The neon lights of Monarch Heights flickered to life as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the bustling city. People moved with purpose through the streets, a mix of regular citizens and those with extraordinary abilities, blending together in the vibrant urban sprawl. Josh Cruise stood on the corner of 4th and Maple, peering through the rain-speckled glass of the convenience store. He was nineteen, with an air of youthful uncertainty that clung to him like the dampness in the air. His brown hair, still tousled from the morning, fell into his eyes as he stared at the small slip of paper in his hand—a Power Lottery ticket.

  Josh wasn't the type to gamble. In fact, he usually avoided anything that involved risk. But today, something had compelled him to buy a ticket, as if an invisible force had guided his hand. The Power Lottery was no ordinary game of chance. It promised five hundred million dollars to the winner, but there was a catch: the prize could only be claimed if the ticket holder survived for two weeks after the winning number was revealed. In a world where superhuman abilities were as common as cell phones, the Power Lottery was less about luck and more about survival.

  Josh shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips as he tucked the ticket into his pocket. "Like I'd ever win," he muttered to himself, pulling the hood of his jacket over his head as he stepped out into the drizzle. The city seemed to buzz around him, the energy of a thousand lives intertwining in the cool evening air.

  When he arrived at the apartment he shared with his twin sister, Lauri, the familiar scent of home greeted him. It was a cozy, cluttered space, filled with memories and the comforting mess of everyday life. Lauri was in the kitchen, humming to herself as she prepared dinner, her auburn hair tied back in a loose ponytail.

  "Hey, Lauri," Josh called out as he kicked off his shoes, the sound of the rain now a soft background noise. "Guess what I did today?"

  Lauri glanced over her shoulder, a smile on her face. "What did you do, genius? Buy a lottery ticket?"

  Josh blinked, surprised. "How'd you know?"

  Lauri laughed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "You're easy to read, Josh. Plus, the Power Lottery's all anyone's talking about. I figured you might give it a shot."

  Josh shrugged, joining her at the counter. "Yeah, I did. But let's be real, I'm not going to win. And even if I did..."

  "Even if you did, you'd have to survive two weeks with everyone and their super-powered dog coming after you," Lauri finished for him, her tone light but her expression serious. "But hey, if you do win, maybe we could finally afford that trip to the islands."

  Josh chuckled. "Sure, right after I dodge a few fireballs and energy blasts."

  The two of them shared a laugh, the tension of the day melting away. But as they settled into their evening routine, something felt different. There was an undercurrent of unease that Josh couldn't quite shake, as if the air itself was charged with anticipation.

  Later that night, as the rain tapped softly against the windows, Josh found himself staring at a small, dusty box that had arrived in the mail earlier. It had been addressed to "Joshy" in a familiar handwriting—his father's. But that couldn't be right. His dad had passed away years ago, leaving behind only memories and a few old photographs.

  Curiosity gnawed at him until he could no longer resist. He pulled the box closer, his heart beating faster as he carefully opened it. Inside, wrapped in a piece of worn cloth, was a sword—sleek, with a blade that shimmered faintly in the dim light. It was unlike anything Josh had ever seen, ancient yet strangely new, as if it had been waiting for this moment.

  Josh ran his fingers along the blade, a shiver running down his spine as the metal seemed to hum beneath his touch. There was a note tucked beside it, written in his father's hand.

  "Joshy, if you're reading this, it means I'm gone. But you're not alone. This sword is your inheritance. It's more than just a weapon—it's a key. You'll understand when the time comes. Trust your instincts, and take care of Lauri. Dad."

  Josh swallowed hard, the weight of the words sinking in. He felt a mix of emotions—confusion, sadness, and a strange sense of destiny. But before he could process it all, his phone buzzed with a notification. The Power Lottery had just announced the winning number.

  With a trembling hand, Josh pulled the lottery ticket from his pocket and compared the numbers. His heart stopped.

  He had won.

  But the thrill of victory was short-lived. In the silence that followed, a loud bang echoed through the apartment, coming from the window. Josh's breath caught in his throat as he turned toward the sound. Outside, shadows loomed, shifting in the darkness. They were coming for him.

  The shadows outside the window thickened, as if the night itself was conspiring against them. Josh stood frozen in place, the lottery ticket still clutched in his trembling hand. The banging on the window grew louder, more insistent, sending waves of dread through his body. His mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation. He had won the Power Lottery. Five hundred million dollars. But now, someone—or something—was coming for him.

  Lauri, sensing the danger, was already on her feet, her eyes wide with fear but her stance steady. "Josh, we need to move. Now!" she whispered urgently, her voice barely masking her panic.

