Megami Saikou's laugh echoed through the room as I grunt in pain. "I BET YOU WEREN'T EXPECTING THAT WEREN'T YOU?"
Feeling humiliated for letting my guard down and in pain, I look up at Legos who had a sadistic smile on his face.
"Dude! What are you doing?" Mike yelled only to get the gun pointed at him.
"Look at your phone and tell me what you see," he ordered not taking his eyes off me.
Mike did that and looked back at me. "No way!"
“THE RULES ARE SIMPLE THIS TIME. THE FIRST PERSON TO KILL HER WINS THE CASH PRIZE!” she said. "AND IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE'S GOING TO HAVE AN EASY WIN!"
Mike was still staring at his phone in disbelief while I take out my hunting knife but a swift kick was all it took to disarm me and another kick to the face was all it took to send shock waves of pain to my face.
"Behave yourself, missy," he said pushing the gun's nozzle to my face. "You don't want to make this more painful do you?"
"Wait a minute dude! What happened to getting out of here alive?" Mike said "I thought that was our main goal!"
Legos gave a side glance and sighed. "Okay fool, I'll tell you this only once since you are stupid; I lied."
"But..."
"Three million yen is enough to make me live in a lap of luxury for the rest of my life and I don't want to risk losing it because of how naive you are. Now if you excuse me..."
"But why?"
Legos frowned. Looking behind him, I could see Mike with his head bowed and something flowing down his face creating water droplets on the wooden floor.
"Why? I thought we were pals? I thought we were going to get out of here together! I thought we were going to sit on the hill, watching the sunrise while recounting this adventure!" he finally looked at us with tears in his eyes. "I thought we were going to be heroes of this story!"
Legos grinned. "Listen fool, this is a killing game, and as lame as it is, the first thing it teaches you should is not to trust anyone. Not even your best friend and if she doesn't give me that money, she'll be high on my hit list."
"HEY, I TRIED MY BEST AND YOU'LL GET YOUR MONEY," she said.
"Good," Legos said with a smile.
Mike was horrified. "But she's..."
"I know she is the daughter of an embezzler but like I said earlier, I am doing this for the money,"
"What are you? Some kind of monster?!" Mike yelled thrashing his head in a dramatic way.
"No. I am an assassin. You should have guessed that by now from the way I am holding the gun." he replied.
At this Mike began to cry again.
Legos rolled his eyes in annoyance and stared at me. "Pathetic isn't he?"
"You do know if I die he won't survive right?" I say.
"Don't worry, I have a bullet for him too." he smiled again. "Say goodnight."
"But that's not the reason for you to kill her!" Mike was sobbing loudly. "L...let her live okay?"
But Legos ignored him and was about to pull the trigger when something black emerged through his chest.
"Wha...what the..." he dropped the gun in shock. "This...this can't..."
"It's a pity we are both liars right Legos?"
The voice was familiar.
Too familiar.
And Legos seemed to recognize it for his eyes carried the same look of horror I had.
"Bl...Blake!" Legos stammered despite the blood gushing from his mouth. "You...bastard!"
Then everywhere was coated in blood the as his body was sliced from the chest up. Through the opening of the freshly cut corpse, I could see the sadistic grin look on Mike's face until it fell to the floor.
At least, that was who he was.
"J...Jake?"
The grin on his face grew wider and he took out a knife. "It looks like we really fooled him didn't we Beloved?"
I watched him cut his face in half, grabbed it from the cheek, and started ripping off what looked like pieces of skin showing his real face. When he was done, he unbuttoned his shirt revealing a bodysuit which he used a knife to cut open showing his black sleeveless shirt and different kinds of firearms hidden underneath.
"Like what you see my love?" he asked with a huge blush on his face.
I said nothing.
"You aren't answering me Beloved." he took a few steps closer to me, crouched down, and lifted up my chin. "When you ran away, I thought I was never going to find you until I remembered the day you signed up for something in the cyber cafe. Thanks to a little digging along with a little hacking, I find you."
Then he bopped me on the nose and smiled. "Always trust your instincts Beloved. They lead me straight to you."
Not sure if it was because of shame or fear but I adverted my eyes from him. Suddenly, something was jabbed inside me sending unspeakable pain through my body. I look down to see his fingers inserted inside my injury and yelped when they moved inside me.
"Beloved, your blood is so warm!" he cooed. I scream in pain but he covered my mouth. "My heart leaped for joy when I saw you come out of that death trap alive Sweetheart. Sure I had to do some manipulation of my own to get closer to you but hey! It worked in the end didn't it?"
Hot tears poured from my eyes.
"Why are you doing this huh? You escape from me to engage yourself in something dangerous and now you are giving me the silent treatment when I save your life." he chuckled and leaned closer to my ear. "My, my, Beloved. Where is your gratitude? The least you could do is to thank me and answer my questions. There is no harm in talking to me is there? Hold still, I almost found it."
