Judging from the number of voices I can hear from outside of this tent. There are around 100 people here. 100 points. That would let me pass.

  The timer says 52 minutes, counting down way too fast, I don't do well with time limits or stress. I do have one point, but my number still isn't green, which means 20 demons haven't died yet.

  “Become their hero.” An intrusive thought places itself in my mind in the voice of Lilith, much like with cutting my arm off, much like when I went to Anne’s hut.

  Whatever was connecting her voice to my ears gets cut, the ringing of silence coming back. I decide not to dwell on whatever is happening with Lilith, it won't help my current situation.

  Nobody is in the tent anymore, left to search for survivors, they’re all non-stop.

  I get up, deciding to find and take out whoever could survive turrets and tanks, basically a suicide mission. Stepping out of the tent I see people running back and forth with stretchers, some with people, some without, all with pained expressions.

  I would heal them, but I have no idea if they’d react the way I did when the original Null healed me, it's too risky. I find the man who talked to me earlier wrapping bandages around a burnt woman's leg.

  “Where did she go... the demon?” I ask as unobtrusively as I could.

  He points, what seems to be in the direction of a huge hill.

  If they injured her, I could win, I just can't use magic to finish her off.

  “Do you have any explosives?”

  He nods, someone takes over the woman's bandages while he takes me to a crate in the corner of the base, full of what seems to be grenades, it doesn't feel like its protocol to have this many grenades stuffed into a crate.

  How do grenades even work? They are just full of shrapnel, right?

  I stare at the crate for a moment, these won't work, “did you hit her with a tank?”

  “We did.”

  “A direct hit?”

  “Yes.”

  Im not sure if my earlier attack with that pea sized bomb could hurt her then. “I need to ask something gross.”

  He steps back a bit, putting his hands in his cargo pants, probably readying a knife, “okay. Shoot.”

  “Where are you keeping your corpses?”

  “No.”

  Figures.

  “Okay.” I walk away from the crate, I have absolutely no idea how to do this. My head is still pounding from that spell before, it’s taking a lot of focus to keep my wound from opening. Focus that I do not have whatsoever right now.

  I have that heating spell, that healing spell, that implosion spell, that downwards gravity spell, that explosion spell and that growing spell. None of these are useful. Nothing I can use currently.

  The man leaves, apparently bored of me. There has to be something, I have to rely on someone.

  I look for the man, who is now writing something on a piece of paper. Paper. “hey uh... i don't even know your name but. I need paper.”

  “It's Anders. For a spell?”

  Back in the dinner party, multiple people had said ‘morva eris’ at the same time in unison, they were clumped up together, like somehow physically connecting added their blood potency together to the spell they performed.

  “Yes, for a spell.”

  He gives me a flat piece of A4 paper, along with a knife, already knowing how spells are made apparently, I cut my finger and use the knife as a rough fountain pen, writing out a simple implosion spell.

  I move towards an empty crate, placing the implosion spell on top and moving back around 5 steps, “Morva eris.”

  ... nothing happens.

  “MORVA ERIS!” I scream like a mad man, getting a few rude stares.

  ... apparently, I can't activate it from this far of a distance.

  “Urgh.” I touch the grass below me, letting it dissolve under my fingers into the liquid, having it sliver down the path towards the spell, this is a long shot of an idea, but if this innate magic is a part of me, it would make sense it would act as an extra limb.

  I see as the line reaches the piece of paper, “morva eris.”

  With an overly loud thud I see the crate turn into a sphere, some planks springing out and nails falling onto the floor.

  I turn to Anders, who was watching me from a distance, obviously put on patrol as my babysitter, “I have a plan.”

  “Yeah?”

  “You get everyone clumped together, I lure the demon out, place a... 2000% explosion spell on the field, she runs down, we all activate it from a distance.”

  This is risky, I couldn't withstand a 100% explosion spell, so there's a high likelihood that everyone dies from overexertion.

  “That doesn't seem-”

  “Please. It should work, and if a tank doesn't stop her then this will be your only chance to kill her.”

  “We don't need to kill her, we need to keep her back until the hour is over, then we will be back to peace.”

  I forgot about that fact, they aren't on a time limit, they just have to outlive the time limit. Theres no benefit to risk everyone, if I was him, I'd tell me to fuck off.

  “Please.” I stare into his eyes, “its selfish, you could all die. But it would kill her, and she won't harm anyone else.”

