INT. ANNOUNCEMENT HALL – NIGHT
The survivors stand in silence. Forty-five left. The chamber hums faintly as Gabriel descends, his golden gaze sweeping across the room.
Gabriel (calm, cold): Congratulations... survivors.
He pauses, letting the word hang.
Gabriel (mocking): But don't fool yourselves. Passing trials does not mean you have truly survived. And when the portal to Hell opens... most of you will not come back.
A few scoff.
Candidate (low, bitter): Tsk. Typical.
Gabriel raises his hand. The chamber darkens. A massive crimson screen ignites behind him. Lines of glowing names scroll downward.
Gabriel: You have been measured. Every step, every breath, every choice. Strength, adaptability, flexibility — all calculated. This is your place among the chosen.
Gasps ripple through the hall.
The screen reveals the top ranks:
1. Kairo Veyra
2. Kwame Oba
3. Cassian Damaris
4. Tanaka Ren
5. Riku Tsukiyama
6. Lyra Mei
7. Kael Draven
8. Elias Ward
9. Sofía Alvarez
10. Viktor Novák
The chamber erupts in whispers and sharp intakes of breath. Some glare at the screen, others bow their heads in shame.
Arven's eyes scan downward, his heart pounding — then he finds it.
15. Arven Solis
Shock floods his chest. Some glance at him, surprised. Others sneer, unimpressed.
Further down the board —
42. Julian Reyes
Julian trembles, staring at the floor, unable to meet anyone's eyes.
Then Arven notices something more disturbing. Scattered across the list:
???. Unknown
???. Escaped
???. Dead
Names flicker in and out, broken fragments of the chosen who never reached this place.
Narration: Even the dead are counted. Even the lost remain. Shadows on a board that measures more than strength — it measures fate itself.
The survivors argue.
Candidate 1 (snapping): This is insane! We're not numbers on a wall!
Candidate 2 (mocking): Easy to say when you're at the bottom.
Cassian (icy, controlled): It's obvious. They want us to turn on each other. Rankings make rivals. Rivals make killers.
Kael glances sideways at Arven, his tone sharp but quiet.
Kael: Fifteenth, huh? Not bad. But don't mistake it for glory. This isn't praise. It's a warning.
Arven clenches his fists, eyes locked on his glowing name, feeling the heat of judgment.
Narration: The leaderboard was more than numbers. It was a promise. A reminder that every step closer was one step nearer to Hell.
To be continued...