-chapter ninety-three-

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FEYRE

"Would we be enjoying the beauty of Arth like Hiraeth, or are we stuck in an endless black void?"

MABILIS KONG iniwasan ang lumilipad na kutsilyo at inunahan ang assassin sa atake. The chains clunks and twirls as they travel towards the slow assassin's chest, piercing her heart and exiting through her back, only to turn around and redirect the aim to her body once again. Her eyes widen as she coughs out blood, now double impaled with my chains. Nahulog ang weapon niya sa lupa at unti-unti siyang nawala.

I slump down once exhaustion hit me. Kanina pa ako walang tigil sa paglaban. The new update made the rogues go fucking wild. Hindi na ito ang usual na pagtago nila sa dilim, almost all the remaining rogues are outside, hungry for blood and victory. Kaya rin ako nasa labas ngayon, I would never miss out on a happy meal. Hehe.

Ngayong my mind and body are not preoccupied; the earlier discussion entered my mind.

"What?! Mamamatay tayo kapag hindi natin nasave si Hiraeth?" I exclaimed loudly, bits of food flying towards Hex who glared at me.

"Pusa, minsan talaga napapaisip ako kung paano ka grumaduate. It's not about saving Hiraeth and nor will we die. It's 'if the game crashes then we go into coma and when we get separated form our headgear, we die'." pagpapaliwanag niya na parang bata ako.

"Oh, e'di mamamatay din tayo."

"Only if they take away the headgear."

"Kaya nga."

"They can't take away the headgear!"

"Malay mo."

The slight movement in the corner of my eyes took my attention. Agad kong hinawakan ang kadena. The person must have noticed my action because I, then, felt a heavy presence. Nakakasakal ito at parang kinukuha ang hangin sa paligid. Is this Leev? Ang tanginang bubwit na 'yon? I gave a mental curse. How is it that those players have such an intimidating presence? Napapaisip tuloy ako kung gano'n din ba ang presensiya ko sa iba or do they only hear purring sounds? 

"Pero... Solace." Vesta called. "What did they mean by you're the reason of the trigger?"

"About that..."

Gumalaw muli siya. Maybe he stepped closer or he uncovered his eyes, because now, I can clearly see crimson red orbs glowing in the dark. At dahil isa akong amazing na rogue na may magandang memorya, lalo na sa gwapo at magagaling na players, I immediately remembered him. He's the throwknives guy.

"Magpakita ka na lang." tawag ko sa kaniya. "Hindi ito thriller, huwag kang ano. Fantasy 'to. Huwag kang magpa-suspense suspense diyan."

Sumunod naman ang baliw. Lumabas nga siya sa kinatatayuan niya. In fairness, ang gwapo talaga ng isang 'to. Especially when he wears a confused face.

"Huh?"

"Sabi ko wala."

He narrows his eyes but decides against it. Good move. "Tch. Whatever. I didn't come here to talk-"

"Interesting, so am I."

"Hiraeth is the trigger. Rase assumes my presence and explanation awakened him. It's possible that the game is already considering him as an NPC since he follows the same routine everyday. But I must have brought him consciousness and realizations, which confused the game on what to perceive him as..."

"Whether an NPC or a player?" Hex supplied.

Tumango si Sol.

Blades clash, creating friction every time they meet. Hindi ako makalapit sa kaniya dahil panay ang pagpalipad niya ng mga pesteng throwknives. He also can't come closer to me because of the chain surrounding his feet. So, with a safe distance between us two, only my daggers and his knives are in contact. 

Nag-iisip na ako nang plano kung paano mapabilis itong laban namin, when he just disappeared in front of me.

"Don't think it's your fault, Sol." may inis sa tono ko dahil sa pag-iba ng itsura niya. "It was supposed to happen, anyways! The game is destined to crash and we're destine to be trap inside. You just made the inevitable happen quickly. And, in fact, at least now we're aware of this problem and can make a solution out of it!"

"Wow, pusa," napatingin ako sa kanilang lahat na mukhang nakakakita ng multo. Hex gaped. "I'd never thought you can formulate those words. Nilalagnat ka ba?"

I look around the area, sharpening my senses for any movement. My senses are always on-the-spot, precise and never failing. Kaya naman laking pagkagulat ko nang maramdaman ang nakakakilabot na presensiya sa likod ko at ang malamig na metal sa leeg ko.

