-chapter ninety-two-

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SOLACE

"We will be playing a dangerous game of hide and seek."

VESTA ROUNDED off the street and stopped. Meters from her was Hiraeth.

Kinagat ko ang straw ng carton milk. I slouched further on the soft library seat.

Eyes that seemed to look directly to mine. Two other rangers chasing them.

"Rase, have you read the company's new post? I have no idea why, but the organizers are quickly closing up the event. Kill☆Shot will end today. The Survival round is finishing soon. Tanging ang Combat Arena na lang ang matitira sa whole duration ng event."" 

A house. Hiraeth following Vesta obediently.

"Uh, yeah. I think their new rules made sense. Even though it's a week long tournament, hindi na pwedeng magcontinue ang Kill☆Shot because of the number of NPCs available, and the rogues are also nearing their survival closure."

The updated instructions for the rangers game. Bakit ginawa nilang special requirement si Hiraeth? Killing him will then result to their victory? Para saan pa pala ang dalawang araw na paghunt nila. I pouted even more as I sipped on my empty carton milk.

"What makes me curious is that humanoid NPC." napatingin ako kay Acrasia nang banggitin niya iyon. "Hindi ba't parang lahat naman ng deployed NPCs ay human?"

"They're considered hybrids, idiot."

That's right. Hiraeth was specialised as a humanoid NPC too. Mahirap bang patayin ang mga ganoong klase? But, he's not an NPC, he's also a player! Ugh.

Rase frowns. "The real question is; Kill☆Shot has progressed for two days at napili pa talaga nilang ibigay ang ganoong instruction kung saan matatapos na ang game? Judging by the number of NPCs before the announcement, I'm sure they've already decided the three-day tournament."

"Maybe it's a final boss or something? Alam mo 'yon. Since, like, special requirement naman siya." 

Ang Life Industries nga ba ang nagdesisyon no'n? But, from Cord's reaction yesterday and his sudden disappearance, something tells me that they are not aware of the change as well. Kung gano'n, is it their father at work? 

"Rev?"

Is he that powerful to access the whole system of the game even though he's trapped inside? Maybe. After all, Cord did mention that he was the reason of the game's launching. Looks like he's not just Life Industries' brain, but also their blood. He flows through the company and the game like a ghost.

Napa-aray ako nang makaramdam ng sakit sa noo. Nakanguso ko itong hinimas at masamang tiningnan si Acrasia. 

"We've been calling you for the last hour."

I frowned. "I'm not an idiot. It's not even five minutes yet."

"She's right. In a group of friends, tanging isa lang ang tanga." umiling si Rase. "Sadly, ikaw 'yon."

"Hoy!"

"What are you talking about? Ano 'yan?"

I squinted my eyes at the opened tab on the library's board screen, para itong hologram na kasing laki ng wall. We're inside a private study room of the university's library. Dito kami tumatambay kapag walang klase or early dismissal and we're too lazy to go home. We often do our projects here since it has a lot of supplies. The used equipment are then charged to our university account.

Life Industries twitter account is currently showing. Nakasaad sa post nito ang pagchange ng days of tournament ng Kill☆Shot at Survival. The supposedly week-long battle was reduced to three days, due to the limited number of NPCs and decreasing rogues. So today is the final hunting for rangers and final war for rogues. 

Rase crosses her arms, staring at the screen. "The rangers will be more hung up on looking for the humanoid though. After all, killing it-"

"Him."

Natigilan silang dalawa at wirdong napatingin sa akin. I was only planning on correcting Rase but it looked like my tone had more bite to it.

Rase clears her throat. "Killing him would instantly result to victory. They'd rather look for a short-cut I guess."

"Mm. They just need to find him." Acrasia nods.

But if they couldn't...

"Still, shouldn't they at least create a safe distance in the kill count? Finding Hiraeth is advantageous but what if they fail at it? They still need to kill other NPC." komento ko.

"Or they fail to kill him."

My gaze accidentally traveled to Rase who's lazily sitting while scrutinizing me. Agad kong iniwas ang mata. They still don't know about the Hiraeth situation.

"I'm excited to see the rogue's battle! It'll truly be a bloody event!" excited na wika ni Acrasia.

Rase hums, eyes still fixed at me. "You just want to see the rogue you idolize."

