Veracity (TagLish)

Chapter Two

"Jim called earlier na papunta na raw sila," wika ni Cloud habang abala sa paglalaro gamit ang kaniyang sariling cell phone. Hindi niya alintana na pinagtitinginan sila ng mga tao sa loob ng coffee shop.

"Yeah," tinatamad na sagot naman ni Zain.

"Gusto mo ba i-invite kita next game ko?" aya niya rito.

"No need."

Napukaw tuloy ng tono ng boses ni Zain ang atensyon.

Nag-leave tuloy siya sa game at hinarap ito. "Hey, what's wrong?" nag-aalalang tanong niya. Kahit sabihin ng marami na nakakainis siya minsan hindi naman siya ganoon kamanhid para hindi ito pagtuunan ng pansin.

Napatingin na rin si Zain sa kaibigan. "What do you mean?"

"Who's that woman?"

Tinuro niya ang babaeng abala ngayon sa may counter dahil sa mahabang pila ng mga customer. Nang mapansing ng mga babaeng nakapila na nakatingin sila sa mga ito, bigla na lang kumaway ang mga ito sa direksyon nila.

Halatang hindi inaasahan ni Zain ang tanong niya at hindi rin marahil inaakalang napansin niya itong kausap ang babae.

"That's Demi," anito.

Nanlaki ang mata niya. "What?!" He exclaimed. "Bakit hindi mo agad sinabi?! Wait. Let me call Jim to inform him that Demi is here!" He grabs his phone, and dials Jim's number.

What the heck is he doing? Kahit naman tawagan niya si Jim nothing will change dahil una pa lang naman ay papunta na ang mga ito. "Then?"

Napadakong muli ang atensyon ni Zain sa kaniya. "What?"

"Why are you acting like that?"

Hindi agad ito nakaimik at halatang inaayos pa ang mga salitang isasagot sa kaniya. "It's Demileigh..."

"Yeah, I know. So what about that Demileigh of yours. Don't tell me, that Leigh is also the same person you've told me before... ‘your so called highschool sweetheart’ you dreamed to meet again and tell your undying love to her. That's impossible. Too impossible to be true. You know what, she's Demi and not your Leigh..." natahimik siya sandali, "is not the same person..." He gulped. He grabbed his friends collar as if he's about to lose his own sanity.

"They're the same."

Three words that almost make him insane. Napakaraming tao sa buong mundo at napakalawak ng mundo, how come everything seems to be connected.

"Jim is Demi's cousin. She became one of my classmate in middle school. We promised that we will meet again. But why can't she remember me?"

"Nagpakilala ka ba sa kaniya. Tell her your complete name, where you met her, tell her that she's your classmate back in highschool that you two are like highschool sweethearts. You did that, you did dirty things before..."

"What the hell?"

"I mean, you spend a lot of time being with one another. You're friends, more of like, super friends..." Natawa tuloy siya. Hindi na kasi niya mapigilang matawa, feeling tuloy niya nasisiraan na siya ng bait. Dapat pala 'di na siya umalis pa ng office at naglaro na lang ng PUBG kaysa umaktong marami ng experience sa pag-ibig. Gusto tuloy niyang masuka sa mga binibigkas ng bibig. Siya na walang experience. Wala nga ba?

***

Ilang sandali lang ay dumating na sina Jim, deretso itong nagpunta ng counter kung saan abala sa pagtatrabaho si Demi. Agad ni Demi nakilala ang pinsang kaninang umaga ay tumawag sa kaniyang bibisitahin siya. "Ñina," she called her co-worker. Isang linggo pa lamang itong nagtatrabaho subalit mapapansin agad ang malaking improvement.

"Yes po Ma'am?"

"Can you finish this up for me," wika niya at hinubad ang suot na apron.

Lumabas siya ng counter at sinalubong ng yakap ang pinsan. "I miss you so much, Kuya Jim." She gave him a gentle kiss on the cheeks.

"You're still beautiful as ever," he complimented.

