-chapter seventy-eight-
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FEYRE

"Well, isn't this a good time? Our fight at the GOG wasn't concluded. Let's see the results right now."

"BAKIT NAKABALIKTAD ka, buhay?" I asked, twirling his knife in my fingers.

Life grunted and squirmed from his position. Ngunit nagpahigpit lang ito sa mga rope na nakatali sa kaniya. I rolled my eyes. Minsan talaga hindi din nag-iisip 'to, alam niya naman ang effect ng trap pero kung makagalaw, parang wala nang bukas.

Bakit ba kasi ako lang ang rogue na may brains? I have such a huge responsibility.

I exhaled harshly. "Tumigil ka nga sa paggalaw."

"Kung tinulungan mo na lang kasi ako!" reklamo niya pero hindi na muling gumalaw.

Ngumisi ako. Kung alam niya lang.

I let the blade caress his cheek, putting a bit of pressure to draw the smallest of blood. He winced and looked at me darkly. Hindi nawala ang ngiti sa labi ko nang ibinaba ko pa ang kutsilyo. His jaw clenched and I licked my lips, eyes predatory and hungry for its prey.

"Oh, shit!"

Well, expect for the car brand guy to find a perfect timing. Tiningnan ko si Irusu na kakadating lang at pulang-pula ang mukha. Bukas ang bibig niya at nanlalaki ang mga mata habang nakatingin sa'min. Pusta ko ang tainga ni Hex na iba-iba pinag-iisip nito.

"Hindi ko alam okay ka pala sa BDSM, Life." he shamefully observed.

Nangangati na akong ihagis sa banda niya ang kutsilyo ng lalaking nakatali ngayon.

"Pinagsasabi mo?" nakakunot-noong tanong ni Life, ngunit mukhang narealize niya ang kaniyang unfortunate situation at biglang lumukot ang mukha. "Get me out of here, bastard! I should have expected scouts like you to form traps."

Now, it's Irusu's turn to frown. I rolled my eyes and proceeded to cutting off the ropes around Life. Sa totoo lang I could easily kill him right now or let him go. I mean, hindi naman siya ang kailangan ko sa quest na 'to.

Hayy, I'm such an angel.

"I didn't put up traps?" tumingin si Irusu sa'kin.

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "Ako tinatanong mo?"

Umiwas siya ng tingin sa'kin at nagsimulang magflashback kung nagset-up nga siya ng trap o hindi. I went back to cutting off Life's ropes.

For a bunch of people who went into a full-attack mode a while ago, we are pretty chilled right now. Parang binalewala na lang namin ang poison na ngayon ay kumakalat sa katawan ni Irusu, ang malaking hiwa sa paa ko at ang limp na braso ni Life. Not to mention na wala pa si Sena dito na sobra ang sinapit dahil nga sa ayoko siyang makalaban.

"Hintayin mo lang makalabas ako dito, tangina mo! Papatayin kitang scout ka!" hinampas ko ang braso niya nang biglaan siyang gumalaw.

Yeah, we're not chill at all.

"But I didn't put up the trap?" inosenteng tanong ni Irusu na mukhang problema ang existence ng mundo.

"Then who else but a scout like you would even put up a trap like this?!"

Bago pa makasagot si Irusu ay pinutol ko na ang huling tali. Life meet the ground wih a scream. Ngumiwi ako at hindi na siya tinulungan bumangon. I did enough for the day.

Nakita kong napatingin si Irusu sa'kin at naningkit ang mata niya. I raised my brow in return. Don't tell me he thinks I'm the one responsible for the trap? Because if so, then...

Biglang bumangon si Life at inatake agad si Irusu. The two exchanged slashes and strikes without a pause. Umupo ako at kinain ang apple na ninakaw ko mula kay Life. Hinihintay ko lang na may dumating na feys to finish my quest. I only need 10 more and I'm done.

Tumayo ako nang marinig ang rustle sa mga puno. An elfish ear snuck out and I grinned, stealing a glance at the pair who keeps on lashing out at each other. Talk about love. They're so hellbent in taking each other out when the mastermind is just behind them, taking the bigger prey.

Pinosisyon ko ang sarili na matago ng puno. The feys walked out of the trees, interested in the sound of clashing blades. They walked slowly, on guard with the pair who seemed lost in their own battleground.  I rounded and stayed a few feets behind the monsters' backs, readying my chaindaggers.

