First Round [II]

"I'm a Harbinger of the apocalypse."

I lunged at him, grabbing his shirt. Even then, he continued to smile.

His innocent smile that seemed like he didn't realize what he had said.

"Oh, dear." Lucas said stoically, choking on saliva. "Let's not fight, Reve."

I clutched it tighter, his feet elevating. My fist made wrinkles on his shirt.

"How do you know my name?" I said with no hint of joy in my voice.

He laughed, "I know you more than you realize."

My hand formed a fist, ready to attack him.

"Tell me," said Lucas, his spit splattering on my face. "Don't you realize what's happening to this world? Don't you realize that this world is too familiar?"

He said it so nonchalantly. I wanted to hit him until his vocal cord ripped open and his throat burst. I wanted to beat the shit out of him, his frail frame raised in the air.

Yet… I knew he was right. The déjà vu, Harry's familiar struts, the name Benedict, The Federation. But it can't be… It was too unrealistic. There was no rational reason why that would happen. Because if that were true, I had to be some god. No, the devil. That meant I was the one who began this freakshow. It was all my fault.

The middle-aged man touched my shoulder and I dropped Lucas. He choked slightly. He coughed out saliva on the floor.

The middle-aged man told me, "Don't bother. He's not worth the pain."

I nodded and walked away with him.

"Thanks, man."

"No worries."

[The round is beginning…]

[Prepare yourselves.]

[Time limit: 00:59:51]

[Your role is C?]

I eyed the screen in front of me. 

So we must find our role in this stage, huh. The round gave us only one letter. Not even a hint. There are thousands of words that begin with C in the Hermanic language. It's like this round was created for us to lose.

My heart was still racing from my anger to Lucas. I breathed in and out to calm myself, placing my hand on my chest. My chest heaved. I had the worst temper, it seemed.

The red curtains aroused and opened, revealing the audience. The light dropped on all of us, the light just barely showed the audience's faces. The stage flared brightly.

"What the..?" One of the men of Lucas's group exclaimed.

And I don't blame him.

The audience was filled with monsters like the child I had killed. Rows of seats had been seated by monstrous entities. Purple-skinned, multi-eyed, obese, pus-spilling monsters.

"Behemoths," uttered Lucas. I looked behind me to see him smile. "Those monsters."

I know. I almost said. More than anything. I know it all.

But I restrained myself. Had I admitted it then, I felt like I would've lost in our battle of squabbling. It was childish of me, honestly.

I looked up. The balconies above had humans wearing masks. Was that their role? A red-eyed man was staring at me, his face covered in blue robes and a masquerade mask.

Items grew from the wooden stage ground: a stick, a table, a broom, a speaker, and other miscellaneous items.

"I assume this will help us in playing our role," said Lucas.

"I don't need you to tell me that." I barked.

As we were on stage, my role must be some sort of performer. What kind of performer started with C? Comedian? Yeah, that must be it. But what can I do with these items then? In ancient times, comedies weren't only funny— they were the opposite of tragedy. So I don't have to be funny to do this, right?

It was unsettling for me. I'm sure the others feel that way too.

"Come on!" One of the behemoths yelled. "Start the damn show!"

The other monsters had begun throwing tomatoes at us. My ragged suit had become even more unpleasant to wear.

I took a step forward, the behemoths halted their tomato throwing. They all leaned in, expecting something grand from me, maybe.

"What do you call a three-humped camel?"

"What?" Someone replied.

"Pregnant."

I was thrown tomatoes again.

I'm really bad at this. I really am only good with my fists. Maybe I'm no comedian. Maybe an instrumentalist?

My body was tossed to the end of the stage by the force of the tomatoes. My hand touched the stick and it turned into a flute.

Huh? 

An idea was aroused in my mind. I chuckled.

It was too stupid of an idea. An idea so idiotic that it might just not work. But I'm willing to bet on the chances that it does.

If I merge the lessons about sayings I learned back with The Federation… this might work. 

"This show sucks!" A behemoth yelled.

"Humans are so ugly!"

"The ugliest beings in the whole universe!"

Since I'm only good with my fists, for once, I will be fighting with Word.