"Boo." he whispered to my ear before piercing the knife on the skin of my neck.

"Feyre's right, Solace." ani Vesta. "Besides, Hiraeth deserves to live his true life. There's nothing wrong with helping a friend."

"Mm-hmm. Pero pwede bang maging extra cautious tayo sa paligid?" tanong ni Voldmir. "I don't wanna be trapped inside the game. May exam pa ako."

Binato ko siya ng tsinelas. "Ayiee. Sana all may priorities."

Before the blade can sink in, mabilis akong umikot at itinira sa kaniya ang kadena. The chains encircle the knife and swishes it away. Ngumisi lang siya bilang tugon at may pinalabas muling throwknives. From his left arm that held my waist! Shit! I gasped in pain when it hit the side of my stomach and he pressed on the wound.

"Tangina, sadista ka p're?" sinamaan ko siya ng tingin.

"Yes." sagot niya.

Natigilan ako sa pagalis sa hawak niya, kaya napatigil din siya sa pagpress sa sugat ko. We stared at each other for a full minute while chaos and shouts of bloody murder happened around us.

"Seryoso?"

Tumango siya. "Oo."

I blinked. "Like- like, seryoso? Gano'n ka?"

"Oo nga." bagot niyang sagot at mas diniinan ang pagpress sa sugat ko.

"Putangina! Aray, tangina, masakit! Mamatay ka na!"

He vanished again and I scrambled for my balance. His constant and deep thumbing on my wound is making me dizzy. Parang lumulutang ang ulo ko sa sakit at pagod, and all I can focus on is the excruciating pain on my stomach, kaya hindi ko napansin ang pag-agaw niya sa chain dagger ko. Although, he instantly drop it dahil hindi niya pwedeng magamit ang main weapon ng ibang tao.

Lalo na't may criminal record pa ang weapon kong 'yan.

"Paano ka nawawala?" tanong ko at sinamaan siya ng tingin. "Bobo ka din 'no? Hindi mo pwedeng magamit ang main weapon ko."

"It's one of my attributes." simpleng sagot niya. "Anong ginawa mo sa main weapon mo? Why can I detect two owners?"

"It's stolen."

Kumunot ang noo ko. Attributes? Is it like Solace's ring that grants invisibility for a few seconds? Or is it really teleportation? But I've never heard of such skills before. Mages and priests? Sure. But, short-ranged heroes don't usually have it. It's also considered as a cheat for rogues. 

And... attribute? If he means player attributes, then...

"You have a monster-like speed?"

He blinks. "You can word it like that."

"Sandali lang, so hindi ka nagte-teleport?"

"We're not allowed to teleport," he's looking at me like I'm an idiot. 

So, he's just unfairly amazing, then?

Itinapon niya muli ang kutsilyo sa direksiyon ko. Because of the wound and my dizzying vision, I reacted slowly and got hit in my shoulder. Nagpakawala ako ng malakas na hininga. I staggered. Fucking hell- I lifted my head to look at him. Nakatayo lang siya't nakatitig sa'kin, hand holding a... a mini axe? How the hell did he get that?

"Are you wondering about this?" itinaas niya ang hawak na weapon. "This is not an official weapon. It's a piece of metal stuck on a branch that I pieced together a while ago."

What the fuck can this guy not do? Putangina, ang unfair ng mundo.

"Damn it." I licked the blood off my lips.

Huminga ako ng malalim at sinugatan ang dulo ng daliri ko. Using my poison element, green liquid dripped from the small wound and towards the chains. Sinipat ko muli siya at umarteng nawawalan ng balanse. When he thought it's the perfect time to land his final attack, I spinned and struck him with my poison dagger. Once, with the chain on my left that pierced through his legs. Twice, with the chain on my right that went through his stomach. Thrice, when another dagger hit his shoulders. And lastly, at the incoming dagger that missed his heart. 

Green and red liquid spurt out of his mouth, as he stood in front of me being impaled with chains from different directions. Tumikhim ako at umayos ng tayo. Nang akmang aalis ako ay naramdaman ko ang isang kutsilyo na dumaan sa gilid ng ulo at tumama sa pader na nasa harap ko. I was about to make a snide remark when the throwknife blasted an explosion and threw me away from there.

