"H-Huh? M-Me?"
I pointed a shaky finger at myself. I had worked with Summer for a year. Yes, she was mean and self-centered, but this was a new low for her. Even Kimberly was shocked by her actions but said nothing to defend me.
"Looks like you have been offered up as my first sacrificial lamb."
Roger's eyes narrowed as he pointed his sword directly at me, the blade glinting with anticipation. I could feel my heart racing as I fought to conceal the fear that consumed me. I knew that if I showed my fears to him, it would only make him happier, and I refused to give him that!
"You gotta be kidding? What are you going to do to me? Throw me out of the building?" I shouted at Roger.
A sly grin crept across his face. He motioned to two of his cronies with a nod, who obediently advanced toward me. They held my arms hostage. I attempted to escape, but Roger stood before me and seized my hair, yanking it as I screamed from the pain.
"Now, don't be afraid, my little sacrificial lamb. I know it's scary out there. But if you need a safe place to rest your head, all you have to do is kill a few monsters and get some coins. Of course, you are always welcome back here if you survive. However, in order to prolong your stay, you will need to pay at least 90% of the coins you have earned."
His fingers twisted into my hair, sending a sharp, unbearable pain through my scalp.
"You asshole! I would be handing over most of my earnings to you! That's highway robbery, and you know it." I shot him a fierce glare but my reaction only seemed to elicit a hearty chuckle from him.
"Not my problem. The rules around here have changed. I must look after myself, and so must everyone else. So, if you prefer to wander those streets with those monsters ready to feast on your corpse, be my guess. But if you want a safe place to rest, I'll need compensation. Coins or your life? Easy choice."
Roger leaned his face close to mine, totally invading my personal space. Those selfish eyes flashed with pure malice—a true cliche villain. I tried to break free once again but they were all much stronger than I was.
But what was the point? Either way, they would send me out of those doors, and maybe it was a good thing.
The shift in leadership was unmistakable, and I found myself unwilling to remain confined under the same roof with Roger at the helm.
Roger was no ruler. The man was a selfish, greedy coward who only thought of himself. Looking around the room, I noticed that other than Roger's stupid followers, most of the people here were either elderly, grieving mothers with children, young teens, or young adults, all of whom were too overcome with fear to think with their heads on straight.
There was no telling what awaited these people now that Roger was in charge, but as he said, everyone must look out for themselves. I wasn't like Mr. Barry. He was a great man with a selfless heart. My heart wasn't that selfless, and I must look after myself now with no one to stand up for me.
As I glanced in Kimberly's direction, our eyes locked for a fleeting moment. To my surprise, I detected a hint of guilt in her gaze. Kimberly and I had never been particularly close throughout the year that we worked together.
Heck, we barely talked to each other, and the only time she did was to yell orders at me. So, the look in her eyes surprised me.
Unlike Summer, who gloated in triumph.
If I lived to see another day, I vowed vengeance on that bitch who put me in this situation. I might not get vengeance today, the next day, or even a month or year from now.
But I would get it.
The doors opened, and I was thrown outside on my ass.
"Have a nice trip~!" I heard Roger say before ordering his people to lock the doors. I kept moving forward, refusing to glance back. Despite the fear welling inside me, I was determined not to let it show on my face.
"From here on out, I'm on my own," I told myself.
As soon as I stepped outside of the building, the thick air of death hit me. I quickly raised my hand to my nose to help block out the smell, but that did nothing. It stunk to high hell out here!
There were rotten and maimed corpses piled all over. I averted my gaze from the gruesome images, choosing instead to focus on something else. As I looked away, I noticed the number of smoke clouds had multiplied.
Mist City was previously recognized as a city-state where bills were cheap, but the environment was still far behind in development. It was nowhere near as luxurious as the other six city-states. The city-state that was always shrouded in mist and gray clouds, yet still maintained the balance of peace despite its poor and depressing outlook, looked as if it had stepped straight out of hell.
The sky was still painted a deep crimson red, casting an eerie glow over the landscape. In the distance, a piercing bird-like screech shattered the atmosphere, causing my heart to race with alarm.
Not wasting a second that could get myself killed, I ran as fast as I could. Adrenaline pumped through my veins as I dreaded the thought of coming upon that hideous bird-beast from before.
I veered down an empty street that used to be bustling with stores and people, but was now a destroyed and desolate wasteland. My heart pounded in my ears. Desperation pumped my legs to go faster! I had no clue where I was going, but I knew I didn't want to die.
I turned down a street that was once an upscale neighborhood with big pretty houses, but not anymore. The houses that once lined the street had been completely destroyed and ravaged.
A loud shriek pierced the air behind me. Every hair on my body began to stand on end. I could feel its dangerous presence getting closer as a shadow loomed over me.
Shit! It's here!
"Damn it! Why can't you leave me alone!?" I yelled as I quickly glanced back.
Behind me was a bird that looked like the same one I encountered before that Mr. Barry saved me from. Its jet-black wings beated furiously as it hovered above the ground with his beak wide open, showing off its rows of razor blade teeth.
Fear washed over me. I was scared and alone. Why was I in this situation in the first place?! I screamed inside my head as tears began to fall down my face. Unlike last time, there was no one here to save me.
I continued to run for my life, but why did the universe like playing tricks with my life!? Not looking down at the ground, I tripped over some debris and fell flat on my face.
I clutched my face that ached from the pain as I moved to sit up. But I flinched when I felt the ground rumble and slowly turned to see the ugly, giant vulture bird stomping towards me.
The ground underneath me shook, but this wasn't from the bird. That was when my eyes saw fissure-like cracks spreading acrossing the ground. I scrambled back when I saw the ground was beginning to give way as a giant sinkhole began to appear.
But it was too late to move far enough. I let out a scream as the ground underneath me gave and I began to fall into a black abyss. I tried to grab onto something to stop my fall, but my fingers met nothing but air. After what felt like hours, I finally landed on my ass.
"Ouch! I can't see anything!"
I stood up, rubbing my sore bottom. All I could see was total darkness. But then, I noticed a bright glow coming from my pocket. I reached inside to retrieve the now glowing sheathed hunting knife the system had provided me earlier.
"At least I'm not in the dark anymore." I tried to lift my spirits.
I held the dagger in front of me like a flashlight and began my journey ahead. I extended my arms, and my fingers came into contact with what felt like the rough, jagged texture of some kind of wall.
"Did I somehow fall into some kind of underground cave?"
All around me, nothing but darkness loomed. It made me uneasy. I couldn't help but wonder what lurked in these shadows, ready to pounce on me. I heard a course of noises up ahead, and immediately, my body was paralyzed in fear.
"What was that?" I asked myself, taking cautious steps as my legs trembled.
I heard the same sound again. It sounded like an animal and I did not want to go towards it. But I had nowhere else to run, forcing myself to keep heading towards the noise.
The noise only grew louder the more I walked towards it, and that's when I realized the noise reminded me of a cat. I strained my ears to listen more carefully. I could hear it meowing but why did it sound as if it was in distress? Walking a little further with my knife shining the way, that was when I spotted something lying on the ground.