Be careful of her facade

Bzzt.

I arrived back into the huge stadium where the third game was held. "Ack! Here again? Shorty! Help!" I called out to Isaac, but I didn't hear any responses. "Hmm? Shorty? Didn't you hear -" I turned around and only saw 4 other children beside me. I couldn't find Isaac, Rona, and Ronald anywhere. "Huh? Guys? Where are you all?" I started panicking and looked around a few times, but I still couldn't find them. 'We were separated? Why?'

Suddenly, I heard a soothing child-like voice from above. "Oh my... Looks like Munchy will be having a feast tonight. How nice." I looked up and saw a cute bubbly girl with long, blonde and wavy hair smiling at us, along with a pair of beautiful white wings. I stared at her as she floated around us. 'Ouish! She's so beautiful like an angel! She even has a pair of wings... Wings? Does human normally have wings?' I looked at the other children's back and touched mine. 'None. Maybe she's special?' I pondered to myself. The angel-like girl stopped mid-air and said. "Hello, dear meat, I mean, beloved children, my name is Angel. Welcome to the Feast, a place where you, who were not chosen by the 8 Masters, will be eaten by my little puppy, Munchy." She laughed. Her smile was so radiant, we were all dazzled. Then, she pointed towards the cage behind her. We looked behind and heard something dangerous growling in the cage.

I looked at the cage and examined it. 'Why do they need such a big cage? I don't remember Munchy being that big, based on Mr. James's photo. Unless... The photos were a few years back...?'

Bang!

Munchy slammed into the bars and roared out loud. The children screamed, and I stepped back a few steps, hoping those few thin iron bars could hold Munchy back. "Wow! Munchy is huge!" Munchy continuously hitting the iron bars and roaring at us. The children were extremely frightened. Some of them were crying while some peed in their pants. I gulped nervously and looked at Angel, who was awestruck by her pet's beauty (?). 'She has a pet that ruthlessly eats humans, and she was named Angel? Whoever named her needs some brain check.'

Angel looked back at us and chuckled. "If you wish to not be eaten by Munchy, then I guess I'll give you all a chance." She looked to her left, and we followed her gaze. 'Huh? There's someone there?' I tried looking behind the translucent red curtain and could see 8 shadowy figures. 'Are those the 8 Masters? They're here too?' I looked back at Angel, who was grinning for some weird reasons. 'Is this a trap?' I recalled the number of times Mr. James almost killed us in the games. 'Ouiiii... A trap. It's definitely a trap. I mean, look at her sinister smile, it look exactly like Mr. James. Who knows, they might be related by blood. Even if they are not related, I don't think anyone here is sane in the first place. I mean, who can stay sane in this place. This is most definitely a TRAP!' I sobbed.

Angel clapped her hands together and smiled brightly like an angel who descended from heaven. "Okay! Now, who wants to start first? How about -"

"Please do allow me to start first, Ms. Angel." A boy with a loud voice interrupted Angel and raised his hands immediately.

Angel looked at him unimpressed, more like revolting and sighed. "Alright. You may. Please present your points in 2 minutes."

'Wow! Her look just turned 180 degrees. Scary!' I trembled.

The boy with the loud voice said. "Only 2 minutes? Why not an hour? No, an hour isn't enough. I could go on -"

Angel interrupted him and said. "Starting from now."

I thought to myself. 'Oui. Don't tell me he planned to give a long speech about himself that will bore everyone here to death.' I took a glance at Angel, who was glaring at the boy. 'But is 2 minutes enough for him? Or does she just hate him?'

The boy cleared his throat and turned to the 8 Masters. "Greetings to the 8 Masters who graced us all with your magnificent presence. I, Mason, am a humble child who has zero knowledge and skills. My only advantage is my skill to observe and analyze the situation at hand. Even my friends at school all agreed with me. Although I lack in many aspect, however I have no doubt that once I mastered the techniques taught by my Master, I could be your hands and feet that provides my Master with the most effective and efficient solutions. Therefore, I hope that one of the 8 Masters may take me in as a disciple. I will be forever in debt towards my Master." As the boy finished his speech, he bowed and gave a smile.

