¡± ¡°This is just one of many rooms currently assigned by the company to our department in this reality. The company decided it would be more practical and efficient if the rooms were smaller. Not everyone has the ability to travel vast distances instantly, so a single room containing every employee would not be a good idea.¡± Roger walks over to an empty row of seats. ¡°The room is still being filled at the moment, so feel free to choose from whichever of these that you want. Once you have decided, I will continue to show you around.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Zara runs up to a table before Ed can say anything. ¡°We¡¯ll take this table here. Which seat do you want Ed?¡± Guess I¡¯ll be sharing a desk with Zara then. ¡°I¡¯m fine with either one, you can pick whichever one you want.¡± After Zara picks her seat, a nameplate appears on each desk, labelling who they belong to. Roger claps to gather their attention. ¡°Now that that is sorted, it¡¯s time to continue on with the tour.¡± Roger takes them back to the door they came in from. ¡°As you may have noticed, there are no other doors in this room. In fact, that is the case for most common rooms in the company, unless the rooms are too big, in which case doors will be placed at regular intervals. To get to where you need to be, the person opening the door will simply have to think about where they want to go, and the door will open to there.¡± Roger opens the door to show a small conference room. ¡°There are countless meeting rooms, of all different shapes and sizes. Just simply think of one that suits your needs, and you will be taken to an empty room.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing!¡± Zara stares at the door in wide-eyed wonder. ¡°Can I give it a try?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have plenty of time to try it out on your own.¡± Roger says, glaring at Zara. Deflated, Zara goes quiet and shifts slightly closer to Ed. Ignoring her, Roger continues giving the tour. ¡°These meeting rooms can be used if you want a bit more privacy. Typically, we use them when we want to talk to the actors face to face, or for brainstorming sessions with other designers.¡± Without stepping in, Roger closes the door before opening it again. This time he steps in. ¡°This here is one of the common areas. Workers come here to socialise without distracting others. It is also an ideal place to relax and take a break from work. Much like the meeting rooms, simply think about whatever you want, and the door will take you to a suitable room, whether that is a simple room like this.¡± Ed and Zara look around the room, finding nothing of note except for a few lounges to relax on. ¡°Or a more extravagant location filled with whatever suits your whims. From libraries to gyms, or even Kelpie racing rooms, those are all considered to be common areas.¡± Kelpies? As in the Scottish water spirit. They''re real? Ed and Zara stare at each other wide-eyed. I guess it makes sense. There are an infinite number of realities out there, so of course they would exist in some of them. But then how did they come to be mythical creatures on Earth? I have so many questions. Seeing Ed lost in his thoughts, Zara turns to Roger, almost desperate to ask him about the Kelpies, but decides not to after what happened earlier. Having shown them around the room, Roger opens the door, taking them to a room filled with the smell of food. ¡°This here is the cafeteria. You can come here to eat whenever you feel like socialising with people. As you can see, the cafeterias are usually crowded, so a lot of people will just simply eat in their rooms.¡± Zara and Ed freeze in place, seeing creatures of all shapes and sizes mixed in with humanoid figures, all enjoying their meals together. Werewolves, Centaurs, Unicorns... Is that a giant Moth? There¡¯s just so much for me to take in... Without batting an eye, Roger turns back to the door. ¡°There is only one more place for me to show you to, and that is where you will be staying. Each employee has their own private apartment with everything they would need to survive. If you want to make any changes, tell Buddie what you want to have changed, and it will be done before you come back from work. As they are private, I can¡¯t open the door to your rooms, but you will be able to explore them on your own. Just think of home and the door will put you into an unassigned apartment, which will then be registered under your identity for ease of access in the future. The doors also have access to the other departments; however, you currently don¡¯t have access to those areas. That concludes the tour, feel free to go wherever you please. You will be back to work tomorrow, so make good use of your free time to get familiar with the area.¡± Without waiting to see if they have any questions, Roger walks through the door, disappearing into another room. Chapter 30 Ed and Zara look at each other as Roger leaves. Looks like we¡¯re on our own now. ¡°We should probably check out our rooms, I guess? We have plenty of time to explore the other areas later.¡± Ed reaches out for the door handle, imagining a place to sleep. Pushing open the door, he looks in to see a short entryway that opens up into a fully furnished living and dining room. Taking a step in, he goes to close the door behind him, but before he can do it, Zara sprints into the room, excitedly looking around the place, exploring every little nook and cranny. ¡°Umm, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Ed chuckles light-heartedly. ¡°Well duh, I¡¯m seeing what the apartments look like.¡± she says while searching through the TV unit. ¡°Empty. Guess we¡¯ll have to ask Buddie to get us stuff to fill it with. I wonder if they can get my stuff from Earth delivered to here?¡± She mumbles to herself, ignoring Ed. Ed walks into the living room, finding the size of the TV to his liking. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you can do that in your own room instead of searching around my place?¡± ¡°Why would it matter, it¡¯ll look the same anyways. I can just go register my place later.¡± Zara turns and walks over to the dining table. ¡°It¡¯s kinda weird they have a dining table when they don¡¯t even have a kitchen.¡± ¡°I guess there¡¯s no need for a kitchen if you can have anything delivered to you instantly. As for the dining table, Roger did say that some people prefer to eat at home than to eat at the cafeteria.¡± Ed says while continuing to check out his place. ¡°Yeah, I guess that makes sense. I¡¯ll have to ask Buddie to add a kitchen to mine, I really enjoy cooking.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll add one to my place, I¡¯m fine with having the company sort out my food.¡± Now, I saw two doors here, they are probably normal doors. Let¡¯s see what¡¯s on the other side of them. Ed walks back to the entryway, opening the door on his left. It opens to a nice clean bathroom containing a toilet, bath, shower and sink. Okay, so this one¡¯s the bathroom, that means the other door should be the... ¡°Hey Ed, come over here!¡± Ed¡¯s thoughts are interrupted by Zara¡¯s shouting. Running over, Ed turns the corner to see Zara sprawled out on the bed. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s so comfy. I don¡¯t think I can leave.¡± She says, her face pushed into the pillows, muffling the sound of her voice. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to move eventually. This is my room after all.¡± Ed chuckles, looking at her while standing in the doorway. ¡°Let¡¯s swap rooms.¡± She says, burying herself in the blankets. ¡°It¡¯s literally the exact same. There¡¯s no need to switch.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t move, the blanket monster has trapped me here. You¡¯ll just have to go on without me.¡± She says. The bed now a mess as the blankets have wrapped around her like a cocoon. ¡°What are you, five? Get up, I want to try out my bed, and I can¡¯t do that with you rolling around on it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious, I can¡¯t get out. I¡¯m stuck here. Come help me.¡± Zara says, now sounding panicked, her movements becoming more frantic. Ed walks over to the side of the bed and grabs onto the blanket. ¡°Really? Let me help you then.¡± Pulling on the blanket, Ed finds that it¡¯s wrapped tightly around her, unwilling to move at all. What¡¯s going on? ¡°Help, it¡¯s getting tighter... I can¡¯t breathe.¡± Zara¡¯s breathing grows heavier as she starts sweating, the fabric constricting around her. Is the company punishing us? But why? We haven¡¯t done anything. Ed starts tugging harder and harder, trying to unfold the blanket. Suddenly, a pair of arms reach out, pulling him down. Ed stumbles onto the bed, falling face first as the blanket unfurl, piling on top of him. Ed flails under the blanket for a while, struggling to get out. ¡°Zara help me.¡± Tossing the blanket off, he sits up to see Zara laughing wildly, wiping tears from her eyes. ¡°Oh god, look at your face. ¡®Help me'' you really fell for it, that was so funny.¡± Zara breaks out into a fit of giggles, laughing at Ed. ¡°Did you really think the company would hurt us?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t funny, I thought you were about to die.¡± Ed shouts at her, but secretly lets out a sigh of relief. Zara laughs, seeing how serious he was being. ¡°Are you being serious? Why would you think that?¡± ¡°I thought we must¡¯ve broken some kind of rule and the company was punishing us.¡± ¡°But why would you think I would die, that sounds like a pretty severe punishment, even if we did do something egregious.¡± She says, now sounding a bit curious. ¡°Well, it seems like a pretty standard punishment from what I¡¯ve had to deal with. Are you telling me the company hasn¡¯t punished you yet?¡± ¡°Umm, no? Why would they punish me, I¡¯ve done everything they¡¯ve asked me to.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been punished by them three times, and I died every time.¡± Ed sighs, squeezing the bridge of his nose. ¡°I should¡¯ve known we weren¡¯t being punished; Buddie gave me a heads up beforehand each time. I guess I was just too wound up.¡± Ed turns to apologise to Zara, only to see her eyes inches away from his, staring at him with unbridled curiosity. ¡°You died? How are you still here then? How did they punish you? What did it feel like to die?¡± Zara grows excited, launching out a tirade of questions while poking and prodding his body. ¡°You seem perfectly healthy, if you died, how come you don¡¯t have any lasting injuries or signs of death? I¡¯m fairly familiar with what a corpse looks like you know, and you definitely don¡¯t look like one.¡± ¡°Hey, stop poking me. I¡¯m sorry okay.¡± Ed tries to shuffle away from Zara, but she continues to check his body. ¡°Why would you be sorry, you didn¡¯t do anything wrong. You were genuinely worried about my safety.¡± She flashes him a quick smile, before going back to studying him. ¡°Now quickly tell me what happened, I¡¯m dying to know.¡± Zara bounces around Ed in excitement. Checking his body for injuries. She really fits right in with these weirdos. She didn¡¯t even flinch when she found out that the company would probably kill her multiple times. Ed sighs, giving in and telling her everything about how he was punished, and why. From out of nowhere, Zara pulls out a notebook and a pen, constantly jotting down notes as Ed tells his story. ¡°That¡¯s fascinating. While the physical body is left untouched after the incident, it seems that it leaves severe psychological scars that take longer to heal, resulting in phantom pains. You said that you spent an entire year inside another body, how does that even work? Does it mean that the soul is real, and that¡¯s what was damaged after each death? I have so many things to think about, and so much more I need to learn from the company. This is so exciting!¡± Zara constantly looks between Ed and her notes, her excitement practically bursting out of her entire body. This has been a really long day. I need to think of a way to get her out of here before she cuts me open to try and find my soul. ¡°Calm down a little. You are working for the company remember, so you¡¯ll have plenty of time to learn about the secrets of the universe. There¡¯s no need to rush. Take your time and enjoy it all.¡± This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. She thinks about it for a little while before closing her notebook. ¡°You¡¯re right. I have plenty of time to find out what the company knows. For now, I should just familiarise myself with the company, before I try and learn anything else.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good attitude to have. We barely know our way around; we should not be focusing on things that have eluded mankind for several millennia.¡± The room quiets down as the two fall into a comfortable silence. Now no longer tense, Ed finally notices how comfortable the bed is. ¡°No wonder you didn¡¯t want to get up, this bed is amazing.¡± ¡°I know right. If I didn¡¯t feel like pranking you, I wouldn¡¯t have moved at all.¡± She lays back down on the bed, sighing as she does so. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t get comfortable if I were you. There are still plenty of places for us to explore and now is the best time to do it.¡± Ed says, getting off the bed. ¡°But it¡¯s so comfortable.¡± ¡°Fine, guess I¡¯ll just have to check out the Kelpie racing room myself.¡± Before he can step out the door, Zara jumps out of the bed and runs past him. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go. We haven¡¯t got all day.¡± She grabs his hand and pulls him along. Standing in front of the door, she reaches out while imagining kelpies racing against each other. Stepping through the door, the two are immediately assaulted by a loud burst of cheers. Stepping back slightly, the two spot a counter with a professional looking man standing behind it. Zara immediately walks up to the counter and starts talking to him. ¡°Hello there, how may I help you two today?¡± The man says with a pleasant smile. ¡°We just finished our tour of the company, and the guy mentioned this place, so we wanted to check it out.¡± ¡°You were just hired, that¡¯s exciting. Well, here in this stadium we have round the clock kelpie races for you to enjoy. If you¡¯ll look at the screen behind me, you will find the information on upcoming races, including the favourite to win. Luckily for you, the next race is just about to start in a few minutes. Do either of you want to place a bet on who will win.¡± Ed and Zara look up at the screen before shaking their heads. ¡°That¡¯s fine, just pay here and head inside.¡± They look at each other, a bit confused, before Ed turns to the man. ¡°We don¡¯t have anything on us. What do we pay with?¡± The man¡¯s smile turns sinister. ¡°With your flesh of course. An arm should do nicely.¡± Ed steps back, prepared to leave, While Zara looks around the room. The room starts to feel colder as the tension rises. ¡°Where¡¯s the knife?¡± Both men look at Zara, confused. ¡°You can¡¯t expect me to just rip my arm off. At least give me a knife to cut it off with.¡± The tension abruptly disappears at her response. The man behind the counter fails to hold back a laugh. ¡°I was just joking about that; you will pay with credits of course. Did no one explain the credit system to you?¡± Feeling everything go back to normal, Ed laughs it off. I might need a bit of time to get used to their form of humour. ¡°Not really, one guy mentioned it, but he didn¡¯t go into detail, just saying that it would be explained to me when I get the job. Would you mind explaining it to us?¡± ¡°Of course, that¡¯s the least I can do. Credits are the currency used in all company-controlled areas. As the company already provides us with everything we need to survive for free, credits are used purely to buy things that we want, but don¡¯t necessarily need. Usually, people spend their credits on entertainment, holidays or housing upgrades, most of which can be done through Buddie, otherwise it¡¯ll be through transactions with other employees such as what is happening right now. The company will either pay you daily, or per job completed, and the amount varies depending on your position. You will have to ask Buddie how much you are currently getting paid. As you are new employees, you should each have one hundred credits to your name.¡± Zara notes all of this down for later, while Ed continues to talk to the man. ¡°How much will the tickets cost?¡± ¡°One credit per person per race. Just acknowledge the transaction out loud, and hold your finger on here, then you¡¯ll be all good to head on through and grab a seat.¡± The man holds up a fingerprint scanner. They both look at each other before paying for their tickets to one race. The two of them head through the tunnel, following the loud cheers. The two find themselves looking out at a massive stadium capable of seating well over a few hundred thousand people. The seats are filled with all kinds of creatures, excitedly looking down at the stadium ground below. ¡°Quickly, let¡¯s find a seat.¡± Zara says, rushing Ed down the stairs. The two of them find that the seats are ordered into rows based on their size, with the larger creatures sitting further back. They find a pair of empty chairs suitable for them to sit on. Come on, it could start any minute now.¡± Taking their seats, they look out in wonder at the view in front of them. I¡¯m glad the seats are organised like this, so that no one¡¯s blocking our view. The sports ground below reminds Ed of a standard racetrack, a large empty space in the middle, surrounded by the track itself. However, the track itself is quite different from something he would find in a stadium on Earth. Long stretches of land smoothly transition into ethereal rivers that branch out creating a mixed track between land and water, only to converge back together to form one giant pool of water. The land and water seemingly fighting for dominance around the entire stretch of the racetrack. Looking at it from above, Ed and Zara realise that the track itself depicts the image of several horses chasing each other, the rivers akin to the flowing manes and tails of the horse. ¡°Beautiful.¡± They both whisper in awe, stunned by how much effort must have gone into making this. ¡°Dear members of the audience, can I please have your attention? The next race is about to begin, so please remain seated and enjoy the race.¡± A voice echoes throughout the entire stadium, loud enough for everyone to hear. The entire stadium goes quiet in anticipation for the race to start. The ground opens up, a starting gate rises into view, containing ten hauntingly majestic horses. Their manes are matted to their skin, water dripping onto the ground beneath them, as if they were just submerged under water. Ed and Zara lean forward, trying to get a better look at the kelpies. A loud bang is sounded, as the gates drop to the ground. The kelpies sprint out of the starting gate, blitzing down the track, their speed eclipsing any animal Ed has ever seen. Woah. They make it to the first water way, pressing their hooves into the water at nearly the exact same time. One kelpie, with a coat as dark as the nightly abyss, bursts forward, breaking away from the other racers as it fully submerges itself in the water. ¡°F¨¢sach has taken the lead. Let¡¯s see if anyone else can catch up.¡± The others burst forward, slightly closing the distance between them. The scene grows chaotic as the kelpies push against each other, fighting as the space in the water decreases. They bite and kick at each other, blood starting to cloud the water as the cheering from the crowd grows louder. One kelpie delivers a brutal headbutt to the stomach of another, sending it flying out of the water. It hits the ground with a sickening thud. It tries to get up but fails. Watching as the rest of them get further away, it slowly drags itself back to the starting gate, where it disappears into the water below. F¨¢sach continues to maintain its lead, staying ahead of the chaos. Making it to the halfway point, the rivers converge as the land disappears completely. The kelpies stop fighting, instead putting all of their energy into closing the distance. Under their effort, the gap slowly decreases, the racers becoming more spread out as some of them fall behind due to their injuries. As they approach the finish line, one of the kelpies catches up to F¨¢sach. The two become neck and neck, as the race reaches its conclusion. Zara joins in with the cheering, her face going red as her voice drowns out the surrounding crowds'' cheers. ¡°You can do it F¨¢sach.¡± With the finish line in sight, F¨¢sach and the other kelpie glare at each other, pushing each other to the limit. Getting angry, F¨¢sach bares its teeth, sinking them into the neck of the other kelpie, just long enough for it to fall to the ground. F¨¢sach sprints forward, blitzing past the finish line and winning the race. ¡°And the winner is F¨¢sach. Everyone give a round of applause for his excellent performance.¡± The crowd cheers as the remaining kelpies make it past the finish line, diving back into the water below. As it starts to die down, some of the crowd leave to collect their winnings, while the rest stay to watch the next race. Zara turns to Ed, her face still red from all the yelling. ¡°That was amazing! I¡¯ve never seen anything like it. The blood, the intensity, the violence. It was amazing. Do you think they¡¯ll let me ride one.¡± ¡°Probably not. If they¡¯re anything like they are in the myths and folk tales, which from what I''ve seen, they clearly are, then I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to get near one without dying.¡± Ed says, trying to calm her down before she gets herself killed. ¡°They¡¯re not the Each-uisge. There are stories of people taming kelpies.¡± She says, slowly calming down from her excitement, but still eager to try. ¡°How about this. We¡¯ve had a long day, and you still haven¡¯t gone to your place yet. We should call it a day; we can always come back here another time. Besides, aren¡¯t you excited to get back to making trap rooms again?¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I can also spend the rest of today trying to figure out more about what you told me earlier. I have so much to think about. Let¡¯s go.¡± The two make their way up the stairs, waving goodbye to the man at the counter. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± Zara says goodbye as she disappears through the door. I need to rest. Ed enters his apartment, falling asleep as soon as he gets into bed. Chapter 31 ¡°Good morning, Ed.¡± Hearing Buddie¡¯s voice, Ed wakes up, tossing the blankets off himself. ¡°Morning Buddie. How long until I need to be at the office?¡± Stepping out of bed, he does some stretches to loosen himself up for the day. ¡°You have an hour until today¡¯s file is sent to you.¡± Okay, I¡¯ve still got a while. Ed sits down at the dining table, ordering some scrambled eggs and bacon. For the entire internship period, my focus was on surviving and getting the job. Now that I¡¯m here, I need to figure out what my new goals are. The possibility of death is no longer imminent, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m safe. I feel like I was trapped in a box beforehand, not knowing what was around me. But now I¡¯ve escaped the box, only to find myself surrounded by danger on all sides. The workers seem normal at a glance, but there¡¯s something seriously wrong with them. I¡¯ve seen what the company can do to people, the power it holds over all of us. I need to find a way out, or at least a way to maintain my sanity. I don¡¯t want to go around hurting innocent people just because the company told me to. I thought that the other employees from Earth would be struggling to survive here just like me, but Zara seems to have been born for this. I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s too far gone, but she¡¯s the closest to a normal person as I¡¯ll be able to find here, and I need to have someone to talk to so that I¡¯m not alone. Finishing up his breakfast he goes into the bathroom. Turning on the shower, he puts his hand under the water, adjusting it until it reaches his liking. Tossing his clothes off, he steps into the shower. I can finally shower after nearly two weeks being stuck in that room. If it wasn¡¯t for the company keeping me clean during that time, I would¡¯ve smelt absolutely awful. I¡¯m glad they had someone on hand to take care of my hygiene and general health, otherwise I don¡¯t know how I would¡¯ve been able to make it through that mess.¡± Lathering himself up with soap, he pauses, a disturbing thought entering his mind. Avery told me that there was an invisible person taking care of me the entire time, does that mean... Ed frantically looks around the bathroom, his hands dropping down to cover himself. Are they still watching me? Ed starts breathing heavily, searching for a hidden figure in the room. No. That can¡¯t be right. Roger said the rooms were private. Unless they managed to sneak past me the second I opened the door like Zara did, then nobody should be in here... I¡¯ll have to ask Buddie about it. Finishing his shower, he wraps himself in a towel and walks back to the bedroom. ¡°Buddie, is there anybody else in my apartment right now?¡± ¡°You are currently alone in your apartment Ed. Might I assume you are asking this because of the invisible healers we had on hand for you at all times during your internship?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ed says, opening up the closet to see an assortment of clothes identical to what he was wearing before. Guess they don¡¯t want to bother giving us any variety. Fine by me. ¡°As this is a private space, nobody can enter this area without your permission, unless there is an emergency. However, you don¡¯t have to worry about your safety, as every room is enchanted with the ability to heal you of any injuries.¡± Getting dressed, Ed says the first thing that comes to mind. ¡°Then why did you need to have healers there in the first place if the rooms can heal me and keep me alive?¡± ¡°Because it is cheaper and more efficient to have a healer on hand. That¡¯s why healers are stationed in every public area at all times. The enchantments will usually only be used if an injury occurs in a private area.¡± ¡°Thanks Buddie. That clears everything up for me. How long do I have left?¡± ¡°You have half an hour until the file arrives.¡± Making sure that he¡¯s ready, Ed decides to head to the office early. Walking into the office, Ed sees that a decent number of coworkers have already shown up and are already busy working. Maybe their files came in earlier? Getting to his desk he notices that Zara hasn¡¯t shown up yet. I thought she would be the first person here. Sitting down, he takes in the conversations happening around him, trying to gain some useful information. Some time passes before Zara makes it to her desk. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°Good morning, Ed.¡± Zara calls out to him as she jumps into her chair, spinning to face him ¡°Morning Zara. Are you ready for work?¡± ¡°Absolutely, I¡¯ve been thinking about it all morning. I have so many ideas for what I want the actors to do. I can¡¯t wait.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ve still got a while to wait before today¡¯s files come in. How did you find your apartment? Did you get the kitchen you wanted?¡± ¡°No, it costs too much. Buddie said it would cost me two hundred credits to get a kitchen. Who knows how long it¡¯ll take me to save up that much. But at least I was finally able to have a shower.¡± ¡°I agree with you there.¡± They continue to chat, passing away the time until their files arrive. Name: Richard Wright Age:47 Occupation: CEO of a major water company Biography: Born to parents Norman and Clara Wright, Richard grew up under the care of his family¡¯s many servants. Following in his father¡¯s footsteps, Richard graduated Summe Cum Laude from the top University in the country with a bachelor''s in business administration. After graduating, he quickly went to work in his father¡¯s company... after Norman¡¯s passing, Richard became the CEO of the company. When he took up the position, he pledged publicly that he would be more responsible for the environment and would ensure that the company would become greener under his lead. However, the company secretly dumped raw sewage into rivers and seas, causing the population of coastal marine species to plummet, and the quality of the water to drastically decrease. -End of Document- What a dick. Hmm, what should I do? Ed rereads throw the file, an idea forming in his mind. He stops himself before speaking out. I¡¯m no longer in the privacy of my own room, how do I tell Buddie what I want without disturbing anyone? ¡°You got an idea yet?¡± Upon hearing Zara speak, Ed turns his head, only to see that she¡¯s wheeled her chair over to right next to him, peering at his screen. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve got an idea. Shouldn¡¯t you be working on your own one right now? There¡¯s no way you¡¯ve already finished yours?¡± ¡°Oh yeah, I just finished reading her file, but I wanted to see what you were up to. Come on, tell me your idea. I promise no one here will know.¡± She mimes zipping her mouth shut. ¡°Zara is correct. Each desk has different levels of privacy settings. Currently any sounds you make will not leave the range of this desk, meaning only the two of you can hear each other. If you want to, you can also change it so that it¡¯s completely private, if that¡¯s what you prefer.¡± Ed looks at Zara for a moment, noticing her puppy dog eyes. ¡°No, the current settings are fine.¡± ¡°Yay¡± She cheers. Ed turns back to the screen and opens the Create a room function. ¡°I¡¯m going to keep this one pretty simple. I want a small room that is slowly filling up with water throughout the course of the trap.¡± A room appears on screen, with an animation of the room slowly filling up with water. That¡¯s new. ¡°Put the model of Richard on one end with a locked door on the other. The room will eventually completely fill with water, causing him to drown, unless he can find the key to unlock the door. The key will come in from the pipes the water is coming from at some point in time. However, it won¡¯t be the only thing coming through those pipes. Because he dumped raw sewage into the ocean, I want raw sewage, plastic and other pollutants to come flowing through the pipes, starting off in small amounts compared to the clean water, before eventually being the only thing coming out of the pipes.¡± The animation changes on screen, the water turning brown and filling up with garbage, leading to the model drowning on screen. ¡°Is there anything you would like to add?¡± Buddie asks. ¡°No, you can go ahead and get started on making it now.¡± Ed says, turning his attention to Zara. I wonder what she has planned? ¡°That¡¯s so disgusting, I love it. The guy talked a lot of shit, imagine if he dies literally choking on it. It will be amazing¡± Zara says, giggling. Please don¡¯t make me think of that. ¡°Let¡¯s not think about that, shall we. Now that you¡¯ve seen my idea, I want to know what you have planned.¡± Zara excitedly lays out her plan. ¡°Well, my sinner was a nurse who stole jewellery from hospital patients, so I really want to have her cut off her hands...¡± Zara gets to work on her plan, designing a trap that requires the lady to saw through her own hands in order to escape. She spends the next little while building and perfecting it in the app, trying to make it as painful as possible. ¡°I wish I could use actors, but I just don¡¯t know how to add them into this. It only really works if she is sawing through her hands herself. It¡¯s less fun if other people do it.¡± ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to make them directly involved in the trap. You could have them play the role of a dying patient that she¡¯s stolen from before, or into someone that looks like her typical target, and have that set off the trap.¡± Zara¡¯s eyes shine. ¡°Ed you are a genius.¡± She hugs him excitedly before getting back to her work, transforming the room into a medical ward. ¡°This is going to be great!¡± She mutters while placing the trap into the bedside drawers. ¡°Okay, so now she will try and steal some of the patient''s belongings, putting her hand into the drawer. The trap will spring, and wires will tighten onto her wrist, eventually cutting through them. If she is too loud, hospital staff will come in and catch her in the act.¡± "Is there anything you would like to add?¡± Buddie asks. ¡°Ooh, I¡¯ve got one more thing.¡± She turns to Ed with a smile. ¡°Quickly look away, I want it to be a surprise. I promise you''re going to love this. Just think of it as a reward for helping me.¡± Going along with it, Ed turns around waiting for her to finish her work. A few minutes later, she finishes with the work, allowing the construction of it to start. She turns to Ed. ¡°Thanks for helping me there. I can¡¯t wait for you to see what will happen.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I think we¡¯ve still got a bit of time until the traps are made. Isn¡¯t that right Buddie?¡± ¡°That is correct, they should be ready in an hour. Based off my calculations, your trap should be ready first, then it will be Zara¡¯s.¡± ¡°It looks like we have some time to kill, let¡¯s go grab something to eat.¡± Zara says, looking at Ed. ¡°Sounds good to me.¡± The two of them head to the canteen, grabbing a bite to eat while chatting casually, filling in the time until the traps are ready. Chapter 32 Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Chapter 33 Beep. Beep. Beep. The sound of the heart rate monitor echoed through the quiet room. The only other sounds being some shallow breathing coming from the hospital bed, and muffled talking coming from beyond the room. Ugh, I must¡¯ve blacked out for a second, where am I? A woman in a nurse¡¯s outfit rubs her head, sitting up in the chair she found herself in. I must¡¯ve been checking in on this patient. She looks over to the patient to see that they¡¯re asleep. Seems like I¡¯m alone in here. Glad no one came in to find me sleeping on the job. Getting up, she walks over to the patient, checking in on them. Her heartrate seems stable, but her breathings a little shallow. I should ask her if she¡¯s having any difficulties breathing when she wakes up. But before I do that... She walks over to the bed side table where all of the patient''s things are, noticing a half-eaten apple, a knife and a photo. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to take a look at what you brought with you. She looks at the family photo, her eyes focusing on a beautiful gold chain necklace. What a lovely necklace. I can¡¯t help but notice that you¡¯re not wearing it right now. Where would it be? She tries to open the drawer, but it jams in place, only opening enough for her to be able to reach in, but not being able to see what¡¯s inside. Fucking hell. Guess I¡¯ll just have to feel around to see what¡¯s in there Squeezing her right hand in, she feels around, searching for the necklace. A pen... reading glasses... no, where is it? Reaching all the way to the back, she finally finds the necklace. There you are. As she tries to pull her hand back, she feels a wire tightening around her wrist, digging into the skin. She bites her lip from the pain. Shit. ¡°Good morning, Cathleen. You seem to be in a bit of a bind right now. As you may be able to feel, a metal wire is now gripping tightly onto your wrist, and it will eventually saw right through the bone, leaving your hand in the drawer. A fair price to pay in exchange for that necklace you''re holding, right? Your days pocketing patients¡¯ belongings are over, and I hope that this will act as a reminder any time you get the urge to steal something again. Just try to be quiet, because after all, the patient could wake up at the slightest sound, and you don¡¯t want to get caught stealing, do you? Imagine the consequences. Good luck.¡± She moves her hand back slightly, only to feel the wires dig into her skin even more. Fuck. Immediately stopping, she feels the wire stop moving. How am I going to get myself out of this? Maybe I can use my other hand to untangle it. Putting her left hand on the table, she grits her teeth. 3, 2, 1. She moves her left hand to the gap in the drawer, reaching for her other hand. What if there¡¯s another wire? A terrifying thought pops into her mind, making her actions grind to a halt. Pulling her left hand away, she tries to think of ways to get out of this. If moving back causes it to tighten, maybe I can relieve the pain by moving it forward, that¡¯ll at least give me some time to think. Moving her hand forward, the wire tightens again, fully digging into her skin, blood starting to drip from the fresh cut. She immediately stops moving, her teeth starting to hurt as she stops herself from screaming out in pain. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. That didn¡¯t work at all, moving it at all just makes things worse. If only I could see what¡¯s going on in there. Could I take off the top of it? But how would I do that without waking her up? She uses her left hand to feel around the edges of the bedside table, trying to find where the screws are. Maybe I could use the knife to unscrew the top. That way, I can see what¡¯s going on. Finding the screws, she grabs the knife, and tries quietly unscrewing the top of the table. Okay, there are four screws, all visible from the top. I should be able to handle these without making any noise. With one more twist, the first screw comes out, and she gently moves it to the side. She quickly gets to work unscrewing the rest of them. Done. Now I just need to move everything off so that I can get rid of this thing quietly. Maybe I can put everything on the floor. Grabbing the photo frame, she slowly lowers herself. However, because she¡¯s trying to keep her right arm in place, she can¡¯t reach down far enough to be able to put it down without making a noise. Looking around for a place to put everything, she spots a chair on wheels nearby. That¡¯ll do. Keeping her arm in place, she stretches her leg over, trying to pull the chair towards her, but misses it by a thread. Damn it. She keeps stretching out, trying in vain to pull it over. Realising that she¡¯s getting nowhere, she looks down at her trapped arm. I might have to move a little. She moves her entire body back. The wire tightens again, cutting through the fat and muscle. Crap, shit, fuck. She bites down hard into her lip, blood starting to pour out onto the clean white tiles. Her breathing grows heavy as she fights through the pain. I can do this. Stretching her leg out, she successfully hooks her foot onto the chair, rolling it over to her as quietly as possible. Putting everything onto the chair, she hooks under the front of the table. I should be able to pull it up from here. Lifting it off in one go, she catches a glimpse of something shiny flashing past. Her hand falls down onto the drawer, blood flowing from the open stub at the end of her arm. The wire snaps into place, vibrating slightly and sending droplets of blood flying off before setting back into place. It takes her brain a moment to register what just happened, and a moment later she falls to the ground with a thud, the tabletop slamming against the ground. The patients breathing stops for a moment, and the conversations outside the room disappear, replaced by hurried footsteps. No! The door slams open as a team of doctors and nurses enter the room. She turns to look at them in fear, noticing a sickeningly wide grin on their faces, their cheeks splitting open to fully show their back teeth. She crawls back in fear, leaving a trail of blood on the floor and knocking into the bed. She feels something wet drop on her head. Looking up, she¡¯s met with a pair of hungry eyes, and the same disgusting grin. The person in the bed has sat up. Keeping her eyes on Cathleen, she reaches into the drawer, pulling out the severed hand. Cathleen watches in horror as the as the patient brings the hand up to her mouth, which opens to show a cavernous maw of razor-sharp teeth, before biting down into the hand. The blood dripping onto her, stinging her eyes. She fully collapses, fainting from the sight. ¡°Unfortunately, it seems like you failed to free yourself without alerting people Cathleen. I told you that you shouldn¡¯t have woken up the patient, now you have seen the consequences. You should have known that you would get caught eventually, just one slip up and your entire life would go down the drain. So why did you keep on going back for more? Enjoy Hell Cathleen. Goodbye.¡± The group of doctors drag her body out of the room, slamming the door shut. Chapter 34 ¡°Your trap is now ready Ed. Please return to your desk or find a suitable place to watch it.¡± ¡°Looks like we should head back now.¡± Ed says, shuffling his hand back into the deck. ¡°Not fair, I was about to win.¡± Zara sighs, getting out of her seat and heading to the door. Putting the deck back into its pack, he sits it down on the table before following after her. Having time to fill after getting lunch, the two decided to find a quiet room and play a game of poker. Now that the time is up, they head back to the office and sit at the desk, both looking at Ed¡¯s screen. The screen flickers, changing to footage of a room slowly filling with water, a middle-aged man lying face down on the floor. The man wakes, immediately booking it for the door ¡°Good morning, Richard. You must be wondering what is happening right now. As you can see, you are no longer in your mansion. I have trapped you in this room, but you do have a chance to escape. Do you see where the water is coming from? At some point in time, a key will fall into this room so that you can unlock the door. But alas, the waterways aren¡¯t as clean as they used to be, but you wouldn¡¯t know anything about that, would you? You should expect more than just water to come from those pipes. Good luck, Richard.¡± I wonder when the key will show up? Ed thinks while watching the room start to fill with cans, straws and plastic bottles. ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me. I am an upstanding member of society; how dare you try and make me swim in filth. When I get out of here, I will find you, and I will ruin your life.¡± ¡°Why do they always threaten us? Can they not see the situation they¡¯re in?¡± Zara asks. ¡°It¡¯s because they¡¯re angry and afraid. They don¡¯t know how they got here, and the situation''s scary. They¡¯re just trying to let off steam and vent their emotions. Don¡¯t take it personally.¡± Ed says, trying to comfort her. Richard starts wading through the water as it rises above his knees, becoming dirtier and harder to see in. The two watch as Richard moves to the door, staring back out at the room. ¡°Smart. He knows he won¡¯t be able to find the key if he focuses on searching through the water now that it¡¯s dirty, so he¡¯s decided to solely watch the pipes instead.¡± Ed says, focusing on Richard. ¡°Look at the pipes!¡± Zara shouts, her hand drawing Ed¡¯s attention to the pipes. The water coming out from the pipes is no longer clean. ¡°I bet that doesn¡¯t smell good.¡± Looks like Buddie¡¯s starting to pump in the raw sewage now, and yet there¡¯s no key. Knowing Buddie, it¡¯s probably going to come out at the last possible moment. Ed watches as the filthy water rises up Richard¡¯s chest. ¡°Where¡¯s the key you bastard? Where is it?¡± Richard yells, pounding on the walls. He¡¯s getting desperate now. The water rises to his head, so he pushes up and starts floating on top, slowly getting closer to the ceiling. Zara watches as the key falls into the water. At the same time, Ed watches Richard swims off towards one of the pipes. The key must¡¯ve appeared. ¡°Did you see the key?¡± Zara laughs before she can answer him. ¡°Yeah. It just got stuck in a piece of shit and is now slowly sinking to the bottom.¡± Looks like he¡¯ll have to go down, let¡¯s hope he manages to see it. They watch as Richard dives into the water, swimming towards the key. Zara laughs when she sees the dirty water flood into his mouth. He¡¯s got the key. Richard pushes his head above water, violently pushing out all of the water in his lungs. They watch as he uses his shirt to clean the shit off the key. He¡¯s almost out of time. The water hits the ceiling as Richard swims over to a wall. He¡¯s gone the wrong way. They watch as he pushes himself off the wall, racing towards the other side of the room, blood starting to spread in the water. He grabs on the door handle, and tries to push the key in. They watch as it slides across the lock multiple times, never going in. ¡°He¡¯s not going to make it.¡± Richard¡¯s frantic movements causing more glass to cut into his skin. Water gushes into his mouth, his movements slowing as something lodges itself in his throat, stopping his breathing. ¡°Haha, called it.¡± Zara spins around on her chair excitedly. ¡°It looks like your bad deeds have finally caught up to you Richard. As you feel your life begin to fade away, do you now understand the damage that you have caused... this filth was collected from the rivers and seas that your company would illegally dump sewage into. Now you have finally seen what it is you were dumping into the water... Enjoy Hell, Richard. Goodbye.¡± Zara busts a gut laughing. ¡°Did you see his face? I mean, I was joking earlier when I brought it up, I didn¡¯t expect he would actually die choking on shit.¡± She sighs, calming herself down slightly. ¡°The fucker deserved it though. Look at what he was doing to the planet.¡± she says, pointing at the water on screen. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. She¡¯s enjoying this a bit too much. ¡°While I agree with you that he was definitely not a good person, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit insensitive to be laughing at his death like this? I mean, he¡¯s a human just like us.¡± She looks at him, confused. ¡°No, he¡¯s not. We were chosen by the company, he¡¯s a sinner. He¡¯s not the same as us.¡± She says seriously, almost as if she¡¯s lecturing Ed. She can¡¯t be serious. I have to say something. ¡°-¡± ¡°Think about it Ed. Why would the company have chosen us? There has to be a reason as to why we were chosen over everyone else on Earth. Clearly, we are different from them.¡± She cuts him off before he can speak. She grabs his hands, making sure that he¡¯s paying attention to her. ¡°There¡¯s no need to put yourself in the same group as those sinners.¡± She drops the serious attitude, going back to her normal cheerful voice. ¡°Come on, it should be time to watch my one. I promise you are going to love it.¡± She pulls him across to her screen. She¡¯s more twisted than I thought. I need to find a way to fix this. But Buddie¡¯s everywhere, I can¡¯t let the company catch on to what I¡¯m doing. I need to find a way to help her without letting the company know. Lost in his thoughts he doesn¡¯t notice as the screen changes, showing a pristine white private room in a hospital. Beep. Beep. Beep. The beeping of the heart rate monitor snaps Ed from his thoughts. In the room are two people; a nurse and a patient. Both are sleeping. The muffled sounds of conversations come from outside the room. The nurse wakes up, rubbing her head before walking over to check on the patient. After checking on the patient, and making sure the cost is clear, she starts rummaging through the patient¡¯s stuff. At least she checked to make sure the patient was fine. I guess that counts for something. Ed watches as the drawer jams in place, only leaving a sliver open. As she squeezes her right hand through the gap, a second camera angle appears on screen, showing what¡¯s going on inside the drawer. I¡¯m going to have to watch it happen, aren¡¯t I? They watch as she scrounges around through the drawer, feeling everything until she reaches the back and grabs onto the necklace. All the while, the wire is slowly closing in, following her movements. As she pulls back, the wire tightens around her wrist. The first camera zooms in on her face, showing her biting her lip in pain. ¡°Good morning, Cathleen. You seem to be in a bit of a bind right now. As you may be able to feel, a metal wire is now gripping tightly onto your wrist... Your days pocketing patients¡¯ belongings are over, and I hope that this will act as a reminder any time you get the urge to steal something again. Just try to be quiet, because after all, the patient could wake up at the slightest sound, and you don¡¯t want to get caught stealing, do you? Imagine the consequences. Good luck.¡± They watch as she moves her hand back, the wire digging into her skin. She goes to put her other hand in but stops herself. Good. She would¡¯ve lost both hands if she did that. She moves her right hand forward only for the wire to dig in even more, blood dripping onto the drawer. She stops herself from screaming, instead focusing on taking the top off. That¡¯s a bad idea, she should just pull back quickly, and focus on not making any noise. Zara laughs as she watches the nurse use the knife to unscrew the top. ¡°That¡¯s not going to work.¡± She says melodically, almost singing to herself. Having watched her unscrew the top, they watch as she tries to put the photo frame on the ground but is stopped short because of her arm. She gets back up, looking for a place to put everything. Stretching her leg out, she tries pulling the chair in but comes up shy of touching it. The wire tightens, cutting through to the bone, as she takes a step back, putting herself in range of the chair. Pulling it towards her, she clears off the top of the table quietly before lifting the top off in one go. The camera inside catches clearly as the wire snaps shut, cutting off her hand, blood shooting out of her arm. She drops to the ground as all noises stop. The door slams open, a team of doctors and nurses enter the room, staring directly at her, their faces split open with a chilling grin. What the fuck. Oh god, is this the surprise she came up with? Why would I love this? Ed watches as the nurse backs up into the bed, the patient sitting straight up, and hanging over her. Ed watches on in disgust as the patient starts chewing on the severed hand. Why are they eating her? ¡°Unfortunately, it seems like you failed to free yourself without alerting people Cathleen. I told you that you shouldn¡¯t have woken up the patient, now you have seen the consequences. You should have known that you would get caught eventually, just one slip up and your entire life would go down the drain. So why did you keep on going back for more? Enjoy Hell Cathleen. Goodbye.¡± Ed watches as she¡¯s dragged out of the room by the team of doctors. The camera feeds shut off, the screen turning back to normal. He turns to face Zara, noticing an expectant look in her eyes and a big happy smile. ¡°So, what did you think? Did you like the surprise? I remember you telling me about the woman eating the heart and thought that you would really want to see something like that again. So, I came up with this? Pretty cool, right?¡± She bombards him with questions, hoping that he liked it. I really need to figure out how to help her. This is disgusting. He looks into her eyes. But I can¡¯t tell her the truth here. That''ll just push her away, and I need to stay close to her if I want to have a chance at helping her. This is going to be tough. Ed puts on a smile. ¡°Thanks Zara, what a fantastic surprise. I can¡¯t believe you remembered that. You really didn¡¯t have to do this for me, you should just design the traps how you want them to be.¡± He squeezes her hand tightly, hoping that she won¡¯t do this again. ¡°Yay, I¡¯m so glad you liked it.¡± She pulls him into a hug. ¡°Now that you have both completed your projects, you are free to spend the rest of your day doing whatever you want. You have each been paid ten credits for your traps.¡± Buddie cuts into the conversation. She breaks off the hug. ¡°Come on, we just got paid, let¡¯s go find something to spend it on.¡± Chapter 35 If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Chapter 36 ¡°Good morning, Ed.¡± ¡°Morning Buddie.¡± Ed yawns, getting out of bed. My entire worldview has changed completely from what it was two weeks ago. Mythical creatures are real and still alive. Whole other realities exist outside of the world I knew, and the people controlling them seem to be hellbent on forcing their own brand of justice on us. And from what I¡¯ve seen, humanity doesn¡¯t stand a chance. The company is far too powerful for humans to stop. There¡¯s nothing I can do to change that. All I can do right now is try my best to protect my own sanity, so that I don¡¯t become like them... Hopefully I can pull Zara to my side. Sitting at the table, Ed has a bowl of corn flakes for breakfast. ¡°Buddie, how many credits do I have?¡± ¡°Currently you have one hundred and nine credits.¡± One hundred and nine... I don¡¯t even know what I want to spend it on. This apartment is decent. It covers all my day-to-day needs. Unlike Zara, I don¡¯t really need a kitchen. I¡¯m fine with the clothes I have as well. I guess I¡¯ll just keep saving it up in case there¡¯s something I want. Finishing his breakfast, Ed showers and gets ready for the day. ¡°How much longer until my file comes in?¡± ¡°You have half an hour until your file arrives.¡± Okay, I''ve still got a bit of time. I need to try and get more information today. There¡¯s just too much that I don¡¯t know. ¡°Buddie, now that I¡¯m an official employee of the company, I should have access to more information than I would have had as an intern, right? ¡°That is correct, what would you like to know?¡± Buddie asks. Thinking carefully over his words, Ed asks. ¡°How does the company know if someone is a sinner?¡± ¡°The company keeps constant surveillance on all areas within its control. The employees of the operations department will gather information on every single detail of a person¡¯s life, which is then organised into a file by the marketing department. If a person is innocent, their information is stored, but if they have committed an act that is deemed sinful, they¡¯re file is sent to a suitable employee in your department.¡± Well that answers my question from yesterday, it looks like the company is watching everywhere all the time, so I can¡¯t take Zara on a holiday to try and sway her to my side. I have a bit of an idea of the internal structure of the company now... I can¡¯t imagine having to sort through all of that information. Just looking at one complete file caused my head to explode, there¡¯s no way I¡¯d be able to handle that. But this still leaves me with a burning question. ¡°What makes something a sin? Does the company just decide what is or isn¡¯t sinful.¡± ¡°The company has no control over what is counted as a sin, we merely enforce appropriate punishments on sinners, whether something is a sin or not is left up to fate.¡± Ed slumps down on the bed, looking soulless. Fate... If fate is real, then is everything I''m trying to do meaningless? There¡¯s no way I can defy fate. If the company is just enforcing the will of fate, then I¡¯ve lost this fight long before it¡¯s even begun. Ed sits there, his soul seemingly shattered. Zara¡¯s words from yesterday echo in his mind. ¡°Think about it Ed. Why would the company have chosen us? There has to be a reason as to why we were chosen over everyone else on Earth. Clearly, we are different from them.¡± Why was I chosen? Am I fated to become like them? ¡°You have ten minutes, Ed.¡± Hearing Buddie''s voice, Ed snaps out of his thoughts. No, I need to snap out of this negative spiral. Surely, there is something that can be done. There¡¯s so much that I don¡¯t know. Who''s to say that fate can¡¯t be changed? I need to learn more. The company should have a library. I¡¯ll check that out after work. Picking himself back up, Ed walks through the door and sits down at his seat next to Zara. ¡°Morning Ed. Are you ready for work?¡± She asks cheerfully. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± Ed looks around the office at all the other employees. If I didn¡¯t know what was happening here, this would look like any old office on Earth. ¡°You doing okay?¡± Zara asks, noticing how absentminded he looks. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just thinking about the conversation I just had with Buddie.¡± I need something to distract myself, otherwise, I won¡¯t be able to focus at all. ¡°What were you talking about?¡± She pulls her chair closer to him, curious about it. Ed finally turns to face Zara, noticing that she¡¯s wearing the outfit she bought yesterday. His eyes dart around, remembering what happened yesterday. ¡°Oh, nothing important. I¡¯ll tell you about it later. There¡¯s actually something else I wanted to talk to you about.¡± ¡°Oh yeah, what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about what happened in the fitting room yesterday.¡± ¡°Yeah, what about it?¡± She looks up at him curiously. ¡°Well, you can¡¯t just pull someone into the fitting room with you. If people see that, they may think that we¡¯re in a relationship. I mean, the store owner even told us not to fuck in there.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with me? Just let other people think whatever they want to think. I was just trying to get your opinion on something. Besides, if I wanted you to fuck me, why would we do it in a clothing store¡¯s fitting room?¡± She jokes light-heartedly, giggling a little. Ed sighs, a little relieved. I guess what she¡¯s saying makes sense. She just wanted my opinion; I was thinking about it all wrong. ¡°I¡¯m far more romantic than that. We haven¡¯t even gone on our first date yet.¡± Zara whispers. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing. Hey look, the files came in.¡± Zara tries to distract him by pointing to the screen. Did she just say... you know what? I¡¯ve already had one too many revelations today. I don¡¯t have the mental capacity to deal with this right now. I¡¯ll unpack how she feels about me later. Name: Cec¨ªlio Antunes Age: 20 Occupation: unemployed Biography: Born to parents Ramiro and Celina Antunes, Cec¨ªlio grew up in an impoverished home, which quickly fell to ruin when both of his parents were killed when he was a teenager. In order to survive, he began doing odd jobs for people around the neighbourhood, usually in exchange for food and water... One day, while cleaning a person¡¯s house so that he could have something to eat for lunch, he found evidence saying that the owner of the house was responsible for the death of his parents. Filled with rage, Cec¨ªlio killed the man, strangling him to death when he came home from work. He buried the body, then left the town in the middle of the night. -End of document- Hmm. What should I do here? After reading, Ed sits and starts planning what he wants to do ¡°What did you get Ed?¡± Zara pops over to check on Ed. ¡°Murder. The victim killed the guy¡¯s parents, so he strangled him to death.¡± ¡°Cool, my guy¡¯s a dictator. He used public wealth to fund a private military, instead of using it on repairing the broken infrastructure of the country, throwing his citizens into poverty.¡± The two sit there, brainstorming ideas. After a while of going back and forth, they both settle on what they want to do, turning to their screens to start working. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on the trap first. Give me a model of Cec¨ªlio please.¡± A young Brazilian man appears on screen. His hair is a mess, and his clothes are dirty and ridden with holes. ¡°I want a thick metal collar to be placed around his neck. The collar will slowly tighten, eventually crushing his neck. To escape, he will have to find the key to unlock the collar, which will be somewhere in the room. Give him four to five minutes to try and find the key before he loses consciousness, as that should match up with how long it took him to strangle the other person to death. Also, I want it to start tightening after you finish speaking to him.¡± A chunky metal collar appears on the model, an animation plays of it slowly tightening around his neck, with the model eventually dying. Now for the room. ¡°I want the room to be identical to the house he killed the man in. The key to the collar will be placed with the evidence Cec¨ªlio found. Place the model at the entrance of the house.¡± A small, squalid house appears on the screen, with only four small rooms tightly packed together. This house is smaller than my apartment. After checking through all the details and making sure that the key is findable within the time given, Ed passes the design onto Buddie, allowing construction to begin. On Zara¡¯s side, she recreates the manor that the politician lives in and has him go through his normal morning routine. She adds a bunch of hungry, poverty-stricken peasants outside the manor¡¯s gates. ¡°I want the peasants to riot, throwing trash and stones at the house, while making as much noise as possible and being a general nuisance. This will catch the dictator¡¯s attention, and he will have to try and quell the anger of the crowd. The only way for him to do so is to promise to make their lives better, and to invite them in to appease their hunger. If he dismisses their complaints, or tries to use force, the peasants will break through the gate, trash the manor, and eventually try and kill him. He can try to appease them throughout this part as well, but it will be a lot more difficult.¡± ¡°Thank you for submitting your plans, I will inform you both when they are ready.¡± The two set off through the door, going to grab lunch from the cafeteria. Chapter 37 Cec¨ªlio wakes up with a start, breathing rapidly. He sits up, pressing his hands against the hard wooden floor. He looks around vigilantly but is unable to make out much in the darkened room. This isn¡¯t where I fell asleep. After killing that man, Cec¨ªlio fled the town in a hurry, quickly hopping from town to town. He¡¯s grown paranoid, always sleeping with one eye open, and only for short amounts of time, to make sure he wouldn¡¯t be caught off guard. Eventually, after crossing the border, he relaxed slightly, allowing himself to rest properly. Where the fuck am I? Getting up off the floor, he scrounges around, trying to find the light switch. Making his way to a wall, he eventually finds it, flicking it on and casting the room in a dim yellow light. The room looks dreadfully familiar to him. ¡°No, this can¡¯t be happening. Why am I back here?¡± It is only at this moment that he feels the collar around his neck. Putting his hands up to it, he feels the cold metal that¡¯s wrapped around his neck. What is happening? He slips his fingers between his neck and the collar, trying to find a way to get it off him. Unfortunately, all he can find is a keyhole on the back. ¡°Good morning Cec¨ªlio. You have been on a very difficult journey. You were rather careful and vigilant, but you knew that eventually you would let your guard down. You should know where you are right now. This is the room in which you strangled a man to death. Strangling someone to death is a horrific way to kill someone. You were up close and personal, and you had to keep choking him for several minutes to ensure his death. Now it is your turn to understand how gruesome of a death it is. The collar around your neck will slowly tighten, eventually crushing your windpipe, however, you will die long before that. As you have already noticed, there is a keyhole in the back of the collar. That is your only chance at salvation. Somewhere important in this house is the key, as long as you can find it before passing out, you will be able to survive. Good luck, Cec¨ªlio.¡± The colour drains from Cec¨ªlio¡¯s face, the collar slowly starts to close in. Feeling it now pressing lightly against his skin, he kicks himself into action, running around the room in search of the key. Where is it? He upturns the small living room but is unable to find it. At this point, the collar is now sitting firmly around his neck, and he is only able to fit a single finger between it and his neck. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. It¡¯s got to be here somewhere. Where could it be? He runs into the little offshoot kitchen, anxiously scrounging through every drawer and cupboard to look for the key. Hidden inside a fruit bowl, he finds a keychain with a few keys on it. Is it one of these? Nervously, he tries each key, trying to twist it in the lock, but none of them work. The collar continues to tighten, now tightly squeezing onto his neck, leaving no gaps between it and his skin. Shit fuck! In frustration, he throws the keys back onto the counter, and runs off into the next room. He slams the bathroom door open, scanning through the entire room, even taking of the toilet cistern''s lid. The collar now starts to dig painfully into his skin. Shit, it¡¯s not here. There¡¯s only one other room it can be in. Cec¨ªlio runs into the man¡¯s bedroom, upturning the entire thing. He searches through all of the drawers in the desk but is still unable to find it. With only one final place to look, he checks under the bed, finding a familiar locked box. His thoughts run cold as he remembers what this man did to his parents. Remembers the photos and videos the man kept of their deaths. How fitting. This is the only place left for it to be. He pulls the box out from under the bed. The collar squeezes tightly around his neck, choking him slightly. He tries pulling on it to alleviate the pain, but it doesn¡¯t budge at all. Damn it. I need to open this box fast. Remembering that one of the keys from earlier would be able to open it, he holds the box under his arm and runs back to the kitchen. He starts panting as he reaches the living room. His vision going blurry. He stumbles into the kitchen, the box growing heavy in his arms. Dumping the box on the counter, he picks up the keys. Which one was it again? He tries the keys as the collar continues to choke him out. He hears a click as he turns the third key. The box opens. He falls to the ground as he tries to open the box, pulling it down with him. Hitting the ground, the contents of the box spill open. A photo falls in front of his eyes. Through his blurred vision, he can vaguely see a person tied down, bloody and bruised, with torn and bloodied clothes. His eyes lock on the photo, refusing to look away, even as the key clinks along the tiles. His eyes close as he falls unconscious, his thoughts starting to fade. ¡°Was your revenge worth it Cec¨ªlio? It may have felt satisfying, but you spent the rest of your short life on the run, never being able to walk out from the shadow of what happened, unable to experience the joys of life. Instead, you wound up back here, where it all started. You have now experienced what it feels like to die in such a manner. You tried so hard to escape, only for the last thing you see to be the tortured body of your mother. So let me ask you one more time. Was it worth it? Enjoy Hell, Cec¨ªlio.¡± The collar continues to tighten, eventually crushing his windpipe. Chapter 38 Inside a gaudy and extravagant bedroom, a middle-aged man is sleeping peacefully inside his bed, a beautiful young woman lying on his chest. A knock comes from the door, waking both up. ¡°Good morning, Sir. Your breakfast will be ready shortly, and the morning¡¯s newspaper is already set out on the table.¡± An old butler walks into the room, helping to prepare the man for the day to come. The woman moves off the man¡¯s chest and sits up, covering herself with the blanket. The man gets up as well, rubbing his face. He yawns, stretching his arm around the woman and pulling her closer towards him, feeling her up, causing the blanket to fall slightly, partially revealing her naked body. ¡°What do I have planned today?¡± He turns and asks his butler, ignoring the embarrassed blush on the woman¡¯s face as she scrambles to cover herself. ¡°You have a meeting with your advisors at nine, lunch with your investors at noon, and a public speech at three o¡¯clock.¡± The butler says, pulling out a small notebook from his breast pocket. ¡°Alright.¡± The man sighs, stepping out of the bed into a pair of slippers. Before getting up, he turns back to the woman. Feeling her up a little. ¡°Make sure to have yourself ready by the time I get back. I¡¯m going to need some stress relief by the time I''m finished talking with my advisors.¡± He walks out of the room with his butler in tow. Sitting down to have breakfast, the man reads his newspaper while enjoying a cup of tea. The paper is filled with news of his glorious deeds from the past week, with the main page focusing on the children he saved from hunger last week. Those children are such good workers. ~ Outside, on the road leading up to the manor¡¯s gate, a crowd slowly starts to form. One by one, more and more people start to show up. Young or old, male or female, all start to crowd around his gate. Their clothes are tattered, and they look exhausted and weary, but a spark is burning in their hearts. One person in the crowd starts to shout, followed by another, and another. The crowd''s shouting soon becomes cacophonous, with every single person in that crowd shouting out all the grievances in their hearts. The security at the gate raises their guns, pointing them at the crowd, silencing the ones at the front, but not doing anything to stop the entire mob. ¡°Step away from the gate!¡± A grizzled old guard shouts, their voice barely being heard because of the crowd''s shouting. Seeing the crowd grow larger, a young guard starts to sweat, his finger shakily pressed against the trigger. The tension continues to rise as the people push themselves against the gate, causing it to groan. ~ While the politician is enjoying his breakfast, one of the servants runs up to the butler, whispering into his ear. Upon hearing the news, the butler sends the servant back to keep an eye on the situation. ¡°Sir, it looks like a situation is developing outside, and we may have to postpone your morning appointment.¡± ¡°Great. I never liked talking to those scumbags anyway.¡± The man says, completely relaxed, even taking a long sip of his tea. ¡°So, what¡¯s happening out there?¡± ¡°It seems like some poor people are rioting at the front gate. However, the guards seem to be handling the situation just fine, and they are ready to shoot if the need arises.¡± The butler says, also not taking the situation too seriously. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. The man stands up, keeping hold of his cup of tea. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the balcony. I should be able to enjoy the show from there.¡± The two make their way back upstairs, heading onto the balcony. Looking down at the front gate, they can see the seething mass of peasants. ¡°There¡¯s quite a lot of people. Someone must have planned this.¡± After a while, the rioting gets more intense, as people in the crowd spot him on the balcony. They start throwing things over the fence, trying to hit him. Tomatoes splatter across the ground, with some of them hitting the guards. The rioters'' shouts grow louder, reaching the balcony. ¡°FUCK YOU MIKE.¡± One of the voices is very clear, punctuated by a well-timed rock smashing through one of the windows. ¡°Find whoever threw that rock. If they can¡¯t find them, just tell them to pull out a random person, I don¡¯t really give a shit. I want to set an example.¡± The word is quickly passed down to the guards, as Mike steps back inside. ~ The guards raise their guns, firing into the air. The deafening sound of the bullets silencing the crowd. ¡°Whoever threw that rock better show themselves before the count of ten, or the next bullets will be shot right at your faces.¡± The same guard as before shouts. The guards step forward in unison, shoving back the people against the gate with their guns. ¡°10, 9, 8, 7...¡± As he starts to count down, the crowd grows nervous, now starting to fear for their lives. The young guard also grows nervous, his eyes darting between the faces in the crowd. In the crowd, a woman raises one hand, the other grabbing tightly onto the arm of a young man next to her. She opens her mouth to yell out. BANG. The woman¡¯s head bursts open, blood splattering onto the stunned crowd. The man next to her stands there in shock, not even registering the blood and brain matter coating his face. The guards turn to stare at the young guard as he drops to his knees, panicking over what he just did. The old guard smiles. ¡°See, that is what¡¯s going to happen to you if you don¡¯t hand the man over, so everyone better step aside and let us do our job.¡± The entire crowd steps back, except for the young man standing next to the body, who is still stunned. The guards swarm out of the gate, quickly apprehending the man and pulling him back inside. They force him onto his knees in front of the crowd, pointing their guns at him. Seeing this, Mike steps through the front door, making his way to the young man. He pulls out a revolver, raising the young man¡¯s chin with it. ¡°You¡¯ve just damaged my property, how are you going to pay for it?¡± The young man splutters nervously, ¡°Please Sir, I-¡± The cold barrel of the gun presses against his head. ¡°Think about your next words carefully. I¡¯m not as merciful as my guards here.¡± Mike kicks the young man hard in the stomach, causing him to keel over. He shoves the gun firmly against the side of his head. ¡°Now tell me. How are you going to pay for it.¡± He says through gritted teeth, clearly enunciating every word. ¡°You can¡¯t do this to him, he¡¯s just a boy.¡± An old frail man walks shakily out of the crowd, as if he could be blown over by the wind at any moment. His voice is barely audible but is filled with immense anger. ¡°Father don¡¯t-¡± A woman yells out, trying to reach her father through the crowd. BANG. ¡°Does anybody else feel like questioning me?¡± Mike says before turning his gun back to the young man who is now quivering at his feet. ¡°Good morning, Mike. You have committed many atrocities, and the public has now wised up to what you have done. You have killed many people, and enslaved countless more, through your militaristic strength. But one day, your guards won¡¯t be able to protect you from the true anger of your people. Repent and change your ways. Give the people what they need, and they will fight for you, not against you. This is your last chance to-¡± BANG. The young man¡¯s head bursts open, splattering blood onto Mike¡¯s shoes. ¡°Shut up! Do you think just because you have a megaphone you can talk like you¡¯re some kind of saviour?¡± He begins to walk away from the crowd, leaving the guards to handle the clean-up. As he walks back to the door, he hears a loud bang behind him, as the gate topples to the ground. The rioters have broken through. The rioters flood in, turning into a stampede, the guards are knocked down before they have a chance to strike, their guns now in the hands of the mob. They quickly surround Mike, punching and kicking him. He starts to bruise and bleed under the stomping of the crowd. ¡°As I was saying. This was your last chance to change your ways and save yourself from the fiery damnation of your people. But you have failed, inciting their anger, and igniting the passion in their souls. You no longer hold control over them. Enjoy Hell, Mike.¡± Chapter 39 Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Chapter 40 The company should have a library, right? I mean, it¡¯s not entirely necessary since Buddie would have all of the information that it would contain, but the company already has everything else imaginable. ¡°Buddie, is there a library?¡± There is a long pause before Buddie answers. ¡°...Yes. However, it is entirely unnecessary for you to go there. If there are any questions you have, I am more than willing to provide you with answers.¡± Why did he pause? There¡¯s something he¡¯s not telling me. ¡°It¡¯s fine Buddie, I don¡¯t have any questions. I just want to enjoy the quiet atmosphere of a library.¡± Ed pushes the door open, imagining images of a library. Stepping through the door, Ed shivers, feeling as if he¡¯s being watched from everywhere around him. Looking around, he sees a small empty foyer with a front desk, surrounded on all sides by rows upon rows of books going as far as the eye can see and stretching up to infinite heights. He sees no light sources, like he¡¯s seen everywhere else. Instead, the room seems to be entirely lit by natural light, dispersing from unknown sources everywhere in the room. Something about the place feels strange to Ed, as if it is pulling on something deep inside of him. This fills him with a sense of unease. Is fate pulling me here? Why can I only feel it now? As he continues to walk deeper into the library He grows more uncomfortable, the feeling of him being watched growing more intense. His eyes dart around, trying to find who is staring at him, but nobody appears. Eventually, Ed makes it to the front desk, but finds it empty. ¡°Hello! Is anybody there?¡± He calls out. His words echo around the room, acting as the only response to his question. This place freaks me out. Maybe Buddie was right. ¡°Buddie, are you there?¡± Ed calls out, but once again is met with only the echoes of his own voice. The light in the room oscillates rapidly, dimming to near pitch black, before brightening again. As if something was blocking the light from reaching him, but only for a few moments at a time. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect a response from him anytime soon.¡± An ancient voice bellows out, as if coming from the very depths of Hell itself. Containing an unknown magnetism that roots Ed to the spot. His thoughts grind to a halt. The room fades from existence for a moment, as everything converges to a single point. The light and darkness coming together to form a gigantic shadow. Eventually, the room goes back to normal. The books. The empty foyer. Everything reappears, almost as if it never disappeared to begin with. Behind the desk stands a figure towering over Ed. Standing at well over five metres tall, the figure makes Ed¡¯s nearly two-metre height seem minuscule. The figure appears almost blurry, as if the world is trying actively to erase it. A web of white, grey and black threads make up the outer layer of the body, trapping a dark red substance underneath. As the room comes back to normal, so does Ed¡¯s mind, allowing him to see the figure standing before him. What the... His eyes trail up the body, starting with two long legs ending in sharp points that stab into the ground. He sees six long arms stretching out from the figures back, with multiple joints causing the arms to bend in unimaginable ways. As Ed looks up at the face, he takes a step back, staring wide-eyed at the crude facsimile of a human face. Where a face would normally appear, all that can be seen is a glowing red maw of razor-sharp teeth, stretching inhumanly across the entire width of the face. Above it sits eight glowing red eyes. The features appear unnatural, as if they were gaps cut into the threads, purely to form the appearance of a face. What is that? Ed remains frozen in place. His mind faltering as the figure towers over him. The figures eyes dart around, looking at the light sources around Ed. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Your questions will be answered in due time. Come and take a seat, it has been quite some time since I''ve had a visitor.¡± One of the figure''s hands gestures towards the table. Everything in the surroundings gathers around their hand, causing a blankness similar to when they appeared. A chair weaves itself into existence in front of Ed. Ed¡¯s body moves mechanically towards the seat, his brain still not functioning properly. An indomitable sense of pressure radiates through the room, making Ed feel like he could faint at any moment. It¡¯s only when he sits down on the chair that the pulling sensation stops, and his thoughts start to run smoothly again. The pulling is gone. He looks up at the figure, who¡¯s towering over him even more now that he¡¯s sitting. What is that? I¡¯ve never heard of anything like this. I-it''s terrifying. The room falls into silence as the two stare at each other. It is only after a while that Ed comes out from his thoughts realising that he hasn¡¯t said a thing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I-I got lost in my thoughts just now.¡± He says, his voice barely able to come out at a whisper, worried that the creature could devour him whole at any moment. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not the first time that¡¯s happened when someone¡¯s come to visit me. You¡¯ve already done better than most. I believe you have some questions for me?¡± The pressure surrounding Ed starts to dissipate as the creature speaks, allowing him to regain his composure. Ed is surprised, as the eldritch figure before him seems far more amiable than he thought. Ed slowly starts to feel more comfortable, as if he is conversing with another human, and not a reality warping monstrosity. ¡°Ah, yes. I came to this library hoping to find answers to something. There¡¯s one question that¡¯s been bothering me all day... Is fate real?¡± He looks up at the creature, hoping to hear that everything Buddie told him was a lie. ¡°The eternal question of fate. Many souls have found themselves on my doorstep asking the same question. Fate is all around us. It surrounds us at every moment, at every action we take.¡± The words echo in Ed¡¯s mind, shattering his hope of escaping. There¡¯s nothing I can do... fate has brought me to this place. I¡¯ve already fallen into the hands of the executioner. Broken, he looks up at the figure. ¡°Does that mean I¡¯m destined to become like them?¡± Without asking, the figure understands who Ed is talking about. ¡°There is no denying the possibility. After all, you wouldn¡¯t be here otherwise. The fact that you were chosen means that you are suited for this kind of work. Fate has chosen you to be one of its arbiters.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to be a monster like them! What the company is doing is wrong and hypocritical. They are cruel, sadistic murderers who have no right to judge others.¡± Watching his outburst, the creatures smile somehow grows wider. ¡°Well said. For billions of years, fate didn¡¯t have any arbiters. It just simply existed. Creatures would make their choices, and fate would shift with it. Constantly expanding across every possibility, sprouting from each choice into a complicated web that surrounds everything.¡± Hearing this, Ed relaxes, taking in all of the information. ¡°So, my actions control fate, not the other way around?¡± ¡°Yes. To answer your earlier question, you are not destined to become like them. Fate has no control over your actions. It, just like these books, merely tells a story. Every creature plays a part in writing that story. Unfortunately, some mortals gained the ability to read that story, and now that power has gone to their heads. Because of them, fate has not known a moment of peace for the past billions of years, and it is growing worse with every passing moment.¡± This is a lot to take in. It looks like I was worrying too much today. My fate has yet to be decided. I still have time. The conversation helps alleviate his worries. ¡°Thank you for telling me this. I now know what I must do.¡± ¡°And what is that?¡± The creature asks, leaning down towards Ed. ¡°I will find a way to stop this. The company has gone too far, and it is time for the world to revert back to what it once was.¡± The creature smiles, slowly unravelling back out across the room. ¡°You are too weak and inexperienced right now to achieve anything. But I am interested in watching you try. If you ever have any questions, you can come and visit me.¡± Ed listens to the voice as the figure disappears completely from the room. ¡°Wait! What¡¯s your name?¡± He shouts out. ¡°You can call me Urdhuri.¡± The voice echoes all around him, coming from everywhere. Urdhuri... It looks like I have an ally. After spending a while thinking about what happened, Ed heads back out the door, entering straight into his apartment. It¡¯s been a long day, I should rest. Chapter 41 ¡°Good morning, Ed.¡± Ed wakes up, feeling refreshed after a long night''s rest. The despair and confusion he was feeling all of yesterday now feels like a distant nightmare. His conversation with Urdhuri had not only reignited his determination to survive but had changed his goals entirely. Now, he desires a peaceful world without the company. Thanks to Urdhuri, I know that life existed just fine before the company was formed. The company is not the arbiter of fate like Buddie said it is, but is instead a group of sick, twisted individuals. Something needs to be done about them... ¡°You have an hour until your file arrives.¡± Buddie continues on with the morning routine, ignoring what happened yesterday. Ed decides to play along, sitting down to have breakfast before getting ready for work. Buddie hasn¡¯t mentioned anything that happened yesterday, he didn¡¯t even speak when I came home yesterday. It was as if he has no memory of last night. That¡¯s fine by me. The company is far too strong for an ordinary human like me to face, so the longer they don¡¯t know what I¡¯m trying to do the better. Having changed into a fresh set of clothes, Ed steps through the door into the office. If I want to destroy the company, I need a plan. Urdhuri should be able to help with that, but I don¡¯t know how often I can visit him. I¡¯ll play it safe and stay home tonight. Sitting at his desk, Ed takes a break from thinking, instead choosing to relax for a while before work. He kicks back his feet, casually looking around the room. ¡°Morning Ed.¡± Zara pops out from behind him, jumping into her chair with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re looking a lot better than you were yesterday. I take it that your plan went well?¡± ¡°Yeah, I had some questions yesterday that needed to be answered. Luckily, I found someone who could help me. I¡¯m feeling a lot better now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. I listened to your suggestion and ran off into the room as soon as I could. Luckily, I managed to get in there when they were still stomping that guy to death. I managed to get a few good hits on him. You should have come; it was so much fun. But I am glad that things worked out for you, you looked so distracted and depressed yesterday.¡± Maybe Urdhuri will have some ideas about how I can get her on my side. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you had fun. Did you manage to make any new friends?¡± The two continue to converse, Zara excitedly telling him about everything that happened. I don¡¯t want to play the company¡¯s games. But if I don¡¯t, who knows what the company might do to me. Especially after what happened last night. Should I take the punishment? Or should I punish someone to maintain this facade? Ed goes back and forth in his mind, tearing himself apart trying to think of the best way to achieve his plans. Most of these people are sinners... But they deserve to face justice in a court of law, not at the hands of these freaks... Ed sighs. I should wait to see what the file says. I need more information before I make a decision. The two fill in the last few minutes of waiting with idle chatter, eventually stopping when their files arrive on screen. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Name: Josephine Grant Age: 34 Occupation: teacher Biography: Born to parents Victor and Irene Grant, she grew up in a middle-class home... She graduated from university with a bachelor¡¯s degree in education before becoming a math teacher at a small town¡¯s high school... She gained experience working at that school for over a decade, becoming a well-respected member of the staff... One of her students, a young girl, had learning and behavioural difficulties, and because of this was bullied by some of the other students. It started off small, with the bullies calling the kid names, and making some light jokes at their expense. It eventually escalated to the point where the bullies were resorting to violence. Every day, the kid would walk into the room with a new set of bruises, but nobody mentioned anything. The bullying only got worse, and yet, Josephine ignored what was happening, and didn¡¯t do anything to stop it, nor did she reach out to the kid and try to help them... The kid eventually took their own life... -End of document- If I want to destroy the company, I need to be willing to make sacrifices... What a fucking hypocrite I am. Ed opens the app and sits there for a while, trying to think of ways to prolong her survival. She doesn¡¯t deserve to be a teacher, but if I can put off her death by even just a day, that will be a good enough start. He quickly gets to work creating a trap in his mind. I spent a full year inside one of the punishments, I wonder if I can do something similar here? ¡°Buddie. Is there a time limit to how long the trap can last?¡± ¡°As long as the design is suitable, there is no limit to how long it can be for.¡± With this information, Ed quickly gets to work. Everything is already set out for me, so this shouldn¡¯t take too long. The school appears on the screen. Consisting of two buildings, a basketball court, and a small field, ending with the fence that surrounds all of it. The staff and students appear spread throughout the school, the models slowly going about their day. Looks like a bit over a hundred people altogether. The screen focuses in on Josephine¡¯s classroom, showing her standing out front of a class of fifteen young students. ¡°When did the bullying first start?¡± ¡°The student moved to the town at the beginning of the school year, the bullying started shortly thereafter.¡± If I¡¯m remembering correctly, that should mean that it¡¯s been going on for around six months. ¡°Go back to when the bullied student first moved to town and replace them with Josephine. I want her to experience what the student went through.¡± Her model teleports from the front of the classroom to an empty chair near the window. ¡°Is there anything else you would like to add, or do you want it all to take place within the school grounds?¡± Should I add in the surrounding town, I feel like that will complicate things too much. Ed stops and considers his options for a moment. ¡°No, I think I¡¯m good with what I have.¡± ¡°Due to the size of your design, we will require using more people to create it in order to get it out within a similar time, however, expect it to take a bit longer than usual.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine by me.¡± ~ While Ed was designing his trap, Zara also got to work on hers. Ed said that I should give them a chance at redemption, but this guy¡¯s a murderer, so I don¡¯t think I have to give him too big of a chance... She creates a small empty room with a wooden chair bolted into the ground in the middle. She straps the model of the man to the chair, making it impossible for him to slip out. The victim was electrocuted due to the murderer sabotaging a generator. I think I can work with this. She adds a small generator into the room just in front of the chair on a table and connects it to electrodes placed on the model¡¯s head and leg, creating an electric chair. ¡°The generator will be damaged, and will at some point turn itself on, sending electricity coursing through his body, killing him.¡± An animation plays of the generator humming to life, frying the man¡¯s brain. She adds everything he needs to fix the generator onto the table, before submitting it to Buddie for it to be created. ¡°Thank you for submitting your plans, I will inform you both when they are ready.¡± Chapter 42 The light flickers overhead, filling the room with a dim yellow glow, and a quiet, staticky buzzing. A man is strapped into a sturdy wooden chair. Unconscious, but slowly rousing. The first thing he sees when he wakes up is an old generator sitting on top of a table, surrounded by various tools and assorted parts. Feeling disoriented and drowsy, his mind feels like it¡¯s running on quicksand. Where am I? It takes him a moment to realise that he¡¯s not in his bed. Did I fall asleep in my shed? Spotting the generator in front of him, the first thought that came to his mind was that he fell asleep at his desk working. But as he becomes more clear-headed, he realises that something is wrong with his situation. The light is too dark for him to work safely, and he clearly remembers going to bed the night before. As he looks around at the barren walls, he confirms that he isn¡¯t in his shed. ¡°What the fuck?