"I don't like to hear that from someone who always nag me about being an ugly pug."

"Did I?" kaila nito.

She giggled. "Kumain ka na ba?"

"Yeah, we did. By the way, I'm with my squad right now."

"Ah, so you're still playing MOBA. I've heard you've won in a competition in NA last time. Congratulations," she smiled but doesn't reaches her eyes.

"Thank you! Mind if you join us?" Inuwestra nito ang table kung saan nakaupo ang mga kasama nito. He's with four men staring straight at her.

She just nodded. Naupo siya sa isang bakanteng upuan sa tabi ng pinsan. She felt like she's being pierce by those gazes of his friends. "This is Cloud." Ang maingay na lalaki kahapon. "... Miles," the one who glares at her as if she's about to get killed, a brat... "Gino..." The guy smiled at her, "and Zain." Hinarap siya ng pinsan. "We manage to win last national competition in NA and we're planning to join here in PH in the nationals to get a ticket to participate in the international tournament."

Muntik na siyang mapabuntong-hininga nang marinig ang mga salitang 'yon how many times had she heard those words. Ilang libong beses na rin siguro siya nakatanggap ng invitation to join squads. But before the squad members meet her they start to mock her and tell her that she's only a woman. Woman. Ano raw magagawa niya? Baka magkalat lang daw siya sa mga competition, she's only a woman after all... weak and stupid.

Look at their gazes, as if they were all judging her capability to help them get into nationals. The eyes of men who almost drag her down to hell before.

"No need to worry about anything else. You can decline if you don't want to. I don't want to make the story long. We need you Demi." Matagal na niyang kilala si Jim, he doesn't like rejection, what he wants he gets it by hook or by crook.

"I'm sorry, but I can't help you." She smiled. She saw the face of Jim who did not expect her response.

She heard them gasped. "But I can find you someone who can help you all throughout your journey to the nationals..."

The last time she declined, she was almost r**e by some players who she does not know at that time are using drugs, fortunately, she knew some self-defense and called the police. Those nightmares are enough for her already, she doesn't want to risk another try just because it was Jim who's politely asking her. She's just tired of everything.

Halatang dumilim ang mukha ni Jim. She knows how eager Jim to convince her. "I just don't know if I can trust your friends. Of course, I trust you more than anyone else, but I don't know them..." She pointed out the four men.

Nagtaka siya ng mapadako ang atensyon ni Jim sa nagngangalang Zain. "Is it because of that incident?"

***

Perhaps, is it because of Divo? But that doesn't necessarily mean that it was an acceptable reason to just decline them just because she doesn't know them. Zin stayed quiet all throughout the conversation. He noticed that when Demi mentioned that she can't recognize them, including him. "Is it because of that incident?" Jim suddenly asked.

What incident? "You know how scared mom was at that time," Demi retorted. "Look," she looks at him. "Just say whatever in your mind, but I can't help you. Even if, you have Jim in your squad I still won't help you."

Nagulat siya nang mapatayo sa kinauupuan si Miles. "You're a gamer, right?" he angrily asked.

Without any emotions upon Demi's face, she confronted Miles. "I'm not, and I don't play for anyone, specifically to brats like you."

"What?!" Miles exclaimed.

"Please, calm down Miles..." Pinaupo ito ni Jim.

"How absurd..." Cloud whispered.

"What if, we decide by playing one match against me. If you defeat me, you can decline and if I win you have to follow our conditions?" Miles challenged.

Nagulat siya nang makitang matawa si Demi. She's still the same, those laughters, those eyes and her voice is still the same. "Jim is asking me a favor. Sa kaniya na rin nanggaling na it's okay for me to decline." Kalmadong tumayo ito. "I'm sorry Kuya Jim, but I can't..."

Akmang paalis na ito. No. "Is it because you were almost r**e by those men?" Jim is not looking at her when he gave out that question.

Rape? She was almost r**e? What the heck?! Everyone gasped, and looked at Jim. Muntik na siyang ma-r**e at hindi niya alam iyon! How can he lived and spend his time without knowing that?! Is that why Demi's acting like this to him?

