Castle Games

 The three had their intense gaze cast onto the green translucent door trying to figure out what was going on. It was clear to them that the reason it appeared was because of their victory against the creature, they wondered why it felt like a game or an interesting plot to an alien movie.

Suddenly as they still had their gaze on the green door, a student or teacher appeared, their image wasn't clear due to the translucent door so it was hard to make out who was standing there.

Whoever it was tried to get in but could not. Kicking, punching, and even slamming its whole body against it yielded no result. The three noticed that even with all the attacks on the door, they heard absolutely nothing. No sound escaped the other side into their ear; it was as quiet as the night. 

After trying many times over, the person gave up, slumping to the floor as he or she awaited their faith. Max, James, and Alice looked away with a heavy heart; they were too weak to witness such a scene. Once they looked back, they saw nothing on the other side of the translucent green door.

'' A safe zone'' James glanced at the others; he had a glimmer of excitement noticed by them.

'' a safe zone… like in games'' Alice replied finding the answer funny, it made her silently giggle. It was exactly like reading a manga or manhwa.

'' If this is a game…. are we just NPCs while God is the player'' Max sighed, he was trying to make a joke but looking at James and Alice's facial expressions it seemed it when right over their heads.

''ting!!, ting!!''

The three of them heard a sound that seemed to resonate in their heads. It repeated once more, making them fully aware that the sound was indeed ringing in their minds. It was low and quite pleasant, even though it felt strange to have the sound echo directly in their heads.

The next moment there was a bright light that appeared above their heads, even though it was above their heads it was still bright enough to cause the three to shut their eyes.

'' what the hell'' the three thought.

The bright light quickly dimmed, revealing a majestic floating screen the size of an average class board with a low glow that draws in the eye of anyone looking. It hovered in front of the three for a while before large illusive letters began appearing on it.

''Interesting'' James staring at the illusive screen let out without realizing it. He pointed at the screen and then glanced over at the others '' A screen, a floating screen''

Alice was grinding her teeth at the sight of the screen, '' Did… people die for God's entertainment ''.

Max just looked over at Alice, her face twisted in anger, he realized they were in a class filled with corpses of people they once knew.

 Due to the other things that happen his body took the opportunity to push those memories to the back of his mind. As for James, he seemed too excited, maybe it was his coping mechanism, Max noted with a heavy sigh.

 < Congratulation to the survivors of the first trial of the '' CASTLE GAMES''>.

The three read with no emotion, there was none to express. It was already painfully guessed by them that they were in a twisted game from a higher being with unimaginable power, as to whether it was God or the devil they are yet to find out.

The words ''Castle games'' were quite intriguing to them, they had not experienced any castle-like attack or disaster yet there it was in bold illusive letters.

< First trial: green creature attacks>

After reading the screen like never before, and processing all the information at an abnormal rate the three exchanged worried glances.

''My parent died when I was 5, I live with my 57year grandma'', James let out a sigh of relief, before calming his heart, he had been friends with Max for almost 10 years and knew his mother's age, she was going to be part of the participants playing this dreadful game.

As for Alice, he knew how she always spoke highly of her two elder brothers, their expression couldn't hide their deep worry.

''My mom is just 35, she had me when she was very young.... I hope she is ok'', the worry escaped his soul as Max spoke, and his lips quivered as he thought of how helpless she would be right at his moment.

'' it you survived, there is no doubt in my heart that Aunt Mavis would too'' James smiled with pure sincerity, his eyes glimmering with understanding and honesty making Max wholeheartedly believe the words he uttered.

James swept his gaze across the class landing on Alice, the worry was gone from her expression, and she looked content. She overheard the words of encouragement James gleefully delivered to Max, just as how it had helped Max look lively again it had the same effect on her.

'' My mom died when I was young and my father is 49, my brothers are in their twenties.... They are not the type to easily die ''She ended with a confident laugh that lit the mood in the room filled with corpses.

< The divinities would like to meet the survivors>

The screen illuminated another piece of information, emphasizing its significance to the three.

''What's all this divinity thing about'' James voiced his thought.

Max glared at the display, he was too focused on his mother's potential death to focus on a word that held no meaning to him.

Alice shut her eyes in thought. Once she opened them, she had gained an answer. She was just about to give James a reply to his question when a sudden gust of wind blew over them.

The air became a frigid cold with a mixture of a sweet smell dancing around them, the three began to shiver, feeling the cold penetrating deep into their bodies with ease.

''Ting!!, Ting!!''

Before their eyes, three black, almost metallic-looking cubes appeared. Each cube was the size of a football and was adorned with strange symbols that continuously shifted into numerous unrecognizable yet beautiful designs. Engraved at the top of each cube was a palm print, tailored to match the size of the Three.

Their bodies moved independently as if they were controlled by an unseen force, placing their hands on the perfect handprint made for them. Upon contact there was a burning sensation that engulfed their whole body, it wasn't painful neither was it pleasant.

The sensation crawled deep into their bodies making them feel the unknown presence of something powerful and devilish calling their names with an illusory voice before suddenly everything went dark for them.

Max woke up, unaware of where he was, he found himself lying flat on what he assumed was the ground. He slowly stood up to stand on his legs, as soon as he did it was as though a blanket of fog had been lifted from his brain, and he finally noticed where he was.

He stood on clear, pure, beautiful, and unblemished ground that reflected an untenable desire to any human, around him was nothing but the intense feeling of the powers beyond the human mind and soul gazing at him, ready to capture him if he fell.

In front of Max were individual stairs made of solid gold all floating above each other and stopping on a hovering platform. Max swept his gaze across the stairs landing on the floating platform.

Atop the platform which gave Max a sense of hopelessness, stood multiple large orbs of different colors, the orbs of dazzling light stood there unchanging and unmoving, giving off a glow of warmth and joy. Their presence was so life-like yet so empty, Max thought as he shifted his gaze above the orbs.

Above the orbs, an ethereal blazing fire of light hovered with authority and might. 

One look at the blazing fire of light brought Max to his knees in tears, his mouth crawled up in happiness, and his hands clapped together in praise. The blazing fire of light emitted not light but darkness burning with a mighty roar that felt destructive, it glimmered like the stars yet burned like the sun.

It emitted darkness like the shadows of the night yet it shined like the morning of day.

Beautiful, perfect, godly, the one above all, the holiest of holy and the god of gods, these were the only thoughts running through Max, these were the only thoughts he could have.

Endless and continuous praise to the blazing fire of light.

'' I CHOOSE YOU''.

 Suddenly without warning Max felt a sudden boom in his head, he fell to the floor, his body contorting as pain ravished his body and senses.

He let out a scream so loud it raptured his voice box, he felt his brain boil like the ins of a volcano, his ear burst in an explosive display of blood and pain, and his eyes melted out of his socket in a sizzle.

Blood and bits of himself oozed out of every orifice before another scream escaped his frail, feeble, and unsteadied body then everything went dark.