It's been almost two months since the players of The World watched one hell of an incredible match at the arena, where as the reigning Emperors defended their title and after all that action they've seen, the Emperor Haseo even treated them to a drama scene and left the audience mixed perceptions about him.
It all started after their match, the announcer was still shouting his praises, Haseo, Endrance and Atoli were still in the ring awaiting for the announcement of their next battle and who challenged them. Atoli wanted nothing more than to log out because of the tough opponent they had faced she exhausted herself while casting healing magic over and over again, Haseo wasn't faring very well either he was barely standing and was already staggering, Endrance was drained as well, actually he was completely drained but his noble nature kept him standing not showing any signs of pain and exhaustion. In all truth it was Endrance who was in the worst shape from the three of them, as because of his newly found chivalrous side he took the hits that Atoli would've been receiving and because of his blind devotion to Haseo he shielded his beloved from whatever that was thrown at him.
Atoli saw how shakey the blade brandier's legs were and was amazed at how much endurance for pain does Endrance has, she knows that in his earlier days, Endrance would leave immediately after his match not caring to hear them shout and praise him for victory but she smiled when she realized what was keeping him from logging out. It was because of Haseo. She knows that Endrance wouldn't leave without confirming that Haseo was okay, they've got such an amazing friend, she thought and she beamed a happy smile when she saw Endrance looking at her, she nodded signaling that she was okay. He then turned to Haseo and walked towards the former PKK.
His brows knotted in concern as he noticed the slouch his beloved was sporting, "Ha-"
"What?" Haseo snapped at Endrance without even hearing the last syllables of his name.
Endrance tried to ignore the pain that was throbbing in his chest, after all it wasn't new to him. It wasn't from the battle they just had now, it was something recurring so he paid no mind to it. "Haseo… I was just wondering… are you… okay?" his voice dripped of concern and worry over his beloved Haseo's condition.
"I am!" Haseo was in a foul mood but because he always dealt with Endrance with repulsion the latter thought it was the usual thing though the pain on his heart increased.
The announcer had finally mentioned their next fight and congratulated them on their win, it was time for them to make an exit and out of the arena, all three of them walked slowly to the platform. Suddenly, Haseo's legs lost their stamina and he braced himself to feel his hard hit on the arena floor but he fell towards nothing however, he felt pressure on both his arms trying to steady him.
Endrance saw Haseo's legs quiver and rushed to prevent him from falling, "Haseo… let me… help you…" Hearing that calm voice Haseo squirmed and flailed his arms to escape the other's grasp, he succeeded and he landed sitting down on the floor. Endrance held out his hand and offered to pull him up but the hand that he graciously offered was swatted away as if it was a nuisance.
"Don't touch me!" he shouted and glared at the blade brandier, all of a sudden the arena went quiet the audience who were getting out of the bleachers halted and the cheering fans suddenly stopped upon hearing the former PKK's loud angry voice.
"Haseo, Endrance was only trying to help you!" Atoli reprimanded him.
"I don't need his help!" Haseo staggered to stand, Endrance stepped forward to lever him up but he was met with a hard slap on his face that swung his whole body to the side, the crowd gasped, "I said 'Don't touch me!'"
Atoli quickly went to her friend's side and eyed Haseo with question, "Haseo? What's the matter with you? He was only trying to help you up!"
"It's fine Atoli… Haseo did tell me… not to touch him…" he said passively even though he was defending Haseo, "I'm… sorry, Haseo."
"E-Endrance, you're not at fault!" Atoli said.
Haseo snorted, "Not his fault? We could've lost the entire match because of him!" Atoli snapped her head to look at Haseo, "What the hell were you trying to pull earlier?"
"Haseo!" Atoli hoped to silence Haseo but his tongue lashing kept on and on.
"You were running around like a monkey and just when I had an opening you try to be a hero and block my view then attack!" Haseo looked down at Endrance like rubbish, "You've been getting in our way, Endrance! We were just lucky that Atoli managed to knock out their healer otherwise we won't be here!"
Endrance straightened himself and Atoli supported him up, "I'm… sorry, Haseo…" his voice was full of regret and sorrow was evident, "I won't… get in your way… next time…" the blade brandier eyed him with hopeful eyes.
