Chapter 10: A Poison is Also a Gift

 >8 Scissors 8<

Scissors spent the night under the giant mushroom after witnessing Shark being murdered by Omega. As day three's sunlight approached closer and closer to the horizon, he stood up, still sleepy, wondering the destination for today.

The arena was quiet at this hour. Not too far away he can hear some insects buzzing, but those were the only noises that filled the empty void.

I'll move before everything is completely lit up. He stood up, listening for any sign of life. After making sure he was safe, he silently crept around the tall grass. Ahead of him he could see the foot of the mountain. A carefully hidden cave tunneled its way through the base of the mountain, the only thing giving it away is the mysterious light coming from the entrance.

There. He thought, approaching closer until he was at the opening. He couldn't see the end of it. 

With each step the cave got darker, the only things lighting his way are the purple glow-in-the-dark crystals on the wall. The cave descended, and at the end, Scissors was in a chamber. A small pool of water glowed there. Scissors bent down, and he could see smaller, bright light blue crystals spreading light.

A rock occupied the middle of the water, and a stalactite hung directly above it, almost as if something was supposed to be there. 

It's empty now, and Scissors decided not to investigate. He backed up a couple steps, just to be cut off by a high-pitched yet authoritative voice. "Did you steal Vergiften?"

Scissors stopped dead. "Who are you?"

The water rippled, and something rose from it. Mist shrouded Scissors' vision, and someone stepped out of it and onto the rock. Scissors squinted his eyes. It was a girl, she looked even younger than him but time seemed to pass quicker on her in a way he couldn't describe. She had dark, swamp green hair, and a desaturated purple flower grew there, darker vines around it hanging in a sad, bleak way. She wore torn, white clothing that dripped with the glowing water when she steadied herself.

"I need it to stay here."

"I- I don't have Ver-, whatever you just said." Scissors backed up. 

"It doesn't matter now. I'll probably want to return as quick as I can." She sat down on the rock. "Before that happens, why don't you come closer?"

"Um... is that required?"

"No, but it would be nice if you did."

Hesitantly Scissors stepped near and stopped at the edge of the pool.

"Closer. Into the water."

Scissors blinked. 

"Come onto the rock with me."

Scissors stepped in, feeling the water against his feet and the shining blue crystals. He carefully sat down next to the girl.

"Oh, I haven't touched another human being in such a long time!" She squealed and hugged him tightly. Scissors blinked, trying to register what happened. "I get to see my friends and family back home, of course... but they don't feel warm. None of us do, because we're all dead."

"What?" 

"Oh... I suppose I should explain." The girl looked down, her bare feet touching the water, creating ripples. "I'm Viper, I was a tribute last year, with my teammate Rift."

"I've heard about you! You're... you're dead, aren't you?" Scissors paused, shocked.

"I just said that." Viper replied. "Yes, I am. I thought I was smart, ambushing that Lifeboat sailor. I thought Hive District was going to win for the first time! ...didn't happen." She sighed.

"Wait, what exactly did happen?"

"I don't remember."

A brief silence fell in the air.

"Actually, I do remember." Viper looked up. "I remember it as clearly as this pool's water. It's the eleventh day, I was following the Lifeboat sailor. I ambushed him, I fought him, and I was going to win, but I was hit from behind by the Hypixel tribute."

Not sure what to say, Scissors stayed quiet.

"I should have realized someone was behind far before I was struck, but I wasn't listening. I was too tired, too heartbroken to care." Viper kicked against the water. A wave splashed against the edge of the pool, splattering everywhere. "We all were. Everyone in that arena."

Scissors nodded. "So... what's the thing you said I stole?"

"Vergiften? Ah, that's my battleaxe. I injected poison into it." Viper glanced up and her fingers brushed the top of the stalactite. "The idea was that Vergiften would be set here, and contestants would want such a powerful weapon, but once they take it I'll feel it gone and come to kill them. I wasn't planning on that though, I told Rift that I was just going to let anyone who comes leave. I didn't really catch who actually took it though."

"Rift? Where's Rift now?" Scissors frowned.

"It's only day three, correct?' Viper queried.

"Yeah."

"Rift is probably also still in the simulation, just elsewhere. Cyclosword said he took Rift's Himmel and did something similar as to what he did with me and Vergiften - and a few other dead tributes who said yes to this. We all agreed not to kill though. There's enough bloodshed already. We've all seen it."

