Chapter 67: Shattered (1)
I had no idea how long I was wandering in the forest. I didn't mind anything else while the path I was taking wasn't clear to me anymore. As if all that my eyes could see were only blurry and moving images. I was clad in extreme pain that cannot be covered by my weakening body, and at any time, I could feel that my body will finally break down.
I stopped directly in front of a tree and leaned my back on it. I held my chest that was continuously bleeding and tried to clean it with medicine and cover with a bandage that I acquired from my first enemy, but even this wasn't able to stop its worsening condition.
It's really vexing, I survived from that woman but it looked like I won't live any longer though!
I bit my lips and endured the pain. I needed to find a place where I can safely rest, and also to force myself to stay away from the river. I can't face anyone at this time.
I continued walking while holding the bloodied part of my body. If only Luna was here, everything would be easier, but I could never hope to find her while I was in this condition.
Time passed by and my feet slowly stopped walking. Even my hands have started feeling numb.
I held the trunk of a nearby tree to support myself standing but even my sight was starting to darken. Observing the state of my body for the last time, a thought entered my mind, is this the end?
In the middle of my spinning surrounding, I felt myself falling to the ground. I felt the severe struggle of my body to shut down. It's forcing to envelope my every mind process into blackness.
No! I can't!
I saw hazily the number on my wrist which was slowly blinking. Its color was turning red and was threatening to be completely erased. I forcefully tried to wake myself and struggled to get back on my feet and stand up while leaning against the tree trunk, but it didn't change. It continued blinking as if I was being teased by death itself.
I cursed as my body slowly gave in. For the last time, I tried to observe the forest that surrounded me, until my eyes willfully closed bit by bit.
———
"Edward! Our daughter!"
Mrs. Stanford's resounding cry was heard inside the Watch Tower where VIPs in all districts could be seen. She faced her husband, Mr. Stanford, who's a member of the Council, and leaned on his forearms while crying. She held the sleeves of the expensive clothes he was wearing as her hand shook.
"She mustn't die! She can't die in this Game!"
The other people in the room looked at her and almost everyone turned their sight away from the monitors that surrounded the room which actually displayed the different places where the participants were currently at. Hearing what Mrs. Stanford said, many people wondered as they looked at the family and their daughter, Corrine Stanford.
Do they have another daughter?
Mr. Stanford comforted her wife who cannot even speak properly due to her wailings while from the corner Sir Apollo was silently staring at the two.
He removed the cigarette from his pressed lips and snubbed the fire on the ashtray at the table. He carefully observed the scene in front of him as he thought that there was something happening which he didn't know.
He returned his sight to the monitor where Mrs. Stanford's eyes were focused before her outburst. There, he could see his unconscious student from Hesperia, Shia Sheridan. Her body made small movements, she was still breathing, but after a few minutes, her body will finally give up. After maybe a minute, one of the lines in his front display would soon yield to a flat line.
He can clearly see the signal and the gradually decreasing heartbeat of his student on the monitor placed on the upper part of the wide and large screens. There, not only the number of the surviving participants in the arena was displayed, but also the points that each players have and also the state of their bodies. If the participant was still alive, then it will be a green line that beats up and down, while it was a straight and stagnant red line for those who were already dead. For those whose life was endangered then it would be a wavering blue line, like that of Shia Sheridan's.
Shia had already lost a lot of blood. What she did was one of the riskiest moves in the arena thus everyone's eyes in the Watch Tower was pinned at her during that scene even though there were other fights happening in the arena at the same time.
One of the students Sir Apollo had looked upon was Shia, starting from the first time she entered Titan Academy until this very hour. He knew there's something peculiarly special about this kid. Not only because she came from the town or because of the ability she held, but because of her actions and beliefs.
She has obviously experienced a lot of things. Hardheaded. Stubborn. True to her principles. She's strong but fragile when no one's looking. For her love and care to others, she forgets herself. In all her life, the only things she knows is sacrifice so when there's a person who's willing to do the same thing to her, she's oblivious as to how she should accept it.
