Mockery Deathmatch Episode 1
EPISODE 1: DISORIENTATION
Cori's eyes snapped open to blinding light.
Not the familiar chill of concrete floors or the musty air of abandoned buildings. This was warmer, actual sunlight, not harsh fluorescents.
They sat up slowly, shielding their eyes. Sand clung to their pink short hair, clothes and skin.
"W-What the hell?"
The beach stretched endlessly, white sand meeting crystal blue water. Behind them, a jungle hummed with unfamiliar sounds. Palm trees swayed in a breeze carrying the scent of salt.
Their shaking hands found the chain around their neck, fingers working the links as panic crept in. Where was this?
Cori stood, brushing sand from their shirt. The last thing they remembered was curling up in that warehouse, exhausted after three days of dodging hunters.
But this wasn't the warehouse. This wasn't even the city.
Their breathing quickened. They walked in a slow circle, searching for any clue of how they'd gotten here. Were they dreaming? Maybe if they touched the water—
A cold wave splashed their skin, startling them backward onto their butt.
They knelt in the sand, palms pressed against the grains. How was this even possible? No tire tracks, no boat, no buildings, no roads.
Just beach, jungle, and water stretching endlessly.
This was a trap... a test... it had to be. Someone was watching...
The eyeball tattoos on their arms flickered as anxiety spiked. Had they been drugged? Transported while unconscious? Their pink-furred tails twitched nervously as they worked through possibilities.
A rustling in the jungle made them freeze. Cori's head snapped up, eyes wide. Their ears caught movement nearby. Something was crashing through the underbrush, snapping twigs. Multiple things, large and getting closer.
Their heart hammered. The crashing grew louder. Branches were shoved aside, leaves rustling. Something was heading straight for the beach.
A massive lizard burst from the jungle.
Cori froze as the lizard lunged for a bite. A small explosion hit the creature, sending Cori tumbling across the sand, snapping them back to their senses.
B-Bombs?! What the hell was that?! Cori wondered, scrambling up as sand flew everywhere. The lizard, now furious, charged again. Cori threw themselves sideways, hitting the sand as the creature's teeth snapped through empty air.
"AAH!! No—Don't—" They ran, terror driving them across the beach. Behind them, claws scraped against the sand.
From the jungle's edge, a fireball blazed past their shoulder. They spun around, hyperventilating, watching the lizard stumble as flames licked its flank. Tears streamed down Cori's face. A girl in a maid outfit approached, slender and pale, like she'd gone for a morning stroll.
"Step back," the woman said quietly. The lizard charged her. She raised her hand, fire pouring from her fingers, striking the creature in the skull. The beast screamed as flames consumed it, dropping still, smoke rising from its remains.
Cori sat in the sand, confused and terrified, the smell of charred meat in their nostrils. They stared at the maid approaching, her expression stoic. They had to run, but their body shook. The silver-haired girl straightened her dress, checking her hair casually.
"Are you harmed?" she asked softly.
Every instinct screamed to run. Killing giant monsters with fire powers? What if they were next? This was bad. Cori closed their eyes, wrapping themselves in their arms and tails, trying to hide. The stress triggered a pulsating urge to shift shapes, revealing an odd supernatural element to the panicking survivor the maid had just rescued.
"I am Marigold. You seemed to need help. How may I assist?"
"S-service?... No..." Cori backed away, words coming out as half-formed fragments with desperate swallows, panting, and shivers. Marigold noticed the intense scars covering Cori's body. "You appear injured. How can I help?"
The words barely registered. Cori's mind was reeling, trying to process what they had just witnessed. Just as they were about to speak to avoid further escalation, a small pale hand appeared, gesturing to help them up.
Looking at the hand and Marigold's calm demeanor, Cori lay there for thirty seconds before taking her hand. Marigold brushed the sand off them with something soft they hadn't noticed while shielding themselves.
Without a word, the girl in the maid outfit stood calm and patient, waiting for Cori to speak. While they still wanted to run, part of them felt they had to at least say thank you. Mustering courage, the words came out: "Uhm... I..."
Cori's head snapped toward the jungle, eyes scanning the air above.
Marigold followed their gaze, seeing nothing at first until movement in the sky caught her attention. Something small and dark drifted on the wind—a crate with fabric billowing above it, descending slowly toward the jungle canopy.
"What is that?" Cori whispered.
Marigold squinted upward. "Looks like a supply drop. Someone down there might need it."
