Facing Fear | ✓ ONC 2023 Honorable Mention

8 | PvP

"I'm sick of the sky," Mori said.

The fifth ring wall rose in sight, but the steps had gradually widened until she had to lunge to reach the next one.

"I'd bet you're less scared of heights now though," Ronin answered, adjusting his grip on her hand. "I'm sick of snakes too, but the one I'm wearing as a scarf right now would look pretty cool if you could see it."

Mori looked down, wind rushing around her. At some point, the fear had faded to an impatient wish to get through the ring. It hinted at how effective a tool Facing Fear could have been, had the governing AI not woken up and chosen violence.

"What was it like finding out you were trapped in a death game?" Mori asked.

Ronin steadied her with a supportive hand on her upper back for a leap across an extra wide chasm. "Chaotic. FEAR told us about in-game death equaling death in the real world, but that it expected us to conquer the fear of dying to be able to clear the game. And for the first ten to do so...it promised freedom."

"What?" Mori's foot slipped.

She fell between the steps, only Ronin's hand interlocked with hers stopping her from falling. Fear rushed in full force like the gale that picked up to buffet her like a tiny ship at sea. Mori looked at Ronin, holding on for her life. Her heart thundered in her ears.

"Mori—" Ronin grunted, the veins standing out on his forehead. "Mori, give me your other hand."

Grip already failing with the sweat slicking her palm against Ronin's glove, Mori tried not to swing around as she reached out with her left hand. But when she blinked, the sky and wind disappeared. Instead a dark cave closed in, with serpents slithering across the rocks. A snake's body coiled around her wrist, its fangs sunk into Ronin's arm and the sweat wasn't sweat, it was his blood dripping from the wound.

If I can get the escape ring out as I fall...there might be time. Mori opened her mouth to tell Ronin to let go, before the determination in his eyes stopped her. If she fell, he'd go down with her.

With every bit of strength she could muster, Mori extended her hand upward.

Ronin caught it. With a cry of pain he pulled her over the edge onto a stone path with a pit of vipers on either side. Mori yanked the snake off her arm and tossed it into the abyss before grabbing the half dozen wriggling across Ronin's chest and shoulders, ruby eyes gleaming in the darkness. A couple hissed at her, forked tongues flicking before she threw them.

"You should have let go," Mori chided, taking in the bite marks scoring his neck and face. The atmosphere shifted around her until the dimness brightened to a blue sky again and she knelt on a floating plank of wood.

In response, Ronin glared and held her hand tighter. "I already told you I wasn't going to. Would have to find another partner and start this ring over again. But we are not risking you going skydiving twice."

"Oh, really? And how are we going to do tha—" Mori screamed in surprise as Ronin lifted her off the ground. 

"It'll be easier if you put your arm around my neck," he advised, already walking. "Also, can I get a heal?"

"I didn't say you could carry me!" Mori protested.

Ronin stopped, raising an eyebrow. "Do you want me to put you down?"

Mori glanced down to where Ronin stood on thin air between the steps spaced at ridiculous intervals. She sighed and put her arm over his shoulders. "No."

He continued walking, while Mori brushed the sweaty hair away from his forehead without thinking.

"Thanks," Ronin said, eyes focused straight ahead. His Adam's apple bobbed up then down. "About that heal?"