Page 52 of Our Final Game

I’d kiss him on the mouth for absolutely nothing at this point, though.

I groan in pain, tipping the green liquid back into my mouth. Sparks crackle around my limp body as I start to feel a little better and my HP bar recovers back to a safer percentage. Now to figure out where the fuck I am.

My eyes have gotten a bit used to the darkness down here. Here, as in what is absolutely the basement of some bigger structure. I look to the cell next to me, squinting to get a better look at what appears to be a dark lump. Walking closer to the bars, I realize it’s not a lump.

It’s a human NPC.

“The fucking town leader…” I say into the dark.

“Ah, yes, you’ve discovered your cellmate.” A dark creature, I definitely don’t remember being in the game’s monster log, comes close enough into my view.

“What the fuck are you?”

“Your friend.”

“Friends don’t attack their friends and lock them up in basements,” I growl. I’m sick of the games already.

How ironic.

“Ah, sorry about that. You see, I had to. Because your other friend gave you up to me.”

“What the fuck are you talking about? Let me out before I snap your neck in two.” Though I can see his level and it’s laughably higher than mine. It would take a party of at least three of my same skill and level to take him. But he doesn’t need to know that anymore than he already does.

“Right, cause you definitely could.” He grins, and it’s one of the most cynical things I’ve ever seen, all jagged, shadowy teeth.

“So, as I was saying, your other friend, he gave you up to me.” The monster lets out what I think is supposed to be a laugh. It’s more of a screech, making me flinch. “Doesn’t seem to like you very much. Easy deal. Told him I’d let him out of the game.”

“Wait…Rohan?” I dash towards the cell bars.

“Yes! That one! Pretty thing.”

“Stay away from him!” I snarl.

“Too late. He gave me your soul. In exchange for being free…” he says, almost like he’s singing.

“He … He wouldn’t do that.”

“But he did.”

“He wouldn’t! You’re a liar!” I yell, summoning my blade, black shadowy flames whip around the small cell.

“You can’t get out that way.” The monster taunts.

“He wouldn’t do that to me…” I feel my skin heating. “He wouldn’t … abandon me like that.”

“So, why hasn’t he come to save you?”

“Because he doesn’t know!”

“It’s been a day already. Let’s see if he comes to you.”

“Let. Me. Out.” My heart thrashes in my chest furiously as I lash out in a series of attacks against the cell’s lock to no avail. I’m just tiring my body and my MP when I already don’t have many supplies left to replenish. The monster watches me exhaust myself, laughing. There’s no way Rohan would do that.

Right?

He wouldn’t leave me here to get out of the game. No matter how distant he seemed, no matter how much he hates me. There’s no way. There’s no place in my heart I feel that he would leave me behind. I thought we were doing better, not the best but better than when we started this stupid fucking game. I thought I’d gotten at least closer to him.

Closer to his … heart.