Chapter 61-66 (1/2)

Chapter 61: Stanford (1)

We left the stage one after another when the Introduction to the Council has ended

They're done inspecting us all through while looking down at the folders where our naroup and the abilities we possess were all indicated They're the only ones who knew about these details; with these, they will knoho they should focus on in the actual Gae with Luna and only then did I realize that ths I almost held unto Luna's shoulder to support myself which made her head turn to me with a confused expression However, I forced myself to smile and told her that I only lost my balance but the truth was that I've already been shi+vering and feeling weak since earlier I didn't know if the people watching us, or even the council, noticed this When Lucas stared at th and feel the weakness that enveloped me

We walked back to the door where we caroups did the saain We went straight out of the do

The road we took was quiet as it's quite far froraroup so e finally reached the end of the dark hallway, I iroup so that I could catch up to them but when I saw the reason why they halted, I wished that I reroup ended in a similar location where the doors were all adjacent to each other It looked like everyone was all here in the only exit far froeneral populace but still near to theat everyone, seeroup, while so at the other groups The rest continued walking as if indifferent to it all I slightly turned and looked around the surroundings and thankfully, Lucas' group didn't arrive yet e breath

I just don't think I can face Lucas at this moment

Little by little, the people left the wide hallway through the elevators, and since the others arrived first, we let theroups while we're outside of the arena because we have lots of tiroup was almost the next one for the elevator, I suddenly stopped when I heard a familiar name

”Lucas, are you okay?”

I paused as I was about to enter the elevator, hearing the footsteps of Lucas' group walking toward us I wanted to turn my head around but I knew I shouldn't In front ofinside the elevator And behind me was Lucas

Cain looked at me with a confused face ”shi+a, enter the elevator already,” he said

I took a deep breath, forcing et the presence of Lucas and finally entered the elevator My group atchingabout ht and faced the outside While the door of the elevator was slowly closing, I saw hi at , confusion, and perplexed

He took a step towards us as the gap from the elevator's door became thinner as the second passed I half-closedHis eyes were asking:

shi+a, what's happening?

—

My coed their clothes Everyone was so harried inside the suite The reason for this was because in a few minutes the official farewell to the parents will come so I know they can't help it However, instead of rushi+ng, I only sat atthe surroundings I didn't have any parents to prepare for events such as this and I also didn't care

I still felt weak because of what happened earlier, Lucas didn't deserve this kind of torture He didn't have any knowledge that ill meet here He looked so confused, so out of it And I was afraid that our reason for joining this game was actually for each other If only I could talk to hiame

”shi+a?”

I was startled when I heard the knock on the door I heard Miss Aura's voice calling my name

”What?” I emotionlessly answered

The doorknob turned and then she entered the room Her eyes flickered when she saw ed?”

I looked at ram

”Do I have to?” I asked, ”I don't have any parents co,” I continued with no interest in my tone I have no tis inno parents which I've already accepted a long tio

I noticed that Miss Aura froze ”Some people want to see you”

I looked up at her with a furrowed forehead but I found out that she's also confused

”Mr and Mrs Stanford want to see you”

I was even more confused when she said that Why? What do they need from me?

Miss Aura noticed the silent question etched on my face

”shi+a, this is a request from the Stanfords”

I simply looked at her I can still remember what happened to me when I came near the Stanfords I didn't need that confusion now; I've already got o”

But just like before, and also for the last ti

This was the Stanford we're talking about One of the most powerful families in the town of Hesperia; someone like me cannot just refuse their request Thus, I wasn't able to do anything but change my clothes and wear the dark blue formal dress that was prepared for the activity this afternoon I stared myself at the mirror before I left the room For the last time, I will meet the Stanford family

What can it do to me anyway? After this, ill be isolated until the time of the Game arrives It'll be better if I meet them now to learn what they really need from me

I left roupmates have already left; even Miss Aura was nowhere to be seen When I exited fro fora unifor She asked for h I didn't knohat it was for

She started walking and I just followed after her She escorted me to one of the doors in the floor situated above our suite Every door we passed through, there were nasley Parson Sarton

