The hall was silent, every parent's eyes locked on the man in the demon mask. His presence alone pressed down like a weight.
He spread his arms slowly, voice calm but heavy.
"Before we begin, you must understand the rules. Only then can the game truly start."
No one dared to breathe too loudly.
His gaze swept over the parents. "Your children will play the game. When I say they play, they will play. But the punishment…" His voice dipped lower, sharper. "…the punishment will fall on you."
A wave of horror rippled through the group.
Rose's eyes widened. "Why are you dragging them into this? Leave the children out of it!"
Jinni burst into sobs, clutching her daughter's name like a prayer. "Please… please, they're innocent!"
The Masked Man tilted his head, amused. "You misunderstand. The children are not my targets. They will only play. Win or lose it is you, the parents, who will suffer. That is the price of your love."
His words cut deeper than any knife.
Ethan's face drained of color. "So if they fail… we take it?" His voice cracked, already trembling.
"Exactly." The Masked Man's tone was almost gentle, mocking. "One mistake from your child… and you bleed for it."
Logan's rage erupted. He struggled against the guards, veins bulging in his neck. "You sick bastard! You're using them as weapons against us!"
The Masked Man only laughed softly, as if Logan's fury was entertainment.
"But," he continued, "only one parent will carry that burden each round. One parent alone will take the punishment for their child's mistakes. And how do we decide?"
He snapped his fingers. Guards appeared, carrying five small glass bowls. Each bowl was filled with folded slips of paper.
"I have prepared these. Five bowls, five pairs. Each bowl contains the names of two parents. One slip will be drawn. That name will bear the punishment. The other… stays unharmed."
The parents' faces went pale.
Sara shook her head violently, tears spilling down her cheeks. "No… no, please, not this. Don't make us watch them suffer for us or us for them!"
The Masked Man ignored her, his voice steady.
"And those not chosen? They will remain unharmed. They may even meet their children again that day. But the unlucky one… cannot. Simple balance. A game of chance."
He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper that echoed in every ear.
"And of course, the children will not know. They must believe this is just play. If they discover the truth if they realize their mistakes are costing you then control breaks. And I do not like losing control."
The parents shivered. Fear was no longer just fear it was guilt, shame, dread twisting into something heavier.
The Masked Man moved to the first bowl, his gloved hand hovering above it. "Let us draw names."
The slips rustled as he pulled one. His distorted voice read it aloud:
"Kai."
Kai's jaw tightened, but he said nothing, only staring forward with cold, calculating eyes.
The second bowl. "Logan."
Logan spat on the floor, eyes blazing. "Good. Let me take it. I'll survive whatever you throw."
The third. "Ethan."
Ethan staggered back, breath short. Jinni clutched his arm desperately. "No… not him, please…"
The fourth. "Sara."
Sara covered her mouth, shaking uncontrollably. Eli tried to calm her, but his own hands trembled.
The fifth. "Finn."
Finn's shoulders sagged, his face hollow. Rose gave him a sidelong glance, unreadable, her lips pressed thin.
The Masked Man dropped the final slip back into the bowl, satisfied. "So there we have it. Kai, Logan, Ethan, Sara, and Finn you are the chosen ones. The rest Jinni, Rose, Zoya, Annie, Eli remain unharmed for now."
Tears, sobs, curses, and silence filled the air all at once.
Ethan was pale as death. Sara buried her face in her hands. Jinni shook uncontrollably. Logan roared against his chains, ready to tear the hall apart. Kai stayed cold, quiet, but his jaw was iron. Finn looked broken already.
The others Rose, Annie, Zoya, Eli took deep breaths of relief, but it was poisoned by guilt. They were spared… but at what cost?
The Masked Man clapped his hands once. The sound was sharp as a whip.
"Now listen carefully. I will say this once."
Every eye locked on him.
"This first game will be played by your children. A simple puzzle. They must solve it within the time limit. If they succeed, you all walk away untouched."
He paused, letting the brief flicker of hope spread before crushing it.
"But if they fail… the punishment is yours. Each mistake, each hesitation, will carve itself into you. They will never know. They will keep smiling, laughing, thinking it's just a game. And you… you will bear the price."
His masked face tilted upward, almost as if savoring the silence. Then, softly, he finished:
"This… will be fun."