Chapter 9

Exactly when the timer reached 0, Charon materialized out of thin air in front of his booth.

“Well, it seems more people made it back here in time than I’d thought. Excellent, let us proceed.”

“Um, excuse me, Mr. Charon? Can we please wait just one more minute? My friend was here until a moment ago but he went to get a drink of water,” a woman called out.

“As of 11 seconds ago, James McAllister has passed on to greener pastures, so you don’t need to wait for him any longer,” Charon said lightly with that unflappable smile on his face. “I expect punctuality from any and all prospective champions, after all.”

The woman shook her head as though she couldn’t believe Charon’s words. She put a hand to her left wrist, then let out a soft cry and collapsed to the floor, sobbing.

Frowning, I checked the number of users in my head.

Orb Keeper Charon’s Trial of the Ark is in progress.

Users 70/100

Current Objective: Prepare for Stage 1 (9m 29s)

In fact, 4 people had died because they hadn’t made it back in time. That was 4 living, breathing human beings whose lives were snuffed out forever, over a silly technicality.

“I hope you have all taken the time to wind down and relax during the two hours that were generously provided to you. Alas, there is no free lunch in this world. Also, I’m on a rather tight schedule. Thus, we will be increasing the difficulty level from tier B to tier B+.”

A collective gasp went up at his words, but Charon didn’t seem to notice.

“Now, let us begin the first stage in earnest. You’re all fortunate, for you belong to America, the worldwide symbol of tolerance and ideological freedom. How did you Americans put it? The home of the free and the land of the brave.”

Charon flashed a grin of pure evil then, even as his figure began to waver, as though made of smoke. Within moments, he had vanished completely. Only his last words were left hanging in the air.

“Let us put such bold claims to the test. First stage: the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria finally strikes back.”

What? ISIS in the US?

Suddenly, the heavy thunder of automatic weapons firing tore down the expectant silence of the crowd. Immediately, a great chorus of screams rose in its wake.

Both sounds were not far away at all. In fact, they had come from right around the corner.

“Kai, duck!” Allie screamed.

No sooner had I flung myself to the floor when more gunfire erupted and the glass display window at my back shattered into a thousand shards, crashing to the floor with a deafening roar.

I looked up just in time to see blood gushing out of several people, their bodies jerking like broken marionettes as they were riddled with bullets. They didn’t even have a chance to scream as they fell to the floor.

BANG

I flinched at the gunshot that had erupted right next to me. Glancing to my right, I saw Allie lying prone with her bolt-action rifle propped up on top of a dead man’s body. The muzzle was still smoking, but she was already pulling the bolt back to chamber the next round.

Desperately pulling on the blanket, I leveled my shotgun and looked for a target, but I couldn’t see any.

BANG

Another gunshot tore through the air, and a howl of pain immediately followed. It smoothly joined in the cacophony of gunfire and screams filling the mall.

Damn, I still couldn’t see shit.

“Where are they?” I asked.

“What?” Allie said, and I could see that her rifle rested on top of a mannequin, not a corpse. I don’t know why, but that made it marginally better.

“Where are-” I shouted, but was interrupted by another shot from Allie’s rifle.

BANG

“We need to retreat,” I called out to her, struggling to be heard over the din of the massacre taking place. “It’s not safe here.”

BANG

“Kai, we’re too exposed here. We need to relocate!” Allie called over her shoulder, even as she pulled the bolt back and chambered another round. “Damn, just how many are there?”

Around us, it was complete chaos. People were running all over the place, many getting gunned down as they attempted to flee. Others huddled behind what pitiful cover they could find while screaming after each roar of gunfire with their eyes squeezed shut.

“A gun! Give it to me!”

A brawny man suddenly jumped on top of Allie, trying to pull the rifle from her hands.

“Let her go right now!” I shouted, leveling my shotgun.

“Shoot him!” Allie screamed, struggling against the man.

“Last warning, let go or-”

That’s as far as I got before someone clubbed me on the head from behind. Thankfully, it was a glancing blow, and I heard a hard object crash heavily against the floor right next to my head.

