Chapter 5~ Pair

"Well then, if you don't mind, how about we Pair up."

I narrow my eyes ever so slightly, if this place is like a video game then I have a feeling I already know what this Pair thing is. "Pair...?"

Zack smiles and puts out his hand, after a moment a blue piece of paper appeared in his hand with a puff of blue smoke. "Yes, a pair. It's one of the systems in the game that allows us to be a team. When we become a Pair we can share stamina and see each other's location and stuff like that, besides, we can clear the game together, so it gives us way more advantages than disadvantages."

I look at the piece of paper floating in his hand, it seems to be glowing slightly. Zack takes my silence as uncertainty, "Oh what am I saying? This must all sound really funny, I mean you were just thrown in here and I just told you not to trust anyone and now I'm saying we should be a team....."

I look at Zack, Pair thing still sounds really shady. Zack continues on and I weigh the pros and cons to this, "But you can deactivate the Pair later too. So let's think of it as a temporary Pair."

I sigh slightly, all or nothing if I need to know the stakes of this game. "And how exactly do we do that....?"

Zack smiles and clasps both his hands around mine, I try to break away but he holds my hands in his grip. His grip feels like iron, strangely this only seems to be getting fishier. "You just touch your palm to the paper and the system takes care of the rest. After you do that you can help me out."

The paper floats out in front of us, it looks more like a computer screen than anything to me. A big Contract sits at the top of the paper with what I imagine is information on the contract listed underneath.

In the corner of my eye, I glance at Zack. This guy... I can't help but feel like he's fishy... Maybe it's because it feels like I could poke some holes in his story. Although there are some drawbacks that seem to be pulling me back the guy did save my life and he said we can take it back at any time...

I make up my mind, I'll do the contract and if anything happens, I'll use 'that'. I look at the contract, a large red N sits at the bottom of it. I press my palm to the line next to the N. "Okay, I'll trust you and help you out." Even though my mind is screaming t me not to.

"Yeah, thanks," Zack says, but from where I'm standing I can't see his face.

There's a bright flash from the screen and a computerized voice speaks out, "Activating 'Pair System'. User Idris Young. User Zack Morningstar. February 21st: 'Pair Completed'."

I look down at my wrist to see something like a barcode has formed on it, with one of the red cursive N's on it.

I look over at Zack and am surprised that he's moved so he's only a few feet in front of me. He places his hand on my shoulder and suddenly I'm covered in goosebumps.

"Alright Miss Young," Zack says as he pushes me with force, I fall onto the stone floor behind me, looking up at Zack. "Well done."

"What are you..." I only manage to get out before Zacks staff is inches from my face, the red electricity dancing off of it.

Zacks's face is emotionless, just like when he said that you would die if you didn't win. "Just shut up and die."

I stare at the end of his staff, trying to figure out how to get out of this mess. "You must really be stupid, I clearly told you not to trust anyone. Shall I put it simply so you can understand it?"

"You've been used."

"Used..." I echo as I look down onto the stone ground. Yeah, I've been used, I've been used by my relatives, I've been used by my class mates. But this time I won't be used ever again. Anger boils in the pit of my stomach as Zack continues his monologue.

"When a newbie like you dies then all the life they have is gone, but when they die in a Pair that life is given to the Pair partner. Oh, but don't take it to heart, a lot of newbies like you get scammed and killed like you." He shrugs at this and god do I want to wipe that smile off his face. "The system is just bound to give advantages to older users who have more experience and lots of information. So try not to blame me too much."

I take a breath in and close my eyes as Zack aims his staff at me.

When I have these bad feelings....

"Sorry," Zack says with no actual emotion in his tone.

I hear the crackle of electricity that comes from his staff and see the bright red light invade my closed eyes.

They always come true...

There's the sound of an explosion and blood splattering onto the ground.

"Sorry," I say as I stand up from the ground, "But, that's my line."

Zack's eyes go as big as saucers as his staff falls to the ground with a clang and Zack clutches at his bleeding side, red electricity fizzes around him. After a moment he falls to his knees in pain, this time his face is deathly pale as he tries to stop the bleeding.

I look down at him without any pity. "You told me I shouldn't trust anyone. You think I trusted you without a backup plan?"

Zack looks down at the floor as blood trickles onto it and when he speaks his voice is ruff and weak, "No way...Your passive skill..."

"Yes, I'm sure you got one too when you entered the game," I say as I step closer to Zack and his staff, might as well give the poor fool an explanation, "My passive skill is 'mirroring' I can reflect any attack back at my opponent, but only once every twenty four hours."

I stop in front of Zack and squat down so I can pick up his staff. Zack looks at me, his eyes are unreadable, "So... When did you figure it out, Miss Young..."

I smile slightly as I straighten up and sling the staff over my shoulder, the metal feels warm to the touch and my fingers prickle at the electricity surging beneath it. "You said you weren't in it to win, right?"

A thin line of blood rolls down the corner of Zack's mouth as I continue, "But you also said all the losers will die. If you're not even trying to win," I look at Zack's shocked expression as he realizes what I'm about to say. "How are you still alive?"

"I see..." Zack says as he tries to wipe away the blood at the side of his mouth but it only ends up getting smeared across his chin. It's a shame, really, if he hadn't tried to kill me and we hadn't met in this hell hole then maybe we could've been friends.

I look down at him, I could kill him here but with that much blood loss he doesn't have long, I'll leave him. "Thank you, Mr. Zack Morningstar, I've learned a lot from you."

I watch as Zack sways slightly before falling onto his side. I look down at his body, he's still alive, I can tell that much, "I don't have any intention of dying here. Even if it means killing someone who saved my life."

I turn from his body and walk away, taking his staff with me.

"I'm going to survive."