I never was someone who people knew.
I spent my life in solitude, blended into the background.
But in the blink of an eye, the background changed.
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…
…
"Rose. wake up, there's something weird happening"
The screams of people in my school and the constant sounds had woken me from my nap. Clueless of what was around me.
"May? What's wrong?"
"Take a look around you Rose."
As I Sat more upright from my slouched stance, there was fire, creatures I'd never seen before, and my English class all bunched up into a corner.
"Is there a shooter or something?? What's going on?"
"Rose. we don't know."
Me and May began to crawl back with the others, the sounds from distant classes caused terror. People were praying, people were messaging their parents, people were crying. But then suddenly it all stopped.
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…
[Welcome to the game players!]
The feedback from the school's intercom was loud. And confusion befell everyone in the room
[I see many of you aren't accustom yet but i'll let you know this right now]
[the world you know is dead.]
The person on the intercom paused for a second. Only to let out a small chuckle afterwards.
[you will shortly be given a message from the system. Goodluck!]
…
"Children. Stay where you are while we wait for whatever this 'system' is okay?"
…
"Teacher, do you really think we're going to listen to you?"
The white haired boy stood up, and grabbed something from his bag.
"I'm going out. Help Isn't going to arrive."
"Mal don't you even think about-"
The boy broke the window with a skateboard he had in his bag. Growls and groans from the creatures outside arose like the sound of a volcano.
"See you teach"
The teacher, fed up with his actions, stood up angrily, with blood in his eyes.
"Does anyone else want to leave?"
The class went silent. Tension had begun building. And I hated it. Why didn't I speak up? Or anyone at that?
…
Kehehehehe
…
The teacher looked bewildered as he looked at the broken window to see someone— no. Something that spoke up to him. A goblin. The size of a child started crawling towards him with a large dagger in his hand.
"Kiddos.. I need your help here! I didn't mean what I said, okay?"
His pleas were met with silence. Everyone stayed still; for the goblin could've spotted them.
"Kids.. please?"
He was ignored again by the class. As the goblin raises his dagger to do his job.
"Please. Let me at lea—"
The goblin stabbed him, square into his heart. Letting out that stupid chuckle
Kehehehehe!!
Our teacher was dead. Without a shadow of a doubt. And we all sat there without helping them. Focused on our own survival. But, the goblin was still in the room with us. Stalking and intimidating. However, suddenly static started to play on the speaker. And the announcer began to speak once more
[Hello once more students of.. wayward high! I'm here to inform you that the system is now ready!!]
The speaker distracted the goblin, starting to run out and away from the loud sound. Was it self preservation? Or going for a new target? Nevertheless, the class began to stand from the corner. And awaited the "system" to give us the message.
"Hey rose? What do you think is happening?"
"Don't ask me? I haven't the slightest clue.."
"True true.. But still, do you at least have a theory?"
"Sure sure! Maybe the whole world was turned into goblins!"
May just stared at me with a blank expression. Before letting out a chuckle that caused the whole class to stare at her with anger in their eyes
"Shhhhhh….."
"Fine.. fine.. Let's just wait for the system then."
As she rolled her eyes the intercom finally perked up again being louder than before.
[okay students! You will now receive your message!!]
Then suddenly, a scroll appeared in front of us, the paper almost real, but it was for some reason digital. As the scroll opened we started seeing our individual messages.
{system processing message}
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.
.
{hello player Rose}
{please select your ability for the game of Ragnarok}
Whispers suddenly started to fill the room. The situation seemed ridiculous. In what world would something like this happen? Ever? But, before anyone could get into deep discussion, the system's scroll began to split into four different closed up scrolls. I began to open them, reading every scroll carefully.
{scroll of the sleeping}
…
{scroll of the earth}
…
{scroll of the racoon}
…
{scroll of the fallen}
Everyone was pondering their choices, after all what they could mean for their futures. The scrolls didn't open, so it was really up to choice as to which name you liked more. It wasn't intuitive.. But it was okay. One by one people began to choose their scrolls. Some exclaimed in happiness with what they got. But in my eyes, it was imperative to make a good choice at the time.
"Hey Rose? What's taking you so long?"
I stared at the scrolls for a second before responding to her.
"May.. what if I make the wrong choice."
After that, she stood back and just let me take my time. My choice was between the scroll of the sleeping and the scroll of the fallen.
{player Rose, please make your decision soon.}
"God.. this system sucks" I muttered to myself.
I decided to choose the Scroll of the Fallen, it was a cool name, and it was less suspicious than the Scroll of the Sleeping. I started to bring my hand toward the scroll of the fallen, and when I picked it up it suddenly disappeared from my hands.
{thank you for all your decisions! You will shortly be shown the rules and the limitations to your scroll.}
And then, the final scroll closed. And the class began to speak amongst one another again.
"Okay.. now that you've finally chosen your scroll Rose. What did you choose!!"
"I chose 'the Scroll of the Fallen'! Don't know what it is but.. Oh well!"
"Ooo- what an ominous choice."
"Hey now. It could be helpful. Now what did you get May!"
She stood there, forgetting what she chose previously for a second.
"May–"
"Oh! I remember now! I chose 'the Scroll of the Golden King'"
"That one sounds useful!"
"Haha agreed."
We decided to stop just standing around and sit down to wait for the next message to be sent in awkward silence. I took out my phone to maybe play a game, or do something for fun. But the service was cut out after a long period of being up.
"Damn it.. The cell is out." I angrily exclaimed to myself.
I put my phone back down and just groaned in frustration. These few minutes had filled me with suspense but boredom at the same time
{apologizes for the wait players.. You will now be given the rules of Ragnarok.}
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.
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{rule number one. You may not tell your scroll once the tutorial is over.}
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{rule number two. Previous world currency is now useless. You will be using credit }
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{rule number three. You are bound to the game, you may not leave events.}
Tutorial.. Credit.. Events? This all felt like a game. But it was much more serious than that. If this event is the tutorial. What will the true game be like?
{now. Players will individually be given their Scrolls powers.}
The Scroll of the Fallen.
Type: Leveling Dark magic
Level 1
Ability: Fallen sword.
Attributes: "angel's woe", "thought proficiency", "survival"
{you may access your stat field whenever by opening the scroll on your left hip}
Then the messages stopped coming in. Everyone in the class sat still for a second to process their scroll's attributes. I stared at the wall. What did leveling mean..? Would it have meant that everyone else in this world currently was on a fixed level? What could that possibly entail for future events? I had a look of despair which May was quick to pick up on.
"Hey Rose? Is something bothering you? You look upset at something."
I didn't notice what she said for a second.
"Oh– yeah I am fine! Don't worry about it."
She'd looked at me with a look of suspicion
"Okay. you better not be lying to me though Rose."
"I'm not, don't worry."
The talking turned into an awkward silence. I went back to thinking about my scroll.
How would leveling up work? How would it affect my body? Would it hurt? Would it feel empowering?
More and more thoughts rushed through my head as I made theory after theory about my scroll. I tuned out the sound from the intercom and the people gasping out of horror. Everyone whispered to each other as they saw the full message pop up on their scroll.
{ Leave room 403 and escape Wayward High School . }
Reward: 1000 credits
And written in fine text, the scroll had written out on it,
"Those who do not complete this task in 24 hours will be subjected to death."
However most of those in the class had seemingly not read it, confident that they would get the credit prize without any difficulty. Immediately setting up groups with others, taking confidence with numbers. I joined a team with my friends, who were all in a tight knitted friend group:
May
Jason
Randle
Jane
And me.