Turning over, I barely caught a flash of steel in time to roll out of the way. I stared at the metal bat that had landed not two inches from my face. When it went back up again, I leveled the shotgun at my attacker and pulled the trigger.

A balding Asian man took the full blast in the center of his chest. He flew backward without making a sound, landing like a bloody rag. A flashing blue glow soared toward my wrist.

“Kai!” came Allie’s strangled cry.

I immediately turned around, pumping another shell into the chamber.

Allie’s attacker was straddling her, pushing the rifle down across her throat, choking her.

“Fuck you!” I screamed, aiming at his head and pulling the trigger.

The entire top half of his skull vaporized under the blast, his brains spraying out in a fine mist.

Allie pushed the man’s corpse off herself while clutching at her throat and coughing.

“Allie!” I called out, rushing to her. Another ball of blue light flew into my wrist, but I couldn’t have cared less.

“I’m fine, get down!” she said, pulling me low. “Damn, people are going crazy.”

“They’re panicking. We need to get out of the open. Let’s go that way!” I called to Allie, pointing toward the storefront behind us.

BANG

She fired another shot before nodding to me and crawling backward. I tried to use my blanket to sweep away as many of the shards of glass on the floor as possible, but soon my arms and legs were riddled with small nicks and cuts.

We had to crawl at least 20 feet before we were out of the line of fire. Only then did I feel safe enough to stand up and run toward the back of the store, though I was still crouching low. It was an arts and crafts shop, and thankfully its doors had been closed so there was nobody inside.

After 40 feet or so, we finally reached the back door. I pushed it open while Allie flipped the lights of the store off, then ran inside the door. I followed behind, then quietly pushed the door shut, locking it for good measure.

Once inside, I panted raggedly as I sat up and tried to dig out some of the bigger shards of glass driven through my skin. My shotgun hung from a sling wrapped around my shoulder, but I still took the time to open my backpack and take out my machete. Only after I’d slipped it through my belt did I feel safer.

One machete against a battalion of terrorists armed to the teeth. Irrational, I know.

“How are your cuts?” Allie asked.

“I’m fine, they’re barely skin-deep. Did you get any?”

Allie shook her head. “You swept up all the pieces.”

I nodded, relieved. More gunfire erupted from outside, and the screams kept rising.

“Fucking ISIS? Unbelievable. We can’t stay here,” I said.

“It’s a dead end,” Allie muttered, looking around the small room. It was composed of 3 shelves filled with boxes, and a desk with a PC computer on top. There were barely two seats, one of which Allie took as she rummaged in her backpack.

“There’s got to be a way out,” I said, searching.

Allie nodded, unfolding the map she had retrieved. “Theodore’s Bag of Tricks. Here, this is where we are. There’s a back access to the service tunnels at the frozen yogurt shop four doors down.”

I shook my head. “Might as well be 1,000 miles away. There’s no way we’re walking back out there.”

I heard shouts in a foreign language, and the fact that I could hear the voice clearly drove a chill up my spine.

“They’re here already,” I whispered.

More voices could be heard, interspersed with short bursts of gunfire.

“Fuck, they must be searching for survivors and executing them, the bastards.”

“Get your flashlight out,” Allie said, digging out her flashlight while laying a hand on the light switch at the wall. “Wish I had just one of my grenades right about now.”

I got a flashlight out of my backpack and switched it on low. “I think we don’t need any more attention at this point. Who knows how many there are?”

“At least five less than at the beginning,” Allie said fiercely, patting her rifle. “Remember to cover the light with your hand and not to shine it near the door. The reflection will give us away.”

I nodded, all the while nervously grasping the hilt of my machete.

Allie gestured toward the shotgun hanging by my shoulder. “You’ve gotten better. I thought I was gone for good when I saw you aiming that thing in my direction.”

“That’s the thing, I missed,” I said breathlessly, loading a few more shells into the shotgun.

She scowled at me but I ignored her. She had to settle for changing the magazine on her rifle, then checking the chamber before pulling the bolt lever, ready for the next fight.

