-chapter forty-two-
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"Who are you?"
WELL, THIS is awkward...
Biting my lower lip, I looked at Cord and Aisling. They kept on glancing at me making Hiraeth do the same.
"Uh..." he tilted his head and I don't know what to say! "They- uh, they're..."
"Do you know them, elf?"
Tatango ba ako o iiling? I mean, kilala ko naman sila pero hindi din.
"We-" nagsalita si Cord. "We just met. Naliligaw kasi kami sa loob ng dungeon at mabuti ay nakita namin siya."
Tumango si Hiraeth. "I see. Why do you have to be so strange about it?" tanong niya sa'kin.
Pinaypayan ko ang sarili. "Nah. I'm just tired from fighting, I guess."
Hindi na siya sumagot at pumunta kay Keiko. Hindi niya din pinansin pa ang dalawa na panay ang titig sa kaniya. I gave them a warning glance and they frowned at me.
"Don't stare at him too much or he'll notice," bulong ko habang busy pa si Hiraeth kay Keiko at Aslan. "Hindi niyo ba siya madalas nakikita?"
"We're almost forbidden from meeting him, you know~" sagot ni Ais.
"Forbidden?" grabe naman. "Bakit?"
"Because he usually hides himself and father teleports us away when we meet him."
Tumango-tango ako. That must be hard for him, to see his younger brother asleep in the real world and to be forbidden from seeing him in this world.
"Elf," tawag ni Hiraeth. "Are you going to go back to you friends?"
Tumango ako. "I want to look for them. But... I think going to the questpoint will be better. Siguradong doon sila tutuloy."
"Questpoint? The Lunaria Quest?" Ais asked. Tumango ako bilang sagot.
"So... you're here to save Mizuki," parang nakahinga ng maluwag si Cord. "I'm glad. I can show you the way. I know the dungeon pretty well."
"I thought he got lost?" kunot-noong tanong ni Hiraeth.
Sa gilid ng mata ko ay nakita ko ang paghampas ni Ais kay Cord at peke itong tumawa. "Of course~! We... got lost! Hindi namin alam kung ano ang daan palabas lalo na't nagshift ang dungeon, you know~?"
Isa pa 'yang pagalaw-galaw ng pader. Nagsimula kaming maglakad, tinungo namin ang direksiyon kung saan lumabas ang dalawa kanina.
"Bakit nga pala nags-shift ang dungeon? Kaya ba mataas ang difficulty level nito dahil doon?"
Ais nodded. "Kind of like that~ The dungeons sees the potential in each players and if you're a threat for them, they will separate you from the group."
"Gano'n ba..."
"Monsters will then sorround the players who were separated and make the remaining ones lose their path. This is one of the hardest quest in the game~ This dungeon works like a maze with monsters appearing at each shift. While the quest is at it's heart."
"So, nasa gitna ng dungeon na ito si Mizuki?"
"She's in the heart," sagot ni Cord. "It may be on the center or not. Walang nakakaalam kung saan ang sentro. But it should always be the way where you are blocked from."
"The way that I am blocked from?"
"Ang daanan kung saan ka laging nililigaw. The dungeon may look complicated but it moves pretty simple. It diverts you from the right path and leads you to the wrong one, that means that you should always choose-"
"Left?" ako lang ang tumawa sa sarili kong joke kaya natahimik ako.
"The path the dungeons say is wrong."
Napabuntong-hininga ako. Siguro malalaman na ito nina Hex o Voldmir, pero paano kaya kapag nailayo din si Feyre ng dungeon? Ano na lang kaya ang mangyayari sa babaeng 'yon? She may be good at directions and staying hidden, pero hindi iyon nakinig kanina sa amin. Kaya siguradong hindi no'n alam kung saan ang pupuntahan.
"Like this one," itinuro ni Cord ang isang pader. "This was a passageway a while ago but now it's blocked by a wall."
"So dito tayo dadaan?" tanong ko.
Umiling siya at itinuro ang isa pang daanan. "It was blocking this corridor because this leads to Mizuki."
"Gano'n ba- ah!" napasigaw ako sa gulat nang biglang mawala ang sahig na inaapakan ko at mahulog ako.
"Solace!" narinig kong sigaw nila pero agad na nagsara ulit ang sahig na gawa sa bato.
Oh come on! Bakit ba palagi na lang ako ang nalalayo o nahuhulog? Hindi ba pwedeng ibang tao naman? Dahan-dahan akong tumayo at pinagpagan ang likod. The moment I stood up, I noticed several dangerous presence. All around me.
