Light Within

Mysterious Final Boss?

"This...is not like what I'm anticipating for."

            Astral complained as the group are wandering around the unknown place, searching for any exits. They had been doing this for almost hours, but the efforts were fruitless. The layout of the building keeps changing; making it is difficult to map the route. There are no ways to go down unless you have to climb up. "This somehow feels unpleasant, but we don't have any choice than moving upward", explained Haiz, after he and Noir both already scouted the area. Using [Speedster], [Sneak] and [Oracle] do come in handy when it involves scouting around. Once again, Noir, deeply in thought, trying to construct all possibles solution for this incident, but she found none. "I guess, we have to move upwards then", sighed Noir. Little that they know, what waiting for them up there would be the last thing that they will see.

            After climbing to the next floor, Noir grabbed Astral, took her aside for a talk. "Astral, I don't want to be nosy or something, but everything okay at home?", asked Noir. After Astral was acting weird during her login today, Noir did not want to ask her anything, since she might be upset about it. Seeing her getting better during the event, although they were stuck in some sort of in lunatic's scheme, Noir decided to bring back the matters. Noticing the girls were having a conversation, the boys decide it may be best to take a rest for a while.

            Astral was startled when she heard Noir's question, but she chose to answer it anyway, "Remember when I said about my dad took my VR's set away? Turned out he was hiding it in his room, in a box", Astral paused, with a shade of tears in her eyes, she continued, "But what I found with the box shocked me the most". Noir did not want to interrupt, so she listened quietly, until Astral ready to continue, "Remember about my mom? That I told you, she died in some sort of car accident?". Astral holds her breath, then she released while proceed, "Turn out she went missing."

"So, your dad's lying to you about this for couples year?"

            Noir's turn to feel shocked about the news. Though she never heard much about Aunt Elena, she found it unsettling to hide the truth about a mother from her own daughter. "Yup, and that's why, after getting back my VR, I immediately login into the game", sighed Astral. She still remembered how heated the argument between her father, and she wished to not return back. "I just wish I could stay in this game for a while", she paused, "Or maybe forever. It is better than having to continue living a lie". Noir puts her right index finger close to Astral's lips, "Shush. You don't have to say like this. It can be a jinx. Besides, maybe your dad had his own reason, to seal his mouth?". Astral stopped and thinking for a minute. She never did give her father a chance to speak, the last time they argue. "You see, sometimes, someone would have to hide a secret, because they knew, it can hurt someone they cared, badly", said Noir. She gives a pat on Astral's shoulder and continues, "And that's why, they have to keep the secret, no matter what, and only told when the right time has come". 

 After listening to Noir, Astral nodded and rested her head on Noir's shoulder. For the first time, Astral wants to leave the place and have a conversation with her father. A real and matured conversation, between a daughter, and her father. Ritsu gets up and signals them that they need to keep moving. "Coming~", shouted Astral. She helps Noir to get up, and hugs her, "Thank you. You're my best friend". Noir corrected her, "Try, The Best friend instead". Both of them laughed and proceeded to follow the boys. "Having fun back there?", asked Haiz. Noir sealed her lips, "Girl tells no secret". The atmosphere is going back to joy and laughter, but sadly it does not age well, as they reached on the top of the stair. A large door, with a demonic carved on it, awaits them to open it. What waiting behind it, ultimately the source of this madness and they prepared to bring it down.

"Welcome, to my lair."

             Again, the man in the suit, waiting for them on his skull-looking throne across the room. For someone who has power and order, the chamber, itself looks empty and hallow. No armies or soldiers wait to kill them nor a powerful sorcerer or sorceress beside the man to cast the ultimate spell to wipe them out. Noir walked further front to confront the man, leaving behind the others. "Ah, as always, Miss Claire". Hearing her real name been said, Noir immediately draws out her Rapier, and pointed it out to the man, "How did you know?". Her face becomes more furious than her first encounter with that man in the suit. The man chuckled, "Why wouldn't I?". Noir, who no longer can be held back by her judgement, dashed behind the man and strived for her first attack.

"Speedster!"

"Swan Strike!".

Unfortunately, same as Haiz, her attack did not connected as the man disappear in the thin air, only to reappear behind Astral. Astral jumped back, as she is holding the barrier around them, instantly been cancelled by her surprise. "You remarkably resemblances her the most in any features you hold", said the man, as his gentle hand reached to tilt Astral's face to meet his eyes. "You piece of-", shouted Ritsu, as he tried to force a distance between the man and Astral. Haiz catches Astral, as Ritsu was trying to push the man away from them. "Are you okay?", asked Haiz. Astral nodded, cannot force a voice out as she trembled by the incident. Noir bolted again towards the man to attack him, but suddenly the chamber shakes vigorously. "Now, now be careful, as your life is in the line."

