The Isekai Game

Someone Close

Each foot going up the damp stairs was like a wave of anxiety striking against Vanessa's chest. It was just as dark as her previous runs. 

Iku found herself walking very slowly to stay by Vanessa's side, "Don't be nervous. It's easy. We got this".

Vanessa took a deep breath, "O-ki".

Iku stepped up to the lever, "Are you ready"?

Vanessa shook her head, "Wait. We need to pull both levers". 

Iku waited for Vanessa to run over and yall, "Ready".

And just like that, they turned their respective levers. Water flooded in and likewise drained out through small drainages. The gates slammed shut and the two girls walked towards the center. The water was building fast, but no higher than their shins. 

Vanessa pointed her fingers around, One makes the water come in and the other makes it drain". 

Iku paid little mind, hovering her palms in the air. Vanessa was a little confused as to what she was doing. It seemed like she was merely looking in the water or taking some odd combat stance. 

Rotating her entire body, Iku thrusted a shockwave from her palm that only affected the water. The water maiden was seen taking the hit, slamming into a wall. 

The maiden dived back into the water. Small areas of the water began bubbling. 

"Ah, this is the pumps!" yelled Vanessa.

Two clones kicked them both. Iku managed to shatter hers whereas Vanessa landed into the water. 

The second cloned dived away as the pumps shot up into the air. Iku placed her hands in the water and pushed the pumps to the furthest edges of the enclosed area. 

Afterward, she waved her hands across the water, "Alright Vanessa, I'm gonna need you to hit her with some wind". 

Vanessa rose up wondering what exactly Iku was doing? Is this some type of dance or ritual? Regardless, she would be sure to land a few wind strike. 

The water trickled together to form a large water beast. Iku waved her hands to knock off its limbs, exposing a blue heart. 

Vanessa didn't need instructions. Though it was her first time seeing it, she struck a wind disc at it. 

The beast fell back into the water. Rising up was an angry water maiden. The crystal was now shining on her forehead. Vanessa ran in. 

She clenched her fist, bring in tons of water from above. Two giant swirling water bubbles rose to her sides. Each aimed in at the two girls. 

Just when they erupted, Iku held her two palms out. The shooting water ceased, allowing Vanessa to strike the maiden's forehead. 

Following the c***k in the crystal, Vanessa swung twice to take off the water maiden's head. 

"Grab the crystal!" yelled Iku. 

Vanessa was a little caught off guard but managed to keep kicking the head out of water.

Iku ran up and grabbed it, "Girl you are so wet. You should get change before you go see Logan". 

Vanessa dropped herself to her back in the water, "I don't know... How did you beat that so easily"?

Iku dropped the head and held the crystal, "Cuz I am a geomancer. I have connections to mother nature and its elements". 

"I have a connections to getting beat up all the tiiime".

Iku smirked, looking around the wall, "Maybe you should work on your defenses more. Spell blades are very offensive. It might be better for you to dual-class into a defensive class as well. Clerics are good".

A horror of shock widen Vanessa's eyes the moment she thought about studying biology and anatomy just to be a cleric, "No. No. No. No thank you. Nessa doesn't need that". 

She swung her head from side to side, feeling it brush in the water, "Maaayybe I can study something that will make me get hurt less". 

Iku placed the crystal in a small opening in the wall, "You'll get it". 

The wall began to glow strange light blue symbols. Tubes came out that sucked the water above into the wall. The water beneath them also drained deeper into the tunnel. 

It made sense to Iku. The water was contaminated and making its way into the pure water. The sounds of water spouting in the distance and rumbling from the walls meant that it was now being purified before returning to nature. 

A small light left the crystal and went inside Vanessa's chest as she stood up. It bestowed water abilities to study. 

"That's a pretty big accomplishment," said Iku, "Water techniques are pretty rare". 

"Ah yes, they are almost never usable". 

Iku smiled into her hands, "True. But when they are useful they are powerful. Just like now... Make sure you study that, I swear". 

Vanessa saluted her, "Aye aye. I will".

A glass bottle rolled out to her feet. 

Iku looked down, "Yeah, people are polluting too much". 

Vanessa picked it up and saw her name on the label. There was a small message inside. Of course, when she pulled it out, it was in Italian. 

However, she read it out, "Hey. I see you've been working hard and made new friends. I did the same too. I helped a lot of people and a lot of them helped me back. But not all. Still, it was worth it. I grew a lot from it all. So keep it up. But be careful. You may not realize it now, but there are people close to you that will take advantage of this. I look forward to chatting with you next month. So take care". 

"Hmph, interesting," said Iku. 

Vanessa shook her head with a pitiful look, "I don't know what this means".

Iku's expression changed to a more depressed one, "Well, basically you have a ghost. A good one. You have three types of ghosts in the game. Good, bad, and self. Bad ghosts haunt their player to achieve something that requires them to develop. Good ghosts help develop their player and guide them through the game. And some rare ghosts will actually play themselves as a part of you that you must confront one way or another". 

"So what do I have"?

"You have a good ghost that seems to be warning you about something". 

Iku placed a hand on Vanessa's shoulder, "Look, according to that there is likely more than one person looking to harm you. I don't know if they are in or out of the game, but you need to be careful". 

Just as Vanessa nodded, her phone rang, "Ah, is Logan"!