Game Arena: Earth Signs

"Attention, everyone," The reporter's voice cut through the air on the radio and television. "A severe thunderstorm with extreme lightning will hit the city tonight. The meteorological department predicts that today's lightning is likely to produce a high-power outage. Please, everyone, stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel. Be safe...." The voice fades slightly amidst the howling wind outside, replaced by the sounds of cars and bikes' horns on the busy road.

On the streets, people rushed to their homes, shopkeepers pulled down their shutters and locked them tightly, and a tension etched on their faces from the announcement. Dry leaves swirled at the corner of the footpath. Among them, a middle-aged man's hand curled tightly over the handlebars as he struggled to push his heavy, repaired motorcycle against the dusty, heavy wind.

In the distance, a lightning strike in the sky looked like veins, and thunder roared sharply. The tiny raindrops fell, a middle-aged man whispering to himself, "Oh! My babies... will she be safe at home or not?" His voice crackled in the wind. Without waiting another second, he pulls out his phone from his pocket, dialling his wife's number. His hands shook when cold rain touched them, his voice tight with anxiety as the phone rang continuously. "Please, pick up... Serin," he pleaded.

The phone continues to ring, but there is no response on the other side.

Again, he tried without hesitation.

Finally, the call connected, and at the same time, the rain flow increased. "Hello? Alex, where are you, honey? It's already raining heavily, and thunder has started… Why aren't you home yet?" Serin asked, her voice concerned and urgent.

Alex breathed out in relief after hearing his wife's voice, and a small smile appeared on his tense face. "I'm on my way; I've almost arrived. But I need to know, are you and the kids okay? Is everyone inside? Is everyone safe?"

"We're all safe inside," Serin confirmed, though a tremor of fear still lingered in her voice. "I told the kids to stay away from the windows. Please hurry. The storm is getting worse."

"Please, stay safe, Honey? I'm almost there." Alex's voice was hoarse. He gripped the phone tightly against his wet hand, and he squinted, his eyes fixed on the left street, where his house was located.

"Okay, just hurry home, love," Serin said, and the line went dead with a beep sound.

Alex was fully soaked by rain; his grip tightened around the handlebars with relief as he turned the vehicle onto the nearby street. Then, in a flash of strong lightning, a sharp thunder roar made the power lines crackle and shut, then fizzle out across the city. The road was slippery and dark, with the wind pushing against him. Despite the difficulty, he didn't stop. "Just a few more meters, Alex..." he whispered bravely, his eyes fixed on his house as he pushed his bike forward.

Within a few steps, another blinding flash of lightning splits the sky in double. This time, the thunder that followed was a massive roar that lasted for a few minutes and that slammed into Alex. His body shook from the immense force of the storm. He stumbled backward, his legs weakening as the heavy wind dragged him down, throwing him off balance.

In that continuous roar, suddenly his hands automatically ran over his chest, and a sharp pain struck his chest. He fell down and slowly crawled towards the nearest street wall to lean on. His breath hitches slowly, his heart aches fast in pain, and a thin rattling sound escapes his lips. He understood the situation and slowly pulled out his phone to dial his wife to inform her of the emergency, but the phone slipped from his grip, vanishing into the rainwater.

The chest pain increased more gradually than before, so he opened his lips to ask for help, but the words didn't come out; only air escaped from his mouth. Without warning, his vision started to blur, and the pain increased as the rain fell around him like a heavy curtain.

He struggles to exhale and inhale to get enough oxygen, and his hands are still searching for the phone in the hopness.  His eyes, desperate seeking for help, but no one in that street because of his bad luck.  "Please... be safe..." Alex whispered his last conscious thought. Then, with no movement in his body, the world around him fades, his eyelid closes fully, and his state becomes unconscious and consumed by the darkness.

-----

Now, the world around him is dead silent. The heavy storm had massive thunder, lightning, wind, and rain; all the bus buildings and traffic were gone. Now the place is completely replaced by a dark, dim night, cold weather, wet moisture, muddy land, insects making sounds, with a soft, fresh, cold breeze rustling through the trees.

Suddenly, a low voice breaks the dead silence. Alex groans softly as he feels someone gently shaking his shoulder. He moves his hand slightly and opens his eyes slowly. "Hey, man, are you okay? Hey!" The young man's voice crackles near as it reaches Alex's ears, sounding broken and barely audible.

