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Chapter 73: Worlds Apart
Last Updated:
2024-02-15 20:21:42
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“‘You can understand our language, can you not?’ Marikit leaned over me as I sat quietly in the anteroom. ‘You can hear what they are talking about in there.’ “I kept my head bowed and my hand clasped on my lap. I didn’t want any friction, nor did I want to get Mathias in any more trouble than he already was. “‘You should set him free, you know?’ Marikit didn’t let up and kept baiting me. ‘You do not belong here. You two do not belong with each other.’ “Despite my efforts, she got on my nerves. I snapped: “‘And who does he belong with? With you?’ “Marikit let her breath out sharply, in a half-sigh, half-hiss of exasperation. “‘That goes without saying!’ she answered. ‘Both of you must be with your own kind. And you, like water, must seek your own level.’ “‘You mean I shouldn’t be too ambitious and set my sights on a prince, right? Because I’m trash and that’s all I’ll ever be.” “‘Your words, not mine.’ “I was seething and rose from my seat to look her in the eye. “‘Well, let
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“The first attack came from the left. A sigbin leapt and Mathias met it with his blade in one fluid swing, inflicting a mortal wound in the creature’s side. The sigbin fell and managed to scamper away – eerily backwards – disappearing with a squeal and a canine whine into the bushes. It was a good start that should’ve sent fear into the hearts of the other sigbins, but they were undeterred and continued their rabid hunt. “Mathias’s weakness is that his weapon, the kampilan, was short. The remaining sigbins resolved to exploit this by attacking simultaneously from all directions. Another lunged low from the right and he drove it back with a side kick that connected with the creature’s skull. Like the first, it backed away with a squeal. “‘Stay close to me, Fina,’ he shouted as our enemies surrounded us. “I spied a largish branch on the ground and picked it up. Then I shrieked because another sigbin leapt from directly in front of Mathias and he fell on his back as the rows of crooked
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“As ineffective as the exorcism was, it managed to do one thing: it brought Mathias back to me. Much later after the exorcism, I would learn from the others how I went into a trance. Considering the intensity of punishment Aling Tikya was dishing out on me, I wasn’t surprised. “Mathias appeared to me in a kind of vision. We were standing on the seashore and the tide was low, the beach windswept. It was just like how we used to meet but this time it was in broad daylight and I wasn’t asleep. Or at least I didn’t think I had passed out. “‘I am sorry,’ Mathias told me. ‘I did not expect things would come to this.’ “‘It’s all right,’ I said and I wasn’t lying. Inside my head, I didn’t feel pain anymore, only an overflowing sense of calm and happiness at seeing him again. ‘I’m just glad to see you’re okay.’ “‘I am,’ he told me, smiling a thrift but genuine smile. He once told me faeries were incapable of crying, but his eyes turning from blue to gray jumped out at me from his deadpan fa
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First, a new window appears and covers the entire screen. It’s displaying the logo of the company that made the game. Then, the splash screen is replaced by a loading screen consisting of a European knight standing on a cliff and gazing down at a burning vista. The knight’s wearing a cape and most of his back is turned to the screen so Mrs. Lapuz can’t see his face. Exciting, martial music floats from the low-volume speakers of the laptop. {Yep. This is fantasy all right,} Mrs. Lapuz thinks. Her mobile gaming interests have been limited to Candy Crush, Angry Birds and Plants vs. Zombies, and she doesn’t really prefer fantasy movies like Narnia, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and all the superhero ones from Marvel Studios. Kate’s the one who’s into those. DUNGEON RAYDENS. The name of the game appears grandly next to the tableau of the knight, right above the burning townscape. Mrs. Lapuz actually feels a few butterflies in her stomach. The view switches to a vintage
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SSS Ecto [K&E4ever]: __Hi, Mrs. Lapuz. | Even though they’re out of the battlefield and back in the calm Alliance Chat space, Mrs. Lapuz still feels uncomfortable to now be chatting with Ecto, not because she knows he’s a chatbot but because of her behavior earlier. She’s ashamed to have been caught in the act of lying but she’s still relieved she didn’t get his character killed. As though sensing her hesitation, Ecto types again: | SSS Ecto [K&E4ever]: __I am a big fan of your kare-kare dish. I think I am obsessed about the taste of peanut butter. | Mrs. Lapuz typed uncertainly: | 17 Kayzel_123 [K&E4ever]: __How did you know about that? SSS Ecto [K&E4ever]: __Katey told me. Sunday is also my favorite day of the week. I like it when the whole family is together. 17 Kayzel_123 [K&E4ever]: __Haven’t you experienced something like that in your own family? Where are your parents? | Ecto takes his time to reply. After a pause, he types: | SSS Ecto [K&E4ever]: _
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