[Stage 1 cleared! Do you wish to go to the next stage? (yes/no)]

Klautz ignored while the others cried ‘No’.

Even the leader who wanted to begin a conversation with Klautz gave priority to the message. The group was too dishevelled and ruined. They were horrified.

They had witnessed a friend of theirs be swallowed alive by the serpent. How could they be calm?

The leader tried his best to not show it on his face as he smiled and tried to motivate others but his state was the same as theirs. But since he was the one who was responsible for their state, he can’t lose heart now.

“Is it insane? There are other stages to it as well?” One of them cried.

It all began when they explored the surrounding area. It was then that they had found the Trial of Control.

The leader, Dant decided to check it out. It was much later that he realized that he had made the worst possible choice, that led them to their current state.

At this point, the group just wanted to get back as soon as possible. Little did they knew that their souls cannot leave the trial ground unless they die.

[Participant chose to stay in current stage to recupperate.]

[Participants will be forcefull sent to the next stage after 30 minutes.]

Klautz scanned through the group. They were four men and one woman. This used to be a six-man group before this fight.

All of them had broken out into curses when they figured out there was no way to leave the trial grounds. Even their leader was sweating profusely as he couldn’t figure out what to do. He turned towards the new member wondering if he knew something.

“I am called Dant Homies. I and my group are stuck on these trial grounds. Do you know of a means out of it?

“Yes I do,” Klautz nodded. “You just have to clear all the stages of this trail and you are good to go.”

The man’s eyes shot wide with worry. His pupils shook. How could they clear this trial? They were already in tatters!

“You can choose to stay in this room too but eventually you will be forcefully sent to the next stage. But, if you want to get out of here alive I have a better way…”

The man ears didn’t fail to notice that. A shimmering light of hope in this complete darkness.

“Better way? Please tell me more.”

“I mean there is no rocket science in it. To get out you have to clear the trial anyway. I am just proposing a way to increase the survival rate that’s all.” Klautz raised his hands as he walked closer to the man ducking as he whispered in his ears, “We have to use some of your friends as baits so that you can survive. When the monsters are focused on eating them, I will sneak close to them and kill them in a swoop.”

Klautz stepped back and smirked.

“Doesn’t that sound like a good idea?” Klautz said.

Klautz wasn’t unaware of human nature. When driven to the corner, men can make choices that they can’t even think of in a normal situation. He knew how scared the group was and when one is scared, that is the point when one becomes the easiest to control.

“How… how can I do such a heinous act to my friends?” His voice shook as he tried to get the words out. Sweat poured from down his forehead.

There was a lot of things he had to consider. Should he believe the words of a stranger over his friends?

Doubt over Klautz intentions, and his own guilt caused him to hesitate to accept his proposal. But, fear of death didn’t allow him to deny it as well. He could only give roundabout answers to the now smiling Klautz.

Klautz smirked.

“All of you getting killed is still worse than sacrificing others and saving one. You might have figured out by this point that this isn’t a trial you can clear, at least not with your group’s measly strength.”

Klautz wasn’t a cold-hearted villain. But, he knew that all of them were going to die. If playing the cards right can save even one of them, Klautz would consider himself successful. But this was not understood by the man in front of him. To him, Klautz seemed to be the Devil incarnate trying to strike a devil’s deal with him. His life in exchange for his teammates?

A very hard decision to make.

“How can you be so sure that you can save me? What’s the guarantee that I will live?”

Dant wasn’t a bad person at heart, but his life is in danger and this was the only hope he found, the only way out. He was enticed more and more to accept Klautz’s proposal but the humanity alive inside him still stopped him to agree.

Klautz shook his head.

“I agree with you. There is no guarantee. All of you can be wiped out in the very next stage. An accident might occur and our plan might backfire. It is always a man’s judgement that saves him. It is completely for you to decide whether accepting my proposal would save you or not.”

Klautz didn’t lie. Anything could happen in this trial. He has always fought at death’s door. He gives credit to his luck a lot as to why he was able to survive so many years in hell. Of course, his sound judgements and his quick wit also played an important role, but you also need luck. There are just too many variables to consider and not always will your calculations be right.