She's afraid. She can't keep her balance so she's pushing these away from her to avoid the nervousness and confusion and to remain in the situation that she's most familiar with. It's Shia Sheridan's way of dealing with other people.
Sir Apollo noticed all of these when they were still at the Titan Academy. About how Shia avoided being close to the group and how she forcefully denied her feelings for Gin.
"I need to talk to the Council Head!"
The trainer momentarily froze when he heard the gasping voice of Mrs. Stanford. One of the trademarks of the Stanford's was their calm aura. They almost have everything so they have nothing much to worry about. But now, in front of them was one thing that can never be bought with their treasures.
Their dying daughter.
"Edward! I need to save my daughter!" Mr. Stanford's wife was almost begging him.
This was the second time Sir Apollo saw Mrs. Stanford lost her calm, and the first time was that certain night thirteen years ago. He can still clearly remember it. At that time, he was only fifteen years old when his father, who was still holding the highest position in the town's sentry, was called to the mansion of Stanford. It was also the very first time he set foot on the premises of the Stanford and there, he saw the crying mother as she sat on an expensive sofa. What he saw then was almost like what he's seeing now.
"Edward! I need to find my daughter!" At that time, Mrs. Stanford said this line over and over again as her husband spoke with his father and then, Mr. Stanford will reply with, "We're doing everything, Selene. Officer Wycliffe is already here, we will find her."
The world was truly small. Sir Apollo didn't know that the child whom his father was tasked to find was one of the students he taught for a few months. Shia Sheridan or based on what he remembered of that was said to his father, it should be Jane Elizabeth Stanford, the kidnapped child that eventually disappeared thirteen years ago.
It was known to everyone in the Watch Tower that the family can't do anything for what they were going against was a well-respected tradition.
Because of the Linus Cup, Shia Sheridan returned to the world where she really belonged and also because of this game, her life was bound to be lost forever.
Sir Apollo shook his head and returned his sight to the giant monitor in front of them. He didn't expect that it will be that fast to lose one of his students because of all the groups he had handled, he truly believed that this group has the highest chance of returning complete and intact. But fate was cruel seeing that every member was far away from each other.
Ethan and Victoria was currently fighting on the other part of the arena, while Cain was injured caused by his recent fight with a primary defense from Prum. Luna was the one who was nearest to Shia but she was walking on the opposite direction away from her dying groupmate, and Gin on the other hand, had severe injury coming from his hand due to the continuous usage of his ability.
This was one of the hardest parts of his job as an adviser—seeing his students died one after another within the arena and he couldn't even do anything about it but watch until the end of the game. But if there's someone who's truly suffering, then it would be those who were exactly inside the arena.
On the monitor, Sir Apollo watched as Gin forcefully stood the moment that he's about to rest under the shade of a tree while looking at his wrist. The young man cursed and looked as if he wanted to hurt himself but then he continued walking through the forest. Sir Apollo noticed the slight movement of Gin wiping something on his eyes and knew that it was because of what his student saw on the watch. Every member of the group could see the state and death of their comrade on their watches and it was truly hard to think that they were clearly on the same place but they can't even do a single thing but test their luck if they'd find each other.
The adviser's eye went to the blue line indicating Shia's life. He stared at the unconscious body of the girl. Are you really giving up? I know you are better than this, Shia.
Once again, Sir Apollo froze as he noticed the movement of Shia's finger while it was placed above the ground. It was slowly clenching, as if searching for something to hold on to. Shia's eyes opened again and the Stanford's stiffened as they watched what was happening to their daughter.
The girl's body moved as it tried it's best to raise itself from the ground. Her hand clenched at the root of a tree and slowly climbed to the trunk while her injured body carefully followed. Shia immediately leaned her body on the tree to support her but the condition of her body remained the same. She was still injured and weak, however, her eyes were saying otherwise.
"No…" From the speakers inside the Watch Room, her voice could be heard. "I cannot die yet."