Naiyukom niya ang mga kamay sa galit. "One game is not bad," biglang wika ni Demi. "Kapag nanalo ka I will join your squad but not as a player... anything else but not as a player. I will follow your conditions but if I win you will follow my conditions that I will only tell you after the match ends of course it depends whether I win." Bumalik muli ito sa dating binakanteng upuan.

Bumaling ito sa kaniya na ikinagulat niya. "I need smartphone can I borrow yours? Your name is Zain, right? Let me borrow your phone I did not bring mine that I use primarily for games."

Wala sa sariling iniabot niya rito ang dalang cellphone. Bumalik na rin sa dating kinauupuan si Miles. "You pick any game you're comfortable with," wika ni Demi.

Wouldn't it be unfair for her? Halatang hindi nagustuhan ni Miles ang mungkahi ni Demi. "No, we would only play Night Lost." Miles said between hiss.

He can read what Miles' thinking at that very moment, he was about to burst out his anger towards the stubborness of Demi.

Inilabas ni Gino ang smartphone niya at mabilis na nagtungo sa live stream video ni Miles para mapanood kung ano na ba ang nangyayari. Custom iyon, ibig sabihin ay one versus one ang mangyayari. Sa isang game, paunahan lamang na makasira ng base turret kung saan nahahati ang mapa sa tatlong lane, may top, middle and bottom lane. Bago makarating sa base turret kailangan munang masira ang bawat tatlong tore na nakapalibot. Simple lang naman ang rule, this game is about the first person who destroy the base turret will win the game. Picking pa lang pero kapwa inuubos ng bawat isa ang oras na nakalaan sa kanila. Miles chose an assassin as his hero, while on the other hand, Demi picked a fighter. Kapwa nababasa na nila ang kahihinatnan ng laro, it would be a sure win for Miles, dahil paniguradong mahihirapan na makapagpush si Demi kung fighter ang gagamitin nito.

But he doubt that. Nakakailang beses na ni Miles napapatay sa game ang hero ni Demi, lamang na rin ang kaibigan sa gold at napakalaki na ng gap kung tutuusin, nareach na rin niya ang maximum level, at umaabot na ng halos three thousand critical ang damage, dadalawa na lang din ang tore ng kalaban, halatang sa lahat ng aspeto lamang na lamang si Miles.

Demi remained calm. Patuloy lang ito sa paglilinis ng lane dahilan para hindi agad makapush si Miles. Nang magdesisyon na si Miles na mag-lord na dahil hindi na rin magagawa ni Demi na makapagpush, lalo't apat pa lang ang nasisirang tore at may mga inhibitor turret. Naging kampante ito sa bagay na 'yon.

Nagawang makapaglinis ni Demi hanggang dalawang wave at aabutin pa ng ilang sandali bago lumabas muli ang mga minion.

Tinawag na ni Miles ang lord. It was already the loss of Demi, kung sana agad niyang napigilan si Miles sa pagkill ng lord. Both top lane with lord super minions ang aatake sa kaniya at basag na rin ang midlane turret. Halata na sa kanilang lima at maging kay Miles ang pagkapanalo, lalo na ng pumasok na ang lord at kasunod niya, unang na-kill ni Demi ang lord, at dahil abala rin si Miles sa paglilinis ng lane, nakakuha pa ng EXP si Demi kaya't hindi na nagkakalayo ang damage nila, at masyado na ring malambot ang hero niya ngayong nagamit na niya ang second skill dahil na rin sa nais na niyang tapusin ang laro. Everything became so fast, Miles' hero got killed.

No one notices the minions are already pushing in the bottom lane. Dahil late game na rin ay matagal pa bago magresurrect si Miles, that's why, the table had been turned up side down. All the minions pushes the base turret of Miles. At sa isang iglap, everyone became silent for a mere ten seconds.

Miles lose.

Just like what he had thought.

