-chapter eighty two-
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FEYRE

"On the Basement, the bloody survival will take place! Who will survive and who will take the ranks on the leaderboard?!"

THIS IS boring.

I glared at the door with the thirty-second countdown. Ito ang door papunta sa event location. The annoying announcers are currently talking shits about things I don't really care. Especially dahil wala ang pangalan ko do'n.

I have selective hearing.

Pinagmasdan ko ang paligid. The rogues around me are bubbling with excitement. I can relate with that, but not their patience. Paano sila nakakapag-usap sa iba? I'm practically vibrating to kill people here.

Nasa fifteen mark na ang countdown at kailangan pang hintayin na matapos bago mag-activate ang Enter Basement na button. I'd be more happy kung nakapasok na kami bago ang countdown. At least, alam ko kung saan nakaposisyon ang mga kalaban while waiting.

"Isn't this fun?" masayang tanong ni Sena na magically nag-appear sa tabi ko.

Thief and their stealth. If I think about it, I guess I could make a pretty good thief. Lalo na't may title pa ako dito. Nyahahaha.

"What? Waiting?" I asked, annoyed.

She scoffed. "Just a few seconds more, you ball of impatience."

Matamis akong ngumiti. "Oh please, compliment me more."

Sena giggled. Ngumiwi ako. Ano ang nakakatawa sa pagiging sarkastiko ko? Hex would have smacked me by now. I sighed. Well, iba-iba naman taste ng mga tao.

Sasagot na sana siya nang biglang maglight up ang enter button. Of course, hindi ko na hinintay pang magchikahan kami. Hindi ko rin hinintay pang magexchange kami ng cool words. Why would I do those when there's a present in front of me? Kaya naman, I clicked the button quickly.

Umitim ang paligid at naramdaman ko ang pagkahulog. I braced for my chaindaggers, holding them close to my chest.

Parang may warning na nagblare sa utak ko nang maramdaman ko ang sahig. The darkness lingered, save for some mini lights that marked up a path. I stepped to my left, testing the ground. Hinawakan ko din ang pader sa likod ko. I continued with my little side steps when I almost tripped on a bump.

So the Basement is not really a plain surface then. Tumingala ako. It's safe to assume that there might be floating rocks here or whatever.

Pinikit ko ang mga mata. Now that I have an inkling to the Basement's layout, I can properly pick out targets. This is what you call a plan, thank you very much. I am not a bloodthirsty rogue who heads to battle without a second thought.

I focused on my sorroundings. There are two people running a few feet away from me, on a completely opposite direction. On my right, I can also spot three rogues moving quickly, possibly fighting. In my left, there's one above, on a terrain, and two walking-

My eyes flew open. Ibinaba ko at itinuwid ang chaindagger sa kanang kamay. I can't feel rogues near me but my danger senses are flaring abnormally.

And I know how to doubt my own senses. Kaya naman, I leaned on the wall. Quietly, binuksan ko ang venom pouch na nakakabit sa wrist ko ay hinayaan itong basa-in ang dagger ko. I slowly twirled it behind me, waiting for anything.

I took a silent, deep breath and focused on the sounds, the slight gush of wind inside the room, the ringing of presence in the air.

My green, cat-like eyes narrowed when the first step is made. A figure appeared on the corridor, shadowed by the darkness.

Sandali itong tumigil na para bang may hinahanap at sa sandaling iyon ay hindi ako makahinga. I became rooted to the wall behind me, chest heaving slightly and fingers gripping the dagger with so much force.

The next movement happened like we both expected it.

I jumped back and raised my chaindagger high. Inikot-ikot ko ito bago iniharang sa harapan ko nang paulanan niya ako ng mga throwknives. His aim and speed at throwing is maddening. At kung hindi sa friction na ni-create ng chains ay hindi ko ito matatakasan.

The figure stepped out revealing a tall guy, slightly toned, with black, almost curly hair. His crimson red eyes shone dangerously, slightly hidden by his dark fringes. Isang itim at mahaba na curvy dagger ang nakakabit sa thigh niya, while his throwknives seemed to lie on the magic weapon on his wrist. Isa iyong kulay black na box, na mayroong green jade, at nagpapalabas ito ng mga throwknives na kinukuha niya at inihahagis papunta sa'kin.

"Wow." I can't help but praise. "Galing ng weapon mo."

Natigilan siya, surprised by my response. His mouth twitched slightly, signifying a hidden smile or smirk. Whatever.

"Yours is not bad." sagot niya.

I snorted. "I know. I take pride over my chains."

Sumugod kami sa isa't isa. My chains getting longer as to balance myself when flying over to him and slashing the dagger. Nagpatuloy siya sa paghagis ng mga throwknives, and I kept on fending them off.

Nanatili ako sa aking posisyon at hinahayaan lang ang mga kadena na siyang gumalaw. They changed directions and sizes at my every demand. And the guy in front of me is either dodging them or fending them off. And truly, it triggered something inside me.

Because he looked like he was dancing with my chains.

Sa bawat tusok ng dagger ko sa direksiyon niya ay umiiwas siya with grace. He spinned and used his armor to stop the dagger from piercing themselves. He jumped to avoid the quick succession of chaindagger attacks towards him.

