*Knock Knock Knock*
"Coming!"
The sounds of footsteps sounded from inside the building and the thunking of the door unlocking rang out.
"Who is it?"
The freshly oiled door swung open swiftly as a middle-aged woman with her long chestnut brown hair tied in a bun, wearing a white cooking apron stained with a sauce of some sort stood there, holding a plastic spatula in one hand.
"Oh my! Marc! Are you okay? Where have you been? I was so worried! The earthquake earlier! I thoug-' A middle-aged woman exclaimed, running out to hug him.
"Mom. I'm fine," Marcus interrupted with a small comforting smile, wrapping his arm around her.
"Hurry up and come in," She suddenly let go of him and dragging him inside. "Go take a shower. You look and smell like you went dumpster diving. Food will be ready by the time you're out."
"Okay..."
Heading straight into the second room on the left, Marcus walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. The day's events still freshly in his mind.
"She's dead." He muttered, staring at the water drizzling from the showerhead.
The woman that he had known for over 4 years was just suddenly gone. The one who was by his side every day of the week, helping him, laughing with him. It had just dawned on him. He'll never be able to see her again and that thought hit him where it hurt the most. He had never realized it before, but he had always enjoyed her company, it was as if a hole was forming within him, and without her, it would never be filled.
"Why..."
A hint of fury that he had never felt before overwhelmed him as he slumped down on the ground.
"Why does this have to happen? What did I ever do wrong? What did she ever do wrong? Why! Why couldn't we just lived in peace?" He growled, staring at the roof of the bathroom, trying to get the answers he deserved.
However, just as he had expected, there was no reply.
"As expected." He scoffed, getting up and getting ready to take a shower.
*Ding!*
[Participation Point is calculated:
Gate Ranking: F (1 Point)
Hunters Eliminated: 2 (4 Point)
Time Taken: 3 hours (1 Point)
Bonus points: 0
Total Points Collected: 5 Points
Evaluation: F-]
"What?"
*Ding!*
[Would you like to open Point Store? Y/N]
"Point?"
Holding his shirt in one hand, he hesitantly tapped the screen, [Y] causing the screen to flash close, opening a red transparent one with the words 'Point Store' written in bold at the top.
[Point Store:
(Press item for descriptions)
Current Points: 5
CONSUMABLES
Healing Potions:- (Press for more options)
Stats Upgrader: 100P
Skill Upgrader: 1,000P
Gate Cure: 500P
Upgrade Gate: 1,000P
Companion: 10,000P
WEAPONS
Beginner Spin: 1,000P
- Choose a weapon type: Bow/Dagger/Mace/Staff/Sword/Shield/Spear
Intermediate Spin: 100,000P
- Choose a weapon type: Bow/Dagger/Mace/Staff/Sword/Shield/Spear
Advanced Spin: 1,000,000P
- Choose a weapon type: Bow/Dagger/Mace/Staff/Sword/Shield/Spear]
"What the hell is all this?"
He quickly scrolled through the page. Tapping on the [Potions] options.
[Healing Potions:-
- Small: 10P
Description - Pour over small wound to heal
- Medium: 100P
Description - Drink or pour over medium wounds to heal
- Advanced: 1,000P
Description - Drink to heal large wounds
- Elixir: 10,000P
Description - Drink to heal any life-threatening wounds
- Phoenix's Tear: 100,000,000P
Description - Brewed using a drop of a Phoenix tear. The Phoenix potion is capable of even reviving the dead.]
"Everything's so expensive," He scanned through the page, his eyes catching onto the last option. "Pheonix Tear?"
He quickly read the description his eyes widening. "I can bring her back? Oh my god, I can bring her back!" Hope flashed in his eyes
But the hope which filled his eyes quickly dimmed as he saw the price. "1 million. No way. I can't go back to that place. How many more people would have to die before I even get close to that amount?"
It was as if life was playing a joke on him, dangling him what he wanted most in front of him, but far enough that he'll never reach it.
"Marc!" The food's ready! I'm going to the hospital, I need to fill in a shift for a co-worker." His mother's voice suddenly sounded from behind the door.
"Okay, mom. Take care!" He shouted back, closing the store screen and hopping into the shower.
"Oh...forgot to bring a change of clothes..."
----
20 minutes later, the bathroom door opened as Marcus walked out wearing casual black tracksuit pants and a white top, his hair still damp from the shower while the steam from the bathroom gushing out behind him.
He made his way towards the dining room table and found a plate of his mother's specialty. Spaghetti Bolenase. It was such a classic meal, but it's not like any he's eaten before. It wasn't as good as the ones professionally made at restaurants, but the love and effort that was put into making it gave it the feeling of love, home, and childhood. Reminiscing about the past, the plate of spaghetti quickly disappeared before his eyes.
"Sarah..." Marcus sighed, staring at the brown-haired girl before him, slurping greedily on his plate of spaghetti.
"What? You were just staring and didn't seem like you were going to eat it." She retorted, licking the plate clean. "Oh yeah. My college art convention."
