-chapter thirteen-

THIRD PERSON

Napakabilis ng pangyayari.

All they were aware of was Marcella rushing down to attack them. Oliver readied his guns, grip tightening. He can't simply explain his annoyance for the girl's arrogance. Just because she's regarded as a top streamer doesn't give her the rights to dominate everything else.

Maia Marcella, the queen of games, would never think twice in painting her hands red to reach the top.

The very thought of standing in front of her repulses Oliver. At ngayon nga'y magkaharap na sila.

Marcella raised her weapon up high, ready for a slash. Napasulyap agad si Oliver sa likuran dahil mukhang doon ang tungo ng atake nito. He's still confused as to why Marcella wanted Finn, ngunit sigurado siyang may kinalaman ang rank nito ngayon.

Oliver assumes Marcella had to give the Armory flag to Finn. Ang tanong ay bakit at paano siya napapayag dito. Kung pwede nga lang siguro ay sasarilihin na lang ni Marcella ang lahat ng flags. Her greed is insatiable.

To everyone's surprise, Marcella's attack never happened. Hindi dahil napigilan siya o may tumulong. But purely because her target just disappeared.

It was only for a brief moment but most of them perfectly captured what happened.

Finn had her head down, as always. Natatago ng kaniyang bangs ang emosyon sa mukha. Strands of hair fell from her two hair buns. Kalmado ang bawat paghinga nito na animo'y nakikinig.

When Finn raised his head, naestatwa ang mga taong napatitig sa mata niya. It wasn't angry or irritated, it was just cold. Frost seemed to creep up in their body, covering their skin in ice-cold flakes.

It all melted when her cold smirk appeared. It was almost mocking, na parang nagtatanong 'is that your best shot?'. Sa isang iglap ay nawala na si Finn sa paligid nila.

Caspian quickly looked up, just in time to see a shadow land on the rooftop and leave. Nanatili siyang tahimik sa gilid at pinanonood ang ibang manlalaro na lumingon-lingon para hanapin kung saan nagpunta ang babae.

"Where did she go?!" malakas na singhal ni Marcella.

Napaayos ng tayo si Oliver. Marcella is looking desperately around the street that his hunger to fight disappeared. His eyes flickered to the man accompanying Marcella. Sandaling kumunot ang noo niya. Hindi niya pa nakikita ang lalaking ito.

Nakatayo lang ito sa may gilid at bahagyang nakahilig sa malapit na pader. His arms are crossed as he stared at them with disinterest. Mukhang wala din itong pakialam sa paghahanap ng kasama.

Hiding in an alley, Kairo snickered. Nakakatawa lang ang makita na mawala ang batong mukha at kalmadong postura ni Marcella, gano'n din ang pilit nitong pagdakip kay Finn na laging nakakaiwas sa kaniya.

"Hindi ko alam kung maaawa na ako sa kaniya." bumuntong-hininga si Eura. "Her plan always fails."

"Never underestimate the woman's dislike for social interactions." nakangising tugon ni Kairo.

Eura frowned. "Sino tinutukoy mo? Si Finn?"

Isang masamang tingin ang nakuha niya mula kay Kairo. "Of course, who else? It's very obvious. She doesn't talk often and she avoids group of players. Kung hindi nga lang siguro required ang alliance, she'd fight on her own."

"Hm." sumimangot si Eura. "Nakakapagtaka ano."

"What?"

Nanatili ang simangot sa mukha niya kaya kumunot ang noo ni Kairo. Minsan talaga nasosobrahan na sa pagiging weird si Eura. Sa sobrang pagkadaldalita nito, hindi siya sanay kapag nakikitang seryoso ang dalaga.

"Finn acts like she can take care of herself."

Umangat ang isang kilay ni Kairo. Tumayo siya't nag-inat. "Siguro dahil kaya naman talaga niya."

Eura pouted. She can't imagine her ever-adorable Finn get all beasty on them. Sa tingin niya ay dapat itong protektahan at samahan lagi. Ngunit, paano naman 'yon mangyayari kung ito mismo ang lumalayo.

Bumaling siya sa papalayong likod ni Kairo. Nakangiting napa-iling si Eura sa sarili. She's a bit worried about Finn, but there's a thrumming in her heart that says they'll meet again. For now, their alliance has to proceed to the next city.