Miles stood up and accepted his defeat. "I lose... That was a tough game. I admit my lose. We would like to hear your conditions..." Inilahad nito ang kamay upang makipag-shakehands accepting his defeat.

***

Demi was rather astound to witness a man wholeheartedly accepting his defeat. No one did that for her. All she had defeated tried to harm her and insult her and even called her a b***h. Those men couldn't accept their lose against a woman, but look at this guy.

She can't help but to look at Jim, he gave him a nod of acceptance, she smiled. Tinanggap niya ang pakikipagkamay ng katunggali kanina. "Yeah, it was a tough game." Her eyes are spakling with amazement on what she's seeing not because it was laughable but how interesting these guys are. "My conditions are... can you please introduce yourselves to me. I'm Demileigh Moore..." she started.

"I'm Giovanni Sulivan." Gino accepted her hands.

"I'm Cloud Louie Zalazar."

It was Miles who's she's staring at, because she already knows Zain. "I'm Mikhail Simon Artoines."

"This is the first I met people who knows what a game is. I'm rather amazed. However, like our deal. I doubt I couldn't join you." She sadly said.

She was about to go back to her work when she stops walking and goes back. "I had a trauma when it comes to dealing with men, not because of what happened to me but how I lost my brother in just a blink of an eye. I also have my own condition, but I will discuss it with my cousin." The reason she goes back is because she also forgot to return the phone she borrowed earlier. "I'm looking forward working with you," she smiled. That smile finally reaches her eyes.

***

"I now understand why you like her, Zain." Cloud suddenly said. "She's actually goddamn pretty!" he exclaimed.

Hindi na niya nagawa pang magsalita. Her attitude changed but she's still Demi that he knows.

***

"I was diagnosed with temporary memory loss," Demileigh explained. Jim visited her apartment where she's currently staying near her school to talk about the contract. "There is this one guy na tumulak sa akin while running a way, and might be because of fear and shock, I also lost my balance and fall. You know, head trauma, I'm still in my rehabilitation period." She served him with a hot coffee.

"I'm sorry, I haven't heard about what happened to you sooner," Jim almost burst into tears when he heard that incident.

"No need to worry, I'm now okay. Itinago rin nina mommy and daddy ang nangyari, siguro para hindi na rin ako mag-alala and for my stress not to pile up."

Nakamasid lang sa kaniya ang pinsan. "Marahil kaya may ideya ka na sa mga nangyari sa akin because Uncle George told you. My condition wouldn't interfere us and your squad."

"I also heard about you joining the Hollow squad that is located here in PH behind the name of CodeZ. Are you suspecting them behind the death of Divo?"

"Yes," walang kagatol-gatol na sagot niya. She sips her coffee. "I don't know kung maniniwala ka, but I've heard that they are using some dirty tactics everytime they feel they'll lose to any of their matches."

"But those were only rumors that came from their defeated teams."

"Of course, before I came up with those conclusions. I do my own research." Kinuha niya ang isang malaking brown envelop sa ibabaw ng estante katabi ng kama niya. Binuksan iyon ni Jim. "Those were complaints about their dirty doings before their every matches, they try to bribe the managements and even their opponents for them to win. My brother Divo..." She clutched her fists. "He did not accept the money they offered us. Bago siya mamatay, nagawa pa niyang sabihin sa akin ang lahat, but at the end I couldn't prove anything at all." Ginagawa na niya ang lahat, she joined Hollow to find anything that may lead her to prove that they have something to do with the death of her brother. She can still feel the coldness of her brother' hand from her cheeks when she came to the hospital. Her brother's dream became also her dream, but her whole world broke apart when he died suddenly, she doesn't know her goal anymore. The life she dreamed of with her brother has disappeared, she's fixated, now that he's gone, she felt pointlessness of everything. However, when she tried to calm down... arranged her thoughts, it took her months before she finally realized that something is wrong and she needs to find out what really happened.

"The main reason why I also joined your team is because of that purpose, I couldn't join nationals because I'm a woman. I tried to apply as a manager but they find my gender a problem and my... face."