Now, this is the best part. Stealing the prizes underneath their noses. All through-out our four-way battle, I've been more focused on hunting feys than injuring them. Kaya whenever they hurt a fey that badly, I always make sure to get the killing strike.

Screw the damage points that will be showed at the end. Sigurado akong bagong chismis naman ito, me having small damage points but probably the most skills.

Nang gumalaw ang dalawang feys para umatake ay mabilis kong inihagis ang chaindagger at ipinalibot sa bawat leeg nila. They flailed and tried to get out, ngunit itinusok ko lang ang blade sa leeg nila at hinatak sila papunta sa'kin. At that time the third fey is already rushing toward me so I used it as leverage to jump and break the two fey's necks while using my legs, twisting it on the third's one. Another three killed feys added to my stash. Ngumisi ako.

"Hindi pa ba kayo tapos?" I asked to the pair, uninterested.

"This fucker made a trap in the fucking forest! Ano akala mo dito? Hunting grounds?!" singhal ni Life.

I frowned. He looks really good spewing insults and all that. Sa sobrang sanay kong makita ang pulang mukha niya o paguutal-utal niya, nakalimutang kong kaya niya palang magalit.

Hmm... but when I look at it closely, Hex looks even better when angry. At minsan lang 'yon kaya mas super exciting ang situation.

Meanwhile, when Sol gets angry, expect your death to be given by a blinding, golden flamed sword.

"But," singit ko. "This is a hunting ground. I mean we're hunting feys here. Ano nagka-amnesia ka na ba?"

Parang tumigil si oras sa pagtakbo dahil nanatili silang nakatayo at nakatingin sa'kin na parang tinubuan ako ng dalawang ulo. Unti-unting nanlaki ang mata nila at napalitan ang galit nang pait.

Ngumisi ako. "Kalimutan niyo ano?"

"Oh fuck! We're supposed to be killing feys!" sigaw ni Irusu.

"Congrats! May jacket ka na!"

He glared at me. "Not helping."

I shrugged, glancing at the still-frozen Life. "I'm not even planning to."

I'm just gonna sit here and let you dimwits realize that you've wasted minutes over fighting on nonsense than hunting feys. Sol should reward me for being an intelligent rogue who doesn't get tempted on her bloodlust.

At that time, where Life and Irusu finally got their shit together and decided to take on hunting now rather than some meaningless killing spree, the bushes rustled. Napaayos ako nang tayo at napahawak sa dagger. If this is another fey, then it will all be my pleasure to steal their kills and potentially not let them into the main game.

Genius.

Ngunit ang susunod na mga nangyari ay nagpabago sa pananaw ko sa buhay. Mabuti na lang talaga at maayos ang mata ko, also the fact that I can sense danger so much, because a quick and blurry thing appeared and it's going towards me.

I usually have a fight response over anything but for now, I made an evade action. Pumagilid ako at hinayaan ang kung-ano-man na mahulog sa lupa. I squinted my eyes when I finally recognized the small figure with purple hair and small knives all around her body.

"Wow. I couldn't see you." biro ko kay Sena.

She grunted and glared at me. Hindi na siya sumagot pero tumayo na lang at sumunggab papunta sa direksiyon ko. I leaned back and let my daggers handle the whole ordeal.

"Bakit parang kakalabas mo lang mula sa World War 3?" nakangisi kong tanong.

Mas lalo siyang nagalit sa'kin at mas lalo ding naging agresibo ang mga atake niya. I hold off my urge to laugh so hard at her appearance. Ang ever so cool na si Sena ng pesteng guild ni Astro ay parang pinagpyestahan na ngayon. Her hair is a bomb mess, her face greasy and blody and her clothes are torn so badly.

"Sinong walanghiyang rogue ang nag-iwan sa'kin sa ilalim ng thirty feys, ha?!" asik niya.

My smirk grew wider. I opened my arms and replied, "The one and only you."

"I'm so gonna fucking kill you!" she screamed.

