Act 1: Groundskeeper: Chapter 13

“W-Wren?” I said, dumbfounded, the pain caused by the metal shards in my legs momentarily forgotten.

“You.” Said Wren’s corpse, despite the lack of vocal cords. “The grace period has come to an end, and you still exist. You cannot exist. Your very existence contradicts the Story.”

Huh? What did it mean by ‘the Story’? Whatever this thing was talking about didn’t make any sense to me.

“This isn’t personal. I have nothing against you; you seem like a good person in a world full of bad people, but our simultaneous existence is tearing apart reality. While I can’t do anything permanent to you here, know that I will find you.” The corpse reached out and grabbed my neck, keeping a strong grip no matter how much I struggled.

“See you soon, Twin.”

And then it tore my head from my body.

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I jerked up from the floor, gasping for breath and grabbing at my neck, making sure it was still there. I was back in the big room from before, Lucifer was still standing in the center, and everyone else was sitting up except for the black-haired, green-eyed guy.

“Oooooo!” Lucifer said with the tone of a sports announcer. “With Twin dead, that makes Stain the winner!” She snapped her fingers, and the guy she called Stain sat up like the rest of us.

At that moment, I felt someone hug me, and I looked down to see Wren pressing her face into my side. I reached out to pull her and hold her while stroking her hair with the hopes of comforting her. By that moment, I had realized that the events of the Hexagone were just a simulation, something I confirmed by looking at my watch and seeing that it was 0800; only an hour had passed. But even though it was a simulation, I felt everything. For Wren to have felt the pain of her limbs being shot off and then to have her head blown off… I didn’t know what this girl had been through to be able to bear that pain, but it was taking all of my willpower not to kill everyone around me. I looked around to see Den staring at me with what appeared to be hurt and betrayal in his eyes. He still thought that I killed him.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Now that our exercise is over,” Started Lucifer, “We can do introductions! While some of us already know each other, some of us are new! Let’s start with our new team leader, Stain!”

Stain’s eyes widened at this announcement, seemingly caught by surprise. “Well umm… I’m Agent 5634, otherwise known as Stain and um… my Parabilities are superstrength, regeneration, and increased stamina.” He then turned to Den.

“I’m Agent 8000, just call me Den, and my Parability is plant manipulation.”

Then there was the guy I had decapitated. “Agent 8870, Codename Gray, Parabilities are increased thought speed and minor water manipulation.”

Next was everyone’s favorite, Lale. (That was sarcasm.) “I am THE Agent 8210, but you, my friends, may call me Lale. My Parability is one superior to all, shapeshifting and regeneration.”

Then it was my turn. “I’m Agent 2222, but everyone just calls me Twin, and I don’t have a Parability.” That got everyone’s attention.

Finally was Wren. “I-I’m A-Agent 0088 and my Parability is sound mastery.”

My brain paused and did a double take. Wren’s number was 0088. That meant that she was a Snake Eye. The Snake Eyes were an old elite strike squad made out of Agent 0011, 0022, 0033, 0044, 0055, 0066, 0077, 0088, and 0099. I idolized the Snake Eyes. Hell, I don’t think anyone who’d ever been in a strike squad didn’t idolize the Snake Eyes. But in all of my limited research of the Snake Eyes, never was there a mention of anyone named Wren. There was 0011: Snake, who I had ran into on a couple of occasions, there was 0022: Watcher, there was 0033: Titan, there was 0044: Marrow, there was 0055: Astral (I had her autograph.), there was 0066: Clueless, there was 0077: Estus, There was 0088, Blaine, also Wren’s number supposedly, and there was Wenpur. But never was there a mention of a Wren. But hadn’t Lale said something about Blaine being truly gone? That was something that I would need to ask Wren about at a later time.

With so many questions on my mind, it reminded my of The Anomaly- or Lo. I wondered where he was, what was happening to him, and if I would ever see him again. But I could ask Lucifer about that after I ask her about the dress. For now, I had to go explain to Den why he shouldn’t kill me.