His fingers dug deeper and deeper into my insides probably doing more harm than good. Feeling my eyes roll to the back of my head, I was about to pass out when it stopped leaving me exhausted.
"Ah there we are." his hands were dripping in my blood as he showed me the small metal pebble. "It's a good thing I found it in time. Legos loves leaving surprises in his victim's bodies. It's his signature thing."
I stared back at him with tears in my eyes as my mind split into half. Part of me was angry with myself for running away while the other part berated me for letting my guard down again.
But a huge part of me wanted to die.
Die and end my suffering.
Die and never see him again.
Die and find peace.
'What's the matter? You were brave when you tried to stab yourself in the laby...'
'Emma? Can you hear me?'
Blink twice as I felt something wrap around my waist. 'Where have you been all this time?'
'That doesn't matter. She taught you how to heal yourself, didn't she? Do it.'
I blink again and look down to find my waist wrapped up in bandages then look up to see Jake talking to someone with his back turned to me.
"SO, YOU ARE ONE OF THEM HUH? I WONDER IF YOU ARE RELATED TO THEM."
"To who?" he asked
There was a moment of silence. "HEY, DO YOU KNOW WHO HE IS RIGHT?"
The question was meant for me but I didn't answer for I was too busy trying to channel my spirit power to my injury.
"MAYBE YOU DO. I BET HE'S A LONG-LOST RELATIVE OR SOMETHING. IF I WERE YOU, I'D RUN AS FAST AS I CAN BECAUSE NOTHING GOOD COMES FROM THEM. NOTHING."
He chuckled at that. "I don't know what you are talking about but I am proud to say I don't have a family and you are the b!tch who put a target on my Beloved's back just to spice things up in her silly little game."
I wince as every muscle and organ in my body close up which added more pain. 'She wasn't kidding when she said the healing process for mortal wounds would be painful but I should be lucky that it isn't a fatal injury. If I concentrate hard enough I can at least close up my internal organs and muscles. It might give me a scar but it's worth it.'
"Okay b!tch, let's make things more interesting," he said.
Megami chuckled. "OH REALLY?"
"If we find you, you will die and we will have the money,"
What we got was a round of silence and as he waited for her reply, I silently grab my bag and make an attempt to stand up.
"OKAY YANDERE KUN. YOU HAVE A DEAL."
My head snapped up in shock.
“IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I KILLED SOMEONE, SO JOINING THE HUNT WILL MAKE THINGS INTERESTING BUT SHE'S STILL THE TARGET."
"Excuse me?"
"IF I KILL HER, NONE OF YOU ARE GETTING THE MONEY OR ESCAPING WITH YOUR LIVES WHICH MEANS YOU WILL BE MY PLAY THINGS FOREVER. IF YOU KILL ME AND SHE LIVES, YOU CAN HAVE THE MONEY AND GET OUT OF HERE ALIVE AND THE SAME THING HAPPENS IF SHE DIES.”
'Great! He just made things worse!' yelled my inner voice. 'You have to look for a way out of here and fast.'
The only way out was through the window behind me.
'Opening it is going to alert him.' I thought staring at his back. 'There is only one resolve.'
I charge up what was left of my spirit power to prepare myself but he looked back with a smile on his face and spread his arms wide.
"Did you hear that Sweetheart? Finally, I can show you how much love you by keeping you alive all through this game! Isn't that great!"
I tried to say something.
I wanted to say something.
But the words got stuck in my throat.
"Luckily for us, we have an advantage see?" he pulled out his phone which had the map and all information about the other contestants. "I hacked into the app itself to register for the game and know the location of the other contestants..."
Was it the adrenaline?
Was it fear?
Was it my spirit power?
I don't know.
What I do know is I turned around and ran straight into the window breaking the wooden planks and shattering the glass to pieces. Tumbling on the roof, I roll off and crash on the floor landing on my good side.
"Beloved!"
Laughter echoed through the air as I groaned. Looking up, I Jake staring down at me from the broken window.
"Don't move! I am coming!"
Well, I stagger to my feet and make a run for it following the path that led me there. I get to the middle of the carnival, look around and take out my phone from my bag.
'The app is gone.' I groan and put it back in my bag. 'It's not like I was using it anyway.'
"Hey, you!"
I thrash my head around to find the source of the said voice.
"Over here, you big dummy!"
My eyes finally fell on someone standing a few feet away from me. "Osana?"
She huffed and folded her arms. "Well don't just stand there, we have to leave before he gets here and I am not rescuing you again."
With that, she ran ahead of me and looked back beckoning me to follow her. I do that and she leads me to a huge building.