Mrs. Stanford was almost wailing while hugging her husband but there was still one thing that they weren't able to notice.
Returning his sight to the monitor where Shia was, Sir Apollo saw a member of an enemy group standing near the girl. He saw how Shia's body was about to fall again to the ground but that person's movement became even swifter and successfully caught the weakening girl into his arms. The eyes of the two met and it looked as if they knew each other.
The boy didn't attack Shia and this caused the audience to wonder. Speculations and words of confusion were formed inside the Watch Tower while Sir Apollo slightly squinted his eyes. He knew this boy…
Lucas Tyler from the Boran group.
Chapter 68: Shattered (2)
I crawled from the ground just to stand properly and then leaned on the tree. Feeling extremely bad, I almost vomited so I certainly don't know where I acquired the strength to stand again. I really have thought that I was going to die and even now, my whole body was still enveloped in pain. My surrounding was spinning and I almost can't identify anything in front of me. There's only one thing that was clear to me… I can't die yet.
I tried to walk so I stopped leaning on the tree but even before I was able to take a single step, an extreme pain attacked my chest. My sight became blurry again and the strength on my feet disappeared like a wind. Once again, I felt my body falling to the ground.
My mouth let out a curse and expected my body to hit the forest ground with a thud but two arms caught me and immediately helped me out. I didn't know if I was hallucinating at that time since pain seemed to be flooding my vision but I felt it. The moment our skin touched, I knew who the person in front of me was.
"Lucas," I almost can't recognize my own voice as I called his name. I focused my sight on the man in front of me. I can't be wrong, it's really Lucas. I tried to reach his face with my wounded and shaking hands but they don't have any strength.
"Shia, calm down."
My tears fell down when I heard his voice. His voice sounded so close and it's talking to me. I tried to stand again to properly stare at his face.
"Lucas, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Lucas, believe me. I didn't know—I—" I wasn't able to stop the words I wanted to say when I learned that we will be meeting at the arena.
"Calm down Shia, please. Don't move too much or else your condition will become even worse."
I shook my head and asked, "Lucas, why?" My hold on his shirt tightened, "Why do we have to end here? Why did you leave our town? Lucas, I can't do this—"
Severe pain covered me and in every movement I did, it felt as if my body was breaking down. I then felt my body being carefully raised in Lucas' arms.
"Sssh. Everything will be fine. For now, I need to bring you to your nearest teammate."
I shook my head again even if my eyes were closing by itself. "No! Lucas, I need to talk to you. Don't go. Please. Please don't leave me."
Lucas looked at me and I felt our rapid movement. He hurriedly ran while carrying me in his arms and my vision started to blur and darken. No. Don't go. I need to talk to you, Lucas.
I didn't know how long time had passed before we stopped but I can feel his panting breaths while carrying me. As he walked for several more, my sight was covered by the black shade when we arrived. He placed me down on a cold and hard ground.
"Shia, stay here for a while."
I shook my head again and forcefully gripped his arms to stop him from leaving. "Lucas—"
He tried to smile as he sat in front of me and stared at my face. Lucas touched the side of my face and wiped the tears on my cheeks. "Shia, stay strong. You will be out of this place soon." Then he kissed my forehead.
My eyes closed when his lips touched my skin. I can't look at him. I don't want him to disappear and I can't do anything but hold him using my weakening arms. If only I was stronger. If only we have the freedom to run away from this place.
Lucas held my hand and slowly pulled it off from his arms. "We will see each other again. But for now, you need better of your teammates."
"Lucas, no, please."
He stared at me seriously as if memorizing my whole face before standing.
"I'm sorry Shia."
That was the last thing I heard before he left the dark place where he brought me. I tried to stand and run after him but I only fell back to the ground when I did. I could only wipe the tears on my eyes which were now slowly closing.
Lucas…
———–
Feeling a cold object hitting my face, I woke up and I held my cheeks as I opened my eyes. Water. My forehead slightly wrinkled and then I observed my surrounding. It was faintly dark. I looked up to see where the continuously falling water came from and I was greeted with a ceiling made of stones.
