Chapter 17 - Fighting For A Cause

"Raaah…" Jaspreth's battle cry slowly died on his lips as he and Zera watched the beast coming to its end, the health points flashing on the screen decreasing until it showed a lone number: 0.

There was deafening silence, both teams staring at the disappearing form of the big boss, its pixels vanishing into thin air before them instead of falling with a loud thud on the ground.

Jaspreth and Zera exchanged glances, immediately catching the smirk from the hammer guy whom Jaspreth had the chance to face off with from earlier standing a few feet away from where the big boss used to be, holding a cannon head in his hand, a small essence of white smoke still visible from it.

Zera wanted to scream at the guy that it was supposed to be their kill. However, she gradually accepted that the guy was a kill stealer. Those are the kind of players whom Zera hated.

But now that the big boss had disappeared, each player raised their weapons, aiming it towards the opponents of the other team. The still silence surrounded them while she and Jaspreth had stood back to back.

Nayowmi was pointing her rifle towards the cat girl. Beatrix had her guns readily aimed at the leader and the other girl while Astherielle had locked her gaze towards the boy who reminded Zera so much of Tarzan.

Nobody dared to move. Each waiting for anyone to begin. Zera could only imagine how things would play out before them.

None of them would win. But would anyone be willing to listen if she was to say what was on her mind?

A few minutes after nothing happened, Zera raised her hands, calling out a truce as she slowly sheathed her sword.

Jaspreth glanced her way, frowning.

"What are you doing?"

"Shh," Zera replied, her eyes wandering at each of those present around her. "Look, I know each of us wanted nothing but to get to the next level and in order for that to happen, we need to fight each other off." She pushed, catching the gaze of the guy in the camouflage outfit.

It only occurred to Zera that they were almost the same age, if she was only to base this on his physique. His eyes bore into Zera, a smirk on his lips, but he made no attempt to disrupt her speech.

"However, can't you see? I don't think any of us will win. To add, you have fewer health points than we do."

A chuckle came for the cat lady, instantly having Zera turn towards her. She held her bow and arrow in hand which was aimed towards Nayowmi, but her gaze was trained on Zera.

"If at least one player from our team survived, we can easily redeem our health points in the next levels."

Zara pinched the bridge of her nose.

"That's not my point." Zera narrowed her gaze at the cat lady. "The thing is, you'll leave this game and move on to the other level with a bare minimum of what you will gain by the added points in each category. How would you fare with the other team? They can be more ruthless than us." Zera blew out an exasperated sigh.

"I'm not saying this to you alone. I'm saying this for my team, too." Zera eyed her friends, even Nayowmi, who didn't seem to budge. She held Zera's gaze but she couldn't read any reaction from her, her rifle still readily aimed at the lady dressed in a cat costume.

"What then?" the familiar voice whom Zera remembered had barked out orders earlier turned her attention to the owner, the camouflage guy.

"What do you propose we do? Our only way out of this stage is to defeat you. And vice versa. Or are you proposing that we rig it?"

Cat lady scoffed.

"How do we even manage to do that? Hello? There was no instruction manual about this thing. If not for the money, I wouldn't even have tried this game out."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold up," Beatrix suddenly felt confused. "What money?"

The cat lady scoffed, rolling her eyes upon catching Beatrix's astounded expression.

"Didn't you all download the game and wanted to try it out for the hundred million credits reward when you and your team win?"

Zera exchanged glances with her friends. She tried to recall any part of the gameplay where it might have been written, but they missed it out for a reason.

However, she pulled nothing but a blank.

"No. We never saw such a thing." Zera contemplated, her mind working on something. She was trying to grasp this revelation.

Searching for an answer, her eyes landed on Nayowmi.

"Did you know about this?" Zera tried not to sound accusatory. She couldn't tell if this was a trick to get them to fight amongst each other and be taken down by the other team or if this was the truth.

If it was the truth, Zera could only draw one conclusion from it: they were dragged into the game for a reason.

Nayowmi held Zera's gaze once again, the small slit of her eyes not wavering. Zera waited for her response, the cold biting through her skin once more.

"Yes." The one worded reply had Zera clenching her hands into fists. She was mad and at the same time confused, not knowing what to make of what she had figured out.

The anger was burning inside her chest.

"That doesn't make sense." Jaspreth scratched the back of his head.

"The entire game doesn't make sense." Beatrix muttered.

Zera wanted to scream. She wanted to be mad at someone. But she didn't know who to let her anger out on.

Hence, she dropped her weapon on the snow, looking towards the skies, smirking despite the rage of emotions swirling inside her chest.

"Whoever you are," Zera seethed. "Whatever game you are playing, keep me and my friends out of it. We stop here." She narrowed her gaze, challenging anyone who was watching them.

Her anger was boiling within her. She had to clench and unclench her hands to keep herself calm. The unfairness of their situation clashed with her logic.

Jaspreth lay a hand on Zera's shoulder.

"Enough, Z. It won't do us any good." Zera glared at Jaspreth, sitting on the snow and folding her arms over her chest.

"Unless I get a response, I'm no longer taking part in this stupid game."