Haseo began to laugh everyone in the arena started to think that the Emperor has lost his mind he stopped all of a sudden, "Next time you say?" he chuckled, "There simply won't be a next time! You're such an annoyance Endrance, even though I say 'No!' you kept going at it! It's so annoying and irritating and I know that even if you promise me right now that you won't hog all the glory you won't stop because that's your nature! You'll remain a nuisance on the battlefield no matter what!" everyone thought he was done but he continued, "You're useless! You're just holding us back! I wish I didn't took Alkaid's advice before and just left you in Indeiglut Lugh, I was wrong in saying all those words to you! You really are worthless like you thought you were!" he then stood cocking his head to the side with one hand on his hip, "In fact right now, you're just a waste of CG animation. I don't even want to see you!"
Haseo was seething and Atoli doesn't know where all the former PKK's anger was coming from. All she could recall were the times that Endrance would silently stand by him, fight for him with a single command and utter his undying love and devotion to Haseo but other than those Endrance made no such move to anger Haseo to receive such spiteful words. She then saw Endrance's player lower his head as if in resignation, her heart was churning at the sight.
Endrance's player's throat suddenly dried, Kaoru Ichinose the player behind Endrance had his revolved around his love and admiration over Haseo and Haseo's player, whoever he was and hearing those words from the voice that brought him so much happiness hurt him so much it was difficult to breathe. The words that got through was a breathy, "I have been… a nuisance… to you?" Haseo was about to reply but his mouth suddenly shut itself when Endrance breathed out loudly as if he was having a hard time breathing, "I… really am… worthless, aren't I?" he breathed out those words as if he was dying and to Atoli inside he really was, "All I wanted… was… to be beside you… I never knew that… I was becoming a burden… in my mind I thought… I was helping you to succeed…" he looked up at Haseo which taken the latter aback, Endrance was smiling sadly with tears streaming down his beautiful face, Atoli feels that the player behind the character was crying as well.
"My only wish… was to remove… all the thorns from your sight… I thought… I had… but I didn't notice… one that has been… an eyesore…" he wove his arms around himself his old habit that he seemed to have forgotten surfaced back unconsciously, "I will… remove this last thorn… you won't even see… this thorn's name…" and with that blue light circled around Endrance's character and he disappeared but his face was etched in all that has witnessed his demise and humiliation. As soon as he disappeared the crowd emitted a buzzing sound, Atoli was crying out of anger and fear, anger at Haseo's harsh words and fear for what Endrance may do to himself, unable to contain herself without breaking down she ran to the platform and exited the arena, she just brushed past Haseo who was rooted to where he was standing on with an unreadable expression on his face.
It has been two months since Kaoru logged on to play 'The World' he was still hesitant and was rather shakey when he punched in his username and password, he was prompted to his inbox where he was flooded with messages, somewhere saying he was deeply missed and some were offering him advice on how to forget 'him', he still couldn't manage to say his name even in his thoughts, especially in his thoughts. He scrolled down and saw Gaspard, Atoli and some others he came to know as his friends had sent him a message some were short and some were long like a short novel but the whole highlight was their same question, 'Why did you delete yourself in our friend's list?'
The answer was easy, they became his friends only because they were always with 'him' and that meant he'll only be seen by 'him' if he continued to become visible in 'his' circle of friends. They were 'his' friends first, he was just the leech that clung too much and that they just grew on him. He was the one who silently insisted on being in good terms and being friends with them. Kaoru smiled, he hoped he doesn't see any of them. He would just be tempted to cling again to a person who doesn't want him around. He closed his inbox without replying to any of the e-mails then went to log in the main game. Since he retired from his old guild he came out in Mac Anu to which he was immediately surrounded by the players who recognized him. Each tried to get closer to him and tried to converse with him, it seems that the event two months ago was still a hot topic.
Luckily, a big player with a shining almost blinding gold armor came out of the portal and knocked down some of the players' giving Endrance a chance to escape. He ran fast to the old black market and hid himself for the time being, it was near midnight in the real world and hopefully by the strike of twelve there'd only be few players, it was after all a school night. He told himself that it was for that reason he chose to play today but the truth was that Kaoru remembered 'his' player was still in school so there was a chance 'he' won't be around.
Endrance then wrapped his arms protectively around himself looking as if he was cold, he bit his lip and waited patiently. A few minutes passed and he peered out on Mac Anu's streets it was empty, he sighed then walked out aiming to return to the portal and warp to Indeiglut Lugh, suddenly he heard a child's giggle from behind. He decided to ignore it and continued to walk, the child giggled again and he finally faced the player's character to dismiss whoever it was but upon seeing the short character's smiling face all his previous plans flew out the window, "Zelkova…"