Her cousin showed a worried face. "Demi, there's nothing wrong about your face. Why are you blaming your face all this time?" The mirror that's not far from them reflect again her face. She couldn't blame anyone even her parents. "You were gifted with that face."

Malinaw pa sa alaala niya kung ilang beses siyang inasar noon ng pinsan dahil sa mukha niya, now she finally realize why he did that. "Now that you've heard my side. I don't want you to think even though you're my cousin, I'm not doing this genuinely."

Sandaling natahimik ito. Kahit matagal na niyang nakasama ang pinsan hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin niya kayang basahin ang kung ano'ng tumatakbo sa isip nito. "I understand, but from what I saw from your smile earlier. I doubt what's in your mind at that very moment has an ulterior motive." Jim smiled and caressed her cheeks. "I'm really glad to see you again, Demi..."

She closed her eyes and hold her cousin's hand. "Thank you for always worrying about me. I'm hoping that you wouldn't look at me because I'm still a child for you, I will show you how much I grow."

"Nah, you're still the same. You and Zain didn't change afterall."

‘We will meet again, Leigh!’

What was that? Is that Jim? Is she hallucinating? Is she not yet okay?

"By the way, Jim. I stayed in States in my middle school years. I can't properly remember what really happened while I am staying there with you. Everything is quite vivid for me."

Jim stayed quiet for mere seconds. "That is why you can't recognize Zain."

"Zain?"

"Zain is one of your classmate when you're staying with me in States."

"He did?" Kung malinaw pa sa alaala niya. She remembered him asking her if she can recognize him. "Is that so, so I know him before."

"You don't just know him. You're actually his first crush."

"What?" First crush? That guy has a crush on her. Impossible. "Are you kidding me? I can't even recognize him."

"You know him well. You're the main reason why he joined my team."

She laughed. "What's that nonsense? He's only wasting his time chasing after me. I couldn't even remember him."

"Noong nasa States ka, you always tell me about him. How close you were, how comfortable you were with him, and how much you like him."

I did like that guy?! For Pete's sake!

"How unfortunate, hindi ko na siya maalala. Even if I try, I really couldn't remember him."

Tumayo na siya at nagsalin muli ng kape sa baso ng pinsan. "Yeah. I'm hoping that knowing this wouldn't affect your productivity to my team."

"Of course!"

Zain Lauivire.

***

It's a sunny afternoon. Kasalukuyang papunta si Demi sa address na ibinigay sa kaniya noong nakaraang gabi ng pinsan. He told her that his team is staying in his gaming house that's not far from the café that her mother owned. Kaya hindi na siya nagtataka kung bakit madalas nagpupunta sina Gino at Cloud sa coffee shop. Ang buong akala pa naman niya kaya nandoon ang mga ito ay para mag-ingay.

Jim told her that it was not that far. Kanina pa siya naglalakad sa street na binigay nito ngunit hindi niya pa rin makita ang bahay. Maliban sa isang building na mataas sa hindi kalayuan. Iyon na lang kasi ang hindi pa niya pinupuntahan.

Nagsisisi tuloy siya na tinanggihan ang alok nito na sunduin na lamang siya. "What a bad day to start my week..." she murmured.

Patawid na siya ng kabilang lane ng may biglang may tumawag sa kaniya. Ang buong akala niya noong una guni-guni niya lang 'yon. He saw Cloud. Iniluwa ito ng sasakyang huminto sa gilid niya. "Why are you walking by yourself?" he worriedly confronted her.

Ngayon lang niya napagtanto na matangkad ito sa kanya ng higit isang talampakan. He smelled like... chocolate? What the heck?! Is that his perfume? "Dapat tinawagan mo si Jim para sana nasundo ka namin. Ang init-init pa naman ngayon." Bakas sa tono ng boses nito na hindi nagustuhan ang ginawa niya.

"No need. I can walk. I don't want to bother anyone either." Naglakad ng muli siya.

