Under the warm embrace of the rising sun, Zero’s feet carried him forward. Hues of orange and yellow billowed across the plains as the sun rose to signal a new day. The final day of the First Trial. Yet while the sun’s warmth swept aside the chill of the night that hung like fog on the land, it did little to quench Zero’s own chilly mood and frosty demeanor. Instead, as his hooded eyes of brown and black looked at the procession of people before him, what little satisfaction he had from the night’s hunt disappeared.

Sitting alone and atop a log, Zero watched solemnly as the surviving members of his 100-Man group all gathered in silence at the back of the campsite. There, at the base of the cliff, the surviving fifty-six members of the group gathered together in somber silence. From his perch, Zero watched the proceedings with critical eyes.

Six men and women, bodies covered with scraps, cuts, and still mending wounds, carried an amateurly made stretcher. Atop it, a young woman in her thirties rested, hands crossed over her chest with the steel short-sword that the Fairy gave them clasped in her white hands that still had splattered blood on them.

As the six carriers set the stretcher down and allowed it to set in the shallow grave, the fighters of the ground stepped forward. Forty-nine members in total, fighters who joined the battle throughout the three days of survival, each carried themselves with a confidence that seemed shaken as they made peace with another death. As Zero watched, he couldn’t help but reminisce when he was once the same. Soft, weak, and unaccustomed to the ways of death and battle that had become his very existence in the past. Now, he sat here. Calloused and as an observer. But, even as he wanted to move forward to offer what assistance he could, he knew it wasn’t his part to play. He couldn’t be with them. He couldn’t let them think he was one of them, an equal, a friend. He had to distance himself. He had to be better than them, a protector, a figure of strength in the distance. So he sat where he was, watching.

After the fighters said what thanks and words they could to the deceased woman, the six carriers came next. Each kneeled, bowing to the dead woman as they spoke longer than those before them. Each in turn ended their words with a kiss to their fingers before touching the woman’s hands. As they reached out and lowered themselves, a necklace dangled out for all to see. A simple strip of leather which looped through a black fang. The same type of fang that Abigail made for Zero for his Elite NightStalker kills. All six wore the necklace. Six fangs in total, one of each of their necklaces. The same number that now rested on Zero’s own. Six fangs. Six Elite Nightstalker kills.

Then, when all the fighters were done and made their peace, came the next group. Numbering at only seven, the remaining group of non-fighters, those that refused to fight off the NightStalkers in the night or refused to be trained under Zero, came forward. Instead of words though, teary eyes and nods of thanks were all that they shared. It was pathetic, Zero decided. Not their lack of empathy, but their lack of will. Even with the rush of power and euphoria that came with the Runes, even with their backs against the wall and their survival on the line, they refused to fight. Still, it mattered little now. They would soon find out what their decision to not kill and fight would lead them to.

It wasn’t until they shuffled away, that a final figure came into view. Full figured, the dress Abigail wore curved and latched onto her delicate body as she walked forward with even, calm strides. Each step she took sent her hair crashing like waves, while the Elite NightStalker fang that rested on her chest bounced in tune. As she advanced, with a powerful prowl that carried a measure of power beyond her delicate frame, she called out to those around her. A gentle touch on an arm to one, a knowing and somber smile to another, a mouthed word of ‘thanks’ to others. She swept through them, bringing peace to the living. And as she reached out, to rest the final Elite NightStalker fang necklace on the deceased, so too did the dead have their peace.

But....the dead are never appeased.

Turning his head away from the proceedings that were wrapping up, Zero eye’s wandered through the other graves. Over two dozen wooden crosses made of branches stood strongly before mounds of dirt. Only seventeen died in total on that first battle with the Goblins. Since then though, more than that number died over the course of the First Trial . Most were fighters, individuals who had the resolve to battle and stand with him on the battlefield. It was what made it hard for Zero to accept their deaths. The better they fought, the more NightStalkers they killed, the more that would come the next day. It was cruel, if not fair. The weak stayed weak while the strong grew stronger. It was a consolation then, that while most 100-Man groups would have more numbers, their group would be vastly stronger.

Sadly, as the sun finally crested from the ground and illuminated the world in a new day’s brillance, a new being popped into existence.

“Well....well...well...”

The high pitch voice of the Fairy, always in that chirpy voice of sadistic curiosity, rang throughout the campsite as the purple devil appeared with a flash.

“I must say, you didn’t disappoint me cattle. Especially you,” the Fairy screeched while sharing its feral grin, “young Zero. Truly, you are quick the entertainer.”

“Truly,” she sighed with a huff of arousal, “the way you handled those filthy mutts. Hehehehe... But, we can discuss that another time. For now, let me congratulate you all!” Waving her hands, the Fairy shot out sparks of purple light that popped and sparkled around her hovering form. “Although there are more of you than I would’ve liked, I do have a quota to keep. Luckily you stayed above fifty, or I would’ve had to stop the attacks from the mutts. Still, you all were quite the treat to watch. So much killing. So much dying. Ya’ll were much too sweet to me. I would give you all a treat for your hard work, but that wouldn’t be fair to the others, now would it?”

