Chapter 57: The Real Game Begins

Perched along a broad tree branch resting loftily in the sky, a crow observes the stage of entertainment playing out theatrically below. Crow has distanced himself a short walk away to the far right, resting his left shoulder and upper back against a tree. Then comes Ace, who has already changed into his more powerful appearance. Then falls Sky, who lies a few feet to the left of Ace, patiently waiting for what will happen next, ready to adapt. Lastly, to the far left are Hazel and Violet, who are both tucked behind Sky, with Violet still recovering from Crow's chokehold.

The crow grins before taking off into the skies again, receiving new orders from Crow.

As Ace’s lips twitch between a smile and a frown, Sky shuffles her arms in the dirt, pushing herself back a step or two.

This isn't a matter of whether this is right or wrong. It's simply the law of nature. When it comes to survival… the strong live, and the weak die. But, I never realized what a burden it would be to be the one in the driver's seat, the one with full control, the one with no restraints… the one whom the choice befalls upon.

Shaking his head, Ace can't get the image of Sky's face out of his mind.

I wonder… if this is how you felt this whole time as well… Crow.

Opening up his body, Ace locks eyes with the man in thought.

"Sky lives," Ace confidently declares, raising Crow’s eyebrows.

The kid catches on quickly, and he's already matured so much in just a matter of hours. Or maybe he's always been this way… and all he needed was just that little jolt of exposure. Either way, I must double-check. If I'm wrong about this… about him… things will get a lot more complicated.

"Why?" replies Crow, catching Ace off guard.

There's a long pause. Not knowing what thoughts are pinging around Ace’s brain, Crow eagerly awaits his response. Eventually, Ace resolutely answers, "Because she's stronger."

Crow grins under his mask.

Well done, kid, that was the answer I was looking for.

Quickly manifesting a dagger into his hand, Crow throws it at Ace with a high amount of force, wounding Ace in his right thigh. Gritting his teeth, Ace holds in a scream as he yanks the dagger out of his thigh, more pissed off that he was unable to avoid the attack rather than the actual pain. Ace knew he could've easily dodged that if he was on his toes.

Regrettably, I need you to still fear me, Ace. Forgive me, you don't know it, but your body is already healing that wound as we speak. If I need to strike you with a dagger every once in a while to keep our relationship proactive, so be it. After all, this will only make you stronger.

Leaving his spot, Crow walks over to Ace as Ace cycles between various grunts and wheezes, attempting to tolerate the pain as he frustratingly demands, "What the hell was that for?!"

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Ignoring his question, Crow asks, "And what should we do with the other two?"

Flaring his nostrils, Ace bears his teeth at me like fangs, "What?"

Recalling the dagger back to his hand, Crow kneels beside Ace, pointing the blade at his face, "I said… what should we do with the other two?"

In between breaths, Ace says, "Like it… matters… what I say… you'd… kill them… anyway…"

Although Crow knows his face is concealed, he cocks a brow.

Interesting response…

As Crow shifts his focus toward Sky, her eyes sharpen. She lunges toward Crow, throwing a punch that Crow swiftly dodges. Harshly snagging her curly blonde hair as she flies past, Crow forces her to stand motionlessly. Once stationary, Crow carefully places the blade on her neck.

"Listen closely, I want you to head back to your camp and pass along a message for me."

Her eyes piercing into Crow’s, Sky says, "Like hell I'd do anything you say!"

Crow punctures her throat a little more, and blood begins to ooze. After a few seconds, Sky senses the chilling sensation of blood traveling down her body, and she meets Crow’s gaze again.

"The trial phase is over. That encrypted message you wrote down earlier, you'll need that information if you want to live through what's to come. Because from this day onward… the real game begins."

Crow lets go of her, and Sky glares back and forth between Crow and Ace as she touches her neck. After looking at the blood tainting her fingertips, Sky clicks her tongue.

Damn it… I have no chance against him. If only circumstances were different… if only Ace could fight! Whether Ace is on his side is irrelevant because he took away any possibility of Ace standing in his way. I'm screwed if I try to fight now, but I can't… I can't just abandon my friends…

Observing everything and everyone around her, Sky searches for a solution, an excuse to fight once more. The rustling of the tree leaves, the crow that's disappeared, a debilitated Ace, the man known as Crow who stands ready for whatever Sky’s following action is… and lastly, Hazel and Violet, who are plopped forward on their knees, helplessly awaiting a brutal fate.

Then, Hazel marginally opened her eyes and strained her neck into a measly nod. And something at that moment told Sky that if she stayed… if she fought… she’d surely be throwing her own life away and sealing her friends' fates. Swearing under my breath, Sky realizes what she must shamefully do.

Her chest pounded a beat louder with each stride as she walked over to Hazel and Violet, passing between them as their dull eyes followed Sky's every step.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… I'm sorry…" whispers Sky, trying to remain strong as she wraps around the back of Hazel. Reaching her hand into the backpack that Hazel never fully zipped up, Sky feels the crumpled-up piece of paper lying at the top of the bag. Tears filled Sky’s eyes as she double-checked the paper, confirming that it was the one on which she had written down the encrypted code earlier.

Not wanting them to see her blubbery face again, Sky continues walking past them after obtaining the paper. She wipes the tears from her eyes as she struggles to keep her uncontrollable sobs from weeping loud enough for her friends to hear.

Tightly scrunching the paper in her right hand, Sky quietly mumbled as she began her trek back to camp, "I'm sorry… if only I were stronger. If either of you survives this… I'll come- I'll come back… and try to save you… No! I will save you! I promise… I promise I'll get strong enough to save you!"

Leaving her friends behind with that monster, Sky curses her lack of strength the whole way back. Repeatedly vowing to herself that she’ll never be so weak and pathetic again, Sky pledges to become somebody who can always protect the people she cares about so something like this could never happen again.

And maybe… just maybe, if I get strong enough... I might be able to save you as well, Ace…