Lying in a ditch at the back of a school, was a lanky teenager who was covered in bags of trash. Smelling worse than alcohol and urine combined. Swiping his hands to just move the trash bags that was on top of him. Just trying to find a spot to crawl out of it. Being dizzy was one thing but the smell was far too sharp even for his nose. Uneven breathing, feeling sore all over his body.

"Hey! School's over kid! Get your ass back to your house!" A voice was reprimanding him, but was it the teenager's fault? Touching his head, feeling something sticky on it. Blood and feeling a few things being lodged in his head. The teenager got up as he made his way out of the back alley. Finding himself in a parking lot. Seeing a faint reflection of himself, he could see that he had some cuts but mainly bruises on his neck. A purplish mark, did they try to strangle him? Trying to piece together what had happened. Images flashed before his eyes as he had thought of many things. Trying to piece everything up to this point.

First it was just a casual walk home. Normally uneventful, so how did a walk turn into this mess? A person bumped into him, taking his wallet. So he chased after the person who did it over to the back alley. Only to be hit with something. Blurry figures and one of them had held something in their hand, something like a rope?

The teenager needed to get home, haggard steps and jagged breathing. Step after step, it felt like his body was going to crumble. Barely able to keep his eyes open. Stepping forward, as his eyelids became heavy like anvils.

"Joshua?" A friendly voice called over. From which direction, Joshua could barely tell because of how much of a daze he was in.

"God, what happened to you? Did Amos do this?!" The friendly voice was kind, gentle and familiar but Joshua was far too much in a daze to remember. His mind was in a state of being half awake. Consciousness fading in and out. A lot of bright lights, screaming voices echoed all over. White walls. Smells of heavy chemicals reached his nose. He just wanted to sleep. Closing his eyes completely as he remembered more and more of what happened.

"That's Rayland's brother right? With this. It might even make that guy stop investigating our boss."

"He's just a kid."

"Boss said make it look like a suicide." He heard it but he couldn't make out their faces, all he could make out was the feeling of air being forced out of his lungs. Friction to his neck, something was wrapped around it. They were trying to strangle him with something. Was it a rope?

Joshua opened his eyes to see a white ceiling. Smelling the strong cleaning solution that give it that typical and familiar scent. A familiarity of a second home. He hated hospitals. He hated coming here, whatever that would come out from the mouth of the figures in the white coats would always be nothing but woes of his heart. The mirror in front of him showed that his entire head had been covered with bandages.

"Joshua?" Joshua turned to see his parents, elder siblings, Rayland, Cass and Barton who came over to him. Seeing Rayland with his detective's badge was odd, though Barton was still in his army uniform and Cass seemed to be breathing a little too heavy as she held his hand. Cass's eyes were swollen as her cheeks had been stained by tears.

Their mouths were moving, but he could barely hear much from them. That headache was still tearing his brain out. They were mouthing something with a smile. Concerned eyes over their younger brother, but their faces were full of dread. Rayland took a phone call, and was shouting on the phone? Just what was it about? Did it have to do something with Rayland's work? He could see Barton trying to sort this out, the two of them were arguing. Even if Cass was trying to distract him from it by mouthing something. He couldn't even hear their voices. Just what was wrong with his ears?

Joshua pointed to his ears, then shaking his head. Perhaps that might make it clear that he can't hear anything at the moment. A nurse came to talk to them, where Rayland hung up the phone. The family took their moment to discuss something with the nurse. Though his eyes could look into the form that the nurse put by his side.

'70% Hearing Loss and Loss of Cognitive functions. Patient also has suffered severe damage to the head.' Joshua probably understood what it was, but he had to put on a brave face. Beaming a smile while his family seemed to be angry and devastated. Rayland was shouting at Barton and Cass was trying to stop them both from decking each other in the hospital room.

His parents, Bruce and Natalie went up to give him a hug but whatever they were saying? Joshua couldn't hear them at all. He could see rage swelling up in Rayland's face as he turned red, Barton was turning red too. Cass trying her best to stop them both from continuing their shouting in front of him. But this time, at least he could hear the words properly.

"He wouldn't be in this mess, if that damn mayor didn't stonewall me from my damn work!"

"That's not the point! Rayland we got him back safely! Can't you two just stop shouting! He needs us here!" He could hear those but even then when they noticed him. The three of them stopped shouting, walking closer as they gave him a hug. Whispering something but it was far too faint even for Joshua. Whatever that they said? It was supposed to be comforting but that heavy sadness lingered in their voices. He may not hear it, but feeling the tightness of their hugs. It was like they were going to lose him.