            The ceiling now is crumbled and been absorbed by an unknown force. Noir grabbed nearby detached things onto the ground while the others stay still in Astral's projectiles barriers. The man stands still, as he is not bothered by the force that sucked almost everything into it. "Ah, is this bother you? Let me closed it". When the man snaps his finger, the force mysteriously vanished. The man looked at the group and finally said: "You should know better about what happened here, in this game. You can never escape the game". Astral opens her eyes wide, while Noir took the chance to ask the question, "What do you mean? And what did you do?". The man suddenly teleported back to his throne, and continued, "I can't answer that yet. It is a secret. And I hope one of you can answer it for me". The floor starts to crack, leaving behind only a few bases to step into. "Unfortunately, I have to take my leave. Oh, and here is the exit". The man draws something on the thin air, resulting in a magic circle appeared beside his throne. The man stands and snaps his finger, causing an unknown force, again, shaking the chamber firmly. A wormhole appears on his left, and he pursuits to walk inside of it, "Friendly reminder when you die in this world, it means The End. There is no resurrection in this game". 

"We need to get out from here!"

            As the man vanished along the wormhole, Ritsu shouted to the group, ordered to make their ways to the magic circle. Noir is the nearest to the magic circle, but she waited for her friends first. The grounds tremble harshly, make them difficult to move. Noir took out her Rapier and stabbed it to the ground, to stand up. "Ritsu! Once Astral removed the barrier, use you [Flamero s***h] to spin your ways here!", commanded Noir. Ritsu nodded, and Noir continued, "Haiz! Please hold onto Astral!". Noir mouthed 'Three, two...now!' and Astral removed the barrier, making ways for Ritsu to move, and projects it back.

"Flamero s***h!"

Ritsu does the same spell, multiple time, and finally reached at the same place as Noir, and thrusts his sword to the ground, to have better gravity force. Noir gave him thumbs-up and turned back to face back Astral and Haiz. "Now, Haiz! Use your [Sneak] and try to make your way through here!", yelled Noir, as the grounds now quake vigorously. Haiz nodded and whispered to Astral, "Anytime when you ready". Astral holds her staff tight, while Haiz carries her in princess-style, and finally drops the barrier down.

"Sneak!"

Though the grounds were now gone, leaving behind only rumbles and few bases, Haiz managed to reach the other two before falling to the abyss. "Now to the magic circle...", but before they could jump into it, Astral accidentally slipped and been sucked back. "Astral!". All three of them yelled, yet Noir was fast enough to make her move. Noir took out her Rapier from the ground and dashed toward her.

"Speedster!"

Noir grabbed Astral, but both of them were knocked to the edge of the room. Noir knew that they both will fall if she had not done something, so she took a part of Astral's robe and shoved it with her Rapier to the ground. Noir rolled around, a few inches away before the fallen, but Astral quickly grabbed her right palm, which resulting Noir been hanged before the fall. "Noir, what are you doing! Hurry up and climb onto me!", yelled Astral, as the grip is getting loose. Noir looked down on the darkness, and turned back to Astral, smiled. She opens her Character tab, and send something to Astral's inventory, "Remember when I'm going to train with Haiz? I found this thing, and I think it will suit you more than me". Astral tried to pull Noir back, but she not strong enough to do so. Noir continued, "Hey, remember when we first played an online game together? You always have my back, no matter how low your HP bar is". Astral's eyes are filled with tears now, as she cannot pull Noir back, and hearing her talk, makes her want to cry more. Noir smiled, "Astral, no, Katherine. This is your adventure, your story to tell. Please, win this game, and beat that guy for me, okay?". Haiz and Ritsu managed to reach Astral, but only to find out that Noir already shakes her hands off from Astral's grip. "Astral, we got to move! The floor can’t hold us enough more!". Astral watched Noir fall to the darkness, smiling. She realized Noir's mouthing something, but her teary eyes cannot catch that. All three of them managed to get to the circle, and been teleported elsewhere. 

 For Astral, she can no longer think about anything. Her minds went blank, her heart stings so much. She cannot hear what Ritsu and Haiz said to her. Finally, she fainted. 

And now, her real story begins to unfold.