Chapter 53 - One

Chapter 53: Chapter One

A wave of sickness tore through his chest, the same feeling he’d suffered when he’d been transported into the Obsidian Forest.

’Ergh...’

Barely keeping his footing, he clutched his chest and fought to steady himself.

Around him and Maks, a torrent of blue lights rained from the sky, each one depositing another person into the plaza. Some, Zayn recognized from the month he had just spent trapped alongside them. Most, however, were complete strangers.

Zayn cowered, ducking his head and hiding his face among the anguished crowd while helping Maks to his feet.

People wasted no time shouting the moment they overcame the sickness.

"Have we been kidnapped again?!"

"I thought it was over after all that!"

"Please! Just no more skeletons!"

It looked like they had been transported into a town blending modern and Victorian architecture, but the swelling crowd blocked Zayn’s view of most of the surrounding buildings.

They stood in a plaza, a wide-open area with a large, elevated bulletin board at its center. Thankfully, Zayn and Maks had been summoned near the outer edge, so if they wanted to leave, they wouldn’t have to force their way through the panicked mass.

’I just want to sleep...’

Physically, Zayn wasn’t tired at all.

In fact, his body felt better than it had in weeks — restored to peak condition. Maks seemed to have undergone the same kind of healing; even his shattered arm had been set and mended completely.

However...

Zayn’s mind felt hollowed out.

Too exhausted to think. Too exhausted to care.

Zayn opened his mouth as if to speak, but nothing came out.

’I...’

He couldn’t stomach what he’d become.

The entire last five years of his life, he’d spent loathing and detesting people who acted like he just had.

He had lied, conned, and killed.

Sure, he’d done it in the grand name of ’saving the world,’ but did that change anything?

Did calling it necessary somehow make him less of a manipulator? Less of a murderer?

Did the ends justify the means?

’No.’

What was done was done.

What was unforgivable would never be forgiven.

The only thing he could do now was cling to the few fraying strands of sanity he had left. Right now, they barely held together, and all it would take was one pull for Zayn to unravel.

Maks didn’t look much better.

While his body had been restored, his mental unrest might have been worse than Zayn’s.

Being here with all these people was already making things worse. Running into Lucas and the others right now would be terrible. Thankfully, the crowd kept thickening into a dense sea of people.

’We need to get out of here. Away from people...’

Of course, that wasn’t quite an option yet...

The sky fractured overhead.

A hexagonal pattern spread across it, enclosing the plaza beneath a vast dome. Golden liquid seeped between the glowing seams, gathering above them before coiling into a spinning torrent.

When the liquid finally stilled, a being clad in white descended from its center.

It was a man this time.

A beautiful man with long golden hair, his white garments adorned with countless golden jewels. Above his head floated another halo, radiating waves of oppressive heat. With his arrival came the same insurmountable pressure, crushing down on the plaza and locking everyone in place.

"Congratulations..."

Just like before, a metallic voice rang in his head as if it were one of his thoughts.

"You must all be wondering why you’re here... you’re here to save Earth."

Zayn glared daggers at the bastard, who dared to repeat something Zayn already knew while somehow making it sound even more absurd.

"Currently, Earth is being invaded by the denizens of the Forsaken Realm, and humans have no way to combat them. Unfortunately, we beings, what you mortals call deities, are unable to interfere with Earth directly due to extraneous circumstances."

’You... you bastards!’

This being could tear hundreds of people out of their world, drag them here, and smother an entire plaza beneath its presence, but couldn’t stop whatever was happening on Earth?

’Hard to believe.’

And how exactly was dragging them through death games supposed to help?

Let alone, why did these so-called deities even care about what happened to Earth?

And...

’Why did you give me, and me alone, this insane task?’

’You can talk into my mind, so you can listen too, right?! Answer me, goddamnit!’

"You’ve all been chosen as heroes who will save Earth from this perilous threat. You are to proceed through five major trials while cultivating your strength. The first major trial you just completed was just a prelude to the other four, meant to weed out the unfit."

Zayn’s eyes widened in disgust, fear, and intense loathing.

’So all of that was "just a prelude"?’

’...’

’Ha—’

’I went through all that... and it was "just a prelude."’

’I’m about to lose my mind, and I’ve only gotten through the prelude!’

"During your journey through the trials, we higher beings will be watching and judging. If you manage to impress one of us, you may be offered the chance to become a contractor, which allows you to borrow some of our power. You will also be granted the right to challenge a deity’s trial in between major trials to increase your chances of catching our eye."

While Zayn wanted power, getting it from a pretentious asshole like the one in front of him made it infinitely less appealing.

Besides, he wasn’t in the mood to listen to another word of this bullshit.

He’d rather ram the deity’s own speech back down its throat before ripping out its spine and stomping on that annoying halo.

"As a reward for completing the first trial, you have all been given thirty silver coins, which will serve you well in becoming situated. It is up to you to learn about this situation you now find yourselves in."

’Just screw off already if all you’re going to do is tell us to figure everything out ourselves.’

"Your next trial will be in ten days. Learn as much as you can before then. After that, you will be in charge of your destiny. Good luck."

’Sleep with one eye open, freak...’

Zayn didn’t know when he’d get the chance, but he was damn well looking forward to fulfilling his promise of bringing carnage to the gods.

With that, the being dissolved into a plume of smoke, disappearing as though it had never been there. The oppressive weight vanished with it.

Movement returned to the plaza all at once.

And so did the yelling.

Zayn lowered his gaze.

A small brown pouch rested on the ground near his feet.

He picked it up, cautiously pulled it open, and found thirty silver coins inside, just as promised.

Maks spoke beside him, his voice unsteady.

"C-can we get out of here?"

Zayn stared at the crowd for another moment before answering softly.

"Yeah... yeah, I’d like that very much."