Chapter Text
You are finding it very hard to sleep, what with your unwilling roommate snoring in the bunk above you in the small dorm, but also, the moon is full, creating a bright sky outside the window from its reflection.
You think about the day, arriving, the orientation, almost getting your face chomped off by Susie. You’d been kicked out of your old hometown, sent to a boarding school, and she was your roommate, another so-called delinquent. The city was loud, bright, and it felt like you lacked agency. This school year was going to be just dreadful, unless you could find a way to make some friends. But it’s just like you tell yourself every time.
Your choices don’t matter, this isn’t a game.
There are too many people at the top. They’ve decided your class schedule, your roommate, your terms of enrollment. It was foolish to think you could do anything fighting. Fighting is wrong, and the world has punished you with living conditions that made it particularly hard to sleep.
You check your alarm clock on the bedside table. 11:58 PM...
You remember first day assembly, the headmaster, an old monster named Gerson, warned of the dangers of rumors and petty conduct. Specifically a legend going around the town youths.
“At midnight, a deadly game, requires you to sully your name, in the glorious light of honor, when midnight strikes, all knights shall wander.”
11:59.
It’s probably just like the headmaster said. A dumb rumor spread online to get people to make fools of themselves, or even worse...
You really should be getting to sleep. You close your eyes as soon as the clock hits.
12:00 AM.
You begin focusing on drowning out the noise of loud snoring from the monster sleeping above you, when another noise begins to fade in. Shouting, not just one person, but, a whole crowd... Like, an audience chanting...
You open your eyes, and there’s more light, coming from deeper within your dorm room.
The television is turned on.
The channel appears to be static, that’s weird, the last you left it you put it on a 24/7 news channel... But. You can just barely make out exactly what you hear: a crowd, chanting.
“MID-KNIGHT! MID-KNIGHT! MID-KNIGHT!”
“Grrrm, yo, dumbass!” A voice belonging to Susie suddenly grunted. “What the fuck are you doing watching TV? I’m trying to sleep...”
You quickly get up, while you did nearly beat Susie in your scuffle earlier today, you don’t wanna deal with her again, especially not this late. You pick up the remote off your desk and mash the OFF button.
Nothing.
“Oh what the fuck ever!” Susie jumped from her bunk onto the floor. She was still wearing the same clothes she’d had in the day, sweatpants and a punk tee-shirt. She swiped the remote from your hands and did the same as you, mashing the OFF button.
Nothing.
“Did you break this thing? Is this your idea of a revenge prank?” She smirked. “Sounds like grounds for terminating your enrollment to me!”
Susie walked over to the television and hit the monitor’s own off button.
Again. Nothing.
“What the hell even is this program? There’s no sports games on tonight, what are all these people screaming about?”
“MID-KNIGHT! MID-KNIGHT! MID-KNIGHT!”
Susie continues trying to find ways to turn the TV off, you glance at the alarm again.
12:00 AM.
But... It’s been a couple minutes past...
“Okay what the FUCK is going on!?” Susie shouted, snapping your attention to her. She’s unplugged the television now.
Nothing. It’s still playing some kind of broadcast. But something strange seemed to happen. The static dissipated, the colors become more vivid.
Someone appeared on screen. You couldn’t quite tell but... they were large, wearing strange blue clown clothes, but their skin... Was this a human or a monster?
“SO...!” He yelled. “Our divine game turns anew. No more kings, queens, or gods... All I can see here... Are punks. Punks who can’t resist us, can’t resist the shadows!”
Susie squinted. “Kris. You better stop being such a quiet piece of shit and EXPLAIN what is happening.”
“Many nights of chaos, combat, chaos, conquest and CHAOS await the orders of this world... The ultimate joust of miracles and madness! The rules are simple: slaying dark beasts grants you one point.”
“Dark beasts...?” Susie muttered, it was almost like she became interested.
“Winning the favor of the denizens grants you a variable number of points.”
You tilted your head. Are you a denizen? A watcher? The way the figure spoke and looked into the camera, it was as if he was explaining the rules to you as a player...
“If you win a duel, you gain 10 points. If you manage to destroy the SOUL of your opponent, you will gain 50 points, but beware... A SOUL does not die so easily, you will be haunted in the world of the light!” The jester cackled. “But as sacred knights of miracle, you are bound to do your king’s bidding... Complete the night’s trial, and you will be given 100 POINTS! Whoever comes out on top at the end of the night will see their power grow in the light! Your miracle may even truly manifest... How exciting, no?”
Susie looked stunned, now having given up on turning off the TV.