¡± As he tries to get up, he finds himself strapped down to the chair, his entire body completely unable to move, except for his hands which are within reach of everything on the table. He feels a cold sensation on his head and leg, feeling that something cold is pressing against them. He tries to struggle out of it, but the straps are wound around him too tightly, and refuse to budge or tear no matter what he does. Even after using the tools on the table to try and cut through them, they remain undamaged. ¡°Good morning, Kaleb. Before you lies a faulty generator. It is prone to randomly activating on its own and may do so at any time, even when there is no change to cause it. You have been supplied with all the tools and materials you will need to fix the generator and prevent it from going off. As long as you do so, you will be free to go. This generator should be something you are familiar with. After all, you did damage one just like it to let out your frustrations on your neighbour. Who knew that an accident would happen, taking his life...¡± Memories of the man he killed play in his mind. How do they know? As he looks down, he sees cables connecting the generator to a main panel, with further cables leading to his head and shin, completing a circuit with his body. An electric chair... ¡°... But it wasn¡¯t an accident, was it? Have you ever thought about what you put that man through? If you don¡¯t manage to fix it in time, you will soon find out exactly what he felt. Good luck, Kaleb.¡± Hearing the voice, Kaleb quickly gets to work, refusing to waste any time. Normally, I have to deal with generators that won¡¯t put out power... But this shouldn¡¯t be too difficult. He turns the generator around, looking it over from all sides. Everything¡¯s looking fine from the outside. There are no clear signs of damage, and it¡¯s turned off. How will this thing turn on? He reaches for the cable connecting the generator and the panel, and pulls on it with all his might. It wouldn¡¯t be this simple, right? Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. As expected, no matter how he tries to pull on the cable, it refuses to unplug itself from the generator. He stops trying after giving it a few good tugs, quickly moving onto dismantling the outside casing of the generator, hoping to find the problem within. Normally, an automatic generator like this will turn itself on in the event of a power outage, but I don¡¯t see how that could happen. Unless it¡¯s plugged into something else. Kaleb notices an inconspicuous hole next to the panel, with a thin cable passing through. He looks around the room, trying to find anything that could be using electricity. It looks to be connected to the light. I can¡¯t find anything else it could be. I think I¡¯ve figured it out. The generator itself isn¡¯t damaged at all! Somehow, a power outage will occur, causing it to turn on, sending electricity through the system, and into the chair. The light should be able to warn me when the power turns off... But if it¡¯s not broken, how can I stop this from happening? Kaleb continues to study the generator, trying to find ways to prevent it from turning on. I should double check for damages just to be safe. I can¡¯t mess up here. He pulls off the last few panels of the generator, studying each of the internal components for damages. It looks fine. I can¡¯t find any damages at all. That means the bastard that¡¯s trapped me in here is lying. I can¡¯t fix something if it¡¯s not damaged in the first place Wait... That¡¯s it! If I damage it, it won¡¯t be able to turn itself on. Excited, he starts tearing apart the generator completely, no longer being careful by just removing the structural casing. He starts by removing the fuel system, cooling and exhaust systems, trying to not cause any accidents. He pushes on with the dismantling, quickly removing everything until just the engine, alternator, battery, and control panel remain connected to the cables. I¡¯ve been able to remove all of the unnecessary parts, now it¡¯s just the core parts remaining. The engine can still run off the battery, it¡¯ll just quickly destroy itself without fuel or the other parts in place. He keeps an eye on the light at all times, trying to gauge when the power will go out. If I can just remove the battery, then I¡¯ll be fine. He maintains his focus, carefully trying to disconnect the battery from the engine starter. Suddenly he hears a light hum, as the engine starts to rumble. What? He looks up at the light but finds that it¡¯s still on. But I¡¯ve checked the entire thing, that¡¯s the only possible answer. I¡¯ve pulled the fucking thing apart. This shouldn¡¯t be happening. It him a moment to realise that the light has dimmed ever so slightly. A brownout. As the generator turns on, a current of electricity streams through into the electric chair, frying his brain. His last thoughts being stuck on how he couldn¡¯t find any problems at all. ¡°Unfortunately, Kaleb, you were unable to fix the problem with the faulty generator in time. Pulling it apart was a good idea, but ultimately you ran out of time to do so. Enjoy Hell Kaleb, goodbye.¡± Chapter 43 An old Honda civic slowly drives through the school¡¯s gate, pulling into a parking spot. The sounds of the engine come to a holt as the car is parked. With a click, the ignition is turned off and the key is removed. In the car are three people, a middle-aged couple sitting in the front, and a thirty-four-year-old woman lying asleep on the back seat. The woman turns around to face the back, gently placing her hand on the sleeping woman¡¯s shoulder to shake her awake. ¡°It¡¯s time to wake up sweetie, we¡¯ve made it to your new school.¡± The mother says with a big smile on her face. What? Bleary-eyed, Josephine slowly sits up, rubbing her eyes. She lets out a big yawn and stretches as she looks around. Her eyes freeze on the couple¡¯s faces as she tries to process what is going on. ¡°Huh?¡± She says, still trying to figure things out. ¡°Oh sweetie, are you still tired? I know we¡¯ve been busy moving in, but you can¡¯t miss your first day of school. I¡¯ll buy you some ice cream afterwards.¡± The mother promises, pinching Josephine¡¯s cheeks. Feeling her cheeks being pinched, she snaps awake, realising how weird this situation is. What¡¯s going on? She worriedly looks at her surroundings, finding herself in an unfamiliar car with two strangers. She tries to open the car door next to her, expecting it to not open on her, so she tumbles out onto the ground, getting dirt on her clothes, as well as her face. ¡°Oh baby, are you okay?¡± The mother rushes out of the car, worriedly checking to see if she is okay. She sighs with relief, seeing that there¡¯s no scratches. Licking her thumb, she wipes off the dirt on Josephine¡¯s face. ¡°There we are. Don¡¯t want you showing up to class looking as if you just slept in the woods, now do we?¡± She does the best she can to tidy up the woman¡¯s clothes, tucking her shirt into her pants to hide the stains. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s time to go to the principal¡¯s office, then you¡¯ll be able to see your new classmates, how exciting is that!¡± The mother picks Joesphine up off the ground, holding her hand tightly as she takes her into the school building. The father locks the car before running up to them with a backpack in hand. ¡°You almost forgot this.¡± He helps Josephine put the bag on before helping to walk her into school. No matter how hard she tries, Josephine can¡¯t escape from the couple¡¯s grasp. What is happening? As they take her through the front door, she looks around the office foyer, noticing how familiar it is. Am I dreaming? This looks just like where I work. One of the office ladies points the family towards the principal''s office, and it¡¯s when she steps in there and sees the familiar face of her boss that she is certain of where she is. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t the Simmons family. I hope our little town here has given you a warm welcome.¡± The principal says, shaking hands with the parents before turning to Josephine. ¡°And this must be Barbara. I hope you find yourself at home at my little school. I promise you that the people here will be the nicest people you will ever meet. In this town, we all know how to look out for each other.¡± The principal says with a kind smile on his face, exuding pure warmth. Barbara? Why does that name sound familiar. The image of a young girl appears in her mind. A girl who would always eat her lunch in the classroom after everyone else had left. A girl who would always wait until the halls were empty before she would sneak away. She also remembered hearing from the principal that the young girl had unfortunately passed away. No, no. This can¡¯t be happening. Panicked, she turns to the principal, grabbing onto him desperately. ¡°Sir! You have to listen to me, I¡¯m not Barbara. I¡¯m Josephine, Josephine Grant. I¡¯ve been a teacher at this school for over a decade. I woke up and found myself in these strangers'' car. Please you have to help me!¡± The woman grabs her, pulling her into a hug. ¡°It¡¯s okay baby. I know you must be nervous, coming to a new school and all. Just calm down. Take a deep breath.¡± She strokes Josephine¡¯s hair, speaking in a soothing voice. ¡°Get away from me! I don¡¯t know you!¡± She kicks and screams, breaking away from the woman who is now lying on the ground and brandishing a pair of scissors she took from the principal¡¯s desk. Knock knock knock. A light knocking comes from the door before it opens slightly. A young girl peeks her head in with a perky little smile, looking at the scene of Josephine freaking out. ¡°Umm, you called for me sir?¡± She asks, looking between Josephine and the principal. The principal, still wearing a gentle smile on his face turns to let the young girl into the room. ¡°Thank you for coming to help, Grace. This here is Barbara.¡± He gestures to Josephine as she shakily threatens them with the scissors. ¡°She will be joining our little family here at Willow High. She¡¯s going to be in your class, and so I want you to show her around the school.¡± ¡°Sure sir. I¡¯d be more than happy to do that!¡± She says with a sweet smile. She approaches Josephine, trying to introduce herself. ¡°Hi! I¡¯m Gra-¡± ¡°STAY AWAY FROM ME YOU BITCH.¡± Josephine goes ballistic, breaking down as she uses the scissors to keep everyone away. Grace comes to a stop. Tears well up in her eyes as she runs back to the principal cowering behind his back. The principal comforts her, reassuring her it would be okay before turning to Josephine. ¡°There is no reason to use that kind of foul language young lady. Now stop messing around and apologise to Grace this instant!¡± The principal says with a strict and serious tone, the gentle smile no longer on his face. For some reason, Josephine feels her body betray her, putting the scissors down on the table and walking to Grace, bowing her head and apologising. ¡°Now isn¡¯t that better.¡± The warmth returns to his voice as he pats both of them gently on the shoulder. ¡°Run along you two. I¡¯ve got somethings to discuss here with your parents Barbara. And Grace, make sure to give her a warm Willow High welcome.¡± Out of her control, the two walk out of the room and start heading down the hallway to her classroom. As soon as the office disappears from view, the bubbly smile on Grace¡¯s face disappears, replaced with a malicious grin. She pushes Josephine into the wall. ¡°What was that you called me in there you little freak?¡± Grace grabs onto Josephine¡¯s shirt, lifting her up against the wall. From an outsider¡¯s perspective the scene looks almost comical, a small girl lifting a woman over twice her age, but for Josephine it¡¯s anything but. Her head rings from it knocking against the wall, and she feels as if her shirt is being squeezed by a pair of iron pliers. Her legs flailing trying to get back on the ground. Why is she so strong? She starts shaking, disturbed by the inhumane strength of this child. ¡°Come on. Say it.¡± she says. ¡°I-¡± She goes to speak, but she stops. She suddenly shrinks back, her mind overwhelmed by fear. Afraid of what this girl will do to her if she stands up for herself. In her eyes, the little girl transforms into a terrifying demon. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry Grace.¡± She stutters out, afraid to even look her in the eye. ¡°What was that? I couldn¡¯t hear you.¡± She taunts her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Grace!¡± She yells out on command before shrinking back in on herself. Satisfied, Grace drops her and takes a step back, immediately plastering on that fake cheerful smile. ¡°Good! Now follow me to class, I¡¯m sure we¡¯re going to have a lot of fun.¡± She pulls a napkin from her pocket, using it to wipe her hands before throwing the whole thing into a nearby bin in disgust. ¡°Also, don¡¯t stand next to me. I don¡¯t want people thinking that I¡¯d hang out with a weirdo like you.¡± Josephine naturally falls in line behind Grace, trying to tidy up her appearance. What was that? Why was I so afraid? She starts looking around sheepishly, hoping that somebody would come and save her from this nightmare. What did I do to deserve this? Eventually, the two find themselves standing outside a classroom. One that Josephine is quite familiar with, given that it had been hers for the better part of a decade. The room becoming hers after five years of teaching around the school. Grace politely knocks on the door before being let in. As Josephine enters the room, she looks over at the teacher¡¯s desk, looking to see who has replaced her in this nightmare. She freezes in place as she makes eye contact with a young girl. Barbara! Sitting behind the desk is Barbara Simmons, looking alive and well. Josephine immediately recognises her. ¡°Miss Grant, I¡¯ve brought the new kid here.¡± Grace says, before sitting down at her desk near the back. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. The teacher looks at Josephine with a gentle smile. ¡°Hi there, do you mind introducing yourself to the class?¡± She asks, politely gesturing for her to stand out the front. She awkwardly stands out the front of the class, looking down at all of the young teenagers in front of her. Before she can open her mouth to speak, she spots Grace whispering into the ears of one of the other students while looking at her. Quickly, whatever she said is passed on to everyone up the back. Now feeling nervous, she stammers a little, avoiding eye contact with everyone. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Barbara, and I¡¯ve just moved here.¡± Why did I call myself that? She quickly lets out a few words before running to the empty chair near the window. ¡°Oh. I was expecting a little bit more than that, but that¡¯s fine... Now where was I up to?¡± The teacher quickly gets back into teaching the lesson. A steady stream of equations starts to fill up the board. Some she answers, guiding the students through the correct process to take for each type of equation, with the others being left blank for the students to practice answering themselves. As Josephine looks up at the board, she fails to wrap her head around what¡¯s going on. The equations that she would normally be able to breeze through now looking like insurmountable cliffs. A random jumble of letters and numbers that seems completely foreign to her. What is going on? I can¡¯t understand any of this. She becomes confused and anxious, not understanding how this could be possible, and it clearly shows on her face. Grace watches her struggle and taps on her desk in mock concern. ¡°Do you need help there? It¡¯s okay, these questions are actually pretty easy. I¡¯m sure you can figure them out eventually.¡± Some of the people around them laugh, before quickly focusing back on their work when the teacher turns her attention to them. ¡°Good morning, Josephine. You seem to have found yourself in a nightmare from which you can¡¯t escape. What you have experienced so far is just a drop in the bucket compared to what your student, Barbara Simmons, had experienced in the last six months of her life. Over the course of the next six months, you will be experiencing everything that happened to her. And just like her, you won¡¯t be getting any of the help that you are so desperately craving for. Her teachers were incompetent and blind to what was happening to her. So for you, it will be the same. I hope this will result in you becoming a better person, Josephine. Good luck.¡± Josephine¡¯s hands start shaking, as she looks around at everyone in fear, trying to find out who said that. By the end of the lesson, she is unable to solve even a single equation, barely even being able to write anything into her book other than the questions themselves. Just before the bell rings, the teacher stands up in front of the classroom. ¡°Did anyone have any questions about today¡¯s work? If you had any troubles, don¡¯t be afraid to ask.¡± Josephine tries to hide herself as much as possible, embarrassed that she wasn¡¯t able to do anything all lesson. Unfortunately, the students in the class won¡¯t allow her to hide that easily. Before she can do anything, the student sitting in front of her grabs her book, holding it up for all the class to see. ¡°I think Barbara may have been struggling Miss.¡± The entire class breaks out into laughter, which is quickly suppressed by a sharp glare from the teacher. ¡°Thank you, Johnathan. But I¡¯m sure Barbara could¡¯ve handled that all by herself, there was no need for you to help her.¡± She turns her attention to Josephine. ¡°Do you need any help with the questions? I know it must be a bit confusing since you just started here, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to understand it given enough time.¡± She says with a gentle smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She says at a near whisper, trying desperately to get her book back, but failing. As the bell rings, the students quickly leave the classroom, leaving Josephine and Barbara alone in the room. Not wanting to be left alone with her, Josephine rushes out of the room, accidentally tripping over a foot that came out of nowhere. As she stumbles onto the ground, she looks up to find Grace and her friends standing tall above her. ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going you idiot!¡± Grace yells at her before walking away with her posse. Josephine vaguely hears them talking as they walk away, not even trying to help her up. ¡°Are you okay Grace?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe that little freak just ran into you like that.¡± Their words stab painfully into her ears, as if they were twisting a knife in her gut. She gets up off the floor, picking up all her belongings and rushing to the next class. The rest of the day goes by in the same way. With Grace¡¯s friend picking on her in every class. By the end of the day, she is almost in tears, shaking as if she was about to burst at even the slightest provocation. She makes her way back to the principal¡¯s office, wishing for this nightmare to end. She forces herself to be cheerful when the principal asks her how she found her first day. As she steps out into the parking lot, she waits for her parents to come pick her up. At least they¡¯re nice to me. The sun slowly starts to set, but there are still no signs of anyone coming to pick her up. Where are they? Throughout this time, she had seen all of the other students leave the school, but there were still no signs of anyone coming to get her. She slowly starts to give up on this happening, instead deciding to leave on her own. God, where did they live again? I swear I remember hearing about it. She walks up to the front gate and tries to take a step through, but is unexpectedly blocked, unable to leave the school grounds. The image of the town beyond becoming something she will never be able to reach. She tries multiple times, but no matter what she does, she can¡¯t escape. Dejected, she turns back around and enters the building. She finds herself walking back to her classroom and sits down at the teacher¡¯s desk. Exhausted, she quickly falls asleep, scared and alone. ~ Grace hops out of her car, waving her parents goodbye as she walks into the school. She walks down the hallway. While looking for her friends, she looks through a window and sees Josephine sleeping in the classroom. Oh, what do we have here? Pulling out her phone, she snaps some photos of the girl, sending them to her friends. Quietly, she sneaks into the room, pulling out her water bottle from her bag. Standing behind the girl, she carefully unscrews the lid. ¡°WAKE UP.¡± She shouts, pouring the bottle of cold water on Josephine¡¯s head. ~ Josephine wakes up shivering, feeling water pouring down her head. Having spent the night in the classroom with nothing to cover herself except her clothes, she was already feeling cold. But this made it so much worse. The water immediately wakes her up, and as she looks behind her, she comes face to face with Grace, who is smiling sadistically. Overcome with fear, Josephine falls to the ground, looking around for help, but finding no one else around. ¡°W-what are you doing here?¡± She asks with a whimper. ¡°I should be asking you that question. I was just walking past and happened to see a little rat hiding in this room.¡± Grace looks her up and down. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better, I might have thought that you spent the night here. But that can¡¯t possibly be true, right?¡± Josephine looks down at the ground, refusing to respond. Suddenly, she is lifted off the ground. ¡°When I ask you a question, you answer it. Do you understand?¡± Grace demands, staring straight into her eyes. Swallowing heavily, Josephine quickly responds. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± Grace releases her hand, dropping Joesphine to the ground. ¡°Now apologise for making me have to explain that to you.¡± Landing hard on her tailbone, she lets out a groan of pain. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Grace smiles. ¡°See, that wasn¡¯t too hard, was it?¡± She says in a sickeningly sweet voice. Seeing Josephine nod, she continues. ¡°Good. Now be a good little girl and tell me why I caught you sleeping in here?¡± Why is this happening to me? While furious on the inside, Joesphine can do nothing but whimper, obediently answering her question. ¡°My parents didn¡¯t come to pick me up.¡± ¡°Aww, poor wittle baby. Do mummy and daddy not love you anymore? They must be so happy now that they¡¯ve abandoned you here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true! They didn¡¯t abandon me... They were just busy.¡± She stumbles over her words, trying to justify what happened. Why am I acting like this? I don¡¯t give a shit about those people. The woman¡¯s kind face flashes through her mind, how the woman helped her and comforted her. M-maybe it would¡¯ve been better if I was with them. Involuntary tears start to seep from her eyes, as she cowers with a pathetic little whimper. Grace laughs, watching the pathetic display before her. ¡°God you¡¯re pathetic!¡± She walks to the door, leaving Josephine cowering on the floor in the fetal position. After a while, the fear and despair starts to flow out of her, as she slowly calms down. Getting up off the floor, she tries to find something to dry herself off. Sneaking out into the hallway, she manages to make her way to a bathroom, where she uses a bunch of paper towels to dry herself off to the best of her ability. The bell rings, signalling the start of the school day. Taking out the timetable from her bag, she sees that she has PE, and reluctantly makes her way to the basketball court. She quickly merges into the class, waiting for the teacher to begin. After marking attendance, the teacher sets up a game of dodgeball, picking the two most athletic people in the class as team captains, and getting them to take turns picking who they want. Inevitably, Josephine is picked last, and is put on the team opposite of Grace and her friends. With both teams lining up at either end of the court. The teacher blows the whistle to start the game. The students break out into a sprint, racing to get to the balls first. After a bit of back and forth, with some people on either side getting eliminated, all of the balls end up on Grace¡¯s side of the court. She shares a look with her friends, and they all grab the balls, throwing them as hard as they can into Josephine. She tries to protect herself as the balls are pelted at her, but is knocked to the ground after being winded by a hard shot to the gut, followed with one slamming into her head. As she lies on the ground, groaning in pain, the game continues. Sitting on the sidelines, she begins to feel better, the aching pain caused by the headshot starting to fade. Assholes! She glares at Grace, but quickly looks away when she looks over. The game progresses with people coming on and off the field when their team catches them back in, but Josephine decides to sit the rest of the game out, not wanting to be targeted again. Out of nowhere, a ball zooms towards her, slamming hard into her nose. She is knocked back onto the floor, clutching at her face as blood drips between her fingers. ¡°Whoops.¡± Grace shouts. Seeing blood, the teacher gets one of the other students to send her to the nurse¡¯s office. When the two step inside the school building, the other student quickly distances themselves from Josephine. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t be seen with you.¡± They say before leaving in a hurry. This is not fair. I never knew how vile my students could be. Feeling cold and alone, Josephine makes her way to the nurse''s office to get patched up. ~ Half a year passes by in an agonising crawl for Josephine. Isolated by everyone, Grace and her friends grow more abusive and vile with their bullying. Destroying her mentally, while leaving a fair share of scars and bruises on her physically as well. One night, when the entire school is empty, Josephine finds herself in a dark supply closet, sitting on a chair and clutching something in her hands with a vise-like grip, her knuckles turning white. Her breathing remains shaky, as her tears land on her bruised knuckles. After a few minutes she stands up on the chair as she takes her final breath. ¡°You have suffered a lot over the last few months because of your inaction in the past. And now you understand what Barbara was going through. Do you regret your inaction now? Well, it is too late for that. It is time for you to rest. Enjoy Hell, Josephine. Goodbye.¡± Chapter 44 ¡°Your project is ready Zara.¡± Shortly after the two of them finish their meal, Buddie calls out to them, informing them to head back to work. Sitting back down at their desks, Zara stares at her screen, waiting impatiently for it to start, while Ed pretends to watch it, his mind trailing off elsewhere. I hope that Josephine can last through it all... The camera footage turns on, just in time to catch the light flickering, cloaking everything in light. Strapped to an electric chair is an unconscious man. In front of him is an old portable generator, surrounded by tools and repair parts. Zara watches on gleefully as the man starts to realise that something is wrong. ¡°What the fuck?¡± He pulls against the straps, struggling to free himself. Zara laughs as he tries to use the tools to cut through the straps. ¡°Good morning, Kaleb. Before you lies a faulty generator. It is prone to randomly activating on its own and may do so at any time, even when there is no change to cause it. You have been supplied with all the tools and materials you will need to fix the generator and prevent it from going off... Who knew that an accident would happen, taking his life. But it wasn¡¯t an accident, was it? Have you ever thought about what you put that man through? If you don¡¯t manage to fix it in time, you will soon find out exactly what he felt. Good luck, Kaleb.¡± She watches on as the man quickly gets to work studying the machine, turning it around to survey the damages, and trying futilely to disconnect the cables. It doesn¡¯t take him long before he starts pulling the generator apart. He moves quickly, but cautiously throughout the entire process, ensuring his safety all the while searching for any signs of damage that he may need to fix. He grows frustrated as his finds nothing, even after carefully checking all of the internal components. Knowing that he¡¯s running out of time, he stops caring about his safety, quickly removing as many components as necessary, trying to get to the engine as quickly as possible. ¡°Buddie, what¡¯s the problem with the generator?¡± Zara asks, now curious after seeing that Kaleb still hadn¡¯t been able to find anything. ¡°The control panel that determines when the generator turns on automatically is far too sensitive. It will react to even the slightest change in the system, causing it to turn on the generator with even the slightest dip in electricity.¡± Having got her answer, Zara turns back to the video satisfied. ¡°Holy shit! He might be able to do it.¡± She shouts out, noticing that the vast majority of the generator has been dismantled. Just before he can disconnect the battery, the engine hums to life, producing electricity that is immediately sent through the system and into the chair, frying his brain. ¡°Unfortunately, Kaleb, you were unable to fix the problem with the faulty generator in time. Pulling it apart was a good idea, but ultimately you ran out of time to do so. Enjoy Hell Kaleb, goodbye.¡± As steam starts to rise up from his body, the electricity continues to be sent through his body. The footage turns off and Zara relaxes back into her chair. She turns to Ed, excitedly discussing what just happened, and about how close Kaleb was to escaping. ¡°Buddie, how long until mine is ready?¡± Ed asks. ¡°Your project is estimated to be ready in an hour.¡± Pulled from his thoughts by Zara, Ed continues to engage in small talk with her to fill the time. Out of nowhere, in the middle of their conversation, she pulls out a deck of cards and the two start playing, quickly losing track of time. Ed¡¯s screen changes, showing footage of a Honda civic pulling into a parking lot, zooming in on the people in the car as it comes to a stop. ¡°Ed look! It¡¯s started.¡± Zara shouts while pointing over Ed¡¯s shoulder. She quickly packs up the cards, before pushing her chair over to Ed¡¯s screen. ¡°It¡¯s time to wake up sweetie, we¡¯ve made it to your new school.¡± The mother gently wakes the grown woman sleeping in the back seat. This is going to be weird to watch. They watch as Josephine wakes up, looking confused as she stares back at the couple. ¡°Oh sweetie, are you still tired? I know we¡¯ve been busy moving in, but you can¡¯t miss your first day of school. I¡¯ll buy you some ice cream afterwards.¡± They watch as Josephine falls onto the ground, eliciting a chuckle from Zara. ¡°Oh baby, are you okay?¡± The mother rushes out of the car, worriedly checking to see if she is okay. She sighs with relief, seeing that there¡¯s no scratches. Licking her thumb, she wipes off the dirt on Josephine¡¯s face. ¡°There we are. Don¡¯t want you showing up to class looking as if you just slept in the woods, now do we?¡± Shivers run up Ed¡¯s spine as he watches the woman coddle Josephine. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s time to go to the principal¡¯s office, then you¡¯ll be able to see your new classmates, how exciting is that!¡± The couple walks into the foyer, practically dragging Josephine with them as she tries to escape. With the help of a staff member, the family finds themselves in the principal¡¯s office. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t the Simmons family. I hope our little town here has given you a warm welcome.¡± The principal says, shaking hands with the parents before turning to Josephine. ¡°And this must be Barbara. I hope you find yourself at home at my little school. I promise you that the people here will be the nicest people you will ever meet. In this town, we all know how to look out for each other.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Okay, so it seems like everyone is treating her as Barbara. I wonder how she¡¯s going to react to this? It doesn¡¯t take long before Ed finds out, as Josephine grabs onto the principal, sounding desperate. ¡°Sir! You have to listen to me, I¡¯m not Barbara. I¡¯m Josephine, Josephine Grant. I¡¯ve been a teacher at this school for over a decade. I woke up and found myself in these strangers'' car. Please you have to help me!¡± ¡°Oohh, she¡¯s not doing too good already.¡± Zara says, finding joy in the woman¡¯s suffering. They watch as the mother tries to sooth her, only for Josephine to explode. ¡°Get away from me! I don¡¯t know you!¡± She brutally kicks the woman in the stomach, who falls down with a pained groan. There¡¯s no way that actually hurt her. Ed thinks, remembering the pain that all of the actors have had to endure. A light knocking comes from the door before it opens slightly. A young girl peeks her head in with a perky little smile, looking at the scene of Josephine freaking out. ¡°Umm, you called for me sir?¡± she asks, looking between Josephine and the principal. That¡¯s a fake smile. Ed observes. The actor must be intentionally making it look fake. ¡°Thank you for coming to help, Grace. This here is Barbara.¡± He gestures to Josephine as she shakily threatens them with the scissors. ¡°She will be joining our little family here at Willow High. She¡¯s going to be in your class, and so I want you to show her around the school,¡± ¡°Sure sir. I¡¯d be more than happy to do that!¡± She says with a sweet smile. She approaches Josephine, trying to introduce herself. ¡°Hi! I¡¯m Gra-¡± ¡°STAY AWAY FROM ME YOU BITCH.¡± Josephine goes ballistic, breaking down as she uses the scissors to keep everyone away. Grace comes to a stop. Tears well up in her eyes as she runs back to the principal cowering behind his back. This kid¡¯s good. I¡¯m not sure if this kind of thing happened back then, but I feel like the actors are very dedicated to matching reality if they¡¯re playing a real person. The principal comforts her, reassuring her it would be okay before turning to Josephine. ¡°There is no reason to use that kind of foul language young lady. Now stop messing around and apologise to Grace this instant!¡± The principal says with a strict and serious tone, the gentle smile no longer on his face. ¡°I like this little girl!¡± Zara says, enjoying the show. They watch as Josephine apologises to Grace and follows her out of the room under the kind eyes of the adults inside. It doesn¡¯t take long before Grace pushes Josephine into the wall, lifting her up against it. They watch as the grown woman is toyed with by the teenager, cowering in fear. She isn¡¯t going to last the six months. The footage continues on, showing how Grace gets the other students to start bullying Josephine, messing with her as she struggles to solve even the simplest equation on the board. ¡°I thought she was a math teacher; how come she can¡¯t solve this?¡± Zara asks, a bit confused. ¡°In situations like this, the company will do its best to make the sinner¡¯s punishment match up with their sin. Since she is taking the place of Barbara, who was bullied for having learning difficulties, I bet that the company is messing with her brain right now, making it impossible for her to even understand what¡¯s on the board. For one of my previous traps, the guy would always be drunk before he cheated on his wife, so the company made sure he was drunk when he had to go through the trap. Let¡¯s just say I didn¡¯t account for that, and it made it a lot harder for him.¡± ¡°That is indeed correct. What Ed has just said is exactly what is happening. In this case, the actor playing Grace is the one messing with her mind.¡± So, they can do more than just shapeshift. I guess that makes sense, they¡¯re not limited to having just one ability. I might have to ask Urdhuri about that later. Having received an answer to her question, Zara nods in understanding before turning back to the screen. They¡¯re conversation ended up overlapping with Buddies speech, causing them to only catch the tail end of it. ¡°... Her teachers were incompetent and blind to what was happening to her. So for you, it will be the same. I hope this will result in you becoming a better person, Josephine. Good luck.¡± At the end of the class, Grace¡¯s friends continue to torment her, holding her book of empty work up for all the class to see, thoroughly embarrassing her in front of everyone. As the bell rings, the classroom quickly empties out, leaving just Josephine and Barbara. Not long after, Josephine rushes out of the room, tripping over Grace¡¯s foot. ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going you idiot!¡± Grace yells at her before walking away with her posse. Josephine vaguely hears them talking as they walk away, not even trying to help her up. ¡°Are you okay Grace?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe that little freak just ran into you like that.¡± As Josephine is left on the ground, the screen turns black before changing back to the desktop. ¡°Come ooonnn. What happened?¡± Zara complains, not expecting for the show to end so abruptly. ¡°As this project will take a long time, we have decided that it¡¯s for the best to end the feed here for now, otherwise you will be sitting here for the next six months. Instead, the highlights of each day will be sent to your apartment, Ed. And you can play them on your TV whenever you have spare time to watch it.¡± Ed is devastated upon hearing this, knowing that he¡¯ll now be forced to watch Josephine getting tortured for months on end. This is not what I wanted. I thought it would be a one and done thing like all of the others. It¡¯s even worse since I can tell she won¡¯t be able to make it. If I had known earlier what I know now, I would have just made something shorter, at least she would¡¯ve stood a chance then. Lost in his thoughts, Ed doesn¡¯t notice that Zara is looking at him with puppy dog eyes. ¡°Please let me watch them? Buddie didn¡¯t want to give them to me without your permission.¡± There¡¯s something seriously wrong with this woman. Should I even give it to her? I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll make things worse or not... But I don¡¯t think I should deny her completely. ¡°How about this, you can come over to my place to watch them during the afternoon when you don¡¯t have other plans. Does that sound okay?¡± This way I should be able to use this to guide her down the right path. Maybe I can even escape from watching the videos by having her watch it in my stead, while I go out to visit Urdhuri. I don¡¯t know how Buddie will react to that, but I should at least give it a shot. ¡°That sounds awesome.¡± Zara says, giving Ed a hug. ¡°Now that you have completed your project Zara, you are free to spend the rest of your day doing whatever you want. You have been paid ten credits for your trap. Ed, since your project is still ongoing, you will receive the ten credits as per usual, and any changes that occur later down the line will be accounted for when it happens.¡± Buddie says. Any changes? Does that mean something different will happen when someone escapes? I wonder how that will affect the credits I receive. ¡°So, Ed. What do you want to do today?¡± Zara asks as she gets out of her seat. I don¡¯t think I can visit the library right now... I guess I can just go along with whatever she has planned. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Let¡¯s just go have a look around, see what we can find.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± The two make their way to the door, unsure of where to go. Chapter 45 Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Chapter 46 This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Chapter 47 Early in the morning, a delivery truck is driving leisurely down a quiet suburban street. Passing by house after house as it makes its way down the freshly paved road. Getting to the end of the street, it turns sharply onto the main road. Inside the truck, Brigid slams against the side, groaning in pain. Ugh. What¡¯s going on? As her eyes flutter open, she feels a dull pain ringing in the back of her head. She reaches up to try and feel it, but realises that she can¡¯t move her hands. It¡¯s only then that she notices that rope is tied around her limbs. She shakes off the pain, trying first to figure out where she is. I remember being in the warehouse, what was I doing... Slowly her memories come back to her, she laughs maniacally as she remembers having that man¡¯s child in her grasp. I was so close. A few minutes later and I would have had him on his knees grovelling at my feet... Oh how good it would have felt to see his despair when I killed his daughter right in front of him. Her laughing grows manic and desperate as she realises she lost that chance. ¡°Good morning, Brigid. You may be confused about your sudden change in circumstances. Your revenge was just within reach, but now it¡¯s completely gone. However, was it the right thing to do? That child was innocent and had nothing to do with your problems with her father. Which in and of itself was something completely fabricated in your mind. Mr Wallace was not targeting your family. You grew desperate, and in your desperation, you did something despicable. And now you are being punished for that. Your captor has trapped you here in the back of a truck, and your only chance to stay alive is by escaping. However, be careful. Your captor is as delusional as you are. Good luck Brigid.¡± Hearing the voice, she grows more furious. ¡°Show yourself you coward! You ruined my family. We are almost homeless because of you.¡± Her breathing gets heavy as she cackles. ¡°I will destroy your family just like you did mine. And there¡¯s nothing you can do about it.¡± Her delusions only grow stronger, believing that she had been kidnapped by Mr Wallace. She struggles for a little while, trying to escape from her bindings. Although she is unable to loosen them, she bumps into a small delivery box. What do we have here? knocking the box closer to her, she manages to open it, finding a smaller box inside. It must be packaging for something. Opening the box, she takes out and studies the contents. Running her fingers across the item, she feels a cold metallic edge hidden inside of what she presumes to be a wooden handle. A pocketknife. That¡¯s perfect. Carefully, she pops the blade out, bringing it up to the rope tied around her wrists. Cutting back and forth, the rope eventually loosens, falling off her hands. She rubs her sore wrists for a moment before getting to work on the ropes tied around her legs. Standing up, she uses the surrounding shelves and boxes as support to keep herself standing. She walks to the front of the truck and finds a door connecting where the driver sits to where the items are stored. Running her hand along the door, she feels a familiar dent. It happened when she helped a friend move places, and they forgot to tie the mini fridge down properly. This must be my truck. She tries to open the door but finds that it¡¯s locked. She feels around her pockets for the keys but can¡¯t find anything. Damn. Looks like I have escape from the back. Making it to the back, the area around her is empty, and she loses all forms of support. I should be able to open it from in here. Suddenly, the truck veers off the road, sending her crashing into the wall. Fuck. She groans in pain as she lies against the wall. Stolen story; please report. Feeling the truck rattling under her, she guesses that she¡¯s no longer on a road. We must be out of town now. she waits a while before getting up, making sure that the vehicle doesn¡¯t take any drastic turns that could hurt her again. Feeling around a little, she finds the internal switch to open the back doors. Giving it a flick, she hears a loud click, telling her that it¡¯s now unlocked. Making sure she¡¯s firmly planted on the ground; she lifts the security bars and pushes the doors open before quickly stepping back to the shelves. Light floods into the back of the truck, and with this she is able to see that the truck is in the middle of nowhere. She watches as the truck kicks up dirt along the old discarded trail. I can¡¯t jump out. The truck¡¯s moving too fast. I¡¯ll get hurt, and I''ve got no clue how to get to the hospital from here. I have to wait for it to slow down. Holding onto the shelf, she waits for an opportunity to escape. Eventually, the truck slows down, pulling into an old warehouse. As she looks around at the dilapidated car park, she finds it familiar. Why does this look like the warehouse I was at before I woke up? While confused, the truck comes to a stop, and she hears someone start to walk along the side of the vehicle. Shit! I need to get out of here right now. She rushes to jump out of the truck, landing awkwardly on her ankle, but pushes through the pain as she tries to escape. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Says an eerily familiar voice. Brigid stops in place, slowly turning around. Damn, I can¡¯t escape. As she turns around to face her captor, the first thing she notices is the pistol aimed right at her. As her eyes follow up the hand holding the gun, she comes face to face with herself. What? As if looking in a mirror, she sees her face staring back at her. Freezing in place, her brain shuts down at the absurdity of the situation ¡°Call your father.¡± The woman closes the distance, passing her a phone while pressing the gun against her. As if her body was not under her control, she keys in a phone number she is unfamiliar with. After a few rings, the phone is picked up. ¡°Hi Sweety, why are you calling? Shouldn¡¯t you have a class right now?¡± Brigid¡¯s blood runs cold as she hears the voice over the phone. Wallace. Before she can say anything, the phone is snatched away from her. ¡°I have your daughter, and if you ever want to see her again, you will do exactly as I say.¡± Her captor says. The conversation continues on for just long enough for her to say what she wants. Before he can respond, she throws the phone to the ground, crushing it underneath her boot. Time passes as Brigid tries to wrap her head around what is going on. This is eventually stopped by the sound of a vehicle approaching the building. This might be my chance. As the door to the warehouse is pushed open, the gun is pushed against her head even harder, making it clear that if she does anything, she will die. Light shines down on the person walking through the door, illuminating Mr Wallace¡¯s face as he raises his hands to show he isn¡¯t armed. ¡°Baby, are you okay? Has she hurt you?¡± He says with clear concern and worry written on his face. Brigid¡¯s face turns red with anger, wanting nothing more than to kill the man in front of her. For a moment, the gun is lifted from her head, instead pointed at Wallace to stop him from getting closer. ¡°Here¡¯s the money you asked for. Please don¡¯t hurt her.¡± Mr Wallace tosses a duffle bag towards them, which lands at their feet. ¡°Open it.¡± her double says to her, using her spare hand to point to the bag. Obeying, Brigid bends down to open the bag up. She is momentarily blinded by the sheer amount of money in it, and so is her double behind her. Because of this, they both miss the subtle hints from Mr Wallace, telling her to duck out of the way. ¡°Good. Looks like it¡¯s all there.¡± her double says, before swiftly pulling the trigger. BANG. The last thing she hears is the sound of a gun being fired, as the bullet buries into the back of her head. She falls to the floor. ¡°It looks like you were unable to escape in time, missing multiple chance to keep your life. Your fear blinded you from jumping out of the truck, making you lose your first chance. Your hatred of Mr Wallace clouded your judgement, making you unable to seize the opportunity to hurt your captor. That was your second chance. Finally, your greed made you lose your last chance. You were blinded by the wealth before you, but so was she. Enjoy Hell Brigid. Goodbye.¡± Chapter 48 If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Chapter 49 Coming out of Ed¡¯s apartment, the two make their way back to their desk, with Zara laughing all the way. ¡°God, did you see her face? She was looking around all lost, then POW, dodgeball right to the face. All the blood and snot just pouring out, whoever threw that ball did a great job.¡± Having had lunch in Ed¡¯s apartment, the two had just enough time to watch the highlights of Josephine¡¯s day before Buddie called them back to the desk. While Zara thoroughly enjoyed herself, Ed was less than excited about what he just watched. If she¡¯s already being sent to the nurse¡¯s office on her second day, I can¡¯t possibly imagine what they¡¯ll do to her later. Ed shivers at the idea of what tortures Josephine will have to endure. There¡¯s no way it was this bad for Barbara when it first started. Is it because of how she reacted in the principal¡¯s office? That might be it. Sitting down at the desk, Ed¡¯s screen flickers to life, showing the scene of a quaint suburban street. As children are leaving their homes, and heading off to school, a delivery truck is making its way down the street. As it turns onto the main road, the camera cuts to inside the vehicle. Despite the lack of light, Ed and Zara can see clearly as Brigid is thrown into the wall by the vehicle¡¯s momentum. Not long after she wakes, the darkness is filled with her crazed laughter. This isn¡¯t going to end well. Listening to the laughter, Ed can already tell that Brigid isn¡¯t in the right state of mind to escape. Zara tilts her head to the side while watching. ¡°I wonder what she¡¯s thinking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but it¡¯s probably for the best that we don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°... That child was innocent and had nothing to do with your problems with her father. Which in and of itself was something completely fabricated in your mind. Mr Wallace was not targeting your family. You grew desperate, and in your desperation, you did something despicable. And now you are being punished for that. Your captor has trapped you here in the back of a truck, and your only chance to stay alive is by escaping. However, be careful. Your captor is as delusional as you are. Good luck Brigid.¡± As they Listen to her fiery response, the two get the impression that she doesn¡¯t quite understand the severity of the situation. However, she does quiet down soon after, and even manages to cut herself free from her bindings. ¡°At least she¡¯s smart enough to not just sit there and wait for death.¡± Ed says, keeping his attention on her as she walks around the truck, eventually being thrown into the wall again as the truck takes another sharp turn. She manages to open the back door, but hesitates about jumping out, deciding instead to wait it out. She just lost her best chance to escape. As the truck comes to a stop inside the warehouse, the camera pans out, allowing them to watch as Brigid¡¯s double steps out from the driver¡¯s seat. At the same time, Brigid tries to make her escape. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± The scene plays out much like Ed expected it to, with Brigid falling into the arms of her captor, waiting helplessly for Mr Wallace to save her. How ironic. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Not having to wait too long, a second camera appears, showing the outside of the warehouse as a car pulls into the parking lot. Quietly, armed guards spread out, searching for different entrances so that they can get a jump on the criminal. Grabbing the duffle bag, Mr Wallace readies himself as he steps towards the door. Brigid stood no chance. Ed thinks as he looks at the heavily armed guards, wondering just what Mr Wallace did for a living to have access to this amount of firepower. As he steps inside, both Brigids stared at him as if they wanted to eat him alive. He shows concern as he looks at his ¡®daughter¡¯, making sure she wasn¡¯t hurt. The guards quietly get into position, ready to fire on his signal. He tosses the bag over, while signaling for his daughter to run. Unfortunately, things don¡¯t go to plan for him, as both Brigids are distracted by the money, but one is able to pull themselves together much faster than the other. ¡°Good. Looks like it¡¯s all there.¡± BANG. ¡°It looks like you were unable to escape in time, missing multiple chance to keep your life. Your fear blinded you from jumping out of the truck, making you lose your first chance. Your hatred of Mr Wallace clouded your judgement, making you unable to seize the opportunity to hurt your captor. That was your second chance. Finally, your greed made you lose your last chance. You were blinded by the wealth before you, but so was she. Enjoy Hell Brigid. Goodbye.¡± The last thing they see before the footage switches off is the expanding pool of blood beneath Brigid¡¯s fallen body. ¡°That went about as well as I expected it would.¡± Ed says before turning to Zara. ¡°I forgot to ask, but what was your guy like, what kind of sin did he commit?¡± ¡°Oh, you know. He killed a few people. He was a contract killer. He even sometimes did work for the mafia.¡± Zara answers nonchalantly. Shit. Sounds like a pretty bad guy. Their attention is drawn to Zara¡¯s screen as it shows the room a moment before the light flickers on. Almost instantly, the man jumps off the ground, on full alert as he looks for something to protect himself with. ¡°Good morning, Tom. As you have already discovered, you have been trapped in a room, and all of your equipment has been taken away from you. Your only chance to escape from this room is by getting the key...¡± As Buddie starts to speak, the lid for the container opens up, and a box drops into it, causing liquid to splash out over the sides. ¡°...which happens to be in that box. The vat contains a concentrated solution of sodium hydroxide and water...¡± Sodium hydroxide? Just what kind of trap did Zara make? Ed watches with a disturbed look on his face as the man dives straight into the liquid without any hesitation. The camera joining him to provide them with a clear view of what is happening. Ed winces at the sight of the man¡¯s skin being slowly eaten away at, burning up and quickly turning red. ¡°I always wondered what would happen to someone in this situation. Guess now I know.¡± Zara mumbles quietly, fascinated by what is happening on screen. The man does his best to try and protect himself from suffering any internal damage, but as he struggles to find the box, he eventually resorts to opening his eyes. He pushes through the pain as he reaches the box, grabbing it tightly before swimming back up. He might actually make it. Ed watches in disbelief as the man climbs out of the vat, slamming into the ground below. However, his eyes are too damaged, and he has difficulties trying to find the box. Although he finds it in the end, he doesn¡¯t manage to make it to the door before succumbing to his injuries. Damn. He was so close. ¡°Unfortunately, it looks like you were unable to escape. Although you managed to successfully retrieve the key from the vat of sodium hydroxide, you have succumbed to the injuries you sustained in doing so. Do you regret what you did with your life? Enjoy Hell, Tom. Goodbye.¡± The footage switches off, leaving Ed and Zara alone in their thoughts. Another day down. I think it¡¯s safe to visit Urdhuri again, but first I want to check up on my actors. ¡°Now that you have both completed your projects, you are free to spend the rest of your day doing whatever you want. You have each been paid ten credits for your traps.¡± Buddie says. ¡°I¡¯ve got to check out the body. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. Bye!¡± Zara says, giving Ed a quick hug before running off through the door. Well, guess I can go ahead with my plans without any worries. Chapter 50 ¡°Buddie, let the actors know that I would like to have a chat with them. If they have the time for it.¡± Getting out of his chair, Ed walks through the door into a small meeting room. This should be big enough to hold everyone. Sitting down at one of the seats, he waits for them to arrive. One by one, the actors enter the room, and Ed greets each of them as they do. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again Ed, how¡¯ve you been?¡± The person who played Mr Wallace shook his hand, casually sitting down across from him. Do I know this... Wait. I¡¯ve got it. Memories of his past few times talking with the actors plays through his mind. It¡¯s that guy. It¡¯s definitely him. ¡°I¡¯ve been alright, just saving up a little, haven¡¯t really found anything I¡¯ve wanted to spend my credits on though. How have things been for you? Have you saved up enough for that holiday you wanted?¡± ¡°Life¡¯s been pretty good, I¡¯m almost there with the vacation. Just a few more jobs and I¡¯ll be good.¡± As their conversation is happening, everyone else sits around the table, relaxing and just enjoying the time between jobs. ¡°That¡¯s good. I won¡¯t hold you here for too long. Don¡¯t want to keep you away from that holiday after all. I just called you all in here to check in on you and see how you all are holding up.¡± Ed says, keeping a warm but professional smile on his face. Most of them are a little confused, but the guy he was just talking with already knew what to expect when he saw Ed, so he just continues on with the conversation, allowing the others to follow his lead. ¡°I¡¯m holding up just fine, thank you for asking. This one was pretty relaxing compared to the rest of my workload if I¡¯m being honest. All I had to do was say a few words, it''s not like I had to chop off any of my limbs. I think most people here will agree with me on that.¡± Looking around, the rest of the people nod, agreeing with what he said. ¡°Glad to hear it.¡± Ed says, before turning his attention to the person playing Brigid¡¯s double. ¡°And how are you feeling? I know Brigid was in a crazed state before she was captured, so I just want to make sure you¡¯re feeling fine after having to play that type of character.¡± She thinks for a moment, genuinely taking his question into consideration. ¡°I guess I¡¯m doing okay. It hasn¡¯t affected me at all.¡± That¡¯s good, I don¡¯t want to know what could happen if it caused her to be unstable... ¡°And I had a lot of fun shooting her, so I think it was a pretty good day.¡± She continues, topping it all off with a sweet smile. ... Yeah, I should¡¯ve expected that. Ed manages to Keep the professional smile on his face. ¡°I¡¯m glad you had fun. You all can take this time to unwind a little if you want, you¡¯re also free to leave whenever you want. Don¡¯t feel like you need to stay behind, if you have places to be then just go and do whatever you need to.¡± A couple of them get up, saying goodbye to everyone before leaving. The rest of the group stays in there for a while, chatting with each other, leaving one by one until Ed is on his own again. As if he was following them out, Ed steps through the door, immediately finding himself back in the library. It¡¯s time to get some information. Making his way to the front desk, he calls out to Urdhuri, then waits. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Hello, my new friend, did you forget to ask something? What brings you back here a mere moment after leaving?¡± The entire room starts to warp, pulling into a single point behind the desk. Although he¡¯s experienced this before, Ed is still mesmerised and terrified in equal measure. His vision goes blank as even light is sucked in. Everything goes back to normal as Urdhuri appears behind the desk. But this time, Ed¡¯s chair is already in place by the time his vision has returned. That¡¯s nice of him. Sitting down in the chair, Ed relaxes a little. The stress leaving his shoulders. ¡°Thanks for the seat. I¡¯ve been holding back my curiosity over the last couple days; I didn¡¯t want to risk Buddie questioning anything if I disappear too frequently.¡± ¡°A couple days...¡± Urdhuri mutters to himself. ¡°Hmm, what¡¯s that?¡± not quite catching what he said, Ed asks. ¡°My apologies. It¡¯s been too long since I''ve had a visitor. It felt like you¡¯d only just left. My perception of time is tentative at best.¡± He replies, kindly answering Ed¡¯s question. Two days felt like an instant to him? How long has he been here alone? ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, how long has it been since you last had a visitor?¡± ¡°It should have been about twenty billion years ago. If I¡¯m remembering correctly that is.¡± Urdhuri says, roughly estimating the time. Ed¡¯s heart bugs out as his brain starts to spin. Twenty Billion! How... That¡¯s older than the universe. ¡°You seem shocked by that number, how old do you think your universe is?¡± Urdhuri says, sensing Ed¡¯s confusion. ¡°I think our best estimate puts it at around fourteen billion years old. H-how old are you?¡± Slowly, Ed¡¯s heartrate starts to go back to normal. Either our guess is way off, or the other realities didn¡¯t start existing at the same time. ¡°I can see why you would be shocked by that answer then. As for myself, I was around when the first reality was created, and witnessed the creation of the origin planet.¡± Seeing that Ed¡¯s shock has lessened, instead replaced by excitement and curiosity. ¡°Good to see that you already know about the existence of other realities, that will make this easier. Hundreds of billions of years ago, there existed entities without shape or form. The only thing that existed at the time was the pool of fate, from which we were all created. Eventually, some of us grew bored by the monotonous nature of our existence and decided to create bodies for ourselves. And with that, the first reality was born as a byproduct of our actions. That was around one hundred and fifty billion years ago. With their new forms, their ambitions expanded, and after having experimented with their new forms, they decided to create life that was separate from us. It took them a while, but eventually the origin planet was formed, life was created. This was one hundred billion years ago. Seeing this, others went on to create living beings in their own image, creating countless realities and planets to contain them.¡± Having finished his monologue, there was a long stretch of silence. Ed felt like his entire worldview had been shattered. The world was far older and more magical than he knew. This is all too much. If the world is that old, at which point was the company created? As if sensing his question, Urdhuri continues to speak. ¡°It was twenty billion years ago that those mortals gained access to a portion of fate. Having succeeded in his actions, that man decided that he would no longer visit me. And I have been alone ever since.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot to take in.¡± Ed just sits there, trying to digest the massive load of information that was just dumped on him. At least now I have a rough estimate of how old my opponent is. ¡°Take all the time you need. Few mortals are privy to such information.¡± The two sit there for a while in comfortable silence. ¡°I think it is time for me to leave. I have learnt a lot today, and I think I may need a lot of time to really digest it.¡± as he says this, Ed gets up from the chair. ¡°Of course. And until we meet again, this book may have the answers to some of the questions you have.¡± A large and thick book flies over from one of the shelves, landing on the desk in front of Ed. ¡°It¡¯s an encyclopedia of all intelligent life that exists in the world. There should be some useful information in there for you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± picking up the book, Ed finds it to be surprisingly light, weighing not much more than a feather. Saying goodbye, Ed walks to the door, feeling Urdhuri disappear from behind him. I¡¯ll look at this tomorrow. Setting the book aside, he jumps into bed and immediately falls asleep. Chapter 51 The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Chapter 52 You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Chapter 53 With a light buzz, the light flickered on, casting the room in a dim yellow light. In the centre of the room, there was a metal cage, standing less than a metre tall. A young woman was lying there, curled up in the cage. It¡¯s so cold. Shivering, Phoebe slowly woke up. She felt her face pressed against the metal floor beneath her. Where am I? Trying to stand up, she banged her head against the ceiling of the cage. ¡°Ow.¡± Rubbing her head, she looked above her, finding the ceiling to be far too close. She began to panic, and as she looked around, she was able to make out a door beyond the metal bars. Wait. Metal bars? It took her a moment, but she realised that she was trapped in a cage. ¡°Hello! Can anybody hear me? Hello?¡± She shouted, but no one answered. Did I get kidnapped? Looking at the surrounding walls, she found herself in a dark and dingy room, almost like a basement in someone¡¯s house. However, she found nothing to identify where she was. How did I get here? I was at home, watching TV, then... Ugh. What happened after that? Unable to remember anything else, she guessed that someone broke into her house. But why would they do that? I haven¡¯t hurt anyone; I don¡¯t think I have any enemies, Do I? She tried to think of anyone who would have had a grudge against her, but no names came to mind. I need to get out of here before they come back. Looking around the room, she tried to find any way to escape. She focused in on the lock keeping the cage door closed. Pulling the lock around to get a better look, she tried to find a way to unlock it, but failed. Growing frustrated, she slammed it into the metal bars, hoping to jam it open. But no matter how hard she tried; she was unable to damage it at all. Fuck. ¡°Good morning, Phoebe. It is useless for you to struggle in such a way. You have no chance of breaking that lock. You have done many horrible things to animals, and now it¡¯s time for you to experience what those poor creatures did when under your care. However, unlike those creatures, you have a chance to escape-¡± ¡°Ooh, ooh! Let me handle this. Please!¡± Zara burst through the door, interrupting Buddie¡¯s speech. Phoebe flinched at the sudden bright light, raising her hand to block it out, causing the lock to clang against the cage. Shit! As her eyesight readjusted, she got a good look at the person who entered. As she stared into Zara¡¯s eyes, she shivered. Zara crouched down in front of the cage, staring right at Phoebe. ¡°You know, ever since I was a little girl, I¡¯d always wanted a pet, but my parents kept saying no. So, when I heard about what you were doing to those animals, I was heartbroken. How could someone be so cruel?¡± Zara said, almost looking like she¡¯s about to cry. ¡°Cruel? Do you not see the irony here you crazy bit-¡± BANG! ¡°Shut up!¡± Zara said as she slammed her fist on the cage, causing Phoebe to flinch back in fear. ¡°As I was saying, I found your actions to be absolutely evil and abhorrent. Only a monster could treat those precious little animals that way. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands.¡± ¡°Wh-what are you going to do?¡± Phoebe asked shakily. ¡°I¡¯m going to treat you the way you deserve to be treated. The exact same way you treated those animals. And I¡¯m going to have so much fun doing so.¡± She started laughing as she stood up, the facade now completely gone. Memories of how she abused those animals flashed through her mind, causing her to almost wet herself in fear. Tears streamed down her face as she begged. ¡°Please no! Anything but that. I-I¡¯m sorry for what I¡¯ve done, just please don¡¯t hurt me!¡± She reached through the bars, trying to clutch onto Zara¡¯s leg. Crunch. Phoebe groaned in pain, as Zara¡¯s foot crushed her hand against the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t think you actually feel sorry for what you¡¯ve done. Because of your dishonesty, I¡¯m not going to give you any food or water today.¡± No... She grovelled even lower, smushing her face against the ground. ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯m sorry for being dishonest. I¡¯ll do anything. Please just don¡¯t take away my food and water.¡± ¡°Anything you say?¡± Zara stopped to think for a moment. ¡°Okay, I can accept that.¡± She lifted her foot, letting phoebe¡¯s hand go. ¡°Really?¡± Phoebe says, snivelling as she tried to wipe away her tears. Her hand pulsed with pain, causing her to wince. ¡°Yeah. You just have to do one thing for me.¡± She crouched back down to get a good view of Phoebe. "Slap yourself." What? Phoebe looked at her in confusion. Not believing that it would be something so simple. "You want water, don''t you? Then slap yourself." Zara said. Phoebe lifted her good hand, about to slap herself across the face before Zara stopped her. "Not that hand. Use the other one." Zara said, pointing at the hand that was already starting to swell. Phoebe looked down with a pained wince, lowering her hand. I need to do this. Wanting to get it over and done with as fast as possible, she brought her hand down on her face in a swift, thunderous slap. Her face stung, but the real pain came from her hand. She cried as she cradled the swollen hand. Something''s broken. I can feel it. She looked up at Zara, hoping for food. Please, please, please. ¡°You know what. I think I¡¯ll give you some water as a reward.¡± Before Phoebe could catch up with what was happening, Zara walked out of the room, returning with a bottle of water shortly thereafter. Twisting the cap of the bottle off, she poured it out onto the floor of the cage. ¡°There you go. Drink up.¡± Thoroughly ashamed and embarrassed, Phoebe tried to scoop up the water in her hands, but she couldn''t do so without causing herself immense pain. She looked up at Zara, who grinned at her. She realised there was only one way she could drink it. God, this is embarrassing. She lapped up the water, tasting the cold metal more than anything else. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°There there. That wasn''t too bad was it? Keep drinking like that, I don''t want you to hurt yourself when I''m not around. That''s no fun. And if you¡¯re very good, I might even let you out of this cage.¡± She dangled the key in front of her as she said this. Phoebe stopped drinking the water, immediately staring at the key. She looked away as Zara placed the key back into her pocket. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± As she stepped out the door, the light turned off, shrouding Phoebe in darkness. I need to get that key. Now that Zara was gone, she tried again at using her hands to collect as much of the remaining water as possible. This time, she only used her good hand. It was a struggle, but she managed to get it done by pushing the water up against the little lip on the edges of the cage. Having Quenched her thirst, she decided to rest, hoping to conserve her energy. BEEP! A harsh noise blared through the room, waking Phoebe before she could properly fall asleep. What? She looked around confused, trying to find what made that sound. For the next few minutes, there was nothing but silence, and Phoebe decided to try and sleep again. BEEP! ~ Phoebe wasn¡¯t able to sleep at all. Every time she tried to sleep, a deafening noise would sound, forcing her to wake up. This lasted for hours, causing her to become more frustrated and irritable. Suddenly, the light turned on, but this time it was far too bright. Making her feel as if she was staring directly into the sun no matter where she looked. Closing her eyes, she whimpered. Zara opened the door, looking annoyed at Phoebe. ¡°Do you know what you did wrong?¡± Standing tall above the cage, Zara questioned her. What did I do? Thinking back to everything that happened yesterday, she failed to think of what could have annoyed her captor so much. ¡°No?¡± she whispered. ¡°What was that? I couldn¡¯t hear you.¡± Zara yelled. ¡°No.¡± She said again, but this time louder than before. ¡°You are such an idiot! How could you not figure it out? I told you to keep lapping up the water, but what did you do the second I left the room?¡± Crouching down, Zara stared directly into Phoebe¡¯s eyes. Phoebe turned pale upon hearing what Zara said. How does she know? She was rooted to the spot when she looked into Zara¡¯s eyes. ¡°Because you disobeyed me, you will be punished.¡± Leaving her with those words, Zara left the room. What? As the room was plunged into darkness, Phoebe stared at the door in confusion. Why is she leaving? ~ It was only when several hours had passed that she began to realise what her punishment was. Deprived of sleep, and with no signs of Zara returning, Phoebe felt that she was about to go insane. The sound of her stomach grumbling was magnified in the deafening quiet of the room. I¡¯m hungry. In the darkness, she lost track of time. With only her increasingly worsening state telling her that time was moving forward. As her stomach pains grew, she felt weak and exhausted. Her eyelids grew heavy as she drifted off to sleep. BEEP! Once again, she was woken up mere moments after closing her eyes. ¡°SHUT UP.¡± She covered her ears and tried to get some sleep, but no matter how hard she tried, the sound penetrated into her brain. Without exception, it would always wake her up. And with every resounding beep, she almost felt as if she could hear someone speaking to her, but she was unable to understand what they were saying. ~ Time continued to pass, and her body and mind grew worse by the hour. Her throat was so dry she could barely speak, and when she coughed, she could feel her lungs burning. Unable to sleep and slowly dying of thirst and hunger, she became a husk of her former self. Her hollow gaze left staring out into the abyss. Why is this happening to me? As her life was fading away, she could finally make out what that voice was saying. I¡¯m a monster...I deserve to die here... Do what she says... I¡¯m less than human... I should die The door creaked open as light flooded into the room, blinding Phoebe, who was too out of it to even react. Seeing her at death¡¯s door pleased Zara. ¡°Do you understand what you did wrong?¡± She leaned down and asked with a gentle smile on her face. Unable to speak, Phoebe barely managed to nod her head, hoping that would be enough. But as time passed without a response, she realised that she would have to speak. ¡°Yes.¡± It felt like her throat was burning. ¡°Good. Now let¡¯s get you fixed up. I can¡¯t have you die on me just yet; I haven¡¯t finished having fun.¡± Pulling out a bottle of water, she poured its contents into the cage. Without hesitation, Phoebe lapped it up. There was nothing else on her mind but her desire for water. Quenching her first, Phoebe felt immensely satisfied as the pain in her throat was slightly quelled.. After the bottle of water was finished, she looked into Zara¡¯s eyes and whimpered. ¡°There there. You¡¯ll get some more water later. Right now it¡¯s time for you to eat.¡± Zara said. Food! The sound of her stomach grumbling punctuated her thoughts. Zara left the room, coming back with a can of dog food in her hand. Pulling the tab open, Zara dumped the food onto the cage floor. Slimy chunks of meat fell into a loose pile in front of a confused Phoebe. ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready! Dig in.¡± Zara stood up and watched, waiting for Phoebe to start eating. Looking at the disgusting sloppy mess in front of her, she hesitated for a moment before lowering her head to the food, remembering to not use her hands. She almost gagged as the food slid down her throat, the slimy texture of it putting her off. It¡¯s not too bad. Zara chuckled, leaving her to enjoy the meal. Hearing the door close, Phoebe looked up to see that Zara was gone, then hesitated before going back to eating. I need any food I can get. I can¡¯t be picky. ~ Over the next two and a half weeks, Zara continued to force Phoebe to degrade herself for minimal amounts of food and water. She trained her to do tricks. She would beat Phoebe until she was nothing more than a confused, sobbing, and bloody mess. Her clothes were torn and bloodied. Dehydrated, starving, and having not slept in an entire week, Phoebe¡¯s fractured mind clutched onto Zara, reshaping itself around the way she was being treated. She no longer believed she was human and instead believed that she was Zara¡¯s loyal pet. Waiting in the darkness, Phoebe knelt at the front of the cage, waiting for Zara to appear. Although her knees were sore, she knew that Zara was expecting to see her in this position, so she held tight. Zara stepped into the room carrying a bottle of water and canned dog food in her hands. ¡°Hmm. What should I have you do for this...¡± She said while shaking the can of dog food. Seeing phoebe¡¯s excited face, she smiled sinisterly. ¡°Come closer, Bitch.¡± Yes Mistress! At Zara¡¯s command, she crawled closer, sticking her face against the metal bars. Zara lifted her foot. ¡°Do you want to lick my boots clean?¡± Yes! Phoebe enthusiastically nodded her head, sticking her tongue out to try and lick it clean. Zara stomped her foot down on Phoebe¡¯s face, leaving a dirty footprint behind. ¡°Of course you would want to do that you disgusting freak.¡± Not reacting to the words at all Phoebe excitedly got to work, licking off all of the dirt and muck on Zara¡¯s shoe. Seeing no reaction, Zara was frustrated. She lifted her boot before stomping it down with more force. She repeatedly stomped her foot down, causing blood to pour out of Phoebe¡¯s broken nose. Still Phoebe did not react, focusing wholeheartedly on cleaning Zara¡¯s boot, now having to lick off her own blood. Zara continued to wail on her, leaving blood and bruises across her whole body. ¡°God you¡¯re pathetic! Just fight back one time, that¡¯s all I want you to do. But nooo, you¡¯re suck a pathetic little coward that I was able to break you in two weeks. Take your food you little shit.¡± She poured the food and water onto Phoebe¡¯s body. ¡°You¡¯re so pathetic that it¡¯s not fun anymore.¡± Zara pulled on necklace she got to hold the key, snapping it and throwing the key away. She walked out the door in frustration, slamming it shut behind her. Looking up at the door, Phoebe whimpered for a few minutes before digging into the food that fell onto the floor. ¡°You have failed to convince your captor that you deserved redemption for the sickening things you had done. And now your owner has abandoned you forever because of your inability to please them. Enjoy Hell Phoebe. Goodbye.¡± Chapter 54 Sitting down at the cafeteria table, the two ordered their food and started digging into their meals. They sat in silence for a while, thinking about their traps. I don¡¯t think Adrian will be able to last long. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have had him drunk for this? No. What he did wasn¡¯t right. He should have helped that guy, but he didn¡¯t. I don¡¯t know if it would have stopped fate from deeming him a sinner, but he would have mostly redeemed himself in my book. Besides, he managed to make it back home despite being drunk the entire way. Other than the accident with the kid, the file didn¡¯t mention anything about any other damages, so as long as he is careful, he should be able to make it out of this alive. Only then can he start to redeem himself. Looking across at Zara, Ed noticed that she¡¯s being a lot quieter than usual. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Having been pulled from her thoughts, she was momentarily confused. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just thinking about my project today.¡± ¡°Do you want to talk about it? What did they do?¡± Ed asked. "She was torturing animals for years. Several of which died by her hands. I mean, how can someone even do something like that?¡± That¡¯s definitely bad. I hate to agree with what the company is doing, but I can see why fate considers her to be a sinner. ¡°Well, abusing animals is a clear indicator of serious mental problems. If I remember correctly, people who abuse animals are three times more likely to commit other crimes. I can see why she would be a sinner. If left unchecked she might do something even worse. Now, how are you going to make her redeem herself?¡± Ed said. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to think about. I don¡¯t think she deserves redemption, so she¡¯s really going to have to prove herself to me before I will let her go.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡¯ Ed asked, a bit confused. You¡¯ve already designed the trap, it¡¯s already out of our hands. ¡°Your projects will be finished shortly, please return to your desks.¡± Buddie announced. The two quickly finished up their meal before standing up. ¡°You¡¯ll see what I mean soon. Let¡¯s just say that I took inspiration from one of your projects and decided to stretch this one out.¡± She said as she walked to the door. The two made it back to their seats in time to watch Adrian stumble out of the bar. "How long do you think it¡¯ll take him to unlock the car?¡± Zara asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ed shrugged as they watch Adrian fumble around with his keys. ¡°Fucking piece a shit.¡± Eventually, he got the car started and looked back to pull out, but instead drove over the curb. Seeing this, Ed facepalmed. This isn¡¯t going to go well, is it? His question was immediately answered by the constant dinging of the car telling Adrian to put the seatbelt on. Watching him narrowly avoid getting hit by the other cars, Ed leaned back in his chair, waiting for it all to be over. On the other hand, Zara leaned forward excitedly trying to guess which car will run him off the road. She was disappointed when she saw him slow down and pull over. ¡°That¡¯s no fun.¡± ¡°Good evening, Adrian. This route might be starting to feel familiar to you now. This is the same route you took the night you drove through that teenage boy. In fact, I¡¯ve gone to the liberty of making everything identical to that night.... After all, you didn¡¯t stop on that night. Good luck.¡± They watched his car shoot forward, almost colliding head on with another car. As the night went on, they watched as both Adrian and his car got more and more banged up. But somehow, he managed to stay on the road. With their being no exciting or violent crashes, Zara¡¯s excitement diminished slightly, leaning back to join Ed in a more relaxed position. ¡°How much longer until this ends? Nothing exciting has happened.¡± Do you just want to see him crash in a fiery ball of death? Remembering back to the creation process, he compared it with the footage he¡¯s just seen, deducing that the car had almost made it to the scene of the incident. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be too long now. He¡¯s only a street or two away from where he hit the teenager. If he can make it past that, he should be safe.¡± He¡¯s made it further than I thought he would. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. As he thought this, the bumper flies off the car, Leaving Adrian with a massive gash across his forehead. The situation became perilous as he was blinded by his own blood, but he managed to get it all under control by the time he turned onto the old, abandoned street. Here¡¯s the moment of truth. And it was just that. A moment. It all happened too quickly, unable to do anything, the car ploughed straight through the person, and Adrian was flung out of the car. ¡°You have failed to make it home safely, Adrian. Not only that, but you have also once again run over that poor child. But this time, you have suffered the consequences of your actions. Enjoy Hell Adrian, Goodbye.¡± Ed¡¯s screen faded to black, with the last thing they saw being Adrian left in a bloody mess on the road. ¡°That was awesome...¡± Zara rambled on about how great the final crash was, with Ed not being able to get a word in at all. She only stopped when her screen lit up. Curious, Ed turned to look at the screen. I wonder what she¡¯s done... His thoughts trailed off as he saw the woman locked up in an uncomfortably small cage. A sinking feeling of dread formed in the depths of his stomach. What has she done? ¡°Ow.¡± Trying to stand up, the woman slammed the back of her head into the roof of the cage. He watched as the woman looked around in fear, sympathising with her. I already have a bad feeling about this. ¡°Hello! Can anybody hear me? Hello?¡± She shouted in vain, as no one bothered to answer her. And no matter how hard she tried; she was unable to escape from the cage at all. ¡°Good morning, Phoebe. It is useless for you to struggle in such a way. You have no chance of breaking that lock...¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got to go!¡± Unexpectedly, Zara jumped out of her chair beside him, shouting back before disappearing through the door. Where is she going? Ed looked back at the door, trying to figure out what¡¯s going on, all the while Buddie continued to speak in the background. ¡°... You have done many horrible things to animals, and now it¡¯s time for you to experience what those poor creatures did when under your care. However, unlike those creatures, you have a chance to escape-¡± ¡°Ooh, ooh! Let me handle this. Please!¡± Zara bursts through the door, interrupting Buddie¡¯s speech. Hearing her voice come from behind him, Ed was surprised for a moment, but turned around to see Zara on the screen in front of him. What is she doing in there? Alarmed, Ed tried to wrap his head around what was happening. His mind firmly latched onto something. We can actively participate in the trap. With this revelation, Ed sits there in shock for a moment. Why did I never think of this? If I can participate, maybe I would be able to secretly help someone out. This could be what I¡¯m looking for. Excited by the possibilities, he ignored what was happening on screen, only being brought out of his thoughts when he heard Zara speak. ¡°You know, ever since I was a little girl, I¡¯d always wanted a pet, but my parents kept saying no. So, when I heard about what you were doing to those animals, I was heartbroken. How could someone be so cruel?¡± Seeing her almost in tears, Ed felt for Zara. I should stop her before she does anything crazy. ¡°Cruel? Do you not see the irony here you crazy bit-¡± BANG! ¡°Shut up!¡± Zara said as she slammed her fist on the cage, causing Phoebe to flinch back in fear. ¡°As I was saying, I found your actions to be absolutely evil and abhorrent. Only a monster could treat those precious little animals that way. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands.¡± ¡°Wh-what are you going to do?¡± Phoebe asked shakily. ¡°I¡¯m going to treat you the way you deserve to be treated. The exact same way you treated those animals. And I¡¯m going to have so much fun doing so.¡± She started laughing, the facade now completely gone. Looks like I might be too late this time. She did say she was going to stretch this one out, maybe I¡¯ll be able to help them both over the course of the next few days. The situation may be very different from what my teachers said, but this was the kind of thing I was studying for. I might really be able to do some good here. Ed felt terrible as he watched Phoebe grovelling at Zara¡¯s feet. Just hold on. I¡¯ll try my best to help you. He flinched as he heard the sickening crunch of Phoebe¡¯s hand being stomped into the ground. As Zara repeatedly tormented and degraded Phoebe, Ed forced himself to watch all of it happen. I need all of the information I can get. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± As she stepped out the door, the lights turned off, shrouding Phoebe in darkness. A few seconds later Zara comes back into the room, sitting down in the chair with a cathartic sigh. ¡°I really needed that.¡± The screen continued to play for a little while longer, showing Phoebe using her hands to scoop up the rest of the water before the footage finally cut off. ¡°Why that little bitch- I told her to use her tongue. Does she think just because I¡¯m not in the room she can do whatever she wants? I¡¯m going to kill her.¡± She jumped out of her chair, furious at the blatant disrespect shown towards her. As she ran for the door, Ed grabbed onto her arm, speaking in a gentle and soothing voice. ¡°Calm down, Zara. There¡¯s no need to go that far. She didn¡¯t mean anything by it.¡± He pulled her in close. ¡°Just ignore her for now. How about we go to my room, I¡¯ll show you that book I was talking about. How does that sound?¡± Being held in his arms, all her anger dissipated. ¡°That sounds nice.¡± Letting her go, he waited for Buddie to send them on their way. ¡°Now that you have both completed your projects, you are free to spend the rest of your day doing whatever you want. You have each been paid ten credits for your traps. As I said before for Ed¡¯s previous project, due to the extended nature of your project Zara, if any changes occur, it will be properly reflected in your account when the change happens.¡± Buddie said. Nodding, Ed made his way to the door with Zara following closely behind. Chapter 55 This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Chapter 56 ¡°Good morning, Ed.¡± ¡°Morning Buddie.¡± After getting out of bed, Ed went about his usual routine, having a quick breakfast consisting of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. Maybe I¡¯m going about this the wrong way. She¡¯s not really listening to a word I have to say. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to convince her with how things are currently going. Is there something I can do if I look at things from her perspective? With his breakfast finished, Ed had a refreshing shower before stepping through the door. Zara should be with Phoebe right now. Hopefully she has calmed down enough so that she won¡¯t do anything too harsh. Zara appeared through the door with a couple minutes to spare. Hopping onto her seat with a satisfied smile. ¡°Morning Ed.¡± She said happily. ¡°You seem happy, how did you end up handling the situation with Phoebe?¡± Ed asked. ¡°I thought about what you said, and you were kind of right. I may have overreacted a little bit. Killing her would have robbed me of a lot of potential fun.¡± She said. That¡¯s good. As long as she didn¡¯t do anything too serious, everything will be fine. ¡°So, what did you decide to do?¡± ¡°Well, since she did still disobey me, I decided that I won¡¯t give her any food or water for a while.¡± Zara said. ¡°And how long is ¡®a while¡¯?¡± Ed asked. This might not be as good as I thought. ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t know. Whenever I get around to it, I suppose.¡± ¡°Just make sure to give her some water in a couple days, otherwise she will die.¡± I might need to remind her later. Just as he finished speaking, the file popped up on screen. Guess I should get started. Name: Rahul Ahmed Age: 57 Occupation: factory owner Biography: born to parents Mahinder and Sarala, Rahul was born into wealth, as his father owned several factories. Thanks to this he went to a prestigious private school, where he received a high level of education, and he was given a managerial position at one of his father¡¯s factories upon graduating... After decades, his father passed away and he was granted control over all of the factories... He refused to improve working conditions, and would cut costs on protective equipment to save money... One day a motor malfunctioned and spun out of control, resulting in the death of a nine-year-old factory worker. He gave the family a small amount of compensation in exchange for their silence on the matter... Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. -End of document- Child labour, poor working conditions. Yeah, I think I can work with this. Ed opened the app, and quickly got to work by recreating the factory where the accident took place. An open aired factory was created, with glowing patches of light coming from the numerous furnaces dotted around the place. Across the entire factory, children were working together to create glass bangles, with not a single piece of protective equipment or clothing in sight. Staring at the children going back and forth, Ed was furious. This is disgusting. How can a place like this even stay in business? Rahul deserves what¡¯s coming to him. ¡°Buddie, show me the accident that happened.¡± Ed asked, after having prepared himself mentally. The view of the factory narrowed down. It started with a group of children who were sifting through shards of broken glass, separating out larger shards of glass that is then transferred to another pile. Another child shovels out the glass from said pile into a wheelbarrow until it was filled, then dumping it out into a pile in front of the furnace. From there, the glass was shovelled into the furnace where it was melted down until it could flow through a small gap in the bottom of the furnace, where someone used a metal pipe to guide the molten glass down into a trough, ending in the glass being curled around a rapidly spinning rod. It was then that the process went awry. The rod spun faster than usual, and the molten glass was flung through the air at high speeds, right towards the child¡¯s face. ¡°Thank you, Buddie. You can stop it there.¡± Ed said as he turned away, not wanting to see the child¡¯s face getting cut right through. ¡°Put Rahul in place of this child and recreate the accident.