End Online: Volume 6 (7 page)

‘Something is
completely wrong here. Not only has its class changed, but even its name. Its
stats have also gone through the roof.’
 I
worriedly think to myself while completely overlooking the fact that I can
suddenly see its description.

Fen also seems to sense
something, immediately moving ahead to shield me.

The Sun Guardian looks toward
us with a new, smooth coordination, before steely words are emitted from its
body, “I… will… des… troy… y… you… all.”

Its movements are twice as
fast as before, and golden globules form in the air around it, orbiting it at a
speed which will definitely tear us apart.

Everyone quickly backs
away, and I grab firmly onto Fen to keep her away from the enemy, but find her
to be as immovable as an iron rod stuck in the ground.

“Fen, we need to retreat,
now!”

“I’m sorry, Lost. I can’t
do that… Not this time.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” I
feel torn inside as I can’t leave her to fight an enemy that will kill and
erase her from being my companion.

I I think, trying to
come up with a solution as I flicker and move in front of her.

Just as I am about to take
action, a faint blue screen appears in between the ‘Sun Guardian’ and myself.

“Stay with me tonight, as
well,” Fen’s voice behind me is ice cold, sending shivers down my spine.

What happens next takes me
and everyone else by surprise. A gust of wind blows around the room and rapidly
turns into a maelstrom of ice shards, freezing winds and snow. In the center of
this storm are Fen and I, while the others quickly move into the central area
with us before they perish as well. The ‘Sun Guardian’, caught by the attack, dramatically
slows down from the subzero temperatures, and frost even starts forming on its
body.

The storm continues to
grow within the room as the winds become more violent. Just when I think it
can’t get any more powerful, ice-blue lightning begins to spark between the ice
shards and forms an abstract net throughout the storm.

The evolved boss’s health
is dropping fast. It loses a single percent every second within the storm, and
its movements seem to be getting even slower. The boss has some sentience however,
and understands the peril it is in. Its body bursts with a golden flame,
melting the frost on its body and freeing most of its movements.

Rather than attacking us,
the Sun Guardian turns around and runs toward the pile of rubble, ignoring the
damage to its body. The light can’t penetrate the storm so it can’t regenerate
itself again. Against all expectation, the boss suddenly jumps from the pile
with otherworldly strength, piercing through the storm and into the open sky,
onto the temple roof.

I don’t know how I know,
but it has escaped. Fen realizes this as well, quelling the storm and returning
the chamber to silence.

Everyone stares at her and
me stupidly now that everything is over. I want to say that it had nothing to
do with me, but I am already labelled an accomplice. I also want to ask what
the hell that was, but can’t seem to find the words.

“Well, now that the boss
battle is over, I guess we will be leaving,” NightHunt laughs awkwardly, edging
away from us with his party. He throws a grappling hook and rope through the
hole in the roof and climbs up to the temple roof, quickly followed by the rest
of his party, minus the fallen HumorMe.

With them gone, my party
looks at us strangely, before Verde raises her voice. “What the hell was
that!?”

I am at a loss for words,
so can only reply, “I… I really don’t know. Fen?”

“I… don’t know,” she
stammers as before, but I know that it’s fake as she has been able to speak
normally.

“You can trust them, you
know,” I whisper to her, hoping they don’t hear.

“No.” Her glare seems to
pierce through me as she speaks, her icy voice as sharp as a knife.

An awkward silence follows
as they all stare at Fen and me like we’re aliens, before Sir Laurence saves me
by changing the subject.

“How about we all log off
for today? Lost, Verde, our first day at university starts tomorrow, so we need
to take extra time to prepare.”

“Oh, sure, but let’s get
up on the roof first. NightHunt was nice enough to leave the rope after all.”
It actually works out well for me, as today I expect my sisters’ regular phone
call.

Mason and Matrix seem to
be a bit sour about logging off early, but don’t complain about it.
CaptainGordon doesn’t particularly mind, and actually states the he will wait
on the temple roof with a portable furnace and start refining the enormous
amount of ore that are his share, as he is nearly over his carrying capacity.

We plan a time to log back
in and meet up tomorrow afternoon, after university finishes for the day.

“Lost,” Sir Laurence asks
me, “do you need me to pick you up tomorrow morning?”

“I can’t possibly ask you
to go out of your way like that.”

“Nonsense, it is
practically along the way.”

“Well, if that’s the case.
Then… please.” It isn’t along the way at all, but I don’t point that out and
accept his kindness.

-Lost(Hollis)-

A knocking sound wakes me
up. There is no sunlight filtering through the bedroom window, but that is
because I spent last night sleeping in my locker with Fen again. The first time
was extremely nerve-wracking, but the second time was much more peaceful.