  Josh nodded, swallowing hard as he glanced at the sword lying on the table. His father's words echoed in his mind: "It's more than just a weapon—it's a key." But what did that mean? He had no idea how to use a sword, let alone one that looked like it belonged in a museum.

  Before he could think further, the window shattered with an ear-splitting crash. Glass rained down into the room as a figure leaped through the opening, landing with a heavy thud on the floor. The man was tall, with wild eyes and a maniacal grin that sent chills down Josh's spine. His arms were covered in strange, pulsating veins, and from his wrists, long, metallic needles extended like claws.

  "Bigfy," Lauri breathed, recognizing the intruder immediately. She had heard stories about him—a deranged man who believed the Power Lottery was his birthright. He was infamous for his unpredictable nature and lethal abilities.

  "That ticket... it's mine!" Bigfy snarled, his voice a low growl as he advanced toward Josh, the needles on his wrists twitching menacingly.

  Josh's heart pounded in his chest. He grabbed the sword with both hands, holding it out in front of him, but it felt awkward and heavy. His palms were slick with sweat, and the blade wavered unsteadily in his grip.

  Bigfy laughed, a chilling sound that echoed through the small apartment. "You think you can stop me with that? I was born to win this. And anyone who stands in my way... dies."

  In a flash, Bigfy lunged at Josh, his needles gleaming in the dim light. Instinctively, Josh swung the sword, but his inexperience was painfully obvious. The blade missed its mark, slicing through the air with a sharp hiss. Bigfy dodged effortlessly, a sneer of contempt twisting his features.

  Lauri shouted something, but Josh couldn't hear her over the roar of blood in his ears. He tried to swing again, but Bigfy was too fast. Before Josh could react, Bigfy's needle-clad arm struck out, and the tip of one of the needles grazed Josh's cheek, drawing blood.

  Josh stumbled backward, his vision blurring with panic. He could feel the warmth of his own blood trickling down his face, the sharp sting of pain cutting through his fear. Bigfy loomed over him, the crazed look in his eyes growing more intense.

  "This is the end for you," Bigfy whispered, raising his arm for the final blow.

  Josh squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the inevitable, when suddenly, a loud clang rang out through the room. The sound was followed by a dull thud, and when Josh opened his eyes, he saw Bigfy crumpled on the floor, unconscious.

  Standing behind him, holding a dented frying pan, was a tall, rugged man with a confident smirk on his face. His hair was streaked with silver, and his eyes held the kind of weariness that only comes from having seen too much. Josh recognized him instantly—William Dangerfield, the legendary contestant of the Power Royale from a decade ago.

  "Really, kid? A sword?" William said, raising an eyebrow as he dropped the frying pan onto the floor. "You're lucky I was in the neighborhood."

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Lauri gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief. "William Dangerfield?" she stammered, her voice filled with awe and something else—a mixture of excitement and fear.

  William gave her a nod, then turned his attention back to Josh. "Listen, we don't have much time. Bigfy here won't stay down for long, and you've got a target on your back the size of this city. You want to survive the next two weeks? You're gonna need more than just that sword."

  Josh, still in shock, could only nod dumbly. The man who had saved him, the man who had once been a symbol of everything he admired—and feared—was now standing in his apartment, offering him help. It was almost too much to process.

  "Get your things. We're leaving," William ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

  Josh finally found his voice. "Where are we going?"

  William looked him dead in the eye, his expression serious. "To survive."

  The room was eerily quiet after the initial shock wore off. Lauri still stood in the corner, her eyes darting between the unconscious Bigfy and William Dangerfield, trying to make sense of everything that had just happened. Josh, meanwhile, was still reeling from the fact that his childhood idol was standing in his living room, having just saved him from certain death.

  But there was no time for admiration. William was already on the move, his sharp eyes scanning the room for anything that could be useful.

  "Pack light," William ordered, his tone curt and business-like. "We need to get out of here before he wakes up."

  Josh, still gripping the sword his father had left him, nodded and scrambled to gather whatever he could. But something was nagging at him, a question that had been buzzing in the back of his mind since William had burst through the door.

  "Why... why are you here?" Josh finally asked, his voice cracking slightly. "I mean, how did you know to come to this town? To my apartment?"

  William paused, glancing over at Josh with an unreadable expression. "I got a letter," he said simply, his voice low. "No return address, no name. Just an old-school envelope with a message that said, 'Come to this town. You'll know why when you get there.'"

  Josh furrowed his brow. "A letter? From who?"