Meanwhile, the voices were drawing closer, and so were the gunshots.

How many were out there? 20? 50? 100? What would it take to get past the first stage? Kill them all? Survive a set time?

I nearly slapped my forehead at my own stupidity, then lay a hand against the orb marking on my wrist.

Orb User Tier F

Orb User Level: 0

Mana Orbs: 5

Skill Orbs: 0

Special Orbs: 0

Orb Keeper Charon’s Trial of the Ark - Stage 1 is in progress.

Users 51/100

Current Objective: Survive until help arrives.

“Allie, we just need to survive!” I whispered, pointing to my wrist.

Allie touched her own wrist, then nodded to me. “Right now 911’s lines must be completely congested. For a busy mall like this, the police should arrive in force within 15 minutes or less.”

“15 minutes. We can do this,” I said.

Allie nodded to me, opening her mouth, but then suddenly clamped her lips shut.

My heart also skipped a couple steps. A sharp crack had come from the other side of the door.

Footsteps! They were close. Very close.

Worse yet, they were trying to approach quietly. The only reason we heard them was because they had stepped on the shards of glass from the shattered front window. Did they know we’re hiding here, or were they just being cautious?

I moved to crouch behind the desk and motioned for Allie to join me.

Instead, Allie moved to kneel behind one of the shelves standing opposite from me. She carefully pushed one of the boxes aside, then pushed her rifle through the gap. I had to admit it made a lot more sense to cover the door from different directions.

Then I heard two voices speaking from the other side of the door.

One was very close, no more than a dozen feet from the door. The other was far more distant, and sounded as though it was coming from the entrance of the store.

After a short conversation in a language I couldn’t understand, I heard the crackling noise of glass as one set of footsteps retreated.

The other advanced, though not as cautiously as before.

My pulse racing in my veins, I slowly stood up and moved toward the door. Allie saw my movement and frantically gestured at me to pull back.

I shook my head and slid my knife out of its sheath while laying a finger over my lips. Allie still looked furious, but she once again slid behind her shelf and took up her rifle, its barrel barely poking out from between the boxes.

I sidled up to the wall, standing next to the door on the opposite side of the light switch before turning off my flashlight.

Then I waited in the darkness, barely daring to breathe. After what felt like an eternity, the door handle finally rattled back and forth. Then more silence followed while I prayed the terrorist would just turn away.

Just when I began to think perhaps my prayer had been heard, a short blast of gunfire ripped the silence, along with the sound of shredded wood.

A voice called out from outside the store. The terrorist on the other side of the door barked a reply, then kicked the door open. He stepped in confidently, leading the way with his gun, an AK-47. He leveled his rifle in the direction of the desk with one hand while he fumbled for the light switch with the other.

When he was about to reach the light switch, I knew the moment had come. I leapt out from behind the door and lunged forward, aiming for the terrorist’s chest. The speed of my lunge made it impossible for him to even shout out loud, let alone dodge. After all, olympic fencing is considered the fastest sport behind rifle shooting.

The tip of my knife smoothly entered his chest just below the collarbone, which is exactly where I’d aimed for. The impact alone drove all the breath from his lungs. The man opened his mouth but no words could come out because of my knife punch.

Gritting my teeth, I sawed the knife upward until a torrent of blood gushed out onto my hand.

Satisfied that I’d punctured the heart, I glanced over the dying man’s shoulder and was relieved to find no one else inside the store. I quickly dragged him back inside and shut the door.

“That was insane. You could have been shot if he had any friends behind him!” Allie said furiously.

“It’s better than having another gunfight here and drawing who knows how many more to this store. We need to move before more come looking for him.”

It was then that a voice called out from outside the store.

Cursing silently, I looked to Allie while I snatched up the AK-47 rifle from the dead man’s hands and crouched down behind the desk.

Allie just shrugged at me from behind the shelf, completely at a loss as to what to do. Smart as she was, not even Allie spoke the terrorists' tongue.

The man called again, a little more urgently this time.

