The next morning came too quickly. The hum of the school, the distant sounds of machinery, and the faint whispers of other students in the halls were all reminders that the carefree days of exploration were over. Today, the trials would begin.
Alex stood by the window of their dormitory, staring out at the expanse of the city beyond the Dome. The buildings stretched far and wide, a mix of cutting-edge tech and ancient stone. He could feel the weight of the day ahead pressing down on him, but there was something else, too — an excitement, a fire that had been smouldering ever since they walked through the gates.
"Big day ahead, huh?" Lily said, appearing next to him, her voice light but tinged with a seriousness that matched the moment. Her arms were crossed, her gaze fixed on the horizon.
Alex nodded, his fingers tapping the glass. "Yeah. Guess we'll see if all this talk about trials lives up to the hype."
"Hope you're ready to fight for it," Lily replied, her tone playful, but her eyes sparkled with that competitive edge.
The group made their way down the sleek, polished corridors of the academy. The walls were lined with moving displays, showing different trials, challenges, and events from past years. But none of it felt real until they reached the massive doors at the end of the hallway — the entrance to the Trials.
The doors opened silently, revealing a vast, open arena. The room was dimly lit, the walls high and imposing, stretching upward into shadows. The floor was made of a reflective surface that seemed to pulse with energy beneath their feet.
A tall figure stood in the centre of the arena, waiting. Her silver hair shimmered in the low light, and her dark eyes scanned the group as they entered.
"You've made it," she said, her voice calm and composed. "Welcome to the Hall of Trials." "I'm sure you've all heard the rumours about how tough these trials can be. Some of you will face physical tests. Others will be mental. All of you will be tested together. But this time, everything is different. Your main goal is to survive."
The arena faded away as if it were nothing more than a hologram. The group blinked, and suddenly they found themselves standing on the edge of a vast, rocky cliff. The sky was dark and stormy, swirling with ominous clouds that seemed to echo with thunder.
A large screen appeared in front of the group
[Day: One.
[Opponent: Avork (Silent Slayer)
[Time until the next match: 24 hours. [Recovery between matches: None [Deaths result in forced respawn after [200ms
[If the battle lasts too long, multiple enemies will appear.
The simulation launched with no countdown — just a sudden shift, like gravity, forgot where it belonged. Then came footsteps.
Avork walked into view — no weapons, no armour, just sleeveless gear and scars that told every story his mouth refused to. He wasn't massive, but the energy rolling off him crackled under his skin.
"He's the one who fought the enemy to a standstill," Liana murmured. "And died doing it."
"Died," Kyle echoed, uneasy. "So… he lost."
Avork didn't speak. He simply raised his hand and motioned for them to come.
They rushed in but he had already acted
His first strike dropped at Zack instantly. Zack respawned a blink later behind the team with a gasp — but it rattled everyone. It was at this moment they realized:This wasn't a game.
They attacked.
And died.
Alex lunged. His spine cracked before he touched the ground.
Mia screamed as her knee bent the wrong way — then silence.
Kyle lasted two seconds. A flick to the throat. Collapsed.
Zack burned through all his confidence, fists flailing — until Avork folded him with one blow to the chest.
Lily landed a hit. Or so she thought — until her arm snapped sideways like glass.
Liana coordinated, calculated — and ended up with blood in her mouth and her nose broken again.
Respawn. 200ms. Pain echoing. Memories real.Over. And over. And over.
They died over fifty times by hour six. More after that.
They tried formations.
Alex stood up. Again. Scarred now. He didn't know why he did it, but his voice cracked anyway.
"Why are you called the Silent Slayer?"
Avork turned.
Then, with mechanical precision, raised his hand. He spoke "Vorrsink"
And pointed.
Right at Alex.
Alex's heart stopped.
His chest folded.
His skull cracked like a dropped vase.
White light.
Respawn.
Alex gasped on the ground, vomiting from the shock.
Every death blurred into the next — limbs torn, necks twisted, skulls shattered against rusted metal and cracked stone. They would die, come back in 200 milliseconds, and charge again like puppets on a string.
It wasn't bravery.
It was madness.
Lily stopped speaking entirely. Her eyes were wide, unblinking. Her hand never stopped shaking.
Kyle kept clenching his fists. Not to fight — but to feel real.
Even Liana, the calm—her plans turned frantic. She tried directing them like chess pieces, like math. But Avork didn't follow logic. He moved when they blinked. He struck where it hurt the most.
And always, he was silent.
At hour 19, they tried one final, coordinated push. All six, full speed. Screaming.
And for a moment—it looked like they got him. Their fists landed. Blades slashed.
When the dust cleared…
Avork stood untouched in the centre of a crater.
Zack's body hung from a jagged spike of concrete. Zack started laughing. Then crying.
Even Lily, fierce and defiant, flinched when Avork looked her way.
They regrouped again. Shaking. Sweating. Broken in ways they didn't understand.
By 22, all six were collapsed, shaking, coughing up blood and bile. They weren't even trying anymore. Just dodging and dying, hoping it would end.
And then it did.
SYSTEM MESSAGE:
TRIAL 1 FAILED.
You have not defeated your target.
Recovery initiated. Time remaining: 2 hours.
The next opponent will arrive after reset.
Their bodies flickered—lifted—dragged into the light.
When they landed in the white-walled recovery room, no one cheered. No one said anything. Their bodies began to heal, but not their minds.
No food. No beds. Just silence.
Just time to remember every way they died.
Alex slumped against the wall, face bruised, ribs cracked.
Liana sat beside him, silent, eyes locked on the ceiling. Liana whispered, "If he's the weakest… what the hell are we fighting tomorrow?"
And now… they knew what this really was.
Armageddon.