Ordinal Number part 2

The chubby leader touched the steel gate which I did too out of curiosity. It was a bit hot due to the sun as steel conducts heat. I stared at the center of the gate’s closing. I can't open this alone.

"We need help to do this,” The chubby leader said to me. “Hey, everyone. Help us with this!" He called the others. Before others helped us, my classmate went to me first without a doubt. He didn’t hesitate to help us which made me think he knew what we were doing.

I saw their confused faces.

“Let’s push this harder. 1, 2, 3, go!” The chubby leader commanded. They helped us to push the tall gate with full force. When the two gates gradually separated about four inches apart, it automatically opened and we almost tripped.

"The gate is also made of steel. It doesn't have a lock, but it hasn't been opened before. What closes this gate is a magnet. There is a strong magnet in between the gate’s gap so even without a lock, it was tightly closed. A strong force is needed because the magnets are strongly attached. And when the two gates gradually slid apart, it opened on its own. Suppose the magnet no longer attracts." My classmate explained. I was glad that him, the chubby leader and I thought of the same thing and solution. He also stepped out to explain to others.

"Come on, let's go in.” the funny boy with blonde hair initiated.

This gigantic gate cannot be opened alone. It appears that the gate is encouraging us to help each other and is meant for us to enter to. We immediately passed through the gate and were exposed to a large door also made of steel. The gate immediately closed again after all of us entered.

"We’re trapped!" shouted someone.

They forcefully pushed the gate to reopen it. We worked together but a strange force and a stronger magnetic force blocked us. Earlier, it was relatively easy to open but now it is impossible even with everyone’s help. It is also not possible to climb the gate because of its height and vertical structure that no hands and feet can hold on to climb.

"Isn't it riskier to enter again? The gate can't be opened, and we've been trapped in here." a cute girl with short hair and bangs concerned.

She has a point. Why bother entering the castle if we’re already trapped in its gate? But I have a strong feeling that something is telling us why we need to enter this castle. Surprisingly, I am not anxious that we’re already trapped here, instead, I prefer to go inside and see it inside. I looked at the door, it had no doorknob and lock. I was wondering if this thing also involves magnets, but I’m not sure about it.

"No way!" shouted a boy with cool dreadlocks.

Everyone looked at that boy. He raised his right arm, but his left hand was missing. I approached him who was panicking.

"How did that happen to you?" I asked him as I was about to help him but I’ve no idea how.

"I-I don't know. I just held the door and then I felt like I was being pulled a-and my other hand is gone!”

"Let's go in. That's the entrance. We'll just go through that steel door." A boy with spikey red hair said and only a few followed first because others were afraid. "This might be a better idea. The gate won't open. Why don’t we try going inside the castle then we'll have a place to live." he ended.

We entered and I felt a strong gust of wind touch my face and I was surprised that we were already inside the castle. What we saw inside the castle amazed us. It was as if we were in a movie of antiquity. Just like the castles of kings and queens, it also looks like this.

"Man, it feels like I’m a royalty!"

“But you’re a peasant, haha!”

"I’d prefer a modern minimalist style. The ornaments are too much."

“Where’s my room? Where’s my room?!”

“So… we’re staying here?”

“Gosh, I’m hungry. There must be food here.”

*bell rings*

Everyone stopped at what they were doing when we heard a very familiar sound.

A hologram…. There is a big capital letter A in an old white font. This is the hologram we saw when we were in the middle of space!

"As you can see, you have already infiltrated this place. It's your second day here on the nth planet." Just as expected, we are already on the nth planet. "Even though it's only your second day here, you've encountered challenges in your new world. First, the Neinuko's attack. Second, this steel castle.”

"I think you already forgot. The tri-games started yesterday from the very moment you woke up floating in the river. The monster called, Neinuko, was your first challenge. The tri-games consists of three levels. The first level, called Wealth Level—is where your mind will be tested. The first level consists of three stages, meaning you will play three times for the first level. And the prize for this level is money. Behind your sleeves is your ordinal number name.”

I unbuttoned the first three buttons of my blouse and slipped the collar down to my right shoulder. I was puzzled to see that there was a tattoo on it.

Author disrupted us. "That will be your temporary name. And it follows.” The big letter capital A hologram changed into numbers and ordinal numbers.

Author continued.

“1st as First
2nd as Second
3rd as Third
4th as Fourth
5th as Fifth
6th as Sixth
7th as Seventh
8th as Aeith
9th as Ninth
10th as Tenth
11th as Eleventh
12th as Twelf
13th as Thirzen
14th as Forzen
15th as Fifzen
16th as Sixzen
17th as Sevenzen
18th as Aeizen
19th as Ninezen
20th as Twentieth
21st as Firstwen
22nd as Sectwen
23rd as Thirtwen
24th as Fortwen."

"That number names of yours were already embedded right after you entered the castle. This is a closed area, therefore you will live here while waiting for new challenges and the next stages. I assure you that you’ll enjoy this cozy place. But more importantly, enjoy the game!" Author said with a mocking tone.

Many questions still formed in my mind.

"Go and find the answers that you seek... Good luck." then the hologram disappeared like a bubble before our eyes.