Lying in a ditch at the back of a school, was a lanky teenager who was covered in bags of trash. Smelling worse than alcohol and urine combined. Swiping his hands to just move the trash bags that was on top of him. Just trying to find a spot to crawl out of it. Being dizzy was one thing but the smell was far too sharp even for his nose. Uneven breathing, feeling sore all over his body.

"Hey! School's over kid! Get your ass back to your house!" A voice was reprimanding him, but was it the teenager's fault? Touching his head, feeling something sticky on it. Blood and feeling a few things being lodged in his head. The teenager got up as he made his way out of the back alley. Finding himself in a parking lot. Seeing a faint reflection of himself, he could see that he had some cuts but mainly bruises on his neck. A purplish mark, did they try to strangle him? Trying to piece together what had happened. Images flashed before his eyes as he had thought of many things.

First it was just a casual walk home. Normally uneventful, so how did a walk turn into this mess? A person bumped into him, taking his wallet. So he chased after the person who did it over to the back alley. Only to be hit with something. Blurry figures and one of them had held something in their hand, something like a rope?

He needed to get home and get cleaned up but every step he took was just making him even more tired than before. He made a good 10 steps away only to fall down, he was too tired.

"Joshua?" A friendly voice called over. From which direction, Joshua could barely tell because of how much of a daze he was in.

"God, what happened to you? Did Amos do this?!" The friendly voice was kind, gentle and familiar but Joshua was far too much in a daze to remember. His mind was in a state of being half awake. Consciousness fading in and out. A lot of bright lights, screaming voices echoed all over. He just wanted to sleep. Closing his eyes completely as he remembered more and more of what happened.

"That's Rayland's brother right? With this. It might even make that guy stop investigating our boss."

"He's just a kid."

"Boss said make it look like a suicide." He heard it but he couldn't make out their faces.

Joshua opened his eyes to see a white ceiling. Smelling the strong cleaning solution that give it that typical and familiar scent. One that Joshua recognizes all too well, a hospital. Joshua's been coming here like it was his second home. The mirror in front of him showed that his entire head had been covered with bandages.

"Joshua?" Joshua turned to see his parents, elder siblings, Rayland, Cass and Barton who came over to him. Seeing Rayland with his detective's badge was odd, though Barton was still in his army uniform and Cass seemed to be breathing a little too heavy as she held his hand.

Their mouths were moving, but he could barely hear much from them. That headache was still tearing his brain out. They were mouthing something with a smile. Concerned eyes over their younger brother, but their faces were full of dread. Rayland took a phone call, and was shouting on the phone? Just what was it about? Did it have to do something with Rayland's work?

Joshua pointed to his ears, then shaking his head. Perhaps that might make it clear that he can't hear anything at the moment. A nurse came to talk to them, where Rayland hung up the phone. The family took their moment to discuss something with the nurse. Though his eyes could look into the form that the nurse put by his side. Turning it a bit to his side.

'70% Hearing Loss and Loss of Cognitive functions. Patient also has suffered severe damage to the head.' Joshua probably understood what it was, but he had to put on a brave face. Beaming a smile while his family seemed to be angry and devastated. Rayland was shouting at Barton and Cass was trying to stop them both from decking each other in the hospital room.

His parents, Bruce and Natalie went up to give him a hug but whatever they were saying? Joshua couldn't hear them at all. He could see rage swelling up in Rayland's face as he turned red, Barton was turning red too. Cass trying her best to stop them both from continuing their shouting.

"He wouldn't be in this mess, if that damn mayor didn't stonewall me from my damn work!"

"That's not the point! Rayland we got him back safely! Can't you two just stop shouting! He needs us here!" He could hear those but even then when they noticed him. The three of them stopped shouting, walking closer as they gave him a hug. Whispering something but it was far too faint even for Joshua.