Zipping around over everyone’s head, the Fairy smiled and looked down lovingly at the other members of the 100-Man group who backed away from the freak of a creature. Zero only watched with dead eyes as his fingers dug into palms. Continuing without pause though, the Fairy rambled through her speech in her perpetually excited tone.

“Anyway, it was my pleasure to watch you in the First Trial. I do hope you don’t disappoint in the Second Trial. It is only fair that you do well for me, since I’ve done so much for you. So! Who is ready for the next event? While I’m sure the First Trail was a nice appetizer, the Second Trail will surely delight you all. So! Everyone ready? No need to take your weapons or other miscellaneous items. So! Let....us....go...”

As the Fairy finished her speech, her hands bloomed with purple energy that expanded to form a sphere. Moving around the sphere with a concentration that paused her words, the Fairy worked and weaved the sphere of energy with such focus that her tongue stuck out sideways from her tiny mouth. The sight lasts for a moment, before the Fairy smiled in genuine happiness. It was the last thing Zero saw before the sphere of purple energy exploded and consumed the world.

In a forest far away

“So my little chickens, are you ready?”

In a land of trees that tower into the sky, stood a gathering of dozens of people. Each of them, carrying a wooden and steel spear, stare at the male Fairy in the sky that looked on with worry at the humans below.

“I don’t want to push you into doing something you don’t want. Well, that’s a lie. I do. But, I can help ease the discomfort if you want? All it will take is a snap of my fingers and I can end your existence and take you away from this land. Any takers?”

Silence was the only answer from the gathered. Eighty-eight in total, the group of men, women, and children stared with hard eyes at the Fairy. Each carried their spear at the ready, keeping their senses open to their surroundings while paying attention to the Fairy’s words. They had learned their lesson already to not let the creature distract them.

“No. No one will be taking that offer. But, where is this place we are going? This so-called ‘Second Trail’?”

From the group, a lone woman stepped forward. She carried no weapon, but her tone made it clear to any who heard. She didn’t need one. She wore confidence like a cloak that fit snugly on her voluptuous figure. In her late twenties, the woman was beyond gorgeous. She looked practically divine. Long legs that arched towards an ass that would make men and women stare dumbfounded at in appreciation were wrapped around designer jeans. Her flat and toned stomach showed as the crop top she wore was pushed out by her immense chest that swayed with each step the woman took. Of it all though, it was her face that could captivate. Green eyes of a viper, poisoned dark in their deadliness, watched with a mesmerizing look as her long brunette hair cascaded down her ripped top that showed off her tanned neckline and cleavage.

Staring at the fairy, the woman merely quipped her lips in a knowing smile of confidence as she sized up the Fairy. Behind her, the rest of the 100-Man group all looked onward with respect, hope, and even awe. As she felt their gazes, the woman’s smile blossomed even more. Even more important, the tangible aura around her, the near electric feeling in the area that covered her body, seemed to spark in life and power.

“Oh,” the Fairy leered in response, “You...will...find...out...”

With a flash of purple light, the group of humans and Fairy disappeared. In their wake, corpses of dead NightStalkers remained.

In a rundown urban area of broken and damaged buildings

“Poor, poor, poor little Demarco. All alone, with no friends, with no family. However! Think on the bright side. I’m still here for you.”

Atop a partially destroyed and sunken building, a female Fairy zipped around with a grin so big that her eyes were nearly closed tight. As the Fairy spun around and danced happily in the air, an aged man stared back vacantly. With skin, dark like coffee, the man watched uninterested at the Fairy and its antics. Instead, he continued to make small and sharp cuts into his forearm. The knife in his hands glowed in a pale blue light as it sliced deep into the muscle, forming a mark on his skin. As he finished with the final mark, the 78th one, he moved to wipe the knife on the jacket of the dead man to his left. Grunting in satisfaction once having cleaned the knife, he stood and turned to watch the Fairy.

Towering tall at 6’3, the man’s uniform, black army fatigues that matched with the grey and black short-sleeved button down shirt, were pristine and immaculate. Seemingly packed with muscle despite his age, the man looked dense rather than big like professional bodybuilders. Veins, from his hands to his bald head, could be seen as muscles expanded and contracted under his strain. The man’s shaggy beard and bushy eyebrows twitched in response at the Fairy’s words, as his blue tinted eyes watched the Fairy with ease. Most noticeable of all though, beyond the aged scars that covered his body, beyond the necklaces and bracelets and rings of animal bones and gems, were the man’s legs. Or the lack thereof. For instead of feet or shoes, a pair of prosthetic legs were all that could be seen. Round and curved, like the ones runners use instead of actual fake legs and feet, bended and swayed as the man seemed to bounce up and down in anticipation.

As he stood straight and unyielding, the man practically screamed discipline even as his grim lips said nothing. He had no words to say to the Fairy before him. The Fairy only smiled knowingly at the man, content to merely interact with the Human that had entertained him so well.

“Oh? No nice words for your favorite pal? How harsh.”

Hearing the Fairy’s false sorrow, the man known as Demarco merely grunted in acceptance.

“Well, no worries. I know you’ll give me a good show. Afterall, you killed so many...of...you...own...”

With a flash of purple, the duo disappeared. As they did so, the bodies of Humans and Goblins alike lay strewn about the street.