With a loud cackle of laughter, a light appeared in the middle. A clown with black and white clothing stepped out underneath. Its face was distorted with white and grey paint as a streak of a lopsided red color stretched across its cheeks. Slowly, the clown clapped, grabbing everyone’s attention.

“Welcome. Welcome.” The clown joyfully said. His half squinted eyes were taking in a good look at the crowd that was before him. “How wonderful. New people.”

A wicked smile erupted on his lips, stretching to an unholy cackle. Swirling with dark energy, the clown bowed. A deathly silence followed after.

“Let’s the show begin.”

The clown gracefully stood up straight, looking at the crowd before him with a bit of a cynical attitude. Three red balls appeared on his hand. With a fluid motion, he started to juggle. In a few seconds, another three appeared. It quickly became up to twelve. His fingers blurred in such quick movements that it enamored the people before him.

Suddenly, all twelve red balls shot out into the crowd, sticking onto the chest of the armor.

“What the?” One of the Players tried to yank it off but failed. The red ball stuck on, making it difficult to tear away.

“Now, now, now.” The clown wagged its fingers in front of him. “I have chosen all twelve of you to join in on a little bit of ‘fun.’”

The Players weren’t too thrilled to be chosen. It was already odd that there was a show still happening inside the tent, and for a clown to appear out of thin air didn’t make it that much better. Nobody moved. Some of them look to Rodney, hoping that he would have a solution. But before Rodney could say anything, the clown flicked his fingers forward.

All twelve Players were yanked towards the clown’s direction, flying towards him. They slid across the ground and stopped not too far away.

“You guys took a bit too long to get here. My show doesn’t wait for anyone.” The clown grumpily said.

Rodney got up in seconds, sending out daggers straight at the clown. The daggers hit an invisible barrier. Static erupted, followed by a blinding flash. It clattered onto the ground.

“Tut. Tut. Tut.” The clown wagged its fingers again. “Nobody will be able to leave this place without my permission or enter on the stage.”

Instantly, voices of outcry and concern echoed in the tent, making everyone realize that they were trapped. People started to get up and head straight to the exit but was once again stopped by an invisible force. They hit and shouted, cursing at the clown to let them go.

The clown crossed his arm, ignoring their plea and outrage.

"The only way to get out of here is to win. But, remember this, every time your people die, the monster will grow stronger and stronger. While every kill will make the next monster weaker. If the party is wiped out, the next party will have to fight the monster that the previous party had fought. With that being said, if you guys survive your own fights, you will be let go and allowed to leave."

The clown was pleased with its own words, nodding its head gleefully. "But, there is another catch."

He drummed his finger together. “You can escape the fight if you kill your teammate. One kill is one pass to get out of the fight.”

To hear such an unfair condition made a majority of them have doubts. They glanced wearily at their partners as well as some who understood the vast consequence behind this. A will to survive.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Snow wondered what other ways they could get out without having to fight the monsters that the clown will issue. Mostly because she had a feeling that these twelve-man fights weren’t going to be easy as one would expect. She didn’t know what the success rate was, but she had an inkling that the clown was trying to cut the force in half before they reached their destination.

If that was the case, then she knew that they would be in trouble. They needed everyone.

With another snap of his finger, the clown summoned up a small goblin with a small dagger that was rusted. There was no armor on its body but the small loincloth that wrapped around its waist. It’s ugly teeth chattered unnaturally, which made them wonder if the monster had an underbite.

 The twelve who was dragged into the middle let out a sigh of relief that it wasn’t a problematic looking monster.

Their guard was let down for a split moment, allowing the goblin to attack the nearest Player in one brutal strike. The male Player's head flew off, shocking everyone.

The goblin screeched and shouted with a victory. It's dagger waving overhead in excitement. Black energy spewed out from the goblin's body and spat out a tentacle straight at the dead Player's body. It quickly surrounded it and dissolved the body into mush, leaving behind its leftover armor.

The shiny armor was picked up from the ground and flew towards the goblin. Each and every piece of the armor meticulously resized and fitted itself on the goblin. Even its muscle mass became large, giving it a more formidable glow.

“Well, that was quick.” The clown chuckled at his creation.

