Ascension 100

The buzzing in Layla's ears was deafening. She blinked rapidly, her vision adjusting to the alien landscape around her. Moments ago, she was in her school hallway, chatting with her best friend, Hana, about the upcoming exams. Now, she stood amidst a sea of confused faces, staring at the surreal expanse before her.

Purple clouds swirled in the sky, glowing faintly with golden veins that pulsated like a living heartbeat. The ground beneath her feet was smooth, metallic, and dotted with faintly glowing symbols similar to those that had appeared back at school.

"What the hell is going on?" a voice shouted nearby, snapping her from her daze.

She turned to see a tall boy she recognized from gym class. He wasn't alone; everywhere she looked, students huddled in small groups, some crying, others shouting, and a few frozen in shock.

Hana grabbed her arm, her face pale. "Layla, are we dreaming? This can't be real!"

Layla opened her mouth to respond, but the air around them vibrated with a sudden hum. A loud chime echoed, silencing the chaos. Everyone froze, looking up as the giant translucent screen appeared again in the sky.

"Welcome to The Hundred Trials."

The words floated, shimmering like starlight.

"To survive, you must complete 100 games. Failure means elimination. Forever. The winner will return to Earth."

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

"Elimination?" someone whispered, their voice trembling.

"What does that even mean?" another shouted, their tone tinged with panic.

The screen shifted, and a new message appeared:

"Level 1: The Bridge of Truth."

Before anyone could react, the ground beneath their feet rumbled. The metallic surface they stood on split apart, forcing everyone to scatter. From the cracks emerged a massive structure—a long, narrow bridge suspended high above a bottomless abyss.

The screen flashed again:

"Rules: Cross the bridge before time runs out. Only the path of truth will hold. Lies will shatter the bridge beneath you. Time limit: 10 minutes."

"Path of truth? What does that mean?" Layla muttered, her heart pounding.

Hana clutched her arm tighter. "We can't do this. What if we fall? What if—"

"Hey! Everyone calm down!" a voice boomed. A boy stepped forward, tall and confident, his sharp gaze cutting through the rising panic. It was Adrian, the student council president. "Panicking won't help. We need to figure this out—fast."

"Figure what out?" a girl snapped. "We're supposed to cross that thing? It's insane!"

Adrian pointed at the bridge. "The screen said the path of truth will hold. Maybe it means we have to answer honestly as we cross."

Layla frowned. "But how do we know what questions it'll ask? What if we don't even know the answers?"

The screen answered her unspoken question:

"Step onto the bridge. Questions will be presented. Answer truthfully to proceed."

The first student, a wiry boy with glasses, hesitated before stepping onto the bridge. The moment his foot touched the surface, glowing symbols appeared beneath him, forming a small platform.

A voice—calm yet cold—resounded in the air:

"Question 1: Have you ever cheated on a test?"

The boy's eyes widened. "What? I-I…"

"Answer!" someone shouted.

He hesitated before stammering, "Y-yes."

The platform beneath him solidified, and a path extended further across the bridge. A collective sigh of relief spread through the crowd.

"It's that simple?" Hana whispered.

Layla wasn't so sure.

One by one, students began stepping onto the bridge. Each was asked a question—some personal, others seemingly trivial. A girl was asked if she had ever lied to her parents. A boy admitted to stealing candy from a store as a child.

But then came the first mistake.

A confident-looking senior stepped forward, smirking. The question boomed out:

"Have you ever betrayed a friend?"

The senior scoffed. "No, of course not."

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the glowing platform beneath him flickered and shattered. He screamed as he plummeted into the abyss.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Layla's heart raced as panic spread through the group. The game wasn't just testing honesty—it somehow knew the truth.

Hana tugged on her sleeve. "Layla, I… I can't do this."

"You have to," Layla whispered, trying to sound braver than she felt. "We don't have a choice."

---

The line moved agonizingly slowly, each step forward bringing them closer to the bridge. Layla's palms were slick with sweat as she watched students answer, some hesitating, others breaking down in tears.

When it was finally her turn, her legs felt like jelly. She stepped onto the bridge, and the glowing symbols flared to life beneath her feet. The voice spoke:

"Question 1: Have you ever hated someone close to you?"

Layla froze. Her mind raced through memories—moments of anger, fleeting feelings of resentment. Did those count as hate?

"Answer," the voice pressed.

"Yes," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

The platform solidified, and the next step appeared. Relief washed over her, but it was short-lived. The second question came immediately:

"Have you ever lied to protect yourself?"

"Yes," she answered again, without hesitation this time.

Another step appeared. She glanced back at Hana, who was watching her with wide eyes, and gave her a reassuring nod before continuing forward.

---

By the time Layla reached the end of the bridge, her legs were shaking. The questions had grown more invasive, forcing her to confront truths she'd buried deep.

She turned to see Hana step onto the bridge. Her best friend's face was pale, and her hands trembled as the first question boomed:

"Have you ever wished harm on someone?"

Hana's eyes widened. She looked back at Layla, panic written all over her face.

"Hana!" Layla called out. "Just tell the truth! It's the only way!"

Hana hesitated before whispering, "Yes."

The platform held, and Hana exhaled shakily.

---

Minutes ticked by, and the remaining students scrambled to cross. The bridge began to rumble as the countdown approached zero. Those still waiting pushed and shoved, desperate to make it to the other side.

The final chime rang out as the last student stepped off the bridge. Behind them, the structure disintegrated, disappearing into the void.

A new message appeared on the screen:

"Level 1 complete. 78 players remain."

Layla's stomach churned. There had been over a hundred students at the start. She glanced at the others, their faces a mix of relief and dread.

The screen flickered again:

"Prepare for Level 2."

"This is insane!" Someone bursts as they started Clamoring.

The student council president stepped forward and silenced everyone "Everyone listen! Yes all of us wants to survive" then he Sighed "but rules are rules though the rules never said only 1 can survive so it means-" he was cut when Layla responded "it means we can all survive as long as all of us finished all the levels".

Everyone started to feel at ease and started murmuring "then we should all help each other we must not let everyone of us to get eliminated" someone confidently said.

But then it's already time for the level 2, The students barely had time to catch their breath before the ground beneath them shifted again. The metallic floor rippled like liquid, separating into individual platforms. Each student stood isolated, suspended in the endless void.

A new message appeared on the screen:

"Level 2: The Maze of Reflections."

The calm, cold voice returned:

"Rules: Navigate through the maze and find the exit within the time limit. Beware the reflections—they reveal the truths you refuse to see. Time limit: 20 minutes. Elimination for failure."

Before anyone could ask what that meant, the platforms dissolved, and the students were dropped into darkness.

"To be continue..."