- Three Orders -
According to Urek Mazino's sworn enemy, the data world was being erased quickly. If they wanted to survive, then they must enter the mirror and leave the place quickly.
Both Yura and Rachel listened to his words. And the moment Rachel entered the mirror, she would realize that her dream to be the person she was inside the Hidden Floor will be shattered into pieces.
And when she was back to the space where she first entered the Hidden Floor, the creature that has been protecting her for awhile, the Treasure- Eating Stingray, made its move.
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
"Always sad but with a smiling face. Sure. That's how you lived."
The words that the red sword with a yellow orb on it reminded Wangnan of reality and his pain.
"But at this rate, you'll end up losing more."
All the years climbing the tower, the higher he ascended, the more he felt burden in his chest. It was all because he was the only one who survived among his friends. His exceptional luck that allowed him to survive again and again slowly became a misfortune that tormented him.
"Let's make a deal. Promise me that you'll kill just one person I want. Then I'll give you the power to protect everything."
Who didn't want power in this tower?
"Even now, your companions and the people in this world are in danger of dying."
".... what?!"
Being strong was not an option, but it was a must. It was a must for someone to be well- versed in fighting and possess great power.
"The Hidden Floor is disappearing. In just a moment, this data world will turn into nothing. If they don't get out before then, your friends will all die."
Only then will they have the right to claim everything they wanted.
"Promise me that you'll kill 'just one person'. Then I will give you the power to protect everything. Take me."
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
His weapon was destroyed as it failed to wound the real Zahard. Zahard's data was still struggling to steal back the bracelet from the real him.
And as the real Zahard watched Bam slowly leaving the Hidden Floor, he couldn't help but to ask his data, "Why are you helping that boy? Tell me, my data."
"To help you start another adventure!"
"...adventure?"
"Yeah! When I first met my future self with the mirror, I was more flustered than happy. You become such a powerful and great king. That body overflowing with divine energy and eternal life. Eyes that penetrate through anything. You are unbelievably perfect being!" Zahard's data explained his answer. "But in spite of how flawless you seem, I sensed a small but massive feeling of anxiety inside you. Fearing something in spite of having grown so powerful. I couldn't believe it. So, I wanted to help you."
"That's why I changed this Hidden Floor and even helped you hid that bracelet! But not anymore! If you are really a king, you have to accept the challenge! Because that's who 'King Zahard' is! LOOK!"
With his arm that has been taken away by Bam, he tried to point at the boy with thorn.
"That boy is your new 'adventure'!"
"Adventure huh? That's right," Zahard acknowledged it, "Embarking on an eternal adventure... if that's my fate, then I have to accept it. However, since that day when I began to see all causes and effects from the same height as God, I found out how to play with fate. Cruel fate."
Zahard's data was lost for a moment. Playing with fate was not an easy matter or it was something that should be taken lightly. He was stunned.
"... you played around... with fate?"
"That's right. Being an immature form of data, you wouldn't be able to understand," Zahard said. "But now, I seek to put even fate under my control."
"What....?"
No matter how many times he heard about it, he was still dumbfounded.
"You don't know what 'that boy' is. Of course, I don't fully understand about it either. When you find out the truth, you may regret your actions today. But I also want to respect your choice," Zahard said. The bracelet floated next to him and added, "I'm taking this with me. If that boy is qualified to have this, he'll appear again in front of me someday."
That was his plan at first when something invisible suddenly appeared and snatched the bracelet before the king and his data.
Though it was invisible, there was no way Zahard wouldn't know what that bold thing was.
'The Treasure- Eating Stingray... Gustang!!'
As the Hidden Floor was going to be erased soon, being just a digital form, there was no way for Zahard to chase the creature. He was going to be erased soon just like everyone else. The second thorn created a portal for Bam and was pulling him from the Hidden Floor on its own accord.
As Zahard's data watched himself disappear, his final thought was a request for Bam.
'Go. Leave this place and meet the real me on the outside and ask him for me.'
A question that he would never be able to answer on his own.
'What made you all change like that?'
'What on earth... has really happened?'
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
How would you feel to know that your loved one lost her sight and refused to get herself healed?
He allowed her to get close with him. He allowed her to rest on his embrace.
His eyebrows couldn't stop frowning. His purple eyes couldn't look at anything else but her.
When she fell asleep and entrusted her life on his hands, he looked at her in sadness and worry.
"Is it really a blessing?" He asked to her despite knowing she wouldn't be able to answer it.
The Hidden Floor was fading. But not his sadness and guilt.
"Compared to a peaceful and quick death, would you actually be rather tormented like this?"