They all left the room, where Joshua just had to try and think about what to do. Even thinking was hurting him. Can he just go and sleep? A nurse walked on over with a needle. She mouthed something to him and injected his shoulder with it. Joshua fell asleep. Hours later, Joshua was woken up by Cass shaking him. Rayland, Barton, Natalie and Bruce had came into the room. They were armed with rifles from the house. Something was up, shouting was heard. Gunshots erupted in the air.

"We need to get him out of here!" Joshua could hear them, touching his ear. He could feel something to it, hearing aids maybe? Cass helped Joshua up, then passing him a pistol. A 9mm caliber pistol, he was used to the action but it still felt heavy in his hands. Joshua felt uncomfortable at holding it, because of his condition. He wasn't doing that well, but the atmosphere's intensity had his adrenaline kicking in.

There were other voices coming from the outside. Even a growl that rumbled the walls of the hospital.

"Move, now!" Joshua followed his family, where the hospital had blood everywhere. Corpses strewn all over like cadavers in a warzone. Then seeing something else, something out of a fantasy book. An orc. The orc wielded the axe, roaring at the family. Though its face blew off from a shot by Bruce. There were more of them. One had a human leg in the mouth, another had a human head in between its jaws. Blonde hair hanging down. The hair of the nurse that gave Joshua that shot.

"Mom, dad!?" His screams were left unheard as Bruce fired off his lever action rifle while Natalie fired her AK. Barton grabbed Joshua's shoulder, with Cass and Rayland providing cover.

"Take him and go! We love you!" The last words he heard from his mother.

"I'm not leaving you!" Bruce shook his head as he pulled a shutter down, where the four began to move out of the hospital. Headed right to the entrance. Where Orcs were attacking all over. Panicked voices filled the air as gunfire accompanied them in a twisted melody. Though the roars of the Orcs were mind numbing, the other three of his siblings were calm. Another couple of Orcs came over while the police and the other adults were firing their guns at the orcs. They killed one, but the other two broke through their lines, swinging their axes to claim the lives of a few of the adults. A child was crying in the middle, where Joshua could see her being crushed by the Orc's foot.

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"Damn it, where's the Venerators!? It's a damn spire!" Barton shouted as he fired his rifle to the eyes of an orc, blinding it for a moment. As they were moving, Joshua watched Barton's head be pierced by an arrow. The amount of force it had caused Barton to back flip into a wall. Flying straight into an Orc's axe. Rayland watched in horror as he watched Barton die before his eyes. A moment of brief distraction.

"Bart!" Rayland fired off his revolver at the Orc, only to be impaled to the chest by a goblin, followed by a few more jumping over him. Cass pulled Joshua to an alley where it led them to a dead end. The last thing Joshua saw of Rayland was the blood splatter and his badge flying to the side. Cass readied her shotgun, firing at the oncoming goblins as fast as she could. Her competitive shooting was helping her fight most off them, but how long could she hold? She had pushed Joshua into a wall not letting him see what was going on. One last act to protect her brother.

"It's okay, Josh just close your eyes. Just close your e-" Joshua felt his back being light, only to see Cass's head being chewed off by an orc. When another Orc raised its hand to reach Joshua, another roar was heard. Where Joshua was then carried over by the orc in one hand. He couldn't do anything. He had a gun but, what could it do? The panic had set in as tears streamed down his cheeks. The bodies of everyone else was being eaten by the orcs and goblins alike.

Their eyes were enjoying the sight of Joshua being shaken by what he's seen. His voice clamped up as he was watching his childhood friends, Todd and Sheena being forced to fight in a cage. Of all the people he could see.

"Human... You are all the survivors... So you will fight for our amusement!" The laughter of the orcs was a grim reminder that nothing good would come out of it. Sheena and Todd were punching each other in the face. Both of them wanted to survive but what can they do? Would all this be enough for anything? Sheena kicked Todd, where Joshua could see a tooth being chipped off. Todd's nose was bloodied and Sheena's fist had a bit of mucus to it.

A knife was thrown into it, where Todd grabbed the knife, kicking Sheena back. Then stabbing her repeatedly in the head. He was laughing as tears fell from his face. Todd's eyes met with Joshua's face. Realizing how terrified Joshua must look. Glancing over to the knife as Todd slit his own throat. The blood splashing to Joshua's face.

"The lone surviving human... You will... Just sit in your cage. Your food is all ready for you."

Joshua was now at their mercy, and when they said food. He just looked at Sheena and Todd's bodies. Did they mean he would have to eat them to survive? Their eyes were waiting for something. Joshua just sat there, a bottle of water was placed by his side. Joshua dug through the pockets of Sheena and Todd. trying to find something useful but there was nothing. He felt his stomach rumbling from hunger, but they were not going to give him anything else. So... Perhaps he has to do it? He cut open the flesh of his friends, and as he took a bite. He could see the corpses of his family members, or rather what was left of them being eaten right in front of him.