Cori stared at her, baffled by her casual tone.
"I... I have to go."
They turned toward the treeline, aware of Marigold's eyes on them. Whatever this place was, they needed to stay hidden and avoid everyone.
The jungle closed in, shadows hiding potential danger. Cori's hands trembled, clutching loose branches like shields. Their eyeball tattoos flickered rapidly, anxiety spiking with every rustle and call.
Twenty minutes of fighting through vines brought them near voices. Cori pressed against a tree, heart pounding, fingers wrapped around the chain at their neck, trying to control their breathing.
"—makes no sense, I was at the forge moments ago—"
"—by the ancient spirits, this place reeks of foreign magic—"
"—what realm is this? These plants grow in no land I know—"
Cori held their breath, studying the vegetation. The plants looked wrong—blue-tinged stems with flowers resembling script. Unsettled, Cori crept forward, peering into a small clearing. Three figures stood around scattered supplies from a container the size of two shoeboxes.
The container's contents were hidden, blocked by the three figures. One wore glowing armor with intricate metalwork, at least 7 feet tall, black gloves, a round pink face with a thick mustache and bushy eyebrows. Another was draped in red robes with white symbols, her big pointy black hat nearly covering her eyes. The third had a bony frame, blue-tinged skin, sharp ears, and was dressed in beadwork leather marked with orange paint.
All three looked like they'd stepped from different worlds.
A snake slithered past four feet away, and Cori's breathing turned ragged. They swallowed hard, fighting panic as the snake ignored them. The armored man examined a green crystalline cube pulsing with light.
"This resonates with divine energy," he said, clipped and formal. "But something's twisted it."
"Aye," the robed figure agreed, her accent unplaceable. "Something feeds on terror. I can taste it."
Suddenly, Cori felt a click—the ground opening into a grave-like pit. Adrenaline surged as they grabbed a tree root, sliding toward stakes while splinters bit into their palms.
"Someone's here," the blue-skinned one said, raising his hand. Cori hauled themselves up and stumbled into view, chest heaving. The strangers spun toward them, weapons appearing—a sword blazing with fire, a crochet grid glowing with electricity, and glass daggers filled with mist. They stared at Cori sprawled on the ground, taking in flickering tattoos and bewildered eyes.
"By the spirits, what is this demon spawn... mismatched, scarred, multiple tails... and that noise—" The armored man stared as Cori's palms shifted into claws before flickering back, sparkles dancing across their body. "We better take it out before it gets hosti—"
"Wait!" the robed woman snapped, blocking him. "Look—it's terrified. But also... humanoid."
"Could be a trick," the armored figure replied, his sword lowering slightly. "What are you, creature? Speak quickly."
Cori pressed against a tree, trembling. Words came out broken: "I'm—I'm human. I think. I don't—"
The robed woman's expression grew serious. "Human? Are you certain?"
"Y-yes!" Cori's voice cracked, words tumbling out in fragments. They gestured frantically, unable to form complete sentences.
The strangers exchanged glances.
"This terror... feels genuine," the robed figure said calmly.
"Terror can be feigned," the armored figure countered, though his grip relaxed.
"Were you watching us?" the man asked, stoic.
"No... There's a trap," Cori managed, pointing weakly at the pit. "Sharp—spikes. Almost—"
That got their attention.
"Someone prepared for visitors," the blue one said quietly.
The woman knelt by the pit's edge, tracing the sharpened points. "These stakes... they're in a ritual pattern. Whoever made this knew the old ways."
"Ritual?" the armored one asked.
"Blood magic," the robed woman explained. "The spikes pierce specific points to channel life force. Whoever fell here didn't just die—they fed something."
Cori crawled away toward the crate. The blue one noticed and stepped forward, less threatening.
"You didn't know where you were either, did you?"
Cori's fingers turned to claws then back to human form. Their tail swept through the dirt. They grabbed the cloth from the basket, pulling it over themselves like a shield, trying to calm down. "I... I don't know..."
Their voice was now a whisper—the way someone sounds after crying. The words drifted from beneath the makeshift blanket where they sat huddled in the jungle.
The robed woman approached slowly. "I don't know what you've been through, and I'm sorry we startled you. But you're safe now." She paused, studying Cori. "What brought you here? You look hurt. Maybe we can help—"
Cori's body jolted suddenly. Moments later, footsteps echoed through the trees. All four figures tensed as Marigold stepped into the clearing.
