It's Been a While and I Think it's a Trap

In a guild mansion in Lorencia, the royal capital, while waiting inside his office, the guild master of 'Assault Crusade' stares at the ceiling-high window that is located at the back of his office table while having his own deep thoughts about certain matters, when suddenly, he heard a few knocks on the closed door of his office.

"Come in."

The door slowly opens and when it reached its full bloom, a blonde female reveals herself as she enters the room into the master's office.

"You called for me sir?" She said.

The guild master turns around to look at the one who entered and after he confirms that it is the right person he calls for, the guild master sits down immediately to his chair next to his office table.

"Yes, I want you to fetch 'Her' and bring her here by any means possible." The guild master said.

The blonde didn't completely get what he means, but she already grasps the gist of it and confirms it.

"You don't actually mean… her?"

"Yes, I mean 'Her', that Luca, the trouble maker of ours."

Confirming that her hunch is right, the blond didn't ask any further and instantly moves out of the office, but before she could completely leave the place, the guild master called her once more.

"Wait, before you leave." He said and then flings a ring-like item to the blonde.

"Use that to prevent her from logging out of the game." He added.

And then the blond resumes on leaving the room.

Just when the door is shut, a person previously lurking in the shadows pops out from his hiding place right after the blond left the office.

"I don't think she 'can' log out of the game."

And the guild master gave the person an intimidating glare.

"Tying the loose ends are we?"

"I just don't want my plans to be delayed this time." The guild master said, making the person laugh.

"That is funny of you."

"I don't want to humor with a little girl, especially today of all time, Alma!" The man yelled.

The girl grasped the meaning of his words and left the room the same way she enters.

"Not this time…" The man added.

Walking out from the guild mansion, the blond could only give off a sigh since the mission of hers is something troublesome.

'This is going to be a headache.'

Back in the unknown cave, Kyle stares at the figure in front of him with awe as he finally has the chance to gaze upon the person he's been longing for this whole time.

"A-Alice?" He said, still having his doubt if he is actually seeing the right person that has been gone for a long time.

"Hello, Kyle." She said with a smile.

"Is it really you?" Kyle added and then lifts his right hand to touch the left side of her face and felt a warm and soft feeling like that of a legitimate living person while he is touching it.

The woman lets him savor the feeling more by pressing her face towards Kyle's hand that is touching it.

Confirming that it is she, Kyle impulsively pressed his body and wraps his arms around her in a passionate way, expressing his deep longing that has been quenched the moment he felt her warmth.

A miracle happened, and who would have thought that something as divine as such could also occur inside a game.

"There… there…" She said while gently stroking the back of Kyle's head, caressing his hair in a mild way while listening to the silent sobbing of Kyle that is holding her in his arms.

"I miss you Alice, I missed you so much."

"I know…"

After Kyle finally calmed down, Alice grabs Kyle's hand and drags him near the edge of the cliff behind the huge tree, revealing a vast horizon where the sky meets the sea.

"Beautiful isn't it?" she said as she sits down on the ground to enjoy the stunning view.

Kyle then answers her.

"Yeah…"

Alice, looking at Kyle having a pair of heavy eyes, thought of something to solve the problem.

"Hey, Kyle…" Alice said while tapping her lap.

Kyle didn't immediately get her point so he shudders his shoulder, confused about what she is up to this very moment.

Alice sighs since Kyle is as naïve as ever and made an eye contact with him while tilting her head towards her lap telling Kyle to go near it.

Kyle is still confused about what is going on and blindly walks straight towards her and then squats down close to Alice.

When he is just about her arm's range, Alice pulls Kyle's head to her lap to give him a lap pillow.

The bright and warm surroundings along with the just-right shade from the canopy of the tree plus the tantalizing scent of Alice eventually made Kyle yawn as he feels the need to take a quick nap from all he did for the day.

Alice then began stroking his hair once again as Kyle's eyes slowly close its lids.

"Hey Kyle, did you know the happening now around the globe?"

"Palestine and Israel are on the other's neck again."

Alice continues on caressing Kyle's hair until Kyle eventually falls asleep.

Noticing that Kyle is in a deep slumber, Alice gave him a peck on his forehead.

"Have a sound sleep… Kyle."

While Kyle is having the nap of his life, a floating window appears just above the head of Alice along with a beeping notification sound.

She swipes it to her front and saw one of the surveillance videos of the interior of the cave.

"Hmm… this is a bother."

Meanwhile, at the entrance of the cave where Kyle was suddenly dragged in and disappeared, Emily and Alex are still astonished from what just happened to him that the two kept their positions for a little while.

"I didn't imagine it right? Nor my mind is playing tricks on me?" Emily asked Alex that is currently standing on her side just to make sure that she saw it right. Both their eyes forming a full circle in shock at the sudden disappearance of Kyle

"Yeah, I saw it too." Alex responded to Emily and is still dumbfounded on what just recently happened.