¡± The child was replaced by a slightly overweight middle-aged man. What can I do here to give him a chance. I really need to thread the line here. If I allow him to move freely, it will be too easy for him to escape, and Buddie certainly won¡¯t let that happen. But on the other hand, if I force him to stay there, he will be guaranteed to die. Hmmm... I think I¡¯ve got it. ¡°Buddie, I want someone from management to be watching at all times, who will make sure that Rahul doesn¡¯t leave. In order for him to escape, he will have to convince the person that the equipment is faulty and dangerous, and to shut down their work until the equipment can be fixed.¡± That should be a good level of difficulty. After making sure everything was in place, Ed submitted the project. ~ On the other end of the table, Zara was hard at work on her project. The sinner she got had helped a murderer get away with the crime, hiding the murder weapon and helping to get rid of the body. What can I do with this? It says here that it was someone else who committed the murder, and this guy was just an accessory to the crime...Well, if someone has already murdered someone else, they probably wouldn¡¯t mind killing another person to hide what happened. With this thought in mind, she went about recreating everything that happened, from the initial murder to the cover up, but this time ending it with the death of the accomplice. ¡°This is a test to see whether they feel guilty about what they¡¯ve done, and whether or not he will decide to help them again. So give him a few opportunities where he can back out and turn the murderer in.¡± Since he was just an accessory to the crime, Ed would probably want me to be a bit more lenient. After double checking everything, Zara submitted her project. ~ ¡°Thank you for submitting your plans. I will let you know when they are ready.¡± Buddie said. Getting up with a stretch, Zara turned to Ed. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go back to your apartment.¡± She dragged him to the door. Chapter 57 Waking up in the sweltering midday heat, Rahul felt dizzy. Picking himself up off the ground, he went to dust himself off, but stopped upon noticing what he was wearing. He was wearing a torn and filthy brown shirt, with baggy brown pants and a pair of sandals. It was something he would often see being worn by the children working in his factory. What the fuck happened to my suit? Looking around, he couldn¡¯t find the impeccably tailored suit he was wearing earlier. Instead, he found himself surrounded by a bunch of small, dirty looking children. ¡°Get back to work everyone!¡± an authoritative voice shouted. Immediately the kids scattered, heading back to their work. Looking around, he found himself inside one of his factories. One of those rotten little swines must have stolen my suit. Trying his best to wipe off the dust, he gave up upon realising how filthy the clothes already were. I need a bath after this. Looking towards where the voice came from earlier, he found a familiar looking young man dressed in tidy clothes and glaring at the kids as they worked. With a stern face, he walked over to the young man, who turned to glare at him. ¡°Nephew Amar, why did you let those disgusting little cretins near me? Not only that, you left me lying in the dirt. I have half a mind to fire you.¡± SLAP. Amar slapped him across the face, causing it to immediately swell up and bruise. ¡°What makes you think you can talk to me like that you little whelp. Now get back to work!¡± Amar shoved him to the ground. Rahul looked up in shock, his ear ringing from the slap and giving him a headache. What? It took him a moment to realise what happened, but when he did, he rushed at Amar, grabbing him by the collar. ¡°Listen here, this is not how you treat your uncle. And definitely not how you treat your boss. I will make sure you never work a day in your life ever again, you hear me?¡± He went to deliver a slap of his own, but when his hand came into contact with Amar¡¯s face, he felt as if he slammed it straight into a brick wall. He shook off his hand, but just as he did so, he felt a vise-like grip on his other arm. Before he could react, he was tossed far away. ¡°Get back to work. I don¡¯t want to hear your voice again.¡± Rahul tumbled along the ground, slamming into a wall with a dull thud. Groaning, he tried to stand up, but the pain in his back was too much. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Good morning, Rahul. As you may have noticed, the situation in your factory is now quite different from what it used to be. You no longer stand at the top. In fact, you are at the very bottom of the hierarchy. Do you remember the child who died in your factory because you refused to properly maintain the equipment? Well now you are in their place. And you better find a way to escape, otherwise you will soon suffer the same fate. Good luck Rahul.¡± Rahul looked around alertly, trying to find where the voice was coming from. ¡°Who said that? You better show yourself this instant. I don¡¯t care what you say, this is my factory, and I am in control.¡± Using the wall, he slowly stood up. He continued to call out, hoping to find the person who spoke. Where could they be? Looking around he made eye contact with Amar, who scowled and walked towards him. With the pain still radiating throughout his body, he decided to avoid Amar. Where should I go? Think! What did that voice say? He spotted that the area where he woke up was empty, and that it was right next to one of the motorised spinning rods and by looking around, could tell that someone was supposed to be there. He noticed that Amar was getting closer, so he immediately ran to the empty spot. Molten glass flowed down the trough, wrapping around the spinning rod, melting back together into one long glass cylinder. ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to do your job? Now this batch is ruined.¡± One of the other boys scowled at him. ¡°Give him a break, he probably hit his head when he fell earlier.¡± One of the other kids said kindly while walking up to him. ¡°Here this is what you are supposed to do.¡± As the stream of molten glass continued to flow, the kid picked up a long metal tool ending in a hook. ¡°You need to run the hook along here, otherwise the glass will stick together, and we won¡¯t be able to make bangles out of it.¡± After showing him what to do, the kid handed the tool to Rahul and took a step back. Rahul stood there for a moment, allowing the glass to stack back up, ruining another batch. Furious, the first kid ran towards him, which caught the attention of Amar. Freaking out, Rahul did as instructed, running the hook along the glass, which stopped it from melting together. As he continued to do this, everyone ignored him and went back to work. I really shouldn¡¯t be doing this. How dare they make me work like this. He continued to run the hook along the glass, frustrated at his situation, but too scared to do confront anyone again. This equipment is exactly what these cretins deserve. When I get out of here, I¡¯ll punish everyone involved in this. Especially Amar. Lost in his anger, he didn¡¯t notice as smoke flowed out of the engine. But his attention was caught when it started to make a loud whirring sound. The rod spun out of control as a new stream of molten glass wrapped around it. The glass warped and spun out of shape, splattering around the place. What is going on? As he tried to duck out of the way, the molten glass flew towards him, burning through his face. His body fell to the ground. ¡°Unfortunately for you, Rahul, it looks like you were unable to stop the accident from happening. I was hoping that you would finally realise how dangerous your factories were by having you experience the danger firsthand, but you were stubborn to the very end. You refused to see the error of your ways, and now you have paid the price. Enjoy Hell Rahul, Goodbye.¡± Chapter 58 If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Chapter 59 Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Chapter 60 After another long day at work, Ed waited for Zara to return from visiting Phoebe. Over the past several days, Zara had made it a habit of visiting Phoebe after work, so that she could spend more time training her. Poor Phoebe, it¡¯s been almost eighteen days since she was brought in. From what Zara¡¯s been telling me, I don¡¯t think she has much left in her. ¡°Buddie, how many credits do I have now?¡± Ed asked ¡°Your current total has reached three hundred and twenty-eight credits.¡± ¡°Thanks Buddie.¡± Ed sat there absentmindedly for a little while until Zara returned. That was earlier than I expected. What happened? Looking up at her, he noticed that her necklace was missing. Did she throw away the key? ¡°Are you okay? You¡¯re usually in there for a lot longer.¡± Zara walked up to him and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I just... wasn¡¯t having as much fun as I used to. It was sort of boring, she wasn¡¯t fighting back at all. A week ago, I could see the hatred and anger in her eyes, but that was all gone.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, there¡¯s plenty of fun stuff we can do here. Why don¡¯t we just have a nice relaxing night at your place? I¡¯ll go grab the book, there¡¯s still plenty of fun stuff in there for us to look through. And, if you¡¯re up to it, we can cook dinner together. How does that sound?¡± Ed asked. ¡°That sounds nice.¡± Zara said, smiling softly. ¡°Good. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Stepping through the door, Ed made his way to the desk. I need to find a way to get that key. If I can somehow get into Phoebe¡¯s room, I¡¯ll probably be able to find it in there. I¡¯ve been waiting for this chance, I won¡¯t give up now that it¡¯s here. Grabbing the book, he made sure not to spend too long, as to avoid any suspicion. Stepping back into the office, it didn¡¯t take long for the two of them to enter Zara¡¯s apartment. On the right side of the dining table was Zara¡¯s newly added kitchen. ¡°How much did this cost?¡± Ed asked ¡°Two hundred and sixty credits. Turns out some of the things I wanted boosted the price up a bit. But I¡¯m glad I have it!¡± She said happily, having already moved into the kitchen. ¡°What do you want to cook?¡± ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t know. Why don¡¯t you pick something?¡± How am I going to get that key? ¡°Let¡¯s make some tacos!¡± Excited, she went about gathering the ingredients. When she opened the pantry, it was stocked with exactly what she needed. The same thing happened when she opened the fridge. Ed went to join her, and together they started prepping the food. The apartment was filled with the rich sounds and smells wafting from the kitchen. It wasn¡¯t long before they sat down at the dining table with some freshly made tacos. They gorged themselves on the tacos, having made more than enough for the two of them to share. Their bellies bloated out, and they ended the meal leaning back and staring at the ceiling. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I think we made too much.¡± Ed said. ¡°But it was so worth it.¡± Zara sighed. They waddled over to the couch, and spent some time snuggling together, reading the book in peace. ¡°I¡¯ve got one more thing I want to do.¡± This is my chance. ¡°Oh yeah, what¡¯s that? You thought of another creature for us to look up?¡± Zara asked, looking up at Ed. ¡°I want to see your private work area. I¡¯ve yet to see what you did during your internship.¡± Zara squealed, visibly excited. ¡°I¡¯d thought you¡¯d never ask!¡± She immediately jumped off the couch, dragging Ed to the door. Jumping through it, Ed found himself in a familiar looking hallway, with one side covered in a series of doors as far as the eye could see. ¡°Let¡¯s go over to my first one! I didn¡¯t really know what I could do, but I like it.¡± She took him to the final door, opening it to reveal a blood-stained table with a series of gears and winches on either end, with bindings running along the sides. I¡¯m afraid to ask. But I¡¯m already here, so I might as well. ¡°Umm, what happened here?¡± ¡°Have you ever heard of the medieval torture rack? It''s basically that, but automated.¡± That¡¯s a chilling thought. Zara gave Ed a guided tour of the rest of the traps he hadn¡¯t seen before. Taking her time to make sure he could vividly imagine how it all went down. Finishing up, she yawned. ¡°It¡¯s getting a little late, we should probably head back now.¡± ¡°Go on ahead without me, I just want to check one more thing.¡± ¡°Okay. Good night.¡± Tired, she gave him a quick kiss before stepping through the door. Okay, which one is it? Starting from the end, he began counting the doors as he walked past. One, two, three... This should be it. Standing before a door, he took a moment to ready himself before opening it. Stepping in, the room automatically lit up, causing Phoebe to wince. Looking up, she was confused when she saw the complete stranger standing at the door. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m going to get you out of there. Just hold on for a moment.¡± Ed searched around the room, eventually finding the key in the corner of the room. Picking it up, he moved towards the cage, causing Phoebe to crawl away from him in fear, shaking her head. Unlocking it, he swung the cage door open and stepped away from it. ¡°Come on, all you¡¯ve got to do is step through that door and you¡¯ll be free.¡± As if his words sparked something in her brain, she hesitantly began crawling to the door. Making it out of the cage, she tried to stand up, but fell back down onto her knees. Ed stepped forward to help her, but it only made her whimper in fear. Taking a step back, he held his hands up to tell her he wasn¡¯t going to do anything. She crawled to the foot of the door but couldn¡¯t reach the handle. She crawled anxiously around the door. Come on! Ignoring how she would react, Ed walked up to the door, helping her to stand, all the while she was kicking and screaming. Blood dripped down his cheek as he placed her hand on the door handle. ¡°Think about home and open it.¡± He stepped away from the door, while still making sure she was good to open it. Slowly, she twisted it open, and the room was filled with a blinding light. Falling to her knees, she crawled through the door and disappeared. Ed sighed with relief, relaxing. I¡¯ve finally done it! ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Like booming thunder, Buddie¡¯s voice echoed throughout the room, demanding to know what he was thinking. Ed slumped to the ground; his body was no longer under his control. Damn. The room began to heat up, and Ed felt as if he was being burnt alive. The cage began to bend and warp under the extreme heat, But Ed was forced to stay awake through all of it. ¡°That is not how the company does things. You have interfered in company business, and now you must pay the price.¡± Burning alive, Ed felt his mind slipping. Just get it over with. He lost consciousness as the entire room was set ablaze. -End of volume one- Chapter 61 Why won¡¯t it end? As he woke up, Ed could still feel the overwhelming heat torching his body. However, he no longer felt the fire dancing on his skin. Instead, it felt like he was being baked inside of an oven. The air around him was swelteringly hot. Opening his eyes, he found himself staring at a hazy red sky. Where am I? Sitting up, he took a deep breath, inhaling a lungful of ash and sulphur. He coughed harshly, as he felt a searing pain in his throat. His finger¡¯s raked across the ground, drawing lines through the ash, revealing the dry, cracked ground beneath He found himself in a place unlike anything he had ever seen before. Off in the distance, towering, volcanic mountains constantly spewed thick plumes of ash and smoke into the sky, blocking out the sky. He found himself on a vast plain. Desolate and coated in ash, with a thin haze limiting what he can see. There were no signs of life for as far as the eye could see. Shakily, he stood up, trying to find anything that was different. I¡¯m going to die here. Finding nothing, he decided to try his luck, setting off in a random direction. There¡¯s got to be something out there. As he walked, his skin began to blister and peel, turning a reddish hue. His surroundings remained as desolate as ever. The only change being that the volcanoes slowly began to disappear behind the haze, until eventually they disappeared entirely, leaving him with nothing of note. Minutes passed as he continued walking into the unknown. A low gurgling sound started to slowly rise, starting so quietly that it took a while for Ed to even realise it was there. What is that? The sound continued to mount, and as it did, he began to see something moving in the distance. As he got closer, he was able to finally see what it was. A long river of lava gently flowed, blocking his path. He looked up and down the river but saw no signs of somewhere he could cross. He kicked a rock into the river, watching as it sunk, causing the lava to fly off into the air. Guess I¡¯ll be going another way then. Keeping a distance from the river, he followed it downstream. There probably aren¡¯t any normal rivers here. Maybe I¡¯ll be able to find some form of civilisation if I follow this downstream. I just hope that whatever it is that can live here doesn¡¯t crave human flesh. Minutes passed of him walking downstream, and eventually he began to notice changes in his surroundings. The ground became rockier and started to rise and fall in elevation. Hills dotted the now rugged landscape. The river started to snake between the hills, so Ed decided it would be a better idea to climb to the top of one of the larger hills in the area. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. He fell to the ground as he reached the top of the hill, his lungs burning, as he tried desperately to inhale as much oxygen as possible. Looking out into the distance, he watched as the river continued flowing, twisting and bending through the hills. I can¡¯t keep going on like this. As his eyes scanned along the river, they locked onto something on a nearby hill. A small hole was seemingly burrowed out of the side of it. Maybe I can hide away from the smoke. Hobbling down the hill, he kept his eyes locked on the cave entrance the entire time. Reaching it, he found the hole to be much larger than he was expecting it to be. Walking up to it, he ran his hand along the edge, finding it to be surprisingly smooth. Stepping inside, he found the tunnel to be almost perfectly circular. This cave doesn¡¯t feel like it was formed naturally. As he continued on, he found that the tunnel was constantly bending. For some reason, it reminded him of how worms'' tunnel through the earth, and alarm bells began ringing in his mind. How big would a creature have to be to do this? I hope it isn¡¯t nearby. He decided against walking further into the tunnel, instead sitting down to rest. Where has Buddie sent me? Wherever I am, it feels like absolute hell. I hope I can find other shelters soon, but for now I¡¯ll just rest here. With nothing to focus on, the pain became overwhelming. His skin was a blinding red, as if he had spent hours baking in the summer sun without protection, his lungs were filled with smoke and ash, making it difficult for him to breathe. He felt pain whenever he moved. Even the slightest thing brushing against his skin felt like agony. I can¡¯t go on. This is probably how Buddie wanted me to die. Maybe I should just get it over and done with so I can go back to my room. The longer I¡¯m out here the worse it''s going to get. Struggling to stand up, Ed started to walk back to the entrance. I¡¯ve always wondered what it¡¯s like to swim in lava. That should end me quicker than the ash will. As he was walking, he began to hear a low rumbling. He stopped in his tracks, and looked around to try and find where the noise was coming from. Placing his ear to the ground, he found that it was coming from below. He felt the ground start to shake as dirt fell from the ceiling. The tremors intensified as the rumbling grew louder and louder. Cracks formed across the walls of the tunnel, as it started to collapse in on itself. Shit! The tunnel fell apart around him, leaving him trapped and without any way to escape. Suddenly, the ground opened up beneath him, and time seemed to freeze for a moment. For a moment, Ed stared directly into the gaping maw filled with thousands of razor-sharp teeth, before he was quickly swallowed whole, disappearing into the darkness. Chapter 62 Ugh. Ed¡¯s body rag-dolled around, bouncing from wall to wall. He opened his eyes to try and see what was going on but was met with complete and utter darkness. He groaned as his body slammed into another wall. He found the wall to be quite squishy and slimy. He found it difficult to grab hold of anything, so he tried his best to protect his head from injury. Ed remembered the last thing he saw before waking up here and realised that whatever created the tunnel had come back. I was swallowed by whatever that thing was. I¡¯m probably inside of it right now. As he was thrown around, he felt like he was in agony. Being constantly slammed into the walls just intensified the pain he was already suffering from. Slamming awkwardly into the wall, he felt his shoulder pop out of place. ¡°Fuck.¡± He gritted his teeth, and tried his best to protect his shoulder from taking anymore bumps. Suddenly he felt his surroundings tighten around him, squeezing and crushing his body. He could no longer care for his shoulder, as he felt all of his bones getting crushed by the immense pressure. His body folded in on itself. The muscles of the creature squeezed and compacted his body, turning it into a pile of mush, which was then excreted through the body and landed amidst a pile of warm shit. Somehow, Ed could feel the warmth scorching his body. Why? ¡°Don¡¯t think that death will save you Ed. Your transgression this time was far more severe than what you¡¯ve done previously, so your punishment has only just begun. It will be a long time before you can go back to working for the company. For now, we will make sure that you stay alive to suffer as much as possible. Good luck, Ed.¡± Buddie¡¯s voice echoed around him, making it clear that Ed would not be able to escape. Ed felt his body start to move around, slowly rearranging itself back into a familiar shape. He felt immense pain as his bones snapped back into place. His organs slid across the ground, bouncing into place, and his muscles and skin attached themselves around the bones. He felt every single moment in excruciatingly painful detail. Eventually, his body had returned to how it was moments before. Shit. They could¡¯ve at least reset my shoulder. Gripping his dislocated shoulder, he looked around for the person who healed him. ¡°Come out! I know you¡¯re still here.¡± Getting no response, he gave up and looked at his surroundings. He found himself inside another tunnel, with the sound of distant rumblings to his far left. Well, I¡¯m definitely not going that way. He started walking in the opposite direction of the noise, hoping to find his way out of the tunnel and away from the creature as quickly as possible. Stepping outside, he immediately felt the ashen air on his skin, and the heat boiling his insides. Looking around, he found himself part way up another hill. Hopefully I can find something helpful after all this. At least I know that life does exist here. Getting up to the top of the hill, he spotted a faint, artificial glow off in the far distance. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ~ Stepping through the door into the office, Zara walked to her desk, but noticed that Ed wasn¡¯t there. ¡°Buddie, how long do until the files get here?¡± ¡°You have five minutes until the file arrives.¡± Huh, that¡¯s weird. Where could he be? Zara kept an eye on the door, waiting for Ed to show up, but he never did. When her file appeared, she began to think that maybe Ed wasn¡¯t going to show up at all. ¡°Buddie, where is Ed? Why hasn¡¯t he shown up yet?¡± ¡°Ed is currently busy, just focus on your job and I will tell you why after.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Name: Cali Thompson Age: 21 Occupation: University student Biography: Born to parents Daniel and Taegan, Cali fell in love with photography from a young age, as she would always follow behind her father, who was a professional photographer. When he passed away, she poured her heart and soul into photography, and would always use his camera. She ignored everything else in her life, letting her grades in her other classes fall by the wayside. Her mother tried to talk to her multiple times, but she would never listen, instead focusing wholeheartedly on it to the point of obsession... halfway through a new semester, a student had transferred to her school, and she immediately saw the potential to create a fantastic photo. She followed the person around, trying to catch the perfect moment for a photo. The student was creeped out by her and asked her to stop. She didn¡¯t stop. But she did realise that she had to be more careful, and that she should make sure that she doesn¡¯t get caught... Her obsession changed to taking this perfect photo, so she began to stalk this person, stealthily following them home, and keeping tabs on them throughout the week. -End of document- Wow, she¡¯s creepy. That is not a healthy thing to do. Zara tried her hardest to come up with a good idea quickly, so that she could find out what happened to Ed. I¡¯ll see how she likes it by putting her on the other end of it. ¡°Buddie, I want her to be trapped in a maze, and being followed by a crazed stalker. She has to find the exit to the maze in order to escape, and if her stalker catches her, she will die. That¡¯s all I want, now tell me what happened to Ed.¡± She bounced around nervously on her chair. ¡°Thank you for submitting your project, I will let you know when it is ready. Also, congratulations are in order, as last night you redeemed your first sinner, and for that you will be greatly rewarded.¡± Wait, what. I didn¡¯t even do anything last night; I was hanging out with Ed all afternoon and then I went to bed... Wait no, what did he do? She felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. ¡°Buddie, Where¡¯s Ed?¡± She asked urgently. ¡°He is currently being punished for violating company rules by freeing a sinner.¡± What, why would he do something like that? How did he do something like that? I¡¯m sure that every sinner we¡¯ve had in the past couple weeks died while we were watching... Wait. No, it couldn¡¯t be. ¡°Buddie, who did he free?¡± ¡°While you were sleeping, he snuck into Phoebe¡¯s room and released her from her cage, helping her to escape when she had already lost her chance.¡± Hearing this, Zara shot out of her seat, racing towards the door. I¡¯m going to kill that bitch. Bursting through the door into Phoebe¡¯s room, she found scorch marks across the walls. The entire room showed signs of once being engulfed in flames. The cage was bent and warped out of shape. And there was not a person in sight. Wherever you are Phoebe, I will find you. Chapter 63 ¡°It is time for you to receive your reward Zara. Please head back to the office, someone will be with you shortly.¡± Buddie said. ¡°No! Take me to Ed. Or at least tell me where he is, or I won¡¯t leave.¡± Zara stood firm in the room, waiting for Buddie to tell her. ¡°That is not something for you to know Zara. Now go back to the office and wait like you are supposed to.¡± Buddie commanded. Zara froze. Her body walked through the door on its own, reappearing in the office where she was forced to wait patiently. Why won¡¯t he tell me? What is he doing to Ed? Lost in her inner turmoil, Zara didn¡¯t notice when someone appeared at her desk. ¡°Please follow me.¡± The person said. Huh? Looking up at the noise, Zara saw a short, stout looking man standing next to her desk. The man was barely over a metre tall with a scruffy beard on his pointy chin. A set of spiral horns adorned his head, and as she looked down, she saw that he had a pair of goat¡¯s legs. The man clapped to get her attention before briskly walking away. I guess there¡¯s nothing I can do... I might as well see what¡¯s going on. Regaining control of her body, she followed behind the man. Stepping through the door, she found herself in a familiar feeling room. The harsh smell of antiseptic filled her nose as she looked at the pristine white floor. Around the room were various drawers and cabinets filled with medical supplies. In the centre of the room was a lone hospital bed. ¡°What are we doing here?¡± Zara asked, looking confused. ¡°Please lie down on the bed. Buddie will tell you everything shortly.¡± Having brought Zara to the room, the man made sure to leave as soon as possible. What¡¯s going on? Left alone in the room, she decided it was for the best to follow the instructions given to her. Lying down on the bed, her body immediately froze in place, with her head being the only thing she could still control. ¡°Buddie? What¡¯s going on?¡± She began to panic. ¡°This is just a simple preventative measure to make sure you don¡¯t hurt yourself. You will regain control of your body when the procedure has finished.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Zara asked. ¡°This is your reward for redeeming a sinner. We have found that the genetic makeup of humans is far more varied and interesting than their current appearance would lead you to believe. Many creatures that you know from myth had once communed with ancient humans. And sometimes, their bloodline can still be found in humans alive today. This procedure is to help awaken whatever bloodline is in your body.¡± As Buddie was speaking, the ceiling opened up, and a series of clear tubes dropped down, dangling above Zara. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The tubes came to life under Buddie¡¯s control, moving smoothly and attached themselves to Zara¡¯s body. ¡°Uugh.¡± She groaned painfully as the tubes pierced through her skin, sinking into her body. A radiant blue liquid flowed through the pipes into her body. She felt her blood start to boil as it fought against the foreign substance. The pain was agonising as it felt like her entire body was melting. The skin on her back began to ripple, as something tried to break free. The tubes lifted her body off the bed as the rippling of her flesh intensified. Her back tore apart as two wings unfurled themselves behind her, spraying blood and flesh onto the once pristine floor. ~ Slowly cresting another hill, Ed had finally made it to the outskirts of the town. The buildings were an eclectic mix of different architectural styles, haphazardly placed as if there was no planning or forethought involved during the construction. What¡¯s going on here? Stumbling into town, he immediately felt the air cool down around him. As if he had walked through an invisible barrier, the sun no longer felt as intense as it had been before. He found creatures of all shapes and sizes walking the streets. It wasn¡¯t until he saw an imp walk by that everything he had experienced fell into place. Am I in Hell? He froze in place at this revelation, leading to someone walking directly into his back, sending him tumbling to the ground. ¡°What¡¯s your problem asshole!¡± a massive human with a bull skull for a head towered over Ed, glaring at him. ¡°Sorry, It''s my fault.¡± Ed stood up and tried to apologised to the man with his raspy and cracked voice. ¡°You¡¯re damn right it is.¡± He grumbled while walking away. That could¡¯ve gone better. Looking around, he decided to keep moving further into town. I need water. Eventually, he spotted a dusty wooden sign on the front wall of a building, telling him that it was a bar. Guess this will have to do. Stepping foot into the bar, Ed was immediately immersed in its atmosphere. The bar was crowded with people knocking back drinks, finding whatever enjoyment they could. Below the noisy din of the crowd, Ed could hear music coming from the opposite end of the room. Looking across the room, he saw a live band performing in the corner. Stepping up to the bar, he found a spare stool to sit down on and flagged down the bartender. ¡°Ooh boy, do you look like shit. What can I get for ya?¡± The bartender was a short and stocky imp. One of her horns looked as if it had been snapped off, sticking out at half the height of the other, and ending in a jagged crown. ¡°Water.¡± He barely managed to eke out before breaking out into a coughing fit. Running off to the side, the bartender returned with a large jug of water. As she bent down to find a glass, Ed grabbed the jug and guzzled down as much as he could. Standing up with the glass in hand, she watched as half of the jug was emptied in a matter of seconds. ¡°Slow down! We¡¯ve still got plenty of water lying around, there¡¯s no need to rush. You¡¯re actin'' like you haven¡¯t seen water in days.¡± Finishing the water, Ed slammed the jug on the counter. ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡± ¡°Now that can¡¯t be right. The train always has drinks on board.¡± She looked him up and down, noticing his burnt skin covered in ash, dirt and grime. She had a sneaking suspicion that there was something different about his story. ¡°Do you remember what town you came from?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t come from a town.¡± Ed said, his voice still somewhat hoarse and raspy. ¡°Didn¡¯t come from a town? Where did you come from hun?¡± She asked, concerned. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve been lost out there for days.¡± ¡°But sinners always spawn in towns or cities. And you certainly don¡¯t look like a lost soul.¡± Sinners? Lost souls? What¡¯s going on? Several questions flew through Ed¡¯s mind A drunk man stood up from his chair and stumbled over to the bar. ¡°Get me another drink, Kathy.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right there Jim.¡± She called out before turning back to Ed. ¡°You¡¯re prolly very confused. How about I get ya something to eat, then I¡¯ll answer all your questions when I¡¯ve cleared this place out. I¡¯m coming Jim!¡± She went to walk away before turning back. ¡°Welcome to Hell!¡± Chapter 64 After getting Jim his drink, Kathy went to the kitchen to get her husband to cook something up for Ed. Ed¡¯s stomach grumbled loudly at the mention of food and his mind started to drift off, imagining what she was going to bring. ¡°What are you lookin at?¡± The drunk man scowled at Ed. ¡°Huh?¡± Ed was brought back to reality, and found himself being confronted by a tall, wiry man. Before he could fully register what was going on, the man threw a punch at him. Jim¡¯s fist narrowly missed Ed¡¯s cheek, causing Jim to stumble. ¡°Stop moving you little shit.¡± But I didn¡¯t do anything. Seeing the second punch coming towards him, Ed leant back slightly, avoiding the fist by a hair. Jim¡¯s fist slammed into the empty jug, causing it to shatter across the floor behind the counter. The music stopped as everyone in the room turned to look at what happened. While Jim was recovering, Ed hopped off the stool and tried to distance himself from Jim, but the area around the bar was too crowded. And now that the crowd had turned their attention to the fight, Ed found himself completely blocked in. Jim chased after Ed, pulling him back towards the bar. Jim grabbed a glass, planning to smash it down on Ed¡¯s head, but Ed grabbed his arm, stopping it mid swing. He slammed his shoulder into Jim¡¯s chest, sending him crashing over a stool. The glass slipped from Jim¡¯s hand and shattered across the counter. Jim landed hard on his back. Groaning in pain, he turned over onto his hands and knees to try and get back up. Seeing an opportunity, Ed jumped on Jim¡¯s back, pulling them both down onto their side. Wrapping his legs around Jim¡¯s waist, Ed cinched his right arm around Jim¡¯s neck. Hopefully this works. Sliding his left arm into place behind Jim¡¯s head, he made sure his right elbow was in line with Jim¡¯s nose, then squeezed as hard as he could. ¡°What happened here?¡± Walking back out and seeing the mess behind the bar, Kathy yelled. The cheering crowd immediately froze, before quickly dispersing. The band went back to playing their music as the rest of the bar pretended nothing had happened. ¡°Pricks, always here for the fun, but never want to help out after.¡± Mumbling to herself, she grabbed a broom and went around the bar to see if there was anything to clean on that side. She turned the corner just in time to see Ed release Jim from the hold and lean back against the bar. ¡°Now what do we have here?¡± Hearing her voice, Ed looks up at her, slightly embarrassed. ¡°I can explain. It was a complete accid-¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to explain anything.¡± Kathy checked up on Jim. Seeing that he was fine, she whacked him with the broom. ¡°Get up you lazy oaf. This is the third fight you¡¯ve started this week.¡± Jim woke up with a start, gasping for air. He looked back at Ed and scowled. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough. Now get out of here!¡± Kathy shouted angrily. Jim Scurried out of the bar, pausing for a moment at the door. ¡°I¡¯ll be back, I¡¯m not scared of you!¡± Kathy raised her broom, to which Jim immediately fled. She turned back to Ed, offering him a hand. ¡°Now let¡¯s get you sorted out.¡± Taking her hand, Ed lifted himself off the ground and looked around at the mess he¡¯d caused. ¡°Sorry about the mess. Let me clean it up.¡± He reached out for the broom. She knocked his hand away ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. This isn¡¯t the first bar fight I¡¯ve had to clean up. And it¡¯s far from the messiest. Now follow me.¡± She walked to the back while gesturing for him to follow. He walked through a kitchen, eventually stopping at a small, rounded dining table. ¡°Your food will be done shortly, just rest here, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Kathy left to go and clean up the mess. Left alone, Ed had no clue what to do, so he sat down at the table. Out of boredom, he found himself looking at the photos hung up around the room. The first photo was of Kathy and her husband standing outside of the bar with wide smiles and a set of keys dangling from her finger. The bar looked newer in the photo, and there were still signs of the construction that had taken place. Her husband was of a similar height as Kathy and was incredibly muscular. He had a set of horns that extended to the side before pointing up, and he had a big white beard that was neatly trimmed. Following along the wall, all of the photos were of them outside of the bar, but with each new photo, their family grew bigger and older. The last photo was of them with their six kids, four of which had already become adults themselves, and two young ones hugging onto Kathy¡¯s legs. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°Lovely photos, aren¡¯t they?¡± A gruff voice came from behind Ed. Snapping back to reality, Ed turned around to find the man in the photo walking towards him with a steaming plate of food. Setting the plate down on the table, the man took up the seat across from Ed. Ed¡¯s eyes focused on the juicy looking steak in front of him, but he held himself back from digging into it straight away. ¡°Yeah. How old are your kids?¡± Hearing the question, the man smiled. ¡°The oldest there is Mimsy, she¡¯s twenty-eight. Sally there is twenty-three, Victor is twenty, and Tom is eighteen. The young ones are Caitlyn and Johnny, both are six. They¡¯re currently upstairs with Sally, otherwise, they would¡¯ve already been pestering you. The name¡¯s Arthur by the way.¡± Arthur reached a hand out to Ed. Taking his hand, Ed gave it a firm shake. ¡°I¡¯m Ed. It sounds like you¡¯ve got a lovely little family going on here.¡± ¡°Nice to meet ya Ed. I heard you already started a fight in my bar.¡± Arthur dropped his smile, staring directly into Ed¡¯s eyes. There were a tense few moments before Arthur laughed. ¡°Nah, I¡¯m just messing with ya. Jim¡¯s always starting something. I heard you really put him in his place.¡± Ed breathed a sigh of relief as the tension in the room dissipated. ¡°I¡¯ve been in a lot of fights. You can only walk home bloody and bruised so many times before you learn how to defend yourself. Luckily, I had my grandpa to teach me everything.¡± ¡°Sounds like he was a tough man.¡± ¡°He¡¯s an army vet, and still as strong as an ox.¡± He put his hand on his neck, remembering back to when his grandfather was first teaching him how to fight. While they were chatting, Kathy appeared in the doorway. ¡°We¡¯ve got another order of ribs for table five!¡± She disappeared back into the bar. ¡°Welp looks like I¡¯ve got to get back to work. Enjoy your meal. I¡¯ll get Sally to run a bath for ya. We should have something that¡¯ll fit you laying around somewhere.¡± Arthur went back to the kitchen, leaving Ed to his food. Picking up his knife and fork, he cut into the steak, and watched as the juices spilled out of it. The steak looked absolutely delicious, and he couldn¡¯t stop himself from digging in. The flavour exploded in his mouth, and he felt his body filled with a pleasant warmth. Eventually, the bar had quieted down, and Kathy was finally able to catch a break. The three of them sat around the table. Freshened up and in a new set of clothes, Ed found himself sitting across from Kathy and Arthur. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve got some time to ourselves, I bet you¡¯ve got a lot of questions floating around that head of yours. We¡¯ll try our best to answer them.¡± Kathy said Where do I even start? ¡°Well, I know you said that I¡¯m in Hell, but where abouts are we, exactly?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, you just got here. I should probably start from the top. Darling, go get the map.¡± Kathy said, while Arthur left the room briefly, coming back with a scroll. He rolled it out on the table, revealing a map of Hell. ¡°As you can see, Hell is made up of seven circles stacked on top of each other. We are on the Pride circle, which is the bottom one here.¡± She points at the lowest level on the map. ¡°Going up, we have Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, and finally Lust. Now normally, a sinner will spawn in the big city, but for some reason you¡¯ve spawned out in Limbo. Luckily, you weren¡¯t too far from us here in Balestone, otherwise who knows how long you would be out there for.¡± Ed looked at the map, taking in all of the information that he could. Seven circles, each named after the seven deadly sins. That makes sense. I guess where sinners appear depends on which one their sin falls under. ¡°What do you mean by Limbo? I can¡¯t see that on the map.¡± ¡°Well, each ring actually spreads out forever. And as the population in hell rises, we just build out further and further whenever we need more land. That¡¯s why only the big cities are marked on the map. But to answer your question, anywhere beyond where someone has built is known as Limbo, but some people call it the Abyss. If someone has committed a relatively minor sin, their soul will appear as a ghost and will be left to wander in the Abyss for all eternity. Only souls weighed down by truly heavy sins will appear in a physical form, like yourself.¡± ¡°Wait, hold on. I haven¡¯t done anything worthy of being here-¡± Several faces flashed through his mind. John, Nico, Josephine, Adrian. Dozens of faces, each belonging to someone he had previously sent to Hell. Maybe she¡¯s right. Kathy and Arthur looked at each other, before patting Ed on the shoulder encouragingly. ¡°Whatever you¡¯ve done in the past doesn¡¯t matter. You¡¯ve got a second life here, and you have all the time in the world to make up for whatever you did.¡± ¡°Thanks, I needed that.¡± If I can¡¯t die here, then what does Buddie want me to do? Is he really just going to make me suffer here for a while, or is there something else going on here? Either way, I might as well check out the big city. Ed looked at the map, noticing that the major city shared its name with the level of hell it was on. ¡°How do I get to Pride City?¡± He asked. ¡°There¡¯s a train station on the other side of town. If you take it to Craghollow, you can teleport from there to Pride City. That¡¯s the fastest way to get there.¡± That¡¯ll probably cost a lot. I saw people paying for their stuff with coins earlier. ¡°Thanks for the information, I really appreciate it, but it¡¯s probably very expensive, and I don¡¯t have anything on me.¡± Arthur thought for a moment, leaving the room before coming back with a plain wooden box. ¡°Normally I would get Victor to do this, but he isn¡¯t feeling well. I¡¯ve got an old friend who lives in the centre of town. If you can take this to him tonight, you can take a cut of the money, which should be good enough to get you to Pride City with some cash to spare.¡± Ed eyed the box cautiously. ¡°What¡¯s in it?¡± ¡°Just some medicine for the old guy.¡± Arthur stuffed the box into Ed¡¯s arms. This sounds suspicious, but it¡¯s probably my best option for making money quickly. ¡°Sure thing. Where does he live?¡± ¡°Like I said earlier, he lives in the centre of town. It¡¯s a bit difficult to get there, so take this.¡± Arthur hands him a note. ¡°It¡¯ll tell you how to get to his place from here. He hasn¡¯t seen you before, so he¡¯ll probably be a bit suspicious of ya. The note should make him ease up a little, so don¡¯t lose it.¡± ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll be back here as soon as I¡¯m done.¡± Ed hoisted the box under his shoulder, slipping the note into his pocket. ¡°Stay safe out there.¡± Arthur said while patting Ed on the back. ¡°Mm. I will.¡± Chapter 65 Where am I? Cali shook herself awake. Looking around she found herself in complete darkness. Reaching out her hand, it didn¡¯t have to go far before touching up against a cement wall. She frantically felt around her, finding walls on all sides. She started hyperventilating, feeling as if the walls were closing in on her. What¡¯s going on? Where am I? ¡°Good morning, Cali. You may be wondering where you are right now, and I will tell you that in due time, but first, we need to talk about your unhealthy obsession. Ever since your father died, you have become obsessed with capturing the perfect photo. You have thrown away your entire life in pursuit of this goal and have pushed away anyone close to you. You became unhinged, willing to do whatever you had to in the pursuit of perfection. You began stalking someone. You followed them at school, and even to their home. Wherever they went, you followed. They didn¡¯t feel safe, and so I¡¯ve stepped in to protect them. I am going to give you a chance to redeem yourself. You are currently trapped in a maze, if you can find the exit, you will be free to go. In a moment I will move this wall and you will be free to explore the maze. But be careful, as you won¡¯t be the only thing roaming free. Good luck Cali.¡± When Buddie finished speaking, the wall in front of Cali dropped into the floor, finally letting her see her surroundings. Outside of her box, the walls opened up, allowing enough space for two people to walk side by side. As she started walking, her mind focused on Buddie¡¯s ominous warning. What did they mean by that? Getting to the end of the hallway, she came across her first choice of many. Which way do I go? Her path was blocked by a wall, leaving her with the option of either going left or right. What was it they said about mazes? If you always hug the left wall, you¡¯ll eventually find your way out, right? With that thought in mind, she decided to go to the left. Just stay left. Everything will be fine as long as I take my time. She absentmindedly ran her hand along the wall, finding it to be perfectly smooth. How have I never heard about someone making an entire maze? There¡¯s no way someone was able to keep this hidden. Feeling her hand come off the wall, she looked left to find another pathway. I said I was going left. Taking the path, she eventually came face to face with a wall. Damn, it¡¯s a dead end. And I didn¡¯t see anything else down this way. Looks like I¡¯ve got to turn back. She picked up the pace, jogging until she reached the previous hallway. Following it along, she passed by several branching pathways on her right. I¡¯ve been walking for a while, maybe I should go back and check those hallways. She took a moment to stop herself. No, stop it. I should be patient. Looks like that¡¯s a dead end. Just before she made it to the end of the hallway, she stopped herself, seeing that it was a dead end, she decided to just save herself some time by going down the path to her right. Walking down the hallway, she felt as if she could hear something. Am I going crazy? She slowed down, trying to make as little noise as possible. No. There¡¯s definitely something. Pressing her ear up against the wall, she could hear the sound of heavy breathing coming from the other side of it. Someone¡¯s in here! She went to call out to them, happy to find that she wasn¡¯t alone. ¡°But be careful, as you won¡¯t be the only thing roaming free.¡± Buddie¡¯s words flashed through her mind, stopping her from speaking. She slowly backed away from the wall, trying not to make any noise. As she slowly crept back down the hallway, the noise slowly disappeared. I think I¡¯m safe now. Double checking to make sure she couldn¡¯t hear anything, she started walking faster, hoping to make some distance between herself and the noise. Walking down the hallway, she would stop on occasion, listening out for anything. She grew paranoid, and as she walked, she would turn around to make sure no one was following her. She made it back to one of the paths she saw earlier and stopped. She looked around, making sure no one was there before stepping down the path. The further down the path she went, the more her paranoia set in. What if someone¡¯s down here? Her breathing grew louder, forcing her to stop for a moment to calm down. Maybe I should turn back? What if it¡¯s a dead end and I¡¯m just wasting my time here? Taking a deep breath, she turned around. What the fuck is that! At the end of the hallway stood a gaunt figure with extremely pale skin. The figure had long black hair that hid most of her face, only showing a single, glowing red eye that was staring directly at Cali. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Cali immediately broke out into a sprint, running away from the creature as fast as her legs could take her. FUCKING SHIT! WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT? As she sprinted for her life, she could hear the sound of footsteps and heavy breathing getting closer and closer. Out of fear, she refused to turn back, deciding to keep her attention on the path ahead. Please don¡¯t be a dead end! Running as fast as she could, she almost collided with the wall, but was able to keep most of her momentum going around the corner. A few metres later she was forced to turn again, slowing her down just a tad bit more. Come on, come on. She could hear the creature slam into the first wall and urged her legs to move faster. Eventually she made it back into the earlier hallway, and without thinking, sprinted back down the left, back to where she first started. She felt exhausted, but refused to stop until she could no longer hear anything behind her. Did I escape? Hiding away in a corner, Cali tried to stay as quiet as possible. Her breathing slowly settled after that intense escape. Her legs felt like they were burning, so she gave herself a short moment to rest before jumping back out there. Taking things slow, she made sure to look around every corner before quietly stepping into the next hallway. Aside from her own footsteps and breathing, her surroundings were completely quiet, but she refused to lower her guard at all. What was that thing? There¡¯s no way that was a human. Is this all just some weird fever dream? Looking to her right, she saw the room where she woke up. Please, I just want to go home. Reaching this point, she stopped for a moment, before resolutely walking forward. Walking down the unfamiliar path, she continued checking every pathway, growing more and more anxious with every dead end and looping path she found. Where is it? It has to be here somewhere? I¡¯ve almost checked everywhere in this stupid place. Her frustration and anxiety mounted as she reached another dead end. Why can¡¯t I find it? Out of anger, she threw a punch at the wall. She sighed heavily. I need to calm down. There are still a few places I haven¡¯t checked yet. Prepared to continue searching, she turned around. The figure was once again standing at the end of the hallway. But this time, Cali had nowhere to run to. She froze in place, watching as it closed in on her. Unable to do anything, she found herself staring directly into the creatures glowing red eye. Her jaw slackened as she clumsily walked forward. As it got closer, the creatures long hair rose into the air, revealing its face. The hair coiled around Cali, embracing her and the creature completely. ¡°Unfortunately for you Cali, it seems like you were unable to escape the maze. The entire time, you were plagued by anxiety and paranoia, which ultimately led to you making the wrong decisions. And in the end, you fell into the hands of your stalker. Enjoy Hell Cali, Goodbye.¡± ~ Mm. In her slumber, Zara felt as if she was swaddled in the most comfortable blanket she had ever felt. More than anything, she wanted to stay coddled in its embrace forever. ¡°Hello Zara. It¡¯s time to wake up now.¡± Buddie said. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes and yawned. Where am I? She found herself in a pleasant little recovery room. She felt the gentle warmth of sunlight on her face and looked out the window to see a beautiful meadow. Everything felt peaceful. This is nice. Looking down, she found herself covered by a large pair of feathery white wings. What? ¡°Buddie, what¡¯s going on?¡± Zara said, worried and confused about what was going on. ¡°You have awakened your bloodline.¡± ¡°So what! Am I part bird?¡± Zara flipped out, worried that she had turned into an abomination. What else has changed? Her wings unfurled, allowing her to see the rest of her body. Studying it closely, she heaved a sigh of relief. Phew, nothing¡¯s changed. Not used to having wings, she awkwardly struggled off the bed, knocking her wings into the bedside furniture. Standing up in the middle of the room, her wings stretched out to their full length behind her. What do I look like? As if knowing what she was thinking, the wall in front of her rippled, transforming into a mirror. Looking at her reflection, she was completely transfixed by her wings. Stretching her arms out as far as possible, she found that her wings stretched past her fingertips. The wings were made up of white feathers that increased in length and size the further they were away from her body. The wings were sleek, elegant and ethereal. Woah. She watched in wonder as her wings began to move at her command. It all came naturally to her, as if she had had them all her life. A moment later, the wings closed in on themselves, disappearing into her back, leaving two gaping wounds. Instinctively, she focused her mind, and a faint golden glow came from her back. Slowly, the wounds began to heal. A few minutes later, her back looked as good as new. ¡°Buddie, what am I?¡± Zara asked excitedly. ¡°Based off my analysis, you have awakened your angelic bloodline.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m an angel!¡± ¡°Not quite. You have only accessed a fraction of the power contained in your bloodline. You are more human than you are angel. I recommend that you become familiar with your new abilities, so that you know what you are now capable of.¡± I can¡¯t wait to tell Ed about this! Thinking of Ed, her mood soured slightly, as she worried about where he was. ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯ll find some time to get used to all of this.¡± Hopefully Ed will be back soon. Chapter 66 Okay, where do I need to go? Stepping out the door, Ed pulled the note out from his pocket and gave it a look. On one side of the note was a map of the town, while the other side was a list of directions to get to his destination. This shouldn¡¯t be too bad. Studying the map, he started walking down the footpath, towards the centre of town. Still in the outskirts, he found his surroundings to be mostly devoid of people. Occasionally, he would come across a drunkard stumbling back home after a long night, a few of which he remembered seeing in the bar earlier. For a moment, the town looked peaceful. This is not what I thought Hell would be like. It feels like a normal town to me. As he walked towards the city centre, he slowly began to see more people. The town started to come to life. The deeper in he went, the more crowded and active the town became. Surrounded by the vibrant nightlife, Ed had to carefully make his way through the crowd. He held the box tightly to his chest, making sure nothing happened to it. How close am I? Checking the note, he found that he was only a couple streets away. I¡¯m almost there. Carefully stowing away the note, he trudged through the crowd, finding it easier to do so the closer he got to his destination. That¡¯s weird. Approaching the final street, he found himself entirely alone. Looking back, he found that the crowd was actively avoiding this area. It didn¡¯t take long for him to figure out why. Turning the corner, he found that what looked like a street on the map was instead a driveway, leading up to a mansion. There was a massive gate blocking his path, with armed guards posted to cover the entire driveway, ready to fire at a moment''s notice. What have I gotten myself into? ¡°Stop right there!¡± One of the guards shouted, pointing his gun directly at him. I better do as he says. Ed stopped in his tracks. He raised his hands to show he meant no harm. ¡°State your business!¡± ¡°Arthur asked me to deliver a package to the owner of this place. He said that Victor normally delivers it.¡± Ed said, holding up the box to show to the guard. ¡°How do I know Arthur sent you?¡± The guard asked. Ed rummaged through his pocket for the note, holding it up so that the guard could see it. ¡°I¡¯ve got a note from Arthur right here.¡± ¡°Alright, step closer. I need to verify it¡¯s real.¡± The guard stayed vigilant, keeping the gun pointed at Ed as he got closer. When Ed got within reach, he lowered his gun so that he could grab the note, but he remained vigilant, prepared for an attack at any time. Checking through the note, he verified that it was from Arthur. ¡°Everything checks out. You can head on through.¡± He gave a nod to one of the other guards, who opened the gate. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. As Ed stepped through, he noticed that the guards were still keeping an eye on him. Stopping at the door, he was greeted by a maid who led him through the house. Walking through the large and lavish hallway, Ed truly felt the scale and immensity of the building. This place is massive. ¡°Mr Milani is waiting on the other side of this door. You can head through when you¡¯re ready.¡± The maid said, standing at the door. ¡°You¡¯re not Victor.¡± Mr Milani said suspiciously. ¡°Victor¡¯s not feeling well, so Arthur asked me to bring this to you.¡± ¡°How do I know you¡¯re telling the truth?¡± ¡°Arthur gave me a note, I handed it over to the guard at the front gate. If you call them in, they¡¯ll be able to tell you that I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± Arthur was right. This guy is being very cautious. Mr Milani squinted his eyes, staring at Ed for a while before nodding his head. A moment later, a group of armed guards entered the room and immediately surrounded Ed. Ed gulped as he watched them point their guns at him. This isn¡¯t good. His eyes darted around, eventually landing on the guard he talked to before. ¡°That¡¯s the guard I talked to; he should have the note.¡± Ed indicated to the guard, making sure to not make any sudden movements. Mr Milani turned to the guard in question, staring him down harshly. ¡°Did he have a note?¡± ¡°No Sir. He didn¡¯t.¡± The guard said. SLAM. Mr Milani slammed his fist on the table, turning it to dust. ¡°Then how did he get in?¡± Ed watched as the man grew in size, turning into a giant snake that coiled around the room. A noxious purple gas filled the room. Ed began to suffocate, as the guards dropped to their knees. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Sir. It won¡¯t happen again.¡± The guard croaked out as he struggled to breathe. ¡°Good.¡± The room went back to normal when he shrunk back down to his normal size. Mr Milani looked weaker after his transformation. He began coughing heavily, and it looked like he could barely move. It took several minutes for everyone to stand back up, but it was evident that they were still not feeling well. ¡°Get rid of him!¡± He commanded as he sat down. The guards raised their guns again and fired. Shit! Hot lead pierced through Ed¡¯s body from all directions. Uuughh. Ed felt immense pain as the bullets turned his body into a sieve. His blood stained the carpet as his body was torn apart. His body crumpled to the ground, but they kept unloading rounds into his body. Some of the bullets passed through his body, while others exploded inside, causing even more damage and leaving shrapnel in their wake. Click, click. Eventually, the room was silent. Still vigilant, the guards reloaded and kept their guns pointed at Ed. A tense few moments passed as the guards stood there at the ready. Thanks to Buddie, Ed remained painfully aware of everything that was happening. He felt every piece of shrapnel in his body and felt as the air passed through the bullet holes. Large chunks of his body had exploded, left splattered across the room. ¡°Clean him up.¡± Mr Milani commanded. Chapter 67 If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Chapter 68 Classical music rang through the air, setting the atmosphere in the dining room. The walls were embossed with floral patterns made of gold, standing out on the clean marble background. A large chandelier hung over an elegant mahogany dining table. The chairs matched the table, and the backs of the chairs were exquisitely carved in a similar design to their family¡¯s crest. The room was lavishly decorated, floor to ceiling mirrors stood out with elegant wooden frames, perfectly reflecting the opulence of the room. The focal point of the room being a giant family portrait hung directly over the fireplace. The entire room was the definition of expensive opulence. At the head of the table, Joshua was roused from his sleep by the music. Where Am I? Dazed, it took him a while to figure out where he was. Looking around, he found the room to be incredibly familiar. Everything clicked when he saw the painting above the fireplace. Why am I here? He jumped in shock, but found himself stuck in the chair. His brain went into overdrive as he tried to escape. ¡°Good morning, Joshua. I believe you have figured out where you are. This is the room where six people lost their lives. But you know exactly what happened that night, don¡¯t you? You were tired of the way you were treated and decided to take matters into your own hands. Because of you, six people died. Only one family member survived. That is a one-in-seven chance, and today you will be faced with similar odds. Seven cups have been placed before you. Only one of them is completely safe. You have to figure out which it is and drink it in order to survive. Good luck.¡± Joshua¡¯s face turned pale as sweat clung to his back. How do they know? Nobody knew it was me, I¡¯m sure of it. ¡°Who are you? What do you want from me?¡± He shouted, desperate for an answer. Nobody answered. Left with nothing but silence, Joshua looked down at his bindings, and struggled to try and escape them. He kicked and thrashed until he was exhausted, but nothing he could do allowed him to escape. His arms and head were the only things that were free to move around. He looked around the room, hoping to find something that could help him. In the middle of the table, he saw a large carving knife. That might work! Excited, he wrapped his arms around the bottom of the chair and leant forward as much as possible, trying to pick up the chair and start moving. He lifted as hard as he could but failed to move the chair at all. Damn, it¡¯s too heavy, I¡¯ll have to try something else. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. he started shifting his body weight back and forth. Come on, come on. After a few minutes of trying his hardest, the chair didn¡¯t even so much as shift. It felt as if the chair had been bolted into the ground, making it impossible to move it. Having exhausted all his options, he hesitantly turned his attention to the cups placed before him. Thanks to his years of working for them, he could immediately tell which cup had belonged to which family member. The three crystal wine glasses belonged to the parents and the oldest son. Recently, they had taken up drinking more often because of the PR disaster their family had found itself in. The parents preferred a richer red wine, with the father favouring an aged wine, while the mother went for a younger one. The son preferred a dry white wine, and their choice of glass reflected that. The three porcelain teacups belonged to the three middle children, with each containing a distinctly different tea in them. The youngest child had a simpler, relatively unadorned mug, containing a pleasant fruit juice. Being significantly younger than his siblings, he always felt disconnected from them, and disliked how the rest of his family used their wealth and authority. There¡¯s no way it''s this simple. It has to be a trap. They¡¯ve definitely poisoned the youngest one''s drink. But which one do I go for then? He sat there studying the drinks, hoping to find something to point him in the right direction. Unfortunately, he found nothing. Did they use cyanide as well? Picking up a wine glass, Joshua took a big whiff, hoping to catch the scent of bitter almonds. After smelling all of the drinks, he concluded that he couldn¡¯t smell it at all. Damn. He sat there for several minutes, trying to figure out which one was safe. The youngest one has to be a trap, so that one¡¯s out. Maybe I have to think about this from how they treated us. The father was undoubtedly the worst, I saw him physically abusing the maids on more than one occasion. The mother yelled at us a lot, and so did the oldest son. The three middle children just bossed us around a lot... Which one would be safe? Ugh, this is so difficult. He took a moment to relax, allowing the music to wash over him. He looked at the aged red wine in the father¡¯s glass. If the youngest is out, just maybe... He hesitated for a moment, before picking up the father¡¯s drink. Here goes nothing. He took a deep breath before slamming back the drink. The mellow notes of wood and earth were overpowered by the burning sensation on his tongue. He realised almost immediately that he had made a mistake, but now it was too late to fix it. Several minutes passed in excruciating agony before he slumped back on his chair. ¡°Unfortunately, Joshua, that was the wrong drink. You should have trusted your original judgement. Instead, you overcomplicated the situation, and have now made the wrong decision. There was no trap, nor trick. We poisoned the exact same drinks that you did, meaning that the youngest child¡¯s fruit juice was the correct decision. Now, you shall join them in the afterlife. Enjoy Hell Joshua. Goodbye.¡± Chapter 69 The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Chapter 70 This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Chapter 71 Blood was pouring from the massive gaping hole in the body¡¯s torso. The hole was messy, as if it was shredded apart by the claws of a beast. The rest of the man¡¯s body had been left untouched. The old man¡¯s slightly piggish face was twisted in agony. Did one of those birds get in? Ed¡¯s eyes darted to the window, but it was still there, completely undamaged and without any signs of there even being a fight outside the window. Looking around the room, he couldn¡¯t find any signs that something had broken in. While he was studying the scene, a crowd of curious onlookers had formed, squeezing into the carriage to try and see what happened. The train staff had to squeeze their way through the crowd, eventually managing to get to the old woman. Helping her up, the worker supported her as she cried. ¡°What happened here?¡± He asked. While he was taking care of the woman, the rest of the workers dispersed the crowd, getting them to go back to their seats. Taking one final glance at the room, Ed blended into the rest of the crowd as he left. I don¡¯t think one of those birds got him... That means someone on this train killed him, but why? I¡¯ll have to talk with Victor about this. We¡¯ll have to be more alert from now on. Stepping into the room, he saw Victor looking at him curiously. ¡°What happened out there?¡± Victor asked. Ed sighed and sat down at his seat, not taking his eyes off the door at all. ¡°Someone died in the next carriage over. His chest was shredded open.¡± ¡°Did one of the birds sneak in?¡± Victor asked. ¡°Not from what I could see. There¡¯s a murderer on board this train. Let¡¯s keep an eye out from now on.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Victor replied solemnly, no longer focusing on his drink. Another hour passed in silence, as the two pretended as if everything was normal. The room became tense for a moment when there was a knock on the door, but it was just a member of staff coming to check up on them. ¡°How long have we got left?¡± Ed asked. ¡°About half an hour.¡± Good. We¡¯re almost there. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go to the bathroom.¡± Victor nodded, turning his attention to his watch the moment Ed stepped out of the room. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Walking down the hallway, Ed stayed alert. He watched every doorway, preparing himself for an attack at any moment. Stepping into the bathroom, he beelined straight for the nearest stall. Flush. Stepping out of the stall he washed his hands at the sink. Through the mirror, he watched as the door to the bathroom opened behind him. The man was overly tall and gangly, with pale, splotchy skin. His clothes were messy and ill-fitting as if they didn¡¯t belong to him. Ed locked eyes with the man and saw the same bloodlust he saw in the eyes of the birds. Crap. Ed dodged to the side, the man¡¯s clawed fingers narrowly slicing across Ed¡¯s cheek. Blood sprayed onto the countertop, as three bloody lines were carved into Ed¡¯s face. Ed turned around to face his opponent, preparing himself for a fight. Before he could react, the man¡¯s hand pierced through his chest. Ed groaned in pain as the man lifted him into the air. Ed kicked and flailed as he was skewered on the man¡¯s arm. Ugh, shit. Well, I think I found the killer. The man unhinged his jaw, opening his mouth to an unnatural degree. Ed felt a chilling cold as the temperature of the room dropped rapidly. Ed felt an immense pain he hadn¡¯t felt in ages. It felt as if his entire body was being ripped apart. A familiar blue wisp became visible inside his body. I saw Mr Milani suck this out of the person that attacked him. Is this what my soul looks like? The pain became unbearable as he felt it tearing at his soul. Unknown to Ed, there was a small reddish black thread in the very centre of his soul. Feeling an outside force tugging on it, the wisp awoke from its dormant state. As if it was starved for energy, it greedily devoured the fragile blue soul around it. Ed let out a guttural scream, as his mind collapsed under the unbearable pain. Trapped on the man¡¯s arm, he lost consciousness. ~ It¡¯s been longer than the agreed upon time. Glancing down at his watch, Victor got up and left the room. Racing down the hallway to the nearest bathroom, he kept an ear out for any signs of fighting. Bursting through the bathroom door, he froze in his tracks, staring in horror at what was in front of him. A tall, pale man was floating in the air, flailing around desperately. As if he was being hung from a thread. Four long, unsightly arms made of thread surrounded the figure, and tore the man¡¯s body apart, spraying blood and flesh across the entire bathroom. The man¡¯s soul remained floating in the air, completely detached from the body. Where is Ed? Victor¡¯s eyes subconsciously traced along one of the limbs. Following the limb to the ground, Victor found Ed lying on the floor, unconscious. The four arms came out from his back, where there was a massive hole that allowed Victor to see through Ed¡¯s body completely. The soul was sucked into the arms, pulling apart in four wispy streams of smoke. Having consumed the soul completely, the arms disappeared, leaving Ed lying alone, surrounded by blood and gore. Victor stood still for several minutes, making sure that it was over before finally stepping into the room. Reaching Ed¡¯s body, he scooped him up carefully before running back to their room. It wasn¡¯t long before he heard footsteps rushing past, heading in the direction of the bathroom. He hid in the room until the train had arrived at their stop. Carrying everything of the train, he made his way through the town. I won¡¯t be able to get close to the portal with Ed like this. Luckily, we¡¯ve still got time. I can find a hotel here and wait for him to wake up. Weaving through the quiet alleyways of the town, he found a quiet hotel. Leaving Ed outside for a moment, he went in to book the room, then snuck Ed into the room through the window. Now I just have to wait. Chapter 72 If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Chapter 73 I wonder what¡¯s happening to Ed right now? Is he okay? Is he safe? Zara sat at her work desk, worrying about Ed. He still isn¡¯t back yet. I thought he said that the punishments lasted less than a day. ¡°Today¡¯s file has arrived Zara.¡± Buddie said, knocking her out of her thoughts. Name: Marlon Bower Age: 23 Occupation: Hotel porter Biography: Born to parents John and Valery Bower, Marlon¡¯s family ran a small motel off the highway on the edge of town. He helped his parents in the hotel. He would help the customers to their rooms, and provide them with assistance whenever they needed it... Despite being out of the way, the motel received a lot of visitors because the town was in-between multiple tourist hotspots... Marlon met countless characters and became enamoured by their stories... Thanks to his young, innocent appearance, and his eloquence, he was able to easily connect with the customers, acting as if they had been friends for years... One late night, a young couple pulled into the motel¡¯s carpark. The woman clung to the man sweetly, clearly drunk. Thankful that he was able to find a room, the man left his bags to Marlon while he carried the woman to their room... Later in the night, Marlon woke up to a dull thump. Heading towards the source of the noise, he looked through the window to see the man standing tall above the bloodied and wounded woman. Marlon froze in fear, watching as the man brutalised the woman¡¯s body, killing her. Marlon locked eyes with the man, who threatened him into silence with the bloody knife... Even long after the man left, Marlon stayed silent, and never told anyone about what he saw. -End of document- Why didn¡¯t he say anything? The man wouldn¡¯t have been able to do anything to him. The moment he left town, Marlon should¡¯ve gone to the police. That way the man would¡¯ve been stopped. ¡°Buddie. Has that man killed anyone since this happened?¡± ¡°Yes, he has since killed three more women.¡± More people are going to die because of his inaction. I think I know how to punish him. Opening the app, she went about setting the scene for the murder that took place. The motel took shape on the screen, with the moon shining on the empty highway. ¡°Buddie, can you show me what happened that night? I want to see what happened to her.¡± Zara asked. A moment later, footage of that night showed on screen. Zara studied every action the killer took during the video. Watching the video come to an end, Zara went back to work. ¡°I want you to put Marlon in the position of the woman. However, I don¡¯t want him to be under the effect of any drugs or alcohol when he gets attacked. I want him to be fully aware of the pain. If he makes any noise loud enough to attract the attention of the other people in the motel, someone will appear in the window like he did. If this happens, he will die.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Is there anything else you would like to add?¡± Buddie asked. She thought for a moment and grinned. ~ For a moment, Ed felt completely weightless. He found himself surrounded by the same blue light that came when the teleporter activated. He tried to sense around for the other people but found no one. It felt like he was once again trapped in an abyss. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t last long. His vision cleared, and he was able to sense everyone that was around him. Victor grabbed him by the arm and led him out of the square he found himself on. ¡°I¡¯ve already called ahead to have someone come get us. There should be a car waiting for us outside.¡± The crowd flooded out of the square and dispersed throughout the city. Parked by the side of the road was a Limousine. Standing out front of the car was a neatly dressed man holding a sign that read ¡®Victor¡¯. Greeting the man, the two hopped into the back of the limo. As it set of down the street, Ed was able to get a proper view of Pride City. Despite the constant ash and smoke in the sky, the city was immaculately clean. Ed saw janitors going up and down the street, constantly at work making sure that the city was clean. As the car drove further away from the teleporter, the number of armed guards decreased, but Ed could still see them patrolling around different buildings. Off in the distance, in the centre of town stood a majestic golden palace. Even from this distance, the palace dwarfed everything else in the city. It was by far the largest and most luxurious building Ed had ever seen. The palace could be seen from almost anywhere in the city. BOOM! BOOM! A series of explosions happened further down the street, demolishing one of the buildings. Through the rubble and smoke, Ed watched an intense battle play out. Two people were locked in a constant battle, dodging around the place and using the rubble to avoid each other¡¯s attacks. A young insectoid woman was hurling bombs at her opponent while ducking between cover. Her opponent, a man with weasel like features, was trying to find an opening so he could shoot her with his pistols. The battle itself was noisy and chaotic but was limited to that single plot of land. The car drove past the fight, which didn¡¯t seem like it was going to end anytime soon. I wonder who¡¯s going to win? Ed thought while looking back at the fight as it slowly disappeared from view. Victor noticed Ed¡¯s curiosity and decided to shed some light on the situation. ¡°What you just witnessed was a duel. Here on the Pride circle, sinners will duel each other for many reasons: power, wealth, ownership of land, or even just because of their pride. Unless the person owns a lot of land, this is usually the most destructive the duels will get.¡± ¡°And why is that?¡± Ed asked. ¡°Destroying your own property is fine, but problems can arise if you damage someone else¡¯s property. There¡¯s the potential for the fights to blow way out of control, and most people find that unbecoming of their status, so they try their best not to cause needless destruction. That¡¯s also the reason why the battle is a straightforward duel. You most likely won¡¯t come across a sneak attack like what happened to Mr Milani in Pride City.¡± ¡°So, the people here care a lot about their status?¡± ¡°They¡¯re on the Pride Circle for a reason. Of course, there will be people from other circles, so not everyone will care about their status so much. But the citizens do hold everyone to fairly high standards.¡± Not too long later, the car came to a stop outside of a modern and stylish looking office building. Above the entrance of the building was aa bright, glittering sign that read ¡®Hellish Habits Co. Ltd.¡¯ Looks like this is our stop. Making sure they looked presentable, the two stepped out of the car and made their way inside. Chapter 74 A lone car pulled up to an old motel, the driver thankful that there was a vacancy. The light from the car¡¯s headlights bounced off the bare white walls. Turning off the car, the car park was plunged into darkness, only lit by the moon above, and an old flickering lightbulb that was long overdue for a change. The sound of the car door opening woke up the young man who was sleeping in the passenger seat. Rubbing his eyes, Marlon looked around in confusion. Where am I? Before he could do anything, an arm wrapped around his waist and dragged him out of the car. Huh? Still confused, he felt relieved upon seeing the familiar sight of the motel. ¡°Come on babe, I¡¯ll get you inside.¡± Said a warm, deep voice. Marlon turned his head upon hearing the voice and froze in shock as he stared directly into the eyes that had haunted his mind for weeks. The murderer had somehow returned, and Marlon had found himself in the arms of the man. No! No! I need to get out of here! Marlon tried to struggle, but his body felt heavy and unbearably slow, as if it wasn¡¯t under his control at all. He urged himself to move but couldn¡¯t escape the tight grasp the man had on his waist. The man dragged him forward, as if Marlon weighed nothing. ¡°Hello, how long would you like a room for?¡± Marlon was almost brought to tears upon hearing his mother¡¯s voice. Feeling unparalleled joy and relief, he tried his hardest to get her attention, but was only able to look up at her. ¡°We want a couple¡¯s room if you have any. And just for the night please.¡± The man said, matching word for word with what he had said that night. Marlon felt a strong feeling of d¨¦j¨¤ vu and was confused by why his mother didn¡¯t seem to recognise the man. Looking into her eyes, he was overcome by a feeling of dread when he didn¡¯t spot even a flicker of recognition from her. Mom! Mom, it¡¯s me! Please help me! He screamed as hard as he could, but the words never left his mouth. He despaired as he was brought back outside, and was led into the same room as that night. Is this all a dream? ¡°Uugh.¡± He was roughly tossed onto the bed, while the man went to freshen up in the bathroom. ¡°Hello Marlon. You must be wondering why he is back. And it¡¯s just as you feared. He has come back to silence you. However, you have been given a chance to prove yourself, and if you do well, you will be spared. Do you remember what you saw that night? I hope you do, because you are about to go through the same things that happened to that woman. And just like what happened to her, a witness will spell your demise. If you are quiet enough not to attract any attention, then you will have proved that you can be trusted with his secret. Good luck Marlon.¡± Just as the voice stopped speaking, the door to the bathroom swung open. The man was standing there, knife in hand, and wearing a sickening grin. Marlon stared up at the man and firmed his resolve. None of this is real. I¡¯ll be fine. I can do this. ¡°I¡¯m going to have a lot of fun with you.¡± Keeping the twisted grin on his face, the man stepped closer to Marlon. He tapped the blade on Marlon¡¯s chest and gently glided it up, causing Marlon to flinch. ¡°Sshh.¡± He said while lifting Marlon¡¯s chin with the tip of the knife. Marlon gulped but was able to remain silent. ¡°Good.¡± He whispered, setting the knife aside. SLAP! Marlon felt a stinging sensation in his left cheek. A red handprint was left on his face, and immediately started to swell. He winced at the pain, as tears already started to fall from his eyes. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Oh, come on. It wasn¡¯t that bad. Cheer up.¡± He wiped the tears from Marlon¡¯s face, and gently stroked his cheek while making Marlon face him. SLAP! He slapped Marlon¡¯s other cheek, giving it a matching red welt. He continued peppering Marlon¡¯s body with strikes, leaving bruises up and down his body. Blood dribbled down his chin from him biting his lower lip too hard. Pain radiated from all parts of Marlon¡¯s body. Please just make it end. As if his thoughts were heard, everything stopped for a moment. Opening his eyes, he saw that the man had gotten off the bed, and was standing next to him, that sadistic grin still present. For a moment, the man seemed distracted, and was no longer looking at him. Marlon¡¯s eyes fell on the knife. This is my chance. With a burst of sheer willpower, he forced his hand ever closer to the blade. Just a little more. Feeling the cold metal at the tip of his finger, his heart screamed with joy, knowing that he was just a short moment away from turning everything around. As his fingers reached the handle, he felt another hand grasp around the knife, and pull it out of his reach. NO. ¡°Why thank you! I got so excited that I almost forgot about this. It seems you¡¯re very eager to get along to this part as well, I would feel bad if I kept you waiting.¡± Without any hesitation, he brought the knife down on the outstretched hand, slicing off the tips of the middle three fingers. It cut through so cleanly that it took Marlon¡¯s brain a moment to register what was happening. Blood sprayed from the ends of his fingers, as the tips fell onto the bedside table. Hearing them fall onto the table was all his brain needed to kickstart the pain again. The pain was unimaginable for Marlon, as it was unlike anything he¡¯d ever experienced before. It was the worst injury he had ever experienced, but through sheer will and determination, he managed to stop himself from screaming. ¡°Now I wouldn¡¯t want you to bleed out before we really got started, so let me just patch you up real quick.¡± A golden glow flowed from the man¡¯s outstretched palm, gently surrounding the fresh open wounds. Slowly, the fingers began to heal. Flesh and skin grew to cover the open wound, stopping the blood, but leaving Marlon with three stubs in place of fingers. What? He was once again completely stunned. The last few minutes put into question everything he thought he knew about reality. He stared at his hand, failing to understand what was going on. The fallen fingertips and the blood being the only physical reminders of what had just happened. This has to be a dream. None of this is real... But the pain. Why does it all hurt so much? The blade ran up his arm, shocking him back awake as he was left with blood pouring out of the entire length of his arm. Blood sprayed out crazily, as several veins had been cut through. Marlon felt dizzy from the blood loss. The pain urged him to scream. To release everything in one monumental moment. But even as his mind started to fade, he held strong. The glow appeared once more and was cast all over his entire arm. His body was repaired, but his mind was still reeling from the pain. Please stop. Just let it end. The knife continued to dance across his body, coating his body in more blood than should even be possible. He was brought to the edge of death again and again, only for the injuries to fade away. But the pain didn¡¯t. Like a phantom, the pain continued to lash out at his mind and body. As if a thousand ghostly blades were repeatedly tearing his body apart. To protect himself, his brain shut down, as he held onto the hope that it would all be over soon. ~ HahahahaHAHAHAHA. As she brought the blade down again and again across Marlon¡¯s body, Zara grew more and more excited. The feeling of having the man¡¯s life dance on the palm of her hand was addictive. It was the most exhilarating feeling she had ever experienced. I wonder what will happen here? With a bout of unnatural strength, she sliced straight through his leg, but instead of healing the wound straight away, she decided to do something different. Picking up the calf, she turned it ninety degrees and pressed it tightly up against the wound. With a wave of her hand, the leg reconnected itself. Cool! I can have some fun with this! As if it was a toy, she ripped Marlon¡¯s body apart and reassembled it into a monstrosity. Marlon¡¯s legs bent unnaturally, zigzagging in every direction. One hand grew out of his stomach, while the other grew out of his head. Playing with the knife, she paused for a moment, staring at Marlon¡¯s neck. Delicately, she started cut along the neck, slowly twisting it while constantly using her healing powers to keep him alive. ~ With his mind completely shattered, Marlon¡¯s body was working solely on instinct. He gasped for breath, flailing about in agony. His arm smacked into the bedside lamp, sending it crashing to the floor. In the last moments of his life, he stared out helplessly at the face in the window. It was the young woman who died that night. I¡¯m sorry. ¡°Unfortunately for you Marlon, you were unable to stay silent. However, this is not your fault. Your captor went above and beyond the original means used by the killer they were disguised as. They stepped beyond their bounds, so they will be punished for that. Enjoy Hell Marlon, goodbye.¡± Chapter 75 Stepping inside the building''s foyer, Ed found it to be as pristine as the rest of the city. The room had a modern minimalist design, and the tiled floor was so clean that Ed could make out every detail of his face reflected back at him. Two young women sat behind the receptionist¡¯s desk near the entrance, wearing a professional and pleasant smile. One of them was an imp, while the other was a sinner with slight lion-like features. Just by looking at the sinner, Ed could tell that she was incredibly proud of her appearance, and that she put great effort into looking the best she could for the company. ¡°Welcome to the office of Hellish Habits! How may we help you today? Do you have an appointment?¡± The imp receptionist asked. Victor stepped forward to handle the conversation, even putting on a professional and charming smile that Ed hadn¡¯t seen from him up to this point. ¡°We are the representatives sent by Mr Milani. Our meeting should be in an hour¡¯s time.¡± While Victor set everything up, Ed continued to look around the foyer. To the left of the entrance was an open space with several elevators running along the far wall. To his right was a waiting area made up of several couches. He saw a few people in finely dressed suits sitting in the waiting area. Some were relaxed and casually reading magazines, while others were nervously shuffling through the papers in their hands. ¡°... Please take a seat over there, someone will be with you shortly.¡± The receptionist said. With a thank you and a wave goodbye, Victor found himself a seat in the waiting area, with Ed following close behind. Sitting together at the only empty couch, Ed continued to observe the people around him. There aren¡¯t too many people around right now. I might as well do some testing while I wait. Taking a moment to ready himself, he willed his eyes to see the strings around him. The strings reappeared in his vision, as if they had never left. They coiled tightly onto the peoples¡¯ bodies, but were undetectable to everyone but him. Golden strings dominated the room, flying out in every direction imaginable. The red strings were fewer in number, but no less prominent. Let¡¯s see what I can find. Ed focused his attention on the man who was reading a magazine. The strings that led into the future were still too numerous to count, so he decided to focus solely on the ones leading to his past. More specifically, the one leading to his sin. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Zoning in on the red string, he found himself falling back into the void. He panicked for a moment, but calmed down upon remembering that he was able to use his new ¡®thread sense¡¯ to monitor what was happening in the outside world. Ed found himself floating in front of an old rundown apartment complex. Standing on front of the door was the man from the foyer, dressed in a form fitting suit, and shaking hands with another man. A contract was bundled up in his hands. A timelapse played out in front of Ed¡¯s eyes, as the building was demolished, despite the pleas of the tenants that had lived there for decades. With nowhere to go and a lack of proper compensation, some of the former tenants of the building were forced to live on the street. They had to watch with their own eyes as their homes were destroyed to make way for the expansion of the nearby shopping centre. Typical greedy businessman. And he¡¯s doing all this with a smile on his face. He¡¯s probably trying to do the same things here in Hell. I wonder if he¡¯s from Pride or Greed. Honestly either one sounds like it could work. All the while, Ed had stretched his senses into the outside world by secretly transforming his body underneath his clothes. He sensed as the elevator approached the ground floor. The void snapped out of existence, returning Ed back to the building¡¯s foyer as he heard the ding of the elevator. Two people walked out of the elevator and purposefully made their way to the waiting area. One was a middle-aged man with a wolfish face and neatly combed salt and pepper hair. The other was a slightly younger Japanese woman whose hair was neatly tied up in a bun. The man had an air of confidence about him, while the woman gave off a stern and cold aura. They approached Ed and Victor, who stood up immediately. After a solemn handshake and introduction, they all made their way to the elevator. ¡°How was your travel? I heard there was a bit of a delay?