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@jasmine

The first thing that popped into my mind was a giant twisted funhouse.We could take turns picking the next obstacles. That was just a random idea though. Do you have any more ideas?

Genius! Like a giant labyrinth but with extra obstacles along the way if they choose the wrong path! It could basically loop them in a circle, so they end up with the others when they get through.

Also, that’s A really cool profile picture! Did you draw that?!

Aww, thank you! Yes, it’s my most recent drawing of Liorah. I’ve drawn her like… 20 times XD I actually made a series of drawings, of all my female characters. I tried to decide which flowers suited each one, so that was really fun. Liorah has poppies because they’re wild, resilient, and bright. Faye has daisies, Sahar has camellias, and Chantara has lily of the valley.

“First of all,” it says in its gravely metallic voice, “I didn’t say the winner got to live.”

Oooh, that was a cool plot twist! I didn’t think of that!

Okay, now the fun begins! Hmm, I wonder how Ferran will react to all of this XD

Ferran

A voice boomed through the room.

“Second of all, you found a loophole, but I don’t count loopholes.”

I sat up, pushing Azar off my lap. Who was the castle talking to? What was ‘first of all’? I seemed to be interrupting a conversation, but that was impossible since I hadn’t done anything.

“Aww, that’s cute,” the voice crooned, ominously. “you’re trying to tell me what to do. Anyway, as interesting as this is, I’m ready to move on to the next game.”

I grabbed my staff, ready to defend myself against whatever was coming. I had barely gotten to my feet when the wall slowly ground on its gears. Or rails. Or whatever the mechanics behind this place were.

“Game? You call this nightmare a game?” A female voice said, disbelievingly. The wall lifted, suddenly all at once.

I was left facing two girls, one of whom I instantly recognized as Liorah. Her braid trailed over her shoulder and she was gripping her shamshir so hard her knuckles had gone white. She seemed to have spun around suddenly. She was scowling and her golden eyes flashed disdain, triumph, and fury. Blood smeared across her side and dripped from the fingers of her left hand. I felt my throat constricting. Was she hurt? What had happened? What had the castle done to her?

I noticed the other girl. Her straight sword was raised and stained with blood. Liorah’s blood. She had hurt her. My grip on my staff tightened and I glared at her. Was this entire castle filled with nothing but enemies?

“Ferran!” Liorah said, relief in her voice. I heard the hiss of her shamshir sliding into its scabbard.

“You’re bleeding. Why?” I asked, not breaking eye contact with the dark-haired girl.

“Oh, no, it’s not like that,” Liorah said, stepping in between me and the girl. She laughed, a quiet, reassuring sound.

“It’s not Gwen’s fault. The castle said we had to fight. It’s not her fault,” Liorah repeated.

I let my staff relax into a non-threatening, diagonal position.

“Are you alright?” I asked, anxiously. I didn’t waste any attention on the other girl. Even if she hadn’t started it, she had still hurt Liorah.

“It’s nothing, barely a scrape,” Liorah said. “What happened? The walls dropped and I lost you.”

“I had an… unpleasant encounter. But it’s over now, so never mind.”

Azar bounded up, carrying the dead, slimy monster like a trophy. Her ears and tail were at attention, announcing her triumph.

Liorah recoiled.

“A snake? How is it that big?”

“It’s… not a snake,” I said, uncertainly. “Nevermind that, it’s dead now. And I don’t think it’s venomous.”

“Greetings, and welcome to the next round!” The same metallic voice boomed.

“There’s that blasted thing again!” Liorah said, wrathfully.

“The next challenge will appear to your left. There are no rules, but this one advice. Do not turn back, or you may never find the way out. The wrong route will bring disaster.”

“Lovely, isn’t it?” Liorah said, in disgust.

A doorway opened to our left. It didn’t seem irregular, but that didn’t mean anything. All I could see behind it was a dark tunnel.

“Gav would hate this,” Liorah commented.

We all hesitated near it, none of us sure whether it was wise to enter.

“Oh, you haven’t met yet, have you?” Liorah said, as though the thought just occurred to her.

“Gwen, this is Ferran, a friend of mine. Ferran, this is Gwendolyn, we met earlier.”

“Nice to meet you, I suppose,” I mumbled, to Gwen, without looking at her. I hated meeting new people. I never knew how to behave around them, and it always felt like they were judging me for something or other.

I turned around and signed to Azar. Put down.

Azar regretfully dropped the slimy thing, giving it a last, longing look.