-chapter fifteen-

FINN

Nakatitig lamang ako sa ulong unti-unti nang nawawala. Then the severed neck started to grow again, forming two heads that hissed right at me.

My gaze unconsciously travelled towards the others. Theo almost looked guilty, while Sapphire was chuckling beside him. I can see that Oli is part of those people who attacked dahil nakataas pa rin ang baril niya.

Silence washed over the whole city before Eura scoffed loudly and glared, "Ayan! Ano ba kasi ang trip niyong mga hampaslupa kayo at inatake niyo 'yon? Tuloy, eleven heads na ang kailangan natin patayin. Eleven!"

Iniwas ni Kairo ang mukha nang mukhang papaulanan na siya ni Eura ng laway.

Wes cleared his throat. "We have to do this now."

Marcella only stared at me and at the guy before turning to face the hydra. They all started to position themselves on the head closest to them. Mukhang nasense naman ng halimaw ang plano kaya medyo umatras ito at naging alerto.

When everyone was distracted, I hid in the shadows again. Ngunit, laking gulat ko nang makita si Eura na nakahilig na sa tabing haligi.

I blinked at her. She tilted her head to the side and smiled, almost mocking.

"Sana all, Finn."

Kinunot ko ang noo. Ano ang sana all?

"Ngumuso ka nga." utos niya.

Mas lalo akong naguluhan. What is up with people today? Before I could ask why, Eura was already in front of me and squishing my cheeks.

"See!" she exclaimed. "Why do you have to be so adorable? No wonder, they immediately reacted like that."

"Huh?"

Hindi niya ako sinagot, sa halip ay tumingin siya sa itaas at nilagay ang kamay sa may baba. Umakto siyang nag-iisip. Behind us, sounds of sword clashing and hydra's hissing was heard.

"Ah!" she made a punching gesture towards her palm. "Alam ko na kung bakit!"

I felt inclined to answer. "Bakit?"

Eura grinned, all-teasing. "Kasi para kang bata. Ikaw ang aming bunso!"

Napakurap-kurap ako. My lips parted when I realized everyone's overprotectiveness. I see. Kahit naman sa totoong buhay gano'n din 'yong tatlong kaibigan ko. Iniisip nilang duty nila ang protektahan ako't gabayan dahil sa ako ang pinakabata sa'ming apat.

Renèe is the oldest among us, sunod si Sebastian at si Gavin. I'm five months younger than Gavin. Kaya naman, lagi nila akong sinasamahan noon kahit saan ako magpunta o di kaya'y lagi nilang inaaway ang mga bullies ko noong elementary.

Maybe their overprotectiveness was also influenced by the early passing of my parents. Kahit na nandiyan si Tita, they see to it that I'm always within their sights. When my parents died in a car accident noong limang taon pa lang ako, they sheltered me in their homes. Dahil nga doon, even their parents treated me as their kid.

Still, even with all those precious love and affection, I couldn't help but notice the void in my heart. It always makes me feel guilty. Ang malungkot sa Parents Day dahil wala akong kasama, pero pinipilit naman ako nilang isabay sa pamilya nila. I should be grateful, and truly I am, but sometimes I can't help but feel a little out.

Because the fact remains that I am not their blood. Hindi nila iyon pinaparamdam at minsan ko lang iyon maisip, but when it does, it destroys my mindset.

Siguro dahil doon mas naging malimit ang social interactions ko. Something shifted when my parents died and I only let my world revolve around my three friends.

Playing games became my escape. Talking to people who has no idea about my identity and creating bonds with them. It's so easy because unlike in the physical world, the bond is so much more fragile, so easy to break. It doesn't hurt much because, in the end, they were strangers.

Separating personally hurts ten times more.

"Pero- wait lang." kumunot ang noo ni Eura. "Baka naman mas matanda ka pa sa'kin, eighteen na ako."

"Turned seventeen the other day." mahinang sagot ko.

Kuminang ang mga mata niya. "Bunso nga! Alam mo kasi si Kairo, nagnineteen na 'yon. Si Wes din. Si Marcella mga nineteen o twenty na siguro, at ang alam ko magkasing-edad lang sila ni Oli! Caspian is also just a year younger from Oli. Si Gavin naman, parang same age lang siguro kayo-"

I wanted to ask how she knows all of this information but a particular name struck in me.