She dug through her hoodie jumper, taking out a crinkled piece of paper, "Next month." She smiled, running back into her room
Marcus rubbed his forehead, grabbing the paper from across the table, and uncrinkled it. On it was what seemed like a flyer designed by an 8-year-old. All the words drawn with colored markers and crayons.
'Laidside College Invites you to the Laidside Art Convention!
Come admire our student's hard efforts! Take place in art auctions! Support our Artists!
When: 24/07/2033
Where: Laidside College Art Department
Time: ALL DAY!'
"Hopefully the art there isn't as bad as this," He muttered under his breath, as he raised an eyebrow.
"We just ran out of time to advertise, okay?!" Sarah's voice called out from her room, clearly offended.
"I was just kidding!" Marcus shouted back, "I'll support you no matter how bad your art is!"
He quickly covered his ears and rushed into his room, knowing the storm that he just caused. And as expected, his sister's room burst open and a furious-looking Sarah ran after him with a baseball bat in hand.
"I'm a B Ranked hunter now! I'll beat you up before you can even scream for help!" She threatened with a deranged smile on her face.
"I'm kidding! I'm kidding!" Marcus shouted back from behind the door, his hands and knees blocking the door from being opened. "Wait. You're a B-ranked hunter?" He suddenly realized, freezing on the spot.
"Yeah! So I'm super strong now, you better watch out!" She shouted back with pride in her voice.
The door slowly opened as Marcus peeked his head out.
[Status Check]
Status:-
Name: Sarah Elori
Age: 20
Sex: Female
Occupation: College Student - Art
Title: Hunter (Ranked: B)
Class: Archer
Level: 1
HP: 10/10
MP: 30/30
STR: 9
INT: 10
VIT: 8
AGI: 15
STA: 13
RES: 14
LUK: 10
Skills:-
Mana Bolt: (Lvl 1)
MP Cost 2 MP
Explosive Shot: (Lvl 1)
MP Cost: 5 MP
Missile: (Lvl 1)
MP Cost: 10 MP
Stealth: (Lvl 1)
MP Cost: 1 MP/min
"What's your class?" He asked, feigning ignorance.
"I'm an archer!" He put her hands on her hips with pride. "Why? What about you?"
"I- I'm a swordsman." He smiled,
"Bleh. Lame." She poked out her tongue and faked a gag. "Well, whatever. Did you hear about the new Hunter Bureau that opened? They're opening a Hunter's Union where everyone that's a hunter can join and raid gates together. So I'm thinking maybe I should join. Heard there are great loots from these so-called gates. It's just like a video game." She chuckled, as she placed the bat on her shoulders, getting ready to go back to her room.
Marcus' eyes shot open as he grabbed her sleeve, preventing her from leaving,
"No. Don't" His voice nearly coming out like a whimper.
Sarah spun around in surprise. She had never heard her brother sound so desperate and scared before.
"Are... Are you ok?" She asked, walking back over to him getting more concerned by the minute. His face was turning paler as the events inside the gate flashed back in his memory.
"Oh. Yeah. Just don't enter those gates. It's not all fun and games like you think." He gave a small smile before shifting back into his room and closing the door.
"What the?" Sarah stared at the closed door in confusion and walked back into her room, questions pouring into her head by the second.
She went to lay in her bed with a grunt, tossing the baseball bat across the room. She stared that the roof, tossing and turning before sitting up again. With a heave, she pushed herself off her bed and made her way to her laptop, a few feet away.
'Gates accidents.' she typed, scrolling through the page before a link caught her attention.
[Gate Accident at Elementary School. 2 dead]
She moved her cursor on the link and clicked,
'4 pm today, a gate was opened at the site of Laidside Elementary School. Three individuals including two teachers and a parent had entered the gate, however, 4 hours later, only one emerged alive. The names of these brave teachers and parents will not be disclosed.' The article began,
"Oh my god," she muttered, skimming through the article. Even though the included pictures had the individuals censored, she could clearly tell the person in question was her brother. While the other two, she could only recognize one. Valina. She had seen them teaching together before. She had even secretly thought that they would be the perfect couple. Both were kind and patient, both loved children. It was a match made in heaven. But, her brother just too dense. He never even thought about love. Now, she was gone.
Sarah closed her laptop and stared in the direction of Marcus' room, empathizing with him.
She took out her phone and scrolled through her contacts and tapped the one with her brother's face.
'I won't join the Union.' She sent the message.
Her phone vibrated,
'Ok. Look at the time. Go to sleep.'
"It's only 10 pm!" She shouted across the house, "Why don't you sleep?"
It vibrated again.
'I can't if you're shouting. You'll stay a midget if you stay up all night.'
'Sleep'
'Sleep'
'Sleep'
He began spamming her.
"Oh god, your annoying!" She shouted again, shutting off her phone and jumping into bed. She pulled her blanket over her and curled up in a ball.
The least she could do was help brighten the mood.
Across the house, Marcus laid in bed, holding his phone above him with a small smile on his face.
'Thank you.' he typed, hesitating to press send before erasing the message and putting down the phone.
The lights all flickered off and the night slowly passed.