Clara's POV: The Nexus Begins
Clara's head throbbed as consciousness slowly returned. The first thing she felt was the cool night air brushing against her skin and the soft sand beneath her. Her eyelids fluttered open. The world spun for a few terrifying seconds before it finally settled.
She was no longer in the car.
She was sitting on a raised platform in the center of a massive open-air amphitheater carved into the cliffs of a tropical island. Torches and golden lights illuminated the area, casting dramatic shadows. Hundreds of masked people sat in tiered seats around them, watching silently like predators waiting for the hunt to begin.
Sarah was beside her, still groggy, eyes wide with fear as she looked around.
"Clara… where are we?" Sarah whispered, voice shaking.
Before Clara could answer, a tall figure stepped onto the stage in front of them — a man wearing an ornate golden animalistic mask and a tailored golden suit. His presence commanded the entire arena.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen," the masked host announced, his voice amplified and dripping with dark excitement. "To our most anticipated event of the year… The Nexus!"
The crowd erupted in applause and eager murmurs.
Clara's heart hammered in her chest. Everything was happening too fast. She tried to stand, but her wrists were lightly bound in decorative golden cuffs. The same restraints were on Sarah.
The host continued, pacing slowly across the stage.
"Tonight, we begin a new chapter. The theme this year is Master and His Slaves. Each Master has been given one or two slaves. Their goal is simple: by the end of the event, their slaves must submit — completely. Body and mind."
He raised a finger, a cruel smile visible beneath the mask.
"But the slaves are not powerless. Each of you will receive three starter cards — Blue, Orange, and Red. These cards are your only weapons."
He gestured, and attendants approached Clara and Sarah, handing each of them three elegant cards.
Blue Card: Allows you to issue three commands or powers that the opposing Master must obey for a limited time.
Limitation: The commands must be reasonable within the game's context (cannot ask for immediate release or harm to the Master). The audience and host can veto overly broken commands.
Orange Card: Grants a temporary shield — one round of protection from a Master's order.
Limitation: The shield is fragile. If the slave willingly breaks it (e.g., by initiating contact), it ends immediately.
Red Card: Total revoke — If you use this card on an order your Master gives you, that order becomes null and void for the entire event.
Limitation: Can only be used once per slave during the entire event. It is a one-time "get out of jail free" card for a particularly devastating command.
The host's voice grew darker. "Use them wisely. Though you can earn more during the games, it won't be easy. Until then… enjoy your final night of resistance."
Clara clutched the three cards tightly in her bound hands, her mind reeling. Fear, shame, and disbelief crashed over her in waves.
This can't be real…
She looked at Sarah, who was staring at the cards in horror.
"Clara… what have we done?" Sarah whispered.
Clara didn't have an answer. All she could think about was Fin — and how she had walked straight into Mike's trap.
Before she could process anything more, a group of armed masked individuals stepped forward. One by one, they fastened heavy metal electric collars around the necks of the slaves — including Clara and Sarah. The cold metal clicked shut with a final, ominous sound. Clara shivered as she felt the weight of it against her throat.
She looked around and realized there were many others like her — men and women, young and older, all collared and terrified. Some were crying, some sobbing quietly, others already staring ahead with dead, resigned eyes. Clara was stunned to see that Masters could be anyone — not just men. She spotted several women standing possessively beside their assigned male slaves.
Soon, the armed group began escorting them off the stage toward a large, luxurious building nearby. Clara and Sarah were placed in what appeared to be "Section 3," along with several other small groups: an old man with two women, an excited woman with two young men, and a few others.
A woman with a rabbit-faced mask stepped forward and explained the sorting in a cold, clinical voice. From tomorrow, Clara and Sarah would be thrown into the sick games alongside this group.
Sarah clutched Clara's hand tightly, trembling with fear.
Soon, both of them were pushed into a private room. It was surprisingly well-furnished for a prison — a single large bed, a comfortable couch, a small dining table, and a basic kitchenette. The door locked behind them with a heavy click.
The moment the door clicked shut and locked, Sarah let out a shaky breath, the tension she'd been holding finally cracking.
"Clara… that sick bastard kidnapped us, I get that," she whispered, voice trembling. "But what the hell is this place? Where are we? All those masked people staring at us like we're circus animals…"
Clara leaned back against the wall, her legs weak. Tears spilled down her cheeks as sobs broke free. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… This is all because of me. I'm sorry, Sarah…"
Sarah moved quickly, kneeling in front of her and grabbing her shoulders. "Hey… hey, stop. It's okay. You didn't do anything wrong. That sick bastard is the one at fault. Clara, don't cry…"
But Clara couldn't stop. The tears kept coming, hot and heavy. Not only had she been fooled by Mike again — she had dragged Sarah into this nightmare too. Who knew what kind of hell awaited them now?
Sarah sighed, pulling her into a tight hug. "But I didn't think this was something a single person like Mike could pull off… Clara, I think they're broadcasting everything. Look — there are cameras all around the room."
Clara wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and looked up. Sure enough, small black lenses were mounted in the corners of the room, watching their every move.
