Chapter 2 : Devil’s Game – Part One

Pulse Global News Network- @pgnn.now - 04/13 - 7:17 am

🚨 Urgent Alert 🚨: The "Kingdom of Devils" organisation has unveiled a disturbing one-hour video, apparently depicting scenes from a virtual world.

The video titled "Episode 1 of the Devil's Game." Deleted within 5 minutes for explicit content.

Awaiting confirmation on the video's authenticity and the identity of the depicted characters. Stay tuned for updates.

#SecurityConcerns #DevilsGame

***

Silas jolted into consciousness with an immediate recognition of his surroundings. Even before he opened his eyes, a peculiar sensation, indescribable in words, assured him that he was in the virtual world. The confirmation intensified upon lifting his eyelids.

His hands found themselves ensnared in a sea of wheat, accompanied by the unmistakable stench of waste lingering in the air. It evoked memories of fantasy games where he'd start in a stable, but the sight of thick iron bars before him dispelled that notion.

Surveying his surroundings, he noticed no walls, only bars, shrouded in what resembled a peculiar cloth. Silas extended his hand, grasping the material. Beyond the bars, he glimpsed square-shaped cells like the one he occupied. They were all vacant, save for one. Before it stood two colossal creatures, over three meters tall, humanoid in form but adorned in an enigmatic night-blue fur. Their distended bellies and large heads, complete with cat-like ears and small horns, defied any simian comparison.

The giants were in the process of extracting individuals from the cell—youths clad in tattered rags, potentially slaves. Yet, upon closer inspection, Silas recognized them as classmates, including the tormentors of his school life, Ethan and Kai. To his surprise, they offered no resistance.

Scanning further, he discovered the others standing in a row, hands bound to their necks, and legs tethered to their peers. Attempting his usual escape from virtual reality proved futile.

The two monsters bound those extracted to the rest of the class, advancing menacingly. Silas instinctively recoiled, questioning internally, "Are they players or non-player characters?"

As the curtain fell, his answer materialised. The monsters swiftly removed it, revealing themselves up close. Silas's gaze was immediately drawn to their unusual appendages, surprising him. Their hyena-like faces sported an eerie, malicious smile, saliva dripping from their mouths.

The door swung open, and one monster seized Silas by the legs, pulling him violently. The pain surged as his leg felt near breaking, the monster cuffing it without regard for his agony. Silas felt like a puppet, tossed to the back of the line, where his limbs were bound alongside a sobbing classmate.

The monsters, seemingly amused, looked upon the weeping individual and burst into laughter. One struck him on the head, prompting his collapse. The other, holding a chain, commanded, "walk." The line obediently marched, Silas assisting the person before him.

They traversed from dawn to dusk, Silas losing sensation in his feet, burdened as if carrying a horse on his back. Thirst and hunger fueled a desire for death, yet the march persisted, perhaps driven by fear of the monsters.

Finally, the monsters called for a rest, and everyone collapsed to the ground. One monster berated the other for forgetting the cells, emphasising the need to protect their captives from other creatures.

Silas grasped two truths: the monsters were non-player characters, lacking the authority to kill, and this dark virtual reality could inflict pain beyond legal limits. Survival became paramount; death here might equate to death in reality. Grateful for the virtual escape, Silas pondered his own courage and survival instincts. The monsters decided to resume walking, confident they wouldn't encounter danger.

"Fuck," Silas muttered discreetly, a sentiment echoed by Ethan and Kai. The monsters swiftly turned, advancing menacingly.

"What did you just say? Did you curse at me?" one demanded.

Ethan boldly spat in the monster's face, "I didn't say fuck you, I said fuck this situation. Do you think I'm afraid of you, NPC? Hit me; I can take your fucking beating."

Kai joined in, defiantly adding, "Yes, fuck it, fuck you. What are you going to do?"

Silas was taken aback by the unexpected turn of events. Anticipating a beating or perhaps even torture, the monsters' directive to walk threw a curveball, leaving little time for retribution. The monsters shared a laugh so intense that they released Ethan and Kai, collapsing in amusement. The shock lingered among the captives, but Silas, hidden by careful laughter, found an odd satisfaction in witnessing his tormentors' fate.

Once the monsters regained composure, they approached Ethan and Kai with solemn faces. Removing the handcuffs, they carried the bullies behind a tree, the unspoken details apparent to everyone. Shock rippled through the onlookers, but Silas couldn't suppress a secret laughter, relishing the poetic justice.

The two bullies, now with blood-stained lower backs and legs, were returned to the group, silent and tearful. As they walked through the night, their cries served as an oddly satisfying melody for Silas, momentarily overshadowing the pain of the journey.

Glowing eyes surrounded them in the darkness, accompanied by eerie sounds that kept Silas alert despite fatigue. Morning brought respite as they were tied to a colossal tree. Silas endured the pain of handcuffs, the harsh sunlight, leaning against the tree for sleep.

***

A jarring sound startled Silas awake, the ground trembling beneath him. He rose abruptly, fearing his hands might be severed by the restraints. The source of the disturbance revealed itself as the two monsters knelt before a towering figure with giant feet.

Silas's gaze ascended to a colossal version of the monsters, as tall as the tree behind him. Muscular and proportionate, with bluer fur and a less grotesque head, the figure exuded terrifying features. Silas dared not meet its gaze for long, paralyzed by fear.

Observing his still-sleeping colleagues, Silas wasn't surprised; the ordeal likely rendered them oblivious to the noise. The giant took a step forward, reaching for its... thing, and directed it towards them, releasing a blue liquid.

"Fuck."

The liquid hit them, and Silas felt like he plunged into a hot waterfall, intensifying the pain. The sensation, thankfully, was short-lived. He nearly choked on the pungent smell of urine, coughing forcefully until his lungs rebelled. As he struggled, he noticed his colleagues awakening, cursing in unison.

Silas refocused on the giant monster, who declared, "This is the Demon King again, welcome to my world."