They laughed at him. The orcs were enjoying their feast. Roaring proudly at the massacre that they caused, Joshua vomitted out the flesh of what he had eaten earlier. Tears falling to his face as he questioned his fate. Was he just going to be left alive for the amusement of the Orcs? But a voice... A soothing voice reached his ears.

> Do you wish to be free? Oh you, who was dealt with a bad card. Now you've lost everything and only have yourself to rely on. Are you ready for it?

>

> Oh what a shame young one... Woe is you. Woe is you.

> Cursed you are. The only survivor of this hell. This whole place that you know has turned into hell. A city of 50,000 souls have been reduced to just you. Cursed you are, for you must live with this hell with no escape and no one to help you. But, all is not lost. In your hand lies the answer... Why don't you call for it?"

Joshua glanced to his hand, seeing the words 'Sheena' inscribed with a knife to his palm.

"Sheena." Joshua said as he crushed his fist. The metal cage began to combust into flames.. So did his clothes but it was like Joshua's insides were trying to tear out his own flesh. His mind was tearing apart, like a thousand pins had been placed to his brain. Being hammered down by jackhammers without mercy. His skin was melting off like wax. Flesh falling off from his body. The pain was devastating but Joshua tried his best to remain sane.

The orcs looked at Joshua with joy. Enjoying the sight of what they were seeing! Rejoicing and celebrating with more humans to eat as they continued to look at Joshua's suffering. Then seeing Joshua's eyes bleed black tears. He coughed out black liquid from within his body.

Seeing it form a reflection in front of him. Joshua's skin was pale like a corpse, his eyes were now completely black. Noticing another name written to the palm of his left hand.

"Todd." Saying those words caused Joshua to fall again, as two swords appeared by Joshua's hands. The cage melted away, Joshua's breathing was ragged but he felt light. He could hear everything around him and had nothing but rage.

"Kill him!" The orcs and goblins charged at him, where Joshua swung the blade without much thought. He was being hit all over but his body didn't show any signs of recoil. Taking the blows head on as he was blinded by the anger that had built within.

He was continuing to cut a few of them, being hit in the neck by an arrow but he didn't fall and scream. Something... Something was making him continue onwards. Rage over everything he had seen, nothing was simple nor was it going to be easy. Just swinging the blades like an amateur, just going at it until the ones nearby were dead. Cutting an orc's head off with the blade was easy. He just needed to keep cutting them down. Keep killing, pay them back for what they had done.

He was screaming back at them, as he continued to cut them down. By the end of it? Joshua had a few arrows in his back, his right arm was completely broken. His head felt fuzzy but he didn't feel tired. An orc was limping, only for Joshua to limp over as he stabbed it in the spine. Hearing it wail in pain, following it up with a strike to the neck. Joshua leaned onto the sword, luckily for him the edge that was holding his body up was not sharp if not he would have cut himself. Then something popped in front of him.

Escape is only possible when Orcs are completely dead.

Number of Orcs that remain : 1,250,412

Number of Venerators : 1

Victory Condition : All Orcs must be slain.

Defeat Condition : Venerator dies.

Reward : Mask of Thorns.

Joshua did not understand what he was seeing. It was like a game HUD and he noticed a small button hovering by the corner. Where he pressed it. Showing off his status.

Joshua Gates Venerator Class : Seedling STRength 20 VITality 10 ENDurance 5000 DEXterity 410 DEFense 30 SPeeD 2000 INTelligence 1 MAGic 1

This was all that Joshua had and he looked at the two blades in his hands. By the blade's engraving he saw the names 'Sheena' on the right and 'Todd' to the left hand. Joshua cannot remember the date or time but he will have to do what he can. His body felt different, Joshua cut the rope that bound his family to it. His face may wrinkle with sadness but Joshua was unable to cry or say anything. The people here... Joshua knew them all so well. They were the people he knew back in school. Their bodies were left out in the open, some of them may have been eaten alive just by seeing the way their eyes looked back at him. They had tears in their eyes, faces of giving up.

He suddenly felt rejuvenated, his right arm was no longer broken. Survive. That was all that mattered. By hook and by crook, he has to survive. If he can. Slowly gaining back his strength, standing up on his feet. Looking at the corpses all around him, the people he had knew. The city that he called home was left nothing but ruins throughout the horizon. The sun burning his skin was nothing compared to the damage to his heart.

He had lost everything. In a blink of an eye, and the only thing he could do? Survive. He needed to know the reasons for all of this.