Jolting up from my nightmare I grab at my stomach. I don't feel any blood or wounds and in relief, I realise I actually feel great, better than I can remember ever feeling. I feel the relieved laughter coming on but it dies in my throat as my hand catches in my shirt. I can't find any wounds but my blue dress shirt is shredded and much darker than it should be. I notice the sleeves of my dark brown leather jacket are also soiled and slashed up. Something is definitely not right.

From my sitting position, I take more of a look around and things get stranger. Not the park or my apartment or even a hospital, hell this wouldn't have even made my list. I'm sitting on some unknown wooden pier at night staring out into darkness over the water with some seemingly unconscious people sprawled around me.

David: So did I die and this is purgatory or something? Maybe that's the river Styx and I gotta wait for the Ferry Man. Maybe I got some leftover change in my pockets from the bar, I hope he takes the Aussie dollar.

Kovit: An earlier riser, uncommon but still talking gibberish so not outside the norm.

I turn to my right and notice an Asian man looking at me with disregard. He looks roughly my age and maybe a little shorter than me but not too much. His black hair is almost buzz cut short and he's clean shaven. He's thin and strong looking like a Muay Thai fighter. His clothes look expensive, the shirt is a close cut shiny gold colour and pants are a baggy black with red designs up the side.

Kovit: Whats your name kid?

That earned him a raised eyebrow.

David: David … and you?

Kovit: Wait for the others to wake up and I'll explain.

David: … OK but one quick clarification. Am I dead ahh are we dead?

He sends and a raised eyebrow back at me. See we have stuff in common, we're building rapport.

Kovit: No one here is dead but who knows, give it time.

David: No as reassuring as I hoped but not as bad as I feared. It's a start, I guess I'll take it.

He looks like he wants to reply to that but the others start to wake up and he looks towards them. There are 4 of them; a tattooed white guy that looks like trouble, a businessman looking African American guy, a short fashionably dressed 20 something girl, maybe a uni student and a late 30 looking white woman in casual wear.

They all start looking around surprised and suspicious while mumbling and checking themselves. Guess they don't know anything either but at least Asian guy might give some answers now.

Kovit: Before anyone gets too excited, look here and I'll give some quick explanations.

Tatts: Who the fuck are you and why am I here?

Everyone looks at Tatts while Asian Guy just sighs and continues.

Kovit: First thing does everyone remember the question they got asked just before waking up here, the one about having a real life?

Tatts: Don't ignore me bitch. I asked you a question and you better fucking …

Tatts moved in on Asian Guy, the Businessman and woman shuffle back from his path and I stand up and move back ready for what seems like a recurring problem for me. Tatts doesn't even get to finish his sentence, as he gets within reach of Asian Guy and there is a flicker of gold and Tatts face bounces off the pier. I think I saw a tooth shoot out. Everyone is surprised and takes another step back, 30 Something lets out a cry as well.

Kovit: So … ignoring the foul-mouthed fool, does everyone remember getting the YES/NO question about having a real life? There is a time limit people so respond quickly.

The others nod.

David: Yeah I hit the yes button.

Kovit: Good, you all picked yes or you wouldn't be here. You can ask some questions at the end but for now, it will be quicker if you just let me explain as our time for this is actually limited.

You probably won't believe me but that question is an invitation to an ancient trial and this place. It is known as The Crucible and people who meet its criteria get asked that question and the yeses enter its trials.

Entrants join teams as the trials need based on where they lived on earth. The teams are sent on trials to challenge them and are rewarded for how well they complete objectives. The Trial difficulty is determined by the size and strength of the team, max team size and hence difficulty being 20 people.

These trials are generally based off of stories that you might know for example movies, books and video games. Knowing these stories will help you as you can use your knowledge to predict future events or problems you might encounter. They won't be exactly the same but enough that it would be useful. Changing what happens is extremely risky but risk and reward go hand in hand.

After the trial is completed or failed, those who are still alive and have reward points that are greater than 0 return to The Waystation for a 10 day break between trials and may use their rewards to purchase enhancements, equipment and other useful things from The Obelisk found in the centre of The Waystation. Anyone who didn't meet that standard is erased, which basically mean dead and gone.

