We're all in this virtual space together.
Alkafzah

You wake up Alone in a virtual space, armed with only a shield.

What do you do?

After the initial waveof revival that flushed over his body at getting out of the choking atmosphere,Myos noticed that something was very wrong.

Why were all of histeammates glaring at each other?

Zeke stood in onecorner, looking down at all the others with a sneer twisting his thin lips. Hisstrong jaw was tensed, and it was obvious that he was looking at all the otherswith distrust in his eyes. Achernar looked to be on the point of boiling,cracking her knuckles with audible snaps like she was ready to throw a punch atanyone who got too close to her. Razzy appeared more withdrawn than usual, herlapis eyes not focused on anyone present in the room. Amaya’s eyes dartedbetween the four others nervously, her usual upbeat demeanor diminished by thecombatative aura of the black lit space.

What had happened to hisfriends while he was trapped in the stifling blackness? Had they been spoken toby that same persuasive voice? Myos grew concerned, stepping forward to joinhis friends.

“Come to trick usagain?” Razzy said pointedly, removing herself from her thoughts to turn herhead to face the redhead, alabaster bob bouncing as she did so.

“Um, what?” Myos asked,taken aback. He looked at the rest of his teammates for support, noticing thesame blame in all of their eyes being placed on his. What did that text tellthem?

“I didn’t stutter,” Shereplied simply, crossing her arms to signal the end of the conversation.

“Well what about youmiss mysterious!” Amaya retorted, voice uncharacteristically angry for thebubbly girl. She immediately gasped and put her hands over her mouth as if shecould catch the words, but it was too late.

“Yes, what about you?”Zeke said, taking up the mantle of the argument. “We barely even know you, yetyou say you’re with us. You tell us you aren’t going to help, but then you comeback only a day later wearing the ‘symbol of the team’. We’re supposed to trustthat?”

“You wanna fucking callsomeone an outsider? What about that blonde bitch over there?” Achernar raged,stepping in front of the ghostly pale girl and waving a tightly curled fist inZeke’s face before switching her attention to the quivering girl in the corner.“How’d you get through the first room? Someone let you in didn’t they? Justfucking tell me so I have an excuse to slash your ass to pieces!” The bluenettesnapped, crimson eyes flaring.

Myos stepped in toprotect the girl who was being verbally assaulted only to be pushed away, alook of hurt and distrust in her amethyst eyes. He stepped back, feeling hisheart drop.

This couldn’t behappening.

“Zeke. How did you knowthe password,” Razzy asked, laser sharp focus now being directed at the manwith the hair like night.

“Is it a crime to beknowledgeable?” Zeke volleyed back, same flicker in his eyes as before whenemerald met sapphire. He brushed his short bangs back, combing through themwith his fingers in an act of indifference to the accusation.

“It is when you wearthis thing,” Achernar snapped, fisting the heart and wing pin along with theother’s tail coated asymmetrical green vest.

“Then don’t trust me,”Zeke replied easily, wrenching himself free of the woman’s angry grip. “No oneasked you to come, and no one is asking you to stay.”

“And where are wesupposed to go? There’s only one way back and one way out,” Amaya said quietly,hopelessness beginning to fill her eyes as her soft features began to quake.

“Wrong. This room hasenough exits that we don’t need to stay together anymore. Goodbye,” Razzyreplied, turning quickly on her heel to walk down a velveteen pink corridorjust barely visible beyond the reach of the black light.

The remaining quartetwatched the ceramic skinned girl go in silence, and then looked at each otherin anticipation to see if they would heed her words. Amaya was the first toslip quietly away, guilt and shame present on her face as she made the decisionto forge her own path through the Empress’s twisting labyrinth. Achernar wasthe next to go, blue hair flowing like a stream behind her as she stalked offinto a textured crimson hallway, heavy footsteps thunking along the unevenground.

Myos and Zeke looked ateach other, both absentmindedly twisting their respective thumb rings. And thenthere were two.