He knew what her answer would be. She would answer it with a "yes", saying the pain that she suffered was nothing compared to her happiness. He knew that if she was truly happy, since she considered him as her life- savior, then she genuinely felt happy to grow in this cursed tower.
But for him, whenever he saw her wounded, injured, broken... he could never actually think that it was a blessing.
"I pulled you into this mess, but I don't have any power to protect you," he said and embraced her tighter. "I cared for you, but I couldn't do anything to defend you."
"I'm really scared that one day I will lose you. I'm afraid that one day you'll leave me-- you'll leave us and follow my mother. You said that I've saved you, but after everything, who actually saves who? Who owes who? You really are making me... confused."
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Being a king respected by many, there were some people in the tower who regarded Zahard as their God.
And in the upper floors, there was an altar that Zahard used to convey his orders. This is the oldest among the altars which serve Lord Zahard.
A ranker who had just earned a job was excited to see the altar from close. He had golden hair that fades into blue with dark skin. His eyes were closed and painted with purple color with the shape similar with rhombus.
"This is the altar where Lord Zahard gives us his orders!"
"Yes, that's right. Lord Zahard is always in his place so he gives orders to lowly servants like us using altars. This is the oldest among the altars that serve Lord Zahard. You're now here working because your abilities have been recognized so consider this as a honor. You, Charlie, the ranker."
"Yes! Certainly! Vice Altar Director!" The ranker responded with excitement towards a man with dark brown hair, grey skin and green eyes. "But I've heard that Lord Zahard always give three orders together. Is there a particular reason for that?"
"Hm... I wouldn't dare to try to interpret Lord Zahard's will... but Lord Zahard always gives us three orders at once and if any one of them is carried out, the remaining orders will naturally disappear. I guess... you could say that Lord Zahard is giving us 'choices'. It feels like...
'This is what I want, but which will you choose among these three?'"
"That's so deep...! I want to see the orders being given too! I heard that there were no orders given for over centuries..."
The Vice Altar Director laughed seeing the newbie's excitement. Being a newbie he was, he didn't know how hard it was to fulfill even just an order from Zahard.
"No news is good news. If we were to get a difficult order to carry out, it would be..."
He hadn't finished speaking yet when the altar suddenly glowed.
To Charlie's luck, his wish has been granted.
On the red screen that was floating on the air, words began to appear.
"A... an order!" The Vice Altar Director was shocked.
"Vice Altar Director!" And unlike him, Charlie was overjoyed. "Isn't that the order from Lord Zahard?! WOW....!!!"
By order of the king,
Destroy or kill the following forces or people.
One,
F.U.G
Two,
Everyone currently riding the Hell Train
Three,
Poe Bidau Family.
The Vice Altar Director knew that they just need to fulfill one of their lord's wishes. But what should they do when all the three choices could lead into war?
'Oh crap....' He held his breath seeing the name Poe Bidau Family. 'It's a war!'
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
And the orders were soon delivered to the High Priest, Stuah Arthur, a man with light purple hair with a pair of blue eyes and dark skin with sharp pointy ears.
He bowed before the three orders with great and deep respect. And though he appeared to be calm and composed at the outside, he was very anxious knowing the content of the three orders.
"There could be major trouble if people find out the contents of this order from Lord Zahard!" The Vice Altar Director said in panic.
"Yes. There would certainly be a war," Stuah Arthur agreed. "The pretext of the first order is clear. But the organization known as FUG is like a religion. It's practically impossible to completely eliminate them.
As for the second order... it's actually least difficult... but the problem is we would violate the rules of tower and above all, it's hard to find the 'justification' for attacking regulars.
The third option is truly a nightmare since it would lead the tower into war and chaos.
Of course, our duty is to 'deliver' the orders and not 'interpret' them. It's up the 'military' and the 'administrative authorities' to decide which of the options in this order to lead history with. But even delivering the last order alone will bring tremendous chaos to the tower. Since there are several rankers from the Poe Bidau Family even among the administrative authorities and military.
If the contents of this order are delivered to the Poe Bidau Family, it could lead immediately to the outbreak of war."
"Then what should we do....?" The Vice Altar Director sighed.
"For now, we'll keep the orders classified and I'll only deliver it to limited amount of people who we can trust."
"WHAT?! But in principle, shouldn't we present it before the ministers?!"
"Well.... it looks like our new recruit... will have to be our sacrificial lamb."
At the same time as the two of them were discussing, the new recruit, Charlie, was cheering. He thought that it would be boring working on the altar, but when he knew that the three orders were given, he knew that things would be thrilling. He would never expect that the moment the three orders were given, things will go south for him.
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
"Is this the train...?" Yura asked after they escaped from the Hidden Floor. "Did we escape...? But why did we end up in a completely different place?"
