They were first led to the looming volcano that towered over the island and forests, the path curved upward, carved into hardened black rock. Ash crunched beneath their feet, and the air grew warmer with every step, the further they went the more heat radiated.
Lya folded her arms.
Lya: "So this thing's just… sitting here?"
Aron tilted his head back, squinting.
Aron: "Massive volcano on a tournament island. Real comforting."
Zephyr didn't speak, then one of the servants stopped, "You all needn't worry, this volcano has been inactive for centuries." She reassured them.
The path then shifted, descending away from the volcano and into dense woodland, the forest swallowed sound. Tall, dark trees towered overhead, letting not a single ray of sunlight through. Their branches tangled like grasping fingers, the leaves barely moved even when the wind stirred them.
Aron: "This place is creepy," he muttered. "No birds, no insects, just complete silence. Its really freaking me out man"
Lazarus nodded, "I agree, I don't like it as well."
Zephyr still, walked in silence, his eyes scanning the trees. Nothing moved, yet he kept feeling like he was being watched.
A servant then spoke without turning, "This forest covers the majority of the island."
Lya: "That's it?"
"Yes."
No elaboration.
They soon made it to the end of the trail and before them a colosseum emerged, stone padding replaced the soil beneath them, the walls of the colosseum tall, scarred, ancient looking.
One of the servants abruptly stopped, "This colosseum has stood on this island since before it was colonized by the Game Master," she said. "Its mystery remains shrouded in darkness, no records indicate when it was constructed but available data confirms that it has stood tall for over a millennium."
All the students started muttering over how ancient it was.
"Silence." Said one of the servants, and soon the voices quieted down.
They moved further along the trail, passing the colosseum quickly and soon they arrived at the main compound. The compound sat near the islands center, a sprawling structure of stone and dark glass, elegant and imposing.
"This is where you will all be staying." One servant announced.
They entered the compound, greeted by row upon row of servants and a massive, lavish, grand hall.
The servants guided the students and led them through hallway after hallway, until eventually they arrived at the residential section.
They then began assigning students numbers to their rooms.
"Room 047"
Aron smirked and saluted.
"Room 048"
Lya followed.
"Room 067"
Lazarus stepped forward.
After a while, Zephyr's turn finally came.
"Room 099"
Zephyr took the key and began walking to the end of the hallway, standing before his door, he put the key in and opened the door, revealing polished stone floors, soft lighting, plush bedding, A golden statue depicting a dragon, banners depicting lightning and thunder, and giant windows overlooking the forest, and beaches.
Once everyone was inside of their rooms, the servants spoke through a special device planted in each and every room.
"You are not permitted to leave your rooms until tomorrow, make sure you all rest up as the fight for your lives begins tomorrow."
They then left.
Time passed, not a single soul went out, and no one made any noise. It was as quiet as it could get.
Some students had already slept, others taking in the views outside, and some working out.
Soon, nightfall arrived. Outside, the ocean reflected faint moonlight.
Zephyr lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, bored, and restless, his curiosity gnawing at him.
After a long moment, he sat up, "just a look." He said to himself, as he reached for his door handle, slowly opening it and quietly closing his door. Zephyr then moved carefully, twisting and turning with the hallways, he went further and further, beyond the main hallways.
Eventually, he came across a library. The doors to it were massive, he slowly opened the doors and went inside, making sure to closing them behind him as quietly as possible.
Once, he was inside he took a good look around. Shelves stretched upward, filled with ancient tomes and records. A planetarium dome rested in the center, its surface etched with constellations and depicting the Solar system.
Zephyr was in the library for hours, exploring every detail of it, until his eyes drifted onto a book, titled, "The Lost History". He slowly reached for it, then the moment his fingers touched the spine—
Click.
A section of the wall shifted, and a hidden passage opened.
Zephyr, his curiosity driven to the point of no return, left the book and took a deep breath before entering the passage.
Once through, it revealed a giant, spiraling staircase, unlit. It was incredibly dark, so Zephyr crackled some lightning around his fingers to produce some light.
Down.
Down.
Down.
The steps felt endless, until finally, he reached the bottom.
A massive wooden door stood before him, at the very least, Triple his height, it was covered in vines and moss, a door beaten by time, and a heavy lock sealed it.
