“So… What do you think?” Travis asked.
The pieces of evidence are right in front of me, but I couldn’t even react or defend myself. The documents that they gathered are really pointing for me, and the only thing that can get me away from this allegation is about me being a new player.
To be honest, I don’t really know anything about this game. All I can feel is I am being framed-up.
DANIMA was based from Aristotle’s study, and it exhibits the theory where the soul is considered to manifest our ideal self. And as the top student of the College of Arts and Science, I became their only suspect to be the mastermind behind this devious game. Though the use of the soul in DANIMA is quite different from the main one, in this game, the soul is an ability that makes us extraordinary.
“But… I just learned—”
“But you know what, based on my researchers. Some guilds are pointing to Austin as the game master… Simply, because of the new event.” My brow automatically raised because of what he said.
Austin isn’t someone who was the wits when it comes to psychology nor programming. But if their only evidence against him is because of the upcoming event, it has so many holes.
Malanding tao si Austin pero masyadong obvious naman kung gagamitin n’ya ang DANIMA para makalandi s’ya. Siguro maniniwala akong s’ya ang tao sa likod nito kung may ‘Make-out with your partner’ na rule.
“Ang daming holes ‘di ba? At isa pa, parang hindi naman mag-aabala si Austin na gumawa ng laro para lang makalandi s’ya,” natatawang sabi n’ya. Bigla siyang bumunot ng isang papel mula sa envelope at pinakita iyon sa akin, “Look. This event was held months ago.”
I curiously looked at the photographs, “How did you get these?” I asked. The title of the event was ‘Dungeon of Drakona,’ but what amazed me was the luxurious event hall. The design was polished and detailed, as if it took a lot of time to finish it.
“Most of the pieces of evidence are pointing out the Zodiacs even the smallest details about DANIMA. Pero naisip ko rin na hindi pipilitin ni Hunter na gumawa ng guild at maglaro nito kung alam n’ya ang Phantasia. Hindi ko rin alam kung isa sa sa Zodiacs ang may pakana nito o may isang nag-feframe up sa inyong lahat.
“Someone who knows us…”
Parehas kaming nagkatinginan ni Travis, “Mr. Montano!” sabag naming sigaw.
“Pero… Does it actually make sense? Kahit anino n’ya ay hindi makita rito ngayon,” sambit ko. Parehas kaming napabuntong-hininga na lamang at muling tiningnan ang mga papel sa harap, “Do you even have any idea what Phantasia is?”
“Nope.”
“Tangina. Ba’t ka pa naglalaro nito?”
Travis shrugged, “Unraveling mysteries are always fun.”
What a stupid homo.
“Speaking of DANIMA. You told me that you went to the Regulus’ turf, right?” He asked, and I nodded, “The reason why I was making fun of you last time is that Hunter’s know that you’re not a part of any guild. Just freaking remember the rule, moron.”
I gasped after remembering that. I was not actually paying much attention when it comes to guilds. Para tuloy akong tinubuan ng hiya habang nakatingin kay Travis.
Pinagtitripan ako ng mga gago?
“Oh my…” I mumbled.
Travis laughed at me. He is the leader of the Shadow Crane, and right now, we are on their turf. Analyzing the pieces of evidence here is much safer, unlike what happened when he handed me the files.
Dito ko rin nalaman na player si Mr. Romualdez ng DANIMA, dahil isa s’ya sa mga player na under kay Travis.
Inabutan ako ni Travis ng pagkain dahil tanghalian na rin, parehas kaming nag-skip ng klase upang magkita. Kaya rin may excuse ako ay dahil kay Mr. Romualdez, alam n’ya kasi ang ginagawa namin ni Travis kaya s’ya ang gumawa ng excuse letter ko.
“Amethyst…” Travis whispered in a serious tone, “What will you do if Hunter finds out that you are Amethyst?”
I bitterly smiled. It’s been years since Hunter started to hunt down Amethyst, the one who protects him from the shadows simply because he doesn’t like to be treated as someone who needs help and as someone who can’t defend himself.
And after knowing that I am a player in DANIMA. He almost lost himself when he saw my codename, in which I should be thankful to Austin for defending me. They knew that Austin and I like ‘Amethyst,’ so he insisted that I was fangirling, and the system picked as my username.
“I will stop standing beside him and continue being his shadow.”
He warmly smiled at me and ruffles my hair, “Well, Shadow Crane will always welcome you. Think of this place as your haven.”
At isa pa, alam ko rin naman na dadating ang araw na malalaman n’ya kung sino ako.
But I know that he feel betrayed. I didn’t just hide my secret because I also lied to him.
“You know what… You are too perfect to be an average woman.” Travis looked at me as if he was assessing me whole, “You wouldn’t be a renowned assassin if you came from an average family.”
“Why are you so curious about me?”
“Because you are Scarlett Lexie Sphene… Sphene… Are you related to a certain zodiac?”
Hindi ko alam kung bakit natawa na lamang ako sa tanong n’ya.
“You have the surname of the infamous shadow assassin… Then, it means that you are related to—”
“Okay, time to shut up. May night classes ka pa,” seryosong sabi ko. Saglit n’ya akong pinagmasdan saka ngumisi sa akin.
“You shouldn’t underestimate the wits of a bishop.” I wryly smiled while looking at him. He will be doomed once he the truth about me, especially that he was only able to unfold not even half of it.