"... Gavin?" I whispered.

Is-Is he really here? Siya nga ba talaga ang nakita ko doon sa Armory? Pero, kung hindi siya 'yon, then how did he know my name?

Ang pinakamalaking tanong ay bakit siya nandito? I've never heard that Gavin play games. Sometimes, he even watches me play with dislike in his face. Ang alam ko, hindi siya lalabas kanina, kaya nga pinabantay ko sa kaniya ang bahay-

Don't tell me- Did he follow me in this game para lang mabantayan ako?! I remembered the receptionist lady mentioning something about rookies. Is Gavin actually part of those group? I know he's overprotective, pero hindi ko aakalaing ganito kalakas ang 'kuya' senses niya.

Eura slightly frowned at me but nodded. May itinuro siya sa likuran ko kaya sinundan ko iyon ng tingin.

"Ayun."

My eyes widened as my childhood friend appeared before my eyes. His brown hair danced as he striked his dagger towards the hydra that kept on attacking him.

Maganda ang footing niya and he can easily evade the attacks, the only problem was that he can never hit the monster. Sa galaw niya malalamang sanay siya sa physical activities, but Gavin's aim is shit.

"Mas natatamaan niya pa ang hangin at likod ni Kairo kaysa sa hydra." Eura said, amused.

Totoo nga naman. Kairo was helping them damage the hydra and the man keeps on glaring or frowning at Gavin dahil siya ang natatamaan nito. It wasn't exactly funny to me because Gavin's face is full of guilt after.

He should have told me he plays too. We could have done this together.

Akmang maglalakad ako papunta kay Gavin nang bigla akong hatakin ni Eura.

"Hep, hep. Saan ka?" nakataas-kilay niyang tanong.

"Helping."

Umirap siya. "Huwag na. It's better if you hide. Besides, it's not exactly a safe place since Marcella and her minions are present."

"'m not afraid."

Eura looked at me, full-bodied. She sighed. "Baka nga, pero hindi mo kasi siya kilala, Finn. She won't stop at nothing just to get what she wants. I know you're not a rookie, but you're not exactly at her level either. Mas mabuti pang magplay safe ka muna at iwasan siya."

Napasulyap ako kay Marcella. She was fighting two hydra heads, alone. Ang kaniyang mga kagrupo siguro ay may tinatarget din na hydra sa likod. Other rogues were busy in dealing damage towards other heads. Iisa lang ang kailangan nilang magawa ngayon. To create damage that will enable them to land a critical hit to every head later on.

Binawi ko ang kamay mula kay Eura. She seemed a little surprised when I easily got out of her hold.

"Wha-Finn?"

"I'm capable." simpleng sagot ko at umalis.

I didn't walk outside, but instead started to circle in the shadows. Napanguso ako. I don't understand why they must be that nervous for my sake. Sure, Marcella is a good gamer but I can play games too.

Paano din malalaman kung sino ang mas malakas kung iiwasan lang namin ang isa't-isa? Not that I want to clash against hers. I just want people to stop putting her in a pedestal and undermining others.

Just because she's deemed as the strongest player here, doesn't mean she is invincible.

Napabuntong-hininga ako't umupo sa sahig. Mabuti na lang at wala talaga ako masiyadong pakialam diyan. Sure, it hurts my ego when people has no trust in my abilities, but then hindi din naman nila alam ang kaya ko in the first place.

So, let Marcella chase me around and those other rogues to fuss over me. I have only one goal. To finish this game and keep an eye on Gavin.

Pinanood ko ang pakikipaglaban nila. Mukhang nasanay na si Theo sa weapon niya at madali na lang sa kaniya ang gamitin ito. Isinuot niya ang handle sa kaniyang right wrist at umaatake sa bawat direksiyon. Wes was wielding two daggers with extreme precision, different from Gavin's skilled dodging but no aim.

Kairo was using his double-bladed dagger, twisting it in his hand with insane speed as he continued to attack the hydra's lower neck. Si Marcella naman ay panay sa pag-iwas at pag-atake sa dalawang ulo ng hydra. They hissed and screeched at every attack, easing back only to quickly pounce on the players.