¡± Oliver asked. ¡°Yes. There was an accident on the train, but we made it here without any further issues.¡± Victor replied neutrally. A tense Silence filled the elevator as they made their way up. This feels pretty tense. I hope Victor can handle this. Ding! The silence was broken by the sound of the elevator door opening. Ed found himself immediately immersed in the busy noise of the office space he was walking into. The room was loud and boisterous, with people constantly moving back and forth. And the room itself was in vast contrast to the office space Ed had spent the past month of his life in. There were wide open spaces, with splashes of colour and vitality everywhere Ed could see. The atmosphere of the room washed over him, easing the tension that had built up in him during the elevator ride. This place feels so much livelier than the company¡¯s office space. Sadly, this atmosphere was ripped away from Ed all too soon, when he was led into a private meeting room. The door was shut behind him, blocking out the noise from outside. ¡°Let¡¯s get down to business.¡± Haruko said, already sitting down at the table. ¡°Of course. Here¡¯s the agreed upon document.¡± Passing the document over, Victor sat across from the woman. Ed and Oliver sat across from each other as the room fell silent, with only the occasional turning of the pages breaking the monotony. I wonder what they did to get here? It might help in the negotiations, so I might as well check. Chapter 76 This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Chapter 77 Entering the factory, Ed found the inside of the building to be filled to the brim with people constantly rushing back and forth. He also felt a distinct chill in the air, as the entire building was air conditioned. In a way, it reminded him of the glass bangle making factory Rahul owned. The centre of the factory was filled with people carrying boxes of supplies between shelves. Some of the boxes left through the front and were loaded onto the trucks, like Ed had seen outside. The rest were carried into small rooms that lined the other three walls by people wearing fumigation suits. Victor took the lead, guiding the group to a box that had just been taken from one of the rooms. After putting on a pair of disposable gloves, Victor dipped his hand into the box and pulled out a handful of tiny crystals. They were a bright blue and seemed to emit their own light. Victor clenched his fist, turning the crystals into a fine powder. Intrigued, Haruko stepped closer to the box and started running some of her own tests. While she was doing that, Oliver focused his attention on the quality of the factory itself. He ran his finger across one of the shelves and found it to be free of dust. He turned his attention to the protective gear the workers were wearing and found it to be up to standard. ¡°Everything seems okay here.¡± He muttered quietly to himself. This is my chance. Watching them slowly get further and further apart, Ed and Victor exchanged a brief glance. Ed followed Oliver, taking him on a small tour of the facility to check for any health and safety issues. Seeing that there was quite a distance between them and Haruko, Ed knew that he wouldn¡¯t get a better opportunity. ¡°Is everything to your expectations?¡± Ed asked. ¡°Everything seems to be up to code.¡± Oliver said. ¡°Then are you willing to sign the contract as it is currently written?¡± Ed pressed. ¡°I will have to wait for my partner to finish with her tests before I can make a decision.¡± Oliver said. ¡°Well, I have something here that might help you make that decision.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t Greed, I¡¯m not going to accept any bribes.¡± Oliver said sternly, looking insulted. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to bribe you. I¡¯ve just got a piece of information you might be interested in, that¡¯s all.¡± Ed said nonchalantly. ¡°Oh? And what is that?¡± Oliver asked, staring warily at Ed. ¡°How much do you know about why Haruko is here in Hell?¡± ¡°She sold drugs illegally to a lot of people. It ruined a lot of lives, and that¡¯s why she¡¯s here.¡± Oliver answered. ¡°Correct, but do you know why she was selling drugs?¡± ¡°No, she never really talked about it much.¡± Oliver stared cautiously at Ed. ¡°Her father was killed. He was the only source of income because she was so young, so after he died, she was kicked onto the street by the landlord. That¡¯s why she had to sell drugs to get by.¡± ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± Oliver asked, sweat drenched his back even though he was in an air-conditioned room. ¡°Because I know you killed her father, Oliver. You tore his body apart in an alley and left his corpse amongst the filth.¡± Ed said. Oliver immediately got into a fighting stance, ready to pounce on Ed. ¡°It¡¯s not smart to attack your business partner. Your boss will be very unhappy to hear about this, and what will Haruko think when she sees you attack me?¡± Ed stared calmly at Oliver, but prepared internally to defend himself in necessary. Hearing that, Oliver deflated, his shoulders actively sunk down as he sighed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll sign the contract. I¡¯ll figure out how to convince Haruko to accept it, just don¡¯t tell her about what happened.¡± ¡°You have my word.¡± Ed turned around, heading straight back to Victor and Haruko. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ~ A thick fog swirled in the air, as Zara found herself standing in the middle of a road. Where am I? Stretching her hand in front of her, she could barely make out it¡¯s outline through the fog. ¡°You went too far Zara. Your actions far exceeded what the killer did that night. It was far beyond the level of pain Marlon should have gone through, and you even used your newfound abilities to extend his suffering even more. For that you will be punished. You will be forced to go through all of the pain Marlon went through, without the help of your powers to keep you alive. Your only escape is either finding the exit hidden somewhere in the fog, or by dying. Good luck Zara.¡± Wait. I¡¯m being punished? Why? Did I not do what I was supposed to? She looked around but could see nothing through the fog. Damnit. Guess I should start walking. She walked down the road for several minutes without anything happening. The fog didn¡¯t change, and she found nothing except for the road she was walking on. SLAP! She felt a stinging, burning sensation in her left cheek as it immediately swelled. Rubbing her cheek, it wasn¡¯t long before her other cheek was slapped. ¡°Ow.¡± She groaned while rubbing her cheek. ¡°Who¡¯s slapping me?¡± Her eyes darted around the fog, but once again, she found nothing. Grumbling, she continued walking through the fog, searching high and low for any differences. Blow after blow rained down on her body, peppering her skin with welts and bruises. Each time she was struck, she tried to catch whoever was hitting her, but she couldn¡¯t even see who was doing it, much less touch them. Zara grew increasingly frustrated, as she continued to see nothing but the endless fog. Where the fuck is it? Swoosh! The air was cut, as something sliced through her fingers. The tips of her fingers flew out, disappearing in the fog, as blood poured from the wounds. ¡°Fuck!¡± She cried out in pain. More and more cuts appeared on her body as it was slowly shredded into pieces. She tried to call upon her healing powers, but she couldn¡¯t even manifest a spark. Blood poured down her collapsing body as she continued to walk through the fog. ~ ¡°Good morning Zara. You only have ten minutes until the file arrives.¡± She groaned in pain, as she felt thousands of knives dance across her body, but no blood was spilt. The physical injuries were gone, but the marks they left on her soul remained. She felt overwhelmingly exhausted, her body felt sluggish and heavy, as she struggled to even sit up in bed. She groaned in pain as she was wracked by a terrible, mind shattering headache. ¡°Buddie... Help.¡± She cried out, gasping for air. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Zara, but your current condition is because you overdrew on your energy last night. Therefore, there is nothing that the healers can do to help you...¡± Damnit! Seriously? They can heal an exploding head, but they can¡¯t heal this? Ow! Her internal outburst only managed to make her headache worse. ¡°...However, we do have something that can help ease the situation for you.¡± ¡°Please! Whatever it is I want it.¡± Hearing that she wouldn¡¯t have to suffer, she became excited. ¡°It will cost you ten credits. Are you sure you want it?¡± Buddie asked. ¡°FUCKING HELL, JUST GIVE IT TO ME.¡± She shouted while slamming her fist into the ground. A glass bottle appeared on the ground in front of her. It contained a strange purple elixir that seemed to have glittering golden stars swirling inside it. Zara uncorked the bottle, gulping it down without any hesitation. As it flowed down her throat, it emitted a soothing warmth. Slowly, she began to feel more in control of her body, and the headache eased. When the effects of the potion had finished, she was left feeling fatigued, and could still feel the pain radiating in her soul, but she felt better than when she woke up. ¡°Your file has arrived. Do you want me to send it to your TV screen?¡± I don¡¯t feel like leaving this room at all, but... ¡°Is Ed back yet?¡± ¡°It will be a while before he comes back.¡± I guess that settles it then. ¡°Then send it to my TV.¡± She sluggishly rolled off the bed, her wings cushioning her from slamming face first into the ground. She took a few more minutes getting to her feet, but eventually made it to the living room. She groaned Name: Joe Gibson Age: 38 Occupation: Butcher Biography: Born to parents Leo and Allanah Gibson, he grew up on a cattle ranch outside of a small town with three older siblings. As a teenager, much like his older siblings, he helped his parents around the ranch as much as he could. However, he never really bonded with the animals like the rest of his family did. Whenever he tried to help care for the animals, he often made things worse. Instead, he was quite skilled at cooking and preparing food, and would help his dad with preparing the animals for slaughter... As an adult, he started a butcher¡¯s shop inside the town... When his father died, Joe had a falling out with his siblings, and his older brother refused to sell him meat at a low price like their father had... With his business struggling, he had to search for cheaper alternatives, and found that it was cheaper to hunt for his own meat and by mixing it with whatever he could afford, continued to market the meat as pork, beef, chicken... -End of document- Fatigued, Zara had to read through the file a few times before it stuck in her mind. ¡°So, his sin is that he lied to his customers about what he was selling?¡± ¡°Partially yes. It is actually a collection of sins; he killed animals illegally, broke health regulations and falsely advertised his products.¡± Buddie specified. ¡°Ugh. Okaaay.¡± She yawned, wanting to go back to sleep as soon as possible. ¡°Umm. Send him out to hunt for whatever his customers want.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t sufficiently dangerous enough to be considered suitable as a chance at redemption for him.¡± ¡°Then just make him hunt barehanded or whatever. You can decide.¡± She said tiredly. There was a pause for a moment before Buddie responded. ¡°Thank you for submitting your project. You will not receive any credits for today, but you will not be punished.¡± Chapter 78 If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Chapter 79 Joining back up with Victor and Haruko, Ed nodded slightly to Victor. This deal should be secured. I¡¯ve done all that I can. ¡°What do you think? Is it to your satisfaction?¡± Victor asked Haruko. Taking off the gloves, she didn¡¯t give a firm answer either way. ¡°It¡¯s decent, but I¡¯ve seen better. I have to discuss with my partner, but I believe that there are some changes to be made.¡± Not too long later, Oliver had calmed down, and joined back up with the group. They drove back to the office in silence, with everyone focused on their own things. Victor and Haruko were thinking about the upcoming negotiations. Oliver was struggling, his eyes constantly darted between Haruko and Ed. Ed had trapped him, and he knew there was nothing he could do that wouldn¡¯t just make things worse. Ed, on the other hand, was the most relaxed of the group, as he had already done everything he could to ensure this deal would go through. Arriving back at the company, Oliver stopped the group before they reached the elevator. ¡°Haruko and I have some things to discuss in private. This might take a while, so it would be for the best if you wait down here.¡± Ed and Oliver shared one more staredown as the doors to the elevator closed. Sitting down in the waiting area, Ed noticed that both men he saw earlier were gone. They¡¯ve probably already gone up. The driving did take a while. The minutes passed by in excruciating agony for Victor. With every tick of the clock, he felt more worried about what was happening above them. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. The contract will be signed, and there shouldn¡¯t be any changes.¡± Ed said, easing Victor¡¯s nerves. ¡°How do you know that? She wasn¡¯t impressed. She¡¯s definitely going to push for changes to the contract.¡± Victor sighed, feeling as if he had come all the way here for nothing. The contract wouldn¡¯t be signed, and more rounds of negotiations will happen, probably extending on for months or even years. ¡°I can assure you that the contract will be signed as is. Let¡¯s just say that I managed to convince Oliver to help us out, and he has decided that he wanted to help us out.¡± Ed said while checking flipping through a magazine he found. Victor calmed down, and looked curiously at Ed. ¡°How did you manage to do that?¡± Ed gestured for Victor to lean in closer and whispered. ¡°Well, it turns out that he may very well be the reason Haruko is in Hell in the first place. He killed her father, which pushed her into a life of crime in order to make ends meet. He didn¡¯t want her to find out, and well. You can figure out the rest.¡± This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Victor thought for a moment before patting Ed on the shoulder. ¡°If this works, then I would have to really thank you for making my job easier.¡± Several minutes later, the elevator doors opened, and out walked Haruko and Oliver. Haruko maintained her cold and stoic facade, but Oliver appeared noticeably exhausted. He glared at Ed, but kept his mouth shut. ¡°We have decided that the terms in this contract are reasonable and fair. We are willing to sign it, so if you¡¯ll just follow us, we will make this official.¡± Haruko said. Hearing that, Victor finally felt completely relieved. ¡°Of course. Lead the way.¡± Back in the meeting room, they ran through the contract once more, before they both signed two separate copies. Taking his copy of the signed contract, Victor said goodbye before walking back to the elevator. ¡°Thank you, Ed. I¡¯ll make sure to let Mr Milani know about the help you provided.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no problem really, I was just doing my job.¡± ¡°Well thanks anyway. I¡¯m gonna call for a car to come pick me up, are you heading back, or are you staying here?¡± Victor asked. ¡°I¡¯ll be staying here for a while. I¡¯ve got some stuff I want to do in the city.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Pulling out his phone, Victor spent the rest of the elevator ride on the phone. A few minutes later, a car pulled up in front of Hellish Habits. ¡°This is my ride. Here is your payment for a job well done. It¡¯s been a pleasure working with you.¡± Leafing through his suitcase, Victor pulled out several stacks of cash and handed them over to Ed. Flicking through it, Ed noticed that it was a lot more than the agreed upon price. ¡°What¡¯s with the extra cash.¡± ¡°Consider it a bonus. You really made us a lot of money there, so this is the least I could do. I¡¯ll explain it all to Mr Milani.¡± Victor placed his bags in the trunk, before opening the car door. ¡°See you later Ed.¡± ¡°Goodbye, say hi to your parents for me.¡± Ed waved goodbye to Victor, and wondered about where he should go next. Well, if I¡¯m gonna be staying here, I should probably find a place to stay at. He scratched his cheek while looking around the city, unsure of where to go. I should¡¯ve asked Victor for some help, but oh well. It¡¯s too late now. I¡¯ll just have to find somebody else. Heading back inside, Ed decided to ask the receptionists for help. ¡°Hello again Sir. Is there anything we can help you with?¡± The imp asked. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m new to the city, and I was just wondering if you knew of anywhere I could stay?¡± Ed asked. ¡°That depends. How long are you planning on staying here?¡± She asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But I¡¯ll probably be here for a while.¡± Ed guessed, uncertain of exactly how long Buddie was going to keep him here for. ¡°Then you¡¯re probably going to want to look for a place to rent. There are a few apartments a couple streets away that I think are still looking for new tenants. There¡¯s also a realtor down that way that you might want to check out.¡± She said while pointing in different directions for each thing. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll probably check out the realtor.¡± Ed said. ¡°Cool. Give me a moment to write down the directions for you.¡± Not too long later, Ed had a piece of paper in his hand and was walking down the street. I wonder what I¡¯ll find? Chapter 80 Following the directions, Ed took several turns, eventually arriving outside of the realtor. Rosey¡¯s Realty... This should be the place. Ed double checked the note in his hand before stepping through the automatic door. ¡°Hi there! I¡¯m Rosey, how may I help you today?¡± A woman said cheerfully, appearing from behind the counter. The woman stood a full head taller than Ed, and had a plain white mask covering her entire face, except for her mouth that was permanently stretched into a wide smile. She was wearing a large sun hat and a black and blue Victorian era dress. All signs pointed towards her being from over one hundred years ago. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a place to stay.¡± Ed said while looking around the lobby. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve come to the right place! What are you looking for? A house? An apartment? Maybe a mansion perhaps? Here at Rosey¡¯s Realty, we will help you find the home of your dreams!¡± She said cheerfully, offering a hand to Ed. Shaking her hand, Ed took a moment to adjust to her overly cheerful demeanour. ¡°I¡¯m not too sure how long I¡¯m going to be here, so I want an apartment. Preferably one I can move out of at a moment¡¯s notice.¡± ¡°Okay, an apartment with a flexible rental agreement...¡± She mumbled to herself while checking through the computer¡¯s database for a match. ¡°Here we are! I¡¯ve found a a place that will suit your needs perfectly, and it¡¯s pretty cheap as well.¡± She turned the screen around to show Ed. On the screen were photos of a cramped studio apartment, about the size of Ed¡¯s living room back in the company. It¡¯s a little small, but it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to be living in it forever... It¡¯s got a bed and a bathroom; the building has a shared laundry room. Everything¡¯s looking okay, how much does it cost... Ed balked at the price and rubbed his eyes to make sure he was seeing things correctly. Eight hundred dollars a week! Rummaging through his pockets, he realised he had enough money to pay for two weeks. Rosey noticed his reaction and was quick to reassure him. ¡°This price is actually fairly cheap. Land prices are incredibly expensive here in Pride City, so this is one of the best options available to you.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I just find an empty space on the outskirts to get building? Why is land expensive here?¡± Ed asked. I see, you must be quite new to Pride City then. All unowned land is automatically granted to Lord Superbia himself. If you want to build there, or even gain ownership over the land, you will have to strike some form of a deal with Lord Superbia. This is technically the case for the rest of the Pride circle too, but he doesn¡¯t bother with the outskirts, and mostly leaves that up to the discretion of the local town leaders. Who is Lord Superbia? Looks like I¡¯ve got some researching to do, but that can wait until I¡¯ve settled in. ¡°Okay, that makes sense. I¡¯ll take a look at this place then.¡± ¡°Fantastic! Just give me a moment to call up the landlord and we will be right on our way!¡± She cheered excitedly while picking up her phone. A few minutes later she was off the phone and leading Ed outside. ¡°It¡¯s only a few minutes away by car, so it won¡¯t take us too long.¡± I should probably get familiar with the area. I¡¯ll be living here for a while after all. Sitting in the car, Ed peered through the window and looked at the surrounding buildings. He spotted the local grocery store, a few different places to eat out, a pub, and a bunch of other stores. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it All the while, Rosey was on the phone, letting the landlord know that they were on their way. The car pulled up in front of a drab, but still clean and presentable apartment building. Rosey led Ed inside while the car drove off behind them. Stepping onto the chequered floor, Ed could see rows of mailboxes lined across the two side walls. Across from the entrance was an elevator surrounded by a set of stairs that went up to the very top of the building. There was a gap in the ceiling, allowing Ed to see every floor in the building, or at least the railing for those that were too high up. ¡°Here on the ground floor, you will find the shared amenities. As you can see, the mailboxes are all here on this floor, but you will also be able to find the laundry room, toilets, and a security room!¡± Rosey said, giving Ed a tour of the building. ¡°Now the landlord should be around here somewhere... Oh! There he is. Hello William!¡± Rosey waved at a hunched over old man who was making his way down the stairs. The man had a scaly, reptilian face with a large shell on his back. ¡°Good evening, Rosey. Is this the new tenant you were talking about?¡± William said while eyeing Ed up and down. ¡°Hello sir, I¡¯m Ed.¡± Ed reached out, offering a handshake. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you Ed. I¡¯m William. I¡¯ll bring you to check the apartment.¡± He shook hands with Ed before leading them into the elevator. ¡°The previous tenant ended up running off after taking most of the furniture that wasn¡¯t nailed down, So the place is a bit empty. But I assure you they didn¡¯t damage anything, and everything still works just fine.¡± They took the elevator up to the seventh floor and walked down the walkway on the left, stopping in front of door seven hundred and four. ¡°Give me a minute, I should have the key here somewhere.¡± William said while pulling out a truly ridiculous keychain. It held dozens of keys, giving him access to every door in the building. ¡°Here we are.¡± With a click, the door opened to reveal the exact same room as was in the photos, except completely devoid of most furniture. There was no bed, nor was there a desk, couch, and table like was shown in the photo. The kitchen was the only thing that remained in the main room. Stepping into the space, Ed got a good feel for the space thanks to how empty it was. I guess I¡¯m gonna have to get my own furniture. ¡°The bathroom¡¯s through here. It¡¯s all clean, and I made sure it was working before I told Rosey that it was available for rent. So, what do you think? If you can give me a couple weeks'' worth of rent, I¡¯ll be more than happy to hand the key over right after we sign the contract.¡± Hmmm. I¡¯ll have four hundred dollars spare after handing rent over. Looks like I¡¯m gonna have to find a way to get money. This is probably my best offer, and it¡¯s getting late. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll take it.¡± ¡°Great! Here¡¯s the rental agreement, and here¡¯s a pen.¡± William handed the stuff over to Ed. After a brief read through, Ed found nothing wrong with it. Looks pretty flexible. And I can¡¯t find anything wrong or suspicious about it. After double checking, Ed signed his name at the bottom of the document and handed it back to William along with two weeks¡¯ worth of rent. ¡°Thank you, Ed. Here is your key, if you have any questions or concerns, you can come and find me.¡± William said. Sending William and Rosey off, Ed found himself alone in his new apartment. He yawned, as he felt exhausted after the long day of travelling back and forth. I¡¯ll sort out everything else tomorrow. For now, I should rest. Standing where the bed should be, he pondered for a moment. Several threaded arms grew out of his back, bypassing his shirt without damaging it. He focused his mind, manipulating the threads to attach themselves to either side of the wall. Several minutes later, and he had spun himself a rudimentary hammock bed. This feels weird, but it¡¯s better than sleeping on the floor. Lying down on the hammock, He could feel his own body pressing against the threads. It took him several minutes to adjust to the weird sensation, but he eventually fell asleep. Chapter 81 BOOM. An explosion rocked Ed from his slumber, sending him toppling out of his hammock. Ed felt the heavy vibrations as they pulsed through his threaded body, disorienting him. He fell to the ground with a groan as dust fell from the ceiling. Shaking himself awake, Ed pulled the threads back into his body. What is happening? Looking out in the direction of the explosion, he watched as a building collapsed in on itself and was engulfed in flames. In the smoke, he caught sight of two figures locked in a heated battle. Well, I guess I can¡¯t go back to sleep now. Leaning against the window, he watched the fight go on for several minutes before deciding that he had better things to do. Quickly rinsing himself off in a shower, he was forced to get back into his clothes from yesterday. I wish they would¡¯ve packed me more, but beggars can¡¯t be choosers. Without them I would basically be completely naked. Stepping out of the bathroom, Ed felt the sudden impulse to look at the strings of fate. As the strings blinked into existence, Ed looked around his room. Now that I think about it, Buddie did send a healer down to follow me around. That means they should be here somewhere... There you are. A bundle of strings were clustered together in a small corner of the room. ¡°I know you¡¯re here; you can stop hiding now.¡± Ed called out while walking directly to the person, only to receive no response in return. I guess I should leave them alone, they¡¯re just doing their job. ¡°I just wanted to say thanks for keeping me alive.¡± Hearing nothing, Ed decided to just continue going about his day. Rummaging through his luggage, he made sure to collect every loose coin and note, totalling to four hundred dollars. Heading out the door, he took a quick glance over the railing, and watched as the rest of the residents went about their day. Guess I should get going. Stepping into the elevator, he pushed the button for the ground floor and waited for it to close. What do I need to get today? I¡¯m probably gonna need some new clothes, and I¡¯ll definitely need food. Furniture can wait, I¡¯m stretched thin at the moment, and I can¡¯t be wasting my money on stuff I don¡¯t desperately need. Ding! Hearing the elevator door open, Ed stepped out into the foyer, quickly mixing into the crowd. Stepping out onto the street, Ed went back in the direction of Rosey¡¯s Realty, remembering that there were a few stores along the way that could be useful. Luckily that battle¡¯s in the opposite direction, I don¡¯t want to get caught up in any stray fire. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Entering one of the shops from yesterday, he quickly went searching for clothes. I need to make sure I don¡¯t spend too much. I still need money for groceries. Searching through the clothes, he found most of it to be too expensive for him right now. Luckily, he managed to find a few things at an acceptable price. All in all, he spent ninety-five dollars and got enough clothes for five days. This should be good for now, I just need to make sure I don¡¯t get into any more fights until I have more money. Walking out of the store with his bag in hand, he continued on his way to the grocery store. Three hundred and five dollars left, I should try and keep two hundred on me in case of emergencies. Walking into the grocery store, he grabbed a basket and started shopping. I think I¡¯ll skip on the drinks for now. I¡¯ve got access to water at home, so I can save some money there. But I should probably get some milk for the mac and cheese. Going up and down the aisles, he grabbed a few things here and there that he thought would be suitable. Bread, milk, butter, cheap mac and cheese, and instant noodles. Even in Hell, I can¡¯t escape the uni student¡¯s diet. Grandpa would be incredibly worried if he saw me getting just this. You know what, it only comes to about twenty-five dollars, I can definitely get a few more things. Ed walked on over to the deli and looked through the different meats before deciding on buying five dollars'' worth of marinated BBQ chicken. On his way to the self-checkout, he also picked up a jar of peanut butter. That¡¯s thirty-five dollars down, this should be enough for now. Now I¡¯ve just got to get this stuff back to my place. Walking out of the store, he held a bag in each hand. One carried the clothes, and the other the groceries. Making it back to the apartment building, he found it to be considerably quieter than when he left it. Just as he was about to reach the elevator, he noticed William out of the corner of his eye. ¡°Good morning Ed, what¡¯ve you got there?¡± ¡°Morning William. I¡¯m just coming back from doing some grocery shopping.¡± Ed said. ¡°Oh, well don¡¯t let me stop ya. You should head on up and get that stuff packed away.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Just as Ed was about to step into the elevator, he stopped himself and turned back around. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m gonna be heading back out after I pack this stuff away, do you happen to know of anywhere nearby I can go to get information? Like a library perhaps?¡± ¡°Of course. There¡¯s a library not too far from here. You head on up and I¡¯ll write down the directions for you.¡± ¡°Thanks William.¡± With a nod, Ed took the elevator back up to the seventh floor. Entering his apartment, he packed away all of his groceries. Now what should I do with these clothes? I don¡¯t have anything to put them in. Looking around the room, he ultimately decided to just leave the clothes in the bag for now. I¡¯ve got more important things to worry about right now. I should go down and check with William right now. Heading back downstairs, he found William waiting for him. ¡°Here¡¯s the directions to the library, I hope you find whatever it is you¡¯re looking for.¡± William said with a warm smile. ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll be back later today. Stay safe.¡± Chapter 82 Looking up from the paper in his hands, Ed found himself standing out front of a large, exposed brick building. Two pillars stood tall on either side of the stairs leading up to the entrance, holding up a roof that was embellished with intellectual figures from all across the world. This should be it. Ed climbed up the stairs and entered through the large open archway. He found himself immediately immersed in a quiet serenity that felt almost unnatural. Stepping back out through the archway, he heard the hustle and bustle of the city. People chatting, cars driving past, and the sounds of unending destruction happening off in the distance. But when he stepped back inside, that was all gone. There¡¯s something weird about this entrance. Ed stopped for a moment to study the archway. Just like the roof outside, he found it to be covered in several decorative reliefs, but he was unable to figure out how the designs had anything to do with what was happening. ¡°Hello, how may I help you today? Is there anything you¡¯re looking for today?¡± A harsh, nasally voice called out to Ed. Turning his head, Ed saw a large slug like figure taking up all the space behind the desk. The slug donned a suit jacket and had a pair of glasses stuck directly to its face. ¡°Ugh, yeah. Do you have any computer¡¯s around?¡± Ed asked. ¡°Down that hallway, along the wall.¡± They said, waving their flabby arm to the left, scattering mucus across the desk. ¡°Thanks.¡± Ed quickly made his way down the hallway and sat down at the first empty computer he could find. Turning it on, he found that it ran fairly similarly to modern computers. Oh, thank God. I¡¯m glad Hell keeps up with modern times. Accessing the internet, he stopped for a moment to think about what he should do first. I¡¯m in desperate need of cash right now... But I¡¯m also interested in finding out more about who Lord Superbia is. Hmmm. Ed ultimately decided he would leave the job search for later and chose to learn more about the ruler of Pride City. Typing Lord Superbia into the search bar, his screen was immediately flooded with thousands of websites he could click on. Where do I even start? Skimming through the titles, he found everything from current news to fan clubs. I just want to find out something about him. I don¡¯t even know what he looks like. Ed switched over to the images, and only looked at it for a second before hurriedly closing out of the tab. Why is there so much fan art? And why is it all so disturbing? Ed took a moment to try and wipe everything from his mind before retyping Lord Superbia into the search engine. This time, I¡¯m just going to look for a biography. Maybe Wikipedia exists, that would be helpful. Thankfully, Ed managed to quickly find a Wiki page that wasn¡¯t filled with smut. That could¡¯ve gone easier, but at least I¡¯ve found something useful. Let¡¯s see what I can find... One of the first things Ed focused on was a picture of Lord Superbia. In the photo stood a tall man in a tightly fitting black suit with red trimming. The man had flawlessly smooth, pale skin, and a face so perfect that it made Ed pause. His brown hair was slicked back to perfection. Okay. Now I understand the fan art. His blue eyes shone with an arrogant demeanour, as if the entire world was beneath him. Four sleek, angelic wings splayed out behind him, adding to his otherworldly charm. After memorising what he looked like, Ed started reading the introduction. ¡°Lord Superbia is the sin of pride, is the ruler of the Pride circle, and the leader of the seven deadly sins. He rules over Hell, and is the strongest person to ever exist in Hell, never having lost a single fight... He has two children. The eldest son, Alphaeus, and his daughter, Elaine... Lord Superbia is known to be in a heated rivalry with Lady Acedia, as he doesn¡¯t appreciate her sloppiness...¡± Ed scrolled through the page, finding out as much as he could about Lord Superbia, at least that was from what was known to the public. All in all, he seems like a fairly good ruler. Yes, he¡¯s arrogant, but he¡¯s not incompetent. He¡¯s done his job well and has kept everyone in line. I feel like things would be a lot more chaotic and destructive if it wasn¡¯t for him. At least the fights are constrained and have rules. After taking a brief glance at photos of Alphaeus and Elaine, and remembering what they looked like, he searched up the other seven deadly sins, starting with Lady Acedia. In the photo was an incredibly short woman dressed in an oversized hoodie that hid most of her body. She had dark circles under her eyes and looked perpetually tired. The most striking thing about her appearance was that she was entirely in black and white. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Lady Acedia is the sin of sloth, and the ruler of the Sloth circle. She spends most of her time asleep, as does her subjects. Because of this, any cities or settlements in the Sloth circle are often incredibly dilapidated, and are overrun with nature... She often wakes up to Lord Superbia yelling at her, but she doesn¡¯t know why...¡± Okay, so Acedia is basically the opposite of Superbia, I can see why he wouldn¡¯t like her. They have very opposing attitudes. That¡¯s two down, who else do I have to go through? Scanning through their pages, Ed found links to the remaining five people. Luxuria, Gula, Avaritia, Ira, and Invidia... Guess I¡¯ll check out Luxuria next. This time, there were two photos placed side by side. What¡¯s going on? In the first photo was an incredibly handsome man, and in the second was an equally beautiful woman. Both shared very similar features and looked as if they could be related. The man had short blond hair styled in a messy bob, while the woman had long, wavy blonde hair that went to the floor, with pink streaks running throughout. They both looked fairly similar to the photos of succubi that Ed had seen before. They both had the succubi''s long horns and demonic wings, but instead of the burning red skin, they had a soft velvety lilac. Both were wearing a crop top and a pair of booty shorts, leaving most of their seductive body visible for all to see. They were both toned, with six-pack washboard abs and a strong physique, while also being curvy in all the right places. They oozed seduction and sex appeal, flaunting their bodies with an unmatched confidence and grace. Curious to figure out what was going on, Ed turned his attention to the introduction. ¡°Luxuria is the sin of lust, and the ruler of the Lust circle. They have the ability to change forms to suit the desires of them and their partners... They are the owner and main star of the largest strip club and brothel in Lust City. They are also the spokesperson of numerous fashion brands and sex toys... They are best friends with Gula, and can often be found at one of her parties...¡± A shapeshifter, that explains the photos. I won¡¯t even try to look them up. If half of the photos of Superbia were smut, then who knows just how much porn I¡¯m going to see. Let¡¯s do Gula next. In the photo was a young woman who looked like she had walked directly out of a bad acid trip. Her long rainbow hair fell to the floor in two wild pigtails. Everything about her popped out of the screen. From the bright makeup to the rainbow bralette and microskirt that left little to the imagination, and even the towering thigh high boots, she looked like she was had just stepped out of a rave. Amongst all the bright spots that popped out of the screen, Ed almost missed that her torso was glowing and translucent. Her body was filled with a viscous and bubbly amber liquid. She could be seen knocking back an entire barrel of beer. Wow, that¡¯s a lot to take in. Ed took a moment to rest his eyes before hopping into the introduction. ¡°Lady Gula is the sin of gluttony, and the ruler of the Gluttony circle. She is constantly partying and making sure that everyone is having a good time. She is an all-around performer and entertainer and always makes sure that everyone is living their best life... She is a caring soul, and is highly attentive to other people¡¯s emotions and knows when they¡¯re having fun, or being self-destructive... She makes her own highly sought-after alcohol... She is best friends with Luxuria...¡± About what I expected from her. I feel like Zara would like to hang out with her. Looking at the time, Ed saw that it was already twelve o¡¯clock. I¡¯ve only got three left, let¡¯s make this quick. Lord Avaritia... On the screen was a shark like man wearing a black fedora and a pinstripe suit. He had a sinister toothy grin, and his eyes were so green they practically glowed with greed. ¡°Lord Avaritia is the sin of greed, and the ruler of the Greed circle. He runs the largest companies in all of Hell and has businesses in every industry imaginable... He is a highly intelligent businessman who manages the companies of the other sins... He gets along well with Lord Superbia, and is in a loving and committed relationship with Lady Invidia...¡± I didn¡¯t expect that. So two of the sins are in a relationship. This makes me curious about the dynamics between all of them. They must have a lot of history together. Let¡¯s see what¡¯s going on with Lady Invidia... This photo was the most ordinary of the bunch. She looked like a completely normal human being. Her brown hair was tied back neatly into a bun, matching with her stylish business pantsuit. She didn¡¯t look anything like the other sins. She didn¡¯t have any features that made her stand out. Her strongest feature was her large, pointed nose, but even that was within the realms of normalcy for a human. ¡°Lady Invidia is the sin of envy, and the ruler of the Envy circle. She is always up to date on the latest trends, and helps her husband run his many businesses... She is in a loving and committed relationship with Lord Avaritia...¡± One more to go. Lord Ira is the last. In the photo stood a large molten rock monster. His body was made of a black, igneous rock, and had a vaguely humanoid shape. Bright blue lava flowed underneath the surface, only barely visible through thin cracks in the outer shell. His head was a bright blue flame, that carried the rough features of a face. ¡°Lord Ira is the sin of wrath, and the ruler of the Wrath circle. He lives to fight, and can be found locked in constant battle, either out in the wild against dangerous beasts, or in the arena that takes up the vast majority of Wrath City... On the rare occasion he is not fighting, he dedicates himself to teaching others how to fight, and crafts weapons and armour to keep them alive...¡± Ugh. Standing up, Ed stretched out his stiff back and rubbed his eyes. That was a lot of information, but I got through it in the end. Now I¡¯ve got to try and find myself a job. Ed quickly searched for available jobs and found that there was a job agency nearby. Looks like that¡¯s where I¡¯m going next. Chapter 83 Turning around the corner, Ed almost collided with someone¡¯s back, but just barely stopped in time. The man didn¡¯t even seem to notice what happened, as he was nervously shuffling through the papers in his hand. Noticing that the man wasn¡¯t moving, Ed peeked past him and spotted a massive line leading up to the entrance of a building. Don¡¯t tell me this is what I think it is. In the few moments he had been standing there, people appeared and began to line up behind him too. He just barely managed to catch the tail end of the conversation happening behind him. ¡°Is this the line for the employment agency?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Oh god, how long am I going to be stuck here? Minutes passed by at a dreadful crawl, with the line barely moving at all. It took nearly an hour for Ed to get passed the first building, but there were still several more to go before he could get inside. The hours ticked away as he slowly drew closer to the entrance. He watched on as the man in front of him stepped inside, only for someone to step out through the door and close it behind them. ¡°It¡¯s six o¡¯clock, everyone go home!¡± As soon as the person shouted, everyone behind Ed went on their way with their shoulders slumped. Seriously? I¡¯ve been waiting here for five hours. I just got to the door. Frustrated, but seeing that everyone else had already left, Ed decided to head back home. Looks like I¡¯ve just wasted my afternoon. I¡¯ll come back here early in the morning, that way I can at least guarantee that I get in. On his way home, his eyes darted past a lit-up caf¨¦, and his stomach grumbled. Shit. I haven¡¯t eaten at all since I got here. The last time I ate was on the train. He rummaged through his pocket to count how much cash he had. I¡¯ve still got two hundred and seventy dollars; I can spend a little to get myself something to eat right now. Stepping foot into the caf¨¦, Ed found it to be elegant, but subdued. The entire floor was empty of people, and completely quiet, save for the muted sounds of classical music. Where is everyone? Looking around, he noticed a set of stairs leading up to the second floor on the far side of the room. Maybe there¡¯s a worker up there? As Ed approached the staircase, the music grew louder. He could make out the sound of the piano and could tell that it wasn¡¯t a recording. At least there¡¯s someone here. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, and before he could react at all, Ed was tackled off the ground and slammed into the wall. His head rang from the impact, and he was immediately held against the wall, unable to move. What the fuck is going on? The sound of the piano stopped, instead replaced by the sound of heels clicking against the hardwood floor. Just as Ed was about to change forms to escape, he caught sight of the person walking down the stairs. She had flawless, pale skin, and a face so beautiful that Ed could only describe it as angelic. Her brown hair was done up in an elegant-looking braid that added to her dignified appearance. Is that Elaine? ¡°The suspect has been apprehended your majesty.¡± Said the man who was holding onto Ed. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Good. Let me have a look at him.¡± Elaine said. Ed¡¯s head was forced to face her, and they locked eyes for several seconds before she turned away. ¡°Send him back to the palace for interrogation.¡± Elaine said as she walked back up the stairs. The man hoisted Ed over his shoulder, and as he was being carried away, the piano began to play. Ed was thrown into the back of a van and was quickly locked inside. The van began to drive away, distancing itself from the caf¨¦. Submerged in darkness in the back of the van, Ed was left completely confused by what just happened. What just happened? What is Lord Superbia¡¯s daughter doing out here? What exactly am I a suspect in? Trapped alone in the back of the van, Ed had only one way to figure out what was going on, and that was to try and look at his own fate. Calming himself down, he opened his eyes to find the van lit up by golden strings. No matter where he turned, his vision was filled with countless golden strings, that led off into an infinite number of futures. His head began to ache from the shear intensity of fate at this moment. His life could go in any direction, and he had no clue where to even start. So instead of looking at the future, he decided to look at the past. Focusing on the string leading to his past, he began to follow it. He found himself inside the van, but this time it was moving backwards. Staying alert to what was happening in the outside world, Ed became disoriented from feeling the van move backwards and forwards at the same time. Not too long later, the van came to a stop, and Ed was greeted by the void once more. Now only having to contest with feeling his real body moving, he found that he was actually watching what just happened from an outsider¡¯s perspective. He watched as his past self flew through the air and back into the man¡¯s arms. Watching from an outsider¡¯s perspective, Ed was finally able to see what the man looked like. The man wore a tight black suit that showed off his hulking muscles. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of shades, and his head was cleanly shaved. He had an earpiece in, and several weapons attached to his waist. Following them back into the caf¨¦, Ed stopped it at the moment just before he was tackled. Now let¡¯s see what was going on... The strings of fate soaked up everything like a sponge, allowing Ed to see things he didn¡¯t know about at all. He walked up to the second floor, and saw guards standing in the shadows, ready to strike at a moment¡¯s notice. Elaine was seated at the piano, playing a piece while seemingly ignoring the world around her. The guards were on alert, as if they were expecting someone to attack at any moment. If they¡¯re expecting an attack on the princess¡¯ life, then why aren¡¯t they at the palace? Surely that¡¯s a safer place for her to be. He wound back the time until an hour before he got there. He felt like he had hit a brick wall and began to feel a headache coming on. Seems like I¡¯ve found my limit. Luckily for him, he was able to find all of the information he needed, as the princess had just stepped into the caf¨¦. ¡°Your majesty, I must remind you that this is highly unsafe. You were just under attack last week, and the assassin managed to escape with their life. You should be in the palace right now, instead of in this old caf¨¦.¡± An old imp butler said, pleading with her to listen. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Wilfred. The oracle told us that there would be another attempt at my life today-¡± ¡°Then that is all the more reason to stay in the palace!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to have to deal with this pest for any longer than I already have. Last time was a slip up, and it won¡¯t happen again. We are more than prepared to catch them this time.¡± Elaine said, waving the butler off to the side as she sat down to have a cup of tea. Ed pulled himself out of the void, and found himself back in the van, surrounded by glowing golden strings. He gave himself a moment to rest, allowing his headache to ease. How do I get myself out of this situation? He took a small glimpse at one of his possible futures, and what he saw was burned into his mind. He caught flashes of himself being brutally tortured and brought to the brink of death time and time again in a dark and dingy dungeon. His mind began to swell, as he tried to grasp knowledge that his still mostly human mind was not able to comprehend. Blood poured from his eyes, as his brain melted through his ears. He forced himself to stop looking, and the golden strings started to fade away, leaving Ed in darkness. He sat there for several moments as his brain slowly mended itself back together with the help of the healer and his new tenacious bloodline. He wiped the blood from his face, as he stuffed the brain matter back in through his ears. I just have to figure out a way to convince them that it wasn¡¯t me. I can do this. Chapter 84 If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Chapter 85 Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Chapter 86 This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Chapter 87 This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Chapter 88 You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Chapter 89 The guards closed in and pushed the other target to the ground. Handcuffs were placed around their wrists, as their bodies were tightly bound in rope and carried away. Ed watched on from the sidelines, amazed at just how quickly it all ended. I guess that¡¯s that. Elaine cleaned the dust off herself with a wave of a hand and left the guards to take care of the rest. She said something to Wilfred before walking back to the cars Wilfred called Ed over to him. ¡°Thank you for assisting us tonight. You will be rewarded for your efforts.¡± He said. Ed scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. ¡°I didn¡¯t really do much to help.¡± ¡°On the contrary, you provided us with some valuable information both before and during this operation. And for that, you will be greatly rewarded.¡± Wilfred said. ¡°Then I will gladly accept it. Here¡¯s the phone by the way.¡± Ed said, handing the phone back to Wilfred. ¡°You can keep it. Consider it a bonus for completing the mission. Or as a gift from Her Majesty.¡± Wilfred said before turning around and walking off. Ed shrugged and put the phone back in his pocket, making his way back to the The two of them walked back to the cars and joined up with everyone else. The targets were brought back and thrown into the back of one of the cars, as the guards filed back into the vehicles. Ed sat down in the same car as before, while Wilfred went to converse with Elaine. A few minutes later, the convoy started up once more and made its way back to the palace. These past few days have been very eventful. Hopefully I can just find some time to relax. I should get enough money from the princess that I won¡¯t really have to worry anymore. Maybe I can treat this as a vacation from now on, at least until Buddie brings me back... I wonder how Zara¡¯s doing. She probably flipped out at the beginning, but it¡¯s been a little while, so hopefully she¡¯s not done anything too crazy. Buddie should¡¯ve at least told her that I¡¯m still alive, but she¡¯s probably still in the dark about where I am... I can¡¯t wait until I can get out of here. The convoy rolled back into the grounds of the estate. The cars holding the criminals stopped near the closest entrance to the dungeon, as the guards disembarked and carried the criminals down to their cells. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The two cars containing Elaine, Ed, and Wilfred continued driving, stopping right in front of the entrance to Elaine¡¯s palace. Wilfred exited the car to open the door for Elaine. At the same time, Ed steps out of the car, which then drove off behind him. Ed was guided to a small room by a servant and was told to wait while Elaine and Wilfred finished their discussion. I wonder what they¡¯re discussing. Guess I¡¯ll find out soon enough The room was simple, yet elegant, and had a calming effect. Ed took this as a moment to relax after the long day and leant back into the soft leather armchair. He was given a cup of tea and some biscuits, so he decided to switch his brain off and just relax for a moment. ~ Name: Indy Miller Age: 18 Occupation: fast food employee Biography: Born to parents John and Rachel Miller, Indy grew up with three older brothers, and her two younger brothers. She was used to roughhousing with them and getting physical. She loved sports and found it easier to make friends with guys than with her female classmates... She played soccer outside of school, then went on to play for her high school¡¯s soccer team... As her parents had to account for six children, none of them were able to get much money as allowance. Because of this she decided to get a job working in the fast-food industry... The more she worked, the more she hated the job. Some of the customers were incredibly rude, and her manager wasn¡¯t any better... Today, after a particularly rude altercation with a customer she decided to take a break to calm down. While she was trying to calm down in the break room, her manager tried to force her back out onto the shop floor to apologise to the customer for her attitude. Indy snapped, and in the spur of the moment, picked up a knife and stabbed her manager... -End of document- Another day, and Ed still hasn¡¯t returned. With a sigh, Zara jumped right into work. I think I might have an idea. I really want to test if this girl can control her emotions. ¡°Okay Buddie, this one¡¯s gonna be pretty simple this time, there shouldn¡¯t be much work. I want you to start off by creating the restaurant that she worked in. How many hours was her shift?¡± She asked. ¡°It was a five-hour shift.¡± Buddie answered. Okay, I can work with that. ¡°Then this will last five hours, when her shift ends, she¡¯ll be free to go. I want her to work normally, but she¡¯ll have a machine attached to her body that will insert a blade if her emotions fluctuate greatly and reach the point she was at with either the customer or her manager.¡± She said. ¡°Where do you want the machine to be attached to on her body?¡± Buddie asked. ¡°Where did she stab her manager?¡± Zara asked back. ¡°She stabbed him in the side of the stomach.¡± Buddie replied. ¡°Then that will work well. Also make sure that she won¡¯t be able to mention anything that is going on to anyone.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Buddie asked. She stopped to think for a moment before nodding. ¡°That should be everything. I¡¯m good with it being like this.¡± ¡°Thank you for submitting your plans, I will let you know when it¡¯s ready.¡± Zara got up from her chair and looked around. It¡¯s not as fun when Ed¡¯s not around. Looking around the room, she sighed and went to eat at the cafeteria alone. Chapter 90 Ding! Indy lifted her finger off the clock-in machine at work before scratching her head in confusion. Huh? She looked around the room in shock, completely confused as to how she got here. Memories from a few moments ago ran rampant in her mind, showing her stabbing her manager. She was shaken to her very core. Was that real? She started to breathe heavily as her hands felt clammy. Her heart pounded in her chest, as if it could explode at any moment. Sweat dripped down her face and back as she looked around for anyone. She swore that she could still feel the knife in her hand. Everything felt so real that she almost broke down on the spot. ¡°What¡¯s going on out here? We need you at the counter, this place is getting packed!¡± The manager walked through the door connecting the kitchen with the back rooms, yelling at Indy as he did so. He abruptly stopped when he saw that she was almost on the brink of tears. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She looked up and saw that the manager was completely fine, and instantly she started breathing a little easier. He¡¯s fine, this is great! She went to ask him what happened, but the words wouldn¡¯t leave her mouth. What¡¯s going on? Why can¡¯t I say anything? The manager noticed that she was behaving strangely and decided to keep his distance. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a moment to relax in the break room and just come out when you¡¯re ready, okay?¡± She looked at him but couldn¡¯t get the image of her stabbing him out of her head. ¡°Yeah. That sounds good.¡± She walked into the break room and slid down against the wall. What is happening? ¡°Good morning, Indy. You must be wondering what is going on here. Mere moments ago, you were stabbing your manager in the stomach, but now he is alive and well, instead of bleeding out on the floor. You lost control of your emotions and did something you shouldn¡¯t have. Now is your chance to redeem yourself...¡± As Buddie spoke, Indy felt something cold and metallic attach itself to her waist. She lifted her shirt slightly to find a small metal box suctioned onto her stomach. What? She tried to pull it off, but it was stuck tightly to her skin. ¡°... You will need to control your emotions. If your emotions fluctuate too much, that box will sense it, and your stomach will be met with an unpleasant visitor. A sharp blade will make itself at home in your stomach, dislodging the box and causing you to bleed out. Good luck Indy.¡± Indy froze, her face pale with fear. What? She continued to tug at the box, trying to get rid of it. She felt her skin being pulled, but the box didn¡¯t loosen at all. Knock knock knock! ¡°Are you okay in there? We¡¯re getting slammed out here.¡± A young woman called out from behind the door. She tried to call out, but once again, the words were stuck in her throat. She took multiple deep breaths and forced herself to calm down. ¡°I¡¯ll be out there in a second Marie!¡± She yelled out. If what that voice said is true, then I really did stab him. This is my only chance to survive, so I need to calm down. Reigning in her emotions, she readied herself before walking out the door. Looks like Marie has already gone back out. Staying focused, she went out front and saw that there was a line up at the counter. She slid into position at the last open register and immediately a portion of the people split off to line up in front of her. ¡°Hi, what would you like to order today?¡± Indy asked. ¡°I would like a cheeseburger and medium fries please.¡± The customer said. ¡°Would you like a drink with that?¡± Indy asked, adeptly inputting the customer''s order. ¡°Just a can of Fanta please.¡± He said. ¡°Okay, that would be twelve dollars and fifty cents. Paying by cash or card?¡± ¡°Just card.¡± He said while rummaging through his wallet. ¡°When you¡¯re ready.¡± She said. The customer tapped his card against the EFTPOS machine to pay. Beep! The receipt printed out and Indy handed it over to the customer. ¡°Enjoy the rest of your day!¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The next few customers went about the same as the first, but Indy could see that the line was barely going down at all and some of the customers looked to be getting irritated at the long wait. She tried her best to get through the customers as quickly as possible, but it didn¡¯t seem to make much of a dent in the crowd. The next customer stepped up to the counter, holding her phone to her ear. ¡°I know right? I can¡¯t believe he just went and dumped her like that. What a jerk!¡± She said over the phone. ¡°Hi, what would you like to order today?¡± Indy asked, trying to ignore that the lady was on her phone. ¡°Yeah. Yeah, just give me a minute.¡± She said over the phone before turning her attention to Indy and scowling. ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m on the phone?¡± Before Indy could respond, she turned her attention back to her phone. ¡°I know right? The nerve of some people. But anyways like I was saying...¡± The lady then continued to chat on her phone, much to the frustration of Indy and the rest of the customers in line. Indy took several deep breaths to keep her calm, trying her hardest to hold herself together. The lady continued talking, and it was only when the customer behind her yelled at her to get off the phone that she begrudgingly did so. ¡°Happy now?¡± She asked Indy snidely. ¡°I¡¯ll take ten chicken nuggets and a can of Pepsi.¡± Just feeling done with the whole situation, Indy put the order through without saying a word. Beep! The receipt printed out and Indy gave it to the lady, who walked away muttering to herself. The next customer in line shared a look with Indy, just completely in awe at how rude the woman was. ¡°She was so rude, are you doing okay?¡± The man asked her with a bewildered look on his face. Indy rubbed her temples and sighed. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Thanks for asking. What can I get you today?¡± ¡°Two large cheeseburger meals please.¡± he said. ¡°And what drinks would you like with that?¡± Indy asked, doing well to keep herself calm. ¡°A bottle of Sprite and a bottle of Pepsi please. And I¡¯ll be paying with cash.¡± The man said while passing over thirty dollars. Indy typed thirty dollars into the machine, then clicked on the cash option. The till opened and she quickly handed the man his change and his receipt. ¡°Enjoy the rest of your day.¡± ¡°You too.¡± he said as he walked away. Slowly, the line died down to a more manageable level. There was still a constant stream of people joining the queue, but it no longer looked impossible to get through. Finally catching a break, she stepped back from the registers and went to help get the orders out. Packing the food into the bag according to the order, she brought it to the counter. ¡°Order one seventeen!¡± She called out. She handed the food over to the person and wished them well. ¡°Enjoy the rest of your day.¡± A constant stream of orders backed up in the kitchen as the crowd waiting for their food grew larger. ¡°Indy, we need you back on registers.¡± The manager called out. Turning back around, she saw that a massive line had formed at some point. Damn! Finishing up with the order at hand, she hopped back onto registers. She was bounced back and forth between the registers and trying to get the orders out. She felt exhausted and just wished that it could be over. How long has it been? Before she could check the time, she noticed someone standing unhappily with a bag of food at the counter. ¡°Hi, how may I help you today?¡± ¡°You forgot my chicken nuggets.¡± He said, fuming. She looked around and found a box of chicken nuggets that someone had missed. She handed it to the customer and apologised. ¡°Here you are sir, sorry about the mix up.¡± ¡°Was that so hard? Learn to do your job.¡± He grumbled while snatching the food from her hands and walking away. Before that man could fully leave, another person came to the counter. ¡°This isn¡¯t what I ordered.¡± Then another. ¡°Where¡¯s my burger?¡± And another. A crowd formed around the counter, all yelling at Indy, who was left alone to deal with this. The noise was cacophonous, as it overwhelmed Indy, who just stood there completely frozen. The crowd grew vicious, hurling vile insults at Indy. ¡°How stupid could you possibly be?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you do anything right?¡± ¡°What an idiot.¡± Indy snapped, and broke down crying, feeling incredibly pained from the insults. She sunk down to the floor, but still the customers didn¡¯t stop. ¡°SHUT UP! SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!¡± She felt incredibly angry, as her entire body shook and trembled. Tears still streaming down her face, she stared up at the crowd that had now quietened down. Pssh. Schick. Clink! Pressurised air was released as Indy felt a sharp pain in her stomach. Looking down, she saw the metal box lying on the floor. Blood flowed from the gaping wound in her stomach. No! She tried to cover the wound with her hands, but she couldn¡¯t stop the bleeding. Struggling to her knees, she placed her hands on the counter. She tried to push herself off the ground to search for paper towels, but her bloodied hands slipped off the counter, and she was sent crashing back down to the floor. The pain intensified, as she landed on her side and somehow lodged the metal box into the wound. It ripped and tore at her flesh with every breath she took. She crumpled to the floor as she slowly bled out. Why isn¡¯t anyone helping me? Through her blurred vision, she looked around to find that everybody was still going about their day, seemingly oblivious to her bleeding out on the floor. The customers were still yelling, People were still hurriedly working in the kitchen to get the food out on time. Marie came to sort out the customers, stepping on Indy¡¯s stomach as she did so. A pained groan escaped Indy¡¯s lips, which fell on deaf ears. ¡°Unfortunately for you Indy, you failed to control your emotions. You once again let your anger get the best of you, so I had to step in to prevent you from hurting anyone. But it¡¯s okay, the world will continue on without you. Your family will not notice that you¡¯re gone, and someone will come to fill your place here at work. Enjoy Hell Indy. Goodbye.¡± Chapter 91 The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Chapter 92 The car pulled up front of a small, two-storey building. The building was made of the same black stone brick that made up the majority of the buildings Ed had seen so far. It had a flat roof with a slight overhang, providing shade for the small balcony on the second floor. Long glass windows stretched across the front of the building, but the view of the inside was blocked by curtains. The servant stepped out of the front of the car and opened the door for Ed. Well, that was nice of him. Ed looked at the building, curious to see what it would look like inside. This is a lot of space for me to have all to myself. The servant stepped up to the door and whipped out a set of keys. Unlocking the door, he gestured for Ed to step inside. The first floor had a wide-open area that took up half of the floor space, with a door on the back wall. A small space was sectioned off near the door by a counter. A part of the counter could be lifted, so that someone could walk in and out. ¡°This place was previously used as a storefront, that¡¯s why this space is so open and why it has the long glass windows. If there are any changes you want to make to it, you can call the head butler, and a team will be sent out to fix it up right away.¡± Ed stared at the wide open. What could I even do with this? Guess I¡¯ll get rid of the windows and the counter, then maybe I can think of something to put in here. ¡°If you would follow me, I¡¯ll bring you to your living quarters upstairs.¡± The servant said. Sure, why not? Ed followed him through the back door, entering a small storage room with a stairwell at the end. The room was littered with boxes, various bits of furniture, and mannequins, all of which were covered up by sheets. ¡°We haven¡¯t been able to throw out everything that belonged to the previous owner yet. If there is anything you want, you are more than welcome to keep it. If not, we can have it all thrown away by the end of tomorrow.¡± The servant said. ¡°I¡¯ll take a look through everything later.¡± Ed said. ¡°Of course. Follow me.¡± The servant led Ed through a path that had been cleared, and up the flight of stairs. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Before they stepped through the door on the second floor, Ed noticed that there was another flight of stairs that led up to the roof. Looks like I¡¯ve got some space on the roof I could use as well. The servant pushed open the door and guided Ed through a tour of his new home. ¡°Starting off, we have a small little entryway here where you can leave your shoes. To the right we have the living room. There¡¯s a TV with access to all the available channels in Pride City. There¡¯s both a sofa and an armchair for you to choose between when watching TV. The living room also has a coffee table, and some shelves for storage.¡± Walking behind the sofa, they went along the hallway, passing by three doors before making it to the kitchen. There was a small dividing wall that separated the living room from the kitchen, but beyond that, the space was fairly neat and compact. ¡°Here is your kitchen. As you can see, it has everything you will need. There are several cupboards and drawers for storage between the fridge, oven, and pantry. It comes with an electric stovetop with four burners for when you need to cook, as well as a microwave, a toaster, and a kettle.¡± Turning around, the servant opened the door behind them. ¡°This here is your bathroom. Everything¡¯s pretty compact, but it''s got everything you should need. All of the plumbing is up to code, so you won¡¯t have to worry about anything going wrong there.¡± Backing away from that door, The servant pointed out the glass door to the balcony before leading Ed to the centre door. ¡°In here is the bedroom. There is a king-sized bed in the centre there, with a bedside table on either side. To your left is the wardrobe and drawers for you to put all your clothes in, and to your right is the desk with your new computer. For your convenience, the head butler has gone through the trouble of sorting out your previous living arrangement, so all of your things have already been moved in. You don¡¯t have to worry about going back there at all.¡± That¡¯s certainly very helpful. I don¡¯t even know my way back there. ¡°Tell Wilfred I said thank you.¡± ¡°Of course, now let me take you to the final room of the house.¡± The servant brought him back out to the hallway and led him to the final door that was closest to the entrance. ¡°And finally, we have the laundry. You¡¯ve got both a washing machine and a dryer, as well as a linen closet that has come fully stocked with towels, cleaning tools, and a sizable batch of detergent and fabric softener for you to use. Now that should be everything I needed to show you. If you need to get around, you can call this number and a car will come to pick you up whenever you need it.¡± The servant handed Ed a piece of paper with a phone number on it before heading to the door. ¡°I shall leave you to enjoy the rest of your evening, you should get up nice and early tomorrow, as Her Majesty will be expecting you at the palace tomorrow morning. ¡° Left alone in the room, Ed walked out onto the balcony, and watched as the car drove off back to the palace. Feeling slightly peckish, Ed made himself a sandwich and poured himself out a glass of water. Placing his stuff down on the coffee table, he relaxed down on the couch to rest his mind after the whirlwind he just experienced over the past few days. Hopefully I can finally get a little bit of peace now that all of this has been sorted. chapter 93 Ed walked down the stairs and into the storage room. I might as well see what was left behind. Stretching his threads out, Ed hooked into every sheet in the room, and all in one motion, threw them into the air. Pulling the sheets towards the centre, he left them to fall into a pile. Let¡¯s see what we have here. Most of the furniture turned out to be clothes racks and shelves of various lengths, but there was also a small assortment of other things, including a cash register, a computer, and an EFTPOS machine. Looks like this was a clothing store. There was something hidden behind a bunch of boxes that caught Ed¡¯s attention. Pushing the boxes aside, he found a dusty old set of machines. Two of the machines were unfamiliar to him, but he was able to vaguely recognise the third, which was an old sewing machine. I think my grandmother had one like this. Grandpa probably still has it lying around somewhere. He ran his hand across the sewing machine, the thin layer of dust swirled off the machine, evoking memories from his past. A young Ed, a mere four years old, patiently seated on his grandfather¡¯s lap on the floor at his grandmother¡¯s feet. Scrapes and scratches dotted his dirty torso, as he waited for her to finish patching up his shirt. His grandfather grabbed a wet cloth and cleaned Ed¡¯s body before cleaning the scrapes with a cotton ball doused in rubbing alcohol. Ed squirmed on his grandfather¡¯s lap; the stinging pain brought tears down his face, but he remained still, knowing it was for the best. His grandmother fed the shirt through the sewing machine, patching new pieces of cloth to cover the numerous holes on the shirt. Holding it up in front of her, she studied her work for a moment. A satisfied smile crossed her cracked lips as she turned to Ed. ¡°Lift your arms sweety, let¡¯s see how it looks.¡± Her aged voice cracked as she looked at Ed dearly. Ed obediently lifted his arms, as she delicately pulled the shirt over his body. ¡°There, everything¡¯s better now. Isn¡¯t it?¡± Ed sighed as he lifted his hand off the sewing machine. Grandpas strong. He should be okay, right? I¡¯ve been so caught up in everything that I haven¡¯t even gone back to check on him. When I get out of here, I¡¯m going to tell him I¡¯m doing okay. Ed wiped his face as he moved away from the corner. Let¡¯s see what¡¯s in the boxes. Opening up the box in front of him, he found it filled to the brim with new clothes. There were various styles, all spread across a range of sizes. They were all tagged and priced, and from a few different brands. Ed assumed that these brands were popular, as he had noticed them being advertised around the city. He looked out across the room at the scattered boxes. This must be all their stock. It¡¯s a shame they never got to sell it all. Ed searched through the rest of the boxes, and while most of the clothes and even the shoes were from the same few brands, there was one box that had clothes without any brand name attached to it. Instead, there was a small signature sewn into the inside of the clothes. None of these were priced, and Ed felt as if they had been sitting in these boxes for a long time. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Combining this with the machines he found earlier, Ed assumed that these must¡¯ve been handmade by the previous owner. This suspicion was all but confirmed when he opened the last few boxes and found a hodgepodge of threads, yarn, and cloth. I wonder why they didn¡¯t try to sell their own stuff? It looks well made to me. Ed sighed and walked back out into the main room. Maybe they did. From all the dust it looks like they gave up on their craft a long time ago. Hopping up onto the counter, he sat and pondered for a while in the space. Lost in memories of a simpler time, he made a decision. Pulling out his phone, he shot across a quick text to Wilfred, asking him to send over a crew tomorrow to take away all of the boxes in the storage room and to get rid of the storefront windows. He wrapped his threads around the boxes of fabric and handmade clothes and dragged them up the stairs. Placing them down in the living room, he walked off to the bedroom with a yawn. ~ ¡°Good morning, Zara.¡± ¡°Mornin¡¯ Buddie. How long do I have?¡± Zara asked, still coddled up in bed. ¡°You have an hour as usual.¡± I¡¯m not going to go out today, so I don¡¯t have to worry too much about anything. ¡°Wake me up in half an hour please.¡± Zara yawned and started to fall asleep. ¡°Okay, I will wake you up in half an hour, but just to let you know, you¡¯ve got a special task today.¡± Her eyes shot open, as she no longer felt tired. Special task? She jumped out of bed in excitement. ¡°What am I doing today?¡± She asked eagerly. ¡°That is for you to find out when the files come in.¡± Files? Does that mean what I think it means!? Zara bounced around, eagerly going about her day until an hour had passed. ¡°Throw the files up onto the TV please!¡± She shouted the second the clock ticked over to the hour. She jumped onto the couch as her eyes were locked onto the screen. Name: Jared Irvin Age: 20 Occupation: College student Biography: Born to parents Duke and Chryssa Irvin, Jared grew up poor, but loved football from a very young age. He watched the NFL religiously with his father, and trained constantly so that he could join the high school football team... Whenever he wasn¡¯t out on the field, he spent his time in the gym, working on his muscles... He was MVP of his high school team several years in a row, and was given a scholarship to attend the nearest big college... He currently plays for the college football team and is their star player... One day at the gym he met Bill, and despite the slight age difference became fast friends. Jared¡¯s family were desperately struggling with cash, so when Bill introduced Jared to Randolf and Kevin, who seemed to be incredibly wealthy, Jared eagerly jumped on the opportunity to befriend them... The group slowly pulled Jared into a life of crime, recruiting him to be the muscle for their operations... Jared has since committed multiple bank and jewellery heists, and is living lavishly... Name: Bill Nielson Age: 26 Occupation: Office worker Biography: Born to parents... Bill was responsible for distracting their targets and helped Jared during the operation... Name: Randolf stokes Age: 32 Occupation: IT specialist Biography: Born to parents... Randolf was the eyes and ears of the operation, as well as the overall leader... Name: Kevin Barnes Age: 43 Occupation: Taxi driver Biography: Born to parents... Kevin was the getaway driver... -End of document- I was right! It was more than one person! This is so exciting! Zara bounced around on the couch energetically, her mind bursting with possibilities. She latched onto one idea and got to work creating a room. She designed the room to look like a bank vault and trapped the four of them inside. Four safe deposit boxes were placed in the centre of the room, each labelled with one of the four¡¯s names. She placed tools in each box that they would need to use to ensure their survival. ¡°I want them to be completely trapped in the vault, and the only way they can escape is if they all willingly sacrifice the part of their bodies they need the most for their operation. They can¡¯t force someone else to sacrifice it, they have to make the decision themselves.¡± Zara said, finishing up her work. ¡°Thank you for submitting your plan. I will let you know when it¡¯s ready.¡± Chapter 94 The light flickered on, bouncing off the metallic walls of the vault. A person laid on the floor next to each wall, unconscious. A metal table stood in the centre. Four safe deposit boxes laid out on it, with each box pointing towards one of the people. One by one the group was roused from their slumber. Randolf and Kevin woke up first, immediately alert of their surroundings. Finding themselves in an unfamiliar place, and not knowing how they got here, they looked around the room warily before locking eyes with one another. Their hearts sunk when they noticed Bill and Jared. Quietly, they got off the ground and huddled together. ¡°What happened? How¡¯d we get here?¡± Kevin whispered. ¡°How the fuck am I supposed to know.¡± Randolf said, all the while looking around warily. His eyes darted over to Bill and Jared, before turning back to Kevin. ¡°Should we wake them up?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see a reason why not to.¡± They split off and tiptoed over to them. Randolf quietly woke up Bill, while Kevin went to shake Jared awake. Jared woke up with a start, staring at the face above him in fright. He was just about to scream when Kevin placed his hand over his mouth. ¡°MMMM!¡± Jared¡¯s screams were muffled as he tried to push Kevin off of him. ¡°Jared. Jared, it''s us.¡± Bill ran over to calm him down. Jared calmed down and stopped fighting, finally looking around properly to see everyone. He looked around in confusion, not sure where he was, nor how he winded up here with these three instead of at home in bed. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He asked at a volume much louder than what everyone else had used. The others looked around alertly the second he spoke, listening out for any changes. Jared, to his credit, looked around as well, but was completely confused as to what they were doing. Looking around the room, he realised that they seemed to be trapped in what looked like a bank vault. Upon not hearing anything, the three breathed a sigh of relief, before Randolf turned back to Jared to answer his question. ¡°We don¡¯t know. We woke up just before you did. Do either of you remember how we got here?¡± He asked to both Jared and Bill. ¡°No, not really.¡± They both shook their heads. ¡°This place looks like a bank vault. Do you think there¡¯s cash in here?¡± Jared asked, looking around excitedly at all the safe deposit boxes. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Let''s try and take a look.¡± Bill said, eager to try and find some cash. They all tried, but they couldn¡¯t find a way to take the deposit boxes from the wall. ¡°Hey guys. Come take a look at this.¡± At some point in time, Bill had wandered away from the wall, and was checking out the table in the centre of the room. He called out to the rest of the group, who all ran over to him. ¡°Why do these boxes have our names on them?¡± They looked at the boxes, each finding one with their name on it. ¡°What the fuck?¡± said Jared as he stared at his box. ¡°Good morning, everyone. You must be wondering why I¡¯ve brought you here. We¡¯ve been watching you all for a long time. We have seen everything you¡¯ve done. All the lives you have endangered in your pursuit of wealth. You have sinned over and over again, and now it is time to face your punishment. Each of you should see a box in front of you with your name on it. Each box contains everything you will need to survive. But survival comes at a cost. You must sacrifice that which is integral to your role in the crimes you have committed. Your life will be difficult, and you will have to make an honest living, but you will survive to see the light of day again as long as you are all willing to suffer. Good luck everyone.¡± Buddie¡¯s voice came from all around them, leaving them scared and confused. They scanned the entire room for where the voice was coming from but found nothing. They looked between each other before turning their attention back to the boxes in front of them. They each pulled out a few different items. Their hearts were filled with a mixture of relief and worry as they found bundles of medical supplies. They grew increasingly worried as to what they would have to do. Jared and Kevin each grabbed a large, incredibly sharp looking hand saw. Randolf pulled out a razor-sharp scalpel blade, and Bill pulled out a hammer, and a set of forceps. ¡°What are we supposed to do with these? Ow!¡± Jared poked one of the teeth on the hand saw, immediately drawing blood. Clang! The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The saw clattered along the ground as Jared tried to shake the stinging pain away. ¡°That¡¯s fucking sharp!¡± Kevin looked at the saw in his hands and carefully put it back in the box. ¡°Surely this is all just a joke, right?¡± Asked Bill, looking nervously around the room. ¡°There¡¯s gotta be a camera somewhere, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so, but let¡¯s see if we missed something.¡± Randolf said. The group split back up, each now desperately searching the room for anything they might have missed. Jared walked up to the vault door and used all his strength to try and push it open. The door didn¡¯t even budge. The group crowded around, putting all their weight behind trying to force the door open, but they failed. Breathing heavily, they dropped to the ground, and leant back against the door. Wiping the sweat from his face, Kevin sighed. ¡°There¡¯s nothing in here other than those stupid boxes.¡± ¡°Maybe we can just wait it out?¡± Jared said hopefully, but on the inside, he knew that it wouldn¡¯t be that easy. Hours passed in boredom. The group tried everything they could to stay sane, but being trapped there was starting to get at them. ¡°You must sacrifice that which is integral to your role...¡± Kevin mumbled to himself while sitting in the corner. No one heard him, as they had all completely zoned out and were off in their own worlds. He sighed as he got up and moved towards the table. The sudden movement caught everyone¡¯s attention. They all looked at him with confused, hazy eyes. He grabbed everything from his box and sat it down on the floor beside him. Leaning back against the table, he tied a tourniquet tightly around his calf. Gripping the saw tightly in his hand, he calmed his breathing as he waited for his foot to turn numb. The others watched on in sickening horror as Kevin brought the saw down on his leg. The teeth dug into his calf. He groaned in pain as the saw came to a stop before it even reached the bone. He had foolishly hoped that it would just cleave right through. Blood gushed from the wound as he slammed his fist into the ground over and over again. His other hand gripped tightly onto the hand saw, his knuckles turning white. Bill vomited in the corner, while the other two turned away, paling at the sight of it. Pushing through the pain, Kevin shifted the saw back and forth, ruthlessly cutting through flesh and bone. He howled with pain as the saw chewed through his leg, eventually reaching the other side after agonising minutes of dreadful pain. He threw the saw away as he hurriedly bandaged the bloody stump. Bill had stopped vomiting and had turned back around after hearing the saw get thrown away. His face paled as he saw the bloody sawn-off foot. He hurriedly looked away and continued to vomit. Kevin finished dressing the wound, making sure that it was on there nice and tight. Struggling to get off the ground, he placed his severed foot into the box. The table opened up and swallowed his box before closing again. Three boxes were left on the table. ¡°Hahahaha yes!¡± Kevin fell back onto the ground without a care in the world. He cheered victoriously. He could already see the end of this nightmare approaching. Everyone turned around and stared at him as if he was mad. Only Randolf noticed the change that had happened in the room and looked between the table and Kevin with wide eyes. He trembled in excitement as he ran over to Kevin. ¡°What did you figure out?¡± He half shouted as he shook Kevin¡¯s shoulders. Kevin smiled, his breathing laboured and heavy. ¡°Do you remember what that voice said? I threw my foot in the box and it disappeared. I think we all have to sacrifice something in order to get out of here.¡± Randolf looked excited, while Bill and Jared somehow paled even more. They looked at Kevin and Randolf as if they had gone mad. Randolf pondered for a moment, as he slowly came to a realisation of what those tools would be used for. Preparing himself mentally, he picked up the scalpel with one hand, and stretched his ear out as far as possible with the other. In one swift motion, he sliced through his ear. Kevin helped to clean and dress the wound, as Randolf threw his ear into the box. They waited with bated breath for the box to lower, but nothing happened. ¡°Did I get it wrong?¡± He asked himself. The searing pain in his ear caused his mind to ring. ¡°Maybe you just have to put more in? There¡¯s still another tool in there¡± Kevin said into his one good ear. He looked at the remaining tool, and then an idea popped into his mind. ¡°Help me with this.¡± Picking up the tool, he lined the pointed screw in the middle with his eye, and with the help of Kevin, it pierced directly into his eyeball. With a squeeze of the trigger and one massive yank, the eyeball popped out of its socket. The tool clamped down around it, severing the connection between the eye and the rest of the brain. Randolf blacked out from the pain but was caught by Kevin just before he hit the floor. Kevin did his best to try and patch it up, only stopping after Randolf¡¯s breathing lightened a little. He placed the eye in the box and watched as it disappeared into the table. He laid back on the ground, completely spent. He eyed Bill and Jared, waiting for them to do what they needed to. Bill had shifted away from the vomit corner, but still wasn¡¯t feeling well, and Jared had watched everything as if the world had gone mad. ¡°It¡¯s your turn now. Just cut off a hand. We¡¯re almost out of here.¡± Kevin said, pointing at the boxes on the table. Jared looks down at his hands, shaking in horror. ¡°I can¡¯t. How will I play football? I¡¯ve got my whole career ahead of me.¡± Kevin locked eyes with him and stared him down. ¡°If you don¡¯t do this, then you want have any life at all, let alone a career. Now cut off your hand before I do it myself.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t, you can¡¯t make me.¡± Jared backs away, looking into Kevin¡¯s fierce eyes in horror. Kevin got up, grabbing the hand saw off the ground as he stared at him. He hobbled over to Jared on his one foot, trying to get him on the ground. Jared ran away, escaping from the crazed Kevin for a while, but eventually toppled over Randolf¡¯s body, crashing to the ground. ¡°Come and help me!¡± Kevin yelled at Bill, who hurriedly helped hold Jared down. Jared tried to fight back, but he wasn¡¯t fast enough. Kevin put all his strength into slamming the saw down onto Jared¡¯s hand, cutting it straight off. Jared screamed in pain as he blacked out. Kevin threw the hand and watched as the box disappeared. But before he could rejoice, the last box went down with it, then the entire table disappeared. ¡°You have failed, so this shall be your end. You forcefully took Jared¡¯s hand. He was not willing, and thus you have failed to meet the requirements for your freedom. Enjoy Hell, everyone. Goodbye.¡± While Kevin and Bill were still processing what they just heard, the walls closed in on them, and they were crushed into a fine pulp before they could even scream. Chapter 95 The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Chapter 96 Lola¡¯s tail whipped through the air, piercing straight through the man''s chest and appearing on the other side. The man¡¯s heart thumped as blood gushed out of it, coating the tip of her tail. A groan escaped the man¡¯s lips. Blood poured out from the gaping hole in his chest, leaving the floor slick with blood. Lola ripped her tail back through the man¡¯s chest, widening the holes as she pulled the heart towards her face with curiosity. She tapped it with her long fingernails, sending ripples of pain through the man¡¯s body. He groaned in agony, but the man still refused to speak. ¡°Ooh, a defiant little one. This is gonna be fun!