It got my attention. "May gusto kang rogue, Ace?"

"N-"

"'Yong rogue n-"

"Wala-!"

"Si Feyre."

Tuluyang nalaglag ang panga ko lalo na nang mamula si Acrasia. Her embarrassment is enough confirmation. "Akala ko ba galit ka do'n?!"

"I am! I hate her guts! But her skills are different, you know!"

"You should have seen how she screamed and cheered, yester-"

Mabilis na tumakbo si Acrasia sa tabi ni Rase at tinakpan ang bibig nito. "Okay. Tama na."

"Eh~ I thought we're best friends, Ace!" I whined. "We shouldn't keep secrets to each other!"

She glared at me. "You, of all people, has no right to say that!"

Touche.

"Anyway," pasimple siyang umubo. "I only recognize her skills as a rogue. And now, let's move to the Combat Arena discussion."

"You're so cute when embarrassed." biro ko kaya naman nakatamo muli ako ng binatong ballpen sa noo.

"Napakasadista mo talagang babae ka." komento ni Rase sa likod.

Acrasia decided to ignore us and switched the tab to the Combat Arena announcement. The tournament still follows a one-week duration. Attached to the post is the current competition bracket.

[image only includes blue team's bracket. not overall Combat Arena]

"When the survival and hunting round finishes, magiging mas mabilis na lang ang pagproceed ng battles. It's going slow because of the round limit and the rule where one must die before the round ends." Rase explains. "It takes too much time, lalo na kapag malalakas nag-aaway."

Tumango ako.

"For now, the Red team's favored winner is Leon. Siya ang tinatawag na Warlord at nasa pinakataas sa fighter rankings."

"However," dagdag ng ngumunguyang si Acrasia. "Astro is also a candidate."

Rase nodded. "On your side, Halcyon is the most favored fighter. After him is Queen, the guild leader of the Huntres guild."

"She's a real menace, I tell you." sumama ang mukha ni Acrasia.

"Bakit?"

"They got into a fight when she did the pirate quest. Kung ako ang tatanungin, they just have different personalities kaya hindi sila magkatinginan."

Binigyan ko si Acrasia ng tingin. "Bakit ba lahat ng kakakilala mo nagiging kaaway mo agad?"

"Well, sorry, hindi ako kasing charming mo!" asik niya't tumatalsik pa ang kinakain. 

Rase hands her a handkerchief. "Speaking of, you're also considered as a dark horse."

HUH?

"Don't give me that look, para kang may diarrhea. It's expected, you made a lot of noise. You're the slayer, beat Wolfsbane and Legalus Bow in the Game of Governors, has two cities under your name," she pauses. "killed the Guardian."

"Hindi mo ba alam na nasa rankings ka din? I think you're ranked 8 or 9." umaktong nag-iisip si Acrasia.

"HA?" singhal ko. "Nasa ranks ako?"

"Well, duh."

Bago ko pa matanong kung anong klaseng baluktot na ranking 'yan at nasama ako ay biglang bumukas ang pintuan. Natahimik kaming tatlo nang bumungad sa harap namin ang isang matangkad na lalaking may puting buhok na abot sa leeg. His gaze flickered through the whole room before staying on me.

"Sol-"

"Sandali lang!" agad na tumayo si Acrasia. "Sino ka?! Hindi mo ba alam na private room 'to? Tatawag ako ng security!"

Voldmir gave her an unimpressed stare.

"Calm down, Ace. He's Voldmir, my guildmate." tugon ko sa kaniya at inaya sa loob ang lalaki.

Acrasia brows furrowed as she tries to remember Voldmir. Mabuti na lang at lumapit sa kaniya si Rase para magpaliwanag.

"Ah!" she claps her hands. "Ang mage na walang sapin sa paa!"

"Solace, tigilan mo ko. Konting-konti na lang makakasapak na ako. She's vibrating Feyre vibes." Voldmir said, irritated.

There's a reason why she idolizes Feyre then. Parehong pareho sila ng personality, eh.

"What did you come here for?"

Voldmir loosens his tie and breathes a sigh. Minsan talaga nakakalimutan kong pareho lang ang school na pinupuntahan namin. The school's massive size makes it hard to see each other. I still haven't bumped to Minerva here. I only knew Voldmir's section of the school because we saw each other at the library once. Luckily, our schedules collided.

