-chapter one-hundred-thirteen-
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"This is all to make a perfect world."

ARTH ONLINE is perfect.

In here, Alas is not just a genius, but a King. A powerful being who dominates everyone. In here, Alas couldn't be killed. He can live in here eternally with his son.

But his son... Avraeth is a little piece of shit who can't be contented with what he has. He stays in the forest and goes out rarely. The NPCs are becoming boring for Alas and that demon king is more distant than the Southern Continent.

Napatingin siya kay Gero na kakapasok lang sa kastilyo. Nakakalabas ito sa game, only through a hologram.

"Master," yumuko ito. "The company is discarding your proposition of Arth Online. Sir Harold has also admitted to the position of the president now."

"No one's curious about what happened to me?"

Gero awkwardly clears his throat. "The family has labeled your disappearance as suicide, brought by the tragic accident that befell your son and wife."

Yumanig ang kastilyo nang galit na inihampas ni Alas ang isang malapit na sword. Those scumbags. Ibinasura nila ang Arth Online at ngayon ay sinasabi nilang nagsuicide siya?! Alas badly wants to kill someone.

Napangiti siya nang may maisip na ideya. Of course! Of course! Did they really think they can get rid of him like that?

"Ano po ang plano niyong gawin?" tanong ni Gero habang pinapanood si Alas na pumipindot ng kung ano.

Alas grinned. "I'm going to open this world for everyone to see and feel."

Alas posted the announcement and the trailer drafts. Wala pang isang oras ay sumabog na ang internet. Everyone is looking forward to the MMORPG game that promises real-life experiences.

Alas laughed as his post was taken down. Dahil kahit na ibinasura nila ito ay marami na ang nakakita. Rumors will spread like a gasoline, continuing to burn until the whole internet is engulfed in the fire of Arth Online. Kaya walang nagawa ang Life Company, they decided to go along with the unstable game.

Alas watched as players came in. He watched as they go about their day. He watched how they live their life inside the game. At kumakati na ang kamay niya dahil gusto niya nang ihampas sa mga mukha nito na walang ibang makakatalo sa kaniya dito.

Alas here is a king. Not just a genius or a father. He's a king who reigns them all.

Tumunog sa malaking palasyo ang napakalakas at nababaliw niyang tawa. He can live eternally! He's a king! He's invincible! Alas is living his best life.

And he will not let anyone take it away from him.

Hindi niya na muling napanood ang anak. Hindi niya na rin ito nilapitan at kinamusta. Alas was busy in mingling along with the crowd and starting fights he'll always win.

Ngunit, natigil ang pagsasaya niya nang may maramdaman. The presence of a powerful power in this continent. Napatingin siya sa labas at sa malawak na lupain. That sword... is Arthur's sword.

Doon niya unang nalaman na magiging totoo na ang tale niya. The sword of the hero is present. The sword is here! But who is wielding it? And who is fated to kill him, according to the tale?

And will he still abide with the story when the happiness this world brought him is blinding?

A tale. But would it make or break it?

Alas grinned ferally. Hindi niya ito hahayaang masira ang ambisyon at kagustuhan niya. He's going to use that person and break the tale he's started.

Because the king shall never fall. Alas shall never fall.

That is the dream of the greedy king.

"WHAT AM I doing here?"

Bumangon mula sa pagkakahiga si Hiraeth. Napatingin siya sa paligid. White walls covered the room. Walang mga furnitures na nakalagay dito. Mayroon lamang isang arched window sa dulo at balcony.

Arthur steps out and looked around. Biglang sumama ang timpla ng mukha niya.

"I hate this place. This is the old man's lair."

"Old... man?" nakakunot-noong tanong ni Hiraeth.

Bago pa makasagot si Arthur ay bumukas ang pintuan ng kwarto. A long white-haired man entered the room, may dalawang espada na dala ito. One is sharp and long, while the other is blunt and ordinary-looking. Napatayo si Hiraeth at nagtatanong na tumitig sa estranghero.

"Arthur, my son, you're here." nakangiting bati ng lalaki kay Arthur.

Arthur frowns. "You piss me off. At hindi ako ang anak mo, siya."

Nagulat si Hiraeth nang ituro siya ni Arthur. He looks at the strange man once again. Is this the person they said was his father and is planning to kill him?

"You're my son just as much as he is. I made you."

"Can you just stop talking?"

Hiraeth looks around once again. He's more curious about Solace. Ang alam niya ay kasama niya ito kanina pero bakit wala na ito sa tabi niya ngayon? What happened? Nawawala na naman ba siya?

