Jack VS Seril: Their life changing game

It’s the day! Pablo, Xadulo, and Carnelia were sitting on a fallen tree log, ready to judge. Seril and Jack are the contestants, and Kyshanne, with a few animals, were the audience. Rules were: the other shall go through what the other went through. If Seril will go in a quiz, the other shall have on, too. Due to some circumstances, they just made the quiz a ‘whoever gets the answer correct first’ kind of competition for the first round. For the second, they’ll have what Jack prepared for the day. For the third was an on-the-spot conditioning game, by Xadulo herself.

Xadulo asked both Carnelia and Pablo for insurance that neither of them cheated the questions. They both pledge, “I swear I have not committed anything closely related to cheating for either of the contestants, nor choosing whoever I like most as my winner. The basis for their grading is fully based on what their performance would turn out like,” the both of them practiced this pledge all night last night. It was pointless lying to Xadulo anyway, so what their pledge contains are actually true.

“Let the battle begin,” Carnelia said effortlessly, which killed the mood. Pablo just restated it, “LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!” 1st question: What was the reason necromancers were brought to existence? Jack didn’t know the answer, so it was Seril who was able to answer it. “Once, a man had a contract with a demon in exchange for his family’s health…”

2nd question: Why do we eat humans? This time, Jack knew it, and was the first one to raise his hand. “For extra energy.” 3rd question: Seril got it. 4th, Jack did. But it was from 5th question on when questions got harder, and most part of it are just facts only necromancers know. In the end, Seril won. 1-0.

Round 2, chemistry. Jack made experiments. He showed what different elements react when mixed, and explains why. While Seril cooked appetizing food. The judges had hard time deciding. Jack’s chemistry show was amazing, but what on earth would they do with it? It was a pointless lecture. Seril won. 2-0. There was supposed to be a 3rd round, but the winner was showing. Seril was happy to be promoted as a trusted friend, and Jack was actually expecting it. He just tried to compete to feel fun for the last time. “Now, you can eat me, or torture me ‘til I wish to die,” Jack was matured. It was something Seril saw from the very first day. He was clever, smart, sometimes not caring what others think. That was why, just like Seril at first, Jack didn’t last in being a member in a friend group. Jack was smiling, yet it was so sad. Ironically, it was only Seril who was able to notice it, that meaning behind Jack’s smile. It was only him who saw Jack’s expression on the verge of crying, who had given up on everything.

“So, what was your plan for Jackie now, my trusted friend, Seril?” it warmed his heart just by hearing that. He was about to say something like ‘let’s cook him’ or ‘lets make him our slave’, but on his serious side, thinking back these past days they’ve been stuck together, he wants to be friends with Jack. “I… want him to be your trusted friend as well, Xadulo,” he said sincerely. Jack lifted his head as he found hope. “But I have one condition, Jackie. Give up on Xadulo. Maybe you can continue being in love with her, but don’t try to win her heart anymore,” Seril said “Xadulo’s heart is already taken, and you could never claim it back”. Tears started falling from Jack’s eyes, flowing through his cheeks. Both were tears of sadness and joy. “Now, come! You’re one of us now,” Seril stretched his arms, as if giving Jack a hand from afar. Thrown by his emotions, he ran to grab the hand he felt like his last chance to live his life, and threw behind his first and only love. He cried out loud in Seril’s chest. Xadulo smiled ever so calmly at them. “May it be feelings never spoken, it is undeniable it still exists deep down, doesn’t it?”