"What?" Wait a minute. She's not even sure kung tama ba ang lugar na pinuntahan niya.

Binalikan niya ang lalaki.

"By the way. I just can't understand. Am I going in the right way." She showed her the little piece of paper Jim gave her last time. "This is the address Jim gave me."

"Are you lost?!" he exclaimed might be out of frustration.

Tumikhim muna siya bago ito hinarap ng maayos. "No, I'm not lost. I'm just walking around. I find it convenient for me before working."

Well, she's somehow lost. "What, are you even kidding me?"

She furrowed her lips. "Look, just point which house or building are your team staying here so I can just go there, by my own."

"Look also here." He took the paper from her. "You're not even in the right address. We have two villages here with the same name. You suppose to go to the other one where mostly buildings and houses are for commercials. This place where you are now are just merely houses." He explained.

"Is that so..."

"You can't simply walk by yourself going there. It's way to hot to walk under the sun. It could burn your skin. For Pete's sake! Are you even on your right min--" He couldn't finish his words when she glared already at him.

Sumakay siya sa sasakyan nito at naupo sa passengers’ seat. "Aren't you getting in yet?" she asked.

Napameywang na lang ito at napabuntong hininga. Lumulan ito sa sasakyan. "Kumain ka na ba?" Nagulat siya sa tanong nito sa kaniya. Walang bahid ng anumang malisya ang tono ng boses nito. "Do you want to eat first?"

"No." Iyon lang ang naging tugon niya at pinaandar na ng lalaki ang sasakyan. Napasabunot pa ito ng buhok. "Thank you," aniya.

Marahil sa mabilis na pagmamaneho nito ay hindi na siya nito narinig pang magpasalamat. She looked outside the glass window of the car.

‘It was sunny right? That's why you should have called me. Fortunately, Zain told me you leave the house alone and bought your foods by yourself. You know that I wouldn't allow you to go outside right? You didn't even bothered leaving me a voice message in my office. What if, you get yourself in trouble without me knowing?'

It was Jim scolding her.

‘Did Zain really called you?’

‘What? Why would you even ask me that?’

She pouted her lips. ‘He's acting that he's worried but he didn't even bother visiting me.’

‘Why are you even blaming him? Isn't it a bit too much for you to expect him to even do those things. You're not a kid anymore.’

‘Is it a bit too much also for me to fall for him all the time?’

Naalipungatan si Demi. When she opened her eyes. Nakapark ang sasakyan sa isang three-storey house. Perhaps, it's Jim's house. Sinulyapan niya si Cloud na nasa drivers’ seat pa rin. "We're here," anunsyo nito nang mapansin marahil na gising na siya.

"Okay. Thank you." Nauna na siyang bumaba. Bitbit ang hawak niyang malaking paper bag, agad-agad niyang pinindot ang doorbell.

Nakasunod sa kaniya si Cloud. "Why did you sleep? Do you trust anyone you just recently met?" Cloud exclaimed.

"I don't."

"Then why? What if, I do something bad to you while you're sleeping?!"

"You wouldn't. You wouldn't dare."

"Are you insane?"

Sinipat niya ang relong pambisig. "Thank you for letting me sleep." She slept for an hour. He waited for her to wake up.

Bumukas ang gate. Nang hindi na nagsalita pa si Cloud ay dali-dali siyang pumasok, narinig pa niya itong malalim na mapabuntong hininga.

It was Jim who is standing in front of the door. "What took you so long?" he greeted her with a gentle kiss on cheek.

Iginaya siya nito sa loob. "I was lost," pag-amin niya.

Narinig niyang natawa ito. "I know. So, where's Zain? Have you seen him?"

Umiling siya. "I didn't. Cloud is with me."

Halatang nagtaka pa si Jim sa naging sagot niya. She took out all of the food she brought with her. "Kumain na kayo?"

Ilang sandali lang ay dumating na rin si Zain. Tahimik ito. "Kumain na ba kayo?" tanong ni Jim.

