Forced To Win

Am I their sacrifice, perhaps? It would be a pitiful way for someone to die, truly.

Toki stands in the middle; he doesn’t know the context of what this ritual should do. Or how it works, but he just wants to get it done with and enjoy a piece of cake.

Shina orders him, “Stand there, don't move until we finish talking. Actually, don’t do anything at all; your words are poison.”

The three of them close their eyes and start chanting words, “Goddess of falsity, our beautiful and only Goddess. We are here, like you requested. At this exact moment, the scriptures told us, “ Their unison was impressive.

A new chant this time, and they are also using a scripture this time? Maybe some fake scroll they found online

His eyes scan the area around, looking for any clues, even if he doesn’t care about this ritual. There was nothing better to do.

“Welcome us as your representatives; let us win in your name, and let you guide us to victory.”

Their words are getting more surreal by the second. Come on, Toki, focus on the cake after their failed experiment.

“Come forth, goddess of falsity!”

The three believers stopped their chanting. Nothing happened, just as predicted from the very beginning, before it was even mentioned that he would come in.

Hiwo laughs. “Seems she’s rejecting us once more.” He moves towards the couch lined on the edge, taking a seat, the leather surface hitting his uniform, allowing a moment of rest.

“We did everything right; she will come.” Shina’s expression remained cold.

Ayuri, however, didn’t even comment; she just gave Toki a soft smile. “I’m going to make your cake now. Sorry for the trouble, Toki.” Her voice was slightly apologetic.

“It’s fine; this will make the whole trip worth it after all.” Enthusiasm seeps out of his mouth, letting Ayuri regain her cheerful demeanour.

Toki and Ayuri make their way towards the kitchen, both giving Shina a final look of regret at her clear frown forming despite her best attempts.

“She—” Shina’s voice was merely background noise.

Her voice heightens, causing Toki and Ayuri to turn back. “Our goddess…”

The circular-shaped ritual ring started to be surrounded in pure darkness; not even the light in the room could pierce its dark colour. The one ring filled with symbols and ritual items, turned into a ring staring at the abyss.

“Oi, what's happening?” Hiwo stands up from the couch, getting closer to the ring, trying to look down, and meets him with nothingness. A void that could never be filled

Tears roll down Shina’s face. “It’s our beautiful goddess, that’s what's happening”

There's no way in any place on this earth that the ritual should have worked. Maybe I should call the police, or at least run away before I die.

“Toki, stay back.” Ayuri places herself in front of Toki. Was he really about to get sacrificed for being a nonbeliever?

He lets a slight nod towards her, taking in the sight of both Hiwo and Shina staring down into the abyss, trying to understand the situation.

A sudden sound bursts into the room; the flapping of wings surrounded the room, coupled with a gust of wind, sending Shina and Hiwo both flung away from the ring.

A winged beast from within the void?

Toki places his hands on Ayuri's shoulder, making sure she stays stable at the sudden, intense wind circulating the room.

The wind intensifies its assault, causing everyone to cover their eyes. Toki, holding Ayuri, manages to catch a glimpse of wide black wings covering the length of the room and a human figure in the middle of a dark ring floating in midair.

His gaze wanders around, only to be met with a gaze back, soulless, empty and as deep as the abyss.

The wings flapping start to intensify further. Toki's grip on Ayuri is getting stronger, making sure to support her. Until an abrupt end happens. The human figure spreads out its wings across the ring.

Were the wings for show? Why can it also float despite defying any logical sense? This is definitely something otherworldly. Could the goddess possibly exist, and I was wrong?

“Ayuri, get in the kitchen; I have an idea.” Toki grabs Ayuri, and they both step into the kitchen, shielding from the figure hidden around the wings.

The kitchen was a standard Japanese L-shaped kitchen; it was modern and efficient. Toki starts looking for an object.

He stumbles upon a sharp knife in the drawer, and his hands wrap around the handle tightly, gripping it. He rushes out of the kitchen without a word.

Toki rushes towards the hidden figure with his knife. Both Hiwo and Shina look at him in a cold glare. Was he about to attack their goddess?

The knife twists and glints underneath the room's light; all his muscles accelerate to the maximum as he thrusts the knife towards the hidden figure, the sharp blade instantly shattering at the futile attempt of attack.

"That was rather rude, even for a nonbeliever." A mature female voice spoke out.

Shina instantly bows down, taking on a formal, businesslike tone. “I apologise for bringing such a fool into the ritual. Please forgive me.”