"The House Of Mirrors" I read.
Osana gave a nod. "We can get to Megami's lair from here but you have to be quiet. Her robots patrol this place." then she looked at me. "How are your injuries?"
I open my shirt to look at the bandage wrapped around my waist. "It stings a bit."
She huffed. "Geez! How are you going to sneak past the robots now?"
"I can still fight." I quickly say.
We hear a noise behind us and she sighed.
"It looks like I have to serve as the offense and defense." then transformed before my very eyes; her clothes turned into a plain school uniform and her hair turned pink with the ends of her pigtails turning into huge blades. By the time it was over, she opened her eyes revealing a set of pink eyes.
"Okay. Let's go before he amputates you," she said and we run inside. Inside the building was filled with mirrors and it creeped me out because I have read enough manga to know that places like this are death traps themselves. If you are not careful, you might get killed or fall into a trap while looking at your reflection.
'Sometimes, your reflection isn't yours.' I unsheathed my katana and looked around.
"Stay close. You don't want to get lost do you?" Osana cautioned.
Then the lights began to flicker causing making me panic.
Then it went off.
The next thing I hear is metal scrapping against each other and when the lights came on, I see a piece of machinery lying on the floor.
"Phew, that was close. Are you alright?" she asks.
I nod. "Thank you."
She blushes and looks away. "Well, it's not like I wanted to save you or anything. Next time keep an eye out! I can't keep doing all the work."
My face twisted into a frown for I knew her type and wasn't always fond of them because they were annoying. Cute but annoying. Spotting something behind her, I take out an arrow, aim and, blow the robot to pieces. Then I use my katana and cut one in half shattering a mirror in the process.
"Not bad." she cheered but when I look at her, she huffed. "I didn't say, anything idiot!"
I roll my eyes. "Let's get out of here. Lead the way."
So she leads the way. Whenever the lights turned off, she would take the lead using her hair blades to destroy them while I defended myself with the katana when the lights came on.
"Don't use up all your arrows. You are going to need it!" she cautioned.
"I got it," I reply slicing one of the robots in half. "We need to move! They are too many of them!"
I hear her mutter the word 'Idiot' and huff. Then the lights went off and I wait with the katana in my hand but we here something else.
'Wait is that music?' The lights started to flicker until it got stable. Then my blood froze when I hear the lyrics.
"Every breath you take,
Every move you make.
Every bone you break.
Every step you take.
I'll be watching you."
"He's here," I mutter.
Osana scoffed. "I know he's here. I can feel his aura and it's very strong."
"HEY! WHAT'S GOING ON!" Megami yelled through the music. "I CAN'T ACCESS MY ROBOTS! THEY ARE...HEY! WHAT DID YOU DO?"
I couldn't reply for I was too busy running through the maze to pay attention to her.
"The idiot must have hacked into the system," Osana yelled.
"I know. He mentioned that right before I jumped out of the window." I say.
Then the sound of the machine gun was heard and the mirrors around us started to shatter. Instinctively I cover my head with my hands and run.
"Ugh! Stop running you little..."
I don't bother to look up and continue to run until the lights went off.
"Dang it! How I'm I going to find you now?"
"Beloved? Where are you?"
"Jake? Is that you?"
"Who is this?"
"Why are you participating in the game? Do you want to get hurt?"
"Oh great! The b!tch."
The lights went on and Osana was gone.
"Osana?" I panic. "Osana where are you?"
"Over here, you big dummy!"
Her voice echoed through the hall and see her a few feet from me.
"Osana!" I go there only to bump into a mirror.
'Geez! This is why I hate mirror mazes in the manga,' I think rubbing my temple. "Osana where are you?"
"I should be asking you that idiot!" she yelled.
"Just tell me where you are?" I yell.
"Who are you talking to Beloved?"
"Darling are you here? Don't worry! I will save you."
"I don't need you b!tch!"
"Gah! How rude!"
I could feel the confusion sink in as I make a run for it through the maze only to find myself in the center of it. I groan and catch a glimpse of Valarie still wielding her machine gun. Immediately when she saw me, she fired only to destroy a mirror.
"Gosh! A mirror!"
I run to the left.
"This place is annoying!" she squealed in the distance. "Jake where are you?"
"I don't need to tell you where I am b!tch."
"Hey! I am trying to help you. The least you could do is to be nice about it. After all. No one is going to get you out of here but me!"
Then the lights went off again.
"Man! This is annoying!" I groan.
"Don't worry sweetheart. I got this."
"HEY WHAT ARE YOU..."
Then the lights went on showing me standing in the middle of the mirror maze staring at my reflection.
I had reached a dead end.
'Great! Now what...'
Suddenly something shattered and I was grabbed by the hand.
"I found you!" 216Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUbUCxQD3z
