3 Blood Bath

*Natalia's POV*

I duck and weave between the people in the clearing. Thanks to how small I am, no one notices as I eavesdrop on their conversations.

(Maybe I can figure out where I am and how I got here.)

At least, that's my train of thought.

I can't help but feel a sense of urgency. It's been there ever since I woke up in the cave.

Everyone falls quiet at almost the same time.

The once almost calm atmosphere suddenly turns tense, a hint of nervousness in the air.

(Fuck, I can't see! Of all the times to be short!)

Fighting my way through the crowd, I ignore all the glares as I make my way to the outside of the semi-circle of people.

Only after climbing onto a large boulder am I able to see what everyone's looking at.

(Who's that in the hood?)

Despite the distance, I can hear every single word the man is saying. It's almost like he's standing right in front of me.

His last words send a chill up my spine. Without hesitation, I jump off the rock I was just standing on and sprint into the forest.

*Kairo's POV*

I can hear people muttering

"Where did he come from?"

"What does he mean by 'new group'?"

"Who is 'we'?"

"Why does he sound so bored?"

All of these questions have been coursing through my mind. Except for that 'why does he sound so bored?' bit.

(I mean, seriously? I feel like we've got more important concerns at the moment.)

I can hear Rat asking me a question, but my entire focus is on the cloaked man. It feels like he's going to say more, and I don't want to miss a single word.

"First off, you guys can call me Burch. I'm an...examiner of sorts. Hopefully, you guys can impress us."

'What the fuck is he talking about?! An examiner? And again, who is us?'

"Think of this as a competition of survival. We're going to let a bunch of goblins have at you. Whoever's left after the sun rises are the victors. You can also try to kill all of them, but good luck with that. Try to be back in this clearing as soon as the test is over. Good luck."

Before I have a chance to blink, he disappears.

My eyes skim across the crowd, then the trees.

He's nowhere to be found.

A horn sounds from somewhere in the woods, drawing my gaze and everyone's attention.

As is slowly dies out, a loud CLANG resounds across the clearing.

The shadows of the trees seem to shift with the flickering of the torches, until the torches start going out one by one.

Everytime a torch went out, the darkness surrounding the clearing slowly crept in, finally surrounding them completely as the last torch went out with a hiss.

Now, the only thing lighting the clearing is the carpet of stars stretching across the heavens.

As a cloud moves out from in front of the moon, the clearing is bathed in a crimson light.

That's when they creep out of the forest, pointy wart covered noses leading them.

A group of ten. Chipped swords dangle from their hands, dragging on the ground.

Clouds of steam puff from their mouths as they slowly walk into the clearing.

When the one in front smiles, my stomach lurches. It's crooked teeth drip with slobber, which slowly dribbles down to the ground.

They stand there, as if frozen, until someone screams.

That's when it starts. The massacre. The blood bath.

They charge at the people immediately in front of them, mowing them down without mercy, and get on with the next people.

People are pushing, shoving, even attacking each other, anything to get away from the goblins.

I just stand there in shock, unable to register, until Matt jostles me.

"We must go! They are nearly here!"

"Uh, yeah. We...we really do. Shit!"

Rat, Matt, and I turn to run, but a wall of people blocks our way. Hearing an unfamiliar squelching sound, I turn around and my eyes widen in horror.

A sword is sticking out of the guy behind me. A goblin stabbed him in the back.

The guy behind me is impaled, a sword sticking out of his stomach. A cackling goblin stands behind him, licking the blood off it's face.

Without thinking, I charge the goblin and push the guy on top of it before it can pull the sword out of him.

The goblin flounders as it falls to the ground, the weight of a carcass pinning it down.

I start stomping on the goblin's head like a wild beast. One kick, two, then there's a loud CRACK and it stops moving.

Panting for breath, I roll the guy that got impaled off of the goblin. After a moment of hesitation, I grasp the hilt of the sword and plant my foot on his back.

At first, the blade doesn't want to come out. However, after a few more tugs it slides out with a disgusting sucking noise similar to someone pulling their foot out of mud.

I turn back to Rat and Matt, still unable to catch my breath. They both look like they're going to be sick.

My stomach is rolling, but I ignore it as I turn to another goblin slashing someone's throat open.

The girl stares wide eyed at the goblin, desperately grasping at her throat, before collapsing.

The goblin looks over at its dead comrade, then fixes its beady eyes on me.

I charge before it has the chance to, the sword raised over my head poised to split its skull open.

As I clumsily bring the blade down, the goblin steps to the side and the sword buries itself into the ground.

My grip on the sword loosens as the goblin kicks me in the side. I hit the ground hard, desperately fighting to get air into my lungs.

A whistling noise makes me snap my head up to see the goblin bringing his sword down.