Inilibot ko ang paningin sa paligid. Familiar lady demons sorrounded me, with small horns on their heads and a tail with a heart in the end. They were wearing small pieces of clothing. At lahat sila ay masasama ang tingin sa'kin. Maliban na lang sa taong nakita ko pagkaharap na nagpasigaw sa'kin.
"Shh!" pagpapatahimik ni Irusu.
"A-Anong... Bakit ka nandito?!"
"Because I'm part of your party."
"Hindi! I mean, paano ka nakadating dito?! At ikaw lang mag-isa? Nasaan si Iv?!"
"We got separated. And I'm not alone, I was with him," itinuro niya si Filter na mukhang lasing ang itsura. "But he's now under the succubus' spell. River is still with the group, I think."
Napatingin ako sa mga succubus na nakatayo lang at nakatingin sa'min. Well, they were glaring at me. "Bakit hindi ka naapektuhan?"
"Well, I'm sure you know that they can only affect men who desire girls."
"Ohh. Right," we gave each other a knowing look. "Mad River is not a good sight."
"Never." sang-ayon niya.
"So, what are we gonna do now? Hindi ba talaga sila aatake?"
Gagalaw sana ako nang pigilan niya. "If you take a step, they'll attack you. You're a female in their territory. We need to find a way to stop Filter's hormones."
"I believe I can fight back against them."
"Paano kapag ginamit nila si Filter?"
Nagkibit-balikat ako. "Would Astro be angry at me for saving the both of us?"
His lips twitched up. "I think we can live with that."
So I moved.
The succubus screeched when they saw me take a step. Kaagad silang tumakbo papunta sa'kin para umatake. Their pretty hands immediately formed into sharp claws and their seductive faces crumpling into ugly anger. They kicked and clawed on me who just used my sword to deflect their damages. However, I still seem to bleed even by my strong defense. And they're not even that faze by my sword!
"What are these guys?!" pasigaw na tanong ko kay Irusu.
"Succubus are high-level demons! Isa sila sa mga mahihirap patayin dito sa game. If you're a man, they'll seduce you and trap you in dreams. If you're a woman, be ready for their anger and jealousy!"
"Paano kapag hayop ka?!"
"Bakit hybrid ka ba?!" hindi pa rin siya gumagalaw sa kinatatayuan. "O may pet ka? I don't know what they do but wouldn't they kill it?"
"Better to have someone than nothing at all!"
I was about to let Aslan out when one of the succubus instantly appeared beside me and clawed her nails into my face. I was too slow to defend her attack kaya nakuha ko ang damage doon. The force sent me flying into the wall. Napadaing ako ng malakas nang tumama ang likod ko sa matigas na pader. Ginamit ko ang espada bilang suporta para hindi ako matumba ng tuluyan.
"Why did you enter our territory, human girl?" wika ng isa sa kanila na lumapit papunta sa'kin. "You know, we detest your kind."
Sorry, hindi ko alam.
"I just fell down here." sagot ko.
"Especially beautiful white elfs like you. You are the kind we hate the most," patuloy niya.
Talagang totoo ang kasabihang beauty is both a blessing and a curse.
Sinubukan kong tumayo ng tuwid ngunit nabigo lamang ako. Naramdaman ko ang panghihina sa katawan. It feels like all my energy and power was drained although my HP and MP are still above half.
"I feel so weak, Irusu. Bakit?"
"That might be the demon's skill, Bleed. When you were clawed by the larger succubus, the blood-drain or energy-drain began."
"Hindi ka ba talaga gagalaw diyan?" he was in the same position like before. "I appreciate help, you know. O isusumbong ko 'to kay River?"
"I can't move. They used their skill, Frozen, on me and only-"
"True love can thaw a frozen heart?"
Sinamaan niya ako ng tingin. "Only their death will set me free."
"So you're saying I'm fighting all these high-level demons... alone?" tiningnan ko ang mga succubus na masama pa rin ang tingin sa'kin.
"Precisely. Good luck."
I stumbled when I straightened myself up. Now, how am I going to defeat these twelve succubus when I can't even stand up straight?
Humigpit ang hawak ko sa espada. At parang nalaman nito ang kinalalagyan ko dahil bigla itong umilaw. Just then, golden flames started to sorround the blade and the air was filled by an exhalarating amount of power. Napatingin ang mga succubus sa espada.