The two stares at the darkness in front of them then suddenly, Alex took a step forward to check out the black whirlpool-like passage that swallowed Kyle inside.

"Hey Alex where are you going?!" Emily said wanting to stop Alex, worried that she might also be swallowed the same way Kyle did.

But Alex didn't take heed of Emily's warning, she continues walking straight to it. After being close enough to the subject of her curiosity, Alex got surprised at what she just discovered.

She calls for Emily by waving her hand, asking her to come closer to the black whirlpool in the cave.

"What is it now?" Emily asked, wondering why she suddenly called for her.

"Look." Said Alex while pointing to where Kyle was dragged.

"It's a warp gate." She added while the two of them are standing in front of the gate.

"You mean, just like a teleportation gate we often use to move from town to town?" Said Emily as she compares it to the huge teleportation gate found in each town so that players can move with ease without the need of traveling far lands on foot.

"It is the same, but not quite." Alex said and began explaining to Emily the difference between the two.

"You see, a teleportation gate is a two-way portal and can be used to either 'Enter' or 'Exit' a place. While a warp gate on the other half is the opposite of it. It is only meant to be used as an entrance to a certain place." She added.

"So you mean, once someone enters it, that person needs to find another way out?"

"Yes, and what's more, a warp gate is an item. Meaning someone sets this place to be an entrance or one of the entrances to a certain location." Alex said, stunning Emily since she realized that Kyle might have been transported somewhere far away from where they are and it could hinder their plan on making Kyle stronger for the Battle Royal.

"Then we should look for him right away!" Emily suggested.

'But damn, a warp gate huh? I really have to get me one of those.' She thought and is excited about the idea that she can use it in so many ways, like setting one as an emergency exit in a dungeon when things go rough.

"But why Kyle?" Emily said out of the blue, wondering for the reason why Kyle is the unlucky one being dragged forcefully by two hounds to an unknown place.

"It can't be kidnapping right?" Emily added.

"I don't think so, since this is somehow a remote area for players to intentionally visit." Alex said, stating that they are in someplace that even she wouldn't even mind coming into if not because of them blindly roaming around the area.

"And anyway, what can they even get from kidnapping an avatar instead of the actual person?" Alex added, which makes a good point since they won't get anything out from him that way.

And then there is a moment of silence for the two, as they try to think for reasons that are more logical for Kyle being dragged inside.

"Oh shoot! Now I remembered!" Alex suddenly squeals making Emily squeak for the sudden high-pitch statement, she just said.

"Hey don't startle me like that!" Emily said as she whacks Alex's crown with her fist for surprising her.

"Hey don't hit me so suddenly!" Alex exclaimed as she feels a throbbing pain in her pate.

"Right back at you!" Emily responded.

"Anyway… what is it?" Emily asked, wanting to know what Alex just remembered.

"Are you familiar with an outlaw player wreaking havoc here in Florence?" Alex said along with the sudden thrilling shift of the atmosphere

"Yeah… I think I heard it somewhere, why would you asked?"

Alex continues on spilling the information she has with a worried look on her face.

"Well as you can see… she usually spends her days logged in the game to ambush players wandering around this area since it is an 'Open Kill Zone', where players can attack other players without the need to worry about them being entitled as an outlaw." Alex said with a worried look on her face.

"And what's more, when a player is killed in an OKZ, there is a high chance that the player would drop his or her equipment plus 30% of the contents of his or her inventory." Alex added.

"Woah, that's troublesome for some premium users with lots of privilege items." Emily responded to Alex's recent statement.

"So… what's the catch?" Emily asked wondering why Alex would look too worried since this is just a game to begin with and everything she said is the norm in an MMORPG game like this one which has a PVP and PK functions.

"Well… there is this rumor that when people are getting attacked by her, they feel this somehow agonizing pain on the area where she slashed them as if they are actually being slashed by her sword!" Alex answered her.

Emily laughed aloud hearing Alex's absurd statement.

"What do you mean by that?" She said while still laughing.

"Dude, this is a game for Christ's sake and you can only feel pain when you receive pure damage and it is just as painful as a mosquito bite!" Emily said while tapping Alex's shoulder in disbelieve, on the same time, she continues on laughing out loud.

Alex shows a blank expression in front of Emily and is somehow annoyed since she even bothers to tell her the juicy details about Luca.

"Okay, okay… don't get mad." Emily said, noticing Alex's reaction to prevent further dismay coming from her.

"Either what you say is true or not, we still have to find that lousy guy or it will ruin my plan on winning the upcoming event." She added.

"Okay let's go find that damsel in distress for the second time, namely Cael!" Emily yelled in excitement as if they are going for an adventure to rescue Kyle.

"And what about Cael?"

A sudden voice from behind halts the two on entering the warp gate.

The duo turns around and found a blond female standing behind them.