They all left the room, where Joshua just had to try and think about what to do. Even thinking was hurting him. Can he just go and sleep? A nurse walked on over with a needle. She mouthed something to him and injected his shoulder with it. Joshua fell asleep.

Hours later, Joshua was woken up by Cass shaking him. Rayland, Barton, Natalie and Bruce had came into the room. They were armed with rifles from the house.

"We need to get him out of here." Joshua could hear them, touching his ear. He could feel something to it, hearing aids maybe? Cass helped Joshua up, then passing him a pistol.. There were other voices coming from the outside. Even a growl that rumbled the walls of the hospital.

"Move, now!" Joshua followed his family, where the hospital had blood everywhere. Corpses strewn all over like cadavers in a warzone. Then seeing something else, something out of a fantasy book. An orc. The orc wielded the axe, roaring at the family. Though its face blew off from a shot by Bruce. More came into view.

"Mom, dad!?" Bruce fired off his lever action rifle while Natalie fired her AK. Gunfire had left Joshua's words unheard by his parents as his siblings grabbed him by the shoulders to pull him away.

"Take him and go! We love you!"

"I'm not leaving you!" Bruce shook his head as he pulled a shutter down, where the four began to move out of the hospital. Headed right to the entrance. Where Orcs were attacking all over. Panicked voices filled the air as gunfire accompanied them in a twisted melody. Though the roars of the Orcs were mind numbing, the other three of his siblings were calm. Another couple of Orcs came over while the police and the other adults were firing their guns at the orcs. They killed one, but the other two broke through their lines, swinging their axes to claim the lives of a few of the adults.

"Damn it, where's the Venerators!? It's a damn spire!" Barton shouted as he fired his rifle to the eyes of an orc, blinding it for a moment. As they were moving, Joshua watched Barton's head be pierced by an arrow. The amount of force it had caused Barton to back flip.

"Bart!" Rayland fired off his revolver, only to be impaled to the chest by a goblin, followed by a few more jumping over him. Cass pulled Joshua to an alley where it led them to a dead end. Cass readied her shotgun, firing at the oncoming goblins as fast as she could. Her competitive shooting was helping her fight most off them, but how long could she hold. She had pushed Joshua into a wall not letting him see what was going on.

"It's okay, Josh just close your eyes. Just close your e-" Joshua felt his back being light, only to see Cass's head being chewed off by an orc. When another Orc raised its hand to reach Joshua, another roar was heard. Where Joshua was then carried over by the orc in one hand. He couldn't do anything. He had a gun but, what could it do? The panic had set in as tears streamed down his cheeks. The bodies of everyone else was being eaten by the orcs and goblins alike.

Their eyes were enjoying the sight of Joshua being shaken by what he's seen. His voice clamped up as he was watching his childhood friends, Todd and Sheena being forced to fight in a cage.

"Human... You are all the survivors... So you will fight for our amusement!" The laughter of the orcs was a grim reminder that nothing good would come out of it. Sheena and Todd were punching each other in the face. Both of them wanted to survive but what can they do? Would all this be enough for anything? Sheena kicked Todd, where Joshua could see a tooth being chipped off. Todd's nose was bloodied and Sheena's fist had a bit of mucus to it.

A knife was thrown into it, where Todd grabbed the knife, kicking Sheena back. Then stabbing her repeatedly in the head. He was laughing as tears fell from his face. Then when he looked at Joshua's horrified face. Todd then glanced over to Sheena, then slit his own throat. They threw Joshua in the cage.

"The lone surviving human... You will... Just sit in your cage. Your food is all ready for you."

Joshua was now at their mercy, and when they said food. He just looked at Sheena and Todd's bodies. Did they mean he would have to eat them to survive? Their eyes were waiting for something. Joshua just sat there, a bottle of water was placed by his side. Joshua dug through the pockets of Sheena and Todd. trying to find something useful but there was nothing. He felt his stomach rumbling from hunger, but they were not going to give him anything else. So... Perhaps he has to do it? He cut open the flesh of his friends, and as he took a bite. He could see the corpses of his family members, or rather what was left of them being eaten right in front of him.

