97. The game (III)

“What would that be?” Dairen said. He was now tying up Mike with a rope.

Mike struggled for a moment. Snow could see a slight craze in Mike’s eyes, and when she looked at Dairen, she could almost see the same hint of it in his.

“What’s wrong with him?”

“He’s addicted.” Dairen bluntly said and yanked the rope to stop Mike from running away. "I noticed that others are getting addicted to the game as well when they win." He sighed.

Snow did see a few crazed expressions from the other Players, but the weight of Darien's words hadn't hit her until now. She had thought that the Players were roughhousing with each other or were becoming a bit too rude.

“It’s making it almost impossible to tear them apart from the booth. Mike had already collected 43 tokens on just gambling alone. The higher the prize and the more dangerous the outcome if he loses, but that's not what worries me. It's like these games were draining everyone and making them addicted. It's strange."

It wasn’t just once or twice; she noticed that the number of people getting injured seemed to increase as well as the disgruntled fights that were happening were becoming more frequent.

“He already had some disgruntled agreement with a few Players” Dairen wasn’t liking how things were going. There was bound to be a big fight at the rate this was going.

“I agree. Soon the tokens will run out. There is no way to get out of this area. There is some kind of magic cast in this area.”

“So, you think we should start collecting our own tokens?”

“No.” Snow shook her head. “I am not going to collect anything. I have decided to stay behind.”

“What?! Why?” Dairen asked. He let go of the ropes, causing Mike to hurl forward onto the floor face first. With a painful yelp, Mike was rolling on the ground. “We need to move onto the next area and defeat the boss, not stay behind.”

Even Mike was suddenly brought out of his stupor, waking up at Dairen’s loud words. He blinked a few times from the ground, looking up at the two as he tried to sit up. Eventually, he was able to get onto his knees, a bit ragged, but sane.

“I think there is something more to this. I feel like I’ll find out the reason if I stay behind.” Snow wasn’t going to let Dairen’s words persuade her. She had a feeling that there was something more. “I’m not going to leave the rest of them behind. We are going to need everyone by the end of this level. There won’t be any reinforcements, Dairen. It won’t be enough time to get through this complicated dungeon that pits each other for their own selfish reasons.”

Snow was sure that this was what the dungeon wanted.

No, she knew it as a fact.

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“Plus, have you already given up on the rest of the people that would be left behind?” Snow was wondering what Dairen’s answer would be. This was her other main concern. There were going to be quite a handful of Players left behind.

Dairen couldn’t answer, he was struggling for words, but nothing came out.

Snow shook her head, wondering when Dairen had changed. Maybe it had all started when he had slain his first person. Perhaps it was earlier, she didn’t know or understand.

The life of a Player was bound to change as she believed that these Players saw the natives as a throwaway chess piece.

Snow reached out and grabbed Dairen’s hand. “Don’t lose your kind soul, Dairen. It’s not like you to let yourself go this quickly.” She whispered. Without realizing it, her light magic was gathering in her hands and wrapped around Dairen like a gentle blanket.

Dairen momentarily closed his eyes to take in her gentle warmth. He opened his eyes, which was a lot clearer than before. Something swayed in his mind, telling her what she had said had done something to him.

“Keep the others safe. I’ll meet you at the final boss.” Snow assured him with confidence.

“But-”

“No, buts.” Snow silenced him before he could say more. She let go, turning her back on him. “I’ll see you guys at the end. I am sure of it.”

She left, leaving both of them gaping at her unable to form words. Snow wished them luck as she knew that many things needed her attention.

"Well, well, well." The gnome said, pleased at how things were going. "It seems we got some people who already have their tokens to move on to the next area. So, with that being said, everyone who wants to move onto the next area, please head towards the ferry."

A loud steam engine blew its smoggy black smoke, chugging towards the dock. It was a pretty large, rickety, looking ferry with the paint chipping off the side. The red, white, and blue were ragged, almost dull to see as it stopped.

"I also noticed that some of you guys have more tokens than the rest, which isn't bad. At all, instead, if you take it inside the ferry, you can obtain special items or maybe even skills." The gnome said with a snicker that sparked many people's self-interest.

Already, she could see the Players rushing towards the gate, some even forgetting their fellow teammates out of pure greed.

Rodney was the first to enter the ferry as his guild members started to single file follow behind. Some had to rush to get on the boat to avoid leaving, while others rushed to play some more games to take a few extra tokens to try their hand on these particular items.

Dairen and Mike headed straight for the ferry. Dairen looked back a few times, searching for Snow's gaze, but she returned it with a cold shoulder. Mike was throwing a fit before he was knocked out by Dairen. They had already shared some token’s with their fellow guild members as they too boarded behind.

“Are you going to go?” Tommy was next to her.

Snow had wondered when he had appeared from her side. Usually, she would hear his heavy footsteps that told her of his arrival, but not today.

“No.” Snow replied.

“Then I’ll stay as well.”

"No, I suggest you go with the main group. Take the others with you. You guys will need each other."

“But that isn’t enough to keep you safe?” Tommy said in alarm. “Do you know what kind of status you hold in this party? The death of you will bring down the morale of everyone.”

Snow was shocked to hear such a statement, mostly because she didn’t think she would have such an impact. She really did just see herself as a receptionist. No more.

“I won’t die so easily, Tommy.” Snow patted his shoulder, trying her best to reassure him. But he didn’t seem to buy her words.

“You already have sent some of the best Players into the ferry. The ones that are left behind are the drudges of their group.”

“I know.”

“That’s not going to be enough whatever is going to happen, you know.”

“Possibly, but I have a few cards up my sleeves.”

“I don’t like this. What will Tamaki say?”

“Uh, what about Tamaki?” Snow tilted her head, unsure where he was going with this. She was sure that Tamaki was the type to stick around Tommy.

“Nevermind," Tommy grumbled a few incoherent words that Snow couldn’t catch. “Be sure to make it out alive. I’m going to wait three days before I come and rescue you.”

"No." Snow stopped him. She knew that it wasn't a good idea to split the forces because of her. "I'll see you at the end. Trust me." Snow felt a burning desire to live; she wasn't going to let whatever it stopped her as she knew that death wasn’t an option, and leaving behind the three hundred plus players wasn’t either.

“I hope you know what you are doing.” Tommy scratched his red beard. He then sighed and gave up in persuading her. “I’ll see you on the other side.”

Snow smiled, knowing full well how worried Tommy was. She steeled her heart, knowing that the outcome of her battle would start the moment the ferry would leave the dock. There was no way she would allow herself to deter what she wanted to do.

If she was going to play as a Saintess, she would go all out and make something of it. With her hands gripped tightly, she saw the rest of her close friend's board into the ferry.

With a loud whistle, the gnome twirled his hands. The door to the ferry locked as the Players peeked out from their windows. When they saw Snow still standing at the gate, they all shouted in alarm, realizing what they had done.