Work Text:
As the sun began to set, you began to hear howls echo through the air. You cannot tell whether it is the lack of sleep or the forest itself, but the trees seem to be getting taller. The road you are taking seems to be getting longer making both your feet and head hurt. You continued your path as the trees cover the sun whole, shadowing the whole forest-
"I have dark vision."
...You continue to talk along the road with ease, the fear yet to settle in. The road stretches on until you finally reach multiple forks in the road, all with the same emptiness in the distance.
"I cast light on my hands."
As Kassian Snow lights up his hand, illuminating the jungle, you are all temporarily blinded-
"Gee thanks Assian"
"Hyung what the hell!?"
Sanghyeok shrugged, looking away from the whining youngest towards Donghyun who was tugging on his sleeve.
"I want to go to the furthest road."
"Oh? Sure."
"No wait," Dongmin raised a hand to silence everyone. He was thinking through Sanghyeok's words with far too much concentration. "I want to roll for investigation."
"To investigate what?"
"The paths, there has to be something."
Saying so Dongmin grabbed his dice, a pretty bioluminescent green, and dropped it onto the middle.
It landed on 17.
Taesan, braver than the rest walked forward and looked at each path carefully. He noticed that in front of each path was a stone the size of a child's fist. He picked one up and noticed it had the number 14 carved into it.
"I want to go to the furthest path."
Ignoring Donghyun, Sanghyeok grabbed a bunch of cards from next to him and spread it on the table. He basked in the curious ooh-s and aah-s.
"Are these tarots?"
"Did you buy these?"
"Nah it's my cousin's, anyways choose one."
"Wait," Dongmin spoke up again, unnecessarily intense as ever. "Why are there only 9 cards?"
Sanghyeok smiled and shrugged.
The group descended into silence until Sungho finally reached out for a card. "I choose 11, the...wheel of fortune?"
Before Sanghyeok could begin to narrate Jaehyun raised his hand as well. "I want to go with you!"
"Sure, let's go."
"Let's all go the same route"
"Could be a trap, I say we take different routes."
"You'll have to take turns adventuring then."
"Let's all take the same route."
Park Sungho-
"It's Yeppi"
"I did not agree to that-"
Yeppi walked off hand in hand with Jaehyun the Third, leaving the others to follow after them.
"Just so you know Kassian is the last to walk in."
"Huh? No-"
As soon as Kassian stepped inside there is a loud bang behind him. He turns around and sees nothing out of place, the dark forests as usual.
"I roll for investigation!"
"A 7..." You see a leaf fall from one of the nearby trees, slow and calm. It falls right near the entrance of the path.
"I bet that's a clue."
"He's making fun of your low roll."
"No it's a clue."
"Just roll for arcana Woonhak"
"Fine!"
They watched as Woonhak rolled his bright orange die, grinning when he stopped at a 14. "I have a +4 modifier!" Woonhak declared with a grin as Sanghyeok prepared to speak.
Kassian, ever the genius sorcerer, notice the slightest shimmer from the entrance. There was a spell there, he could sense a strong magic specifically from the inside.
"Write that down"
"Okayyy"
The path seems to stretch on for longer, time passing slower and slower. You feel your knees shake، head ringing with exhaustion.
As you continue on, Leehan begins to sense a foreboding danger from nearby.
There was a silence amongst them until Dongmin nudged Donghyun. "Roll for perception."
"Hold on, I'm still writing."
"I'll roll for perception."
Groans filled the air as Woonhak rolled an 8, the said boy flushing embarrassed.
You do not sense the same danger, but from afar you can see an outline of a strange shape.
"Okay I'm done, I'll roll for perception!"
Donghyun reached out for Dongmin's dice, rolling it smoothly. His grin only widened as be rolled an 18, not forgetting to bring up his modifiers.
You see the similar shape described by Kassian, but upon closer look you realize it is multiple shapes. Over eight different large objects stand on the ground, it's shadowy figures unmoving.
"statues?"
"Eight?"
"I go closer."
Brave Taesan walked forward, almost one with the shadows himself.
Sanghyeok handed a piece of paper to Dongmin who was quick to read.
"Guys, you need to come over!"
The rest of them hurried over, trying to find Taesan in the darkness.