¡± Lola grinned as she ripped the heart of her tail, squeezing it tightly in her hand. The man writhed in agony as her tail whipped across his body, leaving deep lacerations in its wake. Guess I should try and find out what I can. Unphased by what was happening before him, Ed focused his attention on the man¡¯s strings. Let¡¯s see if I can find anything useful. He noticed several red strings attached to the man¡¯s blood and started feeling them out with his senses to try and find what he needed. He felt that some of the strings were far older than the others and guessed that they dated back to when the man was alive on Earth. I don¡¯t need to look that far back. It won¡¯t give me anything relevant to the current situation. Falling back into the comfort of the void, Ed found himself on the streets of Pride City. Looking around, he noticed that he was close to the royal estate. The man he was looking for was sitting in a car nearby, with a headset on and typing away at a laptop. Jumping into the car behind him, Ed looked over the man¡¯s shoulder to see what he was doing. The screen flashed rapidly between different tabs, as the man simultaneously kept watch on a crowded square from multiple angles and passed information off to another person. At the front of the crowded square, Elaine was standing on a raised platform, addressing her people. This must be the first of the attacks. So, he was there making sure the attack went off without a hitch. I wonder if there was anybody else working with them? The man flicked between different camera views, showing multiple angles of the square, as well as views of the surrounding streets. The cameras all seemed to be hidden from view. How long did this take for them to set up? Or did they just hack into cameras that were already there? Ed watched on as Elaine¡¯s speech ended, and she disappeared off stage. The camera swapped to a small hallway at the back of the stage that connected the square to the street behind it. Elaine appeared at one end of the hallway, completely alone. ¡°Now!¡± The man said over the headset as she reached the halfway point. Out of the shadows behind Elaine, the snake man pounced on her, his teeth biting down on her shoulder. Caught off guard, she threw her elbow back, slamming it into the man¡¯s chest. As if hit by a train, the man was hurled back down the hallway and disappeared from view. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. A moment later, the snake man appeared in the car beside him. The laptop was shut down and thrown to the passenger seat, and the man quickly drove away. Slowly, the city faded away, and Ed found himself back in the void. Seems like they laid low for a while after that. I can¡¯t find any newer strings after that, so he probably wasn¡¯t involved in the second attack at all. Meaning the other guy probably attacked all on his own. Ed sighed while thinking through what he just saw. Is there anything else closely related to this? Ed felt out the strings but couldn¡¯t find anything else that happened at around the same time. This does make me wonder though. How does fate operate now that they¡¯re in Hell? Does its criteria for a sin change now that they¡¯re already dead? Their fate is still being tracked after death, and at least from what I¡¯ve seen, it still feels the same. Is it just because of how heavily tied Hell is to Earth that fate just treats it the same? Whatever the case may be, I still don¡¯t know if it¡¯s just these two, or if somebody else ordered them to attack her. I can only see the act itself, not the planning of it. I¡¯d have to follow their string of fate into the past if I wanted to do that, and I don¡¯t think I can go that far back. I¡¯ve already checked how far back I can see when attached to the same point on the string, but I haven¡¯t seen how far back on the string I can actually go. Sensing the outside world, he found that Lola was still torturing the man. Guess now is a good a time as any. He attached himself to it and started following the string back in time. Ignoring everything that was going on around him, he followed the string until he slammed into what felt like a solid brick wall. Ow, seems like this is the limit. Looking around, he still found himself in the dungeon, but this time without the rest of the group. Feeling out the situation, he came to the conclusion that he could go back five hours. That feels about right, I was in that truck for a while, and yet I could still go back to the cafe at any time. I was too focused with what I was doing to check if I could still go back that far when I was in my cell. So, I can follow the string back five hours, and I can stay anywhere on it and go back an hour. That¡¯s good to know. I feel like I can definitely do better in the future, I¡¯m just not strong enough yet. Opening his eyes, Ed found Lola still torturing the man. Guess I wasn¡¯t gone for too long then. He turned back to Elaine and caught her attention. ¡°I¡¯ve just checked, and while he was involved in the attack at the square, he wasn¡¯t involved in what happened at the caf¨¦ at all. From what I could find, there didn¡¯t seem to be anyone working with the two of them, but we can¡¯t rule out the possibility that they were ordered to attack you by somebody else.¡± Elaine looked at Ed with interest, pondering over what he said before nodding. ¡°That¡¯s good to know. We haven¡¯t been able to get anything from him at all, and I think Lola has gotten her fill. Do you have any suggestions?¡± ¡°I think we¡¯ll get more information from the one who attacked you. I don¡¯t see much of a point in torturing this man any longer.¡± Ed said. Elaine nodded before raising her hand. Lola stopped slashing out with her tail and took a step back. The man sported massive gashes and holes all over his body. He looked up at Elaine with an exhausted look in his eyes, before spilling all the information he had. Elaine squeezed her hand shut. The man¡¯s body was squeezed into a ball. Wisps of blue smoke seeped out of the ball of meat, as his soul was ripped out of the body. ¡°Extract any information from his soul to see if what he said was true, then send him to wander in Limbo for all eternity.¡± She commanded. The nearby guard walked over and caught the soul in a gemstone before walking down the hallway. Why didn¡¯t she just do that from the start? ¡°Pardon me for asking, but if you could get the information you needed, then why bother with torturing him in the first place?¡± Ed asked. Lola jumped in before Elaine could answer. ¡°Because it¡¯s fun!¡± She said with a smile, casually tossing the heart up and down as if it was a tennis ball. ¡°And also because he deserved the punishment. He is one of my people, but he broke the rules set forth by my father, and for that he got what was coming to him. Now, let¡¯s move on to the next one.¡± Chapter 97 Lola and Wilfred walked out of the cell and joined up with the others before moving on down the hallway. The ball of flesh dropped onto the floor with a meaty slap, no longer being held up by Elaine¡¯s power. With Wilfred in the lead, the group made their way to another cell. This time however, the prisoner was already awake by the time they showed up, so the guard didn¡¯t have to do anything. Ed watched the snake man closely, paying attention to his reaction. If he was afraid, he didn¡¯t show it. He is much more prepared for this than his companion. Either he¡¯s the mastermind behind this, or he knows who is. ¡°Who wants to take this one?¡± Lola asked, receiving an odd glance from Ed. ¡°What? I don¡¯t wanna be the only one having fun.¡± Fair enough, I guess. I¡¯ll just sit back and watch while someone else goes up. The room was silent for a moment, before Elaine turned to Ed. ¡°I want to see what you can do.¡± She gestured towards the cell door as it opened. Damn it. I don¡¯t want to do this, but I guess I have to now. Taking a moment to steady himself, Ed walked into the cell alone. Finding the space severely lacking in furniture, Ed sat down. At the same time, he formed a simple stool beneath him. That¡¯s better. ¡°Okay. I can see you were prepared for this, so torturing you is probably just going to be a massive waste of time. So let¡¯s chat. Do you want a seat?¡± Ed asked casually, trying to keep the atmosphere fairly relaxed. ¡°What are you getting at?¡± The man squinted, staring directly at Ed. ¡°I just want to know why you did it. You¡¯re clearly not strong enough to do anything to her. I saw it, she sent you flying the first time you tried to attack her. Are you just trying to throw your life away?¡± Ed asked while sending his threads across the floor to form a stool across from him. The man shifted away from the chair, still eyeing Ed warily. Ed sighed, shaking his head. ¡°You do realise none of this matters, right? They¡¯ll get the information whether you like it or not, so why are you fighting me here?¡± The man slowly sat down on the stool Ed offered him. ¡°What do you mean by they¡¯ll get the information either way? ¡°Her dad rules over all of Hell, do you really think she can¡¯t get whatever she wants? You telling us would just make things quicker, but we¡¯ve got plenty of ways to get the info we want. Your companion has already been dealt with, so this is more of a formality than anything.¡± The man stopped to think for a moment, mulling over what Ed had just said. His shoulders sunk slightly as he sighed. ¡°What do you want to know?¡± Good, now we¡¯re getting somewhere. And no blood was spilled. ¡°Why¡¯d you do it?¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°I was ordered to do it.¡± The man said, grimacing slightly. As I thought. He was working for someone else. ¡°Who gave you the order?¡± Beads of sweat dripped down the man¡¯s face as he clenched his teeth. ¡°My boss.¡± His breathing grew heavy. Something¡¯s not right here. He¡¯s in pain. ¡°Interesting. He¡¯s under a soul oath.¡± Elaine said. ¡°A bit annoying, but we can get around it.¡± Ed looked over his shoulder at Elaine. ¡°What is a soul oath?¡± Wilfred stepped forward to explain on her behalf. ¡°It is a pact between two or more parties. Think of it like a contract, but one enforced on a person¡¯s soul, as opposed to outside means. He¡¯s probably unable to tell us anything about his mission, otherwise his soul will be destroyed.¡± I should probably stop asking him questions then. I¡¯ll leave it up to them to extract the information safely. Ed turned back around to face the snake man. His face was slick with sweat and was trembling slightly. Ed got up and spread his threads out to make a hammock. ¡°You can relax, I won¡¯t ask any more questions.¡± Ed¡¯s words seemed to ease the pressure attacking the man¡¯s soul, as he started to breathe a little easier. The man got off the stool, almost stumbling to the ground before getting caught by Ed¡¯s threads. He lifted the man up and gently laid him down in the hammock before sitting back down. ¡°Booorrrriiinng.¡± Yelled Lola as she picked at her ear. Ed ignored her jab and continued focusing on the man in front of him. I feel like there¡¯s something I¡¯m missing. That I can do more. He closed his eyes and let his senses spread out through his threads. He felt the weight of the man¡¯s body on his threads and studied it. From what I¡¯ve seen, the soul is a blue smokey wisp. I should be able to find it here somewhere. Sensing the strings of fate attached to the man, instead of following them outward, Ed focused on the connection between the strings and the body. After studying them for a while, he noticed something interesting. Why do I feel like they¡¯re not attached to the body at all but are just passing through? The more he looked, the more certain he was that this was true. I can¡¯t sense what¡¯s happening in his body at all, it¡¯s too messy. Maybe I have to... A miniscule amount of thread lifted up from the hammock, gently tapping against the man¡¯s back. Not noticing a reaction, the thread gently pierced through and entered the man¡¯s body. Honing his senses down, Ed tried to focus on just what he could feel from that thread. It was difficult, but he managed to get a proper scan of the man¡¯s insides. Sitting in the centre of the chest was the man¡¯s soul, overlapping with the man¡¯s diaphragm as it sat there, both tangible and intangible at the same time. Unlike what he had seen before however, a chain wrapped tightly around the soul, digging into it in several places as it squeezed it. The soul looked frail and exhausted, almost threatening to float away and disappear forever. This must be what a soul oath looks like. It looks brutal. The thread wormed forward slowly, lightly tapping on the chain. He felt something well up in his soul. A deep and terrifying hunger, as the thread crept ever closer to the poor excuse for a soul in front of it. Ed snapped awake, pulling the threads back into his body. Shit. What was that? The man groaned on the floor, as a bloody chunk was unceremoniously ripped from his back. Ed walked back out of the cell, leaving the man on his own. After a moment of introspection, he turned to the others. ¡°His soul is tightly bound by a thick chain. His soul is almost gone, so you should get the information you need from it quickly.¡± Elaine nodded, ripping the man¡¯s soul from his body and stared at the chains surrounding it. Without needing to say a word, a guard stepped into the cell and collected the soul before leaving. ¡°That should be all for today. It¡¯s time to leave the place.¡± She said. Walking back to the entrance, Ed trailed behind the group as he looked inward. What was that I felt just now? I almost couldn¡¯t stop myself. Lost in thought, he followed the group back up to the palace, and was sent off by Elaine. Following behind a servant, he was led to a car that drove him back home. Chapter 98 This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Chapter 99 Back in the office, Zara was sitting patiently at her desk, waiting for her file to arrive. Another day, and still no signs of Ed. I should get out and do something. I can¡¯t keep doing this to myself. She sighed. I¡¯ll finish work first. Then see what I can do. Name: Aleksander Genkov Age: 31 Occupation: Bank clerk Biography: Born to parents Drago and Milena Genkov, Aleksander had a younger sister, and an older brother... He graduated from high school, and quickly entered the work force to earn money... After jumping from one part time job to the next, he eventually landed a job at the local bank as a clerk. During this time, he had saved up enough money to move out from home. He had come across a roommate wanted ad and ended up moving into the two-bedroom apartment from the ad... He shared the apartment with the same person for several years until they had a huge argument, and he was forced to find a new place to stay... ...He ended up meeting someone and fell in love, moving in with her only a few months into their relationship. Neither of them are good people. They treat others as if they are beneath them, constantly insulting retail and hospitality workers. They actively lobby against acts that will improve the quality of life for minority groups, in particular homeless people, people of colour, and LGBTQIA+ people and families... They try their best to make the world worse for everyone else that is different from them. ... However, they truly love and care for each other... A few years into their relationship they married and had their first child... -End of document- Dicks. Zara huffed. They have no respect for other people... Doesn¡¯t really give me an idea of what I should do though. I might need to think about this one for a while. Zara sat at her desk for a while, unable to progress at all. She scratched her head, but no matter how hard she racked her brain, she couldn¡¯t get started. This one sucks. I don¡¯t have a specific incident I can use as inspiration. This guy¡¯s just a massive dick. She sighed and leant back in her chair. What would Ed do? He¡¯d probably have already figured this one out by now. God, I miss him. Why¡¯d he have to go and do something so stupid? I haven¡¯t seen him on so long. Annoyed about the whole situation, but powerless to do anything about it, she read through the file again to try and get her brain flowing again. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Stupid prick. Why does he get to be with his partner when I can¡¯t? He doesn¡¯t deserve it... Wait a minute. Her eyes widened as an idea slowly took shape in her mind. That could work. She grew more excited by the minute, as she pulled up the app and got to work. I don¡¯t need anything big this time around. She created a small room, just barely big enough to fit a person or two lying down. She created a table that took up the entire space, with straps designed to hold a person down. ¡°Buddie, can we bring in his wife as well?¡± There was a slight pause before Buddie responded. ¡°Her file hasn¡¯t been given to anyone else to work with, so she is available. However, you won¡¯t be rewarded for anything related to her. What do you want to do?¡± That¡¯s fine, I guess. ¡°Can you strap both of them onto the table for me. I want their heads in the middle.¡± Zara said. The space adjusted itself to just barely fit them as the couple were strapped onto the table. The tops of their heads rested lightly against each other. Straps bound them to the table, restricting their range of motion to an extreme degree. Zara raised the roof and placed a rotating saw blade on it that was roughly half the length of the room. Then she added a lever next to the man¡¯s hand, and another next to the woman. Okay, I think I¡¯ve got everything I need. ¡°After you finish speaking, I want the saw to slowly lower down to them, eventually killing one of them. The levers can control who will be killed by the saw. If both are moved to one side, they will kill Aleksander, and if they are both moved to the other side, the saw will come down on... What¡¯s her name?¡± ¡°Nina.¡± Buddie answered ¡°Then it will come down on Nina. They have to spend the time when the saw is coming down to them to agree on who dies. If they disagree and the levers are pointing towards each other, then the saw will come down in the middle, killing both. Only if they both choose to sacrifice themselves will they both survive.¡± She finished. ¡°That is acceptable, how long until the saw reaches them?¡± ¡°Just a few minutes, I don¡¯t want to give them a lot of time.¡± She said. ¡°Thank you for submitting your plan. I will let you know when it¡¯s ready.¡± Buddie said, as the screen cleared. Zara got out of her chair with a sigh. What should I do today? Guess I¡¯ll get lunch first. She went back home to get something to eat. I don¡¯t feel like cooking anything right now. ¡°Buddie, can I have a bowl of beef stew please?¡± A bowl of steaming hot stew materialised right in front of her as she sat down at the dining table. She switched off her mind, allowing the stew to ease her frayed nerves. For a moment, all was warm and peaceful. The bowl disappeared after she finished eating. Then Zara curled up on the couch, her wings wrapping around her like a blanket. What are you doing Ed? Are you safe wherever you are? Please come back to me soon. ¡°Buddie, when are you going to tell me where he is? I just want him back.¡± She asked There was a pause before Buddie answered. ¡°The next time you redeem a sinner, I¡¯ll let you choose between increasing the strength of your bloodline and going to visit him.¡± ¡°I can visit him?¡± She asked excitedly, not even bothering to consider the other option available to her. ¡°Yes, but it will also cost you credits.¡± Buddie said. ¡°I don¡¯t care about that, I¡¯m doing it!¡± I need this. I¡¯m coming Ed. Chapter 100 You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Chapter 101 Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Chapter 102 A small crowd formed around a stall as a man with wine-red hair held a clear box containing the damaged pieces of a vase. A hunched-over old man with a long handlebar moustache leant over the counter, observing the pieces of the shattered vase. ¡°There¡¯s not much I can do I¡¯m afraid. How did you break it?¡± ¡°My boss threw it at my head and it smashed into the wall.¡± The young man said nervously. The old man looked up at him with a raised brow. ¡°That sounds like it¡¯s her fa-.¡± The young man shot forward, covering the old man¡¯s mouth before he could finish speaking. At the same time, he placed the box down on the table. ¡°Ssssh. Don¡¯t say that, she might hear you.¡± His eyes darted around frantically, as if he was afraid his boss would appear right behind him. Making sure he was safe; he sighed and dropped his hand. ¡°Look. She¡¯s not been in the best mood recently, and I don¡¯t want to give her any reason to snap at me. So please, just help me with this.¡± The old man sighed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll see what I can do. Leave it with me and come back in a few hours. ¡°Thank you so much. You don¡¯t know how much this means to me.¡± He raced off, leaving the box behind as he disappeared into the crowd. The small crowd dispersed, with Zara joining them. That guy sounded genuinely terrified of his boss. I¡¯m so glad I don¡¯t directly work for anyone. I just work for Buddie, and he hasn¡¯t been throwing stuff at me. Zara continued to wander around through the crowded market, occasionally looking at stalls that piqued her interest, but didn¡¯t end up buying anything else. Slowly, the market emptied, as most people went back home. She yawned, rubbing her eyes as she looked around at the occasional straggler like her that remained in the market. I should probably head home now. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m gonna find anything else. Turning the corner, she walked straight into a person¡¯s back, sending the object in their hand flying. The man leapt forward, catching it out of the air before landing lightly on the ground. ¡°Phew, that was close.¡± He whispered to himself. The man looked familiar to Zara, as if she had seen him somewhere, but she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on where. Everything clicked when the man turned around and she saw the vase in his hand. It¡¯s the guy from earlier. I almost made him drop the vase, that would¡¯ve sucked. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Sorry. I wasn¡¯t watching where I was going.¡± She apologised, scratching the back of her head. ¡°It¡¯s all good. I managed to catch it, so everything turned out okay.¡± He said, still clutching onto the vase carefully. He looked at Zara and paused for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re Zara, right?¡± ¡°Yeeeahh. How do you know that?¡± She asked, now slightly wary. Damn, I should¡¯ve kept my axe with me. She looked around, trying to find another person, but found the place to be empty. Damn it. ¡°Oh, I probably should¡¯ve introduced myself.¡± He cradled the vase in one hand, reaching out to Zara with the other for a handshake. ¡°I¡¯m Kieran, I¡¯m a secretary in the marketing department. My boss has read your file a few times before, so you looked familiar.¡± ¡°The boss that threw a vase at your head?¡± She asked, cautiously reaching out to shake his hand. ¡°You heard that, did you? It¡¯s okay, I can assure you she¡¯s not like that all the time. Something just happened recently that¡¯s got her a bit miffed.¡± Kieran shrugged it off. ¡°Sorry to hear that. What happened?¡± Zara asked. ¡°She recommended someone for a position, and now she¡¯s paranoid that she¡¯s gonna get punished after he went and did something stupid. Wait why am I telling you this? You¡¯re already well aware of what he did considering how you hang out all the time.¡± Kieran said. ¡°Wait. Are you talking about Ed?¡± He¡¯s definitely talking about Ed. Does he know what happened to him? ¡°Do you know where he is?¡± She asked excitedly. ¡°Of course. He¡¯s in-¡± ¡°Due to her involvement in the situation, Zara has to earn that information herself. Please refrain from finishing that sentence unless you want to be punished.¡± Buddie interrupted, his voice overpowering Kieran¡¯s, stopping Zara from hearing what he was saying. A cold shiver ran up Kieran¡¯s spine, as he quickly shut his lips. ¡°Sorry, looks like I can¡¯t tell you that.¡± Damn it! I was so close. I almost had it. Her shoulders slumped at her failed attempt. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll get the information myself somehow. You don¡¯t have to get punished for my sake. But can you at least tell me if he¡¯s safe?¡± She asked. Kieran waited for a moment, listening out for if Buddie was going to say something. Not hearing anything, he breathed a sigh of relief and answered. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s safe. He¡¯s been in a few scuffles here and there, but you don¡¯t have to worry about him. Buddie will make sure that he doesn¡¯t die.¡± Phew, that¡¯s good to hear. Zara perked up a little at that, glad to hear that Ed¡¯s safe. Her head started to feel heavy, as she yawned again. ¡°It¡¯s getting late, I should probably head back now. But thanks for the info. I feel a lot better knowing that he hasn¡¯t gone and gotten himself killed.¡± ¡°Of course. I should probably get this back to my boss¡¯ office.¡± Kieran said, indicating at the vase. Zara continued walking, heading towards the nearest door, but stopped and turned back around to Kieran. ¡°Can you let me know if anything happens to Ed in the future?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll allow it. But I will verify the information to make sure you don¡¯t find out anything you shouldn¡¯t.¡± Buddie said. Hearing that, Kieran relaxed a little. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll keep an eye on him and send anything to your computer.¡± ¡°Thanks. Bye.¡± She turned away walking around the corner and back to her apartment, where she kicked off her shoes and immediately fell asleep. Chapter 103 The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Chapter 104 Two souls glowed, dimly lighting up the dark stone room. One of the souls floated in the centre of the room, above an old open book atop a wooden altar. The other, bound in chains, floated off to the side. A hooded figure raised his hand, clutching out at the soul atop the altar. A dull mist formed in his hands, slowly curling around and latching onto the soul. The soul dimmed and flickered as the mist, now with a faint blue hue, swirled down to the pages of the book. As the mist touched the pages, words formed, quickly filling up the book as it flicked rapidly from one page to the next. The figure hunched over, staring at the book. The information was quickly filtered through, and anything deemed unnecessary was struck from the pages, turning back into mist that floated back up to the soul. The soul brightened slightly as parts were returned to it. ¡°No, no. We already know that.¡± An aged, scratchy voice echoed around the hall, as the man muttered to the surrounding shadows. The light and shadows danced as the mist formed a constant cycle. The mist scoured the soul, ripping it apart piece by piece, draining it into the book before feeding back up to the soul, not allowing it to die. ¡°There¡¯s nothing useful.¡± The man muttered as the book snapped shut and the mist drew back into his body. The room fell silent as the man rested, quietly restoring his strength. The soul swayed atop the altar, any signs of intelligence or will long since washed away. ¡°Send it away.¡± The man called out. The shadows swayed, as a giant, toothy maw appeared from the depths. A beast formed from shadows walked to the altar and chomped down on the soul. A faint glow broke out between the gaps in the teeth, like light shining through jail bars. The shadow creature dove back into the depths of the shadows, disappearing from the room. The man opened his eyes once more, turning his attention to the remaining soul. Interesting. Under his guiding hand, the soul floated over to the altar. It pulsed as the chains tore into it. Whoever did this knows what they¡¯re doing. He observed the chains, his mist swirling around the soul, diving in to study the points where the soul and the chain met. The mist cycled through again, pulling scraps of information into the book. Most if which was fine, but the parts taken from the chained sections came back fragmented and nonsensical. Damnation. This is more work I have to do. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Throughout the night, the man tirelessly studied the chains. His mist slowly chipped away at it, breaking apart the chain while fighting to keep the information intact. Midnight struck, as the chain fell, fading away into nothingness. The man wheezed, mist exploding out from the hood before looping back inside. He took a break to steady himself before flinging his hand back out once more. The mist drove into the soul, searching for the information the princess wanted. ¡°Found you.¡± The mist stopped pouring in as the man¡¯s gaze latched onto one of the pages. Confirming that it was what he was after, he placed his palm down on the page, while a piece of parchment appeared in his other hand. The words disappeared from the book, turning into mist that passed through his body and onto the piece of parchment before rolling it up. ¡°Find this person.¡± Another shadow creature appeared from the depths to snatch the scroll from his hand before diving back into the shadows. The man turned his gaze back to the frail soul above the altar. The princess never said what she wanted me to do with this one. She should be fine with me disposing of it. The mist poured out of every gap in the cloak, flooding the room in a frenzy. It hounded down on the soul, tearing it apart. The soul trembled as it was ripped apart. The mist flooded back into the cloak as the man sat against the wall. ~ The shadow beast dove through the shadows, reappearing outside the room and inside one of the cells in the dungeon, scaring the criminal inside. Keeping to the shadows, it bounded down the dungeon hallway, teleporting through the shadows until it eventually reached an exit. It raced across the open field of the estate before diving through a wall and appearing in an alley outside. It sat down at the feet of a man who was leaning against the opposite wall. Its tail wagged as the man scratched behind its ears. ¡°What have you got for me buddy?¡± The man asked gently as he scratched behind the beast''s ears. The beast dropped the scroll into the man¡¯s waiting hand. Unfurling the scroll, he read through the information, quickly memorising all the info about the target¡¯s physical appearance that was gathered onto the scroll. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ve got my work cut out for me. At least I¡¯ll get to take a trip around Envy this time.¡± He rolled the scroll back up and held it in front of the beast who was waiting patiently at his feet. ¡°Send this back to Wilfred. I¡¯ll send information back when I find the target.¡± The beast latched onto the scroll once more and leapt back into the estate, as the man also stepped through the shadows. ~ Wilfred sat quietly in his study beside the princess¡¯ room, leaving the couple to spend the night together while he waited to be called on should the need arise. He turned around and stared into the corner the moment before the shadow beast stepped into his room. ¡°It¡¯s finally here.¡± He reached out his hand as the scroll fell from the creature¡¯s maw. He sat the opened scroll on his desk as the creature left the room. Hmmm, Christophe Mercier. The name doesn¡¯t ring a bell. It¡¯s nothing I have to bother the princess with. She can rest easy for the night. Hopefully, we¡¯ll have more information so we can quickly root out this problem. He set the scroll aside and continued working on the forms he was filling out earlier, as he waited for the day to begin. Chapter 105 Stolen story; please report. Chapter 106 In the car on the way to the teleporter, Ed was seated across from Ulric. Neither spoke to each other. Ulric sat there like a statue, his body remaining stock still even as the car sped through each and every turn and intersection on the road. It was unnatural just how still he was, as if he wasn¡¯t even breathing. Whenever his attention slipped, Ulric seemed to disappear from the car entirely, as if he was never there in the first place. It wasn¡¯t until Ed focused his attention on him that he slowly came back into view. Annoyed, he kept his eyes locked on Ulric for the rest of the car ride, who didn¡¯t seem to mind the situation at all. How am I supposed to work with someone if I can¡¯t even keep track of where they are? This is ridiculous! And with that momentary lapse in focus, Ulric once again disappeared from view. The surroundings grew more and more crowded as the car neared the teleporter. With every passing moment, Ed grew more annoyed with not being able to keep track of Ulric, despite knowing exactly where he was. There has to be a way. I don¡¯t want to have another invisible person around me if I can do anything about it. Wait, that¡¯s it. Ed blinked, bringing the strings of fate into view. Strings weaved through the backseat of the car, spreading out in all directions. But through the flood of strings, he saw some of them congregate towards the point slightly above the chair he was facing. And as he focused on that spot, Ulric once again came into view. The car came to an abrupt stop, shaking Ed out of his focus as they arrived at the teleporter. He let the strings disappear as he got out of the car. Ed and Ulfric moved through the crowd, the movement making it easier for Ed to see him. But even with this, Ed knew that he would most likely not even be able to tell that Ulric was there if he didn¡¯t already know about it. He blended into the crowd despite his statuesque appearance which should have made him, if not stand out, then at least noticeable in the crowd. Ed tried to follow Ulfric by sensing his strings of fate, but he was almost immediately overloaded by the flood of information coming from the crowd. Damn. It won¡¯t work in crowds. I should¡¯ve seen that coming. Shaking his head, he lined up with Ulric. Entering the crowded square, he was engulfed in a bright blue light. ~ If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Back inside Elaine¡¯s palace, her and Lola were enjoying some tea, with Wilfred standing dutifully off to the side. Lola gently rested against Elaine¡¯s side, simply enjoying the peace and quiet. ¡°How do you think he will fare?¡± Elaine asked between sips of her tea. ¡°Hm? Oh, I think he¡¯s gonna die. I mean, did you see what happened in the dungeon. He didn¡¯t even want to hurt the guy.¡± Lola responded. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I feel like there¡¯s something strange about him. Besides, he¡¯s in Hell for a reason. Maybe He will surprise us.¡± Elaine said. ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t see it. I¡¯m surprised his soul isn¡¯t wandering in Limbo right now.¡± Lola said. ¡°That just means he¡¯s good at hiding. Wilfred, have we figured out where he came from?¡± Elaine asked, to which a piece of paper appeared in Wilfred¡¯s hand. ¡°We have already addressed everything that he¡¯s done since arriving in Pride City, so there is no need to go over that. He arrived here from the teleporter in Craghollow, where he spent a night at a hotel. He had taken a train to there from a place called Balestone.¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of either of those places.¡± Lola said. ¡°Both places are relatively unimportant. They¡¯re both situated near the current edge of inhabited land, with Balestone in particular being a small settlement right on the edge of Limbo.¡± Elaine explained. Having engrained the knowledge of every settlement and town of Pride into her mind, her explanation came almost instinctively. ¡°The information is uncertain, but something seemed to have happened on the train, resulting in him being unconscious when it arrived in Craghollow. He was carried out of there by an imp named Victor, who had accompanied him for the entire trip up until the first day in Pride City.¡± He said, turning over the page to read the information on the back. ¡°Craghollow is the closest town with a teleporter to Balestone.¡± Wilfred continued. ¡°And that, in combination with how short their stay there was, suggests that their goal the entire time was to enter Pride City. Victor has already left and returned to Balestone, but Ed remained.¡± Elaine stopped to consider everything she heard. In combination with what she had already learned about Ed, she determined that he was most likely working for Victor while also travelling to find a new home in Pride City. ¡°Do we know what he was doing in Balestone? And what about before that?¡± The paper disappeared in a cloud of smoke, replaced by another page. ¡°He seemed to have been involved with a sinner named Mr Milani, a small crime boss that Victor works for. He was delivering a package to Mr Milani¡¯s residence from Victor¡¯s family when he got involved in a fight between Mr Milani and an unidentified, and now deceased, sinner. It was from there that Ed and Victor made their way here on a mission for Mr Milani.¡± Wilfred said. ¡°Go on. What happened before he met Mr Milani?¡± Elaine asked. Wilfred turned over the page and glossed through the information, a frown slowly forming on his face. ¡°He had got into a bar fight at Victor¡¯s parents¡¯ business. They patched him up and gave him the job. As for before that...¡± His frown slowly morphed into a look of confusion as he kept reading. ¡°... There was nothing. He had entered the settlement from the outskirts. His clothes were dirty and almost entirely destroyed, and he looked as if he was almost dead when he entered the bar. As if he had walked out from Limbo.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± A small smile formed on Elaine¡¯s lips. ¡°It seems we¡¯ve found something interesting after all this time. Whatever happens with the mission, I¡¯m sure he will give us a surprise.¡± CHapter 107 After what seemed like an eternity, but also just a fleeting moment, the all-encompassing blue dimmed. And once again, Ed was able to move. He looked to his side, quickly locking onto Ulfric before the crowd could start moving, and he would lose him. ¡°Follow me.¡± Ulfric said his first words since meeting Ed. His voice was rough and grating, as if he was chewing on gravel as he spoke. Fitting. Ed followed him out of the crowded square, through the busy streets until it began to quiet down. Keeping one eye out while not losing track of Ulric, Ed studied the city around him. The buildings were among some of the most lavish and extravagant places he had ever seen. Excluding the Royal palace, the place seemed far richer than anything he had seen in Pride. But at the same time, it all felt noisy and chaotic. There wasn¡¯t a single bit of uniformity on the street. Each building and person seemed to be fighting for attention, causing the place to look garish and outrageous. Nothing like the clean and tasteful city planning of Pride. It¡¯s like everyone¡¯s trying to show how much better they are than everyone else. Looking further down the street, Ed watched as a building collapsed from a fight between two hulking giants. People dashed in and out between the feet of the giants, carrying precious jewellery and gold that they ransacked from the destroyed building. Unlike what he had seen in Pride City, the fighters didn¡¯t seem to care at all about other people¡¯s property. A long trail of destroyed buildings cut across the street, as hordes of people stole everything of value from the wreckages to boost their own house. The destruction only came to a stop when one of the giants fell to their knees. A contract appeared in front of them, floating in the air as they indignantly signed away their soul to the Victor. The giants disappeared, and once everything had been taken away, the streets returned to normal. People walked away satisfied with their new hauls, tossing their gains inside their homes. Those who were unlucky enough to see their houses destroyed picked themselves up with a sigh. Some began rebuilding, while others walked away to start anew somewhere else. Life went on, just like it had countless times before. People¡¯s worth rose and fell, and does who were at the bottom did everything they could to claw their way back up, if only for the satisfaction of having what others did not. Some people were not like this, but after thousands of years, sinners learned to just roll with the punches and follow the lead of the natural born denizens of Hell. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. When they finally escaped the crowded streets, they continued walking for a little while more before Ulric brought Ed into a dim alley. The shadows seemed darker and more intense here, as if they were harbouring an ancient evil. ¡°Glad to see you could make it.¡± A voice called out from the darkness. A figure walked through the shadows, coming to stand in front of Ed and Ulric. He was a ghostly pale man wearing black, modern clothes. He was clad head to toe in black clothes, with his face visible beneath the black hoodie. The clothes clung tightly to his body, faintly showing off his sleek and toned physique. The man seemed familiar with Ulric¡¯s silence, so turned to Ed. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ed. Princess Elaine sent me.¡± Ed said. Noting Ulric¡¯s silence, the man nodded and put his hand out towards Ed. ¡°The name¡¯s Draven. It¡¯s nice to have someone to talk to for once.¡± Ulric didn¡¯t seem at all offended by that remark, despite how often they work together. A beast jumped out of the shadows, bounding towards the group, startling Ed, who readied himself for a fight. The beast came to a stop at Draven¡¯s feet, its tail wagging playfully. ¡°Good timing, it seems we¡¯ve found our chance. Follow me.¡± Said Draven, who followed the beast through the alley and into another street. The beast hopped stealthily through the shadows, while Draven took his time walking down the street, allowing Ed and Ulric to keep up with him. ¡°The target¡¯s a pretty paranoid guy.¡± Draven explained. ¡°The second he found out his attack failed; he went into hiding. It would take far too long to search the entire city to try and track him down, but it¡¯s much easier to find his men. I¡¯ve had my hounds scouring the city, and they¡¯ve just locked onto someone who might know where Christophe is. We¡¯re on our way to him now.¡± Ulric nodded as they all casually made their way down the street. ¡°Who is he?¡± Ed asked. ¡°One of Christophe¡¯s men. His second in command in fact. He¡¯s been running around the city, making sure the rest of the gang has either fled or hidden themselves somewhere in the city. It¡¯s been difficult, the guy¡¯s slippery, but I¡¯ve managed to track him down.¡± The group continued on in silence, following behind the beast as it led them to the man. Turning around a corner, the beast came to a stop in the shadows outside a bookstore. The group kept walking, none of them even so much as looked at the bookstore, as they pretended to be a group of ordinary passersby. Through their own methods, they each studied the bookstore. Draven sensed the inside through his shadows, while Ed turned a minute fraction of his body into thread, feeling the vibrations of the world around him. Thankfully, the street was quiet, or he would have been completely overwhelmed by the information. But he still struggled to maintain his composure for more than a few moments. He couldn¡¯t even sense the inside of the bookstore before he was forced to give up. Fuck, I can¡¯t do this. I¡¯d have to get inside the bookstore before I can search for anything. I¡¯m barely even sensing a fraction of what I¡¯m capable of, and my brain already feels like it¡¯s turned to mush. If only I had better control of my senses, either it¡¯s all or nothing with my threads. That¡¯s something I need to work on. Chapter 108 ¡°He hasn¡¯t left yet.¡± The group had stopped a few streets away, sitting at an outdoor table of a caf¨¦. Draven kept an eye on the bookstore through his connection with the shadow beasts, keeping the others updated while enjoying the food and drinks they ordered twenty minutes ago when they sat down. Both Ed and Draven had ordered a sandwich and a coffee, while Ulric made the cooks work harder by ordering a veritable mountain of food. His dishes covered more than half the table, as an assorted arrangement of everything available on the menu. ¡°Do you think he escaped through another exit.¡± Ed asked between mouthfuls of his sandwich. Draven shook his head. ¡°No. I¡¯ve surrounded the entire building. Only a few people have come in and out since we got here. If he had snuck out, I would¡¯ve seen him.¡± Ed nodded. Maybe I should go inside, I feel like he¡¯s been in there too long to just tell someone to leave the city. Something doesn¡¯t feel right. I¡¯ll give it more time. Over the next ten minutes, Ed finished his food and sat there, slowly sipping at his drink while Draven kept an eye on the bookstore. Pushing his plate aside, he got up while still sipping from his drink. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go buy a book.¡± Draven locked eyes with him, then nodded. ¡°Alright. Text us when you¡¯re done, we¡¯ll probably still be here.¡± He said, eyeing the mountain of food Ulric was ploughing through. ¡°mm.¡± Ed nodded, walking casually back to the store. Ding dong. A little bell rung as he stepped through the door. The store was small, with bookshelves crammed in along the walls and in the centre, creating a small loop around the space where you would naturally end up back at the registers by the front door. Scanning the room, he found a few people shopping around the store, perusing the books, as well as an old man sitting quietly at the counter, but there was no sign of the man they were tracking. Damnit, he must¡¯ve escaped, but how? Trying not to make it too obvious, he kept walking into the shop, casually looking through the bookshelves, occasionally picking up a book and reading its synopsis, to blend in with everyone else. The entire time he was moving between shelves, he was scanning the room for other exits, but couldn¡¯t find anything. He has to have gone somewhere... This is going to suck isn¡¯t it? Preparing himself, Ed made himself aware of the strings of fate. Refusing to turn around for fear of overloading his mind with the sight of what¡¯s outside, he strained himself to search through the room. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The room was filled with dense lines, connecting to the people in the room in a monumental mess that sent a buzz through Ed¡¯s mind. Forcing himself to stay focused through the growing headache, he managed to find a small anomaly in the web he was seeing. A few of the more prominent and saturated strings, one¡¯s that Ed could identify as connecting to someone¡¯s past instead of the potential future, were currently phasing through one of the bookshelves. A hidden entrance. Damn, seems like he¡¯s already escaped. I should go. Clearing his vision, he picked up a random fantasy book and paid for it at the counter before leaving. ¡°He already left.¡± Ed said as he passed through one of the shadows, knowing Draven was somehow listening. How long ago did he leave? Did he know he was being followed? A storm of questions assaulted Ed¡¯s mind as he sat back down at the table. Draven turned to him with a questioning look. ¡°What did you see?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a secret passage in the store. Behind one of the bookshelves.¡± Ed said. ¡°And our target wasn¡¯t in the store?¡± Draven asked. Ed nodded. ¡°Mm. I checked everyone, but there was nobody matching that description in the store. Draven drummed his fingers on the table. ¡°He can¡¯t have left, not unless that exit leads to somewhere really far away... He might still be hiding inside.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s break in.¡± Ulric said, finally contributing to the conversation. ¡°That¡¯ll be difficult.¡± Ed said. ¡°The store¡¯s very small, the owner would be able to see us if we try to trigger the secret entrance. We¡¯d have to knock out everyone in the store if we don¡¯t want to alert them, and they probably have cameras.¡± ¡°Leave that stuff to us. Do you think you can open the passage?¡± Draven asked. ¡°Yeah, I should be able to do it.¡± Ed nodded after thinking for a bit. ¡°Good, so here¡¯s what we¡¯re gonna do...¡± ~ Ding dong. The door swung open as Ed once again stepped into the bookstore. ¡°Back again so soon?¡± The elderly bookstore owner asked warmly. ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s something else I want to get.¡± Ed said, smiling kindly in return as he walked back to one of the bookshelves he was at earlier. ¡°Where was it? I know I saw it here somewhere.¡± He mumbled to himself, just loud enough for the store owner to hear. ¡°Do you need help with finding the book you want?¡± He asked. ¡°No, I¡¯m all good. Thanks for asking though.¡± Ed said. Everybody else left, that should make this easier. Searching through the bookshelves, he quietly made his way over to the bookshelf with the hidden entrance behind it. I can¡¯t stand around for too long, otherwise he might get suspicious. Tuning his vision to see fate, he focused in on the string, allowing himself to sink into the void as a towering figure appeared silently behind the shopkeeper. Come on, I need to make this quick. The bookstore materialised in the void around Ed, as a man matching the description Draven gave him stood beside him. Where the bookshelf used to be was now an archway that directly dropped down into a flight of stone stairs. Too far forward, I need to know how to open it first. Rewinding time, the bookshelf rose from the floor and slotted back into place. The man moved in reverse, putting back a series of books and returning it to how the bookshelf looked in Ed¡¯s memory. Looks like it¡¯s got a code. Ed cracked his neck, readying himself to memorise it as quickly as possible. Chapter 109 Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Chapter 110 Ed shot two threads down from the ceiling, spiking them right through the man¡¯s body as he soared through the sky. He flung the body back down with tremendous force, sending it shattering through a line of people and knocking them to the ground. Draven went for the kill, diving through the shadows and cutting off the heads of the dozen fallen guards. The remaining guards open fire on the ceiling, forcing Ed to drop down and engage them in hand-to-hand combat. The guards slung their guns back over their backs, equipping themselves with all kinds of melee weapons as they charged at him. The few more skilled marksmen kept their guns, taking potshots at the trio whenever they got the chance. They maintained perfect vision of the battlefield. Every shot they took went straight for their target, and even on the occasion that they dodged, the bullet would fly harmlessly past the guards in melee range. Shit, thought I¡¯d be able to stop all of it. Dodging the repeated gunfire now that he was locked in melee proved even more difficult than dodging the hail of bullets from earlier. He grew frustrated, as no matter how many bullets were shot, or how he positioned himself, the guards never seemed to hit their own men. Crunch! A metal bat swung into his left arm the moment after he dodged the slash of another¡¯s sword. Pain shot up his arm as the bone was crushed. He winced, scrambling out of the way of another guard¡¯s fist. Completely surrounded by guards, and with the others busy, Ed had to defeat this group all by himself. His left arm exploded into a mass of threads, smashing into a few of the guards and sending them flying. He charged through the opening, only to have a bullet explode in his sternum. The force of the gunshot knocked him back. The sword wielding guard swung his sword with immense force, cutting Ed in twain. Fuck! His torso flopped to the ground as pain coursed through his entire body. The guards ganged up on him, turning his body to mush. His mind buzzed, as his entire body shut down, unable to do anything at all. The sole reason that he was still alive was because the healer sent by the company was topping him up just enough to keep his soul from leaving his mangled body. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Draven tried to reach Ed, but was held back by the guards. The guards split off to reinforce those dealing with Ulric, who was steadily taking them down one by one with help from Draven. Two guards stayed behind, collecting Ed¡¯s remains and ferrying him through the building, all the way to a study at the end of a long corridor. The guards bowed respectfully as they left Ed at the foot of an armchair. Ed¡¯s mind was blurry, and he could barely think. He didn¡¯t even register that his surroundings had changed, nor that he was no longer being attacked. He felt as if he was still back in the battle, surrounded by guards. A man was sitting there in the armchair, flipping through a newspaper with a small smile as he stared down at Ed. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m going to have to leave the city after all. How annoying. But at least I get to take out one of her men before I do. I haven¡¯t eaten anything in a while, and I¡¯m sure anything served to me by the princess will be absolutely exquisite.¡± Christophe reached down and placed his hand on Ed, channelling his strength. Completely delirious, Ed somehow felt an overwhelming pain despite the fact that he couldn¡¯t even feel his own body. It was a tugging, tearing sensation, as if someone was trying to rip out the core of his very being. As the pain grew, so too did something else. It was almost unnoticeable at first, but with each and every tug, it grew more and more, until it overwhelmed the pain itself. Hunger... His brain completely shut down from the overload, with the company¡¯s healer not even being able to keep him awake. ~ Christophe grunted as sweat dribbled down his cheek. It¡¯s really stuck in there. Looks like I¡¯m eating good tonight. He pulled and pulled, slowly dislodging the soul bit by bit. A reddish black seeped out, coating Ed¡¯s skin. What is this? Christophe felt a tingling sensation. All his hair stood on end, as a warning blared through his body, telling him to move. Ed¡¯s body exploded into a mass of writhing threads, searching the room for prey. A few latched onto Christophe, and immediately the rest swarmed him. He was impaled by the mass of threads, before he could even think. His soul was sucked out through the threads. His body left as a hollow husk, hanging in the air. The entire room quickly became a labyrinth of threads, as the monster searched for more souls to feast on. The furniture was torn to shreds and thrown against the wall in a deafening crash. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± A voice called out from outside the door, drawing the attention of the monster. Still carrying Christophe¡¯s lifeless corpse, the creature burst through the door, quickly taking over the corridor, and mowing through the two helpless guards before they could so much as draw their guns. It writhed joyfully, as it felt the faintest of tremors in the air, sensing more food waiting for its arrival. Alarms blared as the underground complex soon became a scene from one¡¯s worst nightmares. Bodies hung lifelessly from threads. The complex now firmly turned into a den for the foul beast as it feasted. Its body grew bigger with each soul it harvested, its body lying in wait across half of the complex. Blood and broken furniture littered every room as the creature pressed forward, sweeping through as it made its way to the largest source of food it could find. It sent the door flying off its hinges as it found waves of food surrounding two delicious-looking morsels. Chapter 111 What the fuck is that? Draven was moments away from tripping a guard through his shadow when the door flew off its hinges, turning said guard into a bloody mist. Draven was thrown out of the shadow, scrambling to his feet as he watched as the threads quickly took over the room, trapping everyone inside. The fighting immediately stopped as everyone turned their weapons against the threads closest to them. Draven stumbled through the shadows, landing on his knees next to Ulric. His senses thrown into disarray as the shadows in the room fell into chaos. Ulric pulled him in close, supporting him to his feet. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Ulric asked. ¡°Yeah, just a little fuzzy.¡± Draven said, shaking off the buzz as he stared warily at the threads. His eyes widened as he caught a glimpse of the hallway that thing came out from. This was the first time he felt safe being surrounded by enemies. Thank fuck there¡¯s people between us. ¡°What is that thing?¡± ¡°No idea.¡± Ulric said. Sweat dripped down the faces of the guards closest to the monster, the weapons in their hands no longer giving them a feeling of safety. The ones closest to the door were weak at the knees, having seen the lifeless bodies of their friends and coworkers hanging from the body of the monster. The room came to a stop, dripping with tension. Nobody wanted to attract the attention of the beast. For a moment, everything was still. And then it wasn¡¯t. Bang! Weighed down by the tension, one of the guards snapped. In a panic, he opened fire on the beast, trying to create an opening to escape up the stairs. The bullet whizzed harmlessly past, the thread shifting slightly to avoid the rain of bullets. A thread shot down from the ceiling before any more bullets could be fired, piercing straight through the guard¡¯s head. Chaos ensued as everyone rained fire on the threads, which the threads dodged with uncanny accuracy. It wielded the guard''s body as a weapon and a shield, knocking the other guards to the ground before more threads pierced right through their souls. More and more bodies were strewn up across the room as the guards fell with frightening ease. The monster struck each of them down before they could even lay a hand on it. ¡°Stay here. I need to find Ed.¡± Draven said as he dove into the shadows, quickly disappearing into the depths of the complex. What the fuck happened here? Having caught a glimpse of the hallway earlier, Draven thought that he was ready for what he would see, but it was so much worse. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. It was sheer chaos. Threads, blood, and bodies stretched across the entire complex. Most of the corpses were left perfectly preserved, the only sign of injury being the threads that had pierced through them. Blood flowed freely around the threads, dripping onto the ground. Draven observed the bodies closely, and what he found shocked him. They¡¯re still alive! The chests heaved and the bodies twitched, desperately gasping for air. What is going on? Draven moved carefully through the shadows, trying not to draw the monster¡¯s attention, heading deeper into the complex. The deeper he went, the less the bodies moved around, but he could still tell that they were alive. As if sensing something, the threads crashed into the shadows where Draven was, repeatedly smashing into it to no avail. He breathed a sigh of nervous relief. Phew, it can¡¯t hit me. But how does it know I¡¯m here? Reaching the study at the end of the corridor, he found Christophe¡¯s body strung up near his desk with a look of surprise etched on his face. Several threads pierced through his body. But despite everything, his heart was still beating steadily. Draven looked into Christophe¡¯s eyes and finally realised what had happened. Soul deprivation. Running back out into the corridor, he checked on the rest of the bodies, realising that they had all had their soul sucked out of them in such a way that the body remained alive. They¡¯re just empty shells. The true horror of the situation dawned on him as he stared at the soulless husks hanging in front of him. The continuous assault of the threads on his hiding place began to wear away at his nerves, but he held strong, knowing that he was safe. Returning to the room with Christophe in it, he searched for any clues as to what had happened. I saw the guards take Ed back this way, did they take him straight to Christophe? Then where is he? He found it odd that he couldn¡¯t find Ed¡¯s body in the room, and doubting that he could¡¯ve made it out alive, guessed that he must¡¯ve been brought somewhere else. Where could they have taken him? Running back to the main room, he watched as Ulric narrowly avoided the oncoming waves of threads and bodies. All of the guards had fallen. This scene was even more disturbing knowing that he was watching their souls being sucked out of their bodies. Shit, we need to get out of here! Where the fuck is Ed? His heart pounded in his chest as he searched for Ed. Every moment he spent here was one more moment where Ulric could die. But he trusted him and believed in his strength. Come on. You¡¯ve got this. With each room he searched, the more frustrated he grew. He couldn¡¯t find Ed, even if he was most likely a soulless husk at this moment. Returning to the main room, he hopped into Ulric¡¯s shadow and called out to him. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find him. We need to leave!¡± Ulric nodded as he skillfully dodged the bestial strikes coming from all around him. He waited patiently for Draven to get them out of there. Focusing his energy, the shadows danced as they converged around Draven and Ulric, becoming one large mass of umbral shadow. The threads struck against the shadow, crashing down on it like the thunderous crack of a whip. Cracks formed on the shadow with every strike. The shadows burst like a bubble, as Ulric and Draven disappeared. Chapter 112 The monster struck down furiously on the shadows, trying to catch the little bug sneaking past him. Its mind clouded by furious hunger, wanting to devour the shadows whole to get at the food hiding from it. At the same time, it swung countless threads and bodies at the other pest, who kept narrowly avoiding its attacks. Why. Won¡¯t. You. Die! Its attacks were brutal and savage, swinging at the pest with reckless abandon. Every time it thought it was close to trapping the pest, the pest would always find a way to dodge. It was already feasting on the rest of the souls it found, but it was unsatisfied seeing the two most delicious souls constantly avoiding its strikes. Eventually, the shadowy bug joined back up with the other one. The shadows converged blocking out its strikes. The monster pulled its entire body into the room, crashing down on the shadowy bubble as it tried to destroy it. It lashed out wildly, turning multiple bodies into paste in attempts to break through the shadows. The shadows popped, and it could no longer sense the little insects anywhere. No! No! No! It lashed out angrily, destroying the entire room before slowing down. Unable to sense any more souls nearby, it came to a standstill, stringing up the bodies as it patiently waited for something to wander nearby. It drained the bodies of the souls discarding them one by one, no longer having a use for the soulless husks. It waited patiently as it enjoyed its feast. ~ Draven and Ulric tumbled through the shadows and out onto the street, colliding with a car. The car crumpled in on itself as Ulric instinctively shielded Draven from the blow as they both got their bearings. Draven tried to stand up, but the cost of dragging Ulric so far through the shadows sent him crashing to the ground. He vomited blood, his entire body aching immensely as a violent headache set in. Ignoring the pain, he tried his best to look around, wanting to make sure they had escaped. ¡°What was that thing?¡± Draven asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I think we¡¯re safe now.¡± Ulric picked Draven up and carried him out of the wreckage, ignoring the angry protests of the driver as he quickly disappeared down the street. ¡°Put me down.¡± Draven ordered. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Ulric said nothing, instead choosing to hold Draven over his shoulder, knowing he wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything about it. Draven sighed, giving up on fighting against Ulric and taking this moment to rest. Ulric walked in silence back to the teleporter. Returning to Pride, they hopped in the car and returned back to the estate, where the Princess was no doubt waiting for them to tell her how the mission went. Having rested in the car and on the walk to the teleporter, Draven could once again walk on his own. His body was still numb, and he knew he would have to rest for a while, but he couldn¡¯t stop now. Now is not the time for rest. The princess needs to know what happened. Walking down the hallway instead of passing through the shadows, they eventually arrived at the dining room to see Princess Elaine and Lola enjoying a meal together. Ulric bowed while Draven gave a clumsy attempt at one, his body too sore for him to put in any more effort. Elaine¡¯s brow raised as she noticed the rough state of the group. She looked at the clock to see that only a few hours had passed since Ed and Ulric had left. ¡°That was quick, it seems like your mission didn¡¯t go to well. Please, have a seat and tell us what happened.¡± Draven gratefully took her up on that offer, slumping into the chair. He knew that he would have to make up for his lack of decorum, but considering his injuries, he knew she wouldn¡¯t be too harsh. Ulric took the seat next to Draven, sitting up tall as his body came to a stop in perfect posture. ¡°We weren¡¯t able to bring Christophe back alive.¡± Ulric said. ¡°I can see that.¡± Lola said, eyeing Draven. ¡°What happened to you? You look like shit.¡± ¡°We found where Christophe was hiding, but we were attacked.¡± Ulric said. ¡°Draven had to pull me through the shadows to escape. We almost didn¡¯t make it.¡± Wilfred nodded, understanding why Draven felt so weak right now. ¡°Were you ambushed?¡± He asked. ¡°Yes, but his guards weren¡¯t the problem.¡± Ulric said. ¡°A monster attacked us. We couldn¡¯t fight back.¡± Draven said, finally chipping into the conversation. ¡°So, he unleashed a monster on you?¡± Elaine asked with interest. Ulric shook his head. ¡°No, the monster killed everyone. It wasn¡¯t on his side.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t just kill them.¡± Draven said, his voice faltering. ¡°It drained their souls and left the bodies alive. I could see them breathing and moving even when their souls were gone.¡± A quiet chill swept through the room, the atmosphere now more somber and serious. ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Elaine asked, her tea and food now left to the wayside. Draven nodded. ¡°I¡¯m certain.¡± Elaine sunk into thought. ¡°Wilfred, send for Sir Balthazar.¡± Nodding, Wilfred left the room. A few minutes later, a mist seeped in through the door, followed by a heavy knocking. A servant opened the door, allowing a hunched over man in a hooded robe to enter. ¡°You called for me, your Majesty?¡± Balthazar asked. ¡°Sir Balthazar, you are an expert when it comes to souls, is it possible for a person to remain alive after having their soul destroyed?¡± Elaine asked. Balthazar stopped to think, the mist spreading out idly. ¡°Technically speaking, it wouldn¡¯t be possible. The soul and the person are one in the same. If the soul is gone so is the person.¡± He pulled up a chair and sat down across from Elaine, at the other end of the table. ¡°The soul has a very complicated relationship with the person. It is both the foundational core of a being, and also distinct from who they are. Think of the soul as the foundation for all that a person is, if you take away the soul, the person crumbles.¡± Chapter 113 The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Chapter 114 Cars flickered through his vision, driving along the highway, reflecting the dim lights of the old petrol pump. A car pulled into the station; parking just out front of the ice machine. A man strode out of the car, slowly walking towards the front door. Mathew blinked, his eyes finally coming into focus as he looked around in confusion. Somehow, the walls had changed from the bare concrete of the cell he had spent the past several hours in, now the familiar off-white walls of the gas station, including the bits of paint flaking off, hidden behind the counter. A wave of dizziness swept over him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his hands on the counter to try and stabilise himself. This isn¡¯t real. This isn¡¯t real. This isn¡¯t real. He thought to himself. Opening his eyes, he was greeted once again by the sight of the gas station. Is this a dream? Rearing his hand back, he slapped himself across the face with a resounding clap; receiving weird looks from the few customers in the store. Ow. Not a dream. Rubbing his face, he looked around at his surroundings, still shocked and confused about how he got here. I was at the police station. I swear. I. I... He felt a wave of pain as he tried to figure out how he got here. His mind felt completely blank, refusing to tell him how he could have possibly moved from behind bars back to the gas station in an instant. ¡°Excuse me, can you help me get that thing right there?¡± An aged voice called out, pulling him from his reverie. The voice sent chills down his spine, as his head shot up to stare at the little old woman who was asking for help. His eyes went bloodshot, as ugly tears streamed down his face. No. No. How? The woman¡¯s face was one that had been forever seared into his memory. It haunted him every time he closed his eyes. He felt himself shutting down as he stared back at the old woman, overwhelmed by fear and guilt. He stepped back, crashing into the shelves behind him and sending packets of cigarettes crashing to the floor. His vision swam as he felt like he was going to black out. ¡°Are you okay young man? Maybe you should sit down.¡± The old lady said, smiling at him gently. He slumped to the floor, his vision flashing between her warm smile and the sight of her soaked in blood, clenching her stomach. ¡°Good morning, Mathew. I¡¯m sure you have many questions you want to ask right now, but you don¡¯t have a lot of time. Soon that thief will step through the door, and once again try and steal from the store. And much like last night, you can take action into your own hands. Your firearm has been returned to you, put back in its rightful place so that you can live through this moment again. But this time, you have a chance to redeem yourself. If you are willing to suffer the pain in their place, you can safely return back to the prison cell, knowing that you¡¯ve redeemed yourself in the eyes of fate. But be warned, if the thief leaves before you have suffered enough, then this shall be your final resting place. Good luck.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Buddie¡¯s voice drifted through the air, resounding in Mathew¡¯s ears like the whispers of a demon. What? Before he could fully comprehend just what he learned, another familiar face entered the station. A shifty looking man, scratching at the dark stubble on his chin as his eyes darted around the room. He moved behind a shelf, blocking Mathew¡¯s line of sight as he quietly slid a few things into his hoodie. He slowly browsed the shelves, casually making his way back into view while trying to not be too suspicious. Mathew¡¯s bloodshot eyes tracked the man, following him around the store. The old lady continued to call out to him, but received no response, as he was just too focused. What did he mean by that? I can¡¯t redeem myself for what I¡¯ve done, they¡¯re already dead. His head remained scattered as he watched the man slide things into his pockets, repeating the same actions that happened the night before, making him question if this was all some kind of guilt-ridden nightmare. Unknowingly, his hand slid down to the gun around his waist, hidden from sight by his shirt. Everything seemed to freeze for a moment as the gun pointed directly at the thief. The customers stared at Mathew in shock, mixed with tinges of fear. Everything played out the same as it had the night before, except this time he didn¡¯t pull the trigger. Buddie¡¯s words raced through his mind, the gun trembled in his hand, now finally under his conscious control. What should I do? His fingers froze on the trigger, fear and guilt making him unable to move. Their faces mixed with Buddie¡¯s words caused a storm in his mind. It¡¯s just a dream, right? W-why do I feel like this? With teary, bloodshot eyes, he stared at the face of the thief, who was frozen out of fear. But Mathew knew it wouldn¡¯t be long before the man bolted through the door to freedom. He felt an inkling in his gut that when that happened, he would never be able to see his family again. Bang! As if in slow motion, the bullet trailed through the air, making its way towards the chest of the thief as everyone watched on in horror. Mathew felt his sternum explode as the bullet tore into the man¡¯s chest. Looking down in shock, he watched as blood bloomed out from his chest, dying his shirt red. He almost fell to the ground out of sheer pain, the bullet having shattered his sternum, forming a bloody exit wound on his back and ending at the wall. He felt a burning in his lungs as his vision swam, but somehow he managed to stay standing. Looking up, he found the thief to be, much to his surprise, perfectly fine, without any signs of having just been shot. Gritting his teeth, he fired two more shots in rapid succession. One bullet shot through his arm, causing a guttural scream as it shattered the bone in his forearm. The second bullet hit him in the shoulder. His entire body screamed in pain as he struggled to stay awake. His hand shook, almost dropping the gun. He watched despairingly as the thief ran for the door. His vision swimming, he shakily tried to follow the man with the gun, and with one final burst of consciousness, pulled the trigger. The bullet drilled into his stomach as he fell to the floor. The pain having overwhelmed him as his mind started to drift into unconsciousness. ¡°You can rest easy now. You have redeemed yourself with your actions and will now go back to live out the rest of your life in peace. Enjoy Heaven Mathew. Goodbye.¡± Chapter 115 Heavy breathing broke the silence in the darkened cell. Mathew shot up from the rickety old bench, his hands darting around his body in a panic. His panic and few gave way to confusion. He clutched at his chest, expecting to feel the wet slickness of blood, but was instead met with the dry cloth of his shirt. He patted himself down, now thoroughly confused. It was only then that he realised he shouldn¡¯t logically have been able to do that at all. His eyes darted down to his arm, and realised it was completely fine. There was no hole, nor blood, or broken bones causing him any pain. Rotating his shoulder to find no injuries there as well, it dawned on him that he was fine. But. It felt so real. He sat back down, his head leaning against the cold concrete walls of the cell. A storm raged through his mind, adrenaline flooding his body as he lost touch with what was real and what wasn¡¯t. He looked around the room with heightened suspicion, as if he was dreaming right now. His mind was a mess of emotions. Pain, fear, guilt, suspicion; his head ached under the sheer weight of it all. Delirious, he curled up on the bench, ignoring the discomfort he was feeling and closed his bloodshot eyes. ~ The intense light started to wane, allowing the group to get their bearings. They found themselves in a room identical to the one before. The teleportation array cooled down as the light on the door changed, allowing them to leave. Wilfred opened the door for everyone before following them through. The corridor they found themselves in was similar to the one in Lord Superbia¡¯s palace, except where he had artworks depicting the different Sins, she had giant gemstones set across from each door. Each gemstone was a different colour, representing the different Sins. A shining gold for Superbia, a burning red for Ira, a cloudy grey for Acedia, a dull yellowy green for Avaritia, A liquid amber for Gula, and a Hot pink stone for Luxuria The shining golden gem grew even brighter as they closed the door behind them. Leaving the corridor, a finely dressed imp greeted them. ¡°Greetings Princess Elaine, Lady Invidia wishes to see you. Please follow me.¡± The imp bowed to the princess before turning around and walking down the corridor. The walls were lined with precious gemstones and artworks. Every inch of the building costing an exorbitant amount of money, unlike anything seen on Earth. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Where Lord Superbia¡¯s palace was tasteful in its interior design, Lady Invidia¡¯s palace bordered on being too gaudy, revealing her intrinsic insecurity. As if she was trying too hard to appear wealthy. The imp led the group to a set of large golden double doors. ¡°She is waiting for you in the throne room.¡± He stepped to the side of the door and bowed. With a raise of Elaine¡¯s hand, the massive doors pushed open, gliding soundlessly just above the tiled floor. Guards lined the walls, all dressed in full plate armour. Their swords attached to their waist; the hilts encrusted with gemstones cleaned to the point of reflecting light around the room. At the end of the room sat a throne made of a deep blue diamond, attracting everything to look at it. Atop the throne sat Lady Invidia, her brown hair tied up neatly into a bun. A string of pearls hung delicately around her neck, resting just above the collar of her black pantsuit. Her body was stylishly decorated with golden jewellery. Simple rings adorned her ears, along with bands around her wrists. However, the most notable piece of jewellery was the wedding ring on her left hand, which contained a giant diamond made from the same material as her throne. To the right of her throne was a pedestal carved from a peerless black stone, holding a book just within her reach. This book was one of her most ancient and prized possessions. It contained constantly updated records of not only everything she possessed, but also everything her citizens owned, spanning across the entirety of Envy. Lady Invidia looked down from her throne, eyeing the Princess and her cohort. ¡°It¡¯s not often that two things catch my interest in the same day, what brings you to Envy Princess Elaine?¡± ¡°Oh, what have you found? Has someone brought you a new piece of art perhaps?¡± Elaine asked. ¡°Hardly. There was a small power spike in the city. And it was not from anyone I am familiar with. You don¡¯t happen to know anything about that, do you?¡± Invidia asked, squinting. Elaine bowed humbly. ¡°I must apologise Lady Invidia. I went against the rules and sent some of my men into your land without your permission. Please accept my sincerest apologies.¡± Wilfred stepped forward, passing a jewellery box over to Princess Elaine before stepping back to join the rest of the cohort, who had all kneeled in unison when Elaine bowed. With a bright flash, the box disappeared before anyone could notice, reappearing in Lady Invidia¡¯s hand. Examining the box, she opened it to find a set of emerald earrings. ¡°Lord Ira¡¯s work.¡± She mumbled to herself. ¡°Your apology is accepted, now tell me more about why you¡¯re here.¡± Like a well-versed machine, the group stood back up, secretly breathing a sigh of relief. ¡°One of your citizens sent a hitman after me, which was a bit of an annoyance. So, earlier today I sent some of my men to teach him a lesson. However, something happened which caught both mine and Sir Balthazar¡¯s interest, bringing us here. I would like to request formal permission to enter your city to investigate.¡± Elaine said, neither arrogantly nor humbly. Lady Invidia contemplated for a moment before rising from her throne. ¡°Permission granted. The events seem to line up with that power spike from earlier, so now I¡¯m even more intrigued if it¡¯s caught your attention. I will join you.¡± Chapter 116 Lady Invidia appeared in front of the group, and in the next moment, reality seemed to warp around them. The throne room spun rapidly, everything bending and twisting out of shape, like paint draining into a sink. Elaine steadied Lola, letting her lean on her shoulder. Wilfred stumbled slightly, while Ulric dropped to the ground, smashing his knees into the harsh asphalt. Elaine and Balthazar looked around calmly, waiting for the others to get their bearings. ¡°I sensed it here earlier, but it has faded now. You will need to lead the rest of the way.¡± Invidia said. The group turned to Ulric, who was shakily getting up from the ground. Looking around, he found that they had teleported to right in front of the bookstore. The bookstore was completely empty, and at some point in time the bookshelf had been restored to its original position. Meaning the old man had most likely already fled. Nervously leading the way, he stopped in front of the bookshelf with the secret entrance, readying himself to be attacked. ¡°Give me a moment to open it.¡± He said, jogging his memory on what books Ed had taken out. But before he could get started, the bookshelf popped out of existence. He jumped back, preparing to see a bunch of threads waiting to burst out at him. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the stairwell was empty. Invidia took the lead down. She frowned slightly as she felt a wave of detestable holy power emanating from deeper into the complex. Ugh. What is one of those filthy weaklings doing here? Entering the room where the main fight happened, they found a figure with angelic white wings cradling Ed¡¯s body. A faint golden glow pouring from her into him. A giant battleaxe rested on the floor next to Ed. ~ Moments earlier, in one of the Company¡¯s many offices, Zara¡¯s screen faded to black. ¡°Congratulations for redeeming another sinner Zara.¡± Buddie¡¯s words fell on deaf ears, as Zara stared at the screen with such intensity and excitement that it felt like she could burn a hole through it. I did it? I fucking did it! He survived! She jumped out of her seat and cheered, ignoring the strange looks she got from the surrounding coworkers. ¡°Send me to Ed!¡± She said excitedly, itching to finally see how he¡¯s doing. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s what you want as your reward? You won¡¯t receive any credits if that¡¯s what you choose.¡± Buddie asked. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Zara didn¡¯t even wait for him to finish, already nodding her head before he could finish his question. ¡°Okay. If that is what you want, then so be it. You will be sent to meet him as part of a vacation lasting one week. During the length of this vacation, you will not have to design any traps. Enjoy your vacation.¡± Buddie said. The world spun around her as she lost her footing, tumbling onto the ground. Her wings stretched out behind her in attempts to stabilise herself. Shaking off the dizziness, she looked around at the bloody mess surrounding her. Bodies littered the floor among pieces of shattered glass and splintered wood. Some of them were torn into pieces, others smashed into bloody pulps. Most importantly, she found Ed lying there unconscious, covered in blood. She used her wings to rocket herself forward, landing in a kneeling position next to him. ¡°Ed!¡± She called out to him worriedly. Not receiving a response, she checked to make sure he was still breathing and that he had a pulse. After that, she checked his body for any injuries. Phew, it¡¯s not his blood. Looks like he just overexerted himself. Let me just give him a little push. Focusing her mind, a faint golden glow ebbed out from her hands, coating Ed¡¯s body in an angelic light. Come on. Wake up. She pushed as much of her power into Ed as possible, hoping for him to quickly wake up. She heard the sound of footsteps drawing closer as she rested his head on her lap. ¡°Buddie, give me my battleaxe.¡± Wary that an enemy might be approaching, she summoned her weapon back to her, letting it rest just within reach. A group of five appeared in the doorway much faster than she anticipated. A wave of disgust washed out from her soul as she laid eyes on the group. Hellspawn. Clutching her axe, she stood up to face them, ready for battle. They must¡¯ve done something to Ed. The glow faded as she flapped her wings, charging at the group with a mighty swing. The one in front smirked slightly, while the succubus couldn¡¯t help but laugh, in a rapid, high-pitched and distorted way. What¡¯s going on? The group moved incredibly quickly, bypassing her with ease as her axe crashed into the ground. Her heart shot into her throat as she saw three of them stop at Ed while the other two searched the room. ¡°No! Get away from him!¡± ~ The angel charged at the group, her axe swinging wildly at them. It was immediately obvious to all of them that she had no idea what she was doing. Her form was off, allowing them dozens of opportunities to instantly kill her. Both in terms of strength and skill, it was like a toddler trying to fight a trained professional. Pathetic. With a thought, Invidia stole the angel¡¯s speed, slowing her down to a crawl. Lola broke down into a fit of laughter while the rest of the group studied the area. ¡°Is this the place?¡± Elaine asked, her question directed at Ulric. ¡°Yes.¡± He nodded, his eyes firmly locked onto Ed, a trace of confusion darting through his mind. The group walked around the slowly moving angel. While Invidia and Balthazar split off from the group, the remaining three stayed together, crowding around Ed. ¡°No! Get away from him!¡± The angel called out, her voice slowed down to the point of absurdity. The group ignored her as they tried to understand how Ed appeared here when Draven couldn¡¯t find him at all only a couple hours ago. Chapter 117 The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Chapter 118 Ed and Invidia locked eyes, a twinkle of amusement in hers. It had been a long time since someone who wasn¡¯t a Sin had challenged her so directly. Especially someone so weak. She felt like stretching her legs a little, but considering he was one of Elaine¡¯s men, she decided to not go too hard on him. That would be Elaine¡¯s job to punish him for his insubordination. Eager for a fight, she held back her strength, wanting to engage him in a test of skill rather than just thrashing him about. She took a step forward. The tense atmosphere was broken by Lola, who couldn¡¯t help but laugh at Ed. ¡°God, what an idiot!¡± Elaine stepped in between them, Staring Ed down. ¡°Stand down.¡± Her voice boomed, knocking Ed to his knees. His threads rippled through the air. Except for the ones protecting Zara, they all fell to the ground, wriggling back into his body. Seeing this she turned around to Invidia and bowed. ¡°My apologies Lady Invidia, could you please remove the pain from the angel?¡± Seeing Ed gasping for breath on the floor, she decided that the battle wasn¡¯t worth any potential headaches from Superbia. She took back the pain, throwing it onto a random body. The body convulsed then exploded, splattering blood across the room. Having defused the situation, Elaine turned her attention to Ulric, having noticed his strange reaction when Ed had prepared to attack. The pieces clicked together in her mind as she looked between Ed and Ulric. Without even having to hear the question on her mind, Ulric nodded solemnly, pointing at the threads. ¡°That¡¯s the monster we saw.¡± Shaking the ringing away, Ed caught what Ulric said and looked up at them in confusion. No longer having to fight, he finally noticed his surroundings. The horrid sights and smells flooded his senses. It was on a level beyond much of what he had seen while working for the company. It was far more visceral and real than anything he had seen through the computer screen. He had never felt more grateful that the company had distanced him from the horrors he was causing. ¡°Interesting. So both of you were forced to flee when facing someone who has only been in Hell for a few weeks? Has all the training and power I¡¯ve given you meant nothing?¡± Elaine asked Ulric, a soft, but cold smile on her lips. Ulric trembled, bowing for forgiveness. ¡°Of course not your Majesty. The strength you have given us has helped us take down many foes and has changed our lives for the better. Please forgive us for our mistake.¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Wait, what happened?¡± Ed interjected, even more confused. ¡°You both lost to someone who wasn¡¯t even aware of what he was doing. Do you think you are deserving of forgiveness?¡± She asked, her smile now completely gone. ¡°...No, your Majesty. We will take whatever punishment you decide.¡± Ulric sighed. This was a stain on his record that would never be washed away. ¡°We can get to that later. Now Ed, mind telling us why you are defending an angel?¡± She asked, her curiosity growing as she forced Ed¡¯s threads apart so that she could see Zara. Ed wanted to try and close the gap, but no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn¡¯t fight against Elaine¡¯s strength. So he gave up. He took solace in the fact that he was still alive; since Elaine hadn¡¯t killed him yet, clearly he hadn¡¯t done anything too bad. ¡°She¡¯s my girlfriend.¡± He said simply, hoping that that was enough justification for his actions. Seeing that Zara had gotten back to her feet, he decided to drop the threads and pull her into his arms. The warmth of her skin was comforting, and something he wanted to relax in to forget his troubles, but he knew he couldn¡¯t do that just yet. The wings were an odd sensation, but he couldn¡¯t deny that he enjoyed how it wrapped itself around him. He looked down at her face, noticing that she was still wary and ready for battle. With a smile, he made sure to hold her back so that she wouldn¡¯t start anything. I missed this. Elaine softened slightly at this display, finding his actions reasonable. Her eyes darted over to Lola. She knew she would do the same. Seeing Invidia nod out of the corner of her eye, she decided to leave his punishment at what had already happened. ¡°I won¡¯t punish you for your actions, but first you have to apologise to Lady Invidia.¡± Looking over at the woman he was just about to fight, it dawned on him why she looked so familiar. Holy shit. Elaine really just saved my ass. Taking a bow, he lowered himself in apology and stayed there until she accepted it. ¡°I apologise for my actions Lady Invidia.¡± She waved her hand, finding his apology acceptable. ~ While all of this was happening, Balthazar had walked further into the complex. I need something better; those ones weren¡¯t good enough. Studying the disaster with interest, he walked up to the closest full body, which was currently slumped over a partially destroyed table. Placing his ear to its chest, he heard the light thumping of a heart. Lifting the person¡¯s eyelids, he watched as the pupils dilated from the sudden intake of stimulus, but aside from that, had no other reaction. Interesting. He watched the chest rise and fall with the body¡¯s breathing. I need to get a closer look. Mist spread out from under his hood, swirling through the air. Drifting up into the person¡¯s nose, it scattered throughout the body. First wrapping around the brain, scanning the electrical impulses it was producing. The mist swept through the body, wrapping around the heart and the lungs. Scanning every organ and muscle, watching as they functioned as normal. For all intents and purposes this body is fully functional. But I can¡¯t sense the soul anywhere. How marvellous. Chapter 119 The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Chapter 120 The large door opened a little behind them, and Wilfred peeked his head out. ¡°You may come in now... Should I give you two a moment?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. We should probably go in now. Don¡¯t want to keep them waiting.¡± Ed said, awkwardly waddling towards the door, carrying her with him. Reluctantly, she let go, choosing to lock arms with him instead. She was still worried that he would disappear the instant she let go. Entering the throne room, Ed scanned the room for Ulric, but couldn¡¯t find him anywhere. Where did he go? I didn¡¯t see him leave. Is there another exit? Stopping in front of Elaine, he threw his thoughts to the side. I¡¯ll check that out later. Elaine looked down from her throne at him, a slight smile on her face, but nothing else that would give away her thoughts or emotions. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have many questions; I will do my best to explain what happened there. But first, what is the last thing you remember before you blacked out? Ed casted his mind back to the few moments he could still remember, before his brain had turned to mush. Being surrounded on all sides, attacked from every angle as he tried to dodge the rain of bullets coming his way. The pain he felt when he got shot, and when his arm was shattered. All of it eventually turned into nothing when his brain was turned to mush. He told them about the nothingness and the pain. And most importantly, about the hunger that dwelled deep in his soul when the pain was at its worst. Zara squeezed his arm tighter, sending a pulse of healing energy through to make sure he was really okay. Elaine sat there, contemplating his words, while Lola smiled slightly at Zara¡¯s actions. Her opinion of Zara vastly improving. ¡°So, you don¡¯t remember any specific events after you were taken out of that room?