Welcome, Player: Grand Quest

Chapter 110: Heart that is Never Lost

-chapter one-hundred-ten-
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SOLACE

"I... have to kill the king."

I SWUNG my blade straight into the man's throat. Isang asul na shield ang bumuo sa pagitan ng leeg niya at espada ko. He doesn't dodge away but steps closer to me, holding my face close to his.

Natigilan ako. Anong ginagawa niya?

"Solace."

Kumunot ang noo ko. Is he calling my name?

I tried to struggle but his grip is tight. Pinilit ko siyang sipain at hampasin. I raised my sword to slash him again, but the blue shield began to appear and it only minorly damaged his right hand. What the hell is he doing? Bakit niya ako hinahawakan? Shouldn't he try and kill me?

"He's trying to weaken you." bulong ng gubat. "Kill him right now!"

The blade's flame glows again. Ngunit, imbes na lumayo sa'kin ay mas lalo niyang hinigpitan ang paghawak sa pisngi ko. It's not enough to hurt, just enough to make me a bit distracted.

"Elf." may tigas sa boses niya.

Tumigil ako sa paggalaw at tinitigan ang mata niya. His charcoal eyes looks so unfamiliarly familiar. Hindi ko maipaliwanag ang nararamdaman. It's troubling.

"Snap out of it. Someone or something is controlling you. I'm not the king, I'm Hiraeth."

"Hi... raeth?" I whispered.

The man- Hiraeth smiles. "Yes. Hiraeth. I'm Hiraeth, elf."

Mabilis ko siyang itinulak palayo. The flames dies down at ibinalik ko ang espada sa scabbard. My face is ridiculously hot. Was the weather really this bad?

Napatingin ako sa paligid. Ang higanteng puno ay nahati na sa dalawa. Gano'n din ang ibang puno at tanim sa paligid namin. Either they were burned or cut in half.

My eyes finally landed on Hiraeth who's busy treating his right hand. Medyo dumudugo na ito.

"Anong nangyari dito?" tanong ko.

"You went to kill Hiraeth."

Napabaling ako sa kakaibang boses na sumagot. Hiraeth is still standing there at kami lang namang dalawa dito. Although, his eyes are not their usual black anymore, there are hints of gold in his orbs.

"Arthur?"

Pumalakpak siya. "Good job, slayer. Anyway, you went rogue and decided to kill Hiraeth. I thought it'll be entertaining, you know? But it ended so fast." ngumuso siya. "Ito lang ang natamo niya sa'yo."

Nanlaki ang mata ko nang makitang itinaas niya ang sugatang kamay nito. Ako ang gumawa niyan? I tried to kill Hiraeth? Why- Why would I?

"Elf." nabalik ako sa katinuan nang bumalik ang boses ni Hiraeth. "It's not your fault. The forest feeds on a player's desires. That's why you need a clear heart to accomplish this."

"Paano mo nalaman ang tungkol diyan? Bumalik na ba ang ala-ala mo?"

Hiraeth tilts his head. "What do you mean? I've never lost them in the first place."

Napa-awang ang labi ko. Kung gano'n ba, alam niya rin na magkababata kami noon? Like what River said that I usually stay at theirs to play with him?

"Pero 'di ba hindi mo natandaan na hindi ito ang mundo mo?" tanong ko.

"Yes. My memories were buried, elf, not lost."

Umupo siya sa damuhan. Keiko comes out to help him heal his wound. I offered him an HP potion dahil player din naman siya dito. I sat beside him and watched my hands.