You find him standing by a small round table, multiple chairs placed around it. It was strange sight to see in the middle of the forest, but the sense of danger only spike further.
"Ohhh that's the danger I felt?"
"I sit on the chair."
"Jaehyun why."
Jaehyun the Third sat on a chair, casual as ever. He looks up Taesan who hasn't sat down but was holding an item and looking at it in confusion.
a gun.
"...uh, whatchu got there buddy?"
"A gun."
...
"Oh that's cool-"
"A GUN?"
"FROM WHERE?"
"Can I have a turn?"
"FROM WHERE?"
"From the table"
"Wh-"
All Players, please sit on the following chairs
"Man what?"
"I think they want us to sit on the following chairs"
"Yes we know Leehan"
"Yeppi sit next to me!!"
"I'm not gonna sit on a chair, y'all stay safe tho"
Five
Four
Three
"Oh fuck"
"Okay," Sanghyeok stopped counting down and brought a little doll table. "Place your little statues around the table so we know the seating."
The other quickly began to place their statues, arguing lightly on where they sat. Sanghyeok interfered once they started contemplating leaving Woonhak out.
Welcome! To the game of roulette
"Oh shit"
In front of you lies a magic gun, which does not have a single bullet inside.
"Oh thank god"
4 times, the bullet will magically appear at random.
"Oh SHIT"
"Jaehyun the Third can you not right now?"
Each of you will have a turn shooting yourself starting from whoever sat down first.
May the unluckiest of them all be the last one standing.
There was a silence again in the room as Sanghyeok leaned down again, each of them mirroring horror on their faces. He got back and placed a small toy pistol on the middle of the table with a large smile.
"For the realism"
"Sanghyeok you fucker"
"May the unluckiest of all win!" He pushed the pistol towards Jaehyun who looked like he was actually going to shoot himself.
"Roll the d10 die!"
He did so, grabbing both the little pistol and his bright pink dice. With a short prayer he dropped the dice, landing it on a 9.
There was a click, and then nothing.
Jaehyun sighed with relief, handing over the fun to Sungho.
Sungho took it with ease, pointing at his forehead and pulling the trigger.
Nothing.
He gave the gun to Woonhak, who also looked positively terrified. He held the gun in his hand for a while until ever so slowly he pointed it at himself. He grabbed his dice afterwards and dropped it. Landing on a 6.
...Nothing.
With a loud sigh of relief he pushed the gun into Donghyun's hands.
Donghyun stared at the gun for a while before pointing it towards Jaehyun.
"What what what, what are you doing!?"
"I get in front of Jaehyun the Third"
In attempt of saving his lover, Yeppi leaned over from his chair towards Jaehyun. Blocking him with his broad wall-ass looking shoulders.
"Wow, thanks"
Donghyun looked at them confused.
"Why are you doing all that?"
"Why are YOU trying to shoot me!?"
"I can choose who I shoot right?"
Dongmin sighed before leaning over to Donghyun, explaining in a gentler voice. "You can only choose yourself man, and roll the dice to see how lucky you are."
Much to everyone's relief Donghyun turned the gun towards himself.
Nothing.
He handed the gun to Dongmin who stared at it contemplatively. A bad feeling rose in Sanghyeok's heart as he moved gun downwards to his thigh.
"They never said where I can shoot myself."
Sanghyeok held back the urge to groan as Dongmin smugly rolled his dice, landing on a 2.
And then it was his turn to be smug.
With a loud bang a bullet rips through Taesan's thigh, leaving a small hole.
"Roll for piercing damage."
Groaning, Dongmin grabbed his die and rolled them down. As he did so Donghyun leaned over and whispered, "that was really smart."
"I know," he whispered back, the smile growing on his face obvious.
Donghyun then turned to Sanghyeok and pointed at the man next to him, "I want to heal him."
"You can try."
Donghyun narrowed his eyes and grabbed his dice going through the motions.
As you attempt to heal, you feel a rapid decrease of health. Roll for psychic damage.
Woonhak giggled as Donghyun rolled with a sour face.
"Sorry," he whispered to Dongmin who ruffled the boy's hair.
