"You can evade it, but you cannot stop it."
It's 5:00 PM, and the game will start in just 1 hour and 30 minutes. They had just finished eating their early dinner, and everyone was resting in the living room. They don't know what will come to them, so they preserved their energy for the last one. Excited, anxious, curious, and unhappy—that's how they feel. She's excited to finally finish this up. Anxious because they all want to live. Curious about what's going to happen next. And worried about what negative events might happen.
Hours from now, and they can be done after all the efforts they exerted to reach this level. One more thing, this is their last game, so it's probably the hardest. And at this level, they will know who the triumph is.
Will there be single or multiple winners?
This question that formed in her mind has given her even more fear.
First's past disheartened her. It turns out that his younger brother, Eleventh is also involved in this game. And since Eleventh is gone early, there is no family left with him. Because of such a tragedy, he doesn't want to lose his classmate and friend. She had no idea that his brother was the first to die in the tri-games. How bitter it is to know that your younger sibling is also playing the game and died first? First could have chosen to save his brother rather than her. She promised first that she would not leave him and that she would be with him in hardship or comfort. That might be her real purpose for being here.
First went to his room for a while. Trake approached her.
"Hey," he leaned over to her side, here on the sofa where she was sitting.
"Yes?" She still counts on him. It's not like before that she's more inferior to First, now to him. She already knows more about First's life. But Trake's, not so much.
"Why, is there a problem?"
She smiled because he was nice. "Is it really okay?"
"Sure!"
"Oh, all right. Trake..."
"Mm?"
"I already know you. I already remember who you are and how we met."
He was silent for a moment. "Hahaha! Really? I thought your memory would never come back. Since level 2 stage 2, I already remember you a bit, but you still haven't," he grinned.
Why are her memories too slow to come back?
"Has your view of me changed since you found out who I am?" he asked
"I don't know. The truth is that... k-kinda..." she is stuttering.
"Are you different for me? Hahaha! That's why I like you, because you're funny when you're bashful!"
He really said that. Her face kept getting warm.
"Hey, talk to me, haha!" And he even tickled her. Trake, this is not funny anymore. He shouldn't be playing with how she feels.
"Stop it! They might hear you."
"Like they care. The important thing is you already remember me."
She just sighs. Trake has been a bubbly guy since they were elementary students. Yes, he was her classmate in elementary school, where they were only 12 years old. They parted ways when they went to different schools during high school. He went to a private high school, and she went to public. He even allegedly forced his mother to enroll him in her school, but they didn't let him, so he couldn't do anything apart from obeying his parents' decision.
She used to be close to Trake. Although he always teases and makes fun of her, he tells stories about his jokes and toys.
She was shocked that he was here in the game with her. They didn't have communication from grade 7 to grade 9, but they met again in grade 10. They see each other again after 4 years in a mini reunion of two mutual friends.
"Cy, can we talk?" Trake called Heavien.
"Sure"
"May I know the answer to my question before?" he changed the story, so she was stunned.
"I don't know... why..." She scratched her forehead and sweated a little.
"It's okay, Cy. I'll wait in case you change your mind. You will certainly fall into my trap." She felt her cheeks getting warm. He smirked.
Geez, that smirk always gets to her. Whether he's teasing her or that's just his signature face, she can't help but get annoyed. But at the same time, she praised him for looking cute and funny.
He pouted. Is he mad at her? He must be. "Just kidding! You looked scared, haha! It's not like I'll force myself into you, but it'll be a bonus if you do like me as a human being, at least."
She doesn't know what to say anymore. She's out of words.
"Just let me know if you've fallen for me, hahaha!" And he left her, waving his right hand while turning his back on her. He tends to cover up his serious and embarrassing moments with a laugh or a joke.
In the end, up until now, she never gave him an answer. She has no idea if he's still waiting for it, but what she knows is that he must have moved on after those years. She heard from other people that he had a girlfriend months after he confessed to her. Geez, he must be a playboy. No wonder she didn't catch any romantic feelings for him. When Trake confessed to her, she didn't feel anything. It was as if she thought of him as her male best friend. She can also see her brother in him. Her brother is thoughtful and playful.
Of all the people she met, he was the only one who called her 'Cy', so when someone called her that, she knew it was him. No matter what decision she makes, she's thankful that she met Trake. He has been an important person in her life.
Heavien struggles to remember what she wrote in her comics. If she's right, this is the hardest game at all levels and stages—the bloodiest.
*bell rings*
"Author!" exclaimed Rochevel.
Heavien didn't realize it was exactly 6:30 PM right now. Time flies fast when you're thinking deeply.
"Good evening, battle 7! Tonight, the time level will begin. This will be your last game, so it was made extra special."
She holds onto her chest. She can already feel the beating of it. She is sweating coldly, and she feels like she is floating. What kind of game do they play?
"The mechanics are simple..."
Something appeared in front of them from the floor, and it rose. A table made of steel and with what seems like steel on top. Wait... k-knives?
"There are seven kitchen knives on the table. You will have each of them. That will be your weapon for killing each other-"
"What?! We're going to kill each other?" Rochevel uttered worriedly. Her voice is shaky.
"Exactly. Your markings on your chest will be your new way of naming each other. In order to kill, target the new mark embedded on your flesh..."
Heavien checked her left chest, and there was something colored tattooed on it. She tore her collar and saw the new marking. It is a circle that mixes brown and yellow. Something is written below the circle...
Venus?
"One of those knives contains poison. A poison so lethal that when the blade penetrates any part of the flesh, even with the slightest millimeter, it will cause instant death."
What is the use of their new marking? That said, the opponent must be attacked in the chest, where the mark is to die permanently. One in seven knives is poisonous. It has the poison that you don't have to stab the opponent in the chest deeply, but it will kill you.
"There is no time limit. The moment that I detected only one beating pulse among the seven of you, the game is over. The one who last stands wins."
One of her questions has been answered. There will be only one who will win this entire thing. This game is harder, no, the hardest. The simplest games among them are all but the bloodiest. They have no ally now but themselves. They should consider each other to be rivals. And all six should die.
"What if they just run away?" Jecko questioned as if he just didn't care what was going on. He seems composed and keeps his cool.
How Heavien wishes she could at least act like him in this situation.