Rogue Wars Online

Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Word of Protection, A Promise of Death

-chapter twenty-nine-

FINN

"Don't you think we're going too fast?"

Hindi ko pinansin ang sinabi ni Oliver at mabilis na tumayo. He followed, patting the dirt off his pants and grinning. For some reason, naiinis ako sa mukha niya.

"I never imagined that I'd be stuck in this city with you." nakangisi niyang dagdag. "Paano kaya kapag nalaman ito ng pinsan ko?"

I looked at him upon hearing the word cousin. Naiwan ko nga pala si Caspian doon sa last city dahil sa biglaang pagdami ng tao. I hope they won't look for me and just advance. Even though we've spent a lot of time in the Magus City, we still have to live and survive individually.

Besides, kahit na sabay kaming pumasok dito, maghihiwalay din naman kami. I went in the portal with a bunch of people but I found myself alone in the maze.

The game must have been dividing players and teleporting them to random spots.

"Talaga bang hindi mo ko kakausapin sa buong pagstay natin dito?"

My thoughts were cut off by Oliver's voice. Taimtim ko siyang tinitigan. He's noisier than Caspian and teases much more than Kairo. Hindi na nawawala ang ngisi sa mukha niya at lagi na lang may hirit. I don't really mind his presence but I don't welcome it warmly too.

Bumuntong-hininga si Oliver at humalukipkip. He gave me a disappointed look.

"One day I'd get you to talk to me." he promised.

"Mm." tumango ako.

Umirap si Oliver at naunang maglakad. I followed him since this pathway only leads to one direction. My mind unconsciously drifted to the earlier events.

There were three pathways. It's not strange but it's suspicious. Suspicious dahil baka may parte doon na papunta sa city gate. Most mazes follow a one-way path that consists a lot of turns, or choosing between two paths. Whenever the pathways increases to three and five, one of them would lead closer to the exit.

Isa pa ang leon. There's something strange about it.

"Why didn't you fight it?"

I tilted my head at Oliver's question.

"'Yong leon." pagklaro niya. "Akala ko kakalabanin mo. You're one of the rare players who can keep up with Marcella, a lion's not that hard."

Pero hindi naman leon si Marcella.

"You too." sa halip na sagot ko.

Oliver glanced back. "Anong ako?"

"'Di mo nilabanan."

Oliver stopped walking and blinked at me. Dahil doon ay naabutan ko siya. Huminto din ako para hintayin ang sagot niya. Malaki ang posibilidad na si Oliver ang tumatakbong anino kanina. Seeing that the pathway in the middle has a dead end and there was no bodies and Oliver saved me, hindi naman siguro ibang tao 'yon.

"Pft." he chuckled. "Something just seemed strange about that lion."

"Mm."