"Where's the girl?" muling tanong ni Marcella.

Bumuntong-hininga si Theo. "Hindi namin alam."

"You're on the same alliance, right?"

"Yes." sagot ni Theo. "But our primary rule is to work individually. Hindi namin alam kung anong ginagawa ng ibang kasama namin. I turned off the location status of my alliance members."

Marcella frowned. "Why make an alliance, then?"

Oliver scoffed. "Dahil sa kailangan siya. Now that your business is done here. Can you leave?"

A tensed silence. Isang malamig na titigan ang nangyari sa pagitan ni Marcella at Oliver. The girl was about to bite back her response when a certain call broke the tension. Napabaling si Oliver sa bagong dating. Isang lalaking may suot-suot na salamin ang tumatakbo papunta sa kanila.

"Marcella! Wes!" humihingal na tawag nito.

Marcella turned to the man. "Sebastian. What is it?"

"Isang nagngangalang Aisaka ang may kailangan ng tulong mo. Nasa next city sila at napakaimposible daw ng quest doon." sagot ng Sebastian. "They need help."

Napaisip si Marcella dahil do'n. Sumulyap ito kay Wes na parang nanghihingi ng desisyon. The man nodded after a few beats, and so did Marcella.

"Alright." bumaling si Marcella sa apat. "Don't think you'll be able to cover for her anymore. Maling tao ang binabangga niyo."

"We don't really care." tugon ni Oliver. "Hindi ka pa namin binabangga, dahil kapag ginawa nga namin 'yon, then you'd be dead by now."

Isang tensyonadong titigan muli ang nangyari bago naisipan ng tatlo na umalis na. Marcella kept her eyes on the surroundings as they walked away, hoping to catch Finn. Beside her, Wes is doing the same thing, although subtle.

Balik doon sa apat na naiwan, nanatili pa rin silang nakatayo. Sapphire has a cheeky grin as she sat on a barrel. Si Caspian ay tahimik na nakahilig sa isang pader. Nakatitig pa rin si Oliver sa harap. Theo, who was just blankly standing, turned in his heel.

"I don't know what you guys want to do, pero mas mabuting tumungo na tayo sa next city. There's no point in extending our stay." anito at naglakad paalis.

Sapphire jumped down and bid her goodbye to the two males. "Bye-bye! Huwag niyo nang problemahin si Finn. If luck is with us, we'll see her on the next cities."

Tumango lamang si Oliver sa sinabi ng dalawa. The two disappeared as they rounded a corner. Napasulyap siya kay Caspian.

"Nakita mo kung saan siya pumunta?" tanong ni Oli.

Caspian nodded. "Bakit?"

Umiling ang nakangiting si Oliver. "I'm just curious. Paano niya kaya nakuha ang flag?"

Caspian tilted his head, curious, before looking at the sky. "Are you bothered?"

"I wasn't expecting it." Oliver answered honestly. "I'm not too comfortable with dark horses. She's a threat."

"Too bad you're in the same alliance then." walang paki na wika ni Caspian at naunang maglakad.

Isang iritadong singhal ang pinakawalan ni Oliver habang nakatitig sa pinsan. Umiling siya't tinungo ang ibang daanan. They have a lot of arguments but there's only one thing both of them agrees on. They should mind each other's business.

Now let's pan the camera over the lady who just disappeared. Nakaupo si Finn sa balkonahe ng isang gusali. Nakatayo ito sa harap ng isang napakalaking pintuan. She guessed that it was the gate towards the next city, pero wala pa siyang may nakitang gumamit nito.

Her mind travelled back to the earlier scene. She didn't have any choice back then. Kahit na sinabi niyang gusto niyang makipaglaban kay Marcella, there were too many people. Masaya siyang walang pumigil kagaya noon pero hindi niya naman kayang lumaban ngayon.

Finn was also distracted with the two familiar presence that tried to hide in the corner. She felt them following when they entered the busy part of Metropolis. Ngunit hindi niya pa rin mapunto kung sino ang mga 'yon.

And so, she did the most reasonable thing. Finn ran away.

After landing in the floor of a building, she sprinted off. Mabuti na lang at mukhang walang humabol sa kaniya. Kaya naman ginamit niya na lang ang sunod na oras para hanapin ang daan palabas.