Fen is lying on top of me
this morning, her head resting on my chest with her hands over my shoulders,
and both of her legs wrapped around one of mine with a vice-like grip. Her face
is incredibly peaceful as she sleeps, gently inhaling and exhaling in synch
with me. While I can’t see them, I can feel her breasts pressing against my
stomach. It is the kind of feeling that makes one happy to be alive.

I made another shocking
discovery last night. Resting my hand on her hip, I realized that she was
completely bare. I didn’t dare move for a while after that, my heart pounding
in my chest as I start debating ‘should I, or should I not?’. This also led me
to lie awake much longer than usual and oversleep in the morning.

I hear another knocking
sound and realize that it is coming from the real world – someone is clearly
knocking on my front door.

Despite Fen being light, I
can’t seem to pry her loose as she wriggles around and latches onto me tighter.
I log out from directly beneath her, forfeiting the struggle and leaving an
extremely displeased wolf girl to have a short fall onto the bed.

“Coming!” I call out,
moving into my wheelchair and rolling toward the front door, while attempting
to straighten my hair in the process.

I can’t even imagine the
sorry sight I must present as I open the door to see Markus (Sir Laurence)
standing there preparing to knock a third time. He is wearing a thick black
coat and matching scarf to ward off the frost. Even dressed casually, he has
the bearing of a prince.

“Don’t you look lively
this morning,” he says amusedly. “If we don’t leave soon, we will be late, you
know. Not good for the first day.”

“Ah, yes, give me a
moment.”

As I turn around and head
toward the bathroom to clean up, Markus lets himself into my house, peeking
around where he doesn’t belong. I want to say something, but he isn’t doing any
harm. He is also the person taking me to school so I shouldn’t be too rude.

It isn’t until I am in the
middle of brushing my teeth that he calls out from another room, “Hey, why
isn’t there a certain white haired beauty in your bed? I was hoping to see her
all wrapped up in the bed sheets, one leg sticking out, her nipples within an
inch of being exposed… Exhausted after a long night of-“

“Wha tha ‘ell are ‘ou
‘aying!” I shout with a mouthful of toothpaste after almost choking on the
toothbrush itself.

A mellow laughter comes
from my room, shortly followed by silence. Feeling nervous, I quickly finish up
and return to my bedroom. I barely make it in time, stopping Markus from
putting on my V-Link and witnessing Fen in the bed.

“Why are you so different
compared to when you’re playing the game?”

“Because I am hoping to
meet girls. If I can find my next girlfriend, that would be even better,”
Markus shamelessly says, as if his behavior is the most natural thing in the
world.

I have a headache trying
to understand this person.

“I don’t get it.”

“Listen, right now it is
just us guys so we can have fun. But if you want to meet girls, you have to be
serious. No girl would ever date a guy who isn’t serious. Well, in your case,
you seem to have one literally hanging from your arm so you probably wouldn’t
understand.”

I have never had a
girlfriend, and ever since dropping out of school I was busy working to support
my two sisters and this house, so socializing was a very minor part of my life.
Despite this, even I know that Markus’s approach is completely wrong for
finding love, or at least a meaningful relationship.

Refusing to comment on the
subject when he presses me about what’s happened between Fen and myself, I push
him out of the room and get dressed. There is no school uniform as it is
university, so I pick out some casual clothing. It is still winter, so I also
don a thick coat.

After I am done changing,
I meet Markus out in front of my house. He didn’t come in the same chauffeured
car as he took me home in last time, but instead brought a limousine.

“Isn’t that… a bit much?”
I nervously ask him as I point at the vehicle.

“Nonsense, it is best to
enter university grandly. It is also the first day, when all the introductions
will take place, so we need to leave a good impression.”

I think that I understand
Markus a little better now. Whether it is in the game as Sir Laurence, or real life
as Markus, he really likes to show off.

Trying to put aside the
embarrassing thought of being the only people to arrive at the university in a
limousine, I get into the car with Markus’ aid and his butler places my
wheelchair in the trunk.

The limousine engine is
the latest model, turning on without a single vibration. It soon leaves and I
look through the tinted windows to see the neighbors staring flabbergasted from
within their homes.

“So Hollis, we are just
two guys here. Tell me, how far have you gone with Fen?” Markus stares at me
with prying eyes.

Knowing that no answer
will be in my favor, I hold my silence. Markus takes no heed of this and
continues talking about the subject.

“Come on. I won’t tell
anybody you know. I’ve been with a few girls myself, but none as hot as her.
What was it like?”

“That is completely none
of your business!”

“Oh! So
something has happened, huh.”

Markus’ eyes seem to
pierce through me and I instantly regret opening my mouth. I’m screaming in my
mind at him that nothing has happened, but