Alex's mind was completely blank, his vision was blurred, and with no audio. He lifted his head slightly above, bewildered; his heart raced against his ribs watching the strangers, his breathing thin as he tried to push his puzzle together. His gaze shifted slowly towards a nearby group of people standing at a distance, and his eyes darted around, watching. He was surrounded by an unfamiliar place, with giant, towering trees and strange faces around him. He notices the air feels different, cool, fresh, and crisp—and the ground beneath him is soft with moss.

"Where am I?" Alex asked weekly. He tried to push himself into a sitting position.

"Wait…" A young man with an M symbol tattoo on his neck stepped forward and gripped Alex's hand, and helped him lean against the tree.

I... I was supposed to be home. In the city." Alex's eyes darted wildly, scanning the towering trees and the unfamiliar faces. "What happened? I don't... I don't remember anything." He pressed a hand to his forehead as a sudden, throbbing headache erupted.

The group surrounding him exchanged glances, still trying to find an explanation. Their faces show a mix of confusion and concern. "You okay?" asked the tattooed man.

Alex nodded in agreement as he looked back at them.

"I am Adam. Just relax... We don't know anything either—we're just as confused as you are," Adam said softly, his smile strained yet gentle as he looked at the chaos around him. "Take some rest, man," he added with concern. After a few moments, their group moved back toward the nearby group.

Then, Alex looks up at the towering trees, stars shining in the clear sky, and dark mountains around him. "What is this place? And how did he end up here? And why is my mind blank? He questioned himself. He leaned against the tree silently, placing his hand on his forehead, and closed his eyes to rest because of a headache.

After a few tense moments, a flood of anxiety settled over the group. Various groups of strangers start to spread out with people they feel have similar vibes, and carefully tramping through the,dense trees. Their gaze scanned every direction nervously, trying to figure out what was going on and where they ended up.

No matter how far they wander in the dark, it remains the same endless forest, towering trees, and a deadly quiet that feels unsettling.

"God!!!!! I am exhausted....." The girl with the orange crew cut, Bella, murmured, leaned against the towering tree, and the sweat droplets flowed down her entire face and neck. She took a deep, exhausted breath; her eyes drifted between others, who had already ended up with several groups and were hanging with their vibes. "Always end up alone...." A knowing smirk replaced her lips, and while a hint of frustration flickered in her expression as she closed her eyes, seeking a brief moment of rest in the cold breeze.

Without a warning, a sharp mechanical sound cuts through the entire mountain, vibrating from somewhere and echoing off in all directions. It sounds artificial and coded, but it's audible.

Everyone looked at the above, a few of them holding nearby hands in fear, watching nervously at the flashing light. "Hi, Gamers," the AI voice echoed in the mountain. "Welcome to Game Arena." As it spoke, shimmering 3D letters began to appear in blue glowing holograms, flickering gently and orderedly. The blue-white light cast a glow on their faces, reflecting the dark forest.

"Huh? Game Arena..." one of them murmured; his expression was unreadable.

"Why does it sound weird?" Bella murmured, with a blank stare, as if trying to piece together a puzzle.

The AI voice continued, "Registration begins now."

With a sharp sound, a grinding sound, the ground splits them, shifting as a mechanical drawer painted white with red emerges from the earth and rises automatically without any force.

Everyone stepped back, their faces revealing clear fear. Their hands shook uncontrollably, as they gribbing near ones not to show the inner fear, sweat pooling in their palms They surounnded a drawer like a big circle,  their eyes were  locked on the drawer, filled with curiosity and wonder.

The group exchanged uneasy glances, murmuring softly among themselves. Their expressions reveal their inner tensions and curiosity about the next possibilities. With a sudden beep, it automatically clicked and unlocked, bringing all back to reality. Then the drawer opened to reveal a set of cards neatly arranged on velvet cloth, perfectly lined and cleaned.

"Welcome to Earth Sign Game." An AI voice announced, interrupting their clueless puzzle.

"Pick one card. Each person should receive one card. Rules: Do not exchange your card."

Then the voice and brightness went blank; now silence occupied. The group exchanged nervous glances, some of them rubbing their temples, scratching their necks, uncertainty still clouding their expressions.

"What is this?" one of the ladies inquired with some hesitation in her voice as she gripped her skirt tightly.

"What kind of game have they been thrown into?" The murmurs started.

"We can pick any card, can't we?" the young man asked, watching others' terrified expressions.

"I am not going first. What if it's a trap?" The woman interrupted, her tone dismissive as she glanced into a drawer with disgust and flipped her blonde hair back.