VICAS POV:
We sat round the table, food and drink provided in excess.
An awkward silence.
The only sound was that of cutlery clinking on plates.
I picked at my food, uncomfortable in the layers of dirt and blood on my body, not to mention how foggy my head felt after passing out to the mist.
Even after escaping from the dragon I was still so close to death.... luckily for me, I, and a couple others were saved by my parents.
If not...
My stomach grumbled as I returned to picking at my food.
'Atleast we won'
Ael watched us silently, he had refused to speak "Until everything was ready".
Suddenly, he addressed us.
"I trust the food is to your liking", he spoke in an old gritty voice.
No one answered.
"I understand you all are tired, but you few are not the only ones here."
Silently, a door to the side opened.
And out of it came the most shocking surprise— making me almost fall off my seat.
Chairs scraped against the floor in a disorganised clutter as almost everyone hurried backwards.
Out of that door, walked; the white haired man we left behind, His wives, Cadavir, that woman who fell off a tree— I heard someone call her Chrysa, Karin,
And—
Ren.
My eyes followed his every movement as he strolled in.
He- he couldn't be.....
I saw his Corpse.
Immediately, I turned to mum, if anyone knew what was happening it would be her.
A dead person could never come back to life, she told me that herself.
But the only trace of Ren's death was the blood, he was completely covered in it— save for his face and palms, even his eyes had a red tinge to them.
Mum looked just as stunned as I felt.
"What the fuck..." I muttered, clutching the table to stay standing.
They all silently arranged themselves in a corner of the room.
'Was everything before just a dream?'
"Explain this" Muri pointed at the group— Ren particularly as he stormed towards Ael.
"Aren't you happy to see me Muri?" Ren asked, smiling as though everything that had happened was a joke.
"Bullshit," Muri spat out, spinning towards Ren instantly.
"You died."
"Yes."
"But you are not dead."
"Also true"
Muri's fist smashed into Ren's face— throwing him backwards, but a small needle-like drop of blood shot towards Muri's head.
It shattered right before puncturing his skull, blocked by an invisible wall.
Muri charged, Ignoring Karin to land a second blow on Ren.
Then the world turned blurry, and everyone was placed in their seats.
I couldn't stand— not even move my chair, no matter how hard I shook or pushed my feet against the floor.
And when I tried to talk, no sound came out.
"Now let us begin." Ael spoke as I struggled, haunted by a claustrophobic feel, so much so that my heart couldn't beat still.
My body was still my own, I could feel it— move my hands, legs and, head— but I couldn't stand or speak.
I met wide-eyed stares and teary eyes full of terror to my sides and wondered what my own face looked like.
"You all have been selected to participate in a number of games, which would lead me to pick a select few of you to be crowned Champions of Earth.
The previous round was your training, some of you had to be removed early to prevent unnecessary casualties, those few have spent their time in the house awaiting your arrival.
Now that you are complete, none of you are allowed to harm each other without explicit permission." Ael said staring into each of our eyes.
'Without permission?'
'Would we be told to kill each other?'
Suddenly I felt dizzy with how quickly I was breathing, still struggling to leave my seat.
There was just something so wrong in having specific restrictions for no visible reason.
Each time i tried to relax, it felt like my bounds grew tighter and tighter.
"Now to your question of how Ren survived" Ael spoke, drawing my attenrion towards Ren who was sitting smugly in his seat.
"That has nothing to do with me.
Ren himself crafted his own death and return, any further questions would be answered by him if he pleases to.
And that would be all, do make sure to behave yourselves." Ael said before taking a look round the room.
Then, he flew straight out of the roof.
A second later my bindings broke.
'That was it?'
Suddenly the room burst into motion as Muri charged towards Ren again.
"Explain yourself!!" He shouted, it seemed like no one was going to follow Ael's advice as they gathered into a group— ready for a fight.
Ren remained the only one seated, though he was no longer smiling.
"Relax.
I'll only explain myself if we are all seated and ready for a nice story." Ren replied, I almost regretted believing he was serious.
But nonetheless, everyone gathered into their seats, except the white haired man and his wives, they left the dining— heading on to the rooms as though they owned the place.
'I guess they did make the right decision waiting, how long have they been living comfortably here while the rest of us—'
My thoughts were interrupted as Ren made a show of leaving his seat— standing as though he was giving a presentation.
He brought out a sheet of paper from his pocket, then unfurled it to show a string of human shaped cut-outs.
Each one of them had Ren written boldly on it.
"Well the magic is simple, Ren "died"" He said, tearing off one of the figures.
"I only need to selectively choose who, then go back to my body once it's healed"
Everyone turned silent.
"And how do you heal your body from... That." Kendali said pointing at all the blood, it was surprising how he didn't leave bloody footprints while he walked.
Ren winked, "A magician never reveals his secrets right?" He said, after everything he already told us.
But it wasn't hard to put the pieces together, the only person with that kind of magic out therewas his daughter— Karin.
I'm not even sure mum could heal a corpse, and after how Karin disappeared all this while—
"Good. Now that we are all caught up.
The only thing left for us is to rest and wait for Ael to get back" Ren asked leaning on the table.
And this time there were no arguments.