  He doesn't say another word, “ill speak to the others.”

  I nod as he walks away, talking to the 2 other men who seem important, I get to work right away, writing down the explosion spell with the 2000% multiplier on it. I'll have to plant it far enough, so it doesn't kill everyone in the blast radius. But close enough so my innate magic can reach it.

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  I finish the spell and rip the empty part of the paper, I let the blood dry, hoping the symbols keep their meaning.

  I hear a megaphone turn on, Anders voice spreading to the whole camp, “who wants to risk their lives to kill that devil. Raise your hand.” He asks plainly, not putting much emotion into it. Nobody puts their hand up.

  I walk over to him, “may I speak?”

  He nods, reluctantly passing me the megaphone, it smells of cigarettes somehow.

  “Hey, I'm Fay. I'm one of the people who is participating in the ranking, currently I'm pretending to be a demon to join their ranks and take them out from the inside.”

  I hate doing this, my voice is awkward, a crowd begins to form, what must be around 80 people, their eyes piercing through me like all they see is the culmination of evil. “I was taken by demons 5 years ago at 14, they kept me and my friends in a town full of mud, I understand how easy it is to want the easy way out. Trust me I would have taken the easy way out myself, to wait until it's over.”

  The megaphone squeaks, “I, just like you... hate these demons, how they treat us like cattle, as resources, like we don't even have the capability to feel pain, we won't try to fight back because we won't win right? All we can do is survive right?”

  Nobody seems to care in the crowd, some don't even understand what I'm saying, “they... they took our lives, I'd be in college right now if they didn't take me, I'd be dating, I'd be making embarrassing memories, I'd be watching movies and eating shitty takeout, id have the capacity to feel happiness we could never dream of if they didn't exist, and you know what?

  You know what I've learnt from my time dealing with these creatures who try to control us? They are miserable, they are angry, they are unhappy with the lives they are given so they try to make us feel the same things, they aren't gods, they are sad creatures given too much power they don't know what to do with.”

  For some reason I feel my eyes twitch, something in-between anger and depression rooting into my voice like an infection, “so I have a plan, that demon who killed your friends, your family, the one who took lives knowing she won't lose her own.”

  “I want that demon in 20 different places at once, blown to smithereens, because we are humans, and humans blow up the shit we don't like. Because if she advances through this test, she will hurt a lot more people than just you all, she will ruin even more lives, torture more people.”

  I tried my best, if Jackson was speaking, they’d be enthralled, but I'm not one for people.

  “How?” A girl says.

  “Yeah how?” Someone I can't see behind the crowd asks.

  I clear my throat, “I have a spell, it'll cause an explosion that will be more powerful than any tank, any turret. But it requires us to clump together and activate it at once. It could kill all of us, or none of us. But it'll surely kill her.”

  “Why don't you do it alone then?” Someone holding a child asks.

  “Because I don't want to die, if I did it alone it would surely kill me, it's a selfish request. I want to survive to get stronger and save the people I love... whoever wants to help just put up your hand...”

  I don't expect anyone to, my speech wasn't special, it was just me dumping my problems on people hoping they’ll join my suicide pact.

  I see one person put their hand up, then back down when they realise nobody else is. “This has a higher chance of not killing everyone the more people join in.”

  “How many people does there need to be?”

  I could lie, give a number that might not be true. “I don't know, but more people means more spread on the damage.”

  My bracelet beeps, it shows 45 minutes left, “please.”

  I put the megaphone on the floor, a kid, someone who reminds me of Noah walks forward, “I want to help.” He must be 14.

  Nobody else joins, “No. Ill just. Ill do it alone i guess.”

  Either way I'll be dead, I might as well take out another demon with me. I hold the spell in my hand, I'm not sure if it'll even activate if it's just me.

  “I want to help too.” a man who looks to be in his 30s walks forward, his frame lanky and his height unusually tall, “I had a wife back before... I understand how much you missed in life. I'll help.”

  Someone else stands forward, a man with a beard, along with two kids who seem to be friends with the first person who stood forward.

  The crowd begins to fill with chatter, some languages I don't understand, exchanging information. Some people shaking their heads, some people nodding.

  Another person steps forward, “my kids would be sad if I didn't help you cause a big explosion.”