The three strangers watched her carefully, weapons still raised. A pale woman in an immaculate dress, ribbons in her hair, stood unfazed by the blades.
"And who might you be?" the armored man demanded.
"I observed the container's descent and thought assistance might be required," Marigold replied precisely. "How may I be of service?"
The robed woman looked confused. "You don't seem from here... yet you're calm for someone trapped in a strange realm." Her voice hardened. "Are you behind this?"
From beneath the blanket came a trembling voice: "S-She saved me." Cori's words cut through the tension. Everyone turned toward them. "From a lizard thing. She... burned it."
The woman blinked in surprise. The armored man studied Marigold with newfound respect. "You have combat training, then? A warrior?"
"I am merely a maid," Marigold said quietly. "I provide domestic services where needed."
The blue one's glare intensified. "A maid who can take down wild beasts? What kind of household do you serve?"
"I help where needed." Marigold lifted her arm, flexing her skinny arm with a stoic expression.
Awkward silence fell over the group. The armored figure reluctantly sheathed their sword.
"I am Sir Gavren of the Silver Dawn," they said formally. "This is Korvash the Stormcaller, and Lyra-lei of the Moonwood Clan."
The woman, Lyra-lei, nodded gracefully. "You may call me Lyra. What is your name, frightened one?"
"Cori," they whispered.
Korvash turned to Marigold. "And you are?"
Marigold elegantly gathered her dress, offering a delicate bow. "I am Marigold."
Korvash nodded, returning a respectful bow with a warm smile. The group resumed examining the scattered supplies. "We don't know why this came down, but it's full of curious items: water vessels of unfamiliar make, preserved foods. And this..."
They held up a stone orb about the size of a softball.
"Lyra-lei, do you recognize this trinket?" Gavren asked, stepping closer.
"Not particularly. It doesn't look like much..."
Marigold approached, producing a small feather duster from her dress. "Perhaps I might assist? Items often reveal their true nature when properly maintained."
Korvash handed it over, puzzled. Marigold dusted the orb with practiced care. As grime fell away, intricate carvings emerged, shifting when viewed directly. Thin green lines veined the dark stone, pulsing faintly.
"Fascinating," Korvash noted. As everyone huddled around, Cori peeked cautiously under the cloth. "The construction suggests a focusing device, though for what..." Korvash paused, examining a complex symbol. "This marking might be an activation mechanism."
"Brilliant, let me see," Gavren said, bumping into Korvash to get a better look.
Korvash clumsily pressed the mechanism, making the orb spin. Compartments twisted independently, revealing symbols and pulsing lines of light, scraping gently until everything clicked. The group exchanged glances, anticipation thick, when the orb exploded with blinding light.
Cori scrambled back in panic, pressing against a tree as their tattoos pulsed with anxiety. Korvash was lifted off their feet as if seized by invisible hands. Their body went rigid, eyes rolling back, mouth opening in a scream that transformed. The sunny sky darkened. Clouds boiled up, turning the air thick and oppressive. Wind howled through the jungle, carrying stinging dust and debris.
Through Korvash's mouth came a jumbled mix of voices—none their own—delivering a terrifying message: "FOR SLEEPERS WAKE BENEATH EARTH AND DUST...THE TASTE OF FEAR DELIVERED BY NEW SOULS! DILUTED BLOOD CALLS TO ANCIENT HUNGER! FEED IT WITH YOUR TERROR, OR JOIN ITS ENDLESS FEAST!"
Korvash convulsed once, then dropped like a puppet with severed strings, hitting the ground with a sickening thud.
"Korvash!" Lyra rushed to their side as the storm intensified.
Below, Cori heard something vast moving through the storm at terrifying speed.
"N-No!!" they screamed, fleeing into the jungle.
Focused on Korvash, the others missed Cori's departure. Gavren spotted a massive dust storm approaching from the coast and felt dread.
"RUN!" Gavren roared. "Everyone run!"
They ran.
Marigold and Lyra half-carried the unconscious Korvash while Gavren clutched the basket. Marigold searched for Cori but found nothing. Suddenly, Gavren shouted, "There!" A cave mouth gaped in a rocky outcrop. Breathless, the group stumbled inside, their panicked sounds echoing.
Cori had found this cave moments earlier.
Marigold spotted Cori huddled in the shadows. "Are you hurt?" Still trembling, Cori nodded.
For the next few minutes, Marigold assessed and treated any direct injuries Cori had.
The cave stretched deeper than it seemed.
