Apocalypse Baby

Dorion's words hung in the air like a storm cloud, heavy with scary implications.@@novelbin@@

Everyone understood immediately.

They needed each other to proceed, but even with teamwork, one person would inevitably be left behind as the pawn.

The unspoken stakes set off a wave of panic as thing were made clear.

Those who started moving earlier had the best chance of reaching safety, provided there were still enough players in Baranga's zone to share the risk.

Conny, one of the players, couldn't take the pressure any longer.

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Her breath hitched, and then, with a burst of desperation, she stepped onto the platform.

Baranga's blazing third eye snapped toward her instantly, its oppressive gaze locking onto her trembling form.

Ezekiel didn't hesitate and neither did Dorion, as both of them lunged forward together, their movements seeming synchronized.

The beast's glowing eye shifted away from Conny, scanning the two boys.

Its attention finally fixed on Dorion, whose feet landed just a fraction of a second slower than Ezekiel's.

"Dammit!"

Dorion hissed through gritted teeth, the weight of Baranga's burning gaze pressing down on him like an invisible furnace.

Sweat beaded on his brow as he stood frozen, muscles tense, unable to move without risking death.

Ezekiel, however, took full advantage of the distraction.

As soon as Baranga's focus settled on Dorion, Ezekiel surged forward another step, his pulse hammering in his ears.

Baranga's fiery third eye snapped onto him with unrelenting intensity, locking him in place under its suffocating gaze.

Behind him, Conny, still trembling, seized the opportunity to move.

Her desperate step drew the monster's attention away from Ezekiel, allowing him a brief moment of reprieve.

"Hey, kid!" Ezekiel called out to Dorion, who stood a few paces ahead.

"Why don't we coordinate our moves? At least give each other a heads-up. Moving together is risky, but if we communicate, it'll help everyone."

Dorion glanced back, a smirk curling his lips.

"You want us to call dibs on every step? No thanks," he said with a dismissive shrug. "I'm here to survive, not play nice. So no thanks."

Ezekiel scowled but didn't argue.

There was no point in trying to reason with Dorion. He was a loose cannon.

Suddenly, Marcus, another player, stepped into the trial zone. and Baranga's gaze immediately shifted toward him.

Both Ezekiel and Dorion saw this and decided to seize the moment.

But Ezekiel hesitated mid-stride, pulling himself back at the last second.

Dorion leaping forward.

No.

Turning this into a competition with Dorion would only end in disaster, as one of him was bound to make a mistake.

A single misstep would mean death, and he couldn't afford to be brash and lose focus.

Dorion, unbothered by Ezekiel's caution, or anything remained ahead.

If he got a chance he was taking it with confidence.

He wasn't going to die in some stupid game.

As the tension built, another player, George, suddenly leaped onto the platform, drawing Baranga's attention away from the others.

And Ezekiel clenched his fists, his mind racing.

Stay calm. Stay alive. Focus.

The opportunity was there, and this time, Ezekiel didn't falter.

As George distracted the beast, both Ezekiel and Dorion surged forward, their movements sharp and precise, each trying to stay ahead of the other.

Then another player, Sally who had screamed and cried when Bart died, crossed the line in a blind panic.

Her steps were frantic, and fear was etched across her face.

Seeing other players go forward and hearing Dorion's words prompted her to move.

But her desperation became her undoing.

The moment Baranga's piercing gaze turned to her, she froze mid-step, her legs trembling beneath her.

She flinched, stumbled backward, and in an instant, her body ignited in searing flames.

Her terrified scream cut through the air, but it lasted only seconds before she was reduced to ash.

"Dammit!" Ezekiel cursed, clenching his fists.

"No!" Freya cried out, her voice breaking as silent sobs racked her body.

The group was now down to nine players.

Sally's death sent shockwaves through the rest, and for a brief moment, no one dared to move. The oppressive silence was only broken by the crackling sound of the scorched ground where Sally had stood.

But then, multiple players, seizing the opportunity while Baranga's attention wavered, leaped forward.

The beast's third eye darted sharply to the movement, locking onto the cluster of players in an instant.

Marcus was among them, and his heart raced as he landed.

He knew he was the last to move and suspected he had been caught.

He could feel the pressure of Baranga's gaze then bore down on him and he shivered, fearing what was coming.

But nothing had happened for a fleeting second, and relief washed over him.

He thought he was safe.

But then—

Whoosh!

"Aaaargh!"

Marcus's agonized scream tore through the arena as his body erupted in flames.

The flames consumed Marcus entirely, and within moments, he was reduced to a pile of ash.

His charred body crumbled like ash in the wind.

Now, they were eight.

Ezekiel clenched his fists so tightly that his nails bit into his palms.

The echo of Marcus's scream lingered in his ears, filling him with a mix of dread and anger, but he forced himself to focus on himself.

Ahead of him, Dorian let out a low chuckle, the sound dripping with dark amusement.

"Well, this is getting fun," he muttered before confidently stepping forward again, his movement smooth and deliberate.

From the sidelines, another player, Isaac, steeled himself and leaped into the twisted game as well.

He landed with a thud, his breathing heavy as adrenaline pumped through his veins.

But then, in an instant, Baranga vanished and reappeared right in front of Isaac, its massive frame towering over him.

Isaac froze, his eyes wide with shock.

"What the—?!" he stammered, stumbling backward.

His foot caught on the uneven ground, and he collapsed to the floor with a hard thud.

"Shit!" he hissed, panic overtaking him.

Baranga had never moved like that except when Ezekiel had first stepped forward.

The sudden, unpredictable behavior sent a wave of unease rippling through him causing him to fall.

Isaac's face went pale, and sweat dripped down his forehead as he realized he was doomed.

"No, no, no!" Isaac pleaded, stretching out his hand as if begging for salvation.

His voice cracked with desperation. "Wait—please, no—!"

SHOOM!

But Baranga didn't hesitate.

The flames erupted around Isaac, engulfing him entirely.

His screams echoed through the air, cutting through the tense silence like a blade.

Within seconds, his body disintegrated into ash, leaving nothing behind but a smoldering mark on the ground.

The group stood frozen, their breaths shallow and their hearts pounding.

And then, there were seven.