“The first few nights will be simple. A foul beast has emerged at the academy... Hoo hoo hoo! Anything can happen! Who will be recruited? What orders will be formed? The drama, the chaos, the true will of the darkness! Enough talk! Onto the stage of history... Midnight Carnival... BEGIN!”
The television suddenly shut itself off. There was a small rumble you could feel. Your eyes shifted to that old alarm...
12:00 AM...
Your arm is suddenly grabbed with a grand force. “Kris, I got no clue what the hell is going on, but if you wake me up, you WILL pay the price. In fact, I’m feeling like showing you a little bit of MY dark will right now!”
Susie raised her arm, hand balled into a fist, you shut your eyes and put your free hand in front of you.
But the impact doesn’t come, only the sound of quiet knocking on the door.
You open your eyes, Susie lets go of your arm.
“You answer that. I’m getting back in bed...”
You nod. She starts climbing to the top bunk as you make your way over to the door. You gently twist the door knob, and pull, but before you can open it, it swings forward and knocks you back. You look up, and someone has forced themselves into the room. They wear a mint-green cloak, and one of those wizard caps you’d see in a fantasy flick. Their face is... well, you aren’t sure. It’s pitch black. You can only make out the outline of features such as glasses and a snout.
Susie sits up. Surprised once again. “Hey, cosplay dude, can you get the fuck out of-“
“Designations Susie and Kris I presume???”
Susie cocks an eyebrow, but smiles. “Oh, no, they’re uh, down the hall. We’re trying to sleep so-“
“But the both of you are Lightners... And I’ve checked every other room. You two are the only ones here. You must be the new squires!”
“The new what-“
“Oh dear, yes, this must be confusing, but since it has been so long since the last game, the Royal committee wanted a bombastic start... There is little time!” The creature... smiled? And opened his cloak a bit, removing two large black cases. “As they say, it’s dangerous to go alone, take this!” The cases levitate, you grab the one while the other nearly hits Susie in the face.
She scrambles, once again leaving the comfort of her top bunk. “Listen here, it’s already gotta be what, 12:10?”
You glance one more time.
Still 12:00.
“We are NOT buying anything. Especially not from someone as shady as you! So pack all this back up and LEAVE.” Susie got right in this guy’s face. It was almost silly, he looked scared.
“B-but, as an official game observer... I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t deliver these unto you!” He said.
“These WHAT?”
You pull the trigger on the case, the latches let off some steam before it opens.
Inside is what looks to be a finely crafted longsword, complete with a sheath. Its blade is a pure red, and the hilt is colored gold.
“The fuck is this? You trying to get us both expelled? How did you even get these in here?”
“You need them! On your quest to slay the dark beast! He’s nearby, and I had very little time to prepare-“
“Dark beast, huh? Lets see here...” Susie went to the window, lifting it open and peering outside. “Calm and peaceful night to me! No beast in sight or sense! So, take your swords and dip you damn-“
Just as Susie turned back to you and the figure, you felt that rumble again, much more forceful than before. And before you knew it, a large hand had broken through the floorboards, grabbing Susie.
“...NERD!”
And with her last yell, it dragged her down.
Instinctively, you took the blade from the case, and ran to the hole. But the beast and Susie had seemingly disappeared.
You turn to the “Observer” who now looks a bit shaken.
“You seem... Rather confused, my knight. You should probably go after the beast. The carnival has started... I’ll be rooting for you!”
You put a hand on his shoulder, and he... blushes?
“O-oh, okay, I guess I should explain... That was the dark beast! Knights all over the city from the qualifier nights and the new squires like you are going to be hunting it down... It’ll likely... Eliminate Susie from the game. Unfortunate, but that is the kind of game this is. M-my name is Ralsei. I’m an Observer. I make sure the game runs smoothly.”
You raise an eyebrow as if to say: ‘You call THIS smooth?’
“Many wild card squires don’t survive the first night... This is normal. But, I don’t think anyone needs to know this happened because she couldn’t get her weapon in time.”
You sigh. You guess you can keep the secret. But, you can’t let Susie have her SOUL eradicated, at least, you think that’s what will happen. If she dies in this sudden game, it may create problems for your future at this school...
You climb the top bunk, grabbing the case with Susie’s weapon and giving it to Ralsei.
“Huh? What are you-“
Before Ralsei can even ask, you place your blade in its scabbard, fasten around your pajama-clad waist, and take his hand, practically dragging him out of the dorm.
“O-okay! I guess I can give you more tutorial a-and maybe even give Susie her weapon if she’s... Still alive! Dear knight Kris, I declare the game to be... begun!”
You have the feeling you’re in for a long night.
You are filled with the power of KNIGHTLY VALOR.