They laughed at him. The orcs were enjoying their feast and Joshua was just... Just sat still like a statue, his mouth moved and as much as he wanted to vomit everything out. He heard a voice.

Do you wish to be free? Oh you, who was dealt with a bad card. Now you've lost everything and only have yourself to rely on. Are you ready for it?

Oh what a shame young one... Woe is you. Woe is you.

Cursed you are. The only survivor of this hell. This whole place that you know has turned into hell. A city of 50,000 souls have been reduced to just you. Cursed you are, for you must live with this hell with no escape and no one to help you. But, all is not lost. In your hand lies the answer... Why don't you call for it?"

Joshua glanced to his hand, seeing the words 'Sheena' inscribed with a knife to his palm.

"Sheena." Joshua said as he crushed his fist. The metal cage began to combust into flames.. So did his clothes but it was like Joshua's insides were trying to tear out his own flesh. His mind was tearing apart, like a thousand pins had been placed to his brain. Being hammered down by jackhammers without mercy. His skin was melting off like wax. Flesh falling off from his body. The pain was devastating but Joshua tried his best to remain sane. The green skins looked at Joshua with joy. Enjoying the sight of what they were seeing! Rejoicing and celebrating with more humans to eat as they continued to look at Joshua's suffering. Then seeing Joshua's eyes bleed black tears. He coughed out black liquid from within his body.

Seeing it form a reflection in front of him. Joshua's skin was pale like a corpse, his eyes were now completely black. Noticing another name written to the palm of his left hand.

"Todd." Saying those words caused Joshua to fall again, as two swords appeared by Joshua's hands. The cage melted away, Joshua's breathing was ragged but he felt light. He could hear everything around him and had nothing but rage.

"Kill him!" The orcs and goblins charged at him, where Joshua swung the blade without much thought. He was being hit all over but his body didn't show any signs of recoil. He was continuing to cut a few of them, being hit in the neck by an arrow but he didn't fall and scream. Something... Something was making him continue onwards. Rage over everything he had seen, nothing was simple nor was it going to be easy. Just swinging the blades like an amateur, just going at it until the ones nearby were dead.

He was screaming back at them, as he continued to cut them down. By the end of it? Joshua had a few arrows in his back, his right arm was completely broken. His head felt fuzzy but he didn't feel tired. An orc was limping, only for Joshua to limp over as he stabbed it in the spine. Hearing it wail in pain, following it up with a strike to the neck. Joshua leaned onto the sword, luckily for him the edge that was holding his body up was not sharp if not he would have cut himself. Then something popped in front of him.

Escape is only possible when Orcs are completely dead.

Number of Orcs that remain : 1,250,412

Number of Venerators : 1

Victory Condition : All Orcs must be slain.

Defeat Condition : Venerator dies.

Reward : Mask of Thorns.

Joshua did not understand what he was seeing. It was like a game HUD and he noticed a small button hovering by the corner. Where he pressed it.

Joshua Gates Venerator Class : Seedling STRength 20 VITality 10 ENDurance 5000 DEXterity 410 DEFense 30 SPeeD 2000 INTelligence 1 MAGic 1

This was all that Joshua had and he looked at the two blades in his hands. By the blade's engraving he saw the names 'Sheena' on the right and 'Todd' to the left hand. Joshua cannot remember the date or time but he will have to do what he can. His body felt different, Joshua cut the rope that bound his family to it. His face may wrinkle with sadness but Joshua was unable to cry or say anything. The people here... Joshua knew them all so well. They were the people he knew back in school. Their bodies were left out in the open, some of them may have been eaten alive just by seeing the way their eyes looked back at him. They had tears in their eyes, faces of giving up.

He suddenly felt rejuvenated, his right arm was no longer broken. Survive. That was all that mattered. By hook and by crook, he has to survive. If he can.