Zephyr didn't hesitate as he broke the lock.
Thud.
The lock fell to the floor.
Zephyr pushed the door open, a creaking sound echoed.
Darkness.
Then—
Torches ignited all at once, the chamber had revealed itself.
Dozens of murals filled the chamber, Walls carved with drawings, one a serpent, another an island and a colosseum, and another depicting a man surrounded by flames.
Endless depictions of ruin.
Zephyr walked slowly, his eyes scanning every carving, he spent a long time in the chamber, examining the walls. Then he saw it.
A wall draped in a giant, ragged, and thick red cloth.
He slowly approached it, and pulled it away.
The mural exploded into view, incredibly large, incredibly wide.
It depicted: the Earth Aflame, Tsunami's of Blood, Broken Crowns, Soldiers, weird shadow like beings, and a Three-Headed Dragon looming above it all.
Indecipherable text etched beneath.
Zephyr's eyes widened beyond belief.
When he reached out to touch the mural—
A voice called from behind.
"Ah… so you've made your way here Zephyr…"
Zephyr turned around, taking a fighting stance, and lightning crackling around his fists as if it were second nature.
Zephyr: "Who are you?! How do you know my name?" his voice shrouded in fear and curiosity.
The man stepped forward, his face covered in a mask, and a dark coat with red markings covering his body.
"I know many things," the man replied calmly, his voice raspy. "You are quitter famous, your fame has reached the ends of the Earth. The boy who survived an Essenz surge."
A drop of sweat rolled from Zephyr's face as his jaw tightened.
"But I know the truth. That wasn't a mere surge. You fought a crystallite, a high ranking one at that, enhanced by the cloak of chaos."
Zephyr: "…Crystallite?"
"Yes, Crystallite's, inhabitants of the Crystal realm."
Zephyr frowned, "Oh. Yeah… I vaguely remember her saying something along those lines."
Then his eyes narrowed. "Wait! How do you know all this?"
"I've been watching you, Zephyr. Your potential is—"
He paused.
"… beyond anything."
He continued, "Even if we were to gather the strongest, most talented people of the world, they still wouldn't even hold a candle to you, let alone even hope to scratch the surface of your endless potential."
Zephyr stayed silent, his guard still up.
"I see you're interested in this mural."
Zephyr: "Yeah. So, what of it?", he said, choosing his word carefully.
"I can tell you its meaning. And decipher the text."
Zephyr hesitated for a moment before speaking up, "…Alright. Tell me."
The man coughed and straightened his voice before he spoke.
"The Dragon has three heads:
One to be a murderer who will unleash death,
One to be a monarch whose crown will weigh heavy,
And one to be mad, whose ideas will change the course of history.
Sealed beneath the ruins, bound by the chains of the earth itself,
Laying dormant, forgotten by all but the cursed.
Yet when war and bloodshed plague the land,
When despair shrouds the skies and the earth is soaked in agony, the day when shadow and man go to war,
The beast shall rise, its fury awakened by the screams of all.
Its three heads, twisted by malice and madness,
Shall become the instruments of ruin.
The murderer shall drown the world in blood,
The monarch shall topple thrones, shatter nations, and twist the throne of power to dust,
And the mad dreamer shall rend the very fabric of creation,
Each unleashing death that will unravel the cosmos.
Together, they will scorch the earth to nothingness,
Their flames devouring every shred of hope,
Not as saviors, but as the harbingers of annihilation.
For the dragon's purpose is death, its destiny the erasure of all.
It shall bring forth the End,
And leave naught but desolation, where once life bloomed."
When he finished—
Zephyr's arms trembled, his legs shaking, and his eyes widened beyond belief.
The man chuckled creepily.
"You've heard enough. Go. Before you are caught."
Zephyr didn't hesitate for even a second.
He ran.
Faster than ever.
He eventually made his way back to his room, bursting through the door, sweating, panting, mind unravelling.
He collapsed onto the bed, and tried to sleep.
That night, he dreamt horrible things.
Floods of blood, the heads of civilians, mountains of ash, and the dragon. He woke up in a panic, realizing It was morning already. Wishing he hadn't heard or seen what he did.