"A familiar piece of equipment. And that light only means one thing," she looked even angrier. "You are one of the warriors of the light! You deserve to die!"
Kaagad niya akong inatake. Because of the weakness that won over my body, I couldn't defend myself against her. Sumigaw ako mula sa sakit nang ihagis niya ako sa kabilang sulok ng kwarto. Everything blurred and I became dizzy when my head banged on the wall. Napaupo ako sa sahig at napaubo ng dugo.
"You feel strong, human girl. But we are still stronger than you are," lumapit siya sa'kin. "So it's time for you to meet Death."
Her clawed hands was raised before she fully bring them down into my face. Napapikit ako at napatagilid ng mukha nang makita iyon. Ngunit ilang minuto na ang nakalipas at wala akong naramdamang sakit. I slowly opened my eyes to look at what happened. Nakita ko siyang nagulat din. Her clawed hands stabbed the wall just a meter beside my head.
Binawi niya iyon at paulit-ulit akong pinaulanan ng saksak. At palagi ko namang iniiwas ang mukha kapag nakikita iyon. Her voice curled in anger when she failed countless times. And I swear I could cry out of happiness because I always seem to avoid her every attack.
I'm so happy I'm quite lucky.
While busy avoiding her attacks, pinalandas ko ang kamay sa lupa, hinahanap kung nasaan banda ang espada. It seemed like she didn't notice what I was doing because she was so hellbent in stabbing my face. Nabuhayan ang puso ko ng maramdaman ang dulo ng espada. I stretched out my fingers to reach it and have it in my hold. Kagat ang labi ay medyo nagpadausdos ako para mas mahawakan ang hilt ng sword.
She stopped when she noticed the struggle in my face. Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa. Her eyes were burning in anger and an emotion I can't name. Her clawed hands stayed beside my face, the sides of my ears silently bleeding because it was hit. At unti-unting bumaba ang tingin niya papunta sa kamay ko kung nasaan hawak na ang espada. But before she could see what I did, I slashed my sword on her neck making her head roll on the ground.
Which immediately got the attention of her sisters because they attacked me.
They kicked and clawed with so much force while I used my remaining strength on the power of the sword. Pinaubaya ko ang sarili dito at nakita ko na lang ang sarili kong maayos na nakikipaglaban sa mga succubus. They screeched and cried angrily when one of their sisters dies and I continued to stab them or slash their heads off.
Yumuko ako at umikot para mahati ang katawan ng dalawang succubus na nasa gilid ko. Then I felt somethimg behind me. Pinakiramdaman ko lamang ito. It felt faint but the smell of blood and lust is so strong that I knew it was one of them. It was walking slowly at firsg before it's speed multiplied and it lunge itself at me. Mabilis kong pinalipad ang espada patalikod at ang sunod kong narinig ay ang daing niya at ang pagkahulog ng katawan niya sa lupa.
The power, strength and energy instantly left me. Humihingal akong kumapit sa hilt ng espada para suportahan ang sarili. I looked at Irusu who stumbled when the spell vanished. Kaagad siyang pumunta sa'kin.
"Ri will kill me once he sees you in this state," he murmured and got me some potion.
Hinayaan ko ang sariling mahulog paupo sa ngayong sira nang sahig. I took the potion from his hold and gulped the vial down. Naramdaman ko ang pagkabalik ng enerhiya ko.
"He won't kill you. He'll probably kill Filter." komento ko.
"Oh, that's right." kapagkuwan ay tumingin siya sa kinaroroonan ni Filter. "Dude, you alright there?"
Narinig ko ang tunog ng footsteps ni Filter. He stopped behind Irusu and gave me a confused look. Napapatingin din siya sa paligid. The floor and walls were destroyed and there were heads rolling around. Mukhang hindi pa nawala ang mga katawan ng ibang succubus.
"What happened?" tanong niya. "Why is the slayer here?"
"You happened," sagot sa kaniya ni Irusu. "And she saved us."
"Huh? Bakit? All I know was that I'm in a really good dream featuring my celebrity crush and me-" nanlaki ang mata niya nang unti-unting marealize kung anong nangayari. "DAMN IT!"
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-chapter end-
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1. Make a legacy with the Oddcredibles.
2. Save Hiraeth? By killing the king? Because I wield the sword? That can kill him? What?
3. Complete the Quest for the Shrine Maiden.
4. Find my way back to my teammates!
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