"Pwede raincheck mo na? Wengya naman, Sena, ilang beses ko bang sasabihin na hindi nga ako pwedeng makipaglaban sa kung sino mang member ng pesteng guild niyo dahil sa bastardong guild leader mo. Kaya wala kang makukuha ngayon sa'kin pero ang flighr response ko, because I would rather sell Minerva out than fight you. Alam mo kung bakit? Because I'm loyal to Sol's orders. Alam mo kasi ito ang foundation ng friendships, loyalty and trust. Loyal ako sa lahat nang utos ni Sol at sa kaniya dahil may napakalaki siyang trust sa akin. Alam ko namang hindi mo feel iyon-"

I stopped when I felt a huge tremor on the ground. Mukhang hindi na din ako inaatake ni Sena dahil nakatingin na lang siya ngayon sa akin na may halong pagod. Life and Irusu are also looking at me with no light in their eyes. My gosh, these people couldn't even appreciate advise. Siguro hindi pa nila nafeel ang frienship sa tanang buhay nila.

Oh well, I don't sympathize.

Maybe a bit.

Isang napakalakas na tremor ulit ang nangyari at tuluyan nang yumanig ang lupa. The four of us staggered, balance failing at the heavy quake. Mabilis kong inihagis ang chaindagger papunta sa tree branch para hindi tuluyang mahulog. Sena kneeled on the ground, knives impaled on the soft crust. Life is hugging a tree while Irusu seemed to have accepted his fate and just laid on the ground.

Weirdos.

Nanlaki ang mata ko nang magcrack ang lupa. The small crack later became a huge one, almost cutting the forest in half. I cursed and let the dagger pull me up to the tree. Sena sat next to me, legs crossed and brushing her hair. Wow, may priorities din pala ito.

"What's that?"

I shrugged. "Paano magkakaearthquake ang stadium?"

"Some really massive power down there, then." aniya at napatigil ako.

I don't really like what I'm thinking right now. Surely, pwedeng ibang tao ang may kinalaman dito.

But when the ground finally got destroyed, a bright golden light made it's presence known, and it all took my strength to not curse.

"Putangina." I cursed.

Sena let out a scream when the ground opened up and everything came crumbling down. The rogues ran further away from the crack while I stayed on my spot, eyes focusing on the scene down there.

There's a bright golden flame with lightning sparks and a large violet ball of magic that is sucking everything on our room. There's no mistaking that it's Sol. I can feel it. But what happened that she has to let out this amount of power? And why isn't the power growing less but burning even more instead?

Mas humigpit ang kapit ko sa puno nang unti-unti itong kainin. I then looked for some free space down to throw my other dagger to. Tumalon ako mula sa puno. I landed on a crumbling stone, rolled down towards a wider space.

"Shit..." I gaped at the destruction inside the room.

Stones, dirt and tress are piling everywhere. Luckily, the room above is not cracking anymore as the power dies down. The magic circle is deflating and Sol's flame is decreasing.

Naghintay ako nang ilang minuto bago lumapit sa pinagmulan nito. It's weird that I can't see Sol anywhere and I'm worried she's crushed by a rock. That girl can be oblivious when she's focused on things. Kaya mabilis akong pumunta doon at hinanap siya. And the next thing I saw made my heart beat erratically.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!" I hurriedly muttered as I ran to the now unconscious Sol. She's not crushed by any rock, sure, but she's also sleeping like the dead.

Tiningnan ko ang health bar status niya and it is still over 30%. Which means she's not dying. But why isn't she responding?

"Sol?! Oi, Solace! Anong nangyari sa-"

Red light covered the whole room and an alarm sounded. The room bursted open with NPC running inside to fix the destruction and players peeking to see what happened. Ilang minuto lang ay dumating na ang guild mate namin, after sending them an SOS message. Hingal na hingal si Hex nang dumating at agad na pinuntahan si Sol.

"What happened?"

"Aba malay ko. Nasa taas ako nang bigla na lang bumukas ang lupa at nakita ko ang power niya." sagot ko.

Kumunot ang noo niya. "Wait, you were fighting up there?" tumango ako. "Then, why are you here?"

Bobo ba ang soro na 'to?

"Because. Duh." I gestured at the sleeping Solace on my lap.

Mukhang narealize na ni soro ang nangyayari at lumapit siya dito para i-examine. Lol. What does that even mean? He's just going to do all his healing magic, I think.

Ngunit isang minuto na ang nakalipas nang hindi pa rin gumagalaw si Solace kaya tiningnan ko si Hex na nakakunot ang noo.

"What happened?" I worriedly asked.

"She burned all her flames." he whispered.

Now that sounds really bad. Mas lalong bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko.

"What?"

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-chapter end-