Death Maze

_09_(Bianca Irene Lee's Point of View)

"Rine, wake up..." I can feel someone tapping my cheeks impatiently

I opened my eyes and sat up, Chelsea and Lavalee are seated in front of me.

"It's noon," Chelsea said and Lavalee and I got up

We walked downstairs while Chelsea went to the security room.

"What happened?" I asked when I noticed the blood trails on the tiles on the front door

It's the only entrance and exit to this building.

"We tested the security system and none of the test subjects succeeded," Lavalee replied

"Your idea?" I asked her

"Jess made them follow her. If you only saw how classy and spoiled she looked while fighting." She answered and chuckled

"Not surprising," I said shaking my head

She left after we arrived in the dining hall, I ate as fast as I can and went upstairs.

I took a quick bath and wore a black shirt, black jeans, and black converse before going downstairs.

"Nice, you look like a grim reaper, Irene," Lavalee commented when she saw me

"Ah wait, you need this." Jess gave me a purse.

I opened the purse and I saw bright blue contact lenses and black lipstick, there's also a black base lacquer.

I looked at her questioningly.

"Wear those, Irene," Chelsea said and they made me sit on the chair.

Chelsea helped me wear the contact lenses, then she started applying the lacquer on my nails, while Lavalee applied the lipstick on my lips.

After that they made me stand up and turn.

Gah! I seriously feel like a doll.

"Now you really look like a grim reaper," Jess said and unsheathed her katana.

I can see my reflection clearly from the blade of her katana.

She's right, I look like a grim reaper.

Black clothes, black lipstick, and black nail color added that I have natural long black hair.

Jess sheathed her katana again and placed it on her back

"Here," Chelsea said and went behind me.

I felt that it was a choker when I touched it.

"You're not playing dress up with me, are you?" I asked sarcastically

"We aren't," Lavalee said and Chelsea showed me her iPad.

"The nail lacquer is actually keypads. You can type what you want to see or search and that choker you are wearing can project a computer so I guess you know why we applied the nail color on your nails." Chelsea explained and I tried it.

So cool!

"Those contact lenses are special lenses as you can see." She said

The lenses are showing me the vital parts and critical points of their bodies.

"What do the colors mean?" I asked them

I can see some bright green dots in their critical and vital points.

"Green are those that are still untouched while as the damage on those parts are getting worse the light turns to yellow, orange and well red if that part has been damaged very badly and as you can see it also applies to you." Chelsea explained

"How about the lipstick?" I asked and they turned to Jess who looked back at us as if asking why we're looking at her

"Fine, it's just to complete the outfit." She said so I shook my head.

They allowed me to get accustomed to the gadgets by letting me play with the security system on an easy level and with them around.

I somehow got used to it and I can already move without looking obvious that I can see something they can't.

We went out while Jess and Chelsea were left at the building.

They said that they will stay there to keep the place secured.

When we arrived at the center of the battleground the asphalt road is already red. This probably became the red carpet for Jess earlier.

"Johimaeyo, Irene," Lavalee told me without looking

"I will," I replied and threw my left arm around her which made her smile

"We're conquerors." She said and I nodded

"Be ready, Irene, Lavalee, the facilitators are coming." Chelsea told us so we became alert.

"GOOD AFTERNOON, RFA STUDENTS!!" That greeting boomed from the speakers

"We are about to commence the Death Maze. All participants will have to scan their metal bracelets to be registered." The facilitator said and Lavalee tapped my shoulders before she walked away

"We'll be watching, Ire," she told me through the earpiece

"Watch me succeed," I said

"We will, Bianca Irene," Chelsea said making me smirk

I scanned my metal bracelet on the scanner.

"BLARE JANG."

My name was written as the thirteenth participant

I went inside the dome and we saw a guy, probably a facilitator, on the screen.

He smiled and heck, it looks creepy.

"Good afternoon, Red Fire Academy students. Are you sure about what you are about to do? This is a death maze, only one will win but you are still lucky if you survive the built-in challenges, traps, and the bloodlust of your fellow students inside the death maze." He said making me scoff at his statement.

I've been through a lot worse than this to be scared at this kind of game, it'll be harder without intel, yes, but having these gadgets will help.

"You will be given an hour to prepare. Take whatever you want, any weapon you think will help you. Your timer starts now." The screen changed into a black screen with a ticking sound and decreasing numbers

The students started the chaos even before we started the game.

There were already corpses scattered around the place because of the rising tension and bloodlust.

"I didn't know you'll be joining." A guy, a member of the Student Council, said when he saw me

I ignored him and went inside the maze.

"ALL OUTER ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS WILL BE BLOCKED IN 3, 2, AND 1. COMMENCING THE DEATH MAZE..."

Once again, the sounds of fireworks echoed as different colors were shown in the sky.

The fireworks were our only light apart from the glowing posts on each corner of the maze.

It's as small as a garden gnome but instead of a gnome, it's in the form of a skull.

I walked slowly when I noticed something.

The lights... they are forming something.

They weren't just skulls, they're bones of different sizes.

I tried to follow it but I encountered a bulky man, holding a dagger and a rapier.

He smirked when he saw me so I immediately looked at him and even though it's dark, I was able to target his vital organs and critical points precisely.

He kneeled and coughed blood. I opened the hologram from my choker to assess him.

In his current state, his whole body is currently paralyzed.

I turned around and my eyes widened when I saw the ground lifting like a keyboard.