It was almost like looking at Sol in battle. When she slashes her sword and uses it like it weighs no more than a feather. When her every attacks seemed like a dance. Para siyang gano'n. But this guy wasn't dancing with his weapons. No, instead it was my chains he's performing with.

And I won't deny that it made me feel a certain type of thrill.

That I found it so beautiful.

I jumped backwards and slashed my weapon in a cross when he threw knives at me in a frenzy. Naglakad ako papunta sa kaniya, ang mga kamay ay mabilis na gumagalaw para ihagis palayo ang mga kutsikyong lumilipad.

And when I had my chains sorrounding him, both daggers on each side of his head, naramdaman ko ang pagtusok ng something sharp sa ulo ko. Glancing to my left, I can see a lot of throwknives pointed at my direction.

Checkpoint at both sides.

"What a pity." komento ko.

"It's unusual to see a rogue sporting a chaindagger. The job you're under in usually has a whip or a chain for their weapon right? Or have this spiky ball at the end of their chains."

Tumawa ako at pinagbitaw ang mga kadena na nakapalibot sa kaniya. Nalaglag din ang mga throwknives na nakaturo sa'kin. I took a step back.

"Iba-iba kami ng taste. Hindi nga kita tinanong kung bakit nagmumula sa box 'yang mga kutsilyo mo."

He tilted his head to the side and raised a brow. He was about to answer and I was about to comment on his stealth nang manotice ko ang lumilipad na kutsilyo papunta sa'min. I jerked backwards.

Tiningnan ko ang pinagmulan ng atake. Darkness. I narrowed my eyes and focused on a certain spot. But, there's nothing. Just darkness and shadows.

I can't even feel the danger.

Napasigaw ako nang lumingon ako pabalik sa lalaki. Sa pagmamadali ay nasalo ko ang throwknife. I hissed at the pain and glared at the now-smirking guy. Tangina niya.

"What kind of idiot would catch a-"

He never got the privilege to finish his sentence because I attacked him like a madman. Mabilis kong pinaghampas ang chaindagger. Sa isang iglap ay nasa kamay niya na ang sariling dagger, at ginagamit ito para depensahan ang mga atake ko.

Letting my left dagger attack him, I swered to the left and encircled my right chain to his leg. He shot a knife at me, one that I painfully missed at dodging. I used my strength to disrupt his balance and sent him flying off.

Ngunit mukhang inaasahan niya iyon dahil itinusok niya ang dagger sa floating terrain na malapit. It dragged on the dirt and stopped him from falling. Tumalon ako at inihagis ang magkabilang chains, letting the dagger impale itself on the upside-down ground.

I kicked off my boots, revealing the hidden knife in them and lunged it at the guy. He used his right hand to defend, the brace on his knuckles enough to stop my attacks from hitting. Our actions were done in quick successions, that we almost looked crazy below ground. Two rogues hanging on a floating terrain, attacking each other without a breath.

Ngumiti siya. He let the dagger go for a second to twirl and slash at me before impaling it again. "Isn't this the part where we exchange names, Feyre?"

Umikot ang mata ko. I crouched and let the knife in my feet stopped the slash. "More like introduce yourself dahil kilala mo na ako, stupid."

Kinuha ko ang dagger na nakatusok sa lupa at sumugod sa kaniya. Kung hindi lang kami nasa life and death situation, siguradong tatawa na ako ng malakas sa paglaki ng mata niya. I kicked him right on the chest and the both of us fell down on a terrifying speed.

We landed on another terrain, one much lower than where we were previously. I rolled forwards when reaching the ground, and there was the sound of a dragging knife on his direction. Naging mabilis lang ito dahil agad akong tumayo at sumugod sa kaniya.

Umikot ako at hinayaang lumipad ang chaindagger, slashing the rocks around us and giving him a wound in the shoulders. He then ran towards me, lunging his knife.

Like a pair of bloodthirsty people, we attacked each other on a craze speed. Nagpalitan kami ng suntok, sipa at mga hiwa gamit ang kutsilyo niya at dagger ko. It wasn't a graceful dance anymore but an all-out attack against each other. Both of us hellbent on winning.

Pinunasan ko ang labi. The blood trickled down my neck and I tried to lick some of it that lingered on my lips. Our clothes are already slightly torn, courtesy of our own weapons. At hinihingal na din kaming dalawa.

But the timer is still a blinking 40 minutes. We have an hour for this survival game and fun.

Because I was still busy at regaining my breath, hindi ko nakita ang biglaang pagsugod niya. It was the impact that gave notice but I was already falling. Ang gagong iyon! Itinulak ako! Is he expecting me to die through the fall?

Pinigilan ko ang matawa at mabilis na itinali ang chain sa isang malapit na pole para mapaayos ang pagbaba ko.

And I have such a great luck.

Because I landed in front of the legendary rogue, who seemed to just finished with his daily hunting.

It's a sight to behold. Ang makita ang isang maliit na rogue sa gitna ng mga dead bodies. Bodies of the previous rogues who were unfortunate as to meet their demise. His brown hair was messy, his yellow eyes crazed and his lips as red as the blood that stick to it. He's also sporting wounds, a cut to his lip and a slash to his cheek.

He looks like death.

And I might just be a little bit in love.

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-chapter end-