The Order of Dreams, with Sakura reluctantly in tow, moved cautiously through the shadowed hallways. Riku led the way, her oak staff tapping rhythmically against the floor. The tension in the air was palpable, pressing down on them, as cracks began to show.

  Sakura, still nursing her bruises, stole a glance at Emi, who kept a firm grip on her makeshift weapon. Her eyes darted warily toward The Alchemist, whose aura seemed to dominate the rear of the group. The subtle friction between the two factions, Riku’s theatrical Order and The Alchemist’s cryptic followers, was hard to miss, even for Sakura.

  “Where are we going?” Sakura asked, her voice breaking the uneasy silence.

  “The Alchemist has cost us dearly,” Riku declared, her voice heavy with disdain. She paused mid-step, tilting her head as if listening to some unseen whisper. “And yet, a riddle from the Fade leads us here.”

  Emi groaned, rolling her eyes. “It’s not a riddle. We’re heading to this ‘game’ because of them.” She jabbed her spear toward the Alchemist’s group, her movements sharp and accusatory. “He wasted our supplies, on a group of harlots, made alcohol and fed them sluts from earlier” as Akira plagued her mind

  At the rear, the Alchemist turned with deliberate grace, his crimson cloak swirling dramatically. His metallic mask, engraved with faintly glowing runes, gave his movements an air of theatrical menace. “This is no ordinary alcohol,” he replied, his voice low and even a hint of amusement dancing beneath the surface.

  Kaito snorted, his scepticism evident. “Let me guess, ‘it’s medicinal,’ right? Or is it just the only way someone like you can get a girl?”

  “More than that,” the Alchemist replied cryptically. “It is a powerful antibacterial, the foundation of many cosmetics, and the cause of countless terrible decisions.”

  Sakura frowned. “Why would you drink something like that? What’s the point? We could’ve used it for actual medicine in the nurse’s office.”

  The Alchemist’s masked face tilted ever so slightly, as if considering, Sakura question. “The point, dear Duchess,” he said, his voice dropping into an almost conspiratorial tone, “is that desperation and survival are often indistinguishable.”

  “Why are we even working with these clowns?” Emi hissed under her breath.

  “They’ve earned their place in the Order of Dreams” Riku replied, her tone lowered to a whisper but resolute. “For now. Am not sure how adjusted they’re to our current reality”

  “For now?!” Emi spat, her voice rising

  Alchemist interjected smoothly, turning his masked face toward Emi. His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it that hinted at underlying amusement as he jabbed a wiry man with a patchy beard and wild eyes. “Scab may not look the part, but he’s quite resourceful. Aren’t you, Scab?”

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “Got a nose for things, I do,” Scab crooned, grinning with yellowed teeth. He tapped his temple with a filthy finger. “Useful things.”

  “You’re creepy, is what you are,” Kaito muttered, “even before these games, I wouldn't let you handle my gear”

  Another, Lan, a lanky student with short-cropped hair and a leering smirk, carried jagged pieces of glass wrapped in cloth, smirk, twirling his jagged-glass weapon like a baton. Lan’s voice was lazy, but his eyes were sharp. “You lot are lucky to have us. You’d be half-dead without the Alchemist leading the way.”

  Emi stepped forward, her spear raised slightly, but Riku blocked her with a subtle movement of her staff. “Enough,” Riku said, her voice cold and commanding. “We have bigger problems than this childish squabbling.”

  “Lady Riku speaks,” The Alchemist said mockingly, sweeping into an exaggerated bow. “Lead on, the fade awaits, oh wise one. We eagerly await your brilliance.”

  Riku shot him a sharp look but didn’t rise to the bait. Instead, she turned and continued forward, her staff tapping rhythmically against the floor once more.

  The hallway grew darker as they progressed, the dim lights flickering and cameras and passing drones buzzing faintly above them.

  Finally, they stopped in front of a wide metal door, its surface scratched and scarred as if something or someone had tried to claw their way through. The faint scent of plaster and rust hung in the air. Above the door, bold red letters “Game Echo.”

  The Alchemist stepped forward, raising his hand. “The game begins,” he murmured.

  Sakura’s breath hitched. “I can’t... I can’t play again.” The words tumbled out before she could stop them.

  Without acknowledging her, The Alchemist pressed his palm to the door. A mechanical click echoed, and the door creaked open. Beyond it was a grand chamber, the floor a massive chessboard shimmering with an otherworldly light.

  At the far end of the board, colossal chess pieces loomed in perfect formation. The white and black figures shimmered under the eerie light, their surfaces carved with almost gospellike detail. The pawns, particularly, bore angelic or demonic expressions, their hollow eyes seeming to track the group’s every movement.

  At the far end of the board, colossal chess pieces, white and black, stood poised, their surfaces gleaming like polished stone. Each piece was intricately detailed, almost lifelike, and seemed to radiate a quiet menace.

  A low, resonant voice boomed from above. “Players, take your positions. The game is simple. Win, and you will be rewarded. Lose, and you will be removed from the board.”

  A drone zipped into view, its camera lens whirring as it fixed on the group.

  “After you,” The Alchemist said, his tone dripping with mock chivalry as he gestured toward the board.

  Riku didn’t hesitate. She stepped onto the board, her staff held high. Her crimson eyepatch caught the light as she turned back to the group. “Stay close. And stay sharp.”

  The group moved forward cautiously, their steps echoing on the strange surface. As they reached the centre, the white chess pieces began to shift. With a metallic whir, panels on their backs slid open, revealing hollow compartments within.

  “Welcome back to the playground, Duchess,” Lan murmured, leaning close enough that his breath tickled her ear. His smirk widened as his voice dropped to a whisper. “Let’s hope you brought your A-game. Killer”

  Before Sakura could respond, the door behind them slammed shut with a deafening clang. The voice boomed again, low and commanding: “Players, take your positions. The game is about to begin.”

  Sakura’s hands trembled as she stepped onto the board, her mind flashing back to the last “game.” The weight of the accusations from others still bore down on her, the word “killer” echoing in her mind. She gritted her teeth, forcing her feet forward. “Not again,” she whispered to herself. “I won’t let this happen again.”