'Oui... He would make a good salesman or conman in the future with the way he is convincing people. Oui. But his skill is to observe and analyze the situation? Does that mean he is plain ignoring Angel's death glare?' I shook my head. 'It's more like his weakness rather than strength. And to those friends of his, well... I suggest he should just dump them all. Trash, they're all trash.'

Angel clasped her hands together. "Well, now that Mason has provided his 'speech' blabbering, it's time for the 8 Masters to vote."

'Blabbering? I think she accidentally swapped her speech and thought bubbles around.' I looked at Angel, who was on the verge of chewing Mason's head off. 'Maybe she did it on purpose... Oui... Angel really hates it when someone interrupts her, huh? Good luck, Mason. I hope you get chosen, or else Angel will turn into a demon just for you.'

"Time's up! So what are the 8 Masters' decisions?" Angel flew towards the 8 Masters to listen to their decision. She nodded and flew back. "Congratulations, it looks like Mason has gotten himself a Master. Please exit through the door behind you. Someone will be there to guide you to your new Master. Congratulations once again. I hope you will have a pleasure journey." Angel happily waved goodbye at Mason. Mason quickly ran towards the door behind him as the children turned and stared at him. He slammed the door behind him, and the children looked back at Angel. I watched Angel's expression and felt something was awfully wrong. 'She's smiling when Mason got himself a Master and when he walked through that door? A few minutes ago, she was huffing and puffing like she wanted to tear him to shreds. Why the sudden change in attitude? Something doesn't add up."

Angel tilted her head. "Now, who wants to go next?"

The 3 remaining children eagerly raised up their hands and screamed. "Me! Me! I want to go first!" The next minute, we could see the children fighting with each other.

I backed away from them and took a sneak at Angel. I was horrified by Angel's expression. She was smiling from ear to ear as she watched the children kicking and punching each other. She looked up at me and said. "Are you not interested in being the 8 Masters' disciple?" The children who were busy fighting suddenly stopped and looked at me like a predator who found it's prey.

I shook my head furiously. "Nope. Not interested at all." The children looked at each other and continued fighting each other. I sighed in relief and looked at the 8 Masters. 'Don't they have more important things to do rather than sitting there, watching 3 children murdering each other?'

Angel flew behind me and whispered in my ears. "So you are interested."

I turned behind and stepped a few steps back. "I already said no." I crossed my hands and formed an X.

She frowned and asked. "Why not? It's a privilege to be their disciple."

I shook my head again. "Thanks, but no thanks. I would rather face Munchy." Angel's eyebrow twitched, and she quickly moved away from me. 'Huh? What was that? Her expression looked weird just now. I thought she would be jumping with joy.' I looked towards the big cage. 'Oui? Maybe I'll find a clue there.' I walked towards the cage and looked inside. I looked everywhere inside the cage, but there was nothing. "Where did Munchy go? He was here, slamming the iron bar a few minutes ago. Can a huge dog just disappear like that?" I sneaked through the iron bar and went further into the cage.

I walked around the cage and still couldn't find anything. "Hmm... Maybe I'm missing something." Suddenly, something shiny on the floor caught my eye. I picked up the shiny object and looked at it. "What is this? I had never seen anything like this before. Is it some sort of remote control? If only Iz or Isaac was here, they might know." 'Oh~ A button. I wonder what does it do.' I pressed the red button on the shiny object, but nothing happened. "Meh! Nothing happened." I walked out of the cage with the shiny object in my hand. "Oui? I didn't see this blue button just now. It was right below the red... Wait. Where's the red button? Oh well, who cares." I pressed the blue button, and all of a sudden, the children stopped fighting and screamed at something behind me. "Monster!" I turned behind and looked up. "Uh-Oh. Me and my itchy hand."