"I had a talk with Vesta."

Vesta? It instantly took my attention. Hindi na ako masyadong nakapag-usap sa kaniya because she logged off after the game. However, she sent me a message saying Voldmir will explain everything.

"Vesta?" Rase asks, looking at us. "The ranger in your team?"

Tumango ako.

"Something strange happen to her yesterday, right?"

"Strange?" sabay naming tanong ni Voldmir.

"Hmm. The battle cam for each ranger was streamed at the site yesterday. Tamang nanonood ang kaibigan ko nang makita niya ang pagstatic at pagcrash ng cam ni Vesta. It was after she entered the house, dragging the humanoid, I think."

Nanlaki ang mata namin ni Voldmir. Our stiff reactions were enough for Rase's curiousity to be filled. She leaned over to us and tilted her head, eyes sharpening.

"Rev, tell me honestly," napalunok ako. "who is that humanoid to you? Is he connected to the friend you said you'll save?"

I sighed. Looks like I have to tell them the whole story.

"WHAT? ARE you nuts?!" Acrasia exclaims, even standing up. "You're planning on killing the game?! Rase, tell them they're crazy!"

While Acrasia was filled with intense and over-the-top reactions the whole time I told them the story, Rase remained silent. Kaya ngayon ay nakatitig lang ako sa kaniya. She's usually the most rational out of us three, kaya mas pinapakinggan ko siya. Rase raises her head and gave a slight nod.

"See, Ra-"

"It actually makes sense."

"What?" tanong naming tatlo.

"Haven't you noticed it? The glitches in game?" umiling kaming tatlo, kaya napaikot siya ng mata. "You said the game was unstable and was just abruptly launched. The effects are currently showing, or they've been there already, pero ngayon lang sila naging obvious. Yesterday, the snow behind my house crackled like fire. Players who did sea quests witnessed rain underwater. An NPC forgot the mission he's supposed to give. An NPC acted and behaved like a human, even engaging in a normal conversation. A player said about an NPC accidentally joining his party. All these things have been increasing lately."

I blinked. Right, Aeron is another NPC who displayed human behavior. 

"Could it be that Hiraeth also experienced this glitches before the launch?" tanong ni Voldmir. "His actions often makes me assumed that everything was similar to a real world."

"Hindi." Acrasia now looks serious. "It is mostly possible due to the massive amount of players. Dahil dalawa lang silang ino-operate ng systems noon ay hindi masyadong mahirap. Now that a million are playing, the game can't handle it."

"If the game isn't able to handle it, then it will crash..." tugon ko.

"Yes. And you know what happens when the game crashes." Rase implies, staring at me.

Napatingin si Voldmir sa'kin. "What happens?"

"The ones who are online when the game crashes will also be trapped inside. Dahil magc-crash ang game, the headgear will fail to operate once more and will, most likely, put us in coma. Like Hiraeth."

"What if they just take out the headgear?"

"They can't." sagot ni Rase. "Taking it out will mean killing us, since our brain is currently connected to the headgear. The electricity running on it is basically our only reason for survival."

"So they will just do research after research, then." Voldmir supplied and Rase nodded.

"Ang tanong dito ay kung ano ang kahihinatnan natin while trapped. Would we be enjoying the beauty of Arth like Hiraeth, or are we stuck in an endless black void?" Acrasia wonders.

Voldmir shuddered in his seat looking more frightened as the time grows. Kahit na kalmado ang itsura naming tatlo ay kinakabahan na din kami. We've never expected this other ending, where all of us fail and become trapped. An alternate reality where the adored game shuts us out from our true lives.

"May naisip ka bang trigger para sa pag-increase ng glitches?" tanong ko kay Rase, makalipas ang ilang segundo.

Her serious and stern gaze at me made chills go down my spine. "Rev, I think you're the reason for the trigger."

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-chapter end-

[NEXT CHAPTER PREVIEW]:

Pinilit kong itapon ang chain papunta sa pinakamalapit na rock. The wound on my stomach and the nausea of falling is making my eyes hazy, and so I missed. Shit. Putangina.

His dark gaze is all I can register as I fell in a pit of needles.

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