  William shrugged. "No idea. I thought it was some kind of joke, but something about it didn't sit right. So I came. Then I heard about the Power Lottery and figured it couldn't be a coincidence. This thing draws out the worst in people." He glanced down at Bigfy, unconscious but still breathing, his face twisted in a grotesque snarl even in sleep. "People like him."

  Josh's mind raced. Who would have sent William such a letter? And why? The idea that some unseen force was guiding events was unsettling, but there was no time to dwell on it. The soft groan from Bigfy made his blood run cold.

  "William..." Lauri's voice was barely above a whisper as she pointed toward Bigfy. The man was stirring, his fingers twitching as if waking from a bad dream.

  "Damn it," William muttered under his breath, his entire demeanor shifting from casual to deadly serious in an instant. "Kid, get over here."

  Josh hesitated for a moment but quickly moved to William's side, the sword still in his hand, its weight now feeling more ominous than ever.

  "He's not going to stay down this time," William said, his voice calm but urgent. "You want to survive? You're going to have to do what needs to be done."

  Josh's heart pounded in his chest, the sword feeling like a leaden weight in his hands. "What... what do you mean?" he stammered.

  William's gaze was steely as he met Josh's eyes. "You're going to kill him."

  Josh felt the world tilt beneath his feet. "What? No... I... I can't do that! I've never—"

  "You don't have a choice, kid!" William snapped, cutting him off. "This guy? He won't stop until you're dead. Until we're all dead. The only way out of this is to finish it now."

  Josh's breath caught in his throat, his mind racing as panic set in. He looked down at Bigfy, who was starting to groan and move more, his eyes fluttering open, still hazy but rapidly gaining focus. The sight of him filled Josh with terror. But could he really kill someone?

  William didn't wait for an answer. In one swift motion, he took Josh's hands, still gripping the sword, and guided them toward Bigfy's prone form. The blade hovered just above Bigfy's stomach, the cold metal trembling in Josh's hands.

  "Just do it," William urged, his voice softer now, almost reassuring. "It's you or him. And believe me, he wouldn't hesitate to do the same to you."

  Bigfy's eyes snapped open, wild and full of rage. "No!" he roared, his body jerking as he tried to push himself up.

  Before Josh could even think, William pushed the sword downward, plunging it into Bigfy's stomach. The blade sank in with a sickening sound, and Josh's world went white with shock. His hands were still on the hilt, feeling the vibration of the impact, the heat of the blood.

  Bigfy's scream was cut short, his body convulsing violently before going still. The only sound was Josh's ragged breathing, his mind unable to fully grasp what had just happened. The sword, his father's sword, was buried deep in Bigfy's gut, and his hands were the ones that had put it there.

  William released Josh's hands, stepping back and allowing the gravity of the situation to settle on the young man's shoulders. "You did what you had to do," William said quietly. "You're still alive. That's what matters."

  Josh stumbled backward, his legs giving out as he collapsed to the floor, his eyes wide and unseeing, his mind spinning. He had just killed a man. No matter the justification, no matter the threat... he had killed someone.

  Lauri rushed to his side, her arms wrapping around him in a desperate attempt to provide comfort, but Josh barely registered her presence. His world was reduced to the horrifying image of Bigfy's lifeless eyes staring up at him, the sword still lodged in his body.

  William knelt down beside Josh, his voice low and firm. "Listen to me, kid. This isn't over. There's going to be more coming for you, for that ticket. And you need to be ready. This is just the beginning."

  Josh slowly lifted his gaze, meeting William's eyes. There was no comfort there, no soft reassurances. Only the cold, hard truth of what his life had become.

  The Power Lottery had turned from a dream into a nightmare. And there was no waking up from it.

  The early morning light filtered through the trees as William's beat-up car rumbled down the empty road. The tension in the car was palpable. Josh sat in the passenger seat, still gripping his father's sword, its presence both comforting and terrifying. Lauri was in the back, her eyes flicking between her brother and William, trying to make sense of the chaos they'd been thrust into. William's hands gripped the steering wheel with a white-knuckled intensity, his jaw clenched as his eyes darted to the rearview mirror, checking for any signs of pursuit.

  They had been driving for hours, trying to put as much distance between themselves and the town as possible. But the farther they drove, the more uneasy William became. Something was wrong. He could feel it in the air, a nagging sense of something unnatural.

  It wasn't long before they discovered what it was.

  The road ahead seemed to shimmer in the morning light, a faint purple hue casting an eerie glow across the asphalt. William slowed the car, narrowing his eyes at the strange sight. "What the hell...?"

  As they got closer, the shimmering became more defined, revealing itself to be a solid, translucent dome that stretched up into the sky, curving over them like a massive bubble. William brought the car to a stop just a few feet from the barrier, his breath catching in his throat.

