"Lastly, check out your arm, your dominant arm's shoulder."
I looked at my right arm because of what Author mentioned. I am wearing my short-sleeved blouse, so my shoulders aren't fully visible.
"Behind your sleeves is your ordinal number name."
I unbuttoned the first three buttons of my blouse and slipped the collar down to my right shoulder. I was puzzled to see that there was a tattoo on it.
Zero and two, 02. These are the numbers tattooed on it. I don't know when I got a tattoo when I was still on Earth, but did I really get a tattoo?
Author disrupted us. "That will be your temporary name. And it follows." The big letter capital A hologram changed into numbers and ordinal numbers.
Author continued.
"1st as First
2nd as Second
3rd as Third
4th as Fourth
5th as Fifth
6th as Sixth
7th as Seventh
8th as Aeith
9th as Ninth
10th as Tenth
11th as Eleventh
12th as Twelf
13th as Thirzen
14th as Forzen
15th as Fifzen
16th as Sixzen
17th as Sevenzen
18th as Aeizen
19th as Ninezen
20th as Twentieth
21st as Firstwen
22nd as Sectwen
23rd as Thirtwen
24th as Fortwen."
I noticed that our number names are strange, as if they were mixed with other spellings or languages. It's a bit unusual, but it also seems to be derived from the English ordinal number. The boys are classified in odd numbers, while the girls are even numbers. I remembered it one by one, then took note of it carefully.
The hologram went back to being letter A.
Author resumed after we read the temporary names it was referring to. "You will also notice that from black, the color of the number changes on your skin. From black to gold means your life span increases. The more effort you put in, the longer the life span you will have. Make it one of your goals to change its color fully into gold."
I looked at my shoulder again. The black edge is fading with a slight hint of gold, which means my life span is increasing!
The hologram screen changed from an old font of letter A to our profile. There are 24 pictures of us, like a 1-inch by 1 inch picture wearing our school uniforms. Below our picture are the numbers 01-24 same thing that's currently tattooed on us, and the corresponding ordinal number names.
According to our number names, the arrangement of our profile places me in the first row, second column. I noticed something strange. I saw two of our members who have passed away. By looking into their pictures on the hologram screen, they are named in ordinal numbers, Eleventh (11th) and Thirzen (13th). The words 'game over' are tagged below their pictures with a big red X watermark.
"Two of your comrades died at level 1 stage 1. They died because they are weak, and nothing can be done about it, that's why it's already a game over for them." Someone's fist clenched from what we all heard what Author just said.
"Hey! You don't know their sacrifices!" shouted a boy with long, dark blue hair.
I can understand his anger. I recognized that the three of them were together when Eleventh and Thirzen were still alive.
"I know, I know. That's why nothing can be done about it. If you don't want to die, then live. But in order to live, you must fight."
My hand just went numb from the pent-up anger. Author is aware that human life depends on this game, yet it calmly speaks as if we're nothing but prey. We might not know each other well, but you can't just trample other people's lives, even if we receive a prize.
Our pictures disappeared, and the hologram returned with the big letter A on it.
"That number names of yours were already embedded right after you entered the castle. This is a closed area, therefore you will live here while waiting for new challenges and the next stages. I assure you that you'll enjoy this cozy place. But more importantly, enjoy the game!" Author said with a mocking tone.
Many questions still formed in my mind. I am not satisfied with the answers I got.
"Go and find the answers that you seek... Good luck." then the hologram disappeared like a bubble before our eyes.
"I have more questions!" I yelled, but no one could answer me now. We had a lot of questions, but we only got a few answers.
I held the tattoo on my arm. It looks like a simple tattoo, but it's embossed on the skin.
Author mentioned that at any time, something could attack us. It did not mention what kind of game it was for stage 2. We should not be complacent just because we are in a nice and lavish place. This castle is too fancy for my liking and might tempt us to let our guard down. We're supposed to be always alert and ready.
The last thing Author said was stuck in my head. "Go and find the answers that you seek..."
If there are up to three levels and many more stages, we will have a hard time. Just last night, the one with the monster had our two friends. How about in the next levels and stages to come? We're not even halfway there. This is all just the beginning, and thinking about it, makes me nervous.
"Let's do this! Don't let what that hologram said bring us fear. It will be better to search this castle and check if we can find anything," an encouraging word from our chubby leader—no, he's Firstwen (21st). I saw it there in the hologram screen profile earlier. And our other leader who wears eyeglasses is Third (3rd).
Before carrying out the plan, others couldn't move right away but got disturbed by what Author revealed to us. But there are still those who smiled and laughed the topic off to lighten the mood. As for me, I was left standing in the middle of the living area and stared at the alluring chandelier above me.
Gradually, the castle was filled with noise when they were now introducing each other with the names Author temporarily gave us. I have no idea how long we are going to use these names, but this is better than nothing. This is probably the first time that something good has happened here. Author gave us names that it also stole our real names from us. Quite ironic, isn't it? Others took action and then went up to the second floor to search the entire castle at the command of the two leaders. I was still left standing awhile, and deeply thinking about the events.
"Oy!" the talkative—I mean, wait, I forgot her number name. She ran to me while having the biggest smile I've seen from her so far. She put her arm around my shoulder. "What's your name, huh?" she giggled.
I slipped down my sleeves to show to her my tattooed number.
"You, that's you! Your name suits you!" I don't know how that number name suited me, but I'm glad to hear that compliment.
She lifted her short sleeves on her right arm. "And I'm Aeith!" Aeith because she got 08 numbers tattooed on her right arm. She was so eager to approach everyone to tell them her name. She gave me a big hug.
"Guys!" I heard a cute calming voice approaching us. She is modest in act and speech, as well as her voice which went well with her petite figure.
She smiled at us. "Finally, we have names!" She held out her right hand as if to shake hands. "My name is Fourth!" Her number is 04. She grabbed my right hand for a warm handshake as if this was our first meeting.
I see in them the fun behind the bitter and confusing things that are happening to us and will happen next. Somehow, my problems disappeared for a moment when I saw them smiling because of a small thing. Even for this short period, I want these smiles to last.
I smiled at them and introduced myself, "I'm Second. Glad to meet you too."