A/N: It's been a long time since I've updated my stories. I've been busy with Real Life and DeviantART. Not to mention I had some Fanfic creep stalking and insulting me through Guest Reviews. I hate it when that happens.
Lightning is doing her best to survive the bloodbath battlefields of floor 25. About more than half the players have fallen, which can only mean things are going to get intense. It already has for the Solder Player, when she soon realizes an old enemy is on this battlefield with her.
AUGUST 28TH, 2023. FLOOR 25, BATTLEGROUND.
Red-Eyed Xaxa of Laughing Coffin. It's no surprise a Swordsman of Aincrad's most evil Red Guild's is here. But I wish they weren't here. Just the thought of Laughing Coffin being here, a place where Player Killing is allowed, an insane dream to their evil wicked minds.
I watch them from above, prepared to quickly return to full hiding. And my hand on the hilt of my Gunblade ready to strike if necessary.
Before that happens, I focus my vision on them. The three players are under around 35% to 60% HP. And when I look at Xaxa, he's nearly at 100%. I'm surprised. It's like he's done nothing but sit back and watch the bloodshed happen. Then finish off the survivors.
"What's our next move?" One of the players asks.
Another player speaks before Xaxa answers. "I hear that solo player, Lightning, is here."
Xaxa lights up hearing the name and smirks. "Ah, so the traitor is here."
The word traitor has my body burning up. I may have joined the guild, but I was never one of them. Calling me a 'traitor' just feels wrong.
"I just can't wait until I get my hands on her. I'm gonna enjoy every minute of ending every single point of her HP." Xaxa says.
"So, how do we find her, boss?" The first player asks.
"We have 5 remaining targets in this arena. It won't be long before this floor's environment forces them out of hiding. And then we'll snuff them out! If we find the traitor, keep her alive...for now." Xaxa raises his sword, looking to the skies as he smirks evilly. "It's Showtime!"
Xaxa and his minions start heading out.
I watch the team until they're out of sight. Once they're gone, I return to laying back on the hiding spot.
Red-Eyed Xaxa. Of all players who had to be here, it had to be him. Xaxa is one of the three most threatening members of Laughing Coffin. The other one was that manic Johnny Black, but I killed him on my last encounter with the murder guild.
When I first came to this arena, I didn't want to take any lives. I didn't want Kayaba to force me into his game of death. But now it's clear he has other people into doing it. Laughing Coffin is feeling the joy of taking advantage of this battlefield to murder legally.
Trapped in this game or living in the real world, I am still a Guardian Corps soldier.
I will end Xaxa's evil reign in this arena.
I must have fallen asleep. The next thing I knew, it's morning. And I wake up to a sudden feeling of rising heat. I thought the heat was just the boiling hotness of the sun, but when I open my eyes, I see it's only partly cloudy. And then I see fog.
...No. Not fog. I smell the air. It's smoke...Then I hear it: Crackling Flames.
My instincts kick in and I'm on high alert as I see a horrifying sight: A forest fire.
I jump right off to escape, but then I realized I'm still attached to the tree. Not to mention still in my sleeping bag. In my haste, I detach myself, roll up my sleeping back, jump and run. By the time I'm done, the flames are already at my tail.
I ran with all my strength and energy.
What could have caused this? Some crazy attempt on Player Killing? You can't find the player: Take out the environment.
Environment...
Xaxa's words from last night ring in my head: 'It won't be long before this floor's environment forces them out of hiding'
Then I remember what the invitation had said: The longer the fight becomes or the lesser players remain, the tougher the arena becomes, eventually forcing players to engage in battle with each other.
Of course. Only 9 players are remaining, at least that's what I last heard from last night. There's Xaxa and three others forming an alliance, and who knows what the other four are doing.
They're trying to force us together. To make us fight.
I run as fast as I can. But the fire is always on my tail. When I turn, I stop on my tracks. Wildfire everywhere. I hear the sound of burning wood cracking. I look up to find a burning tree falling. I dodged the crash but wasn't too lucky.
I feel the searing pain on my left arm as one of the burning breaches hit it from the crash. When I take a glimpse of my HP, I notice I'm suffering a Burn effect. Even with my arm burning, I don't waste time mending. I keep running.
The first keeps following me, everywhere I run. No matter how fast I move. Kayada is really going all out to bring us fighters together.
Finally, after was felt like miles of running, the fire ceases. As I stop on my trail, I look back to see. The forest still burns, but their path ends. Almost like something's preventing them from coming any further.
Once all that's over, I finally collapse on the ground, letting out all of my exhaustion. Once I catch my breath, I had almost forgotten about the Burn Effect on my health.
I start digging through my supplies. Eventually, I found a burn cream item and used it. My arm heals, the pain vanishes. As well as the Burn Effect.
Once that's done, I take a notice of my Health is reduced. Last time, I had 80% health left. But now I'm down to 65%. Getting my arm nicked by the burning tree couldn't have done much. I must have lost my health from the Burn.
After realizing I skipped breakfast, I start eating and drinking, refueling my lost energy.
Before I have the chance to finish, I hear it. Rustling leaves. Snapped twig.
I quickly get on my feet, having my Gunblade out in Gun mode. "Who's there?! Show yourself!" I shout.
There's more rustling. I lock my eyes on the shaking bush. My finger on the trigger, I wait for the player to jump out and attacked me...But all that came out is a forest rabbit. The rabbit just looks at me and hops away.
It was a false alarm, and I exhale realizing that. I turn, letting down my guard, and that's when I sense it. And I deflected the incoming thrown knife. I look in the direction it came from. I see nothing but trees ahead. I eventually saw a player in the shadows. He's moving fast...but he's not alone.
