Chapter 18: Veil of Shadows
A soft chime stirred the stillness, its gentle tone at odds with the tension that clung to the air like dust. Lights flickered on, pale and clinical, humming softly above the cold steel rooms. Day Four had arrived.
The players awoke slowly, their bodies stiff, their minds still fogged with the remnants of the gas that had lulled them into unconsciousness. Their dreams—fractured, fleeting—were already dissolving into nothing.
A voice crackled from the intercom, even and detached:
"Roles have been reassigned. Return to your team rooms. One card per player. Choose carefully."
---
Blue Team Room
The door opened with a hiss. Tatsuya entered first, flanked by Mei and Daichi. They looked groggy, their movements sluggish. On the center table, three folded cards waited.
Mei rubbed at her eyes and muttered, "...I'm hungry."
Tatsuya's response was flat: "Wait two more days."
Daichi cocked his head toward Tatsuya, curiosity narrowing his eyes. "Hey... back in the chamber. How did you know? Ren was the Bomber. That wasn't luck."
There was a beat of silence. Tatsuya glanced at him, then at Mei. His expression remained unreadable.
"I'll explain," he said at last, his voice low. "But not here."
They leaned in slightly toward one another. Their voices dropped to whispers, lost beneath the hum of the room. The screen held on their silhouettes, secrets locked behind hushed tones.
---
Red Team Room
Three players. Three role cards. One strained silence.
Ren sat rigid. Aoi's arms were folded tightly, her gaze pinned to Ren like a blade. Shun stood nearby, his brow furrowed in suspicion.
"He named you," Shun said quietly. "Without hesitation. How?"
Aoi didn't take her eyes off Ren. "You didn't even fight it. How did Tatsuya know?"
Ren exhaled slowly, his voice tight. "Believe me—I don't know. He just... looked at me. Like he already knew."
"That's not guessing," Aoi replied, voice like ice. "That's certainty."
Ren opened his mouth, then closed it again. Shadows flickered in his eyes.
Shun took a step forward. "You weren't working with him, were you?"
"No." Ren's answer was quick, clipped. "You'll understand... when this is over. If we make it."
---
Intercom: Global Alert
The Accountant's voice cut through all rooms, louder now, each word sharper.
"All players. Assemble. First floor. Now."
The lights flickered red. A warning.
Tatsuya sneered toward the ceiling. "I'm not your servant."
The voice came again, colder.
"Players. Do not be rude. Disobedience will result in elimination. Follow instructions... or die."
A thick silence fell. No one spoke. The message was clear.
---
First Floor: Dining Hall
The players gathered slowly. Tension crawled along their spines as they stepped into the unfamiliar space.
But instead of another game, or another cruel twist, they found something impossible: a long dining table lined with food.
Real food.
Steam rose from platters of fresh dishes. Cold drinks glistened in tall glasses. Fruit, bread, meat, rice. Real cutlery. Real chairs. Real comfort.
The intercom voice had softened—slightly.
"Today is a rest day. Enjoy your meal. We don't want anyone dying on an empty stomach."
No one moved.
Then Daichi shrugged and stepped forward. "Well, I'm not skipping breakfast for drama."
He filled a plate. The others followed, still tense, still wary, but hunger winning out over caution.
---
Closing Scene
The camera drifted slowly down the table. Plates full. Eyes hollow. Hands uncertain. Smiles were absent. Trust was absent.
A narrator's voice, barely more than a whisper, slid into the silence.
"On Day Five, the cycle begins again. One player from the Red Team will enter the Blue Room. The next move will be made..."
Fade to black.
---
End of Chapter 18: Veil of Shadows
Trust is a mask. Silence is a weapon. And in the stillness, the real game begins.
Next In Chapter 19:Hearts of Ash