  This reminds me of the revolution Jackson tried to start, i feel like I emotionally manipulated everyone here, I want to tell them to run away, to be selfish, to not fight back because it isn't practical. That these people are risking their lives for absolutely nothing.

  Around 40 people join my side of the camp, the rest on the fence or rejecting the idea, the crowd who joined me are mostly younger people, much like the resistance back in the mud town.

  I hold out the paper. “Okay... so I'm going to plant this in the field, lure her out, run back here and then we activate the spell, okay?”

  Everyone nods, fully accepting I can do this despite not knowing me, “if at any time I fail, run.”

  Anders gives me a pat on the back, “I think this is stupid. But the people who died should have a good show as they drift to the afterlife correct?” My bracelet beeps, the number 2 appearing red.

  So, the number of people you ‘captured’ also includes people who are following you or trust you. That’s stupid.

  “Okay. When I get back, I need you all to group together, hold onto me and each other, ill count down from 3 and then we all say ‘morva eris’ okay?”

  A few people translate for me, everyone nodding along. Its mind boggling how quickly you can form a suicide cult through grief.

  I'm sorry everyone. “Okay. Everyone be ready.”

  Anders follows me to the gate, we walk onto the rough terrain where the last battle took place, he points, “she went that way.”

  “Thanks... I'm sorry.”

  He stops me as I begin walking. “You seem under the misinterpretation you are forcing these people to follow your plan.”

  “I am.”

  “You confuse them for martyrs.” He pats me on the back, “go kill her.”

  I walk, for a few steps, slowly speeding up, the hill getting closer and closer. I place the spell once I reach the halfway point. Lowering myself and dissolving the long grass as I walk. Creating a line of innate magic, the protection for my arm wound begins to drip, a few cracks open and leak blood.

  I reach the top and see the woman, green hair, green eyes, the palest skin I have ever seen, pointy ears that resemble an elf’s.

  She is sitting cross-legged on the grass, playing with a flower, on her bracelet I can see the number “421.”

  421 people have died by her hand, she is holding a small bag that she jiggles, smiling at the sight.

  She knows I'm here, there's no way she doesn't, she just isn't acknowledging me.

  “Sit.” she speaks fluently, her voice buttery. “I'm not going to bite, come on.” She plays with the flower, it changes colours from red to blue to green.

  I sit down, needing to find a way to lure her down when she so clearly doesn't care.

  “Here you go cutie.” She tries to hand me the flower, I leave her arm outstretched, not wanting to play into whatever she is doing.

  “Oh. I understand. Is your arm okay? Does it hurt?” She puts her hands on the grass and leans forward, “you've been through so much... poor thing...”

  I lean back, “I'm going to... attack the base... can you come down in 2 minutes? To help?”

  Theres no way she doesn't see through this, her eyes change colour from green to blue, “oh... yes. I can...”

  I have no clue what rank she is, but there is something overwhelming about her beyond pure strength.

  “You have strings connecting you to another... I can see with my eyes.” She pokes at my heart, “I'm so sorry for what they do to you... I'm sorry.” She begins to cry, the tears leaving trails of grey on her pale skin. “i will come down in 2 minutes... please be ready for me... please.”

  Her hands touch my face, stroking my cheek in a way that somehow isn't threatening despite how scared I am.

  “Okay.” I get up, “2 minutes.”

  “2 minutes.” She lays stomach first on the grass, flowers sprouting around her, she begins to hum a tune, something a mother would sing to a child.

  I walk down the hill, counting in my head, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

  I get down the halfway point, the paper still resting, I begin to leave a trail of innate magic, 22, 23, 24, 25.

  I get to the flat part where craters begin to overwhelm the ground, walking towards the gate, 51, 52, 53, 54.

  I pass Anders, he walks back with me, 82, 83, 84, 85.

  I get to the group. The innate magic trail obvious on the dirt path, the magic covering my arm wound is fully opening, bleeding and joining the innate magic trail.

  “Okay are we ready?”

  Theres less people than before, some people got cold feet most likely, around 30 now. They grab my back, other people grabbing the backs of the people who are grabbing my back.

  111, 112, 113, 114.

  Through the gate I can clearly see her walking down, directly towards the paper. Almost suspiciously so.

  “Okay... you all ready? On ‘go.’”

  I take a breath in, wrapping the innate magic to my remaining hand, holding it like a whip. “1, 2, 3.”

  She stops directly on top of the paper, waving directly at me.

  “Go.”