The only assistance The Crucible provides for free is this language, Babel, which I am speaking now and the interface. Babel allows communication between all Crucible challengers and most beings they meet in the trials. Second, you are given The Interface is how The Crucible communicates with you. When in a trial it provides information on how you fit in and what your objectives are as well as how many team members are left et cetera.

The Interface is controlled by thought just think about wanting to use it and what you want it to do. If will also have a brief version of what I am telling you if you forget. It will also announce important changes that have happened. You will know it when you hear it.

Finally, the only way you can leave The Crucible is by beating it or buying your way out at The Waystation and that costs 100000 points. Everything from here on is live or die and it's your choice which one you aim for. I suggest you start checking your interface before the staging time ends and the trial begins.

Asian Guy just goes back to leaning against the dock railing while everyone just stares for a moment before 30 Something starts exploding about kidnapping and cops and just generally what someone losing their shit at this crazy light novel, isekai bullshit situation.

OK let's take stock, I appear safe for the moment and I really need a plan of action.

So 1) I'm dying in the park and this is my brains last hurrah.

Solution: Run with it, you can't do anything anyway.

2) Your dead already and this is what's next.

Solution: Run with it, you're stuck here now and can't do anything about it.

3) Your dreaming and everything that happened recently is made up.

Solution: Run with it, have fun you'll wake up probably hung over.

4) Someone kidnapped you, healed, cleaned all the blood off you and now they are doing the strangest prank of all time.

Solution: I suppose stay calm and run with it till you can figure something out. Not like I have some mind operated interface. Wait I try it out and if it doesn't work then well … I at least know something.

I take a breath and clear my thoughts and think, Interface.

A screen pops up in front of my face and showing a bunch of words. Waving my hand through it does nothing, I close my eyes and it is still there in the blackness of my eyelids. OK, now I know there is an interface and that means … I have an interface and still no idea what the hell is going on.

So my infinite wisdom and logic have determined … that I'm an idiot who can only run with the situation and wait till the answer becomes obvious. God if you are listening, I promise if I get out of this next time I will use my cab fare to get home safely and not to buy the hot girl at the bar drinks. So throw us a bone.

That could take a while, may a well see what the interface has to say while I wait.

Team Oceanic 6/6

Trial: Team is inserted into the mission as UNATCO trainees assisting UNATCO Agent JC Denton on Liberty Island field mission. Meet with JC at the docks and proceed with objectives.

Objectives:

Complete trial – Team receives 1000 points each

JC Denton must survive – Team receives -2000 points each if failed

Challengers must remain within 100m of JC until entering the statue – Failure results in challenger erasure

Capture or kill NSF commander – Challenger receives 1000 points and D rank reward

NSF commander escapes island – Team receives erasure

Optional objectives

Destroy 100101 small security bot – Challenger receives 1500 points and D rank reward

Destroy Page Bravo-3 Peacebringer – Challenger receives 2000 points and D rank reward

Additional rewards may be gained or lost dependent on actions taken

JC Denton … Deus Ex JC Denton? I turn around, look up and there she is. Lady Liberty sans her head. Looking down at the docks it clicks, it's just like the Liberty Island mission from Deus Ex. It was only the greatest game ever. This is too much for some sort of gimmick and I don't really have anything to be conned out of for starters. Too real for a dream and I sure as hell don't feel dead let alone gone to video game heaven.

I turn around and look at the docking area, if the police boat comes and JC gets off I err on the side of caution and take this as real. If we complete the objectives we go to “The Waystation thing” and that proves it. I look to my right where Asian Guy is still ignoring 30 Something, who is now yelling at him, he clearly knows what is going on so let's follow his lead.

David: Hey mate.

His eyes look up at me.

David: What's your name?

Kovit: … Call me Kovit.

David: OK Kovit, how long until we get things started?

As soon as I ask that it's like someone turned the volume up and I can feel the wind come from behind me. He just points to the right.

Kovit: There's your answer. Staging time is up, time to meet the objective.