A mage, a tank, and an archer called for my attention as my hand reached for the inn door.
I turned
"Can I help you?"
The tank stepped forward, hand extended. Young—early twenties, my age. Freshman, maybe?
I took his hand. He shook it like he was trying to start an engine.
"So Cyin, right? We just formed up five minutes ago—we're looking for someone with a sword!"
'I know where this is going…'
"Wanna be our fourth member?"
He looked at me like refusal was already impossible.
"I'm not—"
"Come on! You won't lose anything, it'll be great!"
My mouth opened, closed.
"Fine. I'll join you…"
"Yay!"
He slapped my back so hard I stumbled into the group.
"So? Shall we introduce ourselves now? I'll start, my name is Ashlen, a tank, level four!"
The archer woman straightened. Long brown hair, and she was tall—Towered over all of us, even Ashlen.
"My name is Loava, a level four archer."
The third was a smaller girl. Eighteen, maybe..
"Eh, umm… I'm Sora…"
Her voice barely carried.
"A level two mage."
She held her staff possessively—she made herself small behind it.
'Cute'
It was my turn next.
"I am Cyin, a level three Sword."
Ashlen's face lit up—childish joy in his eyes.
[Request:] Join party {Ashlen}.
I tapped accept. My name popped up first beside Ashlen—his HP was rather high. Sora and Loava popped up below.
Ashlen pumped his armoured fist into the air.
"Hell yeah! Now we're talkin'! Let's go!"
***
"My right!"
Ashlen called for backup.
A pack of level 4 dire wolves surrounded us.
"No problem!"
Loava put an arrow through the nearest one's throat.
Each kill gifted 200 Sik and a burst of pixels. Each bit of damage we took was recovered by Sora's
'She's not watching her MP.'
"Sora—watch your MP!"
She nodded, gripping her staff a little harder.
"Cyin! A little extra help over here?"
"On it!"
My blade caught a wolf mid-lunge, cutting it clean in half.
[+] 12 Exp, 200 Sik, 1 Fang.
'Damn it, I wish I had learned some sword skills beforehand.'
[1]
The final wave surged—more wolves than before, fresh and hungry.
"Formation!"
'Hey… Aren't there… More than last time?'
"Ashlen! Be careful, there are more!"
'I shouted loud enough for everyone. As a swordsman, I could handle a few. But the others? None could take more than two. Sora couldnt take one. She was my priority, but I couldn't abandon the others either.'
Two more lunged in my direction. An arrow took the first, my sword took the other.
"Thanks!"
"Cyin! Behind you!"
I spun around—too late. Claws tore through my light armour.
[HP] 40%
Pain erupted through me, electric and vivid.
'The pain—It's all too real…'
"Cyin!"
Loava knocked another arrow, loosing it at the wolf, killing it.
"Got yo-"
Before she could finish, two more attacked her from behind.
Her health shot down to the red.
"Loava!"
Ashlen abandoned his position to cover for her.
'Crap! You idiot!'
I got up, gripping my sword tight in my right hand.
"Get away!"
I swung at the wolves pursuing him. My blade connected—once, twice—but they kept coming.
'Too many.'
Ashlen managed to kill one of Loava's attackers, but the other bit through his leg.
Sora trembled, taking two small steps back.
Small particles surrounded the two. She was trying her best, but she couldn't save them.
Loava groaned, tried to rise, fell back down.
Four more flanked my left, near where Sora was standing.
From the corner of my eye, the wolves overpowered Ashlen, protecting Loava.
"Go! Protect Sora!"
'I was already doing that! Pay attention!'
I dashed towards her, cutting down the closest ones.
[Ashlen: 60%
Cyin: 40%
Loava: 15%
Sora: 100%]
'Is this what I've become? Choosing one life over another?... '
I took another bite to the torso.
[HP] 30%
I stabbed the attacker. Another burst of pixels.
'I can't do this...'
"Aegh!"
I looked back. Ashlen was falling.
'Hell. I can't…'
Sora collapsed, her knees gave out.
[Party] You are now the party leader.
'No… I can't look now!…'
[HP] 50%
I wanted to thank her, but I was too focused on staying alive.
'I'm sorry.'
Silence, the everything came crashing back.
I swung relentlessly, smashing wolf after wolf. I forced Ashlen and Loava from my mind.
[HP] 20%
[HP] 15%
'If I can't protect everyone, then no harm must come to Sora.'
"Cyin! You don't have to do this!"
Sora cried for me to stop. But I wouldnt let her die, not like the others.
"No!"
I stumbled, my legs weakening. My voice hoarse.
"This was Ashlen's wish!"
[0]
The last wolf disintegrated.
[HP] 13%
Sora's MP bar shrank to 0. My HP started rising back into the yellow.
I collapsed to my knees, looking back to where Ashlen and Loava had fought.
"Yeah… They're dead…"
The weight of the battle hadn't yet hit.
Ashlen and Loava were dead, gone, reduced to pixels, and in the real world…
"Cyin…"
Tears welled up in Sora's eyes; her gaze was fixed on me.
"Don't say it—let's go back into town…"