“Su… Malapit na mag-time,” taranta n’yang sambit. E, kanina ko pa s’ya sinasabihan na pumasok sa night class. Bakit parang kasalanan ko pa?
“Su?”
“Gusto mo ‘yong mahabang term? Sige, Sugat.” Natatawa ko s’yang sinapak sa may batok n’ya.
Nang lumabas kami sa kuta ng Shadow Crane ay hinatid n’ya muna ako sa Rook Department bago s’ya tuluyan na pumunta sa Bishop Department.
“See you later, Su.”
I heaved a sigh while browsing bits of information about Aristotle’s previous studies when suddenly someone knocked at the door.
“Just open it,” I mumbled.
And when I looked behind, it was Hunter together with his goofy smile. He went to my bed as I drifted my attention to the computer screen.
“Ang sipag naman,” Bulong n’ya. Saglit s’ya pang lumapit sa akin upang tingnan ang ginagawa hanggang sa bumalik siya sa kama upang tuluyan na humiga ro’n.
Lihim na lamang akong napangisi dahil akala n’ya ata ay nag-aaral ako. Well, in fact, I was looking for clues related to DANIMA.
“So, why are you here?” I asked.
“The event already started.”
“And?”
“You didn’t check your phone, do you?”
I shrugged my shoulder without looking at him, “Nope. It might be somewhere in my bag.” I pointed the bag under his feet.
Tumango sa akin si Hunter saka n’ya kinalkal ang bag ko upang hanapin ang cellphone ko ro’n. Nang mapansin kong napakatagal n’yang tinitigan ang screen ay napangiwi ako.
“1529,” pagsasabi ko ng passcode na agad n’yang na-gets.
Nang mabuksan n’ya iyon ay muli akong bumaling sa computer screen. Basta ang alam ko’y panay swipe siya sa cellphone ko tapos biglang ngingiting parang gago.
╔═════ஜ۩۞۩ஜ═════╗
𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸𝚛𝚠𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝙰𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚝𝚕𝚎𝚎𝚜 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝚙𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚜𝚒𝚊 𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙷𝚊𝚖𝚕𝚢𝚗 𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗. 𝙸𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚞𝚕𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚎 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗. 𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙰𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚔𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝙿𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚜𝚒𝚊, 𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚞𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚜 𝚙𝚘𝚎𝚝𝚜 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚞𝚜 𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚕 𝚍𝚛𝚞𝚍𝚐𝚎𝚜. 𝙷𝚎 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚜 𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚎, 𝚊𝚜 𝚞𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚋𝚢 𝙳𝚎𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚜, 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚝 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚞𝚝𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚊 𝚌𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚠𝚊𝚢.
╚═════ஜ۩۞۩ஜ═════╝
“Ability for at least part of the outside world…” How can these people play DANIMA without having a single about what Phantasia is?
But if achieving Phantasia means a world we wanted… How the hell will the game master will fulfill that world?
“Oh, fuck!” I heard Hunter cursed. I immediately closed the tab and went to him.
Nanginginig s’yang lumingon sa akin habang pulang-pula ang tainga na hindi ko naman naiwasan na hindi hawakan.
“Hoy! Ano ba!” Singhal n’ya.
Bigla n’ya akong tinalikuran dahilan upang matuon ang atensyon ko sa cellphone ko. Ilang beses akong napakurap , hindi ko alam kung edited ba ‘to o ano. Dahan-dahan kong minasahe ang sintido ko saka ko tinakpan ang aking mukha.
Tangina. Seryoso ba ‘to?
╔═════ஜ۩۞۩ஜ═════╗
𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐍𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓
ஜ۩۞۩ஜ
𝚂𝚕𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚗𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚢 𝚍𝚊𝚢𝚜.
ஜ۩۞۩ஜ
𝚁𝚎𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍: 𝟹𝟶,𝟶𝟶𝟶 𝚙𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝.
╚═════ஜ۩۞۩ஜ═════╝
Like, putangina. Si Austin ba talaga ang game master ng larong ‘to?!
“Hoy… Why the hell did you drag me in this fucking event?” I grimaced.
We can’t violate the rules or else the reward points will be deducted to our current points. Lalo na‘t 10,300 points lang ang meron ako, hindi ko alam kung anong mangyayari kapag naging negative pa ‘yon.
Tanginang buhay ‘to.
“This is freaking awkward,” Hunter mumbled.
Tangina. Hindi ako nakakatulog ng walang ilaw.
“You can’t sleep with lights on, right?” He asked, and I nodded, “Don’t worry. I won’t touch you.”
I heaved a sigh and turned my back on him. Hunter switched off the lights, and I focused on my phone. Nagtatakha kong tiningnan ang recently used apps at nakabukas ang Share It saka gallery ko.
Wait, nagbukas ba ako ng gallery kanina?
I yawned and put the phone on the side table. I unconsciously turned, and I was surprised when our faces were suddenly inches away from each other.
His tender eyes were looking at me thoroughly. I can’t even move nor speak, as if his eyes were powerful enough to stun me.
“Scarlett… What will you do if one of your friends is madly in love with you?” He asked. He was so serious and his eyes were sending an indescribable warmth, “Kunwari ako…”
That question took me back. I avoided his glance and turned my back on him.
“Then, I am warning you now. Do not fall in love with me because at the end of the day… You’ll only regret it.”
Especially that I am Amethyst, the shadow you hated the most.
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