004 Death, Or Alice

Gritting his teeth, Meph finished the job anyway.

With the last gear falling into the correct location, the lock flings open with a slight click. At that one tiny sound, everything falls into absolute silence. The shaking of the door. The rabbit’s frantic shouting. The icy wind twirling in the room. Meph would believe the storm that almost took down the door was all but a dream, if it wasn’t for the very real pain that’s still burning his wrist.

Never has he been so grateful for having alexithymia, if he could feel what grateful is—

Sudden pain. That’s the real test. Not the question. A harmless shadow suddenly starts to burn would panic anyone. Anyone but Meph. He could feel pain, but his brain won’t shut down at it. He won’t lose focus or train of thoughts to fear, pain, or any old trick the trail knows.

He WILL complete the trail. He was born for it, he knew.

The rabbit is waiting right outside the door. He must be. Just like the first time. And now with the little golden lock dropped on the ground, there is nothing stopping the rabbit from coming in.

Taking a deep breath, Meph stands calmly, too, not in a hurry to forward the trail. He has to regain his energy lost to the low temperature and the burning pain. But the screens are not as calm. In fact, it just blew up—

[Wow wow wowwwwww! What the fuck! What, the, fuck, just happened?!]

[Did, did he really?! How the fuck did he figured out the combination?! A blind shot???]

[No! I saw him stare at the key poster, the one with the queen. He must understood the hints even without the system intro!]

[No freaking way! Even after the rabbit told him he was sent here to look for Alice, how long was that? Ten, twenty seconds? And you are telling me, this newbie, in his first game, without even his game panel activated, got through the skin-peeling rabbit?! No, freaking, way!!! I was so looking forward to his scream mixed with his skin ripped off…]

[Eww, gross! I’m not tired yet of his pretty face]

[Pretty face doesn’t get you through the trail, sister. I don’t know what the fuss is about this kid. Anyone could have gotten the door open. I mean, come on. The Hollow Log is the death zone not because what’s inside, but what after you open the door, okay? This is nothing special]

[It’s special because he opened the door with absolute no information! I believe in him.]

[You believe in him? Huh! No one has ever gone out of the Hollow Log alive. Not, even, one! No offense to the heroes who died here, but it’s a dead end, okay? You are sent by the Queen to find Alice, are you? If yes, then off with your head when you don’t give him Alice. If you lie, guess what—]

[Skinnnnnnnned!]

[Why can’t he give the rabbit Alice?]

[Wow, I didn’t know that there are still audiences who hasn’t watched this trail at least once!]

[He can’t give the rabbit Alice because—]

[Wait wait wait, what’s that?! Holy shi—He got his game panel!!! NOW??? OMG hahahahahahaha]

[His panel looks weird no? Everybody’s panel is a black wristband, no? Why is his… a black snake?]

--- Bullet Comments with spoiler will be screened out for the hero ---

The heavy, three inches thick door opens swiftly as if a veil at a light breeze. No sound. No fuss. Out in the darkness, stands the skeleton rabbit. His head low. His tall hat hidden by the black sky.

The rabbit asks with a hoarse voice, “Where…is…Ali-…?”

The next question! Meph focuses his eyes on the rabbit, his brain running on top speed, going through all the information he gathered.

But the rabbit never finishes his questions. His voice stops abruptly, and the dark fog penetrating the door also stops.

As if a movie paused on screen.

?

Meph blinks. As much as he prepared himself, he didn’t see this coming.

[Welcom--]

[Wel--]

[Wel--]

The emotionless voice raises again. This time near him. Meph follows the sound by instinct, only to notice his new tattoo — the black little snake around his wrist — is glowing red, projecting a hologram of a game panel right above its little snake head, one that moves along with his movements.

The panel looks like an old fashioned computer screen. Lines of green words over a pitch black background. Ugly as hell.

There is really no need for the angels to localize the trial to the first glimpse they took on the human civilization. Such a weird combination of magic and ancient computer tech is like seeing a tissue section of the failed civilization that ran itself into extinction.

Lines of words fly up on the screen, pushing the previous line up as more rush in. As if some invisible hands are typing like crazy. The emotionless voice is back as the lines flies, trying to catch up only to fail--

[Welcome!]

[The future--]

[You are in the Trial of Alice--]

[Main quest--]

[Main quest--]

[Side qu--]

[Side quest complete: Escape the Hollow Log]

[Main quest unlocked: Hand Over Alice Alive]

“Where is Alice?” The rabbit suddenly snaps out of his zoned out situation after the system’s voice died out, as if it’s forbidden for the NPCs and the system to notice each other’s existance.

The dark fog around him lunges at Meph as he adds, “The Queen sent you for her, no? You know the consequence if you fail.”

Be headed. That’s a no brainer.

The fog surrounds Meph like a huge claw of an enormous monster, ready to choke him at any movement he dares to make. It looks like normal fog except for the color, but Meph feels like he is carrying a mountain on his back, which is ready to collapse on him at any second.

Such is the power of a concept deity!

Meph has no doubt that the fog would crash him if he gives the wrong answer.

Even though the system didn’t give him any information when the trail started. Even though his game panel failed to complete any of the sentences it should have said. But Meph understands the situation now—

The trial was supposed to provide information, but due to some glitches, it was delayed, at the worst timing no less — it jumped the third question to the second time asking. Meaning, the rabbit already provided the last piece of information he would give, and Meph can’t afford not to answer, or answer wrong at the moment.

Death…or alive. This is the moment of fate.