Ayuri and Hiwo both get the gist of the situation as well, instantly bowing down with Shina, hoping they could be forgiven.

They all stare at her features in awe

Her figure was refined yet slender, the palette of her pale white skin contrasting with her pure black clothing, not just her wings, but the whole of her peasant-style dress with black hair cascading down to her lower back.

Toki starts looking around the room, the only escape being one door, the same hallway he entered. The kitchen also has a window, which could be an escape; however, being on the third floor is more of an issue.

She smirks proudly. “You summoned me to declare yourself as my representative; even this nonbeliever has his use now.”

“Thank you, goddess.” Shina and the other two stop their bowing; however, they keep their gazes lowered to not insult the goddess.

Toki, having rested for a couple of seconds, stands firmly, approaching the goddess with complete disregard, staring straight at her black, hollow eyes with a sort of flame within him.

“Explain what you mean by representatives.” His tone was curious ; he didn’t want any yapping about anything but what awaited him from the ritual.

The goddess descended upon the flooring. She had elegant black heels, as they made a thud upon hitting the surface; her gaze was level to Toki, rather short for a goddess.

She smiles wider. “The god games, of course! Did they not tell you about the ritual at all?!”

“No, they didn’t.” He glances over at Shina; her face was cold and solid, definitely without any regret. After all, she just got to meet her beloved goddess, and she was already love-struck at this stage.

Hiwo, I shouldn’t have told you off. Now it’s coming back to kill me.

The goddess turns around, looking at everyone in the room, from Shina to Hiwo, then to Ayuri in the back. There wasn't a slight chance of guessing what she was thinking.

“The rest of you understand, right?” Her voice was stern, leaving no room to say anything but yes or no.

“Yes,” they all said in unison.

She floats herself back above the dark ring. “I will grant you a bit of my power once you get to the other side. I will make identical versions of you all, with your memories and experiences to this moment.”

Shina questions, “How do we get to the other side? Please enlighten us, goddess.”

“Jump into the ring below me; it’s that simple.”

Shina nods, taking the first couple of steps towards the ring, making sure to hover right above the edge. There was definitely nothing.

The goddess she so dearly loved all this time was telling her to jump. She jumped down, with not an ounce of regret.

Hiwo was next in line; he approached the ring. For the first time, Toki noticed that he had a different look to him; it was calculating. He gave Toki and Ayuri a final glance before jumping down to the abyss.

Now with the two remaining, the goddess turns towards them.

“You two, however, just wait a moment. You won’t get in that easily, especially with the fact that you both don’t even believe me, like those two.”

Ayuri was a believer; she even introduced Shina to the goddess, so why would she suddenly switch over?

Toki looks over towards Ayuri, still standing near the kitchen.

Maybe it's just punishment for trying to also protect me, a non-believer.

"Why would you punish your own representatives?" Ayuri shouted across the room. Clearly, she wasn’t pleased with this result.

The goddess then lets out a sigh, “You stopped believing in me, and you want to be my trusted representative? I’m just going to tell you a simple secret.”

Extra information? That sounds more like a blessing in disguise; it's a delicate matter.

Silence fills the room before the goddess speaks up again.

“I'm telling you that there can only be one team left standing, and only one person from that team left alive.”

If there are multiple teams in this so-called game, and only one person can survive from the team at the end, would that suggest we would have to fight each other? That can’t be the case; then why would anyone be part of a team?

“This game is cruel and unjust if that's the case.” Toki rebels against such a barbarous rule.

The goddess doesn’t speak any further, other than pointing at Ayuri to jump in. Without having a choice, Ayuri looks down fearfully. She knows it will be fine, but the depths within shake her to the core. With one sudden movement, she jumps straight in, screaming, before it abruptly stops.

“You won’t get any power, just a spear. It will be sharp enough to cut through magical abilities, but you yourself, however, will be devoid of any magical energy.”

The goddess brings out a piece of paper with simple conditions.

I won’t be allowed to have any magic circulating, produced, affected, displaced, or changed in me in any shape or form once I enter the god games.

His eyes scan the page until he focuses on the bottom right. The same symbol of the pillar with a star on top, surrounded by swirls

With a bit of reluctance, he signs the paper.

The goddess smiles with satisfaction, moving aside and giving space for Toki to jump down himself. He looks down knowingly that this will be his last chance to ever see his planet again. He was at the bottom, but that can’t stop him, especially now. He jumped down into the abyss. Only a new life awaits him.