Cloud is just drinking water. Gino came down as if he just woken up. Miles was still asleep on the sofa.

***

Zain saw everything. Demi came out of the car of Cloud. He even witnessed how Cloud smiled when Demi said something. He had not heard their conversation but why did it bring pain to him.

Tila naninikip ang dibdib niya ng mga oras na iyon. He can't just understand... she had suddenly forgotten everything about him. Bakit siya lang ang nakalimutan nito? How about those promises they've made before?

Naiyukom niya ang mga palad. Then he entered the house. Demi's still the same person he met before however the person in front of him now is quite different without him in her memory.

***

Nagsisimula na sila sa kanilang training noong araw na iyon. Inside the house, there is this specific room where there are five monitors and cables. It's a dimmed room. May limang upuan doon na nakalined-up in front of the monitors. Habang sa likod naman nito ay may isang upuan na may sarili ring mas malaking monitor. Everything is perfect.

Sanay na si Demi sa ganoong set up dahil dati na rin siyang naging coach ng SpaiDer. Pero ngayon mas high-tech at comfortable ang room na iyon kung ikukumpara sa dati nilang practice room.

"Let's start." Bago siya naupo. Inuwestra muna niya ang bawat monitors. "I will be only watching you so I would know what are the things I may not know about your roles in the game. I wouldn't interrupt you while you're playing." She suddenly changed her attitude even the tone of her voice. "However, I will give you three goals for this match. First, you must not die even once. Second, you must not mock your enemies and lastly you will only use a hero that you do not know."

She heard them gasped. "You must know how to play different roles."

"Are you insane?!" Cloud exclaimed.

"We can simply use heroes we are used to that is why we have given roles..." Gino explained.

"But in a competition you are put into a lot of pressure. You should know how to adjust and can play different roles. This is for the sake that you would know how to counter these heroes that you don't even know aside from their skills and items suitable for them if time comes when all of your heroes are banned. Syempre, madali lang para sabihin niyo if a player's hero already used his ultimate... but in a larger context, asian server is more on skills rather than the heroes itself. If you can't master all the heroes then what's the sense of joining the asian server competitions." She is quite stricter than they all thought.

"Let's do what she instructed us. I will use a fighter," Jim said. He is a marksman.

Wala na ring nagawa ang tatlo kung hindi sumunod sa kanilang leader. "You use a mage, Miles."

"Cloud you play as a marksman."

"Zain, you play tank."

"While you Gino, you will play using a support."

"But I doubt, our line up. We are in need of assassin in early game. Who would play an assassin hero now if Gino will use a support," Miles said.

"Then, do something about that. I thought your team won in NA server so why would you worry about that?" Demi opened her monitor. "If you're all done about your complaints. May we start now?"

Wala na ring nagawa ang apat kung hindi maupo. Demi's now doubting whether she could trust these people, she thought all along they all exceeded her expectation however as of now, all can she say is that, they're lacking. Something is missing about them.

Nagsimula na ang picking ng hero na kani-kanilang gagamitin. Pinapanood niya lang ang mga nangyayari sa sariling monitor na gamit. Napansin niya agad na mabilis na nakukuha ng lima ang mga counter hero na gagamitin sa mga kalaban. She was glad to see that their chosen heroes are not that all bad from what she's expecting.

She watched everything from rotation, ganking, killings, pushing and even the focus of them.

Ilang minuto lang inabot ng laban dahil nag-concede defeat ang kalaban. Tumayo siya at lumapit kay Jim at may kung ano'ng flyer na inabot. "Foundation week namin this upcoming week, I'll be needing some of your men to partake in my school's Night Lost Tournament. I hope you will allow them."

"This sudden?"

"Yes."

Sinulyapan muna nito ang mga kasamahan bago sumagot. "I don't mind."

Hindi na rin nagawang magsalita ng mga ito sa naging tugon ni Jim.

"That's good then." Hinarap naman ngayon ni Demi ang ibang kasamahan ni Jim. "Now, let's talk about what happened to your match."

***