Alex didn't recognize the female, but she has a feeling she already saw her somewhere, while on the other hand, Emily mindlessly called out the blonde's name.

"Sup Carol." She said waving her hand to the blond.

"Oh! Hey Emily, what are you doing here?" Carol responds in a friendly way.

"Nothing really, just a party member of mine getting dragged inside that warp gate." She said in an aloof manner while pointing to the warp gate behind her.

"You mean Cael was dragged forcefully inside that warp gate? By who?" Carol said while pointing to the gate behind the two.

"I didn't actually saw it myself nor if he is in trouble or not, but nonetheless, we are going to search for him."

"And you? What are you doing here?" Emily asked wondering what she is doing in such a place.

"I'm also looking for someone who usually hangs around here." Carol answered Emily.

And an awkward silence surrounds the area as Emily and Carol suddenly drop their conversation while all they do is stare at each other for some time.

'What's this clingy blond doing here?' Emily thought.

'She is still detached to me.' Carol thought as she analyze Emily's reaction.

Alex, being uncomfortable with the sudden mood swing, suggested that Emily and she should continue their task at hand.

"Uhm, Emily, I think we should go on and continue what we are about to do?" She said, waiting for the confirmation of Emily.

"Yeah, I think we should." Emily immediately answered Alex while staring at Carol fiercely.

When Emily didn't move a single muscle, Alex took the initiative to pull her to the warp gate.

"Okay, that's enough of your childish acts miss Emily." She said while grabbing her with both hands and then pulls her with all she got.

The two enter the warp gate while Carol watches them as they get inside.

Carol sighs after the two went in and continue on her search for that person she was tasked to find.

On her search in the Northern Forest, Carol found another cave with a narrow opening right ahead of her. She went closer to the cave and then scans it if she can possibly go inside it.

Confirming that she can pass into it, Carol enters the cave she found.

As she walks deeper into the cave, the surrounding becomes darker and darker so she opens her inventory to find something that can light her way and found something useful.

[You used Firefly Lantern]

Carol grabs the lantern and continues on walking inside the cave.

The cave seems to have never been explored by anyone but her since there is no clear path nor traces of exploration inside.

After walking a few minutes deeper into the cave, Carol found a fork road one to the left and the other to the right.

Carol follows her gut feel and eventually took the road leading to the left.

After a few minutes, Emily and Alex appear on the right of the same fork road.

"Oh! A forked road." Emily said.

"I think we should take the right one." Alex said, pointing to their right

"Okay then, lead the way!" Emily said, pushing Alex forward and also for the reason that she is the one who is holding their light source.

And the two took the same path as Carol did.

In a chamber deep in the path where Carol, Emily, and Alex took, another female leaning on the cave's wall while waiting for someone is on the verge of losing her patience as she began gritting her teeth while tapping her foot roughly on the ground.

"You seemed to be out of patience."

The female that is gritting her teeth turns in the direction of the voice and saw a woman wearing a white sundress.

"It's you again, what do you want?" The female said, asking what business the woman has with her.

The woman in a sundress walks closer to her and then stands in her front. She doesn't know what the woman is up to so she gave her a confused look, but the woman in white beams off a smile to her, and then suddenly a loud snap echoes inside the cave.

The woman who arrived gave the other woman a slap on the face, strong enough that her face turns to the direction where the slap is going.

"Looks like you had your fun time with my Kyle didn't you?" She said with a sinister glare to the woman she slapped.

But the woman, who was slapped on the face instead of getting mad, beams a grin back to the woman who slapped her.

"Why? You jealous or something?" She said still showing a crazy grin, somehow provoking the woman in a sundress while her eyes glimmers with the intent to kill her.

Seeing her reaction, the female in a sundress snaps her finger, and instantly, the wall behind the woman she slapped restrained the woman, placing shackles on her wrists and ankles made from the very same stone as that of the wall at her back.

The female in white sundress pulls the hair of the shackled female so that her face will be close to hers.

"Listen here you crazy wench, if you don't want to get someone else close to you to be in trouble again, you better do exactly what I say and just as I say it, you got me?" She said and then immediately released her hold to the woman's hair.

"By the way, you have some guest." The woman in sundress said then snaps her finger again to release the shackled female.

"Why don't you get crazy and entertain them? They might give you some tips." The woman in a sundress added and disappears right away.

"Tsk! Calling me crazy while she is the one who is badly obsessed with that person… what a bitch." She said with overflowing disgust showing on her face.

The woman then heard footsteps getting closer to her direction as a dim ray of light slowly enters the chamber where she is.

The footstep became heavier and faster, and in an instant, the female inside the chamber draws the sword sheathed on her back and swings it in the direction where the footsteps are coming.

On her swing, a loud clanging sound of metal hitting another metal fills the surroundings.

"Well… well, isn't this interesting?" The female said.

"Been a while… Carol."