On the other hand, the Players quickly got into formation. They battled back and forth, fighting for their lives as their teammate fell one-by-one. Spells were sent, backing up their offensive Players, trying to take down the monster that steadily grew upon each death. Already, they were down to nine, making the goblin grow in power.

“This is not looking good.” Mike was gripping his sword, looking at the clown and back down again at the Player. “If this persists, we will lose half of our people. Probably even more.”

“Yes, the rate that the monster is growing will exceed the bounds of what we can handle. That is not a normal goblin you see out in the wild.” Rodney realized the consequences of the battle that the clown was putting them through.

A cheer erupted as the goblin was slain. The tired Players were shuffled out by the clown, this time, the clown sent out another twelve red balls that snatched the seated Players into the middle. Once again, the battle ensued.

“Let’s see if there is another way out.” Snow suggested, there might be some kind of way to break the barrier.”

"Yes, we come back here to meet up again," Rodney stated. "I'll start organizing a few of my own people as well."

The group dispersed. Mike and Dairen went together as they dealt with their own guild members. While Red and Snow partnered up with each other as they had one of the highest magic manipulations.

The others paired up into their own team as they began to search for answers.

For the next hour, the fight between the monsters and the Players continued. At first, the number of passing Players were high in the numbers, allowing a good two-third of them to leave the tent without trouble. Slowly, but surely the monsters that were summoned grew in strength, cutting down the high percentage of people falling to their death.

Snow and Red had meticulously tested out the barriers of both the interior and the exterior barriers that held them in place. Starting from the interior barrier that divided them from the fighting players and the monsters. She had sent out a few feelers with her magic to test out how thick the walls were.

Her hand-cast out, touching it a few times while Red was watching her back. Other Players join in to help and distract the clown, who didn’t seem to phase at all at their shenanigans. Instead, he waved them off, cackling with laughter in pride in his work.

At first, Snow could tell that the barrier was pretty thick, the energy was easily even out, making it difficult to penetrate. She was impressed with the amount of control the clown had to create such a barrier. Even going two thirds around the perimeter made her realize that there was barely any flaw.

   Red was getting frustrated. She pounded on the barrier a few times and even kicked it as she realized the depth of perfection.

   A loud screech blast around from the center of the ring, an eighteenth goblin bang its chest and swung its heavy club. A player was struck squarely in its chest as she flew against the air and hit the barrier. At that moment, Snow caught something flicker against the barrier, creating a small electric indent that faded away. If one wasn't paying any attention, nobody would have noticed. Even still, she knew the amount of energy needed to breakthrough would become quite substantial.

   Excited at her findings, Snow did her best to keep herself calm. Red noticed her change in behavior. Her slightly bloodied knuckles were brought down.

   “I found something.” Snow said, looking at Red’s rash behavior. “Did you?”

   Red wiped her bloody knuckle in her shirt. A spark of idea crossed her eyes, a small mischievous smile erupted on her cute face. She closed her eyes. This time, Snow could tell that she was meticulously moving her magic around like feelers, touching everything that it could.

   Snow was amazed at the proximity of how far her magic spanned. Red opened her eyes, a smile grew bigger against her lips. She nodded her head once, telling Snow she had found something.

Finally, both Snow and Red came back to the same spot where the others were. The others were waiting for them. Their hushed voices were almost difficult to hear, their heads close to each other, watching around.

Snow went back to her seat, while Red sat across from her.

"Let's hope you got some good news," Tommy asked. He was grinding up a walnut in his hand. Picking a few nuts out of his shells as he ate it.

“Where did you get that?” Tamaki asked, His gaze was sent in the walnut in his hand.

“You want some?” Tommy handed him one for him to crack.

Tamaki glanced down at Tommy’s hand, a flash of metal crossed across his face as it disappeared back into his sheathe. The walnut sliced open in half.

Tommy opened his mouth a few times, unable to say anything but looked at Tamaki as if he was crazy.

Tamaki reached over, taking the bits of walnut in Tommy’s hand.

“Thanks.” Tamaki ate the walnut.

The others felt a chill. Knowing full well that Tamaki’s skill was no joke to scuffle with.