"Wait wait wait, hold on. You're dead."

Viper nodded.

"And Cyclo went to talk to you to convince you to be bad in the simulation?"

Viper nodded again.

"How does that make any sense?"

"It doesn't?" Viper frowned. 

"I suppose I thought maybe previous simulation winners would appear in the simulation as enemies, but Cyclo actually went to talk to you?"

"Yeah." Viper nodded. 

"You're real?" Scissors blinked.

"Why are you questioning me?" Viper frowned. 

"I just remembered. This world isn't real. No one here actually exists in the outside world except me and the other contestants."

"It's generally not a good idea to remember that when you're in the simulation, 'cause sometimes you'll get headaches." Viper stood up. "You can doubt me if you want... you all can."

Scissors looked up at her, and she continued. "It's also generally a good idea to die in the simulation. You don't want to go to Archiva. You don't want to see it. You don't want it."

Silence hung in the air, and from not far, Scissors can hear footsteps nearing. "I told you it wasn't a good idea to take that." A half-familiar voice echoed through the the cave, and finally Scissors recognized Gyrra half-dragging his teammate Matt through the cave.

"Vergiften!" Viper exclaimed delightfully. "So you two took it, huh?"

"Correction: Matt did." Gyrra let go of Matt, who collapsed on the floor. "He touched it and now he's half dead." 

"Yeah... you don't want to touch the tip. Let him drink the water from the pool, that'll cure." Viper nodded, "meanwhile I'll have my axe back."

"It's yours?" Gyrra frowned.

"Yes, Vergiften is my weapon. I'm Viper."

Scissors stayed back to watch the conversation unfold. "Viper, the tribute from last year?" Matt's awake now, just barely. 

"That's right." Viper nodded. 

Gyrra exchanged a glance with the awaking Matt, just sitting up. They haven't noticed Scissors just yet. "On our way here," Gyrra began, "we came across another girl who claimed to be a previous winner, we didn't really believe her though."

"Oh, does she have purple hair?"

"Yeah," Matt answered.

"That's Spectra. I don't know her well, but I think she won the 153rd simulation."  

"But how are you all here?" Gyrra asked skeptically.

"Cyclosword invited us." Viper said. 

"I don't believe you." Gyrra replied.

Matt stood up, glancing around the cave until his eyes finally landed on Scissors. "Hey Sciz'! How's it going?"

"I don't think we should be asking each other how we're doing in this situation." Gyrra was more cautious.

"It'd be foolish for you guys to fight now." Viper cut in just as Scissors contemplated that possibility as well. "Teaming up is usually a good idea if you value yourself first, because in the end you can let your teammate and their partner win."

"Shouldn't it be the other way around?" Gyrra questioned.

"It's awful. Trust me, I would know." Viper blinked, her voice bleak. "Archiva is awful, the arena is awful. Every life you end a bit of your conscience gets taken away. And if you do win, and you come back, you'll lose your purpose. Haven't you see some of the previous winners? Most-"

"We're from Hive, we don't have any." Gyrra cut her off to present that ice-cold truth.

"Most of them have depression, some of them tried to end themselves." Viper finished.

Scissors wondered at that fact as he stepped down. "What I think we need to do right now is focus. After all, the global doesn't happen until the end of the year."

"That's right, uhm, guys, team?" Matt looked towards Gyrra.

"Alright." Gyrra approved.

Scissors turned around. He still couldn't be sure whether the Viper with them was the real Viper. "Maybe you should come with us."

"Me? No, but you can take Vergiften. It'll free me faster and if things are extreme, you can end yourself with it. It's why I named it that..." Viper's voice faded away with the mist.

Hesitantly Scissors glanced towards Matt, who turned to Gyrra. Gyrra took the poisonous battleaxe from Viper. "I don't know if you're the real Viper or not, but thank you."

Viper smiled. "Scissors, Matt, and Gyrra, I wish you the best of luck and may you all be safe from Archiva's bloodlust."

The walk out from the cave was silent, unanswered questions still lingered in the air. Scissors let out a breath once they were out. He has allies now.

The sun was high in the sky, and three had left the cave far behind, but it only just occurred to Scissors that Viper had knew their names without ever asking for them.