“Come here, come looking for your buddy,” I thought to myself. “I’ve got six inches of cold steel waiting for you.”

Then I heard the man approaching. That was the good news.

The bad news was that he wasn’t alone. At least two more voices joined him, and several sets of footsteps could be heard approaching the door.

I licked my lips nervously, sharing a worried glance with Allie.

That’s when I heard a familiar metallic click.

“GET DOWN!” Allie screamed.

I dove for the floor while gunfire roared and bullets riddled the entire wall. Splinters and dust filled my vision. Before I knew it, more thunder rang out, this time from our side.

Allie was shooting back.

I picked up the AK-47 and began shooting blindly through the gaps in the wall. Then I got a brighter idea, and picked up my shotgun.

I aimed at a low corner of the wall and squeezed the trigger. A fist-sized hole opened up about 1 foot from the ground. I laboriously crawled forward and peeked out through the hole. Thankfully, our room was still pitch black while the terrorists had switched the light on at the store.

I spotted two terrorists shooting at the wall. Both their guns ran dry at the same time, so they crouched behind the main counter of the store while reloading their guns. Another was dragging one of his comrades by the arms back toward the front of the store, trailing blood behind.

This side view afforded me a clean shot at the two men loading their guns, so I took it. Pumping my shotgun, I blasted one of the men full of buckshot. At this range, I didn’t even need to aim. The poor devil dropped as though struck by lightning.

The other man stared blankly for a moment, before crouching lower and looking around frantically while fumbling with his gun.

I pumped my shotgun again, and let her rip. The blast took him full in the ribs, almost lifting the man off his feet as it hammered him to the floor.

The last man finally spotted me in my little crawling hole. He dropped his wounded comrade and dashed behind one of the store shelves, effectively hidden from my line of fire. I still pumped my shotgun again and fired, but I doubted I could hit him.

“Allie, main hallway. He’s getting away!”

BANG

A strangled croak let me know that she’d nailed the bastard.

Shouting voices told me even more would be on their way soon.

“Lets go, now!” Allie said.

Turning around, I gaped as I saw Allie climbing on top of one of the shelves. Some of the shots must have bounced off and hit the ceiling, because the panels on one corner of the room had collapsed. Allie was shining a flashlight up there, then she nodded to me.

“I think they built these smaller stores from bigger units. There’s no wall up here so we can move over to the next store through here. Just don’t step on any of the ceiling panels!”

“I’m not that stupid,” I growled, slinging my shotgun over my shoulder and climbing up right behind her. “Hurry, I can hear more voices approaching.”

Allie nodded, but didn't reply.

“Fuck, how is this a trial. It’s a massacre,” I cursed as I watched her complete the climb.

I followed right behind her, and using our flashlights, we gingerly stepped on the cross beams while brushing cobwebs out of the way.

Wiping the sweat from my eyes, I followed Allie as we steadily moved forward. After a couple minutes of laborious progress in complete silence while stepping from beam to beam, I stopped.

“Allie, this is the 3rd partition right here. We made it. The yogurt store should be right below us. Come back!”

Allie didn’t respond, and I frowned.

“Allie? What’s wrong?”

Allie suddenly swayed on her feet, her knees buckling under her weight. Then she collapsed sideways, right toward one of the ceiling panels.

“Allie!”

I dove frantically with my arms stretched as far as they would go. I barely managed to catch her before we both smashed right through the ceiling panel and into the room below. I tried to spin us around so that I would end up at the bottom, wrapping my arms protectively around Allie.

I smashed my back against a hard surface with enough momentum that it drove all the breath from my lungs. A splintering sound ensued, and something collapsed below me, crashing against the floor.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself lying on top of a collapsed table at the frozen yogurt store. Thankfully, it had managed to break my descent. It was probably the only reason the fall didn’t crack my skull open.

“Allie?”

I couldn’t keep the anxiety from my voice as I gingerly opened my arms. My breath caught in my throat when I saw how pale she looked, and all the blood that soaked the front of her shirt.

“Allie!”

There was no answer, only more blood that flowed in a seemingly endless stream.