Sa kabilang parte ay sina Oliver at Caspian. I have no idea what the latter was doing dahil nakatayo lang siya but Oli was firing bullets, one after the other.

However, not everyone took it easily like them. This monster was comparable to a world boss, napakataas at napakalaki ng HP niya and it creates even more dangerous skills sa bawat pagbaba ng HP. The hydra took a step back, enveloping itself in the water that is contained by the lake in the center of the city. Then, it flew up, creating violent waves that washed the players away.

In the midst of the flood, the hydra's heads appeared one by one, biting unto the player's like they were flowers being plucked. Shouts and screams rang in the air as players ran for their lives.

A particular female was pushed aside. Natumba siya sa sahig at nakuha nito ang atensiyon ng isang hydra. Her hooded head made me fail in recognizing or identifying her. Pero, lumabas pa rin ako para atakehin ang hydra na susunggab na sana.

I jumped towards the snake's head and impaled a kunai into one of it's eyes. The monster cried and shook me off, but I only turned around its slippery head and struck the other eye. When I landed, the head was already retreating towards the heavy steam.

Mabilis akong bumaling sa babae. I wanted to reach over and see her face but she immediately ran away. Naiwan akong nakatunganga sa tinakbuhan niya.

May nagawa ba akong masama? Was she planning to actually dying? Bakit naman siya biglang lumayo na parang may deadly virus ako?

Bigla akong naalerto nang may maramdaman na kung ano sa likuran. Before another hydra could attack me, I flung my kunai towards it. Nagtaka ako nang marinig ang tunog ng pagtama nito sa isang kutsilyo.

Umikot ako upang makita lamang sina Theo at Sapphire. Nakangisi sa'kin ang babae at winagayway ang kamay.

"Namiss kita, bebe Finn." nakanguso niyang wika. "It's so boring kung si Theo lang kasama ko. Wala siyang worth kausap. Alam mo bang natripan niyang matulog papunta dito? Doon na lang daw muna siya sa Metropolis dahil blablabla-"

I tuned Sapphire out. Sometimes, I can't help but notice how she has similar attributes with Eura. O talaga bang may nakalagay lang sa mukha ko na "Free listener".

Hinarap ko si Theo, "The hydra will be much more violent later on."

"Oo nga." tumango siya. "I'm worried about our final attacks. What if a head remains? There's also the question with the timing."

"Marcella can call for it."

Napatingin ako sa bagong nagsalita. Wes emerged from the heavy steam, eyeing us with disinterest.

"What if..."

Both men snapped their heads into my direction and Sapphire stopped her storytelling. Nagulat siya nang makita na rin si Eura sa tabi niya't nakahalukipkip habang tinataasan siya ng kilay.

"What if Sapphi do that?"

Nasamid ang babae sa sinabi ko. Eura helped her by loudly slapping her back. Mukhang mas lumala pa ang lagay niya.

Wes raised a brow. "The chakram girl?"

Tumango ako. "Mm. Chakram can cut all heads quickly, without worrying about time intervals."

"Won't the head grew up before her weapon reaches the last one?"

"Ha!" Sapphire jutted her chin out. "Excuse me, pero mabilis ang paglipad ng chakram ko. Hindi ka pa nakakahinga, bumalik na siya."

"Ah, talaga? Eh, paano 'pag nakahinga ako?" hamon ni Eura.

Sapphire stared her down. "E'di mabuti at alive ka. Paki-alam ko naman kung marunong kang mag-inhale exhale, girl."

"Tanga ka kasi. Panay usap ka lang sa hangin diyan magmula kanina-"

"Para namang ang kinakausap mo 'pag nagkukuwento ka e nakikinig sa'yo!"

They started to insult each other, throwing glares and flipping their haira from time to time.

Theo watched them with exhaustion. "Really, sa kaniya?"

I nodded. "Mm."

"If we fail this, that's eleven more." Wes reminded.

Biglang natigil ang dalawa at humakbang paabante si Sapphire. Now, she looks even more confident and determined.

"Huwag kayong mag-alala, mga kababayan ko. Kayang-kaya ko ito."

If anyone was ever concerned or against at the plan, no one showed it afterwards. Because, Sapphire cut all heads clean before any player could ever blink.

The next city awaits.

Current Alive Beta-Testers: 152/200

-chapter end-