DAMMIT!

It's a keyboard.

Suddenly, a hologram appeared in front of me.

A DAMN RIDDLE!

I only have half a minute to type the answer.

| Four golfers named Mr. Black, Mr. White, Mr. Brown, and Mr. Blue were competing in a tournament.

The caddy didn't know their names, so he asked them. One of them, Mr. Brown, told a lie.

The 1st golfer said, "The 2nd Golfer is Mr. Black."

The 2nd golfer said, "I am not Mr. Blue!"

The 3rd golfer said "Mr. White? That's the 4th golfer."

And the 4th golfer remained silent. Which one of the golfers is Mr. Blue?'

What the heck?! This is so freaking confusing.

I panicked when I saw the time ticking quickly.

Dammit!

I jumped from one letter to another and on the last press, I landed at the same time the time ended.

I sighed heavily when I got it correct.

It is the third one. The third one is Mr. Blue.

A brick opened and I saw a katana.

I took it and examined it. It's enough to help me finish my fights and encounters faster. I walked following the bones I saw.

I registered it on my choker hologram and like a huge puzzle, I slowly was able to build the rib cage.

'I am your mother's brother's only brother-in-law. Who am I?'

I saw another hologram the moment I was near the left rib cage on the skeletal system I was building on my hologram.

Easy. Even a grade-schooler can answer this.

I jumped from one letter to another and I smirked when I saw a passage opening.

I knew it, something felt off with this death maze because it seems like everything path's a dead end.

It's because the walls are moving.

My forehead knotted when I saw the floor.

It's an alternate black and red.

I studied the whole place. It's the only way because the wall behind me had closed.

I took a kunai and threw it on a tile and I saw how the walls started beaming lasers.

Just what the heck?!

I tried to look for a way but it's really secluded. The only way to move is to pass through the trap.

I remembered my nail keyboards so I immediately recalled what Chelsea and Lavalee told us and what Bloom used to remind us.

Every booby trap has a sequence, a pattern.

But what?

My eyes widened when a hologram appeared.

Oh, shit!

'Every 30 seconds the lasers will activate on the player's coordinates.'

And with that, I saw the timer ticking.

I'll be toasted in case I fail!

Think, Irene, think.

I made my choker scan the tiles and make a hologram version.

I checked it and that's when I noticed it.

It's unnoticeable because it's dark but because I made a copy of it using a hologram I was able to see it.

It's not just a tiled floor! It's a goddamn word puzzle.

|E|T|D|C|R|P|S|

|J|I|L|G|M|A|E|

|L|W|G|J|N|L|U|

|P|A|Q|E|X|L|A|

And there it is! The clue!

I stepped on it swiftly remembering the correct spelling even if it's so pressuring especially when it's already down to three seconds. The letters I stepped unto glowed and turned to red.

When the wall opened I needed to fight off five men. They were all holding baseball bats in their hands so I needed to swiftly and neatly slice the bats.

"You're weak, miss." The other guy told me and I mentally shook my head. Men and their goddamn ego.

"It's five against one," I said and they plunged a punch at me which I immediately dodged.

I closed my eyes because It's so damn confusing seeing too many dots and information.

It's making my head hurt because I couldn't control what I should only see. I can see all that it's very confusing so I have to close my eyes.

I run towards them and waved my katana sideways and around me.

I turned around and I can feel something sticky landing on my skin.

"You, demon!" the one who survived but is injured very badly said while pointing at me

"I'm a grim reaper, not a demon, idiot!" I snickered and slowly played with my katana.

I swayed it fast making the blood surrounding it scatter and splatter all over the place and on my arm.

I smiled devilishly and walked toward him.

I slit his nape making blood spurt.

Good thing, I was able to jump away so I was able to dodge it.

I was able to find the end of the maze and I scanned my bracelet and smirked when I saw the fireworks that are exploding in the sky.

"Congratulations, Irene." I heard Chelsea congratulate me

"I did it," I said while looking at the sky when I felt a presence and killing intent so I immediately blocked his rapier with my katana.

I manipulated it and slit his throat.

"Loser," I said and a little later the walls opened and it made a way back to the center.

"Let's welcome our Death Maze Champion, BLARE JANG!" he said and my name ranked up to first place on the scoreboard.

I know this would happen.

"We will see tomorrow if Irene can keep her rank or if someone will steal it." The facilitator said

"I'm not participating tomorrow," I announced and it earn a lot of reactions

"But why?" the facilitator asked so I smirked

"It's a game tactic," I replied and stepped down

When everyone was already gone, I smiled and he welcomed me with a hug.

"Congrats!" he greeted and kissed my temple

"Thanks," I replied

"You look like a grim reaper, added those blood stains." He said and I smiled

"Wait, I'll just contact them." I said and typed the message into thin air and I can see the fascination in his eyes

"What is it, Jax?" I asked him and he shook his head

"Chelsea's invention? That's cheating." He said and shook his head

"No, I didn't. The facilitator said that anything can be brought inside since they'll deactivate and block any contact from the outside." I said

"Smart, I'm curious about what your base looks like." He said and I chuckled

"Tal, Val, Jaxith wants to visit, can he?" I asked them

"Sure thing," Lavalee replied and I lead Jaxith to our base

"That simple?" Jaxith unbelievingly asked and I nodded.

He can't believe what it looks on the outside so I invited him in and rushed toward the other side of the floor. He tried to pass the security trap but we laughed at him because he failed.