Their footsteps echoed with a steady drip of water. Gavren's glowing sword cast the only light, throwing shadows across the stone.
"Good—everyone made it," Gavren said, his voice tight with panic.
"Korvash is breathing," Lyra reported, kneeling beside them. "But their pulse is erratic." Marigold helped steady Lyra. The group settled into the darkness, letting silence wrap around them.
Cori pressed close to the entrance, listening to the storm howl.
"W-What was that?" they whispered. "The orb—what did it do?"
"A conduit," Marigold said, smoothing a wrinkle in her dress. "It used Korvash to deliver a message."
"Message from what?" Gavren demanded.
"I couldn't tell who—or what—sent it."
Lyra glanced up from Korvash. "The prophecy mentioned a Sleeper. My people have legends about such beings, older than the world, always hungry for souls."
"Just legends," Gavren muttered, but his knuckles tightened on his sword hilt.
A soft moan from Korvash pulled their attention back. Their eyes fluttered open, unfocused.
"What... where am I?"
"You're safe," Lyra said gently. "You had a vision. Do you remember?"
Korvash sat up, wincing. "I remember the orb exploding. Then... darkness." They looked at Lyra. "What happened?"
Marigold stepped forward. "A creature used you to reveal a message." Lyra explained what she remembered.
Meanwhile, Cori sensed something deeper in the cave. Reluctantly, they spoke up. "Uhm..." Everyone turned to Cori. "I... think we're not alone..." Their tattoos flickered with concern.
Gavren and the others raised their guard. "We need light," Gavren said. "If we're staying until the storm passes, I want to know what we're sharing this space with."
Korvash raised their hand, and a ball of soft blue light appeared, revealing cave murals and something else.
"This isn't a natural cave," Lyra breathed.
Gavren approached the wall, sword ready, examining the carvings. "These markings... Why do you think we're not alone?"
Cori's voice trembled. "I heard clicking."
"Clicking? What else?" Gavren demanded as they tightened their stance.
They followed the inscriptions until a sound echoed from deeper in the cave.
Everyone froze.
"What else do you hear? Tell us!" Cori curled up, trembling. "Something's scraping the stone floors... it's coming."
Gavren raised his sword, the blade flaring brighter.
Lyra hissed, drawing her daggers.
Now the others heard it too—from a passage deeper into the hillside, hidden in shadows.
Korvash struggled to their feet. "We should leave. Now."
"Into that storm?" Gavren shook his head. "We'd be torn apart."
Cori was ready to bolt when a massive tree ripped from the earth and sailed past, crashing by the cave entrance. Shaken, Cori scrambled back as Lyra whispered, "We're trapped."
The clicking grew louder—multiple sources echoing like grinding gears.
Gavren moved toward the hidden passage, sword raised. "Whatever's down there, we face it on our terms."
Silence...
Then:
"Danger detected." Marigold's eyes flared red-yellow. From the darkness emerged a monstrosity—a pale, segmented worm the size of a bus. No eyes, just a gaping maw lined with needle teeth. Chitinous plates covered its body, clicking as it moved, while stiff dry hair writhed between gaps.
Before it struck, Marigold stepped protectively in front of Lyra.
The creature's tail whipped around, hitting Marigold and launching her into the cave wall with a metallic clang. Sparks erupted, and her movements turned jerky—clearly damaged.
"Spirits... You're a construct!?" Gavren shouted as sparks flew from Marigold's wound.
Marigold smoothed her hair and composed herself.
After straightening her dress, flames erupted from her palms as she faced the worm. "Like I said, just a maid." Korvash chuckled incredulously.
Gavren's sword met the creature, holy fire searing its flesh. It shrieked—a sound like tearing metal—and coiled around him.
"Gavren!" Lyra hurled her daggers, but they bounced off the armored hide.
Korvash unleashed more lightning, but the creature absorbed it, growing brighter and more aggressive.
Cori pressed against the wall, paralyzed with terror. Their form flickered under stress—fingers extending into claws before snapping back, their outline wavering like smoke.
Gavren screamed as the creature's mouth closed around his sword arm. His armor held, but barely. The holy fire dimmed.
"Get back!" he roared. "All of you, get—"
The creature's tail whipped his chest, sending him flying into the cave wall. He hit with a sickening crack, dark blood pooling beneath him.
"No!" Lyra rushed toward him, but the creature turned to her, segments rippling as it prepared to strike.
Its mouth opened impossibly wide, aimed at her.