That is one annoying rogue.

Pasimple ko siyang pinapatay sa utak ko. Mula sa paglechon ko sa kaniya ng buhay hanggang sa pagparagasa ko sa kaniya sa pinakamalaking truck sa mundo. I kept on thinking of it, lalo na nang lumabas muli siya sa harap ko. Bloody and downright wounded, but is holding a piece of discarded whip and using it to fight me again. It amazes and scares me. How he can pick anything useless and turn them into the most fitting weapon. How he can piece items together like they're made for his hands and able to corner me to the end of the floating rock, heart on my throat as I look down and saw a pit of needles waiting for me.

His crimson eyes follows my gaze and brightens, pushing me even more to the edge with his newly acquired hybrid weapon. He smiles at me, all pearly-white teeth and dimples, eyes sharpening as he aims his knives at hand that purchases the wall for support. 

"We never got to introduce ourselves." aniya.

"Sabi ko nga introduce yourself 'yon, tanga. Kasi kilala mo na 'ko."

"But that's unfair! I know you and you don't know me." at may gana pa talaga siyang ngumuso.

"Sorry naman at hindi ako interesado sa'yo."

He scowled. "Wrong answer."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes kasi parang naghahanap naman ako ng tamang sagot. Like, duh. Pero bago pa ako makasagot ay tinulak niya na ako sa floating rock. Nanlaki ang mata ko as the gush of wind hit me like a storm at mas sumakit ang buong katawan ko. Quickly, I ran my eyes at my surroundings looking for anything that might help or soften my fall-

Isang open na floating rock with a thorn-like stone below! Perfect!

I gasped and my eyes widen at the excruciating feeling that traveled my body. I look at my stomach with a heavy breath, and found a newly thrown knife there. Putangina, wala talagang pahinga ang isang 'yon.

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.

Napalunok ako at napatingin muli sa kinahulugan. His figure is there, staring and witnessing my fall. His dark gaze is all I can register as I fell in a pit of needles.

Or not.

Dahil, mamatay na lang ang lahat ng rogues dito, I will never back down until I'm on my last breath. I'd never give up and let the outcome define me. Kahit na 1% lang ang success ng survival rate ay ipu-push ko pa rin iyon.

And so, before my body hits the array of sharp needles, I was able to aim my dagger at a crack in the wall and chain myself next to it. 

"What the fuck." I let out a huge breath of relief and nervously chuckled.

Napakalapit ng mukha ko sa needle. Just a few centimeters na lang siguro ang pagitan nito. And a slight movement, especially downward, would result in my horrible death. At siguro ngang may galit sa'kin ang mundo, dahil ilang sandali lang ay narinig ko ang boses ni crimson guy, habang inaayos ko ang sarili sa chain.

"I can't believe your tenacity. Most people would accept their fates, you know?"

"Then it's a wrong fate because this can also be their fate, surviving, if they only tried."

He lets out a chuckle. "That's right. I'm so glad. You just make me hungrier."

"Dapak. Tao ako, bro, hindi pagkain."

"I see. Come up here, Feyre." his gaze darkens in hunger. "It's the last supper, so shall we enjoy it to our best?"

I'm not one for giving up, nor for running away from a fight. 

"My pleasure."

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-chapter end-

[NEXT CHAPTER PREVIEW]:

Irusu threw the chain at me, while simultaneously deflecting Leev's attacks. He's a great help. Really. Ngunit nang dumating si Sena at sinipa siya palayo ay kumapal ang hangin sa paligid. Standing in each corner of the triangle shape we created, nagkatinginan kaming tatlo bago sumugod sa isa't isa.

It's a three-way battle for the most annoying rogues.

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extra kasi lutang ako at no braincells na sa fight scenes:

When crimson guy was helping Feyre up (kasi nga maglalaro pa daw sila):

Feyre: Ano ba kasi pangalan mo?

Crimson Guy: Ha? Hindi mo pa rin alam?! It's not my job to tell you!

Feyre: So trabaho ko pa palang isearch ang kalahian mo?

Crimson Guy: How infuriating.

Feyre: Tangina, huwag mo akong dini-deep english, pwede.