¡± Elaine asked. I left that room? ¡°No, I don¡¯t even remember leaving.¡± Ed answered truthfully. ¡°Well, I can tell you what happened from there. After you were taken away, you went on a rampage, killing everyone. The only ones who didn¡¯t die were Ulric and Draven, who barely escaped with their lives. It¡¯s clear to me that you lost control and could have gone on a very dangerous rampage throughout the entire city if someone hadn¡¯t locked you up down there...¡± Elaine said. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know what came over-¡± Ed tried to apologise. I need to learn to control myself. ¡°...But of course, Lady Invidia wouldn¡¯t have let something run amok in her city long enough for it to be a problem. She had already sensed you the moment you went on a rampage, so it was fine.¡± Elaine finished. Confused, Ed didn¡¯t know whether he should continue to apologise or not. ¡°What are you trying to say, your Majesty?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to say that you completed your mission. Yes, there were a few mishaps along the way. But the target is dead, and that¡¯s what matters. Right now, we have other matters to attend to.¡± She said, her eyes flickering over to the pair of angel wings on Zara¡¯s back. ¡°Like why an angel has stepped foot into Hell unannounced?¡± Ed¡¯s eyes also flicked over to Zara¡¯s wings. So she is an angel, it¡¯s nice to have that confirmation. She probably would¡¯ve told me, I just didn¡¯t have the chance to ask. Could this be one of the reasons the company picked her? That¡¯s something I might have to ask Urdhuri. Trusting Zara, he let her explain. ¡°I came to see Ed. He¡¯s been gone for a while now, and I worked hard to be able to come here for a week.¡± Zara said. ¡°Why would an angel violate the rules of Heaven for a human? A sinner, no less.¡± Lola asked. Her mind running wild with the story of a forbidden romance between an angel and a human. ¡°Because he¡¯s my boyfriend, duh. Also, what do you mean by Heaven? I didn¡¯t come from there.¡± Zara said. ¡°Oohh.¡± Both Elaine and Lola said, one in understanding, the other in disappointment. ¡°A human with angelic heritage, that makes a lot of sense.¡± Elaine said to herself. ¡°That explains why we weren¡¯t notified of your arrival. Usually, they won¡¯t mess up with something like that.¡± ¡°How did you get here though? Did you kill yourself just to be with him? That¡¯s kinda romantic.¡± Lola asked, whispering the last part under her breath. That¡¯s not it, Buddie must¡¯ve sent her down here himself. What did she do? Ed worried that she had done something she shouldn¡¯t have just to see him. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m allowed to talk about it.¡± Zara said. ¡°But I¡¯m not going to be here for long. I hope I¡¯m not causing you any problems?¡± Elaine thought it over, her finger tapping gently on her chin. ¡°You said you¡¯d be here for a week? That won¡¯t be a problem then. I¡¯ll make sure my father knows so that he doesn¡¯t come back early just to kill you. Also try and hide those wings of yours, it¡¯ll help you avoid trouble.¡± Zara nodded, folding her wings back into her body. Ed grimaced, noticing the two bloody gashes left behind on her back moments before she started healing them. Much to his relief, the golden glow quickly removed any traces of injury on her body. That looks painful. ¡°Good. Now Ed, I¡¯m going to give you a week off work so that you can spend this time with her. I don¡¯t expect anything to happen that would require your abilities, but even if something does happen, you won¡¯t be called on. There¡¯s a car waiting outside to take you home.¡± Elaine said, sending them off. Watching as the large door closed behind them, she turned to Lola. ¡°That should give him enough time to digest his gains. How will we test him later?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we¡¯ve got plenty of time to figure that out.¡± Lola leaned in close, her warm breath falling onto Elaine¡¯s neck. Without saying another word, she dragged Elaine back to the secret room hidden behind the throne. Chapter 121 ¡°What was all that about? And who were those people?¡± Walking away from the throne room, Zara turned around and eyed the door. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later, just know that they¡¯re on our side.¡± Ed said. I need to figure out what happened to Ulric. I don¡¯t want him to die because of me. ¡°Wait here.¡± Before she could say anything, Ed had already followed his string back into the past. Watching the previous scene play out in reverse, Ed stayed behind as his past self walked backwards through the door. Rewinding even further, he stopped when Ulric reappeared in the scene. Luckily it didn¡¯t happen too long ago. Now let¡¯s see what happened. Walking around the room, his attention was firmly locked onto Elaine, who had raised her hand and clasped her fingers, moments away from snapping them. Ulric was kneeling on the ground, waiting patiently, rescind to his fate. Replaying the moment, Elaine snapped her fingers, and Ed watched as Ulric just disappeared. Blipping out of time and space so quickly that it was as if he was never there in the first place. Did she just kill him? No, that can¡¯t be right. I need to go back further. Rewinding back to when Ulric first stepped into the room, he was met with several minutes of complete silence, neither group speaking a word. Ulric simply kneeled down, accepting his fate as Elaine towered in her throne above him. ¡°Good. There¡¯s no need to fight against your fate. You already know what happens to those who disappoint me.¡± Elaine said. Lifting her hand, she snapped her fingers, and once again Ulric was gone. Well that didn¡¯t fucking help. There has to be something else. There¡¯s no way he¡¯s dead. Straining his eyes, he searched the room, trying to find anything he could to prove his suspicions. Slowly, extremely faint glimmers came into view. Nearly invisible strings of fate appeared, darting around the room, connecting everyone and everything inside. Unlike what he would normally see, the strings leading to potential futures were nowhere to be seen. Instead, each person had a single string coming out of the front that was just as prominent as the one leading to their past. Wait how? This didn¡¯t happen before. Remembering back to the previous times he had viewed the past, he could have sworn that the strings of fate had not followed him in his visions. And that the only one he could see was the one he was attached to. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. I¡¯m right, this definitely didn¡¯t happen before. He remembered that each and every time he grabbed hold of a string to follow it, the others would fade away, allowing him to focus wholeheartedly on a single one. But now. Now he could once again see them. Even though they were incredibly faint, and nowhere near what they would be if he was there normally, he could see them. Does this mean I can attach myself to one of them? Testing his theory, he walked up to Ulric, and grabbed hold of the prominent thread coming from in front of him. His head rung as he stumbled back, crashing into the throne door. ¡°Ed!¡± Scared and worried, Zara rushed over to him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡± Gritting his teeth, he stood back up with some help from Zara. What was that? Vague images flashed in his head, accompanied by a dreadful ringing. He felt his head swell up with ungodly amounts of information, reminding him of the time his head exploded. Don¡¯t touch those strings. Got it. ¡°Help me to the car please.¡± Carrying him in her arms, she quickly made her way outside, an angelic glow radiating from her and seeping into Ed, soothing his pain. Still in immense pain, he reluctantly allowed her to continue carrying him. Walking past countless servants, who no doubt were questioning this, even if their expressions didn¡¯t say anything, they eventually made it to the car. Sinking back into the plush leather seats, he lost himself in his thoughts. I think I¡¯ve figured it out. That string I grabbed should allow me to see everything that had happened up to right now. That¡¯s why it¡¯s so clear. It¡¯s not showing me a possible future, it¡¯s showing me things that have already happened. The problem is, it was showing me everything. I¡¯m still too weak to be able to do that. Feeling dizzy, he spent the rest of the car ride back resting, only getting up when the car came to a stop. Damn, that¡¯s right. I don¡¯t have my keys on me. Guess I¡¯ll just have to do this. Shooting a thread through a thin gap at the bottom of the door, he felt around for a few moments before he opened the door from the inside. Leading Zara around the machines, he brought her up to his apartment. ¡°Now can you tell me what that was all about? You really freaked me out.¡± She said worriedly. ¡°I needed to figure out what happened to Ulric. The statue guy that was with us. I didn¡¯t want to see him die because of me.¡± Ed explained. ¡°How did you get hurt? Did you see something you shouldn¡¯t have? Did she hurt you? I¡¯ll kill her!¡± Her wings stabbed out of her back, as she tried to fly back to the palace to fight Elaine. A thread shot out and wrapped around her, dragging her back to Ed. ¡°No, she didn¡¯t do anything. Also don¡¯t try and fight her. Buddie may be able to keep you alive, but you¡¯ve got no chance of winning. It¡¯ll just be pure torture at that point.¡± Grumbling, she calmed down slightly. ¡°Fine. But how did you hurt yourself?¡± ¡°I was testing out something, and it backfired.¡± Feeling tired, he struggled to keep his eyes open. ¡°That¡¯s all I can say for now. I¡¯ll explain it after a quick nap. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine.¡± Walking back to his room, he crashed onto his bed under the worried look of his girlfriend. Chapter 122 Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Chapter 123 Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Chapter 124 Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Chapter 125 Using her angelic strength, she launched herself off the side of the pool, turning into a torpedo as she rocketed towards the other side. Damn. Ed shot his thread out, trying to hook onto the other end and pull himself along, but he was one step too late. Before his thread could even attach itself to the wall, Zara was already there celebrating. Joining her on the other side, he let her enjoy her victory. He felt warm seeing her enjoy herself so much. After playing around for a little while longer, the two got out of the pool and laid back down on the sun lounges. This is nice. Relaxing, Ed and Zara watched as the ship made its way around the city. The two also secretly enjoyed the view of each other, water dripping off their bodies and their skin glistening under the sun¡¯s rays. One time, their eyes met while they were looking at each other. Ed sheepishly looked away, and Zara took the opportunity to cuddle up close to him, resting her hands on his abs. Caught by surprise, he gladly hooked his arm around her and enjoyed her warmth. They stayed like that for a while, how long, he wasn¡¯t sure, but he was starting to feel a little hungry. ¡°What do you want to do now?¡± Ed asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. What time is it?¡± She asked. Looking up at the sun, he roughly guessed that it was just about one o¡¯clock. ¡°It¡¯s a good time to have lunch, are you hungry?¡± ¡°I could do with a bite to eat, why don¡¯t we order in some room service?¡± She got off the chair, stretching her back and arms as she went back inside. ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want to head out for lunch?¡± He asked while following her in. ¡°Nah, I may have gone a little overboard in our competition. I wanna just rest for a bit.¡± She said sheepishly, before changing the subject. ¡°Now how do we order in?¡± ¡°I think I saw a screen around here somewhere... Oh, there it is. What do you want?¡± Walking over to the wall near the front door, Ed found a small screen that could be used for various things. Nice, I¡¯ll look at that stuff later, but right now, food. Clicking on that option, a list appeared showing all of the restaurants on board the ship. After a bit of discussion, they were caught between two options: a nice Italian restaurant, and an interesting little salad joint. ¡°What are you feeling?¡± Ed asked. ¡°Let¡¯s save the Italian for dinner. A nice candle-lit dinner at a fancy restaurant atop a flying cruise ship. Doesn¡¯t that sound great?¡± Zara whispered into his ear. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Salad it is. Clicking on that option, they scrolled through the menu before settling on a sweet potato and feta salad. Sending the order through, Zara went to the bathroom to wash up and get changed into a complementary robe. After Ed did the same thing, there was a knock at the door. ¡°Room service.¡± The flight attendant from before called out from the other side of the door. ¡°Coming!¡± Ed called out while using a towel to dry his hair. Opening the door, he saw the attendant wheeling around a cart. Letting her inside, she wheeled the cart over to the table, where Zara was already sitting. Placing the dishes on the table, she waited for Ed to sit down before theatrically lifting the cloches, revealing the fresh salads underneath. ¡°Enjoy your meal.¡± She said before leaving. Ooh, this looks good. Grabbing his fork, Ed made sure to get himself an even mix of everything, whereas Zara went straight for the sweet potato, forgoing everything else. What dressing are they using? It¡¯s really nice. The sweet potatoes were roasted to perfection. Combined with the soft creaminess of the cheese and the hint of zest from the honey and lemon dressing, the meal was nice and refreshing, a perfect choice after all the fun they had in the pool. Ed cleaned off his plate with surprising speed, not living a single speck of food, while Zara pushed her dish forward when there was still a little left on the plate. After getting dressed, Zara was raring to go, eager to spend the rest of her night having fun and exploring. Zara quickly searched on the screen for fun activities before heading out the door. Ed followed behind her as she ran across the ship to the mini golf course. Finding a course taped off with a sign saying, ¡®VIP only¡¯. Flashing their tickets, they stepped onto the course and picked up their golf clubs. The first hole was nice and simple, just a straight line to the hole with a little bit of a bump in between. Stepping up to go first, Ed calmly breathed in, adjusting himself, his eyes darting between the hole and the golf ball. With a nice clean swing, the ball crested smoothly over the bump and rolled into the hole. Getting the ball for Zara, he returned to the side to watch. His eyes followed the ball as it soared majestically through the sky and hit one of the workers in the head. Apologising profusely, Zara healed him up before awkwardly taking the ball and running back to the course. Taking her time, she swung gently, then watched as the ball rolled back to her feet. ¡°Take your time. Just breathe in and relax. You¡¯ve got this.¡± Ed encouraged. She got it over onto the other side on her third attempt, but still failed to get it into the hole until her fourth hit. Moving onto the second hole, it went much the same way. Ed tapped the ball through the windmill, narrowly avoiding the rotating blades, and having the ball stop just short of the hole. Tapping it in gently, he handed it off to Zara. Time after time, she hit the ball directly into the rotating blades, watching in growing frustration as the ball rolled back to her feet each time. ¡°Maybe we should try something else?¡± Ed asked. ¡°No! I¡¯ve got this!¡± Frustrated, Zara swung, and the golf club slipped from her hands, impaling itself into the windmill. ¡°Maybe we should.¡± Apologising to the staff again, she quickly ran off, embarrassed to be seen there again. Ed followed her to make sure she was okay. Exploring the rest of the ship and playing games like foosball, volleyball, and basketball, Zara eventually calmed down and began to enjoy herself again. Having a lovely and romantic dinner in a private room at the Italian restaurant, they made it back to their room in time to watch the sunset. Relaxing on the bed in each other¡¯s arms, they watched as the sun painted the sky in glorious shades of orange and pink. Chapter 126 Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Chapter 127 ¡°Is there anything you are looking for?¡± An old, somewhat nasally voice asked. Looking deeper into the store, Ed saw a figure walk out from behind the counter. The man was incredibly short, less than half Ed¡¯s height. He had slight avian features. His nose extended out into a long hook, mimicking a beak. His legs were thin, with three razor-sharp talons attached at the bottom as feet. His upper limbs were somewhere between human arms and wings, with dark, almost pitch-black plumage layered along their length, leading to hands with freakishly long fingers. He reminded Ed of a crow or a raven. ¡°I¡¯m alright, thank you. Just browsing.¡± Ed said. ¡°You seem to be having trouble deciding, mind telling me what¡¯s on your mind?¡± The old man said. Why not. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve got anything to lose by doing so. ¡°I want to start learning an instrument, but I¡¯m not even sure what to go for.¡± ¡°Do you have any experience with an instrument?¡± He asked, hoping to help Ed out to the best of his ability. ¡°I played the drums for a bit, but it never really called to me, ya know?¡± ¡°I understand.¡± The man stroked his chin in thought. ¡°Keep looking around, I¡¯ll try and think of something for you.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± wandering around the store, he stepped up to the drums for a moment, but ultimately didn¡¯t sit down. It¡¯s too flashy. I want something that won¡¯t blind someone if they look at it for too long. Probably in the wrong place for that though. Walking around the room, he went up to the instruments one by one, and with the agreeance of the shopkeeper, touched them. For some of them, like the piano, or the guitar, he played a few notes. For the smaller ones, or the wind instruments, he simply held them in his hands to get an idea of what they felt like. But throughout all of this, he still couldn¡¯t find something that felt right for him. During this time, other customers came in and made purchases, but he had done nothing. ¡°Still no luck?¡± The shopkeeper asked. ¡°No, sorry for wasting your time.¡± Ed turned to leave but was stopped by the old man. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°This kind of thing takes time. How about this, head to Wrath, someone there might be able to help you get what you need. They are the best craftsmen in all of Hell, surely, you¡¯ll have better luck there.¡± He said. ¡°Thanks. That helps a lot.¡± Saying goodbye to the old man, Ed left the store. Heading back to where they were earlier, he noticed that Zara still wasn¡¯t there, so he found himself a seat. There¡¯s so much I¡¯ve gotta do. Life¡¯s been keeping me so drained lately that I haven¡¯t been able to do anything. Hopefully I¡¯ll have some time to myself when I¡¯m out of here. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything Buddie will stop me from doing, but just to be safe I should think them through first. First off, I need to visit grandpa, it¡¯s been far too long, and he needs to know that I¡¯m okay. Second, I need to figure out what¡¯s changed. I feel different after what happened on that mission, but I haven¡¯t figured out what yet. I can probably get that done when Zara¡¯s vacation is over. Don¡¯t want to take up her time with that. Third, I need some hobbies. If I¡¯m gonna keep doing what Buddie tells me, then I need something to distract myself so that my mind doesn¡¯t break. Finally, I need to talk to Urdhuri. About what I am. About fate. And about the company. The more information I have, the better my chances are at stopping them. I¡¯ve learnt from my mistakes, I¡¯ll put more thought into my traps. That way I¡¯ll get rewarded instead of being punished. At some point in time while Ed was organising his thoughts, Zara had walked out of the hairdresser and made her way back to the meetup spot. Noticing Ed sitting down a little bit away, she walked over to him, wondering how long it would take for him to notice her. As it turned out, it was only when she stood right in front of him that he was finally pulled from his thoughts. ¡°How did everything gooo, wow.¡± Ed was stunned by just how different she looked. Where previously her hair had fallen to just above the middle of her back, it was now trimmed to just below shoulder length, with slight wavy curls where before it had been completely straight. Her hair framed her face in the front, with side-swept bangs covering half her forehead. However, the most drastic change by far was that her hair was now a midnight black instead of the blonde it was before. As she swung her hair around, Ed noticed that the underside of her hair had been dyed purple, giving her hair a faint shimmer whenever she moved. ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Zara asked. ¡°It looks great!¡± He pulled her into a hug, inadvertently smelling the wild berry shampoo they used. ¡°What made you want to change?¡± ¡°I don''t know, just felt like trying something new. Does it not suit me? Do you think I look better as a blonde?¡± She played with her hair, now feeling a little nervous. ¡°I promise you look great.¡± He gave her a light kiss on the forehead. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Feeling relieved, she sat down on the bench, prompting Ed to join her. ¡°Where did you go earlier?¡± She asked. ¡°I found a store selling instruments and wanted to check it out.¡± He said, pointing to the store not too far away. ¡°Ooh cool! Did you get anything? I didn¡¯t know you wanted to play an instrument?¡± She asked excitedly. ¡°Nah, there was nothing I was interested in there. And I just want to pick up a hobby. Music was just the first thing that came to mind.¡± He said. ¡°Well, why don¡¯t we keep looking around, maybe you¡¯ll find something interesting.¡± Zara grabbed his hand and pulled him off the chair. That works for me. Chapter 128 Ed and Zara steadied themselves as the blue light began to fade. Filing out of the square, they looked around at the well-fortified buildings of Wrath around them. The buildings were spaced out, each lined with walls and separated by small streets and alleyways. Each house was a well-protected and independent compound, with large courtyards designed for training and movement. The houses were the opposite of what they had seen in Envy, pursuing practicality and efficiency over appearance. This resulted in most of the places looking the same outside of signs identifying the places'' purpose and owner. I like it. Ed appreciated the simplicity of it, finding the entire city much easier on the eyes than anything he had seen in Envy City. ¡°It¡¯s less, destroyed, than I was expecting.¡± Zara said. ¡°Mm. I thought it would be an active warzone... Actually, it feels kind of empty.¡± Having walked away from the teleporter, they found that there were a lot less people walking around. It felt like a ghost town. Whenever they did see someone, they always left quickly, moving to their destination with speed and purpose. ¡°Where is everyone?¡± Zara asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Walking for a while longer, they soon began to hear faint sounds coming from off in the distance. Looking at each other, they decided to get closer and figure out what was going on. Weaving between the buildings, the sound began to get louder and more distinct. People were cheering. Following the sound, they found themselves at the doorstep of an arena. The cheering now overwhelming. ¡°I guess we have our answer.¡± Zara said. A line of people was constantly streaming into the arena, handing over a small amount of money to a large man sitting by the entrance. As they watched, more and more people streamed in from the surrounding area, joining the line. ¡°Do you want to see what¡¯s going on?¡± Ed asked. ¡°Yeah!¡± Zara nodded excitedly, immediately jumping into the line before it filled up even more. Joining her in the line, Ed noticed a small sign stating that tickets were five dollars each. Readying his cash, he handed it over to the man and entered without either party saying a word. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen what a spectacular fight that was! Who would¡¯ve thought it would end like that!¡± A voice bellowed across the arena. Reaching the bottom of the stands, Ed looked around for seats, while Zara looked over the railing into the pit below. Seats stretched on for several rows, circling around the pit in the centre. The pit itself was fairly simple. It was an open sandy space with two four large, gated entrances forming a cross with each other. The pit was low into the ground, allowing for somewhat large monsters to be brought in without fear of it getting out into the audience. However, it also wasn¡¯t too far down. One of the gates was lowered, and Zara thought that she saw something dragging a limp body through the exit. Spotting a pair of seats towards the middle, Ed and Zara shuffled through the crowd, and sat down. A hush fell over the audience as everyone found their seats and people stopped flooding in. ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen, a brand-new fighter is joining our arena today. Can everyone give a loud welcome to Ysolda!¡± The announcer¡¯s voice rang out throughout the arena again as one of the gates lowered into the ground. A humanoid dinosaur stepped into the pit, a toothy grin on her face as she looked up at the audience. She stood just under two metres tall, and her body rippled with muscles. Her clothes were dirty and torn, hanging loosely over her athletic frame. She was barefoot, long, raptorial claws on both her feet and hands. She walked into the arena with confidence and without carrying a weapon. ¡°As is customary whenever we see a fresh face, Ysolda will have to be put to the test against a wild and dangerous beast before she is allowed to face another competitor. Everyone get your money ready and place your bets on whether you think she will survive!¡± The gate opposite her lowered as a gigantic, monstrous boar stepped into view. It towered over her at nearly three metres tall and twice as long. Deadly tusks speared out from the beast''s face, glinting under the sweltering sun. Without any preamble, the boar charged at Ysolda the second it saw her. The ground shook under its weight as it barrelled towards her. She stood completely still, as if rooted to the ground out of shock or fear. Mere moments away from being skewered by one of the tusks, she dodged to the side. Her hand stretched out, her razor-sharp claws digging into the boar¡¯s side as it rushed past. Long, bloody gashes stretched on for about a metre before her fingers got caught and she was dragged along with it. Her body rag dolled through the air as she narrowly kept hold. The beast narrowly stopped its charge before it collided with the wall, squealing in pain. It looked around in confusion, trying to find its opponent. Ysolda used this moment to steady herself. Pulling her hand out from the boar, she used the gashes to climb onto its back. Her feet and hands shredded the wounds even more, causing the boar to squeal. Feeling something on its back, the boar rocked back and forth, trying to throw her off balance. The ground shook as Ysolda was sent flying. She grabbed onto a wild tuft of hair in an attempt to hold on, but was soon thrown off completely. Soaring through the sky, there was nothing she could do when the boar¡¯s tail whipped out at her. Shielding her head as best she could, she groaned as the tail slammed into her. With a thunderous crack, it threw her into the wall. Her body slumped over as the boar readied itself for another charge. Furious, its head shook wildly as it stomped forward, quickly picking up speed. Chapter 129 It¡¯s over. Looking down at the battle, Ed watched as the boar came down on Ysolda, kicking up a cloud of dust as it crashed into the wall. Does who had bet on Ysolda groaned at the loss of money, but quickly picked themselves back up. As everyone was waiting for the announcer to call the end of the fight, the dust settled, and everyone realised something was off. The boar¡¯s tusks were jammed into the wall, and no matter how hard it tried, it couldn¡¯t free itself. Ysolda was facing the boar, having narrowly avoided being gutted by it. She stood in between its tusks, mere inches away from its face, but annoyingly out of reach. The boar snarled, trying to reach her, but it just couldn¡¯t. It was stuck. Kicking off of the wall, she landed atop its head. And with a smile, she sunk her hand into its right eye. The beast squealed in pain as Ysolda dug around in its skull, her entire arm sinking into it. The crowd cheered as the boar slumped to the ground, no longer moving. ¡°And it seems like Ysolda has come out on top! What a thrilling bout that was! I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll see a lot more of her in the future¡± The announcer said cheerfully. Workers entered the pit, efficiently removing the boar from the wall and dragging it back to the entrance and underground. All the while, Ysolda was standing in the middle and waving up at the audience who were cheering for her. Eventually, she cleared out of the arena to collect her winnings and the pit was empty once more. The wall had been repaired, and the blood had drained through the sand. The pit was clean and ready for another fight. The arena rumbled as somehow the pit expanded before Ed¡¯s eyes, growing large enough to contain the entirety of the arena from a few minutes ago within itself. ¡°Alright, it is time for everyone¡¯s favourite part of the day! Get your asses down there and ready your weapons. IT¡¯S TIME FOR A BATTLE ROYALE!¡± A large portion of the crowd jumped over the railing and into the pit. Some flew in, while others jumped directly from their seats, even if they were up at the very back. Some of them were brandishing weapons, while others cracked their necks and pounded their fists together. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Some people gathered into small teams, while others went out on their own. But by the end of things, nearly a quarter of the over ten thousand people in the audience had now jumped into the arena. Zara¡¯s axe was already in her hand, and she was staring eagerly at Ed, just waiting for the all-clear to jump down there and join them. I guess we¡¯re doing this. Casually stretching, he nodded to her before getting up. By the time he reached the railing, she had already flown down into the pit. This is gonna hurt, but at least she¡¯s having fun. He vaulted over the railing and dropped down into the arena, using his threads to land safely. Finding a spot next to Zara he bent down and whispered in her ear. ¡°How do you want to do this? Want to go for it solo, or team up?¡± ¡°Split up but watch each other¡¯s backs. I really want to have some fun.¡± She said, bouncing her axe between her hands. Sounds like a plan. ¡°For all newcomers, we only have one rule here; no soul attacks. Everything else is fair game. ARE YOU READY?¡± Everyone, both the audience and the participants, cheered, their voices filling up the arena. ¡°THEN LET THE BATTLE BEGIN.¡± Everyone launched forward, filling the arena with the sounds of battle. Severed limbs and broken bodies flew about as some people were quickly taken out of the match. A man was chopped clean in two in front of Zara, only for him to pick up his lower half and fly back up to his seat. Ed launched his threads out, tripping over a person who was sneaking up on Zara. Jumping back, he narrowly avoided someone¡¯s sword before whipping his leg around into the person¡¯s arm. The arm broke off and flew away, smacking somebody in the head. A skeleton. Properly looking at his opponent, Ed realised that they didn¡¯t have any skin or muscles. They looked like a typical skeletal warrior out of a fantasy game. Carrying a rusty sword in the remaining arm, and wearing the battered remains of armour, they looked like they had just stumbled out of a crypt. The skeleton lunged forward, pressing Ed back and towards a fight that was going on behind him. Something grabbed Ed¡¯s leg, and he stumbled backwards, almost falling to the ground. Ed caught himself with his threads and pushed off the ground, rolling to the side and narrowly avoiding another strike. Looking down, he watched the hand scamper back and reattach itself to the skeletons body. Steadying himself, he prepared for an annoying fight. ~ Thud. Zara turned around to see someone on the ground behind her. How did that happen? Not bothering to think further, she swung her axe down on the person¡¯s neck. The axe cut clean through and buried itself in the sand. The person¡¯s head rolled as Zara ripped the axe out of the ground. Looking over at Ed, she watched the skeleton¡¯s arm go flying. He¡¯s doing fine. Searching around for another fight, her eyes locked onto an imp whose tail had just spiked through someone¡¯s heart. The body at Zara¡¯s feet picked up its head and sluggishly walked through to one of the open exits. The imp tossed the heart back to his opponent and turned to face Zara. Locking eyes for a moment, both charged at each other. Zara swung her axe in a wild horizontal slash, the air whipping around it as it threatened to chop the imp¡¯s head clean off. Sliding across the sand, he went under the axe. His tail shot out, aiming right for Zara¡¯s heart. Chapter 130 Fights were taking place all over the arena. Blood rained down from the sky as those with wings battled for aerial superiority. Whenever a body part fell, it wouldn¡¯t be long before the rest of the body came to claim it. The arena quickly filtered down to less than two thousand people. It was brutal and messy, but not chaotic. People would leave whenever they sustained enough damage to put them out of the fight, and they stayed out of it even when their bodies had healed, and they could return. Nobody complained when they lost, or if they got stabbed in the back by a third party. Instead, they sat back down in the audience with their heads held high, accepting the result and enjoying the fights going on before their eyes. The imp¡¯s tail scraped across the axe as Zara pulled it back to protect her chest. She reached out and grabbed the tail, pulling the imp forward and slamming his face into the side of the axe. The imp shook off the pain and jabbed the tip of his tail into Zara¡¯s hand, forcing her to release her grip. Both parties took a step back before charging again. Ed ducked under another sword strike as he swept the skeleton¡¯s legs out from under them. He wrapped his threads around one of the calf bones, ripping it out and tossing it at someone coming up behind Zara. The bone ricocheted and came back to the skeleton as it stood back up. Those in teams stuck to fighting among themselves, only ganging up on individuals whenever the individual initiated the fight. One team steamrolled through the competition until there was no one left who was able, or willing to fight them. Seeing that they had beaten all of the other groups, they immediately broke off and started fighting each other. Zara and the imp battled back and forth, neither party managing to land the finishing blow. Getting reckless, Zara coated herself in her healing glow and charged forward once more. Blocking one of his punches, she bashed his head in with the grip of her axe, sending him tumbling backward. She then swung her axe around, hooking his leg and sending him crashing to the ground. She swung the axe down, planting it through his head. At the same time, her chest exploded with pain, as she looked down to see her heart dangling in front of her on the tip of the imp''s tail. The imp smiled up at her from either side of the axe blade, his brain dripping onto the sand. He pulled her heart back into place, her healing getting to work reattaching it the second it fell into place. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Sighing regretfully, she pulled her axe out of his head and helped him up. They scooped his brain back into his body, then she patched him up before he walked out of the arena. ¡°I lost! Keep going, you¡¯ve got this.¡± Zara flew over Ed¡¯s head as she returned to her seat to cheer him on. Taking advantage of the moment his opponent turned their attention to Zara, he exploded into a burst of threads that wrapped around the skeleton. Keeping his head on a swivel to watch out for other people, he disassembled the skeleton, isolating the parts from each other. After a few seconds, he felt them start to pull towards each other, so he let go and returned to his original form. Spinning their head back around to face him, the skeleton nodded, picked up his sword, and left the arena. Looking at the chaos around him, Ed took a moment to rest, avoiding all of the battles and assessing the overall situation. There¡¯s still a lot of people left, and some of them look really tough. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to win. He looked up at Zara who was cheering him on. I might as well have fun. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m gonna die. Deciding to have fun, he threw himself into the thick of the fight. Steel and limbs flew through the air as he dove into the area where the large team had imploded. It quickly devolved into an all-out brawl. He was completely surrounded, ducking and weaving between the shots that were thrown at him, his threads launching out to sow chaos wherever he went. He tripped and pushed people, interfering in as many fights as possible, using this as a chance to see what he could do. Several attacks slipped past his defences because of this. He forcefully dodged into the ones that he thought he could take to avoid the obviously dangerous strikes. He began to slow down as he was left battered and bruised, but still in the fight. His opponents this time were considerably stronger than those he fought in Envy, but at the same time, they weren¡¯t trying to kill him, so the fight wasn¡¯t as difficult as it could have been. More and more people were eliminated, dropping the total to below a thousand. Bumping someone onto a flaming trident, he dodged someone¡¯s axe, but was forced to take a slash across his Achilles. He stumbled forward, blood oozing from the slash as he struggled to stay standing. He turned his leg into threads in an attempt to regain his balance, but a bright flash later, and he felt something pierce his throat. His vision swam as he looked down at a sword hilt coming out of his neck. HIs body was skewered by several more weapons, while at the same time the person holding the sword was also run clean through and taken out of the match. Everyone pulled out their weapons at the same time, leaving Ed a bloody mess. Looks like that¡¯s the best I can do. Ulric would¡¯ve been able to do better. Seems like I¡¯ve still got a long way to go before I can fully grasp my powers. Shuffling out of the brawl, he made his way to the outer regions of the pit. Chapter 131 Zara flew down and landed next to him, her wings stretched wide as she pushed out every last drop of her healing power into Ed¡¯s body. She stumbled slightly as her wings furled in. She felt lethargic and like her brain was running in mud. Warmth filled Ed¡¯s body as the numerous stab wounds closed in, quickly scabbing over. It still hurt, but he felt significantly better. He wrapped his arms around Zara, helping her to stand. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She yawned. ¡°Just a little tired.¡± Her eyes fluttered heavily as she tried to stay awake. ¡°Let¡¯s go rest for a bit.¡± Picking her up, Ed used his threads to create a ramp up to the seating area. Zara fell asleep in his arms, her breath falling lightly on his chest. Walking up the ramp, Ed made sure to make it as comfortable as possible for Zara, not wanting to wake her. He brought her back to their seats and set her down. Ugh, where¡¯s Mr Milani when you need him? I could really do with some of that drink right now. His back felt like it was burning up as he sat down next to her, the scabs and bruises rubbing painfully against the seat. Ed kept a straight face despite the pain, not wanting to disturb Zara while she was resting. Maybe Wilfred knows where I could get some? Pulling out his phone, he texted Wilfred, asking where he could find a healing potion in Wrath. ¡°Send me your location.¡± Wilfred replied simply only a few minutes later. Sending through his location, Ed soon received a screenshot of a map with a route to a nearby store. Saying thank you, he put his phone away and looked over at Zara. I can wait for a bit. Sitting back, he watched as the fight reached its climax. The brawl started to slow down as more and more people grew tired and started making mistakes. The more skilled fighters among them took this opportunity to clear out the pit, quickly bringing it down to below five hundred. Then two. Then one. With only a hundred fighters remaining, the pit felt like a ghost town. The fighters were scattered along the massive area of the pit. Some were still locked in combat, while others caught their breath. But this moment didn¡¯t last long. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. The pit began to shrink back down to its original size, the walls closing in on the fighters and forcing them to fight. Observing the fights, five people stood out to Ed. There was a figure shrouded in a dusty cloak, appearing and disappearing across the pit like a wraith. The sound of their daggers slicing through the air being the last thing people heard before their heads fell to the floor. The second was a white feathered bird-woman carrying a large war bow. She rained down arrow after arrow from the sky, each one hitting with the force of a ballista. Bodies exploded with each shot she took. A man draped in a simple white shirt glided gracefully through a wave of enemies. His sword flowing with an unmatched grace, never stopping as it cut each of them in half. He sheathed his sword as the bodies dropped to the ground and blood filled the air. Not a single drop of blood was left on him or his sword. A humanoid ant stood in the middle of a sea of corpses, his serrated mandibles slick with blood. Each of his four arms were as sharp as blades and covered in chunks of flesh. Someone jumped out of the sea of corpses, only to be skewered by one of the insect''s limbs. The final person was about a quarter the height of everyone else and wearing a trench coat. He stood atop the ant¡¯s shoulder. Two horns spiralled out of his woolly hair. He fired a rain of bullets down on all who approached them from behind, adding to the sea of corpses. More and more people started dropping like flies as the walls finally stopped moving. And then there were five. The crowd cheered, excited to watch these fighters put their skill on full display. ¡°Is it over yet?¡± The noise woke Zara up. She rubbed her tired eyes and looked up at Ed, asking him a question as she rested her head on his shoulder. ¡°Not yet. But it will be soon. How are you feeling?¡± He asked. ¡°Better. Still a little tired though.¡± Ed wrapped his arm around her and gently massaged her hair. ¡°Do you want to get out of here? We can head back to my place for a bit, and you can rest up there.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still early, it feels like a waste to go back now.¡± She said. Her eyes drifted down to the arena, watching the fight with rapt attention. Looks like we¡¯re staying here then. I don¡¯t mind, and its not like she¡¯ll want to get into another fight anytime soon. Down in the pit, the remaining fighters squared off against each other, waiting for the first person to make a move. The woman with the bow kept her eyes locked on the man with the guns, and his eyes were locked on her in return. As the only ranged fighters, both of them knew that they were each other¡¯s biggest threat right now. The cloaked figure appeared behind the swordsman, the daggers hissing towards his neck and back. Sparks flew as his sword parried both attacks. Having failed, the cloaked figure appeared behind the ant man, hoping to cut off one of his limbs, but this time, the gunner fired at them, forcing them to deflect the bullets. The archer nocked an arrow and fired it at the distracted gunner. The heavy arrow tore through the sky, the wind groaning heavily as it neared its target. Moments before the gunner was popped like a balloon, the ant tilted to the side and ripped the arrow out of the air. Flowing with his movement, the gunner swung around his neck and jumped onto his other shoulder, avoiding the daggers that stabbed through the air where he was moments earlier. Chapter 132 The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Chapter 133 ¡°You may come in.¡± A voice came out of the speaker as the gate was pulled open. Driving into the courtyard, the car dropped Ed and Zara off before driving away. That didn¡¯t take as long as I expected. Looking around, Ed found himself in a courtyard much like the ones he had seen countless times earlier today. Zara had taken a short nap in the car, bringing her closer to how she was before the fight. Looking around the courtyard, she wanted to go exploring, but decided to stay with Ed just in case the owner didn¡¯t want people snooping around. Following one of the guards, they approached the centre of the estate. The closer they got, the louder the sound of hammer striking metal became. Reaching a large door standing at four metres tall and just as wide, the guard came to a stop. ¡°Please wait here for a moment. Lord Ira is currently working on something.¡± The guard said, guiding them to a small waiting area with a bench. Wait. Lord Ira? THE Lord Ira? The embodiment of wrath? What did Wilfred get me into? Nervous about suddenly coming face to face with another one of the Seven Deadly Sins, Ed began to sweat. Maybe this wasn¡¯t a good idea. I can¡¯t just ask him to make me an instrument! He¡¯ll kill me! Looking around the room, he searched for a way to slip out before the door opened. Crap. I can¡¯t just leave. He¡¯s practically a god for crying out loud. He should already know that I¡¯m here. Crap. Crap. What should I do? ¡°Hey, are you feeling alright?¡± Zara asked worriedly, gently grabbing his sweaty hands. ¡°Lord Ira is on the other side of that door. I don¡¯t think I can do this. What if he kills us?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. We already met Invidia, didn¡¯t we? I even tried to kill her, and we made it out just fine.¡± She tried to ease his worries. ¡°That was different. We weren¡¯t asking her for anything, and the princess was there.¡± He sighed. ¡°I¡¯m just worried that we¡¯ll piss him off somehow. I doubt that whoever Buddie sent down will be strong enough to save us from him.¡± ¡°I get that, but you really don¡¯t have to worry. Wilfred wouldn¡¯t have sent us to our death. Just the fact that we are here means that Lord Ira is willing to make this for you.¡± This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right.¡± He slumped back in his chair. I guess I¡¯m just too on edge. Ignoring all of the pain, these past few weeks have been nothing short of magical when compared to what the company was doing to me. It almost felt like... like I was living a normal life. Hell, it was more normal than everything that had happened in the past nineteen years of my life. And I finally got an explanation for everything that had happened in my life. The constant accidents, the aggression from people I didn¡¯t even know... the reason my mother died. ¡°I guess I was just worried it would all end too soon.¡± Ed rubbed the back of her hand. ¡°Thanks. I needed that.¡± ~ Before the car had set off to pick up Ed and Zara, a phone vibrated in a small pouch dangling around a rocky waist. Out in the middle of nowhere and surrounded by monsters, Ira grumbled and reached for his phone. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I don¡¯t want to be disturbed?¡± His voice was thick and scratchy A giant wolf pounced on him from behind and tried to bite into his shoulder, only to be sent flying back by Ira¡¯s fist. Taking out his phone, he found that he had a text from Wilfred. ¡°Does El want me to make something? She could¡¯ve just asked; she knows she doesn¡¯t need to go through her butler. Maybe her girlfriend wants to commission something...¡± ¡°Is everything all right down there?¡± An angelically magnetic voice called out from above as a golden glow exploded, ripping a flock of monstrous birds to shreds. With a flap of his wings, Superbia landed next to Ira and peered over his shoulder. ¡°Ooh, what does Wilfred want?¡± ¡°I was getting to that.¡± Ira grumbled, flicking open the message and reading it. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s not anything important. One of my avatars can handle it.¡± Quickly shooting across a message to Wilfred, he put his phone back in its pouch. ¡°Can we get back to what we were doing now?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Smiling, Superbia clapped his hands together, sending out a shockwave that pulverised the surrounding horde of monsters before the two of them disappeared. ~ Putting down his phone, Wilfred bowed to Elaine. ¡°We will soon learn more about our most recent friend.¡± He said. Delicately wiping her mouth, she put down cutlery before turning to Wilfred. ¡°Good. Speaking of Ed, have we been able to gather what he was doing before reaching Balestone?¡± ¡°All signs point to him having wandered around Limbo for a while before he stumbled into town.¡± Wilfred answered. ¡°What about his time on Earth? Can we pinpoint when he died?¡± ¡°He seemed to disappear a few months ago. Before that he was just a teenager living with his grandfather and attending university. His life was strange, but aside from that, there was nothing pointing towards him being sent to Hell.¡± ¡°Strange? How so?¡± She asked curiously. ¡°He seemed to be surrounded by trouble nearly every day. His father murdered his mother when Ed was only young. He would regularly be the victim of crimes and was always on the scene of a lot of accidents. It was all very strange for a normal human to face in their life.¡± Wilfred explained, having pulled out a notebook from his breast pocket. ¡°Interesting.¡± She sat and thought for a while, her fingers resting on her chin. ¡°Make sure to inform me when Uncle Ira finds something. You can leave now.¡± Watching Wilfred leave, she quietly sighed to herself. ¡°What a strange and interesting fellow. He¡¯s certainly going to bring some excitement to my life.¡± Chapter 134 Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Chapter 135 If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Chapter 136 This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Chapter 137 Zara took Ed¡¯s hand and led him back down the hall. ¡°Come on! Let¡¯s see what you can do.¡± She smiled as she dragged him along. Feeling out the new addition to his body, Ed tried to get a better understanding of it while just following along beside Zara absentmindedly. A violin huh? I hadn¡¯t even touched one before setting foot in that store, so why is this what I got? Ira said that it was based off what my soul wanted. If that¡¯s true, then why did my soul want a violin? Leaving Zara to guide him, he let his mind sink into the void. Surrounded by the familiar darkness, he saw the violin floating there. Its body almost blended in with the void, with Ed only being able to see it because of the strings, sides, and the spattering of red throughout it. Calling it towards him, he held it up and studied it, following every line of red in the wood and marvelling at its beauty. Comparing it side by side with his threads, he confirmed that the red came from himself. Ira must¡¯ve snipped off a bit of my soul. No wonder I was feeling so dizzy. The red veins called to him, resonating with his soul and urging him into action. Without even thinking, he called on the violin and watched it twist and morph in his hands. Letting go of it, it floated in the air and expanded in size. Eventually it stopped, and a piano took the place of the violin. What? Perplexed, he just stared at the piano, unable to understand what had just happened. The piano shared many similarities with the violin. A primarily black body with an ashen trim along the edges. The angelic strings moved into the inside, while the keys were made out of the draconic bones. All on its own, the piano changed again before Ed could get close to it. Shrinking down, it turned into a cello bearing the same style and design as the violin. Violin, Piano, Cello. ¡°Can you change into anything else?¡± Ed asked. The cello shrunk back down, returning to its original state as a violin. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a no.¡± His exploration of the instrument was cut short when he felt Zara let go of his hand. We must be there now. Pulling himself out of the void, he found himself in a large plain room, entirely empty except for a circled-out area in the middle, and a screen set up on a pole in front of it. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°I was figuring stuff out earlier, so just go stand in the circle there. I¡¯ll sort everything out.¡± Zara said, stepping up to the screen. Following her instructions, he stepped into the circle. After a bit of fiddling with the screen from Zara, a see-through blue shield rose up out of the ground, encasing Ed in a protective dome. He looked back at her quizzically. ¡°Just precautionary measures. Who knows what he made that thing do.¡± She explained. It¡¯s just an instrument. Pulling the violin out of his chest, he cradled the base of it on his collarbone, moving it around until he found a comfortable way to hold it. A bow materialised in his right hand. He rested his fingers up on the neck, laying them gently on the strings as he brought the bow up to the violin. Pulling the bow along the strings, he sent himself flying through the air. His back slammed into the barrier, causing him to grunt in pain as he nearly dropped the violin. What the fuck was that? ¡°Are you okay?¡± The barrier came down as Zara rushed to his side to check on him. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Picking himself off the ground, he readied the violin and stepped back into the middle. ¡°Again.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re sure.¡± Slightly worried, Zara still listened to him and turned the barrier back on. Steadying himself, he played another note on the violin, this time tripping over himself and faceplanting into the ground. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m fine.¡± He groaned. There¡¯s gotta be something I can do that doesn¡¯t end in me hurting myself. Picking himself back up, he played a note. And then another. And another. Each time, sending himself hurtling into the barrier, or crumpling to the ground in an embarrassing fashion. This is gonna be a long day. ~ In a large field in the royal estate of the Pride Circle, Elaine rode atop a horse. Lola was off in the distance, chasing a large, three-headed dog, while Wilfred rode on his own steed just behind Elaine. The dog was large and muscular, standing at one and half metres tall when on all fours. Its mouths were filled with razor-sharp teeth, and its claws looked like it could cut through diamonds. It had short black fur. The large dog came to a sudden halt before turning around and charging at Lola. It leapt up into her arms, its three heads licking her playfully, slobbering all over her face. Elaine smiled, watching them from a distance as they played. ¡°Has uncle Ira sent the information yet?¡± She asked Wilfred. Before he could answer, a notification appeared on Elaine¡¯s phone. Pulling it open, she smiled slightly. ¡°Never mind, looks like he sent it to me.¡± Reading through the long message he sent her containing everything Ed told Ira about him, she locked in on the thing she was most interested in. ¡°There was a gap of a couple months between him disappearing from Earth and when he was first spotted in Hell. Did he spend that long in Limbo, or is he hiding something?¡± ¡°If he¡¯s hiding something from Ira, then there must be a reason for it. I doubt he would tell us if we just asked about it.¡± Wilfred said. ¡°That¡¯s true. But at least we¡¯ve got more information on him. You can call back the people we sent to Earth; their mission has been cancelled.¡± She said. ¡°As you wish, your Majesty.¡± Wilfred bowed before leaving. Chapter 138 Battered and bruised, Ed picked himself up from the ground for what felt like the hundredth time. His clothes had turned into tattered rags, destroyed more and more with each note he played. Two piles of clothes sat outside the barrier. One neatly folded, a fresh stack of clean training clothes. The other a devastated pile of rags much like what he was currently wearing. The barrier powered down as he relaxed his shoulders. The violin disappeared into his body as he walked towards the piles. I really need to pay him back for all this. Shrugging off the rags, he winced in pain as the clothes scraped along a bunch of harsh cuts and scars on his back. Zara walked over to him, her healing glow already shining on him. ¡°I think you should take a break.¡± She suggested. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m getting close, I can feel it.¡± Changing into a new set of clothes, he returned to the circle. ¡°Again.¡± He pulled the violin back out and rested it back in its position as the barrier came to life. There¡¯s gotta be something I¡¯m missing. There¡¯s no way he¡¯d give me something that just hurts me every time. Calming down, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath in before going at it again. Again and again, he threw himself into the wall, or was sent crashing to the ground. WHAT AM I MISSING? Frustrated, he slammed his fist into the barrier. Blood dripped from his knuckles as he dropped to the ground in exhaustion. Flopping over, he turned into a pile of threads and just sat there, sulking in his frustration. Several minutes passed and he eventually calmed down, returning to his human form. I can¡¯t keep doing this. It isn¡¯t working. Let¡¯s just stop and think for a second. He told me everything it was made from, so that¡¯s probably a good place to start if I want to figure out what is going on. The banshee ashes can probably be ignored. He said that was just for amplifying the sound. The ash coloured wood was used to make it connect with my soul easier. Could that be what¡¯s causing me to fall? I suppose it could also be the midnight wood. He didn¡¯t really tell me what that did other than that it was a good material for the outer casing... No. I feel like he would have told me about something important like that. That just leaves the dragon bones. And my arm. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. As if a lightbulb flashed above his head, he figured out what the problem was, and why Ira hadn¡¯t mentioned anything about what was happening to him now. It¡¯s the addition of my arm that¡¯s messing everything up and making it impossible to play. If his creations take on the properties and abilities of those its made for... Following his own train of thought, he blinked his eyes until the strings of fate appeared. Inside a small room that hadn¡¯t been used too often, and with no windows to the outside world, the sight of the strings of fate wasn¡¯t too overwhelming for Ed. There was the occasional faded string left behind from previous customers of Ira. Or left behind from a guard using the room for training. But those weren¡¯t too taxing on his mind. The most prevalent and obvious strings were those linking to Ed and Zara. Itching to test his thoughts, he brought the bow back up to the violin and played a note. The strings of fate bounced, pulling towards one of his possible futures. And he fell flat on his face. Lying on the ground, he laughed wildly without a care in the world. Much to the concern of Zara who was watching on with a disturbed look on her face. ¡°Okay. It¡¯s time for you to rest.¡± Powering down the barrier, she grabbed him and brought him out of the room before he could protest. ¡°No no no. I¡¯ve finally figured it out.¡± He said. ¡°You¡¯re starting to sound crazy. Just listen to me and take a moment to relax.¡± She took him outside and sat him down on a nearby bench, overlooking a small garden. ¡°Just breathe.¡± Listening to her, he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. Exhaling, he felt his body relax, as a tense feeling he didn¡¯t even know about unravelled itself. ¡°You¡¯re right. Thanks. I think I just let all the failure get to me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I get that. Are you feeling better now?¡± She asked. ¡°Yeah, I am. Let¡¯s go find somewhere to eat, then we¡¯ll get back to trying it out.¡± He said. A guard popped around the corner and called out to them. ¡°Lord Ira thought you might be hungry after practicing, so he sent me to come find you.¡± Well that¡¯s convenient. Following behind the guard, they were led to a small cafeteria area where some off-duty workers were currently eating. ¡°Feel free to take whatever you like.¡± The guard said before returning to his duties. Grabbing some food from the front counter, they found a table to sit at far away from the rest of the people. Come to think of it, why does Ira Live here? I thought he would have a massive castle like the other Sins. This place looked just like the rest of the buildings we¡¯ve seen so far. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Zara asked between mouthfuls of food. ¡°Oh, nothing important.¡± ¡°You said earlier you think you¡¯ve figured out what¡¯s wrong. What¡¯s that all about?¡± She asked. ¡°Oh yeah, of course.¡± He said, leaning forward on the table. ¡°You know how he used my arm as one of the materials when making it right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She said, still a little pissed off about it. ¡°Well, I think that because a part of my body was used, it¡¯s somehow affecting the future whenever I play it.¡± He explained. ¡°So you¡¯re just going to fall over whenever you try to use it? That doesn¡¯t sound very good.¡± She said. ¡°I think I¡¯m just not using it correctly. I¡¯m going to have to practice a bit more, but at least I know what I¡¯m looking for now.¡± ¡°Do you think you could affect other people? That could be useful.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, we¡¯ll just have to figure that out.¡± Chapter 139 Back in the training room, Ed focused his vision on the strings in front of him while the barrier came up around him. There¡¯s got to be a way I can control which one it picks. Playing the same note as last time while focusing on the strings of fate, he sent himself crashing down in much the same way as before. Picking himself back up, he repeated this action, and once again he was sent to the floor. Did I play the same note each time I fell over? Thinking back, he realised that this was in fact the case. And the same situation was happening when he was sent flying into the barrier. Okay, so each note leads to a particular action or future, that¡¯s good to know. But I feel like that¡¯s fairly limiting in what I can do. There¡¯s no where near enough notes to compare with the amount of strings of fate I can see, even when I¡¯m just in this room. There has to be something else I¡¯m missing. What notes are the strings tuned to? Getting Zara to power down the barrier, he went and got his phone that he had left outside not too long after his first failed attempt. Okay, so it¡¯s G, D, A, and E. How does my finger placement change it? Woah, that¡¯s a lot. Having pulled up a photo with all of the notes labelled, he took a moment to get a rough idea of where everything was. If I¡¯m looking at this right, then that means I was playing an F sharp on the E string when I fell over? Yeah, that¡¯s where I had my finger. Will the same thing happen if I play an F sharp somewhere else? Finding the location of another F sharp on the violin, he returned to the middle of the room and played that note, only for his body to roll backwards instead of falling forwards like he expected. Rubbing his head, he got back up. Okay, so it clearly does something different. This is going to take a while. ~ After another hour of practice, he came to find that there were some general rules to what the violin would do. Intent and focus are just as important as what I¡¯m playing. Because I wasn¡¯t focused on a particular outcome, it just randomly assigned each note to a different string within reach, which just so happened to be mine. ¡°Can you summon a live target for me Zara?¡± He asked. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. After a few moments, the ground rumbled, as a hole opened up in the floor. An imp dressed in training gear similar to what Ed was wearing rose up through the hole, joining him in the barrier. ¡°I will be your training partner today, please tell me how I may be of use?¡± The imp asked, half-bowing to Ed. ¡°Just stay where you are for a moment.¡± Ed said, propping the violin back up on his shoulder. Blinking the strings of fate back into view, he focused his attention on the new additions brought to the room with the imp. Let¡¯s see what we have here. Noting the sword on the imp¡¯s hip, he found a corresponding future where the imp readied his sword. Focusing on that, he brought the bow up and played a single F sharp. And as Ed had predicted, the imp drew his sword, much to his own confusion. ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir.¡± The imp smiled awkwardly. ¡°Must¡¯ve just been running off instinct. I¡¯ll try not to do that again.¡± The imp sheathed his sword again and returned to a neutral stance. Now let¡¯s see what happens if I play the same note without focusing on anything. Playing the same F sharp again, the imp once again drew his sword. ¡°I really don¡¯t know what¡¯s come over me. I apologise.¡± The imp sheathed his sword once again, now slightly embarrassed. Zara held back a chuckle, having realised what Ed was doing. Can I assign a different note to the same action? Lifting his fingers up, Ed focused his mind on the imp drawing his sword, and played an open hand G. For the third time now, the imp drew his sword. It was at this point that something dawned on him, and he realised that Ed was somehow controlling him. ¡°Are you the one doing this?¡± He asked nervously. ¡°Sorry, I should¡¯ve told you what I was doing. You must¡¯ve been awfully confused. You can relax now and just go with whatever happens.¡± Ed said, feeling bad for confusing the poor imp. The imp¡¯s back broke out into a cold sweat, scared by what Ed was doing. ¡°Please put your sword back again. I want to test something else.¡± Ed said with a smile, which only made the imp more scared of him. Quickly sheathing his sword, the imp hoped that he would be allowed to leave quickly. Okay, so I¡¯ve proven I can assign a different note to the same thing, but did that remove the first note from that action? Or are they both assigned to it? Putting his finger back down for another F sharp, he played the note without focusing on the attached action. Again, the imp drew his sword. ~ Eventually, the imp was allowed to leave, which he did with frightening speed, jumping through the hole the second it opened. Confused, Ed decided to ignore the imp and turned his attention to what he had learned. I can assign each note on the violin to an action by focusing on that before I play said note. And it will stay assigned to that action even if I¡¯m not focusing on it, or if I assign any other notes to the same thing. If I want to change what a note is connected to, I have to focus on a different thing and play that note. Doing this will overwrite the original action with the new one. I can have however many notes I want tied to the same action, but I can¡¯t have multiple actions tied to one note. This could be really useful in a fight, but not at the moment. There¡¯s still a lot I need to learn. I haven¡¯t even touched the other two instruments yet. Who knows if they even work the same way. Chapter 140 I¡¯ll get in some practice with the piano after Zara¡¯s gone. Having woken up early, Ed enjoyed the feeling of Zara snuggling up asleep in his arms. The week¡¯s almost halfway through. I¡¯ve got to make this count for her. Who knows how long until we see each other again. The sun slowly rose outside the window, casting its rays on them, and waking Zara up. Having felt like they had overstayed their welcome, the two had found a hotel to stay at overnight in Wrath City. The room was fairly spartan, only consisting of a simple bed, a table with chairs, and a small wardrobe. The walls were devoid of any decoration, not even having any paint or wallpaper on them. Freshening up in the accompanying bathroom, the two walked out into the open courtyard that was identical to the one in Ira¡¯s workshop. I still can¡¯t believe he lives in such a mundane place. I was expecting a massive fortress. They had a simple breakfast at the hotel consisting of oatmeal and some fruits before taking a car to the nearest teleportation hub to Sloth. I wonder what Sloth¡¯s like? Getting out of the car, they noticed a small stream of people coming in and out, but it was significantly fewer than what they had experienced before. A man dressed in pyjamas and carrying a clipboard was letting people in group by group. ¡°How long are you staying in Sloth?¡± He asked, holding back a yawn. ¡°Just a day.¡± Ed said. This didn¡¯t happen any of the other times. Did something happen? Marking down their names and the time, the man let them through. The teleporter powered up shortly after they stepped into it. The blue light quickly overpowered everything until it was the only thing they could see. ¡°Get in position!¡± A harsh voice bellowed, making itself heard above the roaring din of the battlefield. A salvo of arrows rained down onto the hillside from the castle walls, as a group of soldiers rallied behind the castle gate. The troops marched forward into battle as the gate was lowered. Thousands of bodies littered the hillside as Ed stepped through the gate under his commander¡¯s lead. The guards were struggling to maintain a line of defence against the invaders. Holes formed in the line as the guards were cut down one by one. But for each one of them that was taken down, a handful of the invaders died, either under the slashes of the other guards, or the arrows being shot from the castle walls. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Ed¡¯s group splintered off to patch up the holes in the defence. He slid into place just in time to block a sword with his shield before it could slice through another guard¡¯s arm. He poked his sword over his tower shield, pushing the attacker back and giving him some breathing room. Strike after strike battered against his shield to the point that his arm felt numb, but he held strong. The defensive line stopped the attackers in their tracks, forcing them to suffer under the rain of arrows. Exhaustion began to make itself known as Ed felt every hit that his shield took. I need to hold on... Just a little longer. His arms felt heavy, as each swing and stab of his sword sapped him of his strength. His fellow guards fell one by one, and soon their place in the line was filled by someone else. But the enemies felt endless. Ed couldn¡¯t go on. His arms hung limply at his sides, and it took all the strength he could muster to barely hold his shield up. Any blow could be the end of him. His breathing grew heavy and his vision swam as he could barely stay on his feet. I¡¯m sorry Miriam I won¡¯t be able to make it home... He staggered back, falling to the ground as he was crushed under the weight of his own shield. He tried to push it off, but it was now too heavy for him to even move. A sword grew in his vision, moments away from piercing his skull. The wind roared from atop the castle walls, its deafening cry stunning the battlefield into silence. A gaunt figure stood atop the castle walls, holding a curled wooden staff up high as the air began to warp above him. A sweltering heat battered down at the exhausted soldiers as a bright orange ball of fire formed at the tip of the staff. It grew larger, expanding out until the wizard was struggling to maintain its size. He swung his staff down with all his might, as he gasped for air. The fireball soared through the sky before crashing into the invading army. Some of the soldiers could barely react in time, and dodged out of the way. But for the others, it was far too late. The fireball exploded, engulfing dozens of guards in fire. Their bodies turned to ash under the immolating heat of the flames. The fireball signalled a change in the battle, as a continuous wave of guards streamed out from the castle gate, having come from the towns further into the kingdom to reinforce the battle here. An arrow shot out, skewering the distracted invader above Ed. The lifeless body slumped down on top of him, making it impossible for Ed to move. He watched on in exhaustion as more reinforcements arrived. Satisfied, he stopped fighting the exhaustion and closed his eyes. The invaders were pushed back and forced to flee under the pressure put forth by the wizard. Many charred corpses littered the ground, a testament to the destructive power of his magic. When the last invader dropped his sword and fled, the remaining guards dragged their exhausted and battered bodies back into the castle. Those who still had some strength were tasked to search the remains of the battlefield for anyone who was still alive, whether they be friend or foe. The dead bodies of the invaders were brought together into a large pile, where the wizard would burn them before they were buried to prevent the spread of diseases. Buried under the invader, Ed¡¯s body was left unnoticed for a long time, until someone happened to see his hand peaking out from beneath the corpse. Pushing with all his might, the guard managed to shift the corpse off Ed before pressing his hand to Ed¡¯s neck. ¡°Come help! Someone¡¯s still alive over here!¡± Chapter 141 This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Chapter 142 Meanwhile, a row of beds on wheels lined themselves up outside the teleportation hub in Sloth City. Colour was non-existent here. Even the overpowering blue of the teleporter was quickly drained away until only shades of grey were left. Sleeping bodies floated through the exit and landed on the beds, which carted themselves away. Zara and Ed were sleeping peacefully on the floor, having fallen into a little pile when they came through to the city. They were picked up out of the air and placed onto a bed together before being taken deeper into the city. They didn¡¯t travel far before the bed pulled into a building called ¡®The one day inn¡¯. Finding an empty room, the bed slotted itself against the wall and stopped moving. All while this was happening, Ed and Zara continued to sleep peacefully, undisturbed by the movement. ~ Zara¡¯s steed, Calamity, was a monstrous horse as black as the night with blood red eyes and razor sharp teeth. Glinting scales were scattered across her body. She was larger than the other horses and had to be kept in a separate stable from the rest of the horses due to her violent temperament. The general carefully approached the stable, finding it in ruins. The horse was pacing back and forth, a fierce fire in its eyes. It kicked back aggressively, shattering one of the wooden boards of the stable with ease The general gulped, sweat pouring down his pale face. ¡°Easy girl. I¡¯m here to bring you to your master.¡± The horse¡¯s head snapped to face him, staring at him with a predatory gaze. It stuck its head over the stable gate, reaching for the general. ¡°I¡¯m just going to open this for you. Don¡¯t mind me.¡± He stretched his hand out and reached for the gate¡¯s latch, only to get bitten by the horse. ¡°Fucking shit!¡± He jumped back, toppling to the ground embarrassingly as he tried to shake the pain away. He winced in pain as blood seeped out of the bite mark on his hand. The horse snorted, clearly taunting him as it opened the gate itself. It trotted over and stomped on his injured hand before walking over to nuzzle up to Zara. Zara put her helmet on, her long hair flowing out of the gap between the helmet and her chestpiece. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°It¡¯s time to have some fun girl. You¡¯ll get your fill today.¡± Zara hopped atop the saddle and raced out of the encampment, leaving her army behind. She ignored any obstacles in the way on her path to the castle, choosing to either chop it down with her axe or to let Calamity charge right through it. Reaching the bottom of the hill that the castle sat on, she reined in her horse for a moment to observe the castle. There were still signs of the previous battle remaining on the hillside, however most of the bodies had already been cleared. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll have to find you something fresh today.¡± Zara said, patting Calamity on the neck. The torches on the walls lit up one by one as a horn was blown, waking everyone up. Took them long enough. She heard shouting from beyond the castle walls as everyone prepared themselves for battle. Racing up the hill, she made a beeline for the front gate. Her axe hung low, trailing along the ground and kicking up dirt and rocks. A massive boulder formed in front of the axe as it glowed with a blackish gold light. She swung the axe up, launching the boulder at the gate. A massive hole was left in the centre of the gate as the glow faded away and she rested the axe on her shoulder. Calamity leapt through the hole and landed on top of a stunned guard, crushing them under her weight. Zara swung the axe around, cleaving the guards in two before they could even properly get in formation. Arrows rained down on her armour, not even leaving a scratch. So she ignored them. A dark glow formed around her axe once more as she slashed forward at a charging group of people. A magical slash flew through the air, cutting them down before they could even get close to her. She leapt off her horse, sending a tremor through the earth when she landed. The ground cracked, as a long fissure formed leading up to the entrance of the castle proper. Guards lost their footing, and were sent tumbling down into the ravine, never to be seen again. Calamity charged through the guards, biting, kicking, and stomping each of them to death. She feasted on their bodies, sending blood everywhere. More arrows clattered against her scales, annoying her and causing her to stop her feast. She looked up at the guards atop the walls, as a fire formed in her stomach. She held back the fire, allowing it to build up to the point where she could barely contain it. Fire spilled out between her teeth before she decided to release it. The fire swept forward, melting the walls and incinerating everyone atop them. Meanwhile, Zara continued to slice through the guards with her axe. Nothing could leave a dent in her armour. A lucky guard dodged under her axe and stabbed at her with his sword. Zara slid to the side, clearing a distance of several metres as she raised her foot. Stomping down, a chunk of the ground shot into the air. She slammed the side of her axe into it, sending it flying into the guard that tried to stab her and detaching the entirety of his body from his feet. Calamity turned around to find that there was no one left to fight on the ground, as Zara had already cleared out everyone. ¡°Enjoy yourself Calamity. Just don¡¯t eat too much.¡± Zara said, watching as Calamity already began to scarf down corpse after corpse. ¡°Fine. Just leave those who can¡¯t fight alive.¡± I¡¯ve got to rule over somebody after all. Now where is that pesky wizard? Chapter 143 Zara climbed the stairs and entered the entry room of the castle, leaving Calamity behind to clean up the battlefield. The door to the great hall was already wide open, allowing her to see into the room. She locked eyes with Lord Ingvar as he rose from his seat at the back of the room. Looks like I¡¯ll be dealing with him first. Ingvar was a giant of a man, Towering at over five metres tall. The great hall and the entrance had been purpose built to hold him, whereas the rest of the buildings in the keep were not. Because of this, he spent most of his time spare time in the great hall when he wasn¡¯t out fighting. He was wearing a set of lustrous white plate armour with a short blue cape. At least, short in comparison to him. The cape was more than big enough to wrap around Zara several times over. He unsheathed the swords at his waist, giving Zara a good view of what she was up against. He wielded two curved swords roughly half his height in length. The blades gleamed under the sunlight coming from the massive floor to ceiling windows behind him. His appearance alone would¡¯ve warded off most challengers, but not Zara. His monstrous size posed a great challenge to her. One that she was eagerly excited to face. With speed belying his stature, Ingvar charged forward, crossing the length of the hall in a matter of moments, practically gliding across floor as he slashed down at her with his swords. His cape fluttered in the air behind him. She dodged between his legs as the swords came crashing down, sending a shockwave through the ground. She darted out of the way and further into the great hall. She dashed at him and swung her axe at his left leg, hoping to bring him down to the ground, or at the very least, slow him down. Instead, the axe left only a thin scratch on his armour. She dodged out of the way of the falling cape, not wanting to get tangled up in it. She distanced herself from him, hoping to goad him into another easily punishable strike. This might take longer than I expected. Ingvar leapt at her, his head nearly reaching the ceiling as one of his swords came crashing down at her. Zara dodged out of the way, only to be met with the second sword sweeping up at her. She had no choice but to block it with her axe. Her bones creaked under the pressure as she held his sword back for a moment, but he was too strong. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. She was sent flying through the sky and crashed into the wall. She pulled herself out of the wall and shrugged off the pain just in time to dodge out of the way of another charging slash. She brought her axe back down on the same point as before, this time denting the armour slightly. Ingvar spun around, slashing the sword in his left hand back at her at the same time. She parried the blow with her axe and allowed the force of it to send her flying back. I just need to keep hitting that spot. However, Ingvar seemed to know what she was thinking. He used his vastly longer reach to strike out at her while staying light on his feet and maintaining a safe distance. She batted away and dodged each of his strikes, furious at his actions. But each time she tried to close the distance, He would either step back or unleash a flurry of blows that stopped her in her tracks. She barely managed to keep herself safe when he did so. Dodging the attacks by a hair¡¯s breadth when she could, and taking the attacks head on with her axe and armour when she couldn¡¯t. Come on you coward! Furious, she coated her body in a blackish gold glow and threw her axe at him. The axe ripped through the sky with a baleful scream, forcing Ingvar to block it with both his swords. The weapons collided and sparks flew. Thin cracks started to form on his swords as the energy of the attack dispersed and the axe fell to the ground. Zara was temporarily left without a weapon, but she had got what she needed. While Ingvar was distracted blocking her axe, she had closed the distance. Sliding between his legs, she pounded away on the damaged armour with her glowing, gauntleted fists. With each strike, the armour dented more and more, until it could hold no longer. The armour snapped under her repeated fast strikes and dug into his calf and drawing the first blood of the fight. Grunting in pain, he kicked her with enough force to send her flying through the wall. Crashing through the wall, she bounced and skidded along the ground, landing in the fireplace and knocking over the cooking pot that was hanging above it. The hot stew that was being prepared for the lord¡¯s meal poured over her. Utterly seething, she looked around to find a chubby young man cowering under a table, looking at her with fear in his eyes. He paled when she turned to face him and soiled himself. Ignoring the disgusting man, she jumped out of the fire and hopped back through the hole in the wall to get back in the fight. ~ Staring at the ominous black knight wreathed in flames, Anthony saw his life flash before his eyes. He felt something in his pants, but he couldn¡¯t care less, for he was sure that he was about to die at the knight¡¯s hands. He almost fainted from relief when the knight jumped back through the hole in the wall. He scrambled to his feet and ran for his life, not caring at all about the fire that was spreading in the kitchen. I need to see if Miriam¡¯s okay. Running through the exit, he spotted their small house and barged through the door without knocking. Struggling to breath, he slumped down against the door and looked at the woman staring at him while awkwardly wielding her husband¡¯s sword. ¡°We need to leave. Now.¡± Chapter 144 Ed woke up to the sounds of fighting coming from outside his house. Looking around, he found both his sword and Miriam missing. Doubt and worry flickered through his mind as he tried to force himself out of bed. No. Don¡¯t tell me she... ¡°Miriam! Where are you?¡± He cried, his voice still hoarse. Miriam stepped in from the living room clutching his sword. ¡°Sshh. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m here.¡± She whispered. She planted herself between the bed and the doorway, still on high alert. ¡°What¡¯s going on out there?¡± Ed asked worriedly, the fighting sounding distinctly different from what he would expect. There were no sounds of swords clashing on mass like he would expect. Instead it was almost eerily quiet, only the rallying cries of the soldiers and the thudding of arrows letting him know that something was happening. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Miriam said, still keeping quiet. She worried that their conversation would somehow attract the attacker¡¯s attention. ¡°All I know is that something broke through the front gate.¡± THUD. The two tensed up as they heard something crash through their front door and slam it shut. They struggled to breathe, not wanting to alert whatever it was to their presence. Miriam forced herself to remain calm, took a deep breath, and walked into the living room. She relaxed slightly when she saw Anthony¡¯s familiar face. ¡°We need to leave. Now.¡± He said. Calm down. What¡¯s going on out there?¡± She asked. ¡°Someone¡¯s fighting Lord Ingvar. I-i don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on but it¡¯s not safe here.¡± A loud crash in the background caused Anthony to jump away from the door, knocking over the small table. ¡°Ow.¡± Miriam helped him up and gave him the sword. ¡°What am I supposed to do with this?¡± He asked in confusion, having never wielded a real sword in his life. The closest thing being that one time when he hit Ed in the stomach with a wooden play sword when they were younger. ¡°Defend us obviously. I can¡¯t do it, I¡¯ll be helping Ed.¡± Miriam walked back into the room and helped Ed out of the bed. ¡°Okay¡± Anthony said nervously. Ed hobbled out of the room with Miriam¡¯s help and saw the nervous look on Anthony¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, just pretend that it¡¯s a really big kitchen knife.¡± Ed smiled, patting Anthony on the shoulder. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Yeah. Just a big kitchen knife.¡± Anthony whispered to himself, managing to somehow calm himself down. ¡°Do you have a plan?¡± Miriam asked. ¡°No... I didn¡¯t really think that far.¡± Anthony said. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll get through this. Did you see anyone on your way here?¡± Ed asked Anthony. ¡°No. It should still be safe right?¡± ¡°Yeah. Just check the window first.¡± Listening to Ed¡¯s advice, Anthony peeked his head through the window to look at the street outside. The street was completely dead, with no signs of anyone passing through. ¡°It looks clear to me.¡± ¡°Okay, here¡¯s the plan.¡± Ed said. ¡°Let¡¯s sneak around to the wall, get in through one of the side doors and sneak around to the front gate.¡± The others nodded and readied themselves to make a quick escape to the wall. Anthony slapped himself on the cheek to fire himself up and opened the door. Crouching down, he walked carefully over to the next building, his head on a constant swivel and his hands clutching tightly onto the sword. He turned back around, waving to hurry them over. Just as Miriam placed her foot out the door, Ed pulled her back in. The moment he did so, Calamity jumped down from one of the rooves and landed near Anthony. Swinging out reflexively, the sword slid along the horse¡¯s body, not even leaving a scratch. Calamity turned to stare at Anthony, and before anyone could react, she bit clean through his neck. Before Calamity could turn around, Ed pushed through the pain and dragged Miriam back into the bedroom. ¡°Quick, hide under the bed.¡± He whispered. He climbed into the bed, finally allowing the pain to take its hold on him. Please. Please. Too weak to move, there was nothing he could do but pray that the nightmare horse wouldn¡¯t come for them. Unfortunately, his prayers were not answered. The sound of hooves tapping on the wooden floor echoed through the house, ringing in his ears. Don¡¯t come in here, please. The horse stuck her head in the doorway and locked eyes with Ed. Ed felt ice cold, the physical pain he was feeling was nothing in comparison to the pressure he felt staring into Calamity¡¯s eyes. He felt his chest tighten as breathing became difficult. Moments away from passing out, he knew that he was about to die. So this is how it ends. Calamity trotted around the room, her eyes constantly locked with his. Ed breathed a sigh of relief and passed out when Calamity left the room. ~ ¡°Stop... Kicking me... through the fucking walls!¡± Zara screamed in anger, her sentence cut off each time she had to block his swords. Holes of various sizes littered the walls of the great hall, all from when Zara was sent through them. She had managed to pick up her axe at some point between the first hole being made and now. Blood had been drawn on both sides, both fighters having been wounded to some degree. Blood stained Zara¡¯s mouth and the lower half of her face from a cut and busted lip. Whereas the back of Ingvar¡¯s calf had started to bleed fairly heavily from Zara¡¯s repeated assault on it. Despite the injuries, neither fighter had seemed to drop below their peak. Both of them could still move at unbelievable speeds with unmatched grace. They were locked in battle, with neither side able to determine the winner. Fuck. Why is this old man so stubborn? Zara caught Ingvar¡¯s sword with her axe, but before she could knock it back, she was forced to dodge when she sensed something coming from her left. Rolling back as quickly as she could, a fireball flew over her head and crashed into the wall. You¡¯ve got to be fucking kidding me. Chapter 145 Now faced with a second opponent when she was already having problems with the first, Zara couldn¡¯t be more annoyed. Fuck this. So, she put her fingers to her lips and made a shrill, whistling sound. Over the course of the next few seconds she ducked and dodged all attacks that came her way before leaping into the air and landing on Calamity¡¯s back. With the increased speed from Calamity, she closed the distance with the elderly wizard. Calamity charged up a breath attack, ready to unleash it when they got closer. Hearing Ingvar closing in on her, a slight smile formed on Zara¡¯s lips, perfectly hidden by her helm. Elder Bratha clicked his staff onto the floor, sending a blue glow into the ground and launching himself into the air. Calamity opened her mouth and shot flames up in an arc at Elder Bratha, forcing him to use his magic to throw himself to the side. Zara jumped off Calamity¡¯s back, perfectly timing her jump to land on Ingvar¡¯s shoulder. Taking him by surprise, she dug her axe into his unprotected collar, coating herself in blood. She pulled her axe out and leapt off his shoulder just in time to avoid his hand. Ingvar¡¯s hand swept over his shoulder at the same time that one of his curved swords clattered against the ground. Landing on the ground, Zara grabbed the sword. Gritting her teeth, she strained every muscle in her body. A harsh growl escaped her lips as her entire body felt like it was about to burst. Her feet sunk into the ground as the massive sword was slowly lifted off the ground. Twisting her body, she felt like her spine was going to snap, but the sword lifted further off the ground with increasing speed. Exhaling, she pushed her body to its limit and released her grip on the sword. The sword spun through the air, heading straight for Ingvar and threatening to cleave him in two. He swung his other sword up to block it moments before he was impaled by it. A sharp crack rung through the air as the sword in his hands shattered. The fragments scattered, scraping across his armour as the thrown sword embedded itself in his chest. The only fortunate part of this situation for Ingvar was that he had managed to block most of the force, so the sword ended up stopping before it could break through his sternum. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Zara sprinted forward, prepared to take advantage of this situation, but was stopped by Elder Bratha. After temporarily shaking off the horse, Bratha saw that Ingvar was injured, and new that he had to do something to give him a chance to recover. Putting himself between the two of them, he launched out a wave of flames that spread across the floor, forcing Zara to dodge back. He pressed this advantage, sending out a torrent of miniature fireballs at her. The stream of fireballs kept Zara on her toes, but he was forced to stop when Calamity charged at him from behind, her razor sharp teeth almost latching onto his arm. While this was happening, Ingvar grabbed the sword with both hands and forcefully ripped it out of his chest. His blood stained the blade¡¯s edge. Left with no other choice, he wielded the sword with both hands and charged in to support Bratha. The flames died down, letting Zara leap in and block Ingvar¡¯s sword before it could dig into Calamity¡¯s back. Calamity continued to chase the wizard, pestering him with bites, kicks, and fire. Forcing him to waste his energy and be constantly on the move. Bratha was unable to provide any meaningful support to Ingvar¡¯s battle, as he was too focused on keeping himself alive. The injuries started taking a toll on Ingvar. His movements became just a tad bit more difficult to execute. His swings were just a little slower. And his strikes were just a little softer. The battle started to tilt in Zara¡¯s favour. With Calamity staving off the wizard, she only had to worry about Ingvar, who was getting weaker with every swing. Cleaving her axe through the wall, she launched the rubble at his face. Shielding his eyes from the rubble, he felt his armour heat up. Flames lapped at his feet, latching onto his cape and engulfing it in fire. Ingvar hurried to take his cape off, one arm flailing about while the other desperately kept a hold of the sword. Calamity circled out from behind him and continued chasing after the wizard, stopping him from being able to help Ingvar. Zara dashed in before he could fully remove the cape, rushing him with a flurry of blows and making the situation worse for him. She used her smaller size to her advantage, forcing him to block at awkward angles otherwise she would be able to break more of his armour. Watching the fire from the corner of her eye, she lined herself up and leapt into the air. The ground cracked beneath her from the force of her jump, her gaze firmly focused on the hole in his chest piece. The fire climbed onto his shoulders, singeing the bloody gash and causing the pain from it to flare up. He flinched, failing to block Zara¡¯s axe. The axe plunged into his chest, cracking his sternum. The flaming cape fluttered to the ground as he finally managed to unlatch it. But it was too late. He dropped to his knees, wailing in pain as he was forced to let go of his sword. He desperately tried to remove the axe, but it was jammed in there too deep, and he could no longer muster up the strength to pull it out. Zara dropped to the ground, and with one final burst of strength, used his own sword to cleave straight through his neck, bathing herself in blood and gore. She laughed in victory as blood rained down on her. His head fell at her feet. Chapter 146 Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Chapter 147 If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Chapter 148 Licking his fingers clean, he took his coffee to go and left. Where should I start? As he turned into an alley, the blue screen buzzed into view, giving him a listing of available jobs he met the prerequisites for. The only thing this piece of shit is good for. Scrolling through the list, he groaned. No dinner today it is. Ed couldn¡¯t find any big jobs, so not wanting to waste any time, he pulled out a chunk of jobs that he was comfortable taking. Form a route for me. The screen disappeared, replaced by an arrow that would guide him towards the first job. Alright, here we go. Warming up his body with some stretches, he felt his legs begin to tingle and heat up. Turning in the direction the arrow was pointing, he sprinted right at the wall. Leaping into the air, flames shot out of his calves, rocketing him into the air. Twisting at the waist, he kicked off the wall and pulled himself up onto the roof of the coffee shop. Sliding over to the opposite end, he used the space to pick up speed and jumped over the alley. His legs overheated mid-air, shorting out and causing him to not clear the space as easily as he should have. Reaching out, he hooked his fingers onto the edge of the third storey balcony. He groaned as his legs slammed into the wall, and started sputtering. Pulling himself up, fire spewed onto the potted plants sitting on the balcony. Smacking his calves until they stopped shooting out fire, he climbed onto the air conditioning unit and used that to get onto the roof. The door to the balcony opened and a grumpy old man stepped out just in time to see Ed¡¯s feet disappear over the roof. ¡°Get back here you little shit.¡± He yelled out. Getting no response, he sighed and looked forlornly at the ruined plants before heading back inside. Still feeling a bit warm, Ed gave the thrusters a chance to cool down while he continued running. He jumped from rooftop to rooftop following the arrow until he was once again level with the street. Vaulting over a bit of railing, he ran across the street, causing an oncoming car to scream to a halt. Disappearing before the driver could get out of the car, Ed turned several corners before stopping outside a small shop. The arrow in his vision blinked, pointing towards a small box sitting atop the counter. ¡°I¡¯m here for the delivery.¡± Ed stated clearly so as to not cause any problems. Getting a quick nod from the busy shop owner, Ed grabbed the box and sprinted out the store. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The arrow spun rapidly for a few seconds while it loaded the route for the delivery, forcing Ed to impatiently tap his foot while waiting outside. Eventually, the arrow stopped, pointing to the right. Racing up the street, he took a few twists and turns lasting over the course of several minutes before reaching a tall apartment building. The arrow pointed up towards an open window tens of storeys high. A circle flashed around the window, marking it as the drop off point. You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. Rolling his eyes, he tied the box to his hip and looked around for a way to get up. Looking in through the glass door, he found the apartment foyer to be fairly clean, which was more than most places in the lower city could say for themselves. Sniffing his armpit, a pungent stench stung his nose. Ugh, when was the last time I bathed? Looking away from the door, he continued to scan his surroundings. Someone like me definitely won¡¯t be let in to such a high-brow place, They¡¯ll probably just think I wanna steal something... Guess I¡¯m doing this the hard way. Taking a deep breath, he looked around to make sure nobody was watching before climbing on top of a car on the side of the road. Using the extra height from the car, he jumped onto the tiny overhang that went across the front of the building. Pressing himself against the wall, he looked up to find a handhold he could use to climb. Noticing a brick that stuck out a bit, he grabbed onto it and began his ascent. Being careful to not damage the box, he scaled up the building. Most of the time, he didn¡¯t even have enough room to stand, so he resorted to dangling there precariously by hand. Whenever he found a place to stand, he would stop and rest. After several minutes, he looked up to see how close he was to the target. Why is it still so far? The open window was still roughly a dozen storeys above him. I swear I¡¯ve climbed more than that. He looked down at the ground, only to immediately regret it. Holy shit. The ground was so far away. The car that he stepped on to climb up was so small, that it looked like a toy. If he fell, there was no doubt in his mind that he would die. His heart pounded in his chest as he forced himself to look away. He held onto the windowsill for dear life. Closing his eyes, he took several deep breaths until his heart started to calm down. Opening his eyes, he found a face mere inches from his own. Jolting back in surprise, he lost his grip and found himself falling away from the building. Thinking fast, he activated the thrusters in his legs to counteract gravity. With the few precious seconds that he had, he desperately scrambled for purchase. Latching back onto the windowsill, he found the person inside to be just as surprised as he was. He found the young woman to be strangely familiar, but that couldn¡¯t be right. The only rich person he knew to some degree was Mr Dimarco, and that man was clearly an outlier. The rest of the people he was familiar with were among the lowest of the lows, even in this trash heap of a city. Shaking his head, he continued his climb up the building until he reached the open window. Chapter 149 Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Chapter 150 Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Chapter 151 ¡°ID?¡± One of the bouncers asked, stepping between Ed and the door. Ed rummaged through his internal pockets for his ID, but the other bouncer stepped in before he could take it out. ¡°You¡¯re fine Ed, no need to show it.¡± He nudged the other bouncer to the side. ¡°Got another job today?¡± He asked Ed. ¡°Yeah.¡± Ed relaxed, taking his hands out of his jacket. ¡°But the listing¡¯s very vague. I¡¯ve got no clue what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°Then today¡¯s your lucky day.¡± The bouncer patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Man the door Jim, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± The bouncer took Ed inside, leaving Jim to man the door alone in confusion. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Ed asked while following him inside. The sound of frenetic techno music filled the air, causing him to have to shout to be heard. The energy in the club made him feel alive, even with so few people inside. ¡°You hit it rich this time kid! I overheard that the boss was putting up a job. I think you¡¯ve got it!¡± The bouncer said, pushing through the crowd and dragging Ed with him. ¡°Why would he do that? Surely he¡¯s got his own guys to do stuff for him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe he didn¡¯t want to lose any of his guys.¡± The bouncer joked. Dragging Ed to the bar, he noticed the concern in his eyes. ¡°Look kid. This job isn¡¯t gonna be easy, but I know you¡¯ve got what it takes. You wouldn¡¯t have been able to accept the task if you weren¡¯t good enough for it.¡± ¡°But what if I¡¯m not good enough?¡± Ed asked. ¡°Well, then you won¡¯t have to worry about tomorrow at least.¡± He joked. ¡°Just relax kid, you¡¯ll do fine. Wait here and I¡¯ll get someone to send you through.¡± The bouncer walked away and exited through a door in the back, leaving Ed alone at the bar. It can¡¯t be that bad, right? I mean, I knew it was going to be risky... Maybe I should just go. Worst case scenario I just won¡¯t show up here again. Ed stopped to look at the time to notice that an entire hour had passed. No. I¡¯ve got to do this. This may be my only chance to make the money I need. And dying is way better than losing my dignity. Ed shuddered at the thought of what Mr Dimarco might do to him if he didn¡¯t pay up. Having been around him multiple times over the past few years since he turned eighteen, he was now more than aware of the lecherous looks Dimarco gave him, and how similar they were to what he gave his servants. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Man, I need a drink. Sighing at his own misfortune, he turned to the bartender only to be stunned when he saw a familiar face. One that had frankly made quite the impression on him only earlier that very day. What is she doing here? The two stared at each other in stunned silence as people continued to dance behind him. ¡°...HELLO!¡± A young woman yelled, finally snapping Zara out of her daze. ¡°Finally. It shouldn¡¯t be this difficult to get a drink around here.¡± The woman grumbled. Zara walked off to sort out the situation with the woman, leaving Ed on his own. Is she following me? Why else would she be here? Paranoid, he completely ignored how illogical it would be for her to find out he was coming here, and to get hired and start working, all within the hour it took for him to get here. He felt a gnawing sense of familiarity when he looked at her, which only made him more paranoid. Has she been following me the entire time? He searched back through his memory of the entire day, searching for any trace of her. Of course, this was completely unnecessary, as he found nothing. But it didn¡¯t stop him from looking. And it didn¡¯t dissuade his paranoia. He stared at Zara while she was serving the other woman. ~ Why is he staring at me? While Zara was serving the woman her drink, she couldn¡¯t help but glance at Ed several times, only to see him staring at her. Did he follow me here? What a creep. Now a little scared and worried, she didn¡¯t want to go back to serving him, just in case he did something. But she knew she didn¡¯t have much choice. She gave the woman her drink, and was once again left alone with Ed. The two continued to stand there in silence for a while, completely opposed to the frenetic loudness of the club. As if they were in their own little world. Should I say something? This is way too awkward. Do I just pretend this is my first time seeing him? No, he wouldn¡¯t buy that. This has been way too awkward. She looked around the room, finding solace in the nearby security guards. I¡¯m safe here. I should just be honest and ask. ¡°Have you been following me?¡± Ed asked before Zara could, stunning her. What? Zara tried to rack her brain around his question, but just couldn¡¯t. She stared at him incredulously before finally spluttering out, ¡°No.¡± She reigned her thoughts back in and calmed herself down before she continued talking. ¡°What makes you think that?¡± Ed remained alert, her answer not dispelling his worries in the slightest. ¡°Because I¡¯ve seen you twice today and you feel familiar. A rich person like you shouldn¡¯t feel familiar to me, so you must be following me.¡± Zara tensed up. She was no longer worried that this man was following her, but she was scared of what his paranoia could possibly make him do. ¡°It¡¯s just a coincidence that we¡¯ve seen each other twice. That is not a good enough reason to think I¡¯m following you. And maybe I feel familiar because our first meeting left quite an impression. I know I¡¯m going to remember it for a while.¡± She reasoned, hoping to calm him down. She could see the tension slightly leave his body, and so she continued to reason with him. Chapter 152 Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Chapter 153 ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± Ed asked nervously, his eyes darting around the room. He had no plans of going against Keith, but even if he did, that threat would¡¯ve stopped him dead in his tracks. ¡°It¡¯s rather simple really. I made a deal with someone that, let¡¯s just say, needs to be kept secret. Tonight, it¡¯s time for him to fulfil his end of the deal and give me what I asked for.¡± Keith explained. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be rude, but if it needs to be kept secret, then why are you telling me about it?¡± Ed asked. ¡°Are you going to tell someone about it?¡± Keith pressed his hands into the desk, the glint of a gun barrel poking out in his mechanical arm for just long enough for Ed to see. ¡°No.¡± Ed shook his head violently, gulping loudly. ¡°Good.¡± Keith relaxed back into his chair. ¡°Your job is simple. Go inside the factory, shake hands with the guy, swap briefcases, and leave. Got it?¡± ¡°Loud and clear. But um, which factory is it?¡± It¡¯s only right that I know, right? How else will I know where I¡¯m going. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know that. There¡¯s a car outside waiting to take you there. And before you ask, you don¡¯t need to know what¡¯s in the briefcases. Just make the swap, then hand it over to one of my guys outside. Do that, and you¡¯ll get your credits, and be able to forget this ever happened. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± Keith nodded at him before getting out of his chair. ¡°Now get out.¡± SLAM. The door slammed shut behind him as Ed stepped out into the hallway, once again surrounded by armed guards. Honestly, I feel like my thinking was correct. That guy is scary. Somehow, this hallway felt safer to be in than that room. Ed walked between the guards, slowly making his way back out to the club. Just swap the briefcases, hand the new one over, get paid, and leave. That¡¯s all I¡¯ve got to do. It¡¯s nice and simple, don¡¯t complicate things. Stepping back out onto the club floor, Ed was once again bathed in the sounds of music and people dancing the night away without a care in the world. What a waste of time. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. His eyes trailed over to the bar, where he saw Zara serving a customer. I never did get that drink... Well, it¡¯s probably too late now. He used the small amount of time it took to cross the dance floor as a chance to relax his nerves and prepare himself for what is to come. That guy¡¯s rich, he¡¯ll definitely give me enough money to pay off this part of the debt, then maybe I¡¯ll have a few hours to rest. Who knows, he might give me so much money that I won¡¯t have to worry for a week. Ed allowed that thought to carry him out the door, where the bouncer from earlier suddenly wrapped his arm around Ed¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I heard you got the job kid. Let me take you to the car.¡± He said while pulling Ed to the right. Looks like I¡¯ve got no way of turning back now. I already know too much. Ed helplessly followed the man a little ways down the street where he was ¡®helped¡¯ into the backseat of a car. The car consisted of two rows of seats facing inwards with a table in the middle. A briefcase sat on the table, seemingly without any precautions to stop it from being opened, with only a few cameras in the car to act as deterrence. The door closed behind him as he took a seat, and as he looked around, he found no steering wheel, and no dedicated driver¡¯s seat. No way! Is the first car I¡¯m gonna be in driverless? That¡¯s so cool. Ed was amazed at being able to experience this, briefly forgetting the situation he was in. Now, driverless cars had existed for a long time, at least a few hundred years. But they weren¡¯t exactly a common sight in the lower city. And it was all but impossible for someone like Ed to get the chance to ride in one of them. Up until this point, the only experience Ed had with being in a car was when he snuck into the junkyard to find a warm place to sleep and ended up spending the night in an old car. Sitting down, he felt out of place. The car was far to fancy and high tech for him, that he worried that if he even touched anything, it would break. The windows blackened, as a simple smiley face appeared on the glass in front of him. As this happened, Ed heard the doors lock up. ¡°Welcome, my name is Annie, I will be your driver today.¡± An overly synthesised and cheerful voice said, as the cartoonish mouth opened in time with the words. Woah. This is even fancier than I thought. What should I do? Do I need to say something? Ed opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off before he could say anything. ¡°Please fasten your seatbelt and sit back and enjoy the ride.¡± Annie said. The seatbelt automatically pulled itself around Ed before buckling itself in. It snapped tight, knocking the air out of him as it sat snuggly on his chest. The car drove off silently towards its destination. There was no hum of an engine. In fact, Ed could barely even here the sound of the tyres on the road. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact he could feel the car moving, he would¡¯ve assumed he was still outside the club. He looked around nervously, his eyes awkwardly darting between the cameras, Annie¡¯s face, and the briefcase. I wonder what¡¯s inside? I know he told me not to look, but... Ed felt something build up inside him as his eyes flashed with greed. They can¡¯t really stop me from opening it now. Ed¡¯s hand inched closer to the briefcase. Chapter 154 If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Chapter 155 This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Chapter 156 ¡°Stay alert. He should be coming out any second now.¡± His captain¡¯s voice bounced around inside his skull as he blew out a puff of smoke. Guess I gotta get back to work. With a reluctant sigh, he stamped out his cigarette and returned to the edge of the rooftop. Getting on his stomach, he lined himself back up with the scope of his rifle which had been pointing down at the abandoned carpark below. Getting in position, he rested his finger on the trigger, and waited for the door to open. All the while, red figures moved across his vision in the distance, as the rest of his squad surrounded the door, ready to take action. They were prepared for anything. Each of them had a chip implanted in their brains that allowed them to communicate privately with each other. It also had the added benefit of showing him their location, so that he could position himself to cover for them If that little rat tries to run... Then he¡¯ll get what¡¯s coming to him. Minutes ticked by, but nothing happened. And it was starting to eat away at his squad mate¡¯s patience. ¡°What¡¯s taking him so long?¡± one of them asked. ¡°He should be done by now.¡± ¡°All he had to do was swap briefcases, is that so hard?¡± another grumbled impatiently. ¡°I¡¯m going in.¡± Watching through the scope, he saw one of the glowing red figures move towards the door, before being cut off by another. ¡°Be patient. We don¡¯t want to piss off the guy in there. Boss will have our head if we mess this up for him.¡± their captain said confidently, admonishing the impatient guy. ¡°Fine. But if this takes any longer, I¡¯m gonna go get something to eat.¡± The two figures split off from each other, one returning to the nearby corner and the other, the captain, taking up a spot near the door, just out of the light. Poor guy, sucks that he has no food on him. Must be starving down there. Feeling his stomach rumble, he took his hand off the trigger and reached across for his bag, all the while still observing the area for any problems. Pulling his bag over, he unzipped the front compartment and rummaged around in it before pulling out a bag of chips and a muesli bar. Returning his attention to the scene of the quiet carpark, he unwrapped the muesli bar and started eating. Sucks for him. Should I give him something? Nah. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Smiling to himself, he continued to stave off the monotony and the hunger while watching the increasingly boring scene. It really is taking a long time... Did that rat somehow sneak off with the briefcase? Or did he piss off that mid-born guy? That would be a sight to see. Boss probably wouldn¡¯t like to see that though. ¡°On your feet people! I sense someone approaching the door.¡± The sniper put aside his food and fully focused on the door, ready to take the first shot. The rest of the squad focused in on the door, no longer joking with each other. The door burst open as a tall and dishevelled looking figure stumbled through. His old worn coat was tattered and marred with fresh cuts. Fresh blood stained the coat and dripped onto the ground as the man struggled to stay on his feet. What happened here? Alert, he zoomed in on the man, trying to capture every detail. He first locked onto the man¡¯s face, confirming that it was the young homeless lad they had sent in. Ed, was it? Ed¡¯s face was pale and trembling with fear. His bloodshot eyes stared off into the distance, gazing into the unknown as if he could hear the afterlife calling out to him. His cheek was red and swollen, a visible handprint making itself known to all. Trailing down his body, he found the kid¡¯s clothes to be in even worse condition than when he entered the warehouse. Ed¡¯s clothes were by no means perfect to begin with, having been patched up with whatever scraps of fabric he could find. But now the clothes could barely be considered that. They were torn and ripped in various places, telltale signs of a mad scramble to escape after being attacked. His hands and knees were covered in bloody scrapes, clear signs of him having been thrown across the ground. The sniper suspected that there were even more injuries hidden under the clothes. Blood stained the coat as Ed stumbled forward in desperation, his feet giving way beneath him as he searched for anyone that could help him. Well I¡¯ll be. He really did piss that guy off. All the signs were there, pointing towards Ed having to flee for his life after offending a powerful person. The most noticeable thing however, was that he wasn¡¯t carrying a briefcase. They had failed. And not only that, they had lost the money as well. Captain stepped out of the shadows near the door, causing Ed to stumble and fall. Captain reached out and supported him for a moment, just long enough to find out what was going on, before he let go. Ed dropped to the ground as he drifted into unconsciousness, no longer fighting to stay awake. ¡°Bad news everyone. We¡¯ve lost the briefcase and the target isn''t leaving. It looks like we won¡¯t be getting what we came for unless we go in there ourselves,¡± the captain said. ¡°What did the kid say?¡± the impatient guy asked. ¡°He said that If we want to complete the deal, we have to all go in there ourselves.¡± ¡°And you believe him?¡± ¡°Wait here for my orders. I¡¯m going to contact the boss.¡± The captain walked away from the door and pulled out his phone. After a bit of back and forth, and explaining the situation, he turned off his phone and returned to the door. ¡°All right everyone! Change of plans. I need everyone down here for this one. The boss said to follow the man¡¯s orders. And that means we¡¯re all going in. I don¡¯t want to hear any complaints. Keep your guns at the ready. Do whatever you have to to get the briefcase.¡± Chapter 157 The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Chapter 158 Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Chapter 159 This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Chapter 160 What¡¯s going on over there? Through the gap in the shutters, Ed saw a flashlight turn on and focus on a wall. It was difficult to make out what was going on through the shutters and the shelves, but he thought he saw a small group of people gathering towards the direction of the light. Back in the centre of the warehouse, the briefcase he had brought with him remained untouched on the table where he left it. The man in the light not even bothering to look at it. The man himself was standing there, probably wanting to leave as soon as this whole thing was over. The group of officers drew closer to the vent under the captain¡¯s lead. One hand was holding the light, the other was pulling his pistol from its holster. His gut was telling him that something wasn¡¯t right, and he didn¡¯t want to be caught without a weapon. But before they could get any closer, something happened that none of them could¡¯ve predicted. BANG! The sound bounced around in the air duct before blasting through the ears of the nearby officers. Bringing them to a stop from the force of the noise alone. A bullet blitzed through the air, threading the needle between the officers and the shelves, and heading directly for the man in the light. The bullet pierced the veil of light before anyone could react, shattering the wall that isolated the man from the outside world. However, the bullet was stopped before it could touch the man. A red glowing hexagonal screen appeared in the air between the bullet and him. The bullet collided with the screen in a rain of sparks as the bullet shattered on impact. The cops immediately jumped on the vent and dragged a person out. Somehow, one of the gangsters had managed to hide away before he could get gunned down, and instead of leaving, chose to take his revenge. He was pushed onto his knees with such force that Ed swore he heard something crack. The man wasn¡¯t shot dead like his companions, instead he was dragged away to suffer a far worse fate behind closed doors. It wasn¡¯t all in vain however. The force from the bullet needed somewhere to go, and it just so happened to go into the man, knocking him off his feet. He wasn¡¯t harmed at all, in fact, it didn¡¯t even dirty his suit, but he was left stunned at what happened. He couldn¡¯t believe that someone had the gall to try and hurt him. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The rest of the police force swarmed around the man to protect him from any more unseen attackers. Before he could complain, they helped him to his feet and started carrying him while they guarded him from every angle. They brought him towards a back entrance where his car was, all the while checking if he was okay. ¡°Unhand me you filthy animals!¡± he shouted as his brain finally started registering what was going on. He forced them away and started checking his suit. ¡°This suit is worth more than your life. If something happened to it there will be hell to pay.¡± Yelling at the officers, he realised that he no longer had his briefcase. ¡°Enough of this! I need to leave this instant. Go get me my briefcase!¡± he ordered as he walked himself outside and got into his car. The captain scrambled to get everything sorted after the mess that happened today. Grabbing the briefcase off the table, he handed it over to the man and apologised profusely for everything that happened. He assured the man that the gangs would be dealt with swiftly. The car drove off under the protection of several police cars and a large chunk of the drones. A small group stayed behind to clear out the area so that the warehouse could be used come morning. Just because people died there, it didn¡¯t mean that they could stop. While all of this chaos was happening, Ed¡¯s eyes were transfixed on the bottom of one of the shelves. There¡¯s no way... He couldn¡¯t see where it was, but Ed was a hundred percent certain that the briefcase the man came with was still here. The police had given him the one Ed had by mistake. When the man was knocked to the ground, the briefcase flew out of his hand and slipped below the shelves. The police had made a mistake, and somehow the man hadn¡¯t noticed. Ed¡¯s eyes flashed with greed as he couldn¡¯t pull himself away from the thought of getting that briefcase for himself. What was in it? Could it turn his life around? But he couldn¡¯t go out there just yet. The cops were still inside, and he had no doubts that they would kill him. So he instead waited patiently for them to leave. Watching them all closely, he noticed one of them walking in his direction. Bursting into action, he climbed down the hole and pulled the cover back on before the officer reached the door. He ran around the corner and hid himself in a small nook where he waited for his racing heart to slow down. Hugging against the wall, he heard the cover shift, followed by the sound of someone climbing down the ladder. A flashlight lit up the sewers for a few tense seconds as the light got closer and closer to the tunnel he went down. Ed stayed where he was, his breath caught in his throat. Time seemed to slow down, stretching on for an eternity, but for what was probably only a few seconds at most. The light turned around and was followed by the sounds of someone mumbling, climbing the ladder, and putting the cover back on. Ed held his position for a minute before slumping over, breathing heavily. That was too close. Slowly, he made his way back to the ladder and stood there listening for any noises above him. When the coast was clear, he climbed the ladder at a snail¡¯s pace, making sure to be as quiet as possible, just in case the guy hadn¡¯t left. Feeling safe, he pushed the cover up. Chapter 161 Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Chapter 162 He found himself in a state of freefall. All his worries washed away. Replaced by the worry of not knowing what was awaiting him. The light from the cop¡¯s flashlight could no longer reach him, so he was surrounded by darkness. Only the sound of rushing water and the feeling of falling to accompany him. He didn¡¯t know how long had passed, but he could see the light of the flashlight cresting over the hole. The cop would find the hole soon. What would he do? Would he jump in after Ed? Or would he call it a day and leave? Ed hoped for the second one, but he knew it wasn¡¯t likely. The fall was long, but the cop most likely had a way to handle that safely. If he didn¡¯t land soon, then he would have to deal with the cop while in the air, and he wouldn¡¯t have it easy dodging this time. Ed had never fallen for this long before. It felt strange. The darkness and the constant sound of rushing water made it difficult to gauge what was going on. At least if he had jumped off a building he would be able to see the ground coming towards him. But right now, he saw nothing. The cop was standing at the edge of the hole now, his flashlight pointed down to try and find Ed. He could just barely make out Ed who was so far down, but he couldn¡¯t line up a clear shot on him. He was assessing his options, wondering if it was worth it. He had already chased Ed through the sewers, did he really have to jump down this hole? Ed had been falling for who knows how long now. Could have been twenty seconds, could have been a minute. But it felt like an eternity had passed when he finally noticed something different. A light was growing in his vision. But it wasn¡¯t coming from above, it was coming from below. Ed was reaching the end of the drop, and he was fast approaching it. Whatever was waiting for him down there wouldn¡¯t treat him nicely when he was falling at this speed. The cop became the least of his worries, as he tried to slow himself down so that his body wouldn¡¯t be pulverised on impact. Shifting his body and activating his thrusters, Ed tried to counteract the force of gravity. And for a while, it worked. He felt himself slowing down, but not by much. He had to put all that his thrusters had into slowing himself down, but he would probably still shatter his legs on impact. He heard a sputtering noise, causing him to panic. No. No no no. Not now. Come on! His thrusters began to peter out. The force coming from his thrusters fizzled out of existence, leaving him to fall and pick up speed just like before. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. The end was getting closer. He could almost see what was waiting for him. The cop had long been erased from his mind. In fact, everything that had happened before now seemed so unimportant. All that mattered to him were the next few seconds. He clutched onto the briefcase for dear life. He would be damned if he lost it after all he just went through. He slapped his legs with his other hand, causing a burst of fire that singed his fingertips. Ignoring the pain, he kept hitting it. The end was getting closer now, he could see what was waiting for him. Is that... the sky? It wasn¡¯t a body of water, or even a bit of concrete waiting for him at the end. Instead it was the bright blue sky. Clearer and more beautiful than he had ever seen it. It was fast approaching, and he had no clue what was going on. The thrusters roared to life as Ed ripped his hand back, narrowly avoiding having it get burnt off. He started slowing down once again, but the sky was still fast approaching. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind. Where was he? Where would this hole spit him out? Why is the sky so clear? Would somebody see him? But one thought prevailed over the rest. Shit! Flailing around as he reached the edge, his arm managed to catch onto a rung. The sudden force slammed into his body like a runaway train, as he came to a sudden halt. His arm screamed out in pain, but he managed to hold on. Unfortunately for him, the rung he had latched onto didn¡¯t. Bolts snapped, and the ladder fell, plunging Ed further into the sky below. Ed hung precariously by the tip of his fingers. His body flailing wildly as his other hand desperately clutched onto the briefcase, saving it from falling into the abyss. Looking up, he found himself holding onto a ladder that was running along the ceiling and ending at the hole. Water was cascading down past him, thankfully missing him and the ladder. The ladder itself was old, having worn down after years of inactivity and no maintenance. Its purpose having long been forgotten. And thanks to the force from Ed¡¯s landing, it finally couldn¡¯t hold on. Several rungs had been pulled out of the ceiling, now swinging precariously above him. And more were coming undone with each passing second. Ed didn¡¯t know how long he had until the entire thing fell off and he found himself plunging into the sky. Using his thrusters to boost himself, he swung until he could reach the rung with his other hand. Grabbing onto it while still holding the briefcase was difficult, but he would manage. Securing his grip on the swinging ladder with his other hand, he slowly started climbing. Each and every rung he climbed was scary, as he didn¡¯t know whether he would pull down the entire thing. Luckily, he didn¡¯t run into any problems. The rungs had stopped coming undone, and he managed to climb to the top. Now he just had to swing himself around to the other side and start swinging from rung to rung until he found a safe place to stand. Sounds easy enough. Chapter 163 This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Chapter 164 That was closer than I would¡¯ve liked. If he had just shot at me, it would¡¯ve all been over. Breathing a sigh of relief, Ed looked back up at the horizontal rungs that were even further away now. Scanning the horizon, he couldn¡¯t find a place to stop. Maybe there was an area obscured by one of the hills? Or maybe he would have to keep moving for a long time. His arms needed all the rest they could get if he wanted to do this, so he continued to sit on the ladder as it swayed. With the officer gone, it truly felt like he had all the time in the world. Of course, he knew this wasn¡¯t true. He¡¯d have to find his way back eventually, then he¡¯d have to face his debtor. He hoped that whatever was in the briefcase was valuable enough to make it all okay. The officer was still hanging by his leg on the ladder, his head having now come to a stop after bashing against the rung several times. His blood dripped down into the sky below. Ed looked down at the dead man, a few ideas sprouting in his mind. Well, I need all the help I can get... Might as well not let it all go to waste. Carefully climbing down the ladder so as to not move the cop¡¯s body too much, he began looting the corpse. He could have something that would help me get out of here. And besides, I have far bigger things to worry about than morals right now. Careful not to get the man¡¯s blood on him, Ed rummaged through the cop¡¯s pockets, finding a key chain, among other personal belongings. Could one of these be for the handcuffs? Climbing down to the very bottom of the ladder, Ed took the handcuffs that had been looped around the man¡¯s fingers. He tested the keys one by one until he found which one worked, then shoved the keys into his inner pocket. Attaching one end of the handcuffs to his wrist, he looped the other through the briefcase¡¯s handle and locked it in place. Good, now I can move easier. Tugging on it a bit to make sure it was good, he nodded. That should last. Now I need those boots. If he could get those boots working, he would be able to go back up through the hole he came out of. His own thrusters wouldn¡¯t be able to last long enough, but if he used the boots, he would definitely be able to make it back up there. And since he couldn¡¯t keep them, he would be fine if they fried up after using them. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Reaching through the gap, he pulled the cop¡¯s other leg over the rung to keep him there. He didn¡¯t want the man to fall off before he was done looting. Gingerly pulling on the boot, he slipped it off the man¡¯s foot. It took a little effort, as it was tightly fitted to the man, but he managed to get it off with little issue. The only problem was that the ladder was rocking more in the wind than before. Eyeing the area above him to make sure nothing else came undone, Ed kicked his shoe off and slipped the boot on. It was a little loose. The cop was well nourished and larger than him, but it wasn¡¯t a problem. As long as the boot wouldn¡¯t fall off, he would be fine. Now how does this work? Messing around to figure out how it worked, a blue screen buzzed into his vision. The chip linked up with the boot. The boot pulled in, becoming skin tight. Then nothing happened for several seconds. Well, at least I don¡¯t have to worry about that. Then the chip finished loading. The boot flared to life, blasting with immense force and rocketing his leg upward. Caught off-guard, his knee slammed into the ladder. Shit fuck! Pain ran through his leg. He unleased a pained scream through gritted teeth. The thruster stopped after only a second. The chip was simply running a test to see that the thruster was working. But the damage had already been done. Ed¡¯s leg was now completely shot, his knee was throbbing with pain, and he couldn¡¯t even put his weight on it. He had to leave it dangling in the air to lessen the pain he felt. The ladder rocked from the hit, causing it to swing wildly back and forth. The cop¡¯s leg slipped off, as the body tumbled off the ladder before Ed could do anything. He reached out towards it, scrambling for the man¡¯s boot. But it slipped just past his fingertips. He slammed his fist into the ladder in frustration, as his eyes followed the cop as he disappeared into the abyss. Soon the man was gone, and there was nothing he could do about it. Regretting his choice of not grabbing the other boot first, he looked up. There was nothing he could do about it now. With one boot, he definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to make it back up, even if he used his own thrusters to help. He had no choice but to swing from bar to bar now. Pushing the pain from his mind, he climbed back up to the top of the ladder. The briefcase hit each and every rung, making itself known. Without the use of his left leg, it took longer for him to get to the top, but thankfully he wouldn¡¯t need to put pressure on it for a while. Taking a deep breath. He reached for the first rung that was still attached to the ceiling. He tested it with one arm first, still putting most of his weight onto the dangling parts. Seeing that it was fine, he started putting more weight onto it until his entire body was fully hanging from the ceiling. Reminding him of the broken monkey bars he played on as a child, he looked forward to see the journey ahead. This is gonna take longer than the monkey bars. Chapter 165 Huff, huff. His arms ached as he stretched out for the next bar. The bar¡¯s were just far enough that he had to swing to grab onto the next one. Which proved even more tiresome than the act of holding himself up, especially with the briefcase constantly battering against his body. It had probably been twenty minutes or so since he started swinging. Turning back, he could no longer see the broken part of the ladder where he came from. A small hill was blocking his view. Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t a place for him to stand on like he had hoped, so the journey would have to take a bit longer. Grabbing onto the next bar, he breathed in, and let go of the first one. Using the momentum from this, he swung and latched onto the next one. He repeated this for as long as he was able to until his body screamed at him to stop. Putting both hands on the same rung, he swung back and forth for a while until his body naturally came to a stop. I can¡¯t keep going like this, I need to rest. Ed looked up at the rungs, and realised that he might be able to lay down on top of them and give his arms a rest. There¡¯s no harm in trying. Lifting himself up, he managed to pull his body over it just before his arms gave out. Lying bent over the bar, he didn¡¯t bother to move at all. As long as he wasn¡¯t about to fall off, his body wouldn¡¯t let him move an inch until he was rested. The roof above him wasn¡¯t exactly flat. It rose and fell naturally. The bars were placed in a way to try and make them as level as possible, but sometimes that wasn¡¯t an option. Tilting his head up to look a bit further ahead, he saw that the space between the bar and the roof was far too small for him to fit through. He had lucked out in finding a place to rest in time. He stayed there in that position for an unknown amount of time, until his aching arms started to hurt just a tad bit less. With everything feeling better now, aside from his leg, he rolled back and continued swinging from bar to bar. He travelled around the second hill, then the third. Unfortunately, unlike before, he wasn¡¯t able to find a good spot to rest. Either the bar was too close to the ceiling that he couldn¡¯t fit, or it was on an incline. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Every muscle in his upper body felt like it was burning, but he had no choice but to press forward. If he didn¡¯t, it wouldn¡¯t be long until he fell into the sky below and was never seen again. When he no longer had the strength to swing his body, he would use the thrusters to give him a boost and build momentum. When his arms were too sore to hold him up, he would throw the briefcase over the rung and use the handcuff chain as support. He wasn¡¯t worried that the chain would break. The cops would occasionally have to deal with people with enhanced arms. And while they couldn¡¯t be prepared for every type of modification, they made sure the handcuffs were durable enough to not break under any amount of stress a human could put them under. Dangling precariously, with only a metal chain to keep him alive, and nothing but death awaiting him if he fell, he kept his eyes locked on the briefcase. Remember why you did this. This briefcase could change your life. More time passed, and yet the sky below remained the same. A clear blue, without any clouds or smoke to stain it with imperfections. From what he could tell, there wasn¡¯t even a sun. He didn¡¯t know much about how the sky worked, but he was pretty sure that there was something weird about this one. Shaking the thoughts from his head, he turned his attention back to the matter at hand. He continued to swing, making it further and further away from where he started. He had no clue where he was, nor where he would end up when he managed to make it back to the lower city. Hopefully it was somewhere he knew, or was at least familiar with. That would make things easier. Roughly an hour after he started, he finally noticed something different. Just after wrapping around another small hill, he saw the end of the ladder. And just below where the ladder ended, was a series of grated pathways that spread out in a massive web, connecting to countless other roof ladders. And at the very centre of this web was a spiral staircase that climbed into the ceiling. Breathing a mixture of relief and excitement, Ed pushed himself to keep going. His hands were slick with sweat, and in his excitement to reach somewhere he could stand, he failed to properly hold himself and managed to slip before he could grab the next bar. Falling backwards while scrambling for something to grab onto, it was only a second before his brain kicked into gear, and he activated the thrusters. The thruster in the boot was far more powerful than the one in his leg, but he managed to offset it just enough to keep himself upright. Pushing the thrusters to their limits, he propelled himself towards the pathway without caring about the burning feeling lapping at his legs. The thruster in his leg petered out, but the one in the boot remained strong long enough for him to hit the floor with a crash. Tumbling forward, he stopped with his body splayed out and his face pressed against the metal. He turned the boot thruster off and smacked his leg until that thruster went quiet as well. Lying down and feeling something solid beneath him, he immediately passed out from exhaustion. Fucking finally. Chapter 166 If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Chapter 167 Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Chapter 168 Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Chapter 169 Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Chapter 170 He stammered foolishly over his words. What am I supposed to do? He had no clue what the password could possibly be. He didn¡¯t even know where it was from, or what it was. How was he to know what the password was? There was only a small group of people who would¡¯ve known the password, and he certainly wasn¡¯t one of them. He looked regretfully at the metal box. Did he go through all of that just to be halted by a password? ¡°Che-ecking pass-pass-password.¡± The face jittered on the screen, its voice filled with static. He really felt like smashing the box to pieces to get at what was inside, but he knew he didn¡¯t have the capability to do that. Was it all for nothing? He sulked in frustration as he stared at the screen. He was waiting for the thing to deny him, to tell him that his password was wrong. Would it give him another chance? Or would it end just like that? He regretted not taking some time to think. It might not have been able to help, but whatever he came up with would¡¯ve been better than him stumbling over his words and ending up with nothing. The animated face stayed perfectly still. The only movement coming from the static and jitters caused by the damage. Minutes passed as it stayed there, not saying anything. It was taking forever to check the password Ed gave. As Ed was sitting there sulking and cursing at himself in frustration, the screen lit up, and the box began to shift in his hands. ¡°Password ¡®Ugh, umm¡¯ accepted.¡± The face then dissolved into nothingness as the screen flashed so brightly that it blinded Ed. And would¡¯ve blinded anyone else down on the pathways too. Covering his eyes, the box rumbled in his lap as a small part of it on one side pushed out from its centre. The light decreased, finally allowing Ed to open his eyes again and see what happened. A small vial of strange purple liquid was pushed out of the box, hanging in a test tube holder designed to protect the vial from any shaking or movement when it was in the box. What is this? He took the vial out of its holder and stared at it. The liquid was viscous, like honey, moving slowly as he tilted it from side to side. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. He had never seen something like this before. It was clearly valuable, but he had no idea what it was. What did it do? Was he supposed to drink it? Was it just a valuable material to be used in something else? He had no clue what it could be. Lacking in education, he couldn¡¯t figure out what it was for. The only idea he had was also the dumbest, which was to drink it. It was such a dumb idea. Who knew what would happen if he drank it? He could die on the spot. It could be so acidic that it would burn through his entire body. It was quite possibly the dumbest thing he could do. He had to bring it to someone who would be able to figure out what it was. But at the same time, there wasn¡¯t really anyone he could trust with this. Everyone he knew was either too uneducated to be able to help, or was so powerful that they would just take it from him and he would be left with nothing. They might even kill him just to keep it a secret. What was he supposed to do? He couldn¡¯t just give it back to the people he stole it from. They would most certainly kill him. Shifting it around, he stared at the liquid in a daze. Then again, it does look... appealing. The way the liquid moved was almost tempting him to drink it. There was something about it that was just mesmerising to him. Still in a daze, he popped out the vial¡¯s cork and moved it to his lips. Something was telling him to drink it. To take the risk. This could be the big break he was looking for, so why was he hesitating? So what if it could kill him? His life wasn¡¯t exactly that great anyway. I¡¯ll probably be hunted down by that gang when I head back up, so I might as well try it. No longer hesitating, he tilted it up and tried to swallow it all down. The liquid slowly shifted, taking a while to leave the vial. When it made contact with his body, it suddenly came to life, moving with great intensity. It covered the inside of his mouth as it pushed itself down his throat. And it burned. It burned so much. His lips, his teeth, his tongue. Everything that made contact with the liquid felt like it was submerged in the strongest acid known to man. It felt like a billion tiny insects eating away at his body. It felt like a thunderstorm had formed in his mouth. It was the most unimaginable pain. He couldn¡¯t bear it at all. He wanted nothing more than to scream out, but he couldn¡¯t make any noise. He tried to vomit it back up, but it blocked his stomach acid and continued to slither its way through his body, consuming everything it touched and inflicting it all with the same unbearable pain. He clawed at his face, desperately trying to get rid of the liquid. His fingers dug into his cheeks as he ripped away skin, flesh, and blood. He ripped through it all, destroying his own face as he tried to scoop the liquid through the pits that he had made. But the liquid kept moving through. His fingers had split open from the desperate clawing, now spurting out blood. He tried to dig into the liquid and scoop it out, but it burned through his fingers, destroying it down to the bone, before continuing to burn through his body. And then there was no more. Chapter 171 Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Chapter 172 Out in an unknown area of Hell, surrounded by volcanic mountains. The air was thick with ash, to the point that you couldn¡¯t breathe, and you couldn¡¯t see. It was a thick haze no normal person could escape from. The circular mountain range and the ash created an impenetrable maze, trapping anyone unlucky enough to set foot in it. Countless souls had perished here, having spawned in here after their death back on Earth. Most of the time, they would be lost souls that were destined to wander Limbo for all eternity, but had that destiny cut short by appearing here. Their souls were sucked into the ground beneath them, then spewed back out as volcanic ash. Their souls used as fuel to strengthen the maze. Along with the unlucky souls that were trapped here, there were a few creatures that called this place home. Nightmarish, mysterious, and vile creatures that couldn¡¯t be seen. Couldn¡¯t be heard. Their movements were undetectable until they were right on top of you. And by then it was already too late. They would rend the bodies of the mortals apart, allowing the ash to eat away at the souls, bit by bit, until the person was no more, and became fuel to strengthen this hellscape. With the bodies becoming soulless husks, the foul beasts would graft the bodies of their victims to themselves. As even they weren¡¯t safe from the all-consuming ash. After an eternity of existence, countless monsters and people died here, their bodies left behind to be used by others. Any creature that survived was a disgusting conglomerate of mismatched parts. A puzzle made up of a thousand different pieces from a thousand different puzzles. Mountains of flesh slid across the ground, carried forward by the scraping of hands, hooves, paws, and claws. Having grown far too large, the mountains cried out in constant agony. Creatures that looked like something a child would draw slinked around, on the prowl for their next victim to strengthen themselves. And in all of this mess were two people walking around like they were in a park. One made of rock and fire, the other a perfect angel. They walked around, not afraid of anything as they approached one of the mountains of flesh and limbs. A young creature of the ash foolishly pounced on them, only to be blasted back by the angel and pulverised by a golden pulse of energy. The poor creature¡¯s body was scattered all across the ashen land in an instant. Its soul destroyed, and its parts left for others to pick up and use. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Reaching the mountain of flesh, Ira pulled out a knife, then proceeded to cut off several pounds of flesh from the creature. The creature wailed in a mix of pain and relief, its voice a distorted collection of a thousand cries from humans and beasts. ¡°It¡¯s okay. There there. Just keeping you nice and tidy,¡± Ira said soothingly, calming the monster. Each bit of flesh he took was a fusion of countless creatures, and would prove to be a valuable, or at least interesting, crafting material. He went a full circle around the mountain, helping to trim off the excess flesh that was causing it pain. He circled all around the mountainous creature, getting Superbia to lift him up to reach the higher parts. The two went around to several such creatures, shearing off large chunks of flesh when needed, and easing the pain the creatures felt. After they finished trimming down all of them and sent the flesh back through Ira¡¯s body, they sat down to relax, and even had a picnic. The ash and the grim atmosphere didn¡¯t seem to have any affect on them at all. ¡°I think it¡¯s about time we go back,¡± said Superbia. ¡°A few pests have been running around for a little while now and its about time I had a chat with them.¡± Ira nodded, having also sensed the pests he was talking about. But of course he had. He had even interacted with some of them. ¡°Give me his body when you¡¯re done with him, I¡¯ve got some ideas of what I want to make already.¡± ¡°Of course. Of course.¡± Finishing their meal, the two disappeared without causing the ash to stir, as if they weren¡¯t even there in the first place. ~ Back in Pride City, Ed and Zara were at home getting ready for their trip to Greed. Despite having slept the entire time they were in Sloth, Ed couldn¡¯t have felt more exhausted. So by the time they got home, they gorged themselves out on a nice dinner that had been prepared for them by palace, then went to bed. Zara wasn¡¯t as exhausted as Ed. She had already forgotten everything that had happened while she was asleep in Sloth. Like most dreams, everything had become blurry, before fizzling out of her mind. She could vaguely remember some things, but most of it was gone. She actually felt incredibly well rested when she woke up, but after what happened with Ed, and all the energy she needed to put into healing him, she too needed to rest. Now that it was the next morning, the two were ready and raring to go. They only had a few days left until Zara went back to the company, and Ed didn¡¯t know when he would be able to see her again. So he really wanted to make these last few days count. He woke up early and made her breakfast in bed. It was pancakes with a special syrup from Gluttony. The two showered together, and got ready. Before getting into the car that was waiting outside for them. After a bit of research, he learned that Greed City was mostly taken up by casinos and large businesses, which both also acted as residential areas. If you wanted to get into certain casinos, you needed to prove your status and wealth. Since he wanted to give Zara the best time he could, he went through Wilfred to gain access to the biggest and best casino in the city. One ran by Lord Avaritia and Lady Invidia. Chapter 173 Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Chapter 174 The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Chapter 175 Superbia jumped back, clutching at his heart and wincing like every one of her words were bullets. ¡°Do you not care for me anymore?¡± He turned to Wilfred and leant on his shoulder with an exaggerated wail. ¡°Did you hear her Wilfred? My own daughter doesn¡¯t love me anymore.¡± Elaine¡¯s face was now thoroughly red from embarrassment, and would probably stay like that for a year. Even Wilfred and Lola couldn¡¯t escape from being embarrassed. With the pressure no longer stopping them from moving, Ed and Zara, who had since woken up, turned around and blocked their ears. Pretending to have not seen anything. Ed relaxed slightly. Everything¡¯s going just like I saw. We should be out of here in a few minutes. The conversation had continued on, with Elaine becoming somehow even more embarrassed, so Ed turned his attention to the pressure around him, and the comforting feeling that was blocking it out. I didn¡¯t feel anything like this when I was looking into the future. I need to be more careful when dealing with powerful people. I can¡¯t get a good sense of their strength when looking through fate. The feeling was entirely different. At some point in time, Superbia had stopped teasing his daughter and gave Lola a bear hug with a big smile. ¡°How have you been? You¡¯ve been staying out of trouble, I hope.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been doing fine sir.¡± Lola smiled exasperatedly while jokingly trying to escape from his monstrous hug. ¡°Why are you being so formal? Just remember, if my daughter ever does anything to upset you, you can always come to me and I¡¯ll sort her right out.¡± ¡°Dad!¡± Elaine shouted, her voice crisp and sharp. ¡°I would never.¡± A warm feeling filled the room as they caught up after not having seen each other in so long. Even Wilfred seemed to relax slightly. No matter how embarrassing Superbia¡¯s actions may have been, it still brought a smile to their faces, and filled their hearts with a warm fuzzy feeling. Even with his back turned, Ed could still sense what was happening through his sensing of vibrations. He smiled as well, happy for them. His senses swept throughout the large throne room, catching on everything and checking everything out in detail. Since he had nothing better to do in these few minutes, he decided to spend it testing out his new strength. His soul had gotten stronger, and now he could finally sense the vibrations without immediately getting a headache. He could even sense the details of some of the statues and busts decorating the room. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. While he wasn¡¯t sure how things would go if he tried this outside, but at least he now had the confidence and ability to keep his senses flourishing while indoors. He didn¡¯t think he would be able to keep it up forever, the immense load of information would definitely overwhelm him eventually. But he knew he could at least keep it up for a while. He noticed the outline and shape of two humans in the corner with his vibrational sense. He didn¡¯t even have to think to know that they were the healers Buddie had assigned to them while they were down here. He could sense that they weren¡¯t struggling under the pressure at all and knew that Buddie was probably protecting them. Does Superbia know that they¡¯re here? It doesn¡¯t seem like it. He scanned Superbia and that group with his senses, drawing in everything he could and even looking back to when he first entered, but couldn¡¯t find anything in the way he acted to suggest that he had noticed them. The main group continued chatting for a couple minutes while Ed and Zara stood on the sidelines. It¡¯s probably about time for us to say something and leave. He could see Elaine slightly turn her attention to the two of them and knew that it would all be over with soon. They would be able to continue on with their plans for the day and have some fun at the casino. The conversation continued on, the topic eventually leading towards Ed, so Elaine gestured at him. Superbia looked over and his eyes shone. And suddenly Ed had a very bad feeling. The very next second proved him right, as Superbia disappeared from where he was in the group and practically teleported to right in front of Ed and Zara. He looked at them with a big smile on his face, and Ed heard a groan escape from Elaine¡¯s lips as she tried to hide her face. ¡°You must be the person my daughter told me so much about!¡± He picked Ed up in a tight hug that almost shattered every bone in his body. ¡°Thank you for helping my daughter with that case. I can¡¯t believe people are still daring enough to try and attack my daughter! I heard about how you handled it. If there¡¯s anything you need, just ask.¡± Ed was overwhelmed by this friendliness and didn¡¯t know how to respond. He had seen and sensed it all earlier, but Superbia¡¯s cheeriness and friendly nature was suffocating. It was somehow far worse than the pressure he was exuding. Ed was stunned. And before he could react, Superbia had already put him down and turned his attention to Zara. ¡°And you must be Zara, right? I hope you have been enjoying your stay with us, and I must say you look positively divine in this dress. You¡¯re almost giving me a run for my money.¡± Zara was also overwhelmed by the compliment, and was even blushing. ¡°Thank you.¡± Superbia had a big smile on his face. ¡°No need to thank me at all, you are fully deserving of the compliment, you two are a perfect couple. How have you been finding your stay with us so far? I know your work can be very stressful, so have you been enjoying yourselves? I know you¡¯ve only got a few days left with us and you¡¯ve probably planned it all out, but if you need a change of plans, just ask and I¡¯ll sort it out.¡± His words left Elaine, Wilfred, and Lola a bit confused, but Ed and Zara immediately knew what he meant. He knows. Chapter 176 This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Chapter 177 This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Chapter 178 Stolen story; please report. Chapter 179 Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Chapter 180 This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Chapter 181 If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Chapter 182 And in an instant, he was back. He found himself inside his apartment. It had a warm and peaceful atmosphere that comforted him greatly. He had come back to this place to relax after each painful day at work, so he had some feelings for this place. He wanted nothing more than to shower and call Zara over to end her holiday properly, but he knew he had to get straight into work. ¡°Good morning Buddie,¡± he said, his eyes darting to the clock to doublecheck that it was still morning. The room was silent for a moment before Buddie reluctantly answered. ¡°Morning Ed.¡± Even though his voice hadn¡¯t changed from its usual monotony, Ed could still hear that Buddie was pissed off at him. Buddie had been blocked out from working in this universe for multiple days because of Ed. He hated not being able to do something that he knew was waiting for him. His work was now delayed for days and he had to put a lot more energy and focus into getting this universe back on track. And even though he couldn¡¯t figure it out at the time, it didn¡¯t take him long to realise that someone had played a trick on him, causing Ed¡¯s request to not go through to Superbia. He had also figured out who it was that did it, but that only left him more frustrated. He couldn¡¯t do anything to Superbia who had punished him. And he couldn¡¯t do anything to Urdhuri either. So he could only put his focus on Ed. He couldn¡¯t fire or kill him, as that would go against the rules of the company and his programming. Ed hadn¡¯t technically done anything wrong there, and had already finished his punishment for his previous mistake. Buddie was limited in what he could do to Ed. But that didn¡¯t mean there was nothing he could do. There were still a few tricks he could resort to to make Ed¡¯s life difficult. ¡°Because you have been absent from work for the past few days, your assets have currently been frozen. That includes your bank account and your apartment. You have a minute to leave or you will be kicked out.¡± Once again, Buddie¡¯s voice was monotonous, but Ed could feel the joy Buddie was having at his expense. ¡°But why? I was away from work because I was being punished.¡± Ed already knew something like this was going to happen, but he still wanted to know why Buddie could pull something like this. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Your punishment ended a few days ago when you left Hell. Since you have only just now returned several days later, then it is only right for you to be punished for it.¡± If Buddie had a face, he would probably be grinning with satisfaction. ¡°Fine,¡± Ed reluctantly agreed with it and went to quickly grab his belongings. There wasn¡¯t much he wanted to take with him, but he knew he had to grab the book Urdhuri had given him. Just for the amount of information it had. Grabbing the book, he raced out the door before he could be kicked out. He found himself in a familiar office space, with a few familiar people around. He hadn¡¯t really talked with any of the coworkers he shared an office with, but he could still tell that they seemed to be doing just as good as usual. He walked to his desk and smiled when he saw Zara waiting for him. She unfurled her wings and pounced on him the second she saw him. He felt some pain in his ribs and was almost sent flying through the desk and person behind him. If he hadn¡¯t reacted quickly enough by securing his threads into the ground as an anchor, she would have easily sent him soaring. Smiling at each other, they sat down at their desks and waited for Buddie to give the order. ¡°Due to a recent incident, work has been backed up a little. Now that we have gotten everything back up and running, you will have to work harder for a little while,¡± Buddie said. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Just send me the info, I can¡¯t wait!¡± Zara was excited to get her hands dirty with work again. She also couldn¡¯t wait to see what Ed would do. ¡°The information is currently on its way and should reach you shortly. But in the meantime, there is something else that needs to be discussed. We are going to start another hiring round from your planet, and this time we will be hiring more people. When the time comes, you will need to help out with some things.¡± Both nodded, and were curious about their new colleagues. Zara was excited to find out what they would be like and what kind of traps they would make. Whereas Ed was slightly worried about them. I wonder if there are going to be any innocent people that will be forced into the trial period? I don¡¯t think many people will be able to handle this. But it also can¡¯t just be a bunch of psychotic murderers, then how many people will stand a chance at redemption? His eyes darted over to Zara who had an excited smile on her face as she stared at the screen. It was already difficult enough to get her to focus on redemption over murder. And that took a promised vacation and the fact that we¡¯re dating to get her to do that. I don¡¯t think that strategy will work for anyone else. He thought back to his experiences during the trial period and how he felt then. The pain he went through when he died for his first and second time. How he was forced to cave in and punish people. He went through quite a lot, and if it wasn¡¯t for all the strange and painful things he had experienced in his life up to that point, he didn¡¯t think he would still be as mentally healthy as he was today. Chapter 183 Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Chapter 184 Hushed murmurs passed through the wall from the front of the restaurant to the kitchen. Casual conversations from tired people wanting to close shop and go home as quickly as possible. The lights were dim, and the restaurant wasn¡¯t as boisterous as it was in the day. Jeffrey woke up in a daze, finding himself in a familiar place. The kitchen was empty and quiet. The smell of harsh cleaning chemicals stung his nose. He could here the sounds of his coworkers as they left, but he couldn¡¯t quite make out what they were saying. He looked around with tired eyes, trying to get a grip on what was going on. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he yawned. Time to go home. Making sure he had everything, he walked up to the sink and splashed his face with water. He had a long drive ahead of him, and he didn¡¯t want to fall asleep at the wheel. As he moved about, he heard a clinking sound, like metal hitting metal. Spinning his keychain on his finger, he walked for the door when he felt something tug on his wrist. Looking down in confusion, he saw a metal cord wrapped around his wrist, trailing off to somewhere else. Huh? ¡°Good evening Jeffrey.¡± Buddie¡¯s voice echoed throughout the empty kitchen, stunning Jeffrey just as much as the cord did. ¡°I¡¯m sure you are very familiar with this place. There is something else here that you are familiar with. There is another person on the other end of that cord. Someone you killed...¡± As Buddie spoke, Jeffrey felt the cord shift, and as his eyes trailed the snaking path it was taking, he noticed someone else stand up. It was a familiar face, and a familiar person. It was that crazed stranger who charged into the kitchen and attacked them. ¡°...I am giving you a chance to redeem yourself. He will try to kill you and it is your goal to stop him. But if he dies, so will you. Disarm him without anyone dying and you will be allowed to leave with your life in tact. But if you want to take the knife, it will cost you greatly. Good luck.¡± The voice echoed around in his head, the instructions playing on repeat. He looked at the other person, who was now fully awake and staring at him with pure vitriol in his eyes. The man looked terrifying with his crazed eyes and the knife in his hand. The man stalked around the kitchen counter, not letting anything escape from his eyes. The cord rattled and clinked as he moved. The air felt frozen with tension. Moments passed as they stared at each other. Then they moved. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The man dashed forward, the knife darting out towards Jeffrey. Jeffrey dodged to the side, his unathletic body wobbling as he stumbled and almost crashed to the floor. Plates crashed on the ground as he darted around the counter, trying to keep something between them. The knife whistled through the air as the man stabbed and slashed at him, trying to gut and cut him open. The knife skimmed just in front of him, narrowly missing the buttons of his shirt. The cord smacked against the counter again and again. Most of its length left looping at the side as the two stayed close, but just out of reach from each other. Jeffrey¡¯s mind was still reeling as he tried to think about what Buddie said. What? What do I do? It was all happening too fast for him, and he didn¡¯t have much time to think while trying to dodge the crazed swings of the knife. He felt the cord tighten and dig into his wrist as the man swung and swung and swung at him. The closer the knife got to him, the more painful his wrist felt. He did everything he could to escape from the knife. He ran around the kitchen, throwing pots and pans as he put everything he could between them. But at the same time, Buddie¡¯s words ran through his mind, so he was paying careful attention to make sure the man didn¡¯t fall on the knife and die because of him. By now, he had realised the truth in the strange voice¡¯s words, and new that everything was against him. With his energy being sapped away by all the running and dodging, he knew he didn¡¯t have much time left. Someone was going to die if he didn¡¯t do something soon. Either the man would catch up to him, or an accident would happen and the man would die. With the pain coming from his wrist, he figured out what the voice meant when it said it would cost him greatly. He stopped throwing things and continued to run. Feeling himself slow down and noticing that the man was catching up, he grit his teeth and turned around. Catching the man by surprise, he charged into him, narrowly avoiding having the blade dig into his arm. The knife cut through his sleeve and drew a thin line of blood, but shot far past him. Before the man could react, Jeffrey hooked his left arm around the man¡¯s elbow and pulled it in tight to his side. The man tried to pull his arm back to continue attacking him, but he couldn¡¯t overpower Jeffrey. The cord dug into his skin as it cut open his arm. Jeffrey wrestled him to the ground and put all his weight on the man to keep him down. Turning around, he kept a tight grip on the man¡¯s arm then used his right hand to pry the knife from the man¡¯s fingers. He felt the cord cut through his flesh and muscle. Blood poured from his wrist and down onto the man and the tiled floor. With a burst of strength, he snatched the knife from the man¡¯s hand and threw it across the room. The cord snapped shut and sliced his hand off. He screamed out in pain as his vision swam and he felt faint. As he began to lose consciousness, he heard the voice again. ¡°Good job Jeffrey. You succeeded in taking the knife away from him safely, de-escalating the situation. You suffered and willingly endured pain and injury in order to keep both of you safe. You took control of the situation, and made up for your previous mistake. You have redeemed yourself. Enjoy your new lease on life. Goodbye.¡± Chapter 185 The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Chapter 186 Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Chapter 187 The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Chapter 188 Stolen novel; please report. Chapter 189 Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Chapter 190 The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Chapter 191 If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Chapter 192 ¡°Buddie, when¡¯s her file coming in?¡± Ed asked, much to Masami¡¯s confusion. Masami looked around, trying to find another person, but couldn¡¯t see anyone. She would freak out if there was another person in the room with them that she couldn¡¯t see. Ed looked at her reaction, noting that she was allowed to look and move around freely. Nothing stands up well in comparison huh. Looks like Buddie had it out for me from the beginning. ¡°It will be here shortly,¡± Buddie¡¯s voice rang out, catching Masami by surprise. Ed nodded and decided to explain a few things to her. ¡°Buddie is one of the leaders of the company and is responsible for all things related to technology. He is also an artificial intelligence and is everywhere in the company¡¯s territory. If you have any questions when I¡¯m not around, feel free to ask him.¡± Masami looked at him thoughtfully, taking in everything he said. So much had happened recently, and having someone constantly at hand that she could ask questions to was going to be very helpful. There was so much she was confused and terrified about. A notification flashed on the screen, bringing everyone¡¯s attention back to it. Masami clicked on it without any prompting from the others, opening the file. Name: Elton Mayer Age: 21 Occupation: university student Biography: Born to parents Will and Samantha Mayer, Elton was the second of three children. He didn¡¯t receive as much attention from his parents as either of his siblings got, and took advantage of this to sneak out of the house and have some fun whenever he could as a teenager. He also grew interested in photography. After graduating from high school, he took a gap year before starting his bachelors in Journalism. He is currently apart of his university¡¯s student run newspaper, where he helps by getting the photos for the articles. While collecting these photos, he often sneaks into places he is not supposed to be, including the homes of teachers and other students to gather stuff for his online gossip column. He has ruined the relationships and reputation of many students, severely affecting their mental states. -End of document- Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. The two finished reading the document, and Masami looked at Ed, her question obvious even without her having to speak. ¡°Figure out what he did wrong, then design something to punish him,¡± Ed said. He then pointed at another icon on the screen. ¡°Open this here.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She followed his orders while deep in thought. This wasn¡¯t the kind of person she was expecting. She thought she would have to deal with a murderer or something. Not this. She thought back to what Ed said earlier. About how the person could die. She paled, thinking it was entirely unfair. The application opened, leaving her with two new options to pick from: Ed went on to explain what each function did, and the differences between them. After making sure that she understood everything and seeing that she had started making something, Ed left her to it. ¡°I¡¯ve got other places to be, but I¡¯ll be back in a while. Good luck.¡± ¡°Oh, okay, bye.¡± Ed left the room under her distracted farewell, finding himself back in his hallway. Who to go for next? Well, might as well get the worst one out of the way. He walked up to the final door, the one that belonged to the crazed killer Roman Bernard. This is gonna be a hassle. Pushing the door open, he was immediately met with a chair crashing down on his head. Roman was awake, and seemed to be lying in wait, ready to pounce on him the moment the door opened with the only weapon he could find. Buddie¡¯s having fun it seems. He could¡¯ve just kept the guy asleep, or locked him in his chair, but nooo. Oh well, guess I have to deal with it. Ed¡¯s body collapsed under the attack, turning into a pile of threads and negating the damage from the attack. He caught the chair, and at the same time wrapped his threads around the legs of the surprised Roman. Ed returned to his human form, placed the chair back where it was supposed to be, and put a now tied up and struggling Roman on the chair. Roman was trying everything he could to escape, even biting down on the threads, but it did nothing. Only his head could move as he viciously stared at Ed as he approached. ¡°Let go of me you bastard!¡± he shouted, looking like he wanted to pounce on Ed and rip his lungs out. It looked ridiculous. Roman was tied up and completely unable to move, yet he didn¡¯t seem to grasp the reality of his situation. He was threatening Ed, but the threat was diminished to the point of being comical by the fact that he couldn¡¯t move. He seemed to be completely detached from reality, believing that he had all the power in this situation and that he could kill as he pleased, No wonder he was constantly kept away from other prisoners. I¡¯m honestly surprised the cops didn¡¯t catch him right after his first kill. He doesn¡¯t seem like the type to think things through and plan. He doesn¡¯t seem like the type to think at all. Ed forced the man¡¯s head to look at the screen while sitting down next to him. ¡°Shut up and think for a second. You hold no power here and I could kill you in a second.¡± Things would be so much easier if Buddie just controlled him. Roman continued to lash out at him. Since he couldn¡¯t move his body, he cursed and insulted Ed until his mouth went dry. Ed waited for him to stop struggling before starting his explanation. He repeated what he said earlier to Masami but without any of the niceties, just simply explaining everything to the man, hoping he would put some effort into understanding. Chapter 193 Ed had a much easier time explaining things to everyone else. They were all rather afraid of what he said, having similar reactions to Masami. When they heard about how they could end up tortured, they threw themselves into their work, some with more enthusiasm than others. Roman was very excited to get to work, he had finally been given an outlet after so many years in prison. While it wasn¡¯t as fun and fulfilling as doing it himself, he could still take joy in watching people die in the traps he made. He didn¡¯t take Ed¡¯s words about redemption to heart at all, purely wanting to maximise the pain and suffering of the individual. Mathew was similarly enthused to get started, albeit for a different reason. His mind had been trapped in his own torturous experience for a long while now. He thought that he had gone crazy. That everything that had happened was some sick and twisted dream. If it wasn¡¯t for the lingering pain he felt, he could have almost convinced himself that it was a dream. He was moments away from convincing himself that he was crazy and getting himself thrown out of prison and into a psychiatric ward when he found himself in this room. When Ed explained everything about what he needed to do, he realised it was all real, and that there was a higher power. And that now he was on the other side of it. He couldn¡¯t wait to sink his claws into people and put them through what he experienced. Everyone else didn¡¯t want to do this. They didn¡¯t want to torture and kill anyone, but they knew their lives were on the line, so they had no choice but to listen. None of them wanted to go through what Ed had told them. After explaining everything to the final person, Ed left and could finally return to the office. By the time he got there, he saw Zara patiently waiting for him, her work long since finished. She jumped up when she saw him, eagerly asking him how it went. ¡°What are they like? Have you seen any of their traps yet? Is there anything exciting? Can I come watch?¡± She launched her questions like a barrage of gunfire, not giving Ed a chance to answer any of them until she was finished. ¡°They¡¯re all unique in their own way, I need more time with them to form an opinion. They are still in the process of creating their traps and I left once they had figured things out, so I haven¡¯t seen anything exciting yet.¡± He pulled her into a hug, feeling the comforting warmth of her presence. ¡°As for your last question, you¡¯ll have to ask Buddie about that.¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°No one will be allowed to see their traps other than you Ed,¡± Buddie answered, destroying Zara¡¯s hopes. She sighed but knew it was to be expected. ¡°Your file has been sitting here for a while. Do you want to get to work on it, or do you want to get something to eat first?¡± ¡°It can wait. I think I¡¯m deserving of a bit of a break first, right?¡± Ed asked, his question directed at Buddie. ¡°Of course. Go and enjoy lunch. I will call you back once Zara¡¯s trap is ready and you can get started on work then,¡± Buddie said. The two went back home and started preparing a simple meal for lunch, just some sausage sandwiches with barbeque sauce and onion. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be home for dinner?¡± she asked over her shoulder while chopping the onions. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve still got five traps to watch, as well as making and watching my own. I might be able to, but that depends on how quickly I can wrap everything up,¡± Ed answered. ¡°Things will be easier in a couple days, just push through it,¡± she encouraged. It didn¡¯t take long for them to finish making the sandwiches, and after relaxing and eating for a bit, they were back to work. When they stepped through to the office, they saw someone waiting for them at their desks. It was Zara¡¯s friend Kieran, Elizabeth¡¯s assistant that had given her information on Ed¡¯s safety back when he was in Hell. ¡°Hey Kieran, what are you doing here?¡± Zara asked. ¡°My boss wanted me to send her congratulations to Ed for the promotion,¡± Kieran said, passing on a letter to Ed. ¡°Promotion?¡± both of them asked at the same time. ¡°Yes. While it¡¯s not set in stone. Generally speaking if someone is asked to oversee new hires in their department, it means that management is thinking of giving them a promotion,¡± Kieran explained. ¡°If you do well and have multiple of them pass their internship, then that will just increase your chances.¡± I doubt that¡¯s going to happen. Buddie is just doing this to punish me. Thinking that, Ed still put on a smile and thanked Kieran. ¡°Tell your boss that I appreciate her kindness. I¡¯ll try and pay you both a visit when I have the time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let her know you said that,¡± Kieran said, a bit of sympathy in his eyes as he looked at Ed. He didn¡¯t know if he should really let Ed meet his boss. He didn¡¯t want to see Ed having a table thrown at him. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve still got a lot of work to do, so I won¡¯t be able to stay any longer. Good luck with your work.¡± He waved goodbye as he walked back to the door. ¡°Goodbye.¡± The two of them waved goodbye, sending him off before they sat back down. Zara pulled up the video, excited to watch her trap unfold, while Ed looked at the letter in his hand. I¡¯m sure I''ve never met them before, but from what Zara¡¯s told me, they¡¯ve been paying attention to me for a while now. I should definitely pay them a visit. Now let¡¯s see what this letter says. Chapter 194 ¡°Hello Ed, I¡¯ve been watching you for a while now and I¡¯m glad to see that you beginning to climb the corporate ladder. It¡¯s always great to have another friend in management. If you are interested in having further discussions with me, make an appointment with Kieran. From Elizabeth.¡± Another person thinking I¡¯m about to get promoted. I think my situation¡¯s just a little different from what everybody is thinking. If she knew I was part of the reason why Buddie was gone, then she wouldn¡¯t be saying this stuff. Ed folded the letter and slid it into his pocket. He would find somewhere to put it later. For now, I need to get to work. Sitting down at his computer, he saw that there was a file waiting for him. It seemed to be flashing more intensely now that he was here. It was even vibrating, trying to get him to click. It had been sitting there unopened for far too long. Name: Arno Fabel Age: 33 Occupation: Administrative coordinator Biography: Born to parents Norbert and Bianka Fabel, Arno was the oldest of two children. Graduated high school at the top of his class, he went on to study a masters of business administration. Shortly after, he started working in an office in his hometown.. He has been working there for years, and has started embezzling funds since almost one year ago... -End of document- A whole year and he still hasn¡¯t been caught? I wonder how much he has taken? Can¡¯t be too much, otherwise there¡¯s no way he wouldn¡¯t be in prison. Ed stretched in his chair as he started working. As usual, he started by creating the room and placing Arno¡¯s model inside. This time, the room was a replica of Arno¡¯s office where he works. It was a somewhat cramped space, mostly taken up by the desk and the chairs either side of it, but it also had some shelves and a filing cabinet for storage. A large window looked out on the park near the office building. The front wall was made of glass, allowing him to lookout on the rest of the workers in their cubicles. Ed sat there for a few minutes, contemplating what he should do. Embezzling funds is different from theft. He hasn¡¯t been stealing a physical asset from the company he works for. I can¡¯t just pull off the same kind of thing we would do for thieves. Maybe I could use his computer for something? Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Not only was the computer the exact same model as the one Arno had, it even contained all the files and information stored on his computer as well. Including all his passwords and emails. Ed searched the computer for something he could use. After a bit of searching, he managed to find a suspicious email thread, the bank account he was embezzling money through, and the rest of the information he would need to lock Arno away for a long time. Unfortunately, he wouldn¡¯t be using the information for anything legal. After some thought, he expanded the range of the room to contain the rest of the office floor and filled in the space with the rest of the employees who worked there. ¡°Have the actors do what the office workers would normally do. They¡¯re just meant to be the background this time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll brief them on what they need to do,¡± Buddie said, sending the information of each employee to the relevant actor, giving them time to perfectly mimic the office workers. The main idea continued to work itself out in his mind. By now, Zara¡¯s video had finished and she was leaning on Ed¡¯s shoulder, watching him work. Ed wanted to do something with the emails. There was a long chain of messages between two people, indicating that Arno was working with someone else to get this done. The messages were vague enough that no problems could be immediately seen, but Ed could tell there was definitely something hidden in what they were seeing. Arno emailed this other person almost daily, mostly about mundane things that had nothing to do with work. Running off this, Ed used the action of Arno emailing the other person as a trigger. If Arno was to send an email, one would be sent back from a random work account on his office floor. The email would call him out on his illegal actions and threaten him. The account sending the email would change every time, and the threats would intensify over time, becoming more real and life threatening. More emails would be sent if Arno did one of three things: Emails his friend, doesn¡¯t respond to the mysterious email, or goes out to talk with the employee who sent the email. If he responded to the email, he would be given small tasks to complete that would increase in the level of danger with each new email. He would have to complete five tasks successfully if he wanted to survive. ¡°The tasks should all be related to him embezzling funds. They should either be humiliating or dangerous for him, either literally dangerous, or something that threatens his career,¡± Ed explained. After double checking everything and making sure it was correctly balanced between redemption and death, Ed finished his work and closed everything up. ¡°I will let you know when your work is completed. It is time to go and check in on the interns,¡± Buddie said. ¡°Of course.¡± Ed got up and walked with Zara to the door. ¡°I¡¯ll be home soon.¡± After a quick kiss, Zara walked through the door and back to her apartment. Ed followed not too far behind her, heading towards his private room instead. Walking up to the group of doors, he stopped to think on who he should check next. He decided to push open Roman¡¯s door first, only to be greeted with maniacal laughter. He quickly closed the door, still in the hallway, and just stared at it. Maybe I should let him calm down first. Chapter 195 Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Chapter 196 Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Chapter 197 If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Chapter 198 He looked around the office, thinking about where to start. I can probably disguise my intentions a little. I still need to maintain my reputation after all. There were about twenty people in the office, their desks split into groups of four, with plenty of space for someone to walk between the groups. The office was large enough to accommodate this comfortably, but also small enough that you could talk with someone across the room. One or two people were off sick today, so there were a few empty desks. It would take a bit of time for him to make coffees if everyone asked for one, but ultimately, he still had to do it. He had to complete the tasks today. He walked up to the first small grouping of people. He could speak loud enough for everyone in the office to hear him, but he decided to talk to everyone in smaller groups so that he could make sure he got the orders correctly. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go make myself a coffee, does anyone want one?¡± he said casually. ¡°No thanks, I¡¯m fine.¡± One of them shook the travel mug on his desk. Liquid sloshed around in the mug. Two of them responded similarly, saying no, while the other asked for an espresso. Arno went from desk to desk, asking everyone if they wanted something while he made his way naturally to the coffee machine in the little office kitchen. In total, six people asked for a coffee. The others either didn¡¯t want a drink or already had something. That¡¯s not bad, I can do this. All of the orders were easy to remember. None of them asked for anything too specific. Either because they didn¡¯t want to ask for too much, or because they weren¡¯t too particular with what they drank. Reaching the kitchen, he pulled out seven disposable cups and set them out on the counter. One for everyone who asked, and one for himself. He didn¡¯t like to drink coffee too often, but he had already used it as an excuse, so he couldn¡¯t not make one for himself. It would be strange if he walked out there without one. He turned on the coffee maker and ran through the list of orders in his brain again while waiting for it to wake up. Two black coffees, one with sugar, one without. An espresso, a latte, a flat white, and a cappuccino. That should be everything. Stolen story; please report. With the machine ready and whirring to life, he went about making everyone¡¯s coffees. It would take several minutes, but thankfully wouldn¡¯t take too long to make. He finished the first black coffee, the one without sugar that was the first one ordered. He didn¡¯t want to walk around with a bunch of drinks, just in case he spilled something. So he walked out and gave it to the man before heading back to make the rest of them. Finishing the orders one by one, he brought them out to everyone. They thanked him for the drinks, but didn¡¯t find anything unusual about what he was doing. Feeling a bout of relief, he spent some more time in the kitchen while making his own coffee. He made a cappuccino for himself, finding it the best smelling of the lot. At least, to him. He spent some time in the kitchen relaxing, hoping that the rest of the tasks would be this easy. I¡¯m glad only a few of them asked for something though. If everyone wanted a drink, it would be a lot more time consuming. He returned to his office and sunk into his chair. He closed his eyes and took a moment to rest. It was a little tiring, but wasn¡¯t as embarrassing as he initially thought. Maybe this won¡¯t be too bad? Looking at his emails, he sent an email telling the person that he had done it. He was sure the person had seen him complete it, but he sent the email just in case. As he waited for a response, he received an email from his friend. Hesitating, he looked around the office again. No one was watching him. He clicked on the email from his friend and began reading. ¡°Friday night then? Let me know if that works.¡± I need to let him know its not safe. We can¡¯t keep doing this. Taking a deep breath, he thought through what he would say and sent an email over. ¡°Won¡¯t be able to go bowling this week. Work has been very busy recently, so I won¡¯t be able to hang out.¡± That¡¯s all I can do for him. After a couple minutes of waiting, he received another email from the unknown person. ¡°Well done. For your second task, I want you to drink the rest of the water in the water cooler in as fast a time as possible. You are not allowed to bring it somewhere else, and must drink it in a place that is visible to everyone¡± Arno looked up from the computer, looking at the water cooler on the other side of the office. His face paled, as he looked at it with dread. There were still several litres of water left. I-I Can¡¯t do that. That¡¯s too much water. That was a dangerous amount of water for him to drink. Even if it didn¡¯t kill him, drinking that amount of water in a short period of time would definitely cause him immense pain. It was more than the amount of water he should drink in an entire day. He gulped. HIs eyes flicked between the water cooler and his computer, half hoping that this was all a dream or a joke, and that he didn¡¯t have to do that. Another email appeared, tugging at his chest and making it difficult to breathe. ¡°What are you waiting for? If you don¡¯t complete all five tasks by the end of the day, this will no longer be kept between us. You will be torn apart by your bosses and lose everything you held dear.¡± Chapter 199 Shaking, he forced himself out of his chair. This email dashed his hopes. He was hoping that he wouldn¡¯t have to do this. And even if he had to, he hoped that he could take his time with this task. That he would be able to portion out the water over the course of the rest of the day. But now, he didn¡¯t have the time for that. Every second he didn¡¯t spend towards completing these tasks was one second closer to him going to prison. He forced himself to calm down and walked out into the office space. He couldn¡¯t hear the sounds of people talking. He knew that they were, but his mind was so focused on the task at hand that it blocked out everything else. He only had the water cooler in his sight. He was so focused that he didn¡¯t notice that someone was walking towards him with their head down, reading something. The two collided, sending both of them to the ground. The stack of papers that were in the other person¡¯s hands scattered everywhere. The office went silent, as everyone turned to see what had happened. Arno¡¯s tunnel vision cleared slightly, allowing him to register what was going on around him. However, his attention was still fully focused on the water cooler. The threat of being ¡®torn apart¡¯ by his bosses was all he could think about, so the fact that he had knocked into someone barely even mattered to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± the other person said nervously, reaching to help Arno to his feet. Arno ignored the outstretched hand and got up on his own. He ignored the stares from everyone around him and walked to the water cooler. The employee pulled back his hand awkwardly, dusted himself off, then went to clean up and reorganise the scattered papers. There were about fifty pages scattered across the ground, and it would take a while for him to organise it all again. But even while he was picking up the papers, he couldn¡¯t help but look back at Arno who was acting strangely. Someone else who was sitting nearby came to help him, but she was also more focused on Arno. ¡°Don¡¯t you think there¡¯s something off with him today?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± he nodded before shaking his head. ¡°This is none of our business. Thanks for helping me with this.¡± All of the paperwork had been picked up, now it was just a matter of sitting down and sorting it all out again, but that was something he could do on his own. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. The woman nodded, agreeing with what he said, and went back to her desk. However, even though she was trying to focus on her work, she was still looking over at Arno every few seconds, who was currently standing at the water cooler, hesitating. She wasn¡¯t the only person looking at him. By now, almost everyone in the office was looking at him. The noise had been reduced to a hushed whisper. No one knew what was going on, but they could tell something was wrong from how Arno was acting. No one wanted to stand out at a time like this, They watched as Arno, with a shaky hand, reached out for a cup and began to fill it with water. He seemed incredibly nervous. Now everyone knew something was wrong. Maybe the company was about to go downhill. Rumours quickly spread throughout the office, and everyone began worrying about their jobs. Arno filled the cup with water and tried to calm his shaking. He could feel countless eyes on him, and knew that whoever sent that email was watching him now. He didn¡¯t want to upset the person by spilling any water. Bringing the trembling cup to his lips, he quickly gulped down the entire thing. Then he filled up the cup again. And again. And again. And again. He gulped down each cup of water in a hurry, just like the first one. The water in the cooler started to lower as he drank one litre of water. Then two. Then three. He was already starting to feel nauseous as everyone stared at him incredulously. He could feel something sloshing around in his gut, threatening to crawl up and out his throat. He tried to hold it back, but with each cup of water, everything became worse. Downing half of the water in the cooler, he was already struggling to keep himself from throwing up. Water was dribbling from his mouth as it became difficult for him to continue drinking. He forced it all down, only upsetting his body further. Unable to stop it, he threw up, coating the floor in little chunks of his breakfast, water, and his stomach acid. A sickening stench stung his nose, and caused everyone around him to hold their breath. He could feel everyone staring at him, and he never felt more embarrassed and ashamed in his life. Even if he managed to finish these tasks and keep his secrets safe, his reputation would be forever ruined. But he had more worrying things to think about. Like finishing the rest of the water. With much difficulty, he downed the last of the water. And with much of the water he had drank now on the floor, he excused himself, running towards the bathroom with a red face. Kneeling down in a bathroom stall with his face in the toilet, Arno continued to vomit his stomach out. He wanted to get as much of the water out of his system as possible, hoping to lessen the effects of water intoxication. Having finished the task the stranger asked of him, all he could think about now was that everyone in the office had seen him drinking so much water that he vomited. He was humiliated. He wanted to just curl up into a ball and die. This disgusting, vomit filled toilet stall was a hundred times better than heading back out there and facing his coworkers. But, he knew that wasn¡¯t an option for him. As much as he didn¡¯t want to go back out there, he had to get back to his office. This was only the second of five tasks he had to complete. Chapter 200 If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Chapter 201 Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Chapter 202 This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Chapter 203 Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Chapter 204 After a long time talking about each other¡¯s guardians, the two let their exhaustion take over and fell asleep. The night quickly passed as the two woke up to the sound of Buddie¡¯s voice. They took turns showering and getting dressed, then sat down and had breakfast together. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to check in on them,¡± Buddie said to Ed, forcefully breaking up their moment of peace. ¡°Guess I should be heading off now. See you at work later.¡± He shoved the last piece of toast into his mouth and waved goodbye as he stepped through the door. He went through the doors one by one to check in on them. Not too much had changed, but everyone was a bit calmer now. Masami was looking at her computer solemnly, waiting for the file to appear. Ed could only hope that she would continue to get ones that wouldn¡¯t weigh on her conscience too much. Mathew was excitedly waiting for his file, eager to get started. He was still riding the revenge high he got from his first trap. Ed was waiting for that to go away before he had a proper conversation with him. Jacob was handling things the best. Ed was certain that Jacob would be hired, he just didn¡¯t think he would be able to convince him over to his side. Belle had stopped crying, though she was still sitting in the corner. Seeing this, Ed didn¡¯t know whether he should sit down with her or give her some space. Buddie will remind her when its time to start working, but I should at least get her off the floor. He walked over to her, his shadow looming over her causing her to shiver. She looked up at him in fear. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked. She bit her lip and burst into tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t steal from anyone again. Please just let me go.¡± She choked on her words, her voice barely audible through the sounds of her crying. Ed shook his head, feeling sorry for her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t do that. You have been chosen, and there¡¯s no way to go back to the life you had before. If you¡¯re really feeling sorry, then just do your job well and eventually things will get better.¡± She froze up in the corner and stopped responding to him, the sounds of her sobs filling the room. She couldn¡¯t handle the thought of doing this again, let alone for the rest of her life. Just watching someone die once was traumatising enough for her. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Ed decided to leave her alone for now. He knew she just needed time to adapt to the harsh truth of her new reality. Roman had finally stopped laughing, though he was no less excited than before. His hoarse voice filled the room with strange and psychotic ramblings. He was demanding for more files to be sent to him. He was enjoying this way too much. After checking in with all of them, Ed returned to the office space and sat down next to Zara. ¡°How was everything?¡± she asked. ¡°It was alright. I think they¡¯re slowly starting to accept everything. But there¡¯s still one that I don¡¯t think will make it,¡± he answered. ¡°I mean, they can¡¯t all be great. I think it¡¯s fine to have one failure in a group of five,¡± she said, comforting him. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± As they were speaking, the files showed up and they got stuck into their work. Name: Oli Poole Age: 60 Occupation: bus driver Biography: Born to parents Jacob and Lesly Poole, Oil was the first of four children. His family wasn¡¯t rich, but they got by with what they had. He helped take care of his younger siblings, and then when he was old enough, he started working to help out with the financial situation. He left high school as soon as possible and started working full time so that the rest of his siblings could go to university. He worked a variety of jobs throughout the years: a cashier, a bartender, a construction worker, and a taxi driver, until eventually settling in as a bus driver. He had to deal with a lot of impolite and rude people while he worked as a bus driver, which chipped away at his patience. He became more irritable and prone to not dealing with any nonsense. He would snap back at anyone who was too rude and disrespectful, and would even kick them off the bus if it got too bad. He would always handle these situations within the bounds of the law, and did what he could to make sure his passengers felt comfortable and safe while they were on the bus. He was respected by a lot of people that took public transportation, except for those troublemakers. One time however, things got a bit too heated on the bus and he threw someone off a bit too roughly, causing them to stumble and land awkwardly, breaking their arm. -End of document- Okay, this should be pretty easy. I should be able to go pretty easy on him considering he didn¡¯t do anything too bad. However, before he could even get started making the room, he was stopped by Buddie. ¡°Please wait.¡± What happened? Ed was a bit confused, but listened to Buddie and took his hands away from the desk. ¡°Unfortunately, it looks like one of your interns is refusing to work. This means that you will have to accept the punishment with them.¡± Buddie¡¯s words drew Zara¡¯s attention, pulling her away from her work. Ed already had an idea as to who refused to work, but he still had a few questions he needed to ask. ¡°What happens to this file I just got?¡± ¡°It will be waiting for you to complete after you finish being punished.¡± ¡°Okay. Now can you give me any info on what I might be dealing with? Or am I going in completely blind here?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t hand over any information to you. You have five seconds before it starts.¡± Ed turned to Zara and told her to keep working. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later.¡± Chapter 205 Ed felt a familiar pull on him shortly after he finished speaking, and in the next second, he was somewhere else. For a moment, he was surrounded by darkness. It looked like the void, but it felt more like when he was using the teleportation hubs in Hell. He could feel himself being pulled somewhere else. So this is how Budde does it, makes sense. I wonder why I¡¯m only seeing this now? Is Buddie allowing me to see it now, or was I just too weak back then to be able to stay awake for it? I can feel it tugging on my soul, so it probably would have been painful back then. Whatever he¡¯s using to teleport us clearly isn¡¯t as good as what they were using in Hell. Then again, it¡¯s difficult to compete with a god, so I can excuse Buddie for this. Ed¡¯s eyes lit up as he focused in on what he was feeling. This was a chance for him to figure out more about what Buddie was capable of. Although it was only something simple, he would take any bit of information he could. Does he also use this when capturing sinners and bringing in new hires? If so, how does he counteract potential soul damage? It¡¯s clear that he has a far more comfortable means of teleportation with the doors, so he might be using this more violent method to punish us employees. While he was thinking, the darkness was washed away, replaced by bright light as he found himself in an unfamiliar place. He found himself in a cluttered room filled with furniture old enough to be considered antiques. The walls were covered by a dreadful patterned wallpaper that had long since faded in colour and was starting to peel away, revealing the bare wall beneath. Old carpet covered the floor beneath him. However, all of this could barely be seen because of the insane amount of knickknacks, memorabilia, and worthless items that filled the room. Ed had found himself right in the middle of a hoarders den. It was so cluttered that he had to push items out of the way just so that he could walk around. How can someone live like this? As he was taking in the scene and gathering as much information as possible, he realised that another person was in the room. It was Belle, and she was trapped under a mountain of plushies. Looks like I don¡¯t have to go through this alone. I should probably go help her. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ~ What¡¯s going on? Belle was frightened and confused. Buddie had told her that she was going to be punished, and then the next thing she knew, she found herself surrounded by darkness and struggling to breathe. She didn¡¯t know what was going on. She felt like a mountain was weighing down on her. She pushed and struggled her way through until her hand broke out into the air. Before she had the chance to celebrate, she felt something coil around her hand. In the next moment, an immense strength pulled her out of there with ease and she could finally breathe again. The thing coiling around her hand released her, and she landed on her wobbly legs. She jumped back when she saw someone in front of her, almost falling to the ground, but relaxed a little when she realised it was someone she knew, even though it was someone who terrified her. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Ed asked. ¡°F-Fine. What¡¯s going on?¡± She rubbed her wrist, looking around the room in confusion. Although the room was of a similar size, it was the complete opposite of the room she had been trapped in before. It was full of life and so many objects, while her prison cell was devoid of almost everything. ¡°You failed to complete your task for today, so Buddie is punishing us,¡± Ed explained. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Do you remember what you did yesterday?¡± Ed asked. She paled, and a look of horror and fear sunk into her eyes. ¡°Of course. How could I forget.¡± Looking around, Ed found some old chairs. After shuffling some things around, he made some space for them to sit down. ¡°Sit. We need to talk.¡± Slightly scared, she obediently sat down in the chair across from him. ¡°Just like yesterday, you were sent another sinner¡¯s file. And also just like yesterday, you were required to design a trap to test that sinner. However this time, you didn¡¯t do that. Designing traps is the one thing the company wants you to do, and if you don¡¯t do that, then they will punish you,¡± Ed explained patiently. Punishment... She remembered the last words Buddie told her before she appeared here, and was afraid of what was going to happen to her. ¡°What¡¯s going to happen?¡± ¡°That is something that I don¡¯t know. The usual punishment is that you would be put through a trap meant for the sinner you were supposed to design one for, typically ending in your death. But I¡¯m not sure exactly what we¡¯ll have to deal with since I haven¡¯t seen that file.¡± His words did little to comfort her, and in fact scared her even more, but it did manage to help her calm down a little. If I don¡¯t do what they say, then I¡¯m going to die? Flashes of what happened yesterday appeared in her mind, making her stomach churn. She did not want to have to go through that herself. ¡°I¡¯m going to die?¡± ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s not the end of the world. They¡¯ll just bring us back. It is going to hurt though.¡± She was stunned by what Ed said. It was such a mind boggling thing that her brain basically blocked it out, instead choosing to focus on her current situation. ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. My guess would be that we¡¯re in the sinner¡¯s house, but I¡¯m not sure. Do you remember what the file said?¡± Ed asked. Chapter 206 The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Chapter 207 By this point in time, Belle had fully returned to her past as a burglar. Sneaking around from room to room, doing everything in her power to not get caught. But this time, the consequences were far more severe. Her life and sanity were on the line here. She had never felt more focused in her life. Currently, the two of them were standing in the hallway leading from the dining room. The entire house was silent, but that didn¡¯t stop them from carefully peering into the next room to see what was going on. They found themselves looking at the living room. And although they couldn¡¯t be certain, it was a good chance that they could escape soon. Assuming the exit was through the front door. But this belief only made Ed more careful. They hadn¡¯t experienced anything dangerous yet. And while Ed didn¡¯t know if that was just because they were being very careful, he did know that Buddie wouldn¡¯t let them get off that easily. If it really ended like this, then he wouldn¡¯t know what to say. Standing in the living room now, they looked around for the next place to go. There were four doors that they hadn¡¯t been through yet, and a large window. Once again, Ed went up to check the window, but it wouldn¡¯t budge or break. It was like a solid and immovable wall. That left them with just the doors. The first door was on the same wall as the one they just came from. The second and third doors was on the wall opposite that, leading further away from their starting point. The fourth door was on the wall in-between those and opposite the window. Ed wasn¡¯t sure of the shape of the house or the number of rooms, but his best guess was that one of these doors would lead to the bedroom, one would lead to the bathroom, one would lead to the laundry or a storage room, and the final one would lead to the exit. They had a one in four chance of escaping immediately, and a one in four chance of getting caught immediately. They couldn¡¯t really communicate with each other at this point. Who knew if their talking would attract the old lady¡¯s attention. Ed decided to leave the decision to Belle, since this punishment was hers to begin with. I wonder where the exit is? Logically, we can rule out the one next to where we came from, that¡¯s probably the bedroom. But who knows, maybe Buddie wants us to climb through the window in there. He looked over at Belle, who was deep in thought. Let¡¯s just leave this to her. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. After a bit of thinking, Belle moved over to the door that was on the wall by itself. They walked quietly through the middle, not wanting to get too close to any of the other doors. They remained entirely silent, grateful that they were walking on carpet. Opening the door slowly, they immediately noticed the tiled floor. This was the bathroom. It was small and old-fashioned, with white tiles going halfway up the wall, leading into floral wallpaper. It had a shower, a toilet, and a sink. There was an open window above the toilet. Belle was incredibly excited, her eyes gleaming as she stared at the open window. Like she was staring her freedom in the face. But she still stayed calm. She carefully tiptoed into the bathroom and stood in front of the window. She didn¡¯t know if she was going to fit through the gap, or how she would get up there without making a noise. Ed was also staring at the window. He could easily escape now. The window was open and there was nothing stopping him from leaving. Even if the window couldn¡¯t open any further, he could just turn into a thread and pass right through the gap. But if that was the case, what would happen to Belle? He wasn¡¯t sure what would happen if only one of them escaped, but he knew that Belle would most likely have to try and find another way out, and could still get caught. Ed put his hand on her shoulder, then sent some threads over to the window. As he suspected, the window wouldn¡¯t be able to open any further. Ed lifted her up to the window, but the gap was just small enough that she couldn¡¯t climb through. He placed her back down on the ground. As I thought, Buddie put this here to force me to make a choice. Well, I don¡¯t particularly care, so I¡¯ll just stay with her and see what happens. If I die, I die. Seeing that she couldn¡¯t fit through, she walked back to the living room and looked at the remaining doors. Ed followed behind her as she walked to the set of two doors that they hadn¡¯t been through yet. Just as she reached for the door, they both heard a sound coming from the other side of the room. Looking back, they saw the door handle twist on the door next to the hallway. Without thinking, Ed opened the closest door and shoved Belle and himself inside. At the same time, he spread his threads out and closed the bathroom door. Before the other door fully opened, he had already brought his threads back into his body and closed himself inside the darkened room. Belle¡¯s body was so close that he could feel her chest moving as she breathed. But the room was too cramped for them to be able to move. They remained deathly still, afraid to touch anything and make any noise. Belle was beginning to panic, while Ed remained calm. Ed¡¯s only hope was that either the old lady hadn¡¯t noticed anything strange, or that she decided to check the bathroom first. Unfortunately, she seemed to immediately lock onto their location, as he heard the sound of footsteps drawing closer. A few agonising seconds later and the door opened, bathing them in light and letting them see the little old lady that they were supposed to be hiding from. Ed clutched at his chest, feeling an immense pain. Chapter 208 Ed shot awake, clutching at his chest as his eyes darted around. His chest opened up as his fingers dug inside, giving him access to his heart that he had subconsciously turned into threads to protect himself. Slowly, he adjusted to everything around him and sunk back into his chair. Removing his hand from his threaded chest, he found himself back in the office. Looks like we got caught there. Oh well. It was still fairly early, around midday by the time Ed got back. Looking at the time, he figured that they had been gone for a couple hours at most. We probably spent at most half an hour trying to escape that place. The rest of the time was probably spent asleep either waiting for the place to be made or while recovering after death. About a quarter of the office desks were empty, with people constantly filtering in and out. The remaining people were either finishing up their trap designs or waiting for things to start. Ed decided that he would wait here for Zara to return, not wanting to leave and end up missing her. After taking a few minutes to calm down by checking his body and soul, he concluded that the death didn¡¯t really leave much of an impact on him. I wonder how Belle is doing? Ed looked at his computer screen, noticing that the file from earlier in the morning was still up. That¡¯s right, I still need to do that. I¡¯ll check on Belle later. She¡¯s probably still recovering. Her soul isn¡¯t as strong as mine. Returning his focus back to the screen, he read through the file again and started working. Old man. Bus driver. Accidentally injured someone. Injuries were fairly light. Should be able to go easy on him. Ed went about constructing the room for the trap, which, in this case, was a bit larger than most. He decided to set it back on the bus at that time, which was simple enough to sort out, but it meant that he also had recreate the entire city. Or at least the parts that would be seen on that bus route. With some assistance from Buddie, he managed to recreate everything to an acceptable level. Now, what do I want to do with him? Thinking things over in his head, he chose to go for a classic eye for an eye approach. As long as the old man was willing to break his arm to appease his transgression, then everything would be fine. Since there needed to be a chance at death, he chose to make it that if the man refused, he would die in a traffic accident. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. He designed the death to be quick and painless. The man doesn¡¯t need to suffer. Now onto the main issue, how am I going to have him break his arm? There were countless ways he could do it, but he wasn¡¯t sure what would be the most suitable for this situation. Mulling over it for a bit, he thought back to what the file had said. It said he had thrown the guy out of the bus in a rage. Hmm... I can¡¯t just have him get thrown out of the bus instead, that wouldn¡¯t really work. Maybe I could rig something up so that if he leaves his seat his arm breaks? Following that train of thought, Ed spent some time creating a machine that would do just that. It would appear as a metal strap wrapped around his bicep and tied to another part of the bus. It would give him enough freedom to drive, but would trigger if it got pulled on. If Oli got out of his seat, the strap would squeeze tight, crushing the bone in his arm. Now I just need something that will get him to move. Ed read through the file once more, and decided to put the rowdy passenger back on the bus, but this time with his arm bandaged up and in a sling. ¡°Make one of the other passengers start a fight with him.¡± ¡°How do you want that to happen?¡± Buddie asked. ¡°Have it be someone who had seen the previous incident go down, and have him confront, pester, and threaten the injured passenger. Also have it that he¡¯ll only stop once Oli gets in between them to break up the fight. Let the actors figure out why it happens and the exact specifics. Let them have some fun with it,¡± Ed said, submitting his plans. ¡°Thank you for your submission, I will let you know when it is ready.¡± Looking around, Ed found that Zara still wasn¡¯t back yet. Having finished his work, he decided he would go and check back at their place to see if she was there. Opening the door, he searched through their apartment, but she was nowhere to be found. Probably out and about right now. There¡¯s no chance I¡¯ll find her. Hearing his stomach growl, he decided to get himself a bite to eat. Checking the pantry and the fridge, he cooked himself up a bowl of noodles and walked back outside. I should check on Belle now. I¡¯ve got time. Returning to the office to double check that Zara hadn¡¯t returned, he went back to his private work area. The others should be working or relaxing right now. I¡¯ll check in on them after my trap is done. Opening the door to Belle¡¯s room, he noticed her slumped over on the chair, fast asleep. Looks like she still needs some time to rest. She was clutching at her heart, a pained expression on her face. She was still in the midst of recovering from the minor soul damage her death had caused. After that was settled, then the pain from the heart attack would go away. Ed looked at the invisible healer and nodded. Seeing things from this perspective allowed him to really appreciate what they had done for him back then. Chapter 209 The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Chapter 210 This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Chapter 211 Ed closed the door behind him as he set foot in the apartment again. It took him a while, but he explained everything to Belle honestly. He didn¡¯t leave out any information as long as it was something Buddie allowed him to say. Admittedly, it wasn¡¯t much. He couldn¡¯t tell her anything about the company at large, or about what the world was like beyond Earth. All he could tell her was that she would not be hired if she failed to complete her work too many times. And that the consequences were not something that she would be able to deal with. After making sure that she at least understood the consequences of her actions, only then did he feel good enough to return home. Zara was on the couch waiting for him, playing games on her phone, which she had bought recently. Hearing the door behind her, she switched off her phone, and turned around. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± ¡°Not sure. But let¡¯s just have Buddie send food over. No need to worry about cooking today,¡± Ed said. ¡°Mm,¡± she hummed while stretching. ¡°It¡¯s still a little early then. What do you want to do in the mean time?¡± ¡°I want to get some practice in,¡± he said as a violin appeared in his hand. He moved some of the furniture away so that he could have a wide open space, as he didn¡¯t want to break anything. ¡°Just keep doing what you were doing. No need to let me bother you. I¡¯m just going to be fiddling around,¡± he said with some embarrassment, remembering how he constantly tripped and fell last time. He didn¡¯t want her to watch that. At least, not again anyways. Zara listened to him and turned her phone back on, however, she was still looking up at him from time to time when he was looking elsewhere. Ed nestled the violin in place and began playing. With no enemy around to target, and not wanting to disturb Zara, he could only target the violins effects at himself. He began by making himself take a step, then another. His left foot shot forward with the sound of the violin, then the same foot awkwardly took another step, making him almost do the splits. Umm. Better than falling over, I guess? What do I need to do here? Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. He remembered that he could only have one action correspond to a note. And as it turned out, taking a step with his left foot, and taking a step with his right foot where considered as entirely different actions here. Figuring that out, he set the actions to two different notes and played them in an alternating fashion until he bumped into the chair in front of him. A little clunky. And very awkward. But, I can definitely make use of it to throw people off and confuse them. There were so many individual actions that a body would have to take in order to move around and do anything that it was incredibly impractical to try and use the violin to move his body around. It was much easier if he just moved around normally. However, although it was useless when used on himself, it would be absolutely terrifying when in a battle. If he was being chased down by someone and was about to die, all he would have to do is play a single note and they would trip all over themselves, giving him the chance to flee. Let¡¯s see what else this can do. After fiddling around with the violin a bit more, he pulled a chair over and sat down. Getting himself comfortable, he held the violin out in front of him, and watched as it transformed into a piano. Even though he knew this could happen, and had seen it happen in his soul, it was still a crazy thing to see. To watch something change so drastically at his orders sent a shiver down his spine. The violin expanded and twisted like it was being pulled on. Shaped by the hands of an invisible entity. It didn¡¯t take long for it to twist and change into a piano, and land on the ground in front of him. I never really got around to trying out the others. What do I do here? After a short moment of thinking, he decided there was no better option than to just jump right into it. Treating it just like the violin, he thought of an action and pressed down on one of the keys. However, instead of his head tilting to the side like he had planned, it instead did nothing. Huh? He played more keys randomly with similar thoughts, but they did nothing. So the piano does something different? That¡¯s just great. I¡¯m right back to square one. He continued to play the piano, that is, if pressing random keys could be considered as playing. He even ran his hand across all the keys from one end to the other, but no matter what he pressed, it seemed like it was just an ordinary piano. There has to be some kind of a connection between the two. He began thinking of the violin, and suddenly both of his feet took a step forward. Given that he was sitting down, his feet knocked into the piano instead. What? Pressing that key again, his feet once again bumped into the piano. Excited, he cleared his mind and began experimenting with renewed vigour. After a few minutes, he had figured out a few things. The first was that the piano worked similarly to the violin. In that once he assigned something to a key, it would be saved, and he wouldn¡¯t have to think about what he wanted to do while playing. Even when he cleared his mind of any thoughts, his legs would still kick forward when he pressed that key. It¡¯s good to see that I don¡¯t have to start completely from scratch. I don¡¯t even want to think about how much effort I would have to put in to figure this out if that was the case. Chapter 212 The second, and probably most important thing, was that he could only assign the actions that were currently on the violin. In this case, being him taking a step forward with both feet. If it wasn¡¯t something on the violin, he couldn¡¯t play it. He also couldn¡¯t separate the individual actions. Playing the key would force him to step forward with both feet, and there was no way for him to set these actions individually, unless he was to switch back to the violin. What¡¯s the point of this? Why would I not just play them on the violin? He continued experimenting and practicing with the piano. The same rules that applied to the violin applied to the piano, like each key only being able to hold one set of actions, and that one action could be applied to multiple keys at the same time. He couldn¡¯t find much of a reason to use the piano at this point, so he went back to practicing with the violin. After a while, his stomach rumbled and the violin disappeared, nestling itself back in his soul. Noticing that he had stopped, Zara, who had been lying down on the couch with her feet up for a while now, looked up from her phone. ¡°You done?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ed got up and stretched before putting his hands on his stomach. ¡°I could do with a bite to eat, you?¡± ¡°Same.¡± The two sat down at the dinner table, thinking about what they wanted to eat. There was a comfortable silence for a moment before Zara figured out what she wanted to have. ¡°Can I have some butter chicken with naan bread please?¡± she asked. A large bowl of butter chicken and rice appeared in front of her, with three pieces of freshly cooked naan bread sitting on a plate to the side. She picked up the utensils, but waited for Ed to order before digging in. Ed¡¯s stomach grumbled louder as he looked at her food. ¡°I¡¯ll have the same.¡± A near identical set of food appeared in front of him, and with that, they started eating. They didn¡¯t talk much. Having spent a lot of time together, they knew when to embrace quiet and just enjoy each other¡¯s company. Especially when they had good food in front of them. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Zara felt that it was lacking just that little something that comes along with cooking food yourself, but she still found it delicious. Zara broke off bits of her naan bread and dipped it into the butter chicken, using it as a spoon to scoop out some of it and mix all of the flavours together. While Ed tore the naan bread into strips, used a fork to transfer some food over onto the strips, and rolled them up into wraps before eating. Finishing their food, everything disappeared off the table. ¡°We should get you a phone,¡± Zara said. ¡°I would love to, but I don¡¯t-¡± ¡°Just let me pay for it this time,¡± she interrupted. ¡°You can pay me back later, and it would help us out a lot if you had a way to tell me when you would be coming home.¡± Ed really didn¡¯t want to owe someone anything, but he knew that she was right about this. Besides, she was already allowing him to stay at her place, so how much of a difference would this make? ¡°Okay.¡± I¡¯ll definitely find a way to pay you back before I get my money back. Ed was kind of embarrassed that she had done so much more for him than he had done for her. He really appreciated everything she had done and wanted to figure out something that she would like. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go out and get it for you. You stay here and continue practicing.¡± She smiled and left before he could say anything. I don¡¯t deserve her. He smiled and went back to practicing the violin. Having no song sheets, or books on music in front of him, he was more learning about how his violin worked, and less about how to play music. Whatever he did play was not enjoyable to listen to and couldn¡¯t really be considered as music. Maybe the piano could be useful if I stored enough actions on the violin first? He removed the previously set actions from the violin and rested it in place. At the same time, He sent out about twenty thin threads and had them run parallel to each other in a straight line in front of him. One by one, he assigned a note to each string and had them bounce in place when the note was played. After a bit of practice and repetition, he could make the strings bounce in order like a Mexican wave. At least it looks nice. He switched over to the piano and without thinking pressed the same key as before. Then both of his legs kicked forward. Oh? Oh! His eyes flickered as he figured it out. I get it now. He thought about the actions currently assigned to the violin and pressed a different key. And with that, all of the strings bounced in the air. Even if I remove something from the violin, as long as its saved to the piano I can still play it. As he had figured out, the true use of the piano was that he could save everything that was on the violin onto a single note, and play it back even if it had been replaced on the violin by something else. So if I need to do something on the spot, I play the violin. But if I have the chance to plan things out, I can store everything I would need on the piano beforehand to save me time. He began thinking about how this could be used to his advantage, then dived headfirst into practicing both instruments. After a while, he heard the door open behind him and he stopped. Seeing Zara return, he smiled, and the two went to bed. Chapter 213 This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Chapter 214 This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Chapter 215 Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Chapter 216 Chris eventually quieted down when his throat started feeling sore. While the screaming helped alleviate some of the pain, he realised it would only make things more difficult for him. Not only would it ruin his voice, making it more difficult to answer the following questions, but it would also delay the whole process, making him have to deal with the pain for longer. The man pulled out a flask from his inner coat pocket and took a sip while walking back to Chris. ¡°What? It¡¯s just water. Did you think I would drink on the job? I¡¯m a professional.¡± Putting the flask away, he cleared his throat in a way that made Chris feel like he was being taunted. ¡°What were their crimes?¡± Chris tried his best to clear his mind and think of the answers. This question was far tougher than the previous one. There were a lot of crimes that people could commit before being sent his way, but all of them had to do with national or public security in some way. There were some cases that he could remember easily, but there were some that were hazy. He could remember what he had done to the person more vividly than what they had done to others. It took him a while, and the pain was only making it worse, but he eventually figured out what he was pretty sure all of the answers were. The answers ranged from hacking to acts of terrorism, and many others. He pushed the answers out through gritted teeth, making sure to say them in order of what had happened. He prepared himself for the pain of the spikes growing, but it never came. Instead, much to his horror, the man reached for the doors. ¡°No no no wait!¡± ¡°Five of those were incorrect, please try again.¡± The metal doors scraped across the floor, the grating sound digging into Chris¡¯ ears as he panicked. The light in the middle of the room was now blocked by the closing doors, and Chris was bathed in darkness with only an increasingly small sliver of light coming through the opening. He wanted to reach out for the doors and push back, but that was impossible. His hands couldn¡¯t move from where they were, but even if they could, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to stop it. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. There were spikes that covered the door, and in his weakened state, he didn¡¯t think he would be able to muster up enough strength to fight back. Even if he was at his peak, he wasn¡¯t sure if he could move the doors as easily as that man could. His brain whirred into action, trying to figure out where he had gone wrong. There were some he was sure were correct, and some that he wasn¡¯t sure about. But he couldn¡¯t pin down which five he had gotten wrong. He gave himself up to the pain, wallowing in despair. But as if divine intervention had struck, the doors stopped before they could fully close. The only thing that could still be seen through the gap was the man. Chris looked up, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He thought that the man had changed his mind and had shown mercy on him. For a moment, all of the pain faded into the background. He wanted nothing more than to reach out to the man and beg for his release. But his hopes were shattered when the man ignored his looks and continued speaking. ¡°Next question, what illegal things did you do to each of them during their interrogations? Pushing back the pain, Chris tried to think of the answer. This question was both simultaneously easier and harder than the previous one. Easier because he could remember most if not all of it. Harder because there was just so much more that he had to remember. He had lost a lot of blood, and he was feeling woozy and delirious. He didn¡¯t know how much longer he could make it. He didn¡¯t even know if he could make it through this question. He didn¡¯t know if he was going to accidentally say the wrong thing or mix things up. He felt like his brain was sinking into mud. It was running so much slower than usual. He had to focus hard just to make sure he didn¡¯t miss anything. He had a feeling that he was walking on a tightrope. If he got anything wrong here, he would die for sure. But he also felt like he was approaching the end of this tightrope. He had to be. He wouldn¡¯t be able to survive much longer if this wasn¡¯t the end. His voice was barely above a whisper as he slowly pushed out the answers one by one. He had done a lot of things, and spilled a lot of blood. He had never felt more guilty about what he had done than how he was feeling now. He believed that if he was given a second chance, he would never do this again. The pain numbed, replaced by guilt. His entire body was irradiating so much pain and for so long that he became somewhat used to it. So much of his blood had been spilt that he didn¡¯t know how the other person would possibly clean this thing after he was gone. He had plenty of experience cleaning blood off things, and knew just how difficult of a task this would be. He pushed out the last of the answers and looked up at the man with a blank stare. ¡°That is correct, now onto the final question.¡± His words sounded like the ringing of church bells in Chris¡¯ ears. Incomparably holy. Like he was on the threshold of being saved. ¡°What do you think should happen to you?¡± This is my chance! Although he was in a daze, his eyes still glimmered. His heart started pounding in his chest from excitement. ¡°I should be let go,¡± he said, pushing down the guilt he felt in hopes of being able to escape. ¡°That is not entirely true.¡± The doors slammed shut before he could think. Chapter 217 Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Chapter 218 The final group entered the hall, and the doors closed behind them. Ed immediately felt a change in the atmosphere, as everyone stopped talking amongst themselves the instant the doors shut and looked up at the stage. A piece of cloth floated up from the stage floor until it was fully unfurled and facing everyone. It was a black hooded cloak. The figure was vaguely humanoid, but lacked any discernible features. Ed couldn¡¯t even see the person¡¯s face from where he was sitting, he just saw a black void. It was like the cloak had gained a life of its own and stood up. ¡°Welcome everyone, I hope you¡¯ve had a wonderful morning so far,¡± a magnetic voice travelled through the hall with ease despite not being loud. It was like the person was standing right next to Ed instead of far away on the stage. ¡°As everyone already knows, you all have recently been in charge of the newest batch of interns in this universe. This is the first proper batch beyond the initial test, so you should know how much of an honour it is that you were all selected.¡± The cloak¡¯s speech reminded Ed of some stories he had read online before all of this went down. Stories of Bosses that would always talk as if giving people more work was an honour and a benefit. He felt that the cloak was a bit arrogant and up themselves. ¡°Some of you are people that have done this before, and some of you are new faces doing this for the first time. You must remember that this is a heavy responsibility. The leaders have put you in charge of the future growth of the company. So make sure you thank them for this opportunity.¡± This is going to take forever, isn¡¯t it? Ed could already feel that most of his day was going to be spent sitting here bored out of his mind. His only hope was that Buddie would take it easy on him if he wound up sitting here for the entire day and couldn¡¯t complete this work. The cloak continued to extoll the greatness of the company and the leaders above them, as well as about how amazing this opportunity was. It felt like they went on for hours essentially repeating the same thing without ever getting to the point. This must be the cruellest form of torture ever conceived. Buddie has finally figured out how to break me. Ed¡¯s eyes darted around, trying to gauge the reactions of everyone around him. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! The constant droning of the speaker¡¯s voice filled the room like background noise. Ed could see that there were some people who were just as bored as he was. Some were looking at the cloak, but it was clear that their mind was elsewhere. Some were looking everywhere but the stage. And there were even a few people who were openly sleeping, and even snoring. Despite that, the speaker continued talking as if nothing was going on. Ed felt that the cloak would continue on like this even if everyone left the room. It was kind of impressive actually. And somewhat sad. Ed had a feeling that the people who were acting like him had experienced all of this multiple times before. He didn¡¯t know if he could stand this drivel more than once. The rest of the people were looking up at the stage with a level of zeal that made Ed uncomfortable. They were latching onto every word the person said with rapturous fervour. It was like they were treating the company as a god, and the speaker as a priest praising said god. It was almost creepy. He didn¡¯t like the look in their eyes at all. There was also one group that was looking very nervous, and Ed wasn¡¯t too sure why. How bad did they mess up? After observing everyone for a while, Ed finally turned his attention back to the stage. ¡°...You all have done a wonderful job supporting your batch of interns. You have lived up to the expectations of your superiors. Can the healers please pass their reports to the person waiting by the front of the stage.¡± Ed looked to beneath the stage, and saw that the space was empty there. Must be another healer. He sensed movement on the chair next to him, and watched as a series of papers briefly passed through the air near the stage before disappearing. So stuff stops being invisible the moment they stop touching it. That¡¯s interesting. I wonder how far their powers extend? The passing of papers was just a brief moment, as the person continued talking on stage even as it was happening. ¡°Although there is no longer a limit to the amount of people we will be hiring today, there are still some people who won¡¯t make the cut simply because they haven¡¯t met the requirements. I will now be going through and telling you all who has officially been hired as of today.¡± A piece of paper floated down from the sky above, stopping in front of the cloak and floating there. ¡°Starting from group A, You were in charge of twenty interns for the HR department. Out of the twenty, seventeen of them are being hired. Sami, John, and Amanda are the three that will not be hired. You know what you need to do.¡± Finally, we¡¯ve got to the important part. I can¡¯t believe it took them so long to get to this. We could have all been done by now. What even is the time? ¡°From the information I¡¯ve been given, your group has done a great job taking care of the interns. You will be rewarded and will be asked to participate in this again with the next batch of interns. You have really made the leaders proud...¡± They continued on like this, going on a tangent about the company for several minutes, almost repeating exactly what they had been saying previously. Chapter 219 You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. Why are they like this? Surely they should realise that we¡¯ve all got work to do and can¡¯t be sitting here all day. The speaker eventually went silent, and when they did, a group of people got up and left the room. Seeing how long that took, he sent a message to Zara explaining why he was gone for so long, as well as to tell her that he wouldn¡¯t be at the office for a while. One by one, the speaker read out the results for each group. Each group was in charge of anywhere from ten to thirty people, depending on their ability and level of experience. Some of the groups had similar results to the first group, with only a few people that didn¡¯t get hired. Some groups did worse, and a few did even better. One group in particular only had less than half of their interns pass. It was a new group that was in charge of only ten people, and they were very nervous. Ed had picked them out of the crowd even before their results were read out, that¡¯s how visibly nervous they were. Ed was kind of surprised to see people like that in the company. He wondered what could make anyone who had worked in this company feel like that. But when their results were announced, the entire room went silent. ¡°Group H, you were in charge of ten interns for the sales department.¡± The speaker paused, and sighed. There was a clear change in their voice at this point. It was a lot colder and more intense. It seeped out of their voice and infected the rest of the room, turning the atmosphere cold and unwelcoming. Ed felt a cold gust of wind sweep through the room, and started to shiver. ¡°Out of the ten interns you were in charge of, only two have passed. And even then, they only just barely passed. They had made a lot of mistakes as well.¡± The wind grew colder and more intense. Somehow, a terrifyingly strong gust of wind swept through the room, threatening to lift everything off the ground. But at the same time, Ed felt that he was only bearing a small portion of it. The wind was being controlled, and the majority of its strength was used to lift the nervous group into the air. Ed and the others were just being affected by the leftover bits of power. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. How strong... Ed dug his threads into the ground to anchor himself in place. He was thankful that the ground was made out of something normal that he could actually dig through, otherwise he would have had to think of something else. He really didn¡¯t want to be up in the air with that group, in case he had to bore the brunt of the punishment as well. Blinking rapidly, the strings came into view, and he focused his attention to the seat next to him. Since he couldn¡¯t see the healer next to him normally, this was the only way he could see that they were okay. A tight bundle of strings were floating in place above the chair, and after quickly looking at what happened, Ed could see that the healer was desperately holding onto the chair. His threads shot out and wrapped around them before pulling them back to the seat and strapping them in. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ed nodded before turning his attention to the rest of the people in the room. He noticed now that everyone looked pretty human, or at least had a mostly human form. It¡¯s probably so that no one dies from fear when they see them. He knew that there would be some humans that wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the sight of some of the more monstrous people working here. The majority of people had there own ways to stay on the ground, but he could see that there were a few people in trouble. Some were grabbing onto their chair desperately like the healer was previously, while a few unlucky ones were currently flying into the air. Eh, might as well help. His threads spread out across the room, plucking everyone out from the air and anchoring them to the ground. He was stretched thin across the room, but he was able to get everyone just fine with the amount of thread that he had while still maintaining his normal human form. Seeing that everyone was safe, he turned his attention back to the person on stage. ¡°Your punishment will be determined later. For now, go and inform them of their fate then wait for yours.¡± Before the group could protest, the wind from all around the room converged on them like sharp blades. The wind ripped through their skin, drawing blood and splattering it across the entire room. Thousands of cuts appeared on their bodies in a matter of seconds. A few seconds later, and their bodies were cut into hundreds of thousands of pieces and thrown around the room like a tornado had passed through the room. The wind disappeared as the room returned to normal. Ed let go of everyone after making sure they were okay and brought his threads back inside. The wriggling bits of flesh and body were picked up by a small gust of wind and thrown out of the room. The speaker cleared their throat, bringing everyone¡¯s attention back to them. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve sorted that out, let¡¯s continue onto the next group. Group I, you were in charge of fifteen people, thirteen of which passed...¡± Seeing everything to return back to normal so easily, Ed sunk back into his chair. About half of the groups have already left by now, so as long as there weren¡¯t any delays, he wouldn¡¯t be here for too much longer. Then again, he didn¡¯t know which group he was. Knowing Buddie, he would have made him the last group just so that he would have to wait here for even longer. Chapter 220 As he had expected, his group was the last one remaining in the room. Everyone else had already left, and it was just him, the healer, and the cloak on stage. Buddie really did that. ¡°Now for group N. Your group was added in by Buddie after the normal cut off period, so your situation is a little different. You only had you and the healers as part of your team, so we made it that you only had to take care of five interns. Out of the five interns that you were in charge of, four have passed and one has failed. Considering your situation, you have done a remarkable job, and will most likely be asked to do this again for the next batch. The managers appreciate...¡± The cloak continued talking, going into a long-winded speech like they had for all of the other groups. As there was no longer a large crowd to hide himself in, Ed couldn¡¯t take out his phone to distract himself. Instead, all he could do was pretend to pay attention while letting his mind wander. Eventually, after what felt like an especially long period of time, the speech came to an end. ¡°... Please go back and inform the interns of their fate. You will be able to continue with your work for the day after doing so. Tomorrow you will be asked to show the new hires around the office.¡± Finally. Ed rose from his chair and quickly left the place, not wanting to waste another second there. Looking at his phone, he saw that it was already the afternoon. He had been sitting in there for over six hours just listening to that person talk. This day was such a waste. He sent a quick text to Zara, telling her that he was finally out of there, and that he had a few things that he needed to do before he could get to the office. From their previous text messages, he already knew that she was completely done with her work for the day but he still thought it would be a good idea to let her know that he would be at the office soon, just in case she wanted to meet up with him there. Reaching the end of the hallway, he cleared his mind, thought about where he wanted to go, then opened the door. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Stepping into the familiar hallway lined with doors, he immediately felt the change in the air. The air was so much fresher where he just was. It was almost stale here by comparison, even though he knew there was nothing wrong with it. I wish I had windows here. Reaching the five doors for the interns, he stopped to consider whether he should break the bad news to Belle first, or if he should tell everyone else the good news, and then tell her. After a moment to think, he decided to leave her to last. Pushing open the first door, he saw Mathew sitting there, eating a lasagna. That looks good. Maybe I should have that for lunch today. Hearing the door open, Mathew¡¯s head swerved around and he made eye contact with Ed. ¡°Sorry for disturbing you during your meal. I¡¯ve just got some news that I need to tell you.¡± Mathew twitched out of fear, his face paling as his fork dropped to the floor along with the bite of food that was on it. It clattered along the concrete floor, as the mess left behind by the lasagna was immediately cleaned up. It took him a moment to react before he straightened up and looked at Ed again, though his eyes were now trembling in fear. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, it¡¯s good news. I can assure you of that.¡± Lesson learnt. I need to make sure I don¡¯t scare the shit out of them. Anything I say has the chance to make them fear for their lives. Mathew calmed down slightly, albeit he was still concerned and a little wary. But he knew that Ed was on his side and wouldn¡¯t hurt him. ¡°I just came from a meeting. You have passed the internship period and are now officially an employee of the company. Rest well today, I¡¯ll bring you around the office tomorrow.¡± Ed left after saying that, allowing Mathew to digest the news and calm down so that he could go back to his meal. The next person he went to talk to was Masami. She wasn¡¯t eating anything, but was instead just sitting there silently staring at the computer screen before she turned to look at Ed. Learning from earlier, he gave her the good news immediately. Her mood visibly improved, and after chatting for a while about all of the things the company had to offer, he left her feeling better than before. It was clear that despite her being used to spending long periods of time alone in her room while working on games, that being in this room had impacted her. Moving onto Jacob¡¯s room, he decided to keep it brief. He gave him the news, and watched as he excitedly cheered at being able to leave this place. After repeating the news to Roman, he stopped outside of Belle¡¯s door. This is going to be difficult. Clenching his fists, he opened the door and walked in. Just like the others, she immediately turned to look at him, Ed hoped to make things easier for her, but it was difficult to even look her in the eye. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to look anyway. He made a seat in front of her and sat down. ¡°I¡¯ve got something I need to tell you.¡± Belle could see how he was acting, and knew that it wasn¡¯t anything good. She was trembling, but she took a deep breath and maintained eye contact with him. ¡°You can tell me. I¡¯m ready for it.¡± ¡°I just came back from a meeting. You... did not pass the internship.¡± Chapter 221 If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Chapter 222 Ed questioned Buddie as he turned his head away from Belle. He didn¡¯t want to look at her corpse. Sensing it with his threads was already bad enough. ¡°You¡¯ve completed your work here. You can now go back to the office and continue on with your day,¡± Buddie said. Ed didn¡¯t deign Buddie with a response. He turned around to open the door, and pulled his threads back towards himself. The bits of blood and brain disappeared before the threads returned to him. Wiped clean from existence just like any other mess. But as he pulled the threads back, one of the threads lingered in her body just long enough to touch her soul. Ed felt a hunger in his soul. An intense yearning and desire to feast. His soul hadn¡¯t eaten anything in a while, and now that it was so close to a source of food, it couldn¡¯t help but want to eat it. Although her soul was weak, it was better than nothing. No! Ed struggled against the feeling, and tried to pull the last thread back. He fought against the feeling in his soul and forced the thread back. The thread was slowly pulled out of Belle¡¯s body, but not before it managed to scrape off and eat a tiny bit of her soul. Dammit. Now she¡¯s gonna be even weaker heading into Hell. Let¡¯s hope she doesn¡¯t face anything particularly dangerous. I hope she can have a decent life down there. Ed¡¯s soul radiated annoyance with a slight hint of satisfaction. Annoyed that it was stopped from feasting, but satisfied that it managed to at least get something to eat. Most of the time it was fine, but in moments like this Ed really felt like his soul was something entirely separate from himself. He knew it wasn¡¯t. He knew that he was his soul, and his soul was him. But these moments where it sought to satiate its hunger made it feel like he was containing a ravenous beast inside his own body. Leaving Belle¡¯s body to be handled by the healer, Ed left the room. Standing in the hallway, he looked at the row of doors. I wonder how many of them are going to still use these rooms after today? As he was lost in thought, he watched as Belle¡¯s door was wiped away, like someone had gone over it with an eraser. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. And in only a few seconds, the door was gone, like it had never been there in the first place. At least I don¡¯t have to look at it anymore. He walked back to the end of the hallway and returned to the office, sending Zara a text while he did so. Lucky enough for him, Zara was there at her desk, watching her trap with a smile on her face. She was fully engrossed in watching as a middle-aged man was forced to break his fingers so that he could try and escape. Ed walked up behind her, pulled his seat over, and wrapped his arms around her as he nestled his head on her shoulder. Having seen the text message, she wasn¡¯t caught off guard by him being here, and instead enjoyed the warmth of his hug. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Not great. Buddie had me kill Belle.¡± She grabbed his hand that was on her stomach and started softly kneading it with her thumb, trying to comfort him. ¡°That must¡¯ve been hard for you. How about you get started on your work here and once I¡¯m done I¡¯ll go and cook you up something nice?¡± Ed breathed out, smiling slightly. ¡°Yeah. That sounds nice.¡± After holding her for a while more, he turned to his computer and began working. Name: Campbell Midgley Age: 26 Occupation: Unemployed Biography: Born to parents Samuel and Kaitlyn Midgley, Campbell was the second of four children. His father was a basketball couch for a local youth team, so Campbell grew up playing basketball from a young age. Once puberty struck he grew very rapidly, reaching nearly two metres in height. And with his father¡¯s tutelage, he grew up to be an exceptional basketball player. He joined his high school team as well as the local youth team where his father couched. He graduated from high school and received a sports scholarship, but was unfortunately injured in a game during his second year of university. The injury was so severe that he couldn¡¯t continue playing basketball. After the injury happened, he could barely even walk. He lost the sports scholarship, and although his family could continue to pay for the rest of his tuition, he ultimately dropped out. He had put so much of his time and energy into basketball that he had fallen behind in his learning, and he just couldn¡¯t keep up. He spent the next few years healing from his injury, until he reached the point where he could walk normally again, albeit with a limp, but he could never play basketball again. His hopes and dreams of playing basketball professionally had been destroyed. He became depressed and gloomy, and his personality took a turn for the worse. He became bitter. And he was jealous of all the people he saw playing basketball. His family did their best to comfort him, but it didn¡¯t help much. He didn¡¯t know what he was going to do with his life. He was so close to reaching his dream that now that he had to settle for mediocrity, it left a bitter taste in his mouth and a knot in his stomach. His youngest brother grew up and was even more talented in basketball than he was. He excelled at almost every part of the game and dominated the court in youth games, even leading their father¡¯s team to the championship. His youngest brother went on to achieve his dreams, and was drafted onto a professional team, but Campbell wasn¡¯t happy for him. He was jealous. His jealousy spiralled, and he killed his younger brother... -End of document- Chapter 223 Another murder? Okay, I can work with that. ¡°It was a leg injury, right?¡± ¡°That is correct,¡± Buddie said. ¡°Can you heal his injury. I want him back to his prime.¡± There was a short pause before Buddie spoke again. ¡°That can be done. But, he will return to his injured state should he manage to survive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with that.¡± Okay, I''ve got something I can use there, but what should I do for the trap? ¡°Would you say that he believed that he was better than his brother? And that he deserved all of the attention that his brother got?¡± ¡°Yes, he was incredibly jealous of his brother¡¯s success and believed that all of the attention would have been on him if he wasn¡¯t injured.¡± I should play on his jealousy then. I need to give him the chance to go either way, to either double down or make it up to his brother in some way. ¡°Is it possible to get his brother in on this instead of an actor?¡± Once again, Buddie went silent, but this time for even longer. ¡°You are making me do a lot of work here, but that can be done. You will have to wait longer for everything to go through the process.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with that.¡± Ed leant back in his chair stretching. Zara had already gone back to make dinner, so he was alone at their table. Looking around, he found that most of the office was empty, with only a few other people still working at this hour. That meeting really took forever. I hope I don¡¯t have to go through that again anytime soon. In fact, I just don¡¯t want to do this whole thing ever again. It¡¯s been too exhausting. I hope Buddie just let¡¯s me do my regular job from now on. He sat there for a while, thinking about what he would do, before deciding on being a little nice to the man. I wonder if anyone here knows how to play basketball? Or maybe they¡¯ll pick up the game quickly enough. I¡¯m sure with their abilities that they¡¯ll be able to play at his level. ¡°I want to give him a chance to play basketball again. Put him on the same team as his brother.¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°That can be done, what¡¯s the condition for his survival?¡± Buddie asked. ¡°Make it that he has to assist his brother into getting the most points in the game. He has to play the supporting role and can¡¯t outperform his brother if he wants to survive. If he scores more points for his team, even if they lose, he will die.¡± Ed quickly built a basketball court and added enough people in for a game, including a large crowd of people to watch and cheer. After making sure everything was in order, he got out of his seat. ¡°That¡¯s everything. You can get to work on everything. Let me know when it¡¯s done. Also let me know when the actors are ready and when his brother gets here, I want to talk with all of them.¡± ¡°That will be done. Also, you will receive your reward after you show everyone around tomorrow. You are free to go for now.¡± My reward? So I do actually get something from all of this. Hopefully he¡¯ll unfreeze my account. I don¡¯t even care if he gives me anything else. I¡¯ll just take that. Ed quickly left the office and went back home just in time for Zara to put the food on the table. They were having chicken tenders with french fries and salad. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll cook tomorrow to make it up to you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, you don¡¯t need to do that. I know that you¡¯ve been busier than me. Just let me handle it,¡± she said as she sat down at the table across from him. ¡°I insist. I¡¯ll be done with all of this after tomorrow, so just let me do it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The two continued to talk about their days as they ate. ¡°I¡¯ll be showing all of them around tomorrow morning, do you want to join me?¡± ¡°Sure, that could be fun.¡± The two finished eating and then snuggled on the couch for a while before Buddie interrupted them. ¡°The actors are ready and waiting for you in a meeting room, feel free to go to them when you are ready. You will however have to wait a while longer for his brother, as we are still discussing things with heaven at the moment,¡± Buddie said. ¡°That¡¯s fair. Let me know when he does get through.¡± Ed got out of his seat and readied himself to leave. He turned around to Zara, a tired smile on his face. ¡°I¡¯ve got a bit more work to do. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°Have fun.¡± Ed left, entering the office before turning right back around and using the door to enter the preset meeting room. The meeting room this time was massive, more akin to the hall he was in earlier than a traditional meeting room. There were enough people for both teams, including substitutes, as well as a massive group of people that would act as the audience. The players were easy enough to see, as they were wearing their gear and were grouped together in their teams, a distance away from the audience. The players were sitting there in a circle, each reading from a booklet. That¡¯s probably a rule book they¡¯re reading. I hope they can get used to the game before they have to play, otherwise things may get a little difficult for them. ¡°Everyone stop what you¡¯re doing for a moment.¡± Ed called out to the players, getting their attention. The room went silent as everyone, including the audience members, turned to face him. Ed felt very weird having that many people look at him, but he handled it just fine. ¡°I just need to talk to the players, the rest of you can go back to what you were doing.¡± Chapter 224 The players huddled around Ed, waiting to hear what he was going to say. ¡°Have you guys figured out how to play yet?¡± he asked. ¡°Yeah, we think we¡¯ve got it down. Just reading up to get a bit of a better understanding,¡± one of them said. ¡°That¡¯s good. I think you¡¯ve still got a bit of time, so you should get some practice in as well. Mind showing me what you can do?¡± The crowd of people cleared out to the sides, giving the two teams plenty of space in the middle. Ed spread his threads out to create hoops on either side, turning the room into a makeshift basketball court. The players got into position on the court, and a person dressed as a referee walked up with a ball. The game started, and Ed was immediately reminded that despite the fact that they looked like humans, they were anything but. Throughout the match, they jumped several metres into the air, almost hitting the roof. They made shots from across the court with ease, and even dunked from the half way line. It was all ridiculous. Ed immediately signalled for a time out, calling everyone back. ¡°I need you all to tone it down a bit. Limit yourself to only things humans can do. Buddie should be able to show you some videos so that you can get a better idea of the limits of the human body.¡± They all nodded, and Ed continued by giving them a few examples of where to hold back on. ¡°His brother is here,¡± Buddie said, interrupting Ed. ¡°Very well.¡± Ed looked at the players who were still paying attention to him. ¡°You guys can go back to what you were doing. Ed walked away from the group and back to the door. ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°He¡¯s waiting in a smaller meeting room for you. You can head through the door when you¡¯re ready. It¡¯s all set up for you.¡± Alright. Lucien took a deep breath and stepped through the door. How am I gonna explain this to him? How will he react to seeing his brother again? The room was just about how he expected it to be. A long glass desk that filled most of the room, and just about nothing else. Inside, a man was sitting at one end of the table, waiting patiently. He had light golden hair that glowed faintly. The hair was tied back into a ponytail that hung just above his shoulders. He was tall. Taller than Ed had expected him to be. And even more muscular. Either He already had such a terrifying physique, or Heaven had made him look even stronger. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The man had a clean shaven face, thin lips, and a straight nose. His eyes were a dark blue with a glowing golden rings around the pupil and the iris. And to top it all off where a set of thick, downward sloping eyebrows. The man looked mostly human, albeit with a few heavenly features. Hearing the door open, he turned to look at Ed. ¡°Hello, who are you?¡± He had a faint Bostonian accent, not as exaggerated as the one¡¯s Ed had heard on TV. ¡°You can call me Ed. You are Dylan, correct?¡± He got closer and reached out his hand in a friendly manner. Dylan got up from his chair and shook Ed¡¯s hand. ¡°Yeah.¡± The two sat down, and Dylan looked around the room awkwardly. ¡°Can you tell me what¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°Of course. Ugh, how do I explain this.¡± Ed wasn¡¯t sure what he could and couldn¡¯t tell Dylan. Buddie should stop me before I say too much. With that thought, he gave Dylan a basic rundown of what they were about, and their mission. He didn¡¯t go into too much detail, deeming it unnecessary. Simply telling him what they did was enough. ¡°Let me see if I¡¯ve got this right. You guys torture and kill ¡®sinners¡¯ to give them a chance at salvation?¡± Dylan rubbed his temples, trying to process everything he was hearing. ¡°That¡¯s basically right.¡± Ed sighed, feeling that he must have already been treated as an insane person by Dylan. And honestly, he would think the same thing if he was in Dylan¡¯s shoes. ¡°This has to do with my brother, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ed admitted. Dylan closed his eyes for a moment before looking Ed directly in the eye. ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± Ed went on to explain his plan and what would happen to Campbell should he score higher than Dylan in the game. ¡°Are you okay to do it? If you¡¯re not it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± Dylan looked down. ¡°I never saw it coming, but I can see why he killed me. Or at least, how he could rationalise it in that twisted mind of his. He was not okay, even long before he killed me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised by how calm and understanding you are. I thought you would jump on the opportunity of sending your murderer to Hell with your own hands.¡± ¡°As much as I want to do that, I want to prove that I am better than him even more. I¡¯m going to beat him and prove that I had earned my place. Also, deliberately failing would only put me down to his level. I¡¯ve got a good thing going on in Heaven, and I don¡¯t want to jeopardise that. Besides, even with what he did, he¡¯s still my brother.¡± Seems like Heaven is a pretty good place. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting way to look at things. At least I can trust you to have a fair game. Speaking of which, you will be put back to what you were like before you died. Meaning no heavenly strength and all that,¡± Ed said. The two continued to chat about what was going to happen, and Ed asked if Dylan could turn back to what he looked like when he was alive, to which Dylan agreed. There wasn¡¯t much of a difference between the two forms. He was slightly shorter and less muscular when he was alive, but not by much. His hair was also shorter and brown instead of blond. And the golden rings in his eyes had also disappeared. ¡°Everything is ready and waiting for you. Let me know when you are done here,¡± Buddie¡¯s voice interjected, calling out to Ed. That should be everything I need to cover. Ed turned to Dylan. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Dylan took a deep breath and nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s begin.¡± Chapter 225 Campbell woke up in a daze, and for a moment, he couldn¡¯t figure out where he was. He saw tiled floors, lockers lining the walls, showers at the back, and several benches spread across the room. It felt oddly familiar to him. And then he realised why it felt like that. It was a locker room. How did I get here? He had no way of explaining how he had got here. The last thing he could remember, it was lights out and he was lying down on his bed in his cell. Next thing he knew, he was here. He hurriedly got up from the bench to search the area and it was then that he realised that the pain that he was so used to feeling had disappeared. He looked down at his leg in surprise, and couldn¡¯t help but sit back down. He brought his knee up to his chest so that he could investigate closer, something that would normally result in the pain getting worse, but felt nothing. He moved his leg around, turning it, shifting it from side to side, and came to the remarkably absurd conclusion that his injury had somehow healed. And not just healed, but fully returned to how it had been before the injury took place. It felt better than it had in years. In fact, his entire body felt like it had returned to his prime. He was as fit as a fiddle. Somehow, he had returned to how he had been back when he was playing basketball at university. ¡°How?¡± he murmured quietly. He couldn¡¯t understand how this had happened. There was no reasonable explanation for how this could have happened. ¡°Am I dreaming?¡± That was the only explanation he could think of to explain this. But even then, everything felt too strangely real for it to be a dream. That has to be it. Since he couldn¡¯t think of any other reason, he forced himself to believe that was the case. After spending a while in a daze, just getting used to the feeling of having a healthy and strong body again, he stood up. He looked around the locker room, and after searching for a little while, he found a locker with his name on it. It was right where he remembered it. It took him a while to remember the combination, but he eventually did. He opened the locker, and inside were his old basketball shoes, jersey, and shorts. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. He reached out to touch them, and felt a wave of nostalgia. Following this feeling, he got out of his prison clothes and got changed. It felt great. Wearing these clothes sparked old memories and he couldn¡¯t help from getting wrapped up in the feeling. He never thought that he would be able to wear this again. All of this was like a dream come true. He walked around in the clothes, and even couldn¡¯t help himself from breaking into a sprint. He jumped and pranced around the room, completely disregarding how strange it looked. He was just too excited about everything. If this really is a dream, then it¡¯s the best dream I¡¯ve ever had. It took him a while to calm down, but eventually he stopped and wiped the sweat off his forehead. He started doing some stretches in place, all the while taking in the room from his memories. His eyes trailed around the lockers, and he noticed something odd. The names on the lockers were ones that he wasn¡¯t familiar with. What? He was sure that he remembered the names of all of his teammates. He couldn¡¯t possibly forget them. After all, he would regularly scroll through their social media accounts to see what their lives were like. He was jealous that all of them got to continue playing and living their lives. But the names on the lockers didn¡¯t belong to his teammates. They were the names of strangers. Starting from one end, he went from locker to locker, trying to find a name that he knew. After several names that he had never seen before, he found a name that made him freeze in shock. It was his brother¡¯s name. Dylan Midgley. Why? Why is his name here? His forehead veins bulged as he clenched his fists. His expression grew stormy as he looked at the name that he didn¡¯t want to see. He knew that what he did wasn¡¯t right, but he didn¡¯t regret it. And he would do it all over again given the chance. Dylan stole his dream from him. Campbell didn¡¯t believe that Dylan deserved the success that he had, and that it belonged to him instead. The jealousy and resentment had festered inside of him for a long time. Although some of it was released when he killed Dylan, a lot of it still existed. He¡¯s not here is he? He looked around, hoping that his brother wouldn¡¯t suddenly appear here. Seeing his brother¡¯s name soured his mood, and made him feel like this dream was turning into a nightmare. Please wake up, please wake up. Slap! He smacked himself across the face, trying to wake himself up. The smack reverberated around the room, but he didn¡¯t wake up. He was still in the locker room, staring at his brother¡¯s name. As he was lost in thought, he heard the muffled sound of footsteps and people talking. He looked towards the exit of the locker room, and a few people walked in. ¡°Oh hey Campbell, you¡¯re here early.¡± One of them called out to him and walked over, his hand raised up for a high five. Campbell instinctively reacted, high fiving the stranger. ¡°Ugh yeah, just had some time to kill and nowhere better to be.¡± People came in sporadically. Some were in groups, some came in pairs, and some entered by themselves until the locker room was filled. Everyone stood in front of their lockers, and started getting changed. Only his brother¡¯s locker had no one standing in front of it.