Cori stared at a nightmare. Just as Lyra was about to be swallowed, the creature stopped.
Dead quiet.
Its body swirled, shells clicking, but it stayed frozen.
Lyra backed away, eyes on it.
Korvash stared with growing concern. "What is it doing?"
Dark smoke crawled across the cavern floor, chilling the air and making everyone's breath visible. Cori's teeth chattered uncontrollably.
The worm jolted, shivering along its length. It began to retreat, clicking frantically as the ground shook.
Silence fell, but the group held their breath, unable to rejoice. The chill had caught up with them. Whatever lurked in the cave was approaching.
A clapping sound echoed—the impact on cold stone, like bare feet walking.
The pattern was odd. How many legs did this creature have? What was it doing?
The group waited in silence, with only Gavren's dimly glowing blade cutting through the darkness.
A dragging sound echoed from the shadows.
More footsteps followed, drawing closer.
Then came the sound of bells and metal ornaments chiming like wind chimes.
A figure emerged, moving with serpentine grace on its hands—tall and slender, legs like scorpion appendages. In one motion, it flipped upright. The silhouette revealed a woman with bright pink pigtails, skipping and spinning through the shadows like a dancer threading between curtains.
She hummed a children's lullaby that echoed eerily off the cave walls, performing cartwheels and ballet around the carnage with elegance. Ribbons, bells, and tassels adorned her clothes, catching light as she moved between blood and debris.
As she danced closer to Gavren's sword, the flickering light revealed her: a towering silhouette wearing a porcelain mask painted with colorful stars and shapes around a somber expression, every movement theatrical and precise.
She tilted her head, examining the scene.
Korvash, his nerves fraying, stammered, "W-who are you? What brings you here?"
The woman ignored him, continuing her dance closer to the group.
"We're warning you! Don't come closer if you want to live!" Lyra shouted, spinning her hat as the strings began glowing red in the darkness.
Cori's terror overwhelmed them. They crawled backward, curling into a ball, mumbling cries of disbelief while hyperventilating loudly, drowning out other sounds in the cave's silence.
The masked woman's attention shifted to Cori.
Marigold and Lyra exchanged worried glances. Without hesitation, Marigold sprinted toward the figure in a zigzag, sliding to a stop. She dropped to her knees, pressing her palms to the ground in silent prayer. Then she lifted her hands skyward, palms open, arching her back as if hoisting something massive. A towering wall of fire erupted between them and the mysterious woman.
"I must ask you to keep your distance."
Korvash and Lyra maintained their defensive stances, spells ready, as silence filled the cave—broken only by the crackling flames.
A soft giggle drifted from beyond the fire wall, followed by the sharp whistle of something cutting through the air. A low hum grew closer. Lyra and Korvash snapped into position, barely containing their panic.
Lyra spread her arms wide, weaving a net of glowing red threads, while Korvash channeled a fierce blue wind from behind the barrier.
Gavren's spinning blade sliced through the fire wall, briefly dispersing the flames. The weapon got caught in Lyra's net with projectile force, its tip jutting out while Korvash strained to hold it in place.
The masked figure flipped gracefully over the fire wall, landing with cat-like precision. As she lowered her guard, a sharp rock struck her mask, shattering on impact and leaving a scratch across the porcelain cheek.
Silence stretched until everyone noticed Cori, breathing heavily, clutching more jagged stones. The eye tattoos on their arms were now wide open and glowed in the dark. "Stay back..." they whispered, their voice trembling yet determined.
The masked woman tilted her head, slowly dropping to all fours. A muffled giggle escaped from behind the mask.
"Khkhkhkkhiigigigi!!" A high-pitched giggle erupted. "You're fun!!" she said, skipping aside with ease, dodging Marigold's surprise attack. The blast struck the wall, shaking the cave as dust and sand rained down.
Her evasion was like a dance. She gracefully dodged attacks until she was unsettlingly close to Cori, who pressed against the wall, trying to disappear.
The humming stopped.
The cave held its breath.
Cori looked up into that painted porcelain face as she sat beside them, waving her fingers in an odd sequence with a high-pitched "hiiii~."
Then Cori let out a desperate, supersonic scream that echoed—a sound with supernatural force that sent rocks tumbling and cracks spider-webbing through the earth. The metal equipment sang in harmony as everything vibrated.
In one section, the ceiling began to collapse.
The masked figure flipped backward as the frozen Cori faced a massive boulder plummeting from above.
EPISODE END.