Just as the realization hit them, the door unlocked with a soft beep. A trolley was pushed inside.
"Hello, ladies," Mike said with a cheerful smile as he stepped in, wheeling a silver trolley loaded with food and drinks. "Welcome to paradise."
Clara's eyes flashed with pure fury. She lunged forward without thinking. "You—! Where the hell did you bring us?!"
Mike barely moved. The moment she got too close, the metal collar around her neck activated.
ZAP!
A powerful electric shock surged through her body. Clara screamed, her muscles seizing as pain exploded across her nerves. Her legs gave out instantly.
"Clara!" Sarah cried, catching her before she hit the floor.
Mike chuckled softly, completely unfazed. He sat down casually on the couch, crossing one leg over the other.
"If I were you, I'd be more careful before attacking your Master," he said with a mocking smile. "The next shock will be much stronger. Wouldn't want to damage the merchandise too early, would we?"
Clara gasped for air, still trembling in Sarah's arms, glaring at Mike with pure hatred even as tears continued to fall.
Sarah's voice trembled as she stared at Mike. "Please… just leave us alone. Why are you doing this to us?"
Mike leaned forward on the couch, elbows on his knees, that familiar arrogant smirk playing on his lips.
"You know, I never intended to bring you here, darling," he said casually. "But our dear Clara insisted you come along. So I didn't have much choice." He shrugged lightly. "Throw away any hope of getting out of here easily. Everything is monitored. One wrong step, one wrong word… zip." He made a quick cutting motion across his throat. "And it won't just be you who suffers."
Clara's eyes burned with fury. With Sarah's help, she pushed herself to her feet.
"Mike, do you really think you can get away with playing with other people's lives?" she spat. "Or do you actually believe Fin won't find this place?"
Mike laughed lightly as he stood up and moved toward the silver trolley. He lifted the lids from the plates, revealing a perfectly cooked steak, fresh sides, and a bottle of expensive red wine with a single glass.
"Haha, we'll see about that, Clara." He glanced at them with mock politeness. "Anyway, come on. Let's have dinner. Who knows when you'll get to eat properly again?"
Clara took a step forward, but Sarah quickly pulled her back.
"Don't," Sarah whispered urgently. "Not right now."
Clara sighed, her fists clenched, but she allowed Sarah to guide her toward the small dining table. Before they could sit, Mike raised a hand.
"Stop. Stop. What are you doing?" He shook his head, amused. "You're spoiling the game already."
He arranged the single plate of steak and the bottle of wine with one glass in the center of the table.
"Now the rules are simple, ladies," he said, his voice dripping with dark delight. "First, Clara cuts a bite and eats it. Then she cuts another bite, chews it… and passes it directly to my mouth. After that, she passes the next bite to Sarah. And we keep going in that cycle. Same with the wine — one sip for Clara, then she passes the next sip mouth-to-mouth to me, then to Sarah. That's how we eat tonight."
He smiled widely, eyes gleaming.
"Isn't it fun? Intimate. Sharing. Just the three of us."
Clara and Sarah stood frozen, staring at Mike in horrified silence. The humiliating "dinner rules" he had just laid out hung in the air like poison.
Clara's face twisted with disgust. "You sick pervert," she spat, voice shaking with rage. "Like hell we're going to follow your orders."
Mike turned his gaze slowly to Sarah, his smirk never fading. "So… you don't want to follow my orders either?"
Sarah looked at him with pure revulsion, her voice trembling but defiant. "You're disgusting. We're not playing your twisted little game."
Mike's smile widened, almost delighted. "Well… you asked for it."
Zip—!
The electric collars around their necks activated without warning.
A sharp, burning shock surged through Clara's body. Because this was her second act of defiance, the intensity was noticeably higher. Her muscles seized violently. She cried out in pain, knees buckling as she clutched the back of the chair for support.
Sarah gasped and staggered beside her, the shock hitting her hard but not as severely as Clara's.
Clara's vision blurred with tears. It hurts… she thought, teeth gritted. He's doing this on purpose. Every time the shock gets stronger… Next time it might be even worse.
Her mind screamed silently for help. Fin… please find me… get me out of here… Mom… Dad…
Mike leaned back on the couch, watching them with casual amusement. "I don't mind doing this all day, you know."
Sarah trembled, still supporting Clara. Her eyes darted desperately around the room before landing on the three cards they had been given earlier.
"What… what if we use those cards?" she asked nervously, voice barely above a whisper.
Mike's eyes lit up with dark excitement. "Ah… that's exactly what I've been waiting for." He chuckled. "Yes, you can use the power the cards give you. But are you sure you want to do that right now?"
He leaned forward, voice dropping to a mocking whisper.
"It's not broadcasting at the moment. So whatever happens here stays between us. But if you waste your cards now… what if I decide to make you walk around naked for the rest of the event, starting tomorrow? Or worse?"
His smile turned cruel.
"Think very carefully, ladies. Your moves have consequences."
Clara clutched the chair tighter, breathing hard through the lingering pain, while Sarah looked between her friend and Mike with growing dread. The weight of their situation was sinking in deeper with every second.
**
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