"I'm not sure..." the orange- haired traveler answered. "It's possible that this may be due to a different power from the mirror."
"A different power?" Yura Ha wondered about it. "Who on earth could have such a power?"
"I don't know....."
"AAHHH!!!" Rachel screamed hysterically as she looked at her own reflection on the lighthouse. "NO!!!!"
She continuously scratched her face in rage and shock seeing how she had turned to her old body.
"My face... my body... they're back to normal....! NO! DAMN IT! THIS CAN'T BE! NOOOOOO!!!!!"
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Wangnan returned to the train where there were Yuri and Karaka as well as Nathan. And he was not the only one there. Bam was also lying on the floor unconsciously.
When Karaka attempted to attack them, the orb on the red sword Wangnan was holding glowed. The sword that he brought back from the Hidden Floor emitted shining yellow light and after that, he and Karaka vanished from the spot.
Both Yuri and Nathan were surprised. But putting that aside, they needed to check on Bam who seemed to be in severe wounds. They ran towards him and Yuri put her palm on his forehead. It took her a moment before her face changed into relieve as she raised her head and said, "He's still breathing."
"Really?!" Nathan asked in excitement.
Yuri nodded her head in confirmation.
With shinsu, she made Bam stayed afloat as she and Nathan went to find for the others. And to their luck, they found the remaining regulars quickly except for Wangnan, and they received bad news.
"BLUE TURTLE! DAMN IT! WAKE UP, TURTLE!"
One of the reasons why they could find them quickly was because Rak's loud shouts and screams. His voice was echoing inside the quiet and silent train but no one could blame him. No one could blame him when he did that out of worry for a friend.
"HE'S NOT BREATHING....!"
Nathan and Yuri who were just about to greet the regulars with wide smiles on their faces froze on their spots for a moment. They could see from their distances the tears on the regulars' eyes and hear them sniffling and sobbing.
"Could it... really be...? ARE YOU REALLY DEAD?!"
Estelle pulled the sobbing Estrella into a hug while Celeste desperately tried to use her blue butterflies.
"It should work... it must work..." she muttered under her breath. "I trained these butterflies for ages... so why won't it work?"
Altaira put his hand on her shoulder. Aside from Raisin, he was another person to not shed a tear or to sob. But he couldn't smile like the other days. His face was solemn and serious as he looked at his half- brother. With a calm tone, he said to Celeste, "You've done enough. You need to stop now."
Celeste turned around and looked at him. Tears continuously to drop from her eyes as she asked him back, "If it's enough, then why he isn't awake yet? Isn't it because of his injury that he couldn't wake up? I... I tried to heal him... so why won't he wake up?"
Altaira couldn't bear it to see her cry. He knew that she had been trying her best, but Khun wasn't just injured. He had fall into coma. And Celeste's power hasn't reached the level where she could wake up someone who was in coma.
'After this, it's 50-50.'
If things go in the same way with the original plot, then he would be frozen in an ice coffin. If not, then his journey would just end there.
Altaira was aware of that, but knowing that there was a chance for things to be different from the original plot, he couldn't say a word about it. He could only pull Celeste into a hug to give her some comfort.
"It's not your fault," he said.
He knew that everyone there wasn't responsible for his death, because there was someone else responsible for it.
"If there is someone who we should blame, then it should be that bi--"
"CELESTE!!"
His words were interrupted by Noah's scream. They immediately raised their heads and looked at Noah who came from opposite directions while carrying Charlotte. His face was filled with anxiety and panic and the closer he ran, the more they could see clearly Charlotte's condition.
Altaira's heart skipped a beat. He was stunned.
"Xi......"
The one who he had always considered as his hope, another purpose for him to climb the tower, a chance to redeem his mistakes and to be a better person to prevent Anan's incident, the person who he thought as his sibling in this tower.... that person was now fatally wounded.
Noah brought Charlotte to Celeste who sat down to see her condition.
"Brother...."
For years, she had never seen her brother with a very desperate expression.
"FEMALE BLACK TURTLE!"
"PLEASE....!" He held her wrist. "YOU HAVE TO HEAL HER!"
Celeste nodded her head. Wiping tears from the corner of her eyes, she tried to use her blue butterflies again.
"Starting from her eyes...!" Noah said. Celeste didn't understand it at first until she tried to heal Charlotte's eyes like what her brother asked.
And it was then she realize what her brother meant.
"Her eyes..." Her body was shaking in disbelief.
"What's wrong with her eyes?" Altaira asked immediately and Celeste looked at him with fear and sadness.
As if losing one person wasn't enough, now her best friend lost her sight.
"...... she could no longer see."