I sat on the cold floor and my sight wandered around the dark place. My eyes stopped at the place where the sparse light from outside was coming from. A cave. I'm inside a cave.
I noticed the things laying on my lap and I wondered as I looked at it. Dried leaves. I was baffled. I held on my forehead. What's happening?
I heard a rustling sound from outside and immediately became alert. I tried to feel the knife on my thigh but it wasn't there. Shit. Where is my weapon?
"Shia, thank God!"
I almost scooted back due to shock when I heard that familiar voice but it might be the events that happened these few days that I can't even trust those familiar voices.
I watched the person who just entered the little cave where I was at. I can only see the silhouette because of the light behind the person, but when it lowered the leaves and the container of water she was holding, I couldn't help but blink after finally seeing the person.
"Luna."
She suddenly hugged me and yet, it still felt as if dreaming. I looked at her and I still can't believe that this was happening. I can only hear her sobs while embracing me, slightly shaking at the same time.
"Shia, it's good that you're awake."
Luna stopped hugging me and then she wiped away her tears. I still couldn't believe what's happening. One of my teammate is in front of me now.
I tried to stand but Luna stopped me. "You just woke up," she said. "Don't stand so hurriedly."
Luna helped me as I leaned on the wall of the cave, then I observed my body where I saw that my arms and hands were almost completely healed. I touched my face and felt that only scabs were left on it while upon looking at my chest, I saw my torn clothes. I can still feel a slight pain but only clean bandages and some herbs wrapped on it.
"How many hours have I been sleeping?" I asked with my hoarse voice. "How were you able to fine me?"
She suddenly stopped inspecting my condition and she looked at me. "You were unconscious for two days, Shia."
What? I stopped myself from cursing in front of Luna. Two? Impossible. How about the game? Our teammates?
Noticing my shocked face, Luna started to explain, "The Game is still on going. I don't know what happened to the rest of our group members or how many people already died in the arena but our team is still complete. Look."
Luna pointed at my wrist and when I lowered my sight I saw that the number reserved for me returned to its previous color of green. When I moved it, the scores of my teammates floated. Gin has 215. Victoria has 100. Cain has 81 points. Ethan and Luna equally held 60 points and mine remained at 82.
I was able to breathe loosely when I saw that everything was fine. Many things changed within these two days and I was quite sure that only half of the participants were left in the arena. This meant that the countdown was about to start soon.
It's maddening! I wasted a lot of time. I stared at Luna again whose eyes were still staring at me.
"I thought we're going to lose a member," she said. "You were on the brink of death, Shia. We saw that your score almost faded out from our wrist. We really thought that you're going to die."
"But I'm alive," I pointed out. "How exactly were you really able to find me?"
She blinked then shook her head. "I didn't."
My forehead wrinkled at that. "What's with that 'I didn't'?"
She stared at me looking as if she herself was also confused. "Shia, I wasn't the one who brought you here. It was a man, a member of Boran. I even thought that he was going to attack me when our paths crossed but he told me where I can find you and also that you needed help."
Hearing what Luna said, it was as if I was harshly hit by a tumbling wave as I slowly remembered what happened before I lost my consciousness two days ago. Luna was still talking but my attention was not on here.
"Shia." I faced Luna when I saw worry on her face. "Shia, was that him?" she asked. "He's also here, right? That man… Lucas?"
I just stared at her face and tried to smile even though I can feel the tingling starting on my eyes and that feeling as if I was about to broke down.
Shia, stay strong. You will be out of this place soon.
We talked. Even though it was only for a short moment, still, we're able to talk to each other.
"He's here, Luna." The unexpected tears fell from my eyes and I immediately wiped it away. "Lucas is here and—" I wasn't able to continue speaking when I completely broke down and cried in front of her.
This was the first time she saw me cried. Luna hugged me again and tried to calm me down.
"Luna… I don't know… I don't know what I'm supposed to do."