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@this-is-not-an-alien

Lol that is an awesome description! Also Chantara’s picture is gorgeous!

Aww, thank you! Yeah, he’s definitely a cardboard box, but like, a cool one. Maybe a cardboard box painted to look like a rocketship! LOL

Hmm, I think I slightly misunderstood the instructions. I’m dropping Chantara in on just another day for her, but I’m going to use the only things she cares about as leverage and stakes, otherwise she’d find a comfortable corner and watch everyone else settle their problems. She already doesn’t have much to lose, so I can’t take anything away from her ahead of time XD

@everyone

Y’all’s characters sound awesome! I can’t wait to see what Chantara does…

Chantara

“Siya Chantara. It is a pleasure to see you here,” the unearthly voice intoned. My body stiffened and I gathered myself like a cat preparing to spring. How did it know my name? What’s more, it had spoken in flawless Kezbe!

I refused to reply, but my hand was hovering near my knives. Where was I supposed to hit it?

“What do you want?” I asked, trying to control my voice.

“Play my game. Fight these people, and if you win, you will have everything your heart desires.”

“Fight them? I’m outnumbered.”

“You can choose your time, choose who will help you, and choose your manner. As long as you succeed.”

“Tell me what my heart desires,” I said, sardonically. Off the top of my head, I could think of a few things. I wanted to go home. I wanted Aydin to stop speaking about the commanders as he did. I wanted a secure future. All of these things were out of reach.

“Control,” the voice said, flatly.

A prickle ran up my spine. When it all came down to it, it was right. And that frightened me.

“You can’t give that to me. No, I won’t be your puppet. I owe you no loyalty, and I might lose my life.” It wasn’t reasonable, and it wasn’t logical.

“As if you ever valued that. And I can give it to you. What’s more, if you don’t, you lose everything.”

A giggle bubbled up in my throat.

“What will you take from me? My life? I didn’t expect to live to today. I don’t expect to live until tomorrow. My family? I haven’t seen them in years. My future? I might die tomorrow.”

“I know who. I know about them.”

I stiffened, tightening my crouch. Somehow, I knew who he meant, and its next words confirmed it.

“Your cluster. The seven other assassins in your group. Especially Aydin.”

“You can’t touch them.” My voice was between a purr and a growl.

Not Aydin, out of all of them, not him. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go! I wasn’t supposed to be left behind! He didn’t do fieldwork, and I’d comforted myself with the idea that even if we never had a future together, at least I wouldn’t have to see it crumble. I would die. Perhaps next week, perhaps a few years from now, but it was inevitable. They couldn’t take him from me!

“I can. And I will. Play my games, or I will make sure they know your selfishness killed them.”

Every muscle was quivering, and I had to close my eyes. Images of what I had seen happen to others flooded my memory. Among the Siya, group punishment wasn’t uncommon. None of the assassins valued their lives particularly, after all, it had been trained out of us. But this was different. The worst was when someone from your cluster was singled out to take your punishment. It hurt worse than taking it yourself.

“Lay out your pieces, and prepare the board,” I murmured, finally relaxing. “Shah mat.” (Checkmate)

The voice went silent, and I got up. A few of the others were looking at me quizzically, and I slipped back into my harmless-and-helpless act. I slumped my shoulders and peered between my lashes shyly. Thankfully, I hadn’t started screaming at the voice, and I’d hidden all signs of distress, though I felt them more than I wanted to.

I glanced over the others. Three men, and four girls, near my age. Two of them I immediately pegged as dangerous, mostly because of their massive weapons, a sword, and an ax. One… thing… barely looked human. It had two tails and ears like a cat. The rest of it seemed human enough, so I wouldn’t have much trouble finding its heart. The other two men didn’t have bared weapons, but I still didn’t trust them.

One girl seemed especially promising… She was small, with long black hair and dainty features, a few years younger than I was. She sat perched atop a table, licking something off her fingers. She seemed unarmed, and she looked naive and innocent. I would try to leech information from her.

I got up and neared the table. I tried not to look as dangerous as I was. Someone had once mentioned I moved like a lioness or a black cat. I had taken it as a compliment.

I stopped next to her.

“I’m sorry,” I said, hesitantly. “Do you know where we are? I don’t know how I got here…” I said, letting my voice trail off.