Hiraeth sighs. Kung hindi lang siguro naka-attach ang katawan niya, mawawala niya na rin ito.

"Where's elf?" he asks to no one in particular.

Kumunot ang noo ng estranghero sa tanong niya.

"The slayer." Arthur supplies. "He calls him elf."

Tumango ang lalaki. Isang nakakabahalang ngiti ang iginawad nito.

"Your slayer is dead." lumapit si Alas sa kaniyang anak at itinapon ang isang espada sa paanan nito. "Now you have to kill the king and avenge her. Become the hero of this story."

Kumunot ang noo ni Hiraeth. The slayer couldn't be dead. She won't go down without a fight. Kaya anong pinagsasabi niya?

Hiraeth steps forward to ask him but a hand stops him. Napabaling siya kay Arthur na seryoso ang tingin.

"Never touch that sword."

Hiraeth frowns. Wala naman talaga siyang balak eh.

"Bakit?" tanong niya na lang.

"I have a bad feeling. I would never trust that man."

Tumawa ng malakas si Alas. "You wound me, my son. But since you won't choose suicide through that sword, then I'll just kill you myself."

Biglang sumugod si Alas kay Hiraeth. Hiraeth stands there, shocked at the behavior or his supposed-to-be father. Isang blue shield ang namuo sa pagitan nilang dalawa. Ngunit agad itong naglaho nang makalapit ang espada ni Alas. His sword loses it's desired direction and grazes Hiraeth's cheek instead.

Mahapdi ito pero ininda lang iyon ni Hiraeth. Nakatitig pa rin siya sa kaniyang ama.

"Why?" he whisper-asks. "Why would you kill your son?"

Naging seryoso ang mukha ni Alas. He raises his sword and aims it at Hiraeth's neck.

"You'll die anyway. Tanging machines na lang ang nagpapabuhay sa'yo sa labas. You're not going to wake up anymore." sagot nito. "So I should just kill you to save you from your suffering."

Biglang yumuko si Alas. Hindi nagtagal ay gumalaw ang mga balikat nito na parang tumatawa.

"Hindi ba't isa akong maunawain at mapagmahal na ama?!" he happily asks, eyes and mouth stretching crazily. "I'm going to save you from your suffering, my son. You're going to meet Mommy. Don't worry. Ako na ang bahala sa mga taong nanakit sa'yo. Lalo na ang slayer na 'yon. I'll torture her first before I kill her, okay?"

"Solace never hurt me. She's saving me."

Napabaling sa kabilang direksiyon ang mukha ni Hiraeth nang isang malakas na sampal ang natamo niya.

"You ungrateful son." galit na diin nito. "I'm the one who's been saving your life! You're awake for the past years because of me! Your suffering is going to end because of me! It's all because of me!"

"Because you want to live?"

"I can never be killed. Once I get that sword and Arthur, magiging imortal na talaga ako. I will haunt the games our family made and I will destroy each of them. I will be the king of all. The soul who will live in anything." Alas gently caresses his son's face. "But first, I need to get rid of you. You're in the way of my dreams, son. Oh! Isn't this the best situation? I help you end your life, and you help me retain mine!"

Isang napakalakas at nakakabaliw na tawa ang muling dumako sa buong kastilyo. Alas grins widely at Hiraeth before bringing the sword down.

Immediately, Hiraeth felt something leap out of him. Mabilis niyang tiningnan kung ano iyon at nanlaki ang mata niya.

"No! Keiko!"

The fox jumps between the sword and his skin. For a brief moment, her black fur covers his vision. Hinati ng matalim na espada ang katawan nito sa dalawa. Keiko falls on the ground with a thud, body slowly vanishing. Lumuhod si Hiraeth sa tabi nito at hinawakan ang kaniyang alaga. Sunod-sunod na tumulo ang luha niya. Keiko is his friend. His companion all these years.

But now... she's gone.

Natigilan si Hiraeth nang hampasin ni Alas ang katawan ng fox. Hindi niya ito tinigilan hanggang sa tuluyang mawala. Galit na galit ang itsura nito habang nakatingin sa sahig.

"That damn..." Alas curses. "I already had him and that damn fox had to jump-"

Hiraeth places his card towards Alas' neck. Humihingal na siya sa galit at pagtataka. Bakit niya ginawa 'yon? Keiko was already dying. There's no need to increase the pain she was feeling.

Hiraeth glares at Alas. He has never felt anger this much before. The closest he had was when Solace told him about the truth of this world. Dahil pakiramdam niya noon ay pinagkaitan siya ng mundo at ayaw niyang paniwalaan ang babae. But now, he can see it.

