A group of children, all the same age, gathered at a quiet, secluded spot away from the bustling activities. "So, is everyone here?" a voice chimed in, as if conducting a roll call.
Among them stood Asher, Cedric, Evelina, and Freya, who had just joined them. "Hey, guys, hope you didn't start the party without us," Evelina broke the silence with her usual flair.
"This isn't a game. But I suppose manners were never taught in your household," a blonde girl retorted sharply.
"What did you say? Come on, say it again, I dare you," Evelina bristled, clearly irked by the remark.
"I'd rather not stoop to your level," the blonde girl replied coolly.
"Elora, stop being mean," a boy who bore a striking resemblance to her interjected with a smile.
"Let it go, Lina. Elora could wipe the floor with you if she felt like it," Asher attempted to diffuse the tension while subtly reminding her of who she was challenging.
"Oh, right, ummm… Finn isn't here though. We couldn't find him anywhere," Cedric reported, trying to shift the focus away from the confrontation with the blonde girl.
"I guess we'll have to start without him," one of the boys, who exuded an air of nobility, suggested. No one seemed to object to his proposal.
*****
The meeting was convened under the guise of the fair, providing a pretext for everyone to gather and exchange information about their discoveries in this new world.
They were the ones who had been reincarnated into this world alongside Jett.
Ray, formerly known as Ryota, was the most vocal among them.
He possessed an in-depth understanding of the WAR BOUND game, although his knowledge couldn't rival Jett's.
Nonetheless, his expertise in the game alone was a significant advantage.
He was the one who proposed that the world they now lived in shared similarities with the WAR BOUND franchise.
He explained everything he knew about the game and the similarities he found, outlining which character each of them embodied and their corresponding storyline within the game.
He also shared some secrets he had gleaned from the forum that would aid them in leveling up.
While most of his tips were top-notch, some proved to be somewhat inconsistent, as he primarily focused on warrior classes.
Unfortunately, due to the nature of the original story, he couldn't offer much assistance to Freya, who had the priestess class.
Others who were familiar with the game shared their knowledge, and those who focused on different mediums like movies, TV shows, cartoons, and even the board game contributed what they knew.
They discussed various survival strategies based on their combined knowledge.
The overarching storyline they all understood was that fourteen heroes were summoned to a fantasy world of swords and magic, tasked with defeating an evil dark magician who later transformed into a Lich.
The heroes were to grow stronger, seek out ancient weapons to aid them in battle, unite the races, and ultimately end the Lich's tyranny.
However, they weren't aware that this narrative was incomplete.
According to the book, two characters met their demise even before the battle commenced, with Jett and Freya destined to be among the fallen.
Yet, none of them, apart from Jett, were privy to this information.
*****
"Hurry up before they all leave. You should at least meet the others," Finn urged Jett, motioning for him to pick up the pace.
"Alright, alright, I'm coming," Jett responded reluctantly, taking his time to soak in the vibrant atmosphere as he followed behind. 'I only agreed to come so I could get a skill from Ray,' he thought to himself, feeling content with everything they had accomplished for the day.
"They should be somewhere around here," Finn remarked, scanning the area in search of their gathering spot. He soon spotted the group gathered in a quiet corner secluded from the fair.
"Hey, everyone, I'm finally here," Finn announced, observing the mixed expressions on their faces. Freya, Ray, and Evelina struggled to contain their laughter, giving off faint giggles.
"You're extremely late," Elora blocked his path and pointed accusingly at Finn. "And who is this stranger you brought to this important gathering?" she questioned Finn.
"Well, he's..." Finn began to explain.
"You now bring anyone to our secret meet-ups? You do realize that normal people are not allowed here, right? What if people find out about who we are through him, huh? Would you take responsibility for that?" Elora admonished Finn.
"Sorry, ma'am," Finn muttered, caught off guard by the scolding.
No one envied Finn's position at that moment. They all watched in silence as Elora berated him.
Even Jett felt a pang of sympathy, but he refrained from interfering, knowing she was already searching for an opportunity to involve him too.
As Elora continued to reprimand Finn, somebody finally intervened. "Leave the poor guy alone."
"Stay out of this, Matty. We can't let him keep getting away with all his mishaps just because he's loaded," Elora dismissed his input. "He's just a spoiled, unapologetic, self-entitled greedy brat. Even Ray doesn't act as pompous as you, and he's the freaking prince."
Ray couldn't help but blush, unsure if being used as a role model at that moment was entirely flattering.
Every insult Elora hurled at Finn felt like a dagger to his gut. Jett remained silent throughout the exchange until Finn had finally reached his breaking point and attempted to explain, "He's an ally, his name is Jett Grift, he's..."
"Ethan?" Ray interjected, wearing a surprised yet pleased expression on his face.
"Wow, I give up," Finn muttered, storming off to a corner in frustration.
"Yo," Jett greeted no one in particular before approaching Ray. "I'm surprised you figured me out just by the name," he remarked, extending his hand towards Ray. 'There you are,' he thought, smiling as he copied the skill from Ray.
[Regeneration A]
"Is that really him? The guy who got that luck restriction back when we met Aurelia, right?" Evelina whispered to Asher. "Where has he been all this time? He doesn't seem like he's from a noble or prestigious family like the rest of us."
"Shut it," Asher chided her, silencing her with a playful chop to the head before turning his attention to Jett.
"Ow, that hurt, you meanie," Evelina complained, rubbing her head in pain.
"Ignore her, she's just a troublemaker," Asher apologized to Jett, though he couldn't help but wonder where Jett had been all this time. "But honestly, though, where have you been?"
"Lagia, a town really far from the capital," Jett replied.
"I hope you weren't slacking off and playing house like this dimwit over here," Elora remarked, eyeing Jett with suspicion.
"Come on, just cut him some slack. He's much stronger than you think," Asher defended Jett, then turned to glance at Finn in the corner. "I bet he could disarm you easily in a duel," he added with a faint smirk.
"Huh?" Finn struggled to process what he had just heard.
"Haha, I see you enjoy joking about impossible situations," Elora chuckled lightly, though the tension in the air was palpable.
Everyone watching could sense where this was headed.
"How about a bet? You wouldn't pass up the chance to prove yourself right, would you?" Jett suggested with a sinister smile. "The loser has to fulfill the winner's request."
"Don't do it, Elora."
"She's not going to... right?'
Elora grinned at Jett. "Is that so?"
'Crap, she's going to.'
'How does she not see what's happening?"
"I guess we'll just have to see what happens next."
They all whispered among themselves as the tension continued to escalate. No one dared to be the voice of reason and tell Elora to reconsider, not even Aiden, who appeared to be her brother.
"I accept the terms. When do we start so I can pulverize him?" Elora proclaimed proudly, pointing at Finn, who was now hiding behind Ray, visibly trembling with fear.
Freya watched with a mixture of disgust and concern as Jett baited Elora into a senseless duel with Finn as the unwitting victim. Something felt off to her. 'Jett Grift, you are a menace. What are you hiding?'
*
*
*
The group is finally back together.