  "What is that?" Lauri whispered, her voice trembling.

  Josh leaned forward, staring at the dome in disbelief. "Is it... a force field?"

  William didn't answer immediately. He got out of the car, motioning for the others to stay put. He approached the barrier cautiously, extending a hand toward it. As his fingers made contact with the surface, a ripple spread out from the point of impact, the purple light intensifying for a moment before settling back into its original state.

  He pressed harder, but the barrier didn't budge. It was like trying to push through solid glass. William cursed under his breath, pulling his hand back and shaking it as if it had been burned.

  "What is it?" Josh asked, stepping out of the car.

  William shook his head. "It's a containment field. Someone with a damn strong ability has locked down the entire town."

  Josh's heart sank. "You mean... we're trapped?"

  "Looks like it," William replied grimly. "This thing's designed to keep us in. And if I'm right, there's no way we're breaking through it from the inside."

  Lauri had gotten out of the car as well, her eyes wide with fear. "But... that means whoever put this up is still here. They're still after us."

  "Not just us," William said, his eyes scanning the sky. "This isn't just about you or that ticket. Whoever did this... they're keeping everyone in this town locked in. No one leaves, not until they get what they want."

  Josh's mind raced as he tried to process the implications. They were trapped, hunted, and completely at the mercy of whoever had created this dome. And the only people who knew they were here were already dead or dangerous.

  Suddenly, a bird flew overhead, catching Josh's eye. It darted toward the dome, but instead of bouncing off, it passed through the barrier with ease, continuing its flight as if nothing was amiss.

  "Did you see that?" Lauri asked, her voice full of disbelief. "It went right through."

  William frowned, watching the bird disappear into the distance. "Only things on the outside can come in. Nothing inside can get out."

  Josh's stomach twisted with dread. "So... we're sitting ducks."

  William turned to face him, his expression unreadable. "That's one way of putting it. But we're not going to just sit here and wait to get picked off. We need to figure out who's behind this and take them down."

  Josh nodded, though the confidence in William's voice did little to quell his growing fear. He couldn't help but think of how hopelessly outmatched they were. Whoever had set this trap had done so with terrifying precision. They were just pieces on a board, moving to a game plan they couldn't even see.

  Lauri broke the silence, her voice hesitant. "William... you said before that you have some... issues. Because of the Power Royale?"

  William's expression darkened slightly, but he didn't shy away from the question. "Yeah. You could say that."

  Josh turned to William, curiosity piqued despite the situation. "What happened there? I mean, everyone knows what went down, but... you were there. You lived it."

  William looked down at the ground, his hands flexing at his sides as if he were trying to shake off the memories. "The Power Royale... it wasn't just a game, no matter what the media or those corporate bastards made it out to be. It was a nightmare. You're thrown into a death match with other people who are just as desperate as you. And there's no walking away unscathed, no matter how good you think you are."

  Josh noticed the faraway look in William's eyes, as if he were seeing something from long ago, something he'd tried hard to forget. "You remind me of someone," William continued, his voice quieter now. "A guy I knew back then. Angelo. He was... a lot like you. Had that same look in his eyes—determined, but not sure what he'd gotten himself into."

  Josh wasn't sure how to respond. The weight of William's words hung in the air, adding another layer to the growing tension. Angelo. The name lingered in his mind, stirring up more questions than answers. What had happened to him? Did he survive? And why did William see him in Josh?

  "Did... did he make it?" Josh asked softly.

  William didn't answer right away. His jaw tightened, and for a moment, Josh thought he wouldn't say anything at all. But then William sighed, a sound heavy with regret. "Angelo didn't deserve what happened to him. He fought hard, but the Power Royale... it takes more than just strength to survive. It takes a kind of ruthlessness, a willingness to do whatever it takes."

  The implication was clear, and Josh felt a chill run down his spine. He wasn't sure he had that kind of ruthlessness in him. He wasn't sure he wanted to.

  "We need to move," William said abruptly, snapping out of his thoughts. "Standing around here won't do us any good. We need to find the source of this barrier and take it out. Otherwise, we're all as good as dead."

  Josh nodded, swallowing his fear as he followed William back to the car. Lauri squeezed his shoulder gently, offering a reassuring smile, but her eyes betrayed her own anxiety. They were all in this together, for better or worse.

  As they drove deeper into the heart of the town, the purple dome casting an ominous glow over everything, Josh couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. The barrier was just the beginning. There was something—or someone—out there waiting for them. And whatever it was, it wasn't going to let them go without a fight.

  To be continued.