[Welcome Players! Congratulations on passing through the gate! Your rewards have been added automatically! The Priestess wishes you good fortune!]
Simultaneously, the translucent screen disappeared in front of them. The mechanical voice still ringing in their ears.
The gate disappeared from their view and the four friends with Nayowmi found themselves standing in the middle of a snow covered land.
Zera immediately wished she had better clothing as her teeth chattered in the chilly atmosphere. Pine trees surrounded them, flanking each side of the vast place. A small path was opened in the middle, leading to an unknown end.
Those trees were also covered in thick blankets of snow. On each end, from where they were standing, the north and south, they cannot see anything but broad whiteness.
Zera wanted to close her eyes. The white surroundings was a pain to look at. But one thing she was grateful for; there was no wind. If there was, that would certainly freeze them all to death.
"Can they offer a change of clothes next time? Or at least warn us what the setting on the next stage would be? It's freezing out here. Dang!" Beatrix exclaimed, rubbing her hands together.
Both Astherielle and Zera shared the same sentiments. Their avatar of choice were all poorly dressed for such setting.
"It doesn't work that way." Nayowmi muttered. She turned to the four friends. "Brace yourselves, this isn't like the first stage where you only have to fight off the big boss."
Jaspreth held Nayowmi's gaze.
"What happens in stage 2?"
Hearing some movements from somewhere on their left, the group stood still. Nayowmi stared at the pine trees. Her eyes were narrowed, and she was clutching the rifle in her hand. She raised it with a shooting aim, her eyes focusing on the scope, finding its target.
Beatrix followed, pointing her guns from left to right while the rest of them braced for impact. They don't even have protective vests, and surely their clothes weren't bulletproof.
"In stage 2," Nayowmi said softly, making sure only their small crew could hear what she had to say. "We compete with another set of players. We have to fight our way to get to the next stage."
"You mean," Zera suddenly felt her heart skip a beat. "We need to defeat another team in order to proceed to the next level?"
Nayowmi nodded. She refused to be reminded of the friends she had lost along the way.
"The next stages would be similar to this. Stage 1 is basically nothing but practice. Stage 2 and onwards, the elimination begins."
"What the hell? Does this make us murderers if we happen to win every round? Does each player really die, or is this just a game?" Beatrix stared at Nayowmi.
Nayowmi took a deep breath, her eyes fleeting on the left side where she sensed someone was watching them.
"I have no answer. But I'm here with you right now. So, treat this as my response to your query."
"You know what, guys? Please, don't die. Let's stick together until the end. I can't imagine being separated from any of you. Just thinking about it already breaks my heart." Astherielle lamented.
"Hey, let's not talk about that. The good news out of all this is that we can't really die. We can still finish the game and get out. Right Nayowmi? It wouldn't matter if we can't get to the end together?"
"I don't know. I haven't made it close enough to the end to have an appropriate response. You and I have been dragged inside this game with zero clue about it. If we happen to–"
"Duck!" Beatrix screamed, saving all of them from an oncoming snowball.
Nayowmi muttered a curse, firing her rifle at the movement she saw out of the corner of her eye.
"Take cover behind the trees. Go!" she encouraged, pushing the crew to move behind a tree, one for each of them.
A whistle was heard from afar, and a rain of snowballs followed it. However, instead of plain ice erupting after it hit the ground or the side of the bark of the tree, it burst like a bomb would, creating splinters in the trees and a crack on the ground.
"A snowball cannon? How feisty." Jaspreth whistled.
"I'm beginning to hate your jolly attitude, too, Jay." Beatrix rolled her eyes.
"Focus! We need to find the other players and start decreasing their numbers before they beat us." Nayowmi reminded them, shushing the group of friends.
Zera squinted at their surroundings, keeping her senses open.
"We need to be serious now. No more games." Zera noted how they have Nayowmi and Beatrix. They each held long-range weapons, which would be helpful in their current situation.
She and Jaspreth with Astherielle needed a close range fight. Though Astherielle can throw the daggers too but she can't guarantee they would automatically come back in her hands. Or would it?
"Hey, A-"
"Use your player names from here on out. It's dangerous when someone learns your real identity." Nayowmi snapped before Zera could call out to Astherielle.
"Astrid." Zera went on, her eyes fleeting towards Nayowmi for a moment. Astherielle turned to Zera and smiled.
"Dang, it's the first time I heard you call me by my player name. It feels weird." Zera shrugged.
"Better be safe than sorry. Anyway, have you tried throwing those daggers of yours?"
Astherielle stared at the weapon in her hands and shook her head.
"Nope, not yet. Why?"
"I was wondering if it could do long range and magically come back to you."
Astherielle's eyes widened.
"I never thought of that. Wanna test it now?"
"Um—" but before she could stop her, Astherielle threw one dagger towards a tree that innocently stood across from her. It wasn't so far, but it wasn't within five inches from her, either.
The dagger remained stuck on the tree for a minute before it disappeared and reappeared in Astherielle's hands.
"Oh, EE, I don't need your guns. These daggers are so cool."
"EE?" Nayowmi's brows furrowed.
"Evil Enchantress. I'm lazy, sorry."
Nayowmi nodded at Astherielle's response.
"Evil Enchantress, Astrid. Who else?"
"Charm." Zera clarified.
"Master Trickster at your service, madam!" Jaspreth perked up.
Nayowmi took the time to catch each of their gazes, seeming to memorize who was who.
"Alright, now we need a plan. The stage boss has yet to come out. But while it's taking its time, we can eliminate the other players first."
"Agreed, and the first step we can do is to locate them. You and EE can take charge in long-range shots. Astrid can join you too. The three of you can spearhead the locating thing with your weapons. Me and the trickster can work out some sneak attacks once they are located."
"Not bad. We need bait to make them come out, though"
Zera looked at her companions, clearing her throat after several seconds of still silence.
"I'll be the bait."