I see other players. Running and throwing knives right at me. I deflect each of the knives coming for me. They come flying right at me like a fan of dozens. The moment the knives stop, the players reveal themselves. To my surprise, it's the three players who are working for Xaxa.
They all stand, surrounding me in a triangle position. "Well, well. It if isn't The solo Lightning Flash." One of the players says.
I say nothing. Just stand and look at the players in my surroundings. One of them could strike when I'm not looking. Gotta find a way out. "Master Xaxa will be pleased by our little discovery."
"Let's get the jump on her before she takes one of us." The third player says.
The three of them make their first move, charging up their Sword Skill. I brace myself for their attacks. they charge in...and suddenly froze.
Then their bodies collapse.
I'm surprised and confused. None of them are dead but paralyzed.
I look around. I don't see any players nearby, I even look hard focusing my vision to find any hidden players. Nothing. It's like they just hit and dashed.
But why am I unaffected? Were they trying to save me? I can't waste time standing around lost in my thoughts.
I get moving quickly before Xaxa shows up.
Hours have passed. I haven't encountered any other environmental changes. But a cannon went off an hour after I escaped from Xaxa's group. Another player has died, and only 8 of us remain. After the sound of a cannon, I came across another Swordsman.
She was fierce and swift. I did my best to defend myself, only lost another 5% of my HP in the fight. I fight her, but I only reduced her health to the Red Zone, then knock her out, and then left.
She didn't seem to have followed me. Probably knows she's outmatched. Or who knows, might be hiding out because of her low health.
I rest at my camp spot. Take a moment to rest and catch my breath. Xaxa's group is searching hard for me and the other players. It's getting pretty tight now that there are a few of us left.
While I'm resting by the fire, that's when I heard a twig snap. I get up, slowly turning and grabbing for my weapon. Whoever's there is probably trying to ambush me...and are doing a terrible job at it. My Gunblade out and ready, I slowly move towards the bushes.
With a single swing, it cut off the leaves on the bushes head and have my weapon aimed...at a frightened little girl. She doesn't look dangerous, but looks can be deceiving. I look at her health, it's under 25%. It's most likely she'll be finished in a single blow.
The girl holds her hands out. "P-p-please don't hurt me. I'm a friend."
I don't attack, but I still have my suspicions. "How do I know you're not a spy for any of the other players?"
"Trust me. I'm no spy. Look..." The girl takes out a dagger. I'm startled by it, and once I focus my vision on it I see it has a poison effect on it. This only raises my hostility. "I saw you were ambushed by that Laughing Coffin team. So I hit them with my Paralysis Poison so you could escape."
Hearing that surprises me. Xaxa's minions were indeed paralyzed and I haven't found the player that hit them. The girl must still think I doubt her words, cause the next thing she does is she slowly drops the dagger in front of me and stands back up, slowly backing away with her hands up.
I then allowed the girl to sit down with me to eat and rest. In doing so, we are startled by the sound of cannon fire. Nothing else happened, so that means only one player died.
"You think it could be one of the other players?" The girl asks.
"Hmm..." I try thinking. I have no idea where the other players are. But Xaxa sent his minions to find and kill his targets. What if it's possible he learned they got paralyzed. And wanted to warn them of their failure? "Either that...or Xaxa could have killed one of his own men for their failure."
The girl's surprised to hear this. "He...He wouldn't do that...would he?"
I scoff. "Trust me, I know those criminals. They only care for the suffering and death of others. Even if it means their own members." We say nothing else. The girl is probably scared to ask further questions. I'm silent cause I'm thinking about that group of bastards enjoying this battleground for their desire of slaughters. The clear my throat. "We can't just sit here and let them get away with this."
"You...saying we should fight?" The girl asks. "But...I don't want to fight. I'm already scared of leaving the safety of the city. Being trapped in this Nightmare Arena..." I look at her. She's truly frightened. I'm beginning to wonder why she's even invited. Probably some of Kayaba's twists. Really sickens me.
As I stare at her, I begin to feel something funny in my chest. She looks so young and helpless and scared...and she remains me of my younger sister, Serah. Even at this young age. Back when our parents died. She was so frightened at what's gonna happen to us.
I wrap an arm around the girl. "Don't worry. You're going to be just fine. I'll keep you safe, I'll make sure of it."
'I'll keep you safe'. I remember seeing that to Hope once before. Feels strange telling it to a girl who reminds me of Serah.
"What's your name, by the way?" I ask her.
She's surprised, feeling shy as she started looking away when I asked the question. But she still tells me her name. "I-I-I'm Titānia...But in real life. My name is Rosy."
I couldn't help but smile. "You really should have to tell me your Real Name."
"Isn't Lightning your real name?" Rosy asks. "In the real world, I heard of a person with that name. I always hear it's unique."
I look away and down. "No...it isn't my real name." I may be saying it to protect my real-life information, but it is only half the reason. Lightning is just the name I go by. Claire is my real name after all. I stand up. "We should get moving."
Rosy and I start heading out. There are only 6 other players to worry about, 3 or 4 of them that pose an actual threat. Rosy can't do any fighting with her health too low. It's most likely I'll have to finish any attacks if it comes to that.
If it comes to that...
One thing I actually didn't think about is what happens to Rosy and I are the only ones left. There's nowhere we can kill each other. No way we can both escape here alive. I have my reasons for needing to escape these Death Game. Hope. Serah. My responsibilities in the Guardian Corps. Rosy has her own. Overwhelmed with the fear and terror of having to kill or be killed. But I can't take the life of an innocent girl. That's what HE would want.
If worse comes to worst: When it comes down to me and Rosy, I'll take my own life.