Sanghyeok rolled his eyes at them and pointed towards Jaehyun who hurriedly took the gun. He pointed it towards his head again, gaining looks of confusion and judgement.
"Why would I willingly be in pain rather than dying!?"
Saying so, he pulled the trigger.
Nothing.
He grinned, handing the gun to Sungho who looked conflicted. He slowly put it to his head, shrugging as he did so.
You hear a large crack, and Kassian suddenly feels a liquid warmth on his face.
He turns to see Yeppi lying on the table, blood and bits of brain seeping out-
"NOOOOO YEPPI. YEPPI NO DON'T LEAVE ME"
Jaehyun sobbed as Sungho had his head down on the table, trembling with laughter at Woonhak’s mortified expression.
"Hyung," he whined again, "Why would you do this to me?"
Sanghyeok grinned clearly enjoying himself. "Pick up the gun Woonhakkie"
Ignoring Jaehyun's loud wailing the boy picked up the gun and pointed it at his stomach. His hands shook slightly and an unexpected pang of guilt hit Sanghyeok.
Nothing.
Donghyun took the gun, positively thrilled by the act. He didn't even bother pointing the gun as he rolled Taesan's dice.
Nothing.
Dongmin took the gun as Sanghyeok spoke up, "you'll be at a disadvantage since you're injured and losing blood."
He knew was being petty, he could careless.
Dongmin rolled his eyes before shooting himself as well.
There's a loud bang and Leehan feels someone fall against his shoulder. He looks over to see Taesan with dazed eyes, blood dripping onto his lap.
Dongmin silently laid down on Donghyun's shoulder. Donghyun grabbed his hand and looked up at Sanghyeok.
"I grab his hand."
Sanghyeok shrugged before looking over at Jaehyun who was still immersed in his act. Crocodile tears fell from his eyes as he held Sungho's "lifeless" body.
"Yeppi and I were supposed to get married. He had proposed to me just yesterday we...we were supposed to have a garden banquet wedding with fairy lights."
"I didn't know orcs and elves could marry?"
"That's racist"
"That's so human of you Assian. "
"WoW"
Jaehyun wiped his tears before grabbing the gun. "I've had enough, if Yeppi can't live then I won't either"
Nothing.
"What!?"
"Your turn Woonhakkie"
Nervous as ever, Woonhak took the gun and pointed it at his forehead.
In one shot, Kassian toppled backwards from his chair, his blood splattering in multiple directions-
Woonhak fell backwards on his chair dissolving the group onto laughter. He got up as well, proud smile on his face that made Sanghyeok fond.
"That's so stupid."
"Wow thanks hyung"
Ignoring Woonhak's pout, Sanghyeok turned to Donghyun who held the gun in his hand. He stared at Jahyun who stared back, plunging them into an unspoken tension.
Slow as ever, Leehan pointed gun at himself. He gripped Dongmin's hand and pulled the trigger.
Jaehyun the Third watched as Leehan fell face first onto the table, Taesan falling onto his lap. He sat in tense silence, the only survivor of this messed up game. The unluckiest of them all.
"Wh-"
BEFORE he could speak, a bright light blinded his eyes and he was pushed backwards by a strong force.
He opened his eyes with his back ti the ground, face to face with Yeppi who was staring down at him.
"Oh what?"
As he looked around he realized he was back at the forest, still in front of the entrance of eight paths.
Sanghyeok's grinned at them and closed his notebook shut. "That's all for tonight!"
Confused and indignant exclanations surrounded him, each of them trying to speak over the other.
Sanghyeok listened to them calmly.
"What sort of ending-"
"How did you even decide the deaths?"
"You really outdid yourself Riwoo!"
"Wait weren't there 9 paths before-"
Sanghyeok grinned as he began to clean up, the others joining in. Donghyun leaned in again, eyes glowing with interest. "How did you decide the death order?"
"Oh the first four people to get an even number died."
There's a few oohs until Sanghyeok saw the strange look Dongmin was giving him. The familiar bad feeling grew as he opened his mouth to speak.
"Didn't Woonhak get a 6 in his first try?"
He gives Dongmin a betrayed look and turns to see the rest of them all grinning at him widely (excluding Woonhak who looked far too flattered).
He gave an awkward smile back and let all hell break loose.