Probably, ether with their parents I even heard that Priam was also here

The female suddenly stopped e reached the final door She stared at the sign on the door before she returned her eyes to the folder that she's holding

Folded lines appeared on my forehead as I also read it

Stanford

”We're here,” she said

I just looked at her and wondered if the files on her hand were updated Corrine's surnaroup, was the one on the door Notle word as it seeh and held the doorknob to open the door

I immediately froze up when I saw the people inside the roo outside as if he's been waiting for a long ti on a luxurious sofa, anxiously caressing her hand, seely nervous And Corrine Corrine was also in the roo here?

They were startled when they heard the door opening and saw me Mrs Stanford suddenly stood while her husband turned his head to us; then Corrine suddenly approached and hugged me…

Chapter 62: Stanford (2)

Corrine suddenly approached and hugged ood that you caht you won't come and meet us”

The severe nervousness and relief can be clearly heard in Corrine's voice, and this made me even more confused She immediately separated from me when she sawthat they should faceher beauty She's very elegant and graceful

”Jshi+a,” she called in a weak tone ”I'm very happy to see you before the Ga on the expression of these people as if they knew so and it's related with me

I was edWith this, I wasn't able to ?

”I never thought… you're finally here now… I know you're…” she said things I wasn't able to understand Her cries et you out froe it anyhtened evenher back but I immediately ceased it I looked at the others in the roo for answers

Tell ?

”Selene, calm down, please,” her husband said ”Sheis not helping”

She suddenly separated fro! Everything!” she begged

”We already did everything, Selene,” he weakly answered ”But we don't have the ti for Our adversary here is the Linus Cup, a long time respected tradition; and she's one of its participants”

”But I know! I can feel it! Edward—”

I just watched thely findthis family in front offeeling that's slowly returning tothe insides of my head whittled in pain

No Not now I don't need this now

I felt nauseous; I wanted to leave… even

Mrs Stanford calain and even her husband I didn't hear what other things they talked about as nothing entered ently hugged ain Corrine came next; she wiped the tears on her eyes then sed me I just looked at them since I didn't knohat my reaction should be Then Corrine's ain

”shi+a,” she called ”We will still do everything to get you out of the Ga to re you,” she held the side of ain on her eyes

”Jane, hter”

—

I wasn'tas I didn't knohat just happened

After I finished talking with the Stanford fao to a certain room where my companion and their family were currently at Corrine and her parents didn't follow as they needed to ioodbyes to me

Luna's father was there and even Cain's farandparents, as well However, Gin and his faht while Victoria's fa

Ethan's, Luna's and Cain's parents were kind Luna's father talked to randparents placed aped while looking at me as if they couldn't believe I was in front of theoodbyes and advices because even I, myself, didn't knohat to do I just watched my companions said their farewells to their respective fa

Luna was crying as her father profusely tried to stop her tears Ethan's grandparents were showering hirand as Cain tried to cheer theh he was about to cry himself

I looked at them and I can't help my sadness on these scenes Gin's words resounded in my head

Will you still be there for us when the Game starts? Will I still see you after the Ga down on roupmates I may not be there for the so that all of theoodbyes and returned to our suite to rest and then arrange our things before finally changing our clothes because at exactly 6 o'clock in the afternoon, ill co to be isolated froroup, from our parents, from this world Until tomorrohen the Gaain

—

I didn't notice that I fell asleep It must have been because of the pain in my head earlier When I opened my eyes and saw the time, I cursed It was already quarter to six

Sht I immediately jumped from the bed and was thankful that I already dressed myself before I took a nap I observedand only then did I realize that I only spent a single night at this place I let out a huge sigh and hurriedly left The surrounding was silent The suite was already abandoned

They didn't even bother waking me up?

When I exited the suite, I almost bumped at the person who stood in front of the door I immediately stopped before I completely hit that somebody

”Sht!” I shouted due to shock

Ethan looked at hed ”We're about to be isolated fro self, shi+a”

”I thought everyone's already there,” I answered

”That's why I was tasked to get you because you're the only one absent,” he inforo?”

