The Trials [PHASE 5 DEMO]

Prologue [DEMO]

do note that this demo is missing some elements from the real story. this demo lacks music and images
also note that everything in this demo is subject to change

My 9 fellow p̶a̶r̶t̶i̶c̶i̶p̶a̶n̶t̶s opponents and I were crammed into a medium-sized, blue, dimly lit room. I couldn't help but notice the ten mannequins in the center of the room. Each one of them was faceless and blank. They all had something around their neck. Collars. I'd become too familiar with them, and here they were again.

At last, my Z-Phone chimed, and the TV flickered to life. I took out my Z-Phone and read the message that had appeared.

[TRIAL]
Please put on a collar and wait for the trial to commence.

[-00:20-]

I didn't hesitate. I was the first to move forward and grab a collar. The others followed suit, pushing and shoving to be the first to grab one. I pulled a collar off one of the mannequins, but something about the collar felt wrong. Was this a new design? But something that mattered more to me: "Why's this so heavy?" my question rang out.

The others didn't respond and were already strapping their collars around their necks. Not wanting an unfair disadvantage, I slipped mine around my neck, hearing it click shut. The collars pulsed to life, the once-dark light around my neck turning royal blue. After scanning the room once more, I took out my Z-Phone and prepared myself for the next trial.

[TRIAL]
Hide and Keep

"Hide and Keep?" another participant whispered.

[PARTICIPANT PASS COUNT]
1

One? Seriously?

[RULE]
Find the hidden purple flag in the maze and hold onto it until the timer ends

[PASSING REQUIREMENTS]
Be the one holding the real flag when the timer reaches 0

[TIP]
There are 9 decoy flags hidden in the maze as well. Watch for any changes in the flag's appearance.

[TIME LIMIT]

[-08:00-]

Silence hung in the air. Why did this feel more like an examination?

"What is this...?" a participant said, breaking the silence, "Only one of us wins?" My mind was racing. A pass count of one with an enrollment of 10? There's no chance I'm winning! But... I had no choice. I had to play.

The room started rumbling as we descended deeper into the facility, as dust flew by in the air. The TV chimed again.

[PREPARATION]
(put an image of the flag here godz)
You have 10 seconds to memorize the appearance of the flag.

10 seconds? That's all? I shrugged and looked at the flag. It seemed to be a metallic flag, with a grey base, and 4 handles attached to the base. there also seemed to be the shape of a triangle with a purple glow.

That's all I got before the TV cleared its text, including the flag's image, leaving nothing more for us to see. The elevator door behind us whirred and slid open. Everybody ran to the elevator door to try to observe what they could see. I couldn't make it to the front. One of the participants next to me shoved her way to the front and entered the maze.

"I don't think they want this to be easy," she noted. She looked around while speaking, taking note of her surroundings.

Before she could say another word, my Z-Phone chimed, and I took it out.

[TRIAL COMMENCING IN...]
05

There was nolonger any instructions. The trial was about to commence. The only thing sounding the room was soft ticking.

03... 02... 01... 00...

DING DING DONG!

The trial had commenced.
My face tightened with worry. The timer started ticking down with no advantage in sight. The other participants rushed in, so without thinking, I followed.