The search wasn't difficult. Napakalaki ng gate at ito'y laging pinag-uusapan ng mga player. Ngunit, talaga bang wala nang may pumunta sa susunod na city o halos lahat ay nakaalis na? Metropolis did not offer player count so she  doesn't know how many was left behind and how many progressed.

Naagaw ang atensiyon niya ng mga sigawan. From her left, a crowd seemed to have formed. Sa gitna nito ay naglalakad ang piling grupo ng mga players. Bahagyang nanlaki ang mata niya nang makita si Marcella sa unahan, with Wes and Dierran walking beside her.

Curious, Finn jumped down and drowned herself with the crowd.

"Here comes the Blood Vanguard!" a loud shout from a large man.

"Ang rinig ko ay tutulong daw sila para matapos ang quest sa next city. Halimaw ang rinig kong kailangan patayin."

"Talaga? Hindi ba't sila na ang pinakamalakas na alliance ngayon?" isang tango. "Nako! Kung hindi lang sana sila strikto sa miyembro, kasama na ako."

"Tanga, siyempre. Hindi hahayaan ni Marcella na hindi elites ang sumali sa alliance niya. Tingnan mo nga sila, oh. Parang kaya nang pumatay ng isang syudad."

"Pero, hihi, sino 'yang lalaki sa tabi ni Marcella? Hindi ko siya kilala but ang hot ha."

"Landi!"

Finn raised a brow at how Marcella and her alliance are so revered. Para namang nakasagip na sila ng isang bansa sa natatamong recognition.

Mahina niyang tinapik ang balikat ng isang manlalaro. A boy with wide eyes turned to look at her.

"Malakas ba sila?" tanong ni Finn.

Nalaglag ang panga nito. "Siyempre!" he whispered-shouted. "Hindi mo ba alam na sila ang pinakamalakas na alliance dito?!"

Umiling si Finn. Hindi naman talaga niya alam.

"Uh- oh, well. Sila ang pinakamalakas na guild dito. Marcella is a legend and that boy beside her is amazing at planning strategies. Not to mention lahat ng nasa alliance niya ay mga top gamers!"

"Oh." simpleng sagot ni Finn. "Thank you."

Naramdaman niya ang nalilitong tingin ng lalaki pero hindi niya ito pinansin. Finn let herself be carried through the crowd's excitement. Narinig niya ang plano ng mga 'to na sumama sa alliance papunta sa next city, para sigurado daw na makatapos sila.

The large gates opened and everyone walked into it with confidence. Finn kept herself far away from Marcella's group who were walking in front of the pack.

Nang tuluyan silang makapasok sa susunod na city ay hindi magandang lugar o mapulang langit ang sumalubong sa kanila. Sa halip ay isang napakalaking paa ang lumapag sa may gilid lamang ng grupo, squashing the players that were standing there moments ago.

The players watched it at first, blanked out, before they erupted into high-pitched screaming.

The ground rumbled in response. Parang lumindol ang buong syudad nang humakbang ang halimaw. Ini-angat ni Finn ang ulo para mas makita ito ng mabuti.

The monster was huge, almost the same height as a mythical dragon. Flaming blue fire showed in its elongated beard. The snake-like monster's blue scales were ethereally beautiful. Mula sa coral blue nitong kulay sa may ulo ay unti-unti itong dumidilim pagkaabot sa may buntot. The monster's feet were also covered in navy blue scales. Napakaganda nito kung hindi lang nito planong kainin lahat ng tao sa paligid.

And if it also wasn't sporting nine heads.

Finn watched the tail as it moved to swat them away. Pinili niyang pumunta sa likod at gumawa ng distansiya. This city is the exact opposite of the wide Metropolis, dahil napakaliit nito at may halimaw pang nasa gitna.

Just when Finn questioned the city's existence, a screen popped in front of her.

▪▪▪

Congratulations, rogue! You have arrived at the fifth city, The Den.

Now that you have met people you want to work with, it's time to show your teamwork! Joining teams and guilds are important, but contribution is much more necessary.

The fifth city challenges the player's strength in numbers and their ability to work in teams.

In order to move to the next city, players must kill the World Boss. There is no required time limit, only your lives on the line!

A Revolution Flag is given to the player with the largest contribution. Fight hard, rogues!

▪▪▪

Current Alive Beta-Testers: 172
Beta-Testers inside the Den: 79

-chapter end-