Rin isn't here. She isn't here. Where is she? Where is she? Wh–where is she?!
Elian's chest heaved like he'd been gutted. He stormed through the house, tearing doors off hinges, slamming drawers shut, sheets ripped open, cupboards rattled until the wood cracked. Every corner he turned was empty.
[I dont know why youre opening the drawers like she can fit in there.]
Urgh. just shut up, please.
His breathing got ragged. His eyes watered, not from crying but from the sheer terror clawing into his skull. His steps staggered, knees buckling under weight he couldn't place. His hands shook against the walls as if holding himself up against the truth.
She's gone. My sister's gone. My only family left—gone.
m-maybe someone saved h-her. but there's no one here!
He staggered out of his burning apartment. His lungs filied with smoke as he coughed out loud, walkng out of the storybuilding.
His eyes were fixated on the ground, trrying to suck in the tears spilling out of his sore eyes.
[I'm sure she's safe, player. you have more important issues to take care of.]
Elian sniffed, his arm reached out to smother the snot dripping out of his nose.
[Like that comet just above your head. Duck!]
Elian instantly looked up. comet?
The sky ripped open as a huge shadow bloomed over him.
A lightning bolt slammed beside him—except it wasn't a comet. It was a body. The ground split, stones flying, dust choking the street. When the smoke cleared, Sun crawled out of the crater, smiling, blood dripping down his chin like he'd been waiting for applause.
Elian's heart jumped in his ribs. What the fuck is happening?
Sun winced behind him, clutching his stomach. he gazed up at a very confused Elian. "My apologies, pawn. Urgh, some Queen he is?"
Another impact followed. Harder. Aven crashed down, his purple mana sword bleeding into the air like wildfire, his navy hair whipping across his face. His blade hissed into form. An angry scowl plastered on his face.
Aven's muscle flexed as his grip tightened against his sword. His posture was stoic, straigtning once more, one feet behind him as he launched back at Sun.
Sun blinked, warping out of time, teleporting. But Aven pivoted, catching him by the wrist mid-teleport, yanked him down, and drove a knee into his gut. The crack echoed. Sun's body bent wrong, spit and blood flying, ribs collapsing under the strike.
Sun wheezed, and still—still—he smiled.
"Y-you are quick," he managed, voice too formal for someone coughing up blood.
Aven didn't let him breathe. He whipped Sun's body overhead and smashed him spine-first into the pavement. The stone caved. Sun's back bowed like a broken bow, dust coughing up from the hole.
"You killed Kent!" Aven roared, voice rough. His boot hammered down on Sun's sternum, bone crunching.
"Oh," Sun coughed, teeth red. His tone stayed polite. "That was… an accident. If the Knight hasn't blocked me from leaving to have my fun, he wouldn't be dead."
Okay, Elian definitely missed a chapter or two of what's going on. He stared back and forth between the two. Killed who? Fun? Oh.
It all made sense now.
When Sun and Moon told him the dome broke, they left a lot of details out. A lot. Sun may actually be the reason the dome broke. And they got into a fight with Aven because Sun killed one of his team members?
Ah. I'm in deep shit, aren't I? I'm not on good terms with Aven either.
However, Aven snarled and drove his blade through the wall beside Sun's head. Sparks and stone fragments sprayed. Sun only laughed, chest rattling as he disappeared out again—only to reappear too close. Aven was faster, sharply turning his leg with a roundhouse kick that caught Sun square in the jaw. Blood misted out. His body skidded across the street, tumbling until it crunched into a building.
Elian staggered back. His breath came shallow, shoulders jerking with every crash. His head kept shaking.
Okay. I AM in deep shit. This is not my fight, not my fight, I just want to find Rin. His tummy churned with grief, a deep hollow hole, grounding itself in his stomach.
He tried tip-toeing out of the scene, pressing himself against the building rubbles.
Taking slow steps away, his system flashed a message, blocking him from seeing what's ahead, making him jolt in surprise.
[You know you shouldn't leave.]
What?
[If you leave now, you wouldn't get what you need.]
[Your Infamy stat has increased +2.]
[The constellation 'Timid Bride of the West' wants you to stay.]
[The constellation 'Eye of the Board' is sternly looking at you.]
[Other constellations do not agree with your petty choice.]
[Your scene has been interfered.]
Elian's eyes quivered under the intense presure. His brows were furrowed, reading the system's message again. Suddenly, he felt a heat rise up his neck, as if he's been put in a can of soup, he doubled over, gasping for air, beads of sweat coaxing his forehead.
S-suckerbot. WHAT'S happening to me?
And what does it mean that my scene has been interfered with? Can these constellations affect the game? W-wh-why is my infamy stat increasing?
[It means, it has been tampered with.]
Elian's eyes widened, staring in disbelief. What? What do you mean?
He tried standing up, his senses were dulling, ears ringing, carving strange noices into his brain.
His hands fumbled, tripping on a rock that wasn't meant to be there.
Immediately, Aven's eyes snapped to him.
Before Elian could blink, Aven was there. A hand clamped around his throat, lifting him clean off his feet. His legs kicked against air, choking, fingernails clawing at iron grip. The world spun, purple aura searing his skin as Aven dragged him skyward like a ragdoll as a wave of nausea hit him.
"DROP ME!" Elian croaked, throat burning. "The fuck—drop me!"
"..."
Aven slammed them both down onto the half-ruined rooftop of a leaning apartment. Stone cracked beneath them, dust swirling. Aven pinned him with his presence alone, blade humming beside his face.
"You're under a protocol," he growled, each word searing like a brand. "A defect. You don't get it, do you? You were meant to be contained. What were you doing hanging around with a murder twin!"
Elian's lips twisted. He barked out a dry, broken laugh. "Yeah? I don't care about the shit you just said. You knew something about my family's death. Now, my sister is gone. You think i care about shit?" His voice cracked but didn't falter. Grief still gnawed at him, bitter and raw.
Aven blankly stared at him. He tilted his head to the side, a smile creeping up to his cheeks.
Elian fumbled against his grasp, getting weirded out by Aven's smile, and the way his brown eyes gleamed like he's about to do something ridiculous.
Then the System chimed in again.
[Congratulations. You have successfully been claimed.]
[You are now the Queen's pawn.]
What? Aven… he—
Elian blinked twice. I thought i could reject it!
[Your ability to reject has been disabled. You cannot reject.]
Elian's jaw gaped wide open. He tried releasing himself away from Aven's grasp. But the beautiful angry man wouldn't budge. "Urgh! Why are you doing this to me?!"
[Care for a genre change if this one isn't working for you?]