System Fall

The buses kept going and the zone that had been the starting area for me faded from view and gave way to skyscrapers as we headed deeper into the city. Each bus took a different route, separating all of us survivors from the initial grouping as one bus after another turned down different streets and went down other roads.

We weren't just passengers on a ride, we were pieces on a board, heading towards different squares of the same game.

Peering out of the window, my gaze fixated on the city. Monsters prowled the debris-strewn roads, their eyes filled with a mix of fear and reverence as they skirted away from the path of the bus. Even they seemed to recognize Zagrid and dared not challenge the bot and whatever authority the [Admin] had bestowed on it.

Beyond the creatures, a lot of the neighborhood buildings we drove through were already reduced to ruins.  Buildings stood as skeletal remains, crumbling and charred. Smoke billowed into the sky from lingering fires. Amongst the ruins, I could see scattered corpses, some being devoured by monsters, while others wandered as undead.

Occasionally, the bus came to a halt, and more survivors would quickly board. Their weary faces told me all I needed to know about what they’d endured so far. We didn’t talk and the bus was silent.

Eventually our surroundings changed. In the distance, against the relatively unaffected skyline of skyscrapers, stood a pristine hospital, its gleaming exterior a stark contrast to the surrounding devastation.

The bus gradually slowed to a halt, the doors hissing open as Zagrid's digital voice echoed through the vehicle's speakers. "[Attention, survivors. We have arrived at your next destination. Please exit the bus in an orderly manner and proceed inside the hospital.]"

I stood up, but many of the others looked around confused as if they didn’t know what to do.

The bus's doors hissed sharply and opened.

"[Let's go, let's go, let's go! Except for you Nick. You’ll go last.]" Zagrid's digital voice boomed from the driver's seat, amplified and echoing through the tight confines of the bus.

Barely given a moment to adjust, everyone was hustled off the bus with machine-like efficiency. Zagrid's robotic avatar, unperturbed by the disorientation and panic brewing amongst the rest of them. As they spilled out of the bus, more of the Zagrid bots appeared and ushered the rest of them towards the hospital entrance with unwavering energy and a permanent smile.

"[I must say, I am intrigued by your resilience, Nick Vandall. Amongst this pitiful bunch, you stand out. I doubt I'll be seeing any of you again besides you. For a mere human, you are quite surprising.]" Zagrid said as it motioned that it was my turn to leave the bus. “[Do try your best to survive until you reach the next round that I manage.]”

I took off toward the hospital. Falling the line of bots Zagrid bots directly the way toward the hospital. I practically ran down the path.

Upon entering the hospital, I realized that Zagrid was nowhere to be found, nor were any of the bots avatars. Instead, the entrance to the hospital closed and sealed itself behind me, solidifying into a solid wall of bricks to prevent anyone from leaving. I found myself enveloped in an eerie silence. The sterile corridors stretched out before me, illuminated by green, guiding lights that led the way forward.

Following the path and eventually I found myself in a room resembling a hospital waiting area, with bright white LED lights shining down on a gleaming tiled floor. On both of the longer walls of the rectangular room were benches, individual chairs fused together and topped with foam cushions for comfort. To my right stood a bare wall, while a door was on my left.

In the room, I recognized several faces from the bus. Glancing at the seating arrangement, I noticed that the chairs were evenly spaced on each side, forming a balanced layout. Without drawing much attention, I chose a seat in the corner, seeking a moment of solitude amidst the group.

With no windows in sight, the room felt enclosed, almost like a container sealing us off from the outside world. I wasn’t even sure if we were still technically in the world, or if the hospital was its own instanced dungeon. One of the men in the group attempted to open the door, but his efforts were in vain, eliciting a snort of amusement from a girl nearby.

"Just about everybody has tried that already genius. But sure, maybe you'll be the magical one who finally opens the door," she retorted sarcastically. Her neon pink hair and edgy attire, adorned with spikes and combat boots, caught my attention. It seemed she had intentionally chosen her distinctive style, unlike some of us whose clothes were tattered from battles.

Our eyes met, and she gave me an appraising look before flashing a thumbs up. "You're alright," she declared, her demeanor both confident and intriguing. There was something about her that reminded me of a younger version of myself, had circumstances been different. It was as if she possessed a hidden strength beneath her unscathed appearance.

I returned her gesture with a nod, appreciating her directness. She seemed capable and capable meant reliable.  In this new world, relying on luck seemed futile. The challenges we faced were meticulously crafted to test our mettle and strip away any undeserved advantages.

Just as the atmosphere grew tense, the door unexpectedly swung open. "Unbelievable, it actually worked," the edgy girl remarked, a mix of surprise and sarcasm evident in her voice. Another floating bot entered the room, this one was clearly not Zagrid or one of its avatars. Instead the bots appearance resembled that of a sighing emoji.