I looked at Ethan and found he's very cal, as if our destination wasn't actually isolation I hoped I could be as cala The things inevenmyself to finish every needed process, which I had no idea what or why I was doing it

We reached the designated underground floor for the group; it's the lowest floor in the building that I was able to reach It was even lower than the do beca fro and when it opened, we're welcomed by a dimly lit hallway

I i When we exited the elevator, I noticed that even Miss Aura and Sir Apollo were there with the group Sir Apollo and Gin were talking while Miss Aura was talking with Luna and Cain Victoria remained silent and when Ethan and I approached, they all stopped and turned to the two of us

Sir Apollo looked at his wrist watch and said, ”We have five roup and ieway, all of you won't see us again unless your group wins” I observed the silver doors in the hallway that Sir Apollo pointed out ”I hope all of you re you can to follow the plan,” he said

”Think of the plan so you won't panic at the early hours of the Ga the first day Your main enemy in the Drift is your own actions—your actions without thinking about its consequences to you, your group and even to your enemies Almost half of the participants die in the Drift phase Keep caler chances of surviving the other phases” Sir Apollo stared intently at us, one-by-one, as iftrust in this group because all of you have experienced a lot of things Of all the groups that I handled, your group is the hardest to teach; it was hard for all of you to cooperate with each other and everyone passed through nuhts For the past couple of months, I sa all of you survived those anarchies that tested you I saw you grow, not just an individual but as a group” For the very first time, I saw an expression on Sir Apollo's face that I haven't seen since I entered titan Acade that camaraderie to the arena and return with your lives intact”

The group members looked at each other, Luna and Cain ss roup and then hugged us ”We are waiting for your return,” she said as she tightly hugged us one after another ”You're always be the best group for us, ree of her eyes We tried to so of us

”One minute” I heard Sir Apollo called

I was shocked when Luna suddenly hugged ht?” she whispered to me

I felt feeble when I heard her but I still nodded and forcibly calmed my voice so she won't notice the cracks in it ”Of course” I don't know, Luna

”We'll all still h ”Find me, okay?” he teased However, even his voice was shallow Cain approached us then he joined the hug Even Ethan joined in as he dragged the frowning Victoria asn't able to do anything but join the hug, as well I looked at Gin as just standing there so I grabbed him ”Come on,” I said as smile formed on my face

But unknown to the ether the first tiet that day

”In just less than a few hours that the group got together, there's already a spark The best team!” (ED: Chapter 10: The Seer)

I never wanted to be close to anyone, never opening up or investingthat will eventually disappear I couldn't take that risk because I was always the one left behind to reroup became an important part of my life, and even if the tiret being one of thenal to enter the closed door by the hallway sounded We separated fro because of the whispered jokes We said our goodbyes to each other and waved our hands as we sloalked to the doors respectively assigned to us We knew that the moment we entered these doors, ill only meet each other at the arena

Miss Aura and Sir Apollo watched all of us while they remained at the dimly lit hallway

When I was directly in front of the door assigned to me, I looked back to my companions I looked at them one by one—the cheerful Luna, theVictoria, the kind Ethan and the serious Gin

My eyes met his, I smiled but tears slowly fell from my eyes

The best team

Chapter 63: Survival (1)

I screamed because of the extreme pain I suddenly felt It was nauseous; its intense effect on my body almost made me vomit I quickly stumbled up from the bed I laid but numerous hands suddenly pushed me back With my blurred vision, I realized the outline of these people aroundwhite lab coats

“Don't ain when I felt the sharp thing that's injected on ain because of the familiar pain but I couldn't s down on the bed My vision was still blurry and out of focus while I felt ?

The last thing I re sent to an isolation roo inside I stayed there for so but sat on the floor and considered all the things that can happen to ame My stay nearly made me

The isolation stage was made to have the participants re-focus without the presence of other people; gave they; and finally prepared themselves for the Gas I've been trying to forget before I stepped into the arena

“It's set”