This man is crazy.

Lumipat ang tingin ni Alas sa kaniya. Sa halip na lumayo mula sa baraha niya ay lalo itong lumapit. Hiraeth did not back down and pushed the card closer to his neck.

Alas smiles. Hinawakan niya ang baraha na nasa leeg. "Did you really think you can harm me?"

"GET BACK!" narinig niyang sigaw ni Arthur sa ulo niya kaya napa-atras si Hiraeth.

His eyes widen when the card vanishes in Alas' hands. Kaparehas ito sa nangyari kanina sa shield niya. Are his attacks and skills futile in Alas' presence?

"You can never hurt me as long as Arthur resides in you." tugon ni Alas. "I made him. He's functioned to never harm his creator."

"Ah, shit." mura ni Arthur sa ulo niya. "He really pisses me off."

Hiraeth once again scans the room to find an escape route. Tanging ang balcony lang ang pwedeng takbuhan niya. Ngunit may pakiramdam siyang hinihintay lang ni Alas na tumakbo siya doon. That balcony feels like a trap.

Nang tingnan niya ang pintuan ay nanlaki ang kaniyang mata. Dahil sa mismong pagtingin niya doon, ay ang pagdating ng isang babae na sabog ang maikling buhok at sira ang damit. Her lips are bleeding and her eyes are dancing in crazy bloodlust.

Ang black high-thighs niya ay may cuts na, pero full of confidence itong pumasok sa kwarto habang nilalaro ang mga kadena. The cat rogue tilts her head and grins threateningly.

"Akala mo ba makaka-alis ka na pagkatapos mong gawin 'yon?" ininat niya ang braso. "Ang sakit no'ng dalawang lalaki pero kaya pa rin kita. May soro ako sa tabi na makakapagheal sa'kin. Nyahahaha!"

"Hindi ba't sinabi ko na dapat sekretong nandito ako, pusa?!"

Hiraeth thinks the fox priest was trying to say it as a whisper. Pero napalakas ito at buong kwarto na ang nakarinig. Arthur snickers in his head.

"Pwede na sana masegway 'yon pero kailangan mo talagang dumada 'no, soro? Kailangan mo talagang isigaw na nandiyan ka?!"

"Ikaw kaya ang naunang nagsabi na kasama mo ako!"

"Hindi naman nila pinansin! Pero kailangan mo pa talagang isingit ang self mo sa chapter na 'to!"

"Anong pinagsasabi mo?!"

"Gero." Alas' cold voice breaks their banter. "Kill them."

Ngumisi si Feyre. "Sorry, currently busy ang Gero mo. Mahirap din kasing patayin ang dalawang mokong na 'yon. Kung hindi lang nila crush si Sol, hindi ko pa rin sila magugustuhan, duh."

"Then, I should just kill you myself."

"Eh~" Feyre picks her nails. "Sige nga. Try mo."

Mukhang nainis dito si Alas dahil bigla niyang sinugod ang babae. Feyre seemed to have expected the attack because she immediately deflects it and pierces her dagger on the roof to deliver a flying kick.

Alas catches the girl's feet and pulls her to the ground. But Feyre turns around and encircles her leg on his neck, kaya dalawa silang nahulog sa sahig. The castle shakes as their battle continues. Feyre proved to be hard to catch with her ocassional slipping away of Alas' grasp and disappearing.

"Okay ka lang ba?"

Napatingin si Hiraeth kay Hex na lumapit sa kaniya. He nods. Hex still heals him anyway.

"Halika, umalis na muna tayo dito."

Aalis na sana sila nang biglang mawala ang kanilang balanse. Hex immediately turns to Feyre.

"Pusa!"

Sinamaan siya ni Feyre ng tingin. "Ang ingay mo, soro! Bakit ba? Okay lang ako kung concerned ka."

"Luh, asa."

Mukhang naapektuhan din si Feyre at Alas nang pagyanig. A bright and golden light then fills the room, or possibly the whole castle. Napatingin si Hiraeth sa kung saan ito nanggaling.

His troubled hearts rests when he sees the elf in the balcony. Nakatayo ito at nakatingin sa loob. Her sword is raised high, golden flames burning bright even in the daylight. Her silver armor glints and it defined her white hair and crystal blue eyes more. She looks elegant, powerful and a vision of strength whilst just standing there.

"Alas." she grits, anger present in her voice. "Ang sakit no'ng pagkakahampas mo!"

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-chapter end-

[NEXT CHAPTER PREVIEW]:
tomorrow

The slayer vs. the king.

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quatro. ahhhhhhh