The arrival of the bot marked the beginning of a new chapter in our journey within System Fall. The room may have been confined, but the possibilities that lay beyond those doors were boundless. With a shared sense of determination, we braced ourselves for the challenges that awaited us, united in our resilience and the will to survive.

[Greetings. I am Zagren, because…] it sighed. [I am not Zagrid. Our names are very similar. Now I present your first challenge. In this hospital you’ll first learn of triage. Which is the selection of those who will be granted access to what could potentially save their lives. Today, in this hospital, You are the doctors. The only cure for leaving this room is by deciding who gets that chance to live, and by deciding who has to die. Only ten people were supposed to arrive per group, therefore those of you with eleven will need to do some elimination. If you don’t decide, you’ll all die because I’m not going to pick anyone’s side.] Sighing went on, eliciting the anger of nearly everyone present.

"What the hell is this nonsense?"

Zagrid continued, “[It is triage. In dire circumstances, when resources are limited, and survival hangs by a thread, this heartless practice is employed to categorize individuals based on the severity of their injuries or ailments. Its ultimate goal? To maximize the allocation of limited resources to those deemed most worthy of survival. The vulnerable are left at the mercy of an indifferent hierarchy of priority.]"

"Why don’t you use those stats of ours you’ve stored to just eliminate the weakest one?"

"It’s not our fault eleven of us ended up here, you jerk!"

The protests intensified, yet no one dared to assault the bot. Once they had vented their anger, Zagren spoke up.

[It is your responsibility to choose. However, you make a fair point. Why should those who happened to end up in a room with eleven people suffer? Let’s make it nine people per group. All groups must suffer.] There was a brief pause followed by the sound of a mic being tapped before Zagren’s voice took on a loudspeaker quality. [Attention all groups! It has come to my attention that it is highly unfair that people who ended up in rooms with eleven members must be the only group to eliminate one of their number before they can proceed further. Therefore, the number of people per group allowed to proceed has been reduced to nine. Please ensure you have only the assigned number of people per group, otherwise the entire group will be eliminated.]

The room was engulfed in a wave of shock and disbelief at Zagren's announcement. The air grew heavy with a sense of despair as the survivors grappled with the horrifying realization that they had unwittingly amplified the challenges for everyone present. Whispers of frustration and confusion filled the room, intermingling with gasps of despair.

"But... this isn't what we wanted," one man stammered, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and regret.

“[Ah yes. I almost forgot forgot.]” Zagrid announced, “[You must eliminate them yourselves, just as choosing who is your responsibility.]”

The weight of their unintended actions bore down on the rest of the group. Intensifying the already dire anxious situation the others had found themselves in. I said nothing and did nothing, this was something I’d experienced before and knew this was not a place or time I could intervene and make a difference. Raw emotions reached a boiling point. It was in this moment of desperation that one man's resolve shattered, giving way to reckless anger.

With a desperate cry, the man brandished a sledgehammer and charged towards Zagren, driven by a desperate desire to vent his frustration. However, the malevolent bot, barely the size of a basketball, effortlessly evaded the blow, swiftly retaliating by crashing into the man's face with a forceful strike. Blood gushed from his broken nose, staining the floor with a crimson trail.

"[Please refrain from assaulting me while I'm trying to do my job,]" Zagren sighed, its voice no longer amplified for all to hear. It spoke with a detached air, devoid of sympathy or concern. "[I apologize for the inconvenience. Now, please sort this out amongst yourselves. We cannot proceed until you do. Take your time, but don't take unreasonably long. I will leave you to it]"

As Zagren made its exit, the door snapped shut behind it, sealing the survivors within the room once more. I shook my head lightly, the echoes of a similar incident from my previous life coming to my mind.

Homer, one of the Frontliners who chronicled our experiences, had shared with us a theory. According to him, the [Admin] orchestrated these challenges, purposefully pitting humanity against one another, seeking to erase our existence. The very fabric of this world seemed designed to test our resolve and drive us to our limits. It was just one theory, but the one that made the most sense.

My gaze lingered on the man still kneeling on the floor, blood staining his face. I couldn't help but wonder if there was someone among us with the ability to heal. If so, would they reveal themselves? In a place like this, where survival hung in the balance, healing skills carried immense value. But they came with their own requirements and consequences, particularly for those bound by the [Do No Harm] trait.

If my luck held, a Healer would reveal themselves, and I’d know who I’d need to recruit into my party first and protect from the others if needed.

Before I could delve deeper into my thoughts, the sound of hands clapping together cut through the heavy silence.

"Well," the edgy girl said, her voice laced with a cold determination. "How about we ground ourselves in reality and start introducing ourselves?"

Her words held a bitter acceptance, a recognition that we couldn't escape the cruel choices we were forced to make. Her words and tone made it easier to accept the worst, it put me on edge and I wondered just what kind of Skills she was hiding. "If we have to choose somebody to be sacrificed, we might as well make the most of it. I'm not carrying anyone for the next round."