A/N: Let's jump right in! Enjoy! 😁

Nico's POV

Once again, the dreamless slumber I had hoped for was not kindly bestowed upon me. But this nightmare was somehow different. Not in a good way though.

*Nightmare*

Bianca was in some sort of cage, looming over a vast chasm, only secured by a single strip of thin, breaking rope. It was obvious the cage was going to fall soon, plummeting her towards certain death. I stood directly across from her on some sort of glass platform. Bianca's clothes were torn and dirty, her face a mask of pain as she hugged the rusted steel bars of the cage with a fierce grip

"Well, looks like we have company, Miss. Di Angelo. Your brother was very kind to grace us with his presence." A clear and beautiful, yet some how menacing voice mocked, the sound resonating throughout the chamber we were in. "Are you ready to play a game, Nico?"

     Turning around, I desperately searched for the source of the voice. There was nothing but a shroud of blackness and gray walls looming for over me, almost as if threatening to collapse.  From the same voice, I heard a soft tsk, tsk, tsk.

     "Nico," the voice chided, "I thought you had better eye sight than that. I'm standing right in front of you!"

    Suddenly a boy materialized before me. He looked around my age, with tan skin and golden blonde hair and beautiful azure blue eyes with flecks of gray, green, and yellow, like tiny dots of sunlight. He was gorgeous, yet a cruel smirk that spread across his full red lips marred his angelic features.

     "Boo."

     I stumbled back in shock, but suddenly fell backwards when a chair appeared behind me. Steel strips clasped my arms to the teakwood chair. I cried out as tiny barbed pins burrowed into my wrists with the restraints.

     The man in front of me took a few small steps forward smiling down at the ground.
    
     "I'd hoped that I would be seeing you sooner, yet Fate delayed the meeting I had planned out, for.... particular reasons." He snapped and a chair was pulled out of the shroud of darkness that surrounded us. With his own chair, a long table appeared. It was also teakwood, and embroidered with elegant patterns all leading to.... a gruesome scene of murder and death.

     It depicted some sort of creature with no eyes- wait, were the eyes on its hands?! Holy Hell, what is this thing?! It held up a small child to its face, the child half way in its bloody maw. Other children were running, and one appeared to be tripping over the body of a torn corpse.

     I tore my eyes away from the blood bath, looking back to where Bianca is. She stared at me with desperate, pleading eyes. She nodded to blondy in front of me, then turned back to me. She was trying to warn me of something.

     "Who are you?" I ask, cautiously. "What do you want with us?"

     "I only want you to play a game!" He laughed. "Trust me, it will be very entertaining. As for who I am, my name is William. William Solace. But you may call me Will for short." He smiled innocently , as if to repair all uncertainty and mistrust he may have gained from before. However, a simple smile wouldn't fix the impropriety of the situation.

I growled at Will.
     "Why is Bianca here? What do you want with her? I swear if you hurt her or have hurt her I will break every last bone in your body."

     The bastard just smiled pleasantly. "There is no need to ask questions you will soon find out. It's a waste of breath." Weapons of various sorts appeared on the table. Inspecting each one with unperturbed concentration, Will smiled in satisfaction as his eyes reached a particular blade.

     It was some sort of black metal, with a shining steel handle wrapped in strong brown leather laced with silver linings. It seemed to suck in all the shadows around it, absorbing the depth of the inky blackness. Will, in a sudden, swift motion suddenly plunged the sword into the table.

    I flinched at his unforeseen movement. Peeking through my previously closed eyes, I glanced at Will, who only smiled. Again.

     "Well," he began, "Why don't I explain the rules to the game. It is called Would You Rather. I am certain that you are familiar with it. Am I correct?"

     "Yes."

     "As I presumed. Anyhow, this means that you are familiar with the rules?"

     "Yes."

     "Well, this time there are some differences. I will still give you two scenarios that you will choose between, but each time there will be consequences for each answer. Either harm is inflicted upon yourself, or your sister is slowly lowered with the cage, causing more weight to be added onto the rope to the point it will eventually break. "

     "Do I have a choice not to play, by chance, and you will just let my sister and I go free with our lives?" I asked, letting hope crawl into my voice. All I earned was a laugh from Will.

    "Oh course not!" He exclaimed between giggling fits. "Why would I ever do that?!" He suddenly stood up straight, eyes dark, an evil glint igniting within the azure orbs.

"You didn't think you had a choice, did you?"

"Uh..." I gulped, "No...."

He chuckled softly. "Of course."

Then, without any anticipation, he pulled the sword out of the table and slashed it towards my face, slicing me across the cheek. The wound stung like hell, slightly warm with fresh blood running down the side of my face.

"LYING!!!!" He screamed, hefting the sword above him. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO LIARS?!" I stared up at him in absolute horror, whimpers echoing from my lips. He angled the sword so the tip would plunge straight into my eye. And then he brought the blade down.

However, at the last moment, he spared me. The point of the blade was only inches away from my face as he spoke his next words.

"Liars," he paused before continuing, ".... liars will be eliminated. You did not know the rule beforehand, though. So this is your warning. Don't lie to me."

He leaned back, gently resting the blade on the table. I heard him sigh, and I secretly breathed a breath of relief along with him. What is happening? Who is this psychopath? I glanced towards Bianca, noting how she looked completely terrified.

Closing my eyes, I thought of what it felt like to breath, what the air felt like in my stomach, mouth, lungs. What it felt like to be here, now. I would play this game for Bianca, my sister, who I wouldn't fail like I did before. This nightmare is my chance to redeem myself.

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry I left y'all on a cliffhanger (Not sorry). I want to make a part two to this, so be expecting that! Gods I've missed this. Writing to you, my brilliant readers. Well, if you have any questions, whether personal or about the story, let me know!

Word count: 1,201