Page 69 of Our Final Game

“Don’t talk to him.” I dash back closer to Rohan to shield him. There’s no way I would let him get close to him. Not without knowing what the fuck is happening here. Why is Noel in the game? And why is he, Leon?

“Sure, okay. But anyways, this is your final challenge.”

“Challenge?”

“Yes, you see, we tried so many softer options to get you two to see it, but it would seem you both had to learn the hard way.”

“Get us to see what?” Rohan says.

“Oh, that you belong together. And I think we were right. You’re a perfect little duo. Just have to get through this last little hurdle to prove you’re fated to be, and you’re free to go.”

“What? The game wanted us to get together? That’s what this is about?”

“Yes, you two weren’t getting it. We set up so many chances for you to come together in the outside world, but ah, sometimes we have to use extreme measures.”

Set up so many chances? According to the ridiculous riddles Leon is telling us, all the times we’ve ever crossed paths have been preordained? Which, if we already weren’t stuck in a fucking game, I would laugh at. But the chances of this being bullshit are slim to none. I could believe anything at this point.

“Who’s we?” I ask, sneering.

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Leon laughs. “Semantics.”

“Wait, so you’re like … a cupid from hell?” Rohan says.

“I wouldn’t say from hell.” Leon smiles.

“None of this even makes sense.”

“Ah, yeah, well, death doesn’t make any sense, yet it exists.” Leon chuckles, spreading his arm out wide in a gesture.

“Okay, so what do we have to do to get out of here? Kiss?” Rohan says, stepping as close as my body will allow him.

“It would’ve been that easy before, but like I said, you boys had to learn everything the hard way. So…” Leon says as the tower shakes, bricks falling to the ground below.

It’s moving upward. I grab Rohan’s arm, holding him close to me as we crouch down.

The sky around us turns black, cracking with thunder. I send shadows into the air to swallow our bodies in a dark shield as debris scatters all around us, bouncing off the black dome I’ve created.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m okay,” Rohan breathes out, but his body is shaking against me, his hands holding my wrist in a vice grip.

“Stay by me, don’t leave my sight, Rohan. Do you understand?”

“Yeah…”

“Promise me.”

“I promise.”

The tower has stopped its ascension. I lock eyes with Rohan one final time, giving him a nod before dispelling the shadows.

Leon is standing in the middle of the tower’s map, overwhelming black wings, jagged and ripped in some places, sprouting from his back. He’s summoned the monster from the castle map, Jax. Only it’s bigger and a lot more sinister-looking.

“So, that was you,” I snarl.

“I knew you were a smart kid the day I met you.” Leon grins. “Now let’s begin!” he says, sending the monster straight for Rohan.

I jump in front of him, my blade clashing with his own shadows. Rohan buffs me again, dashing back to use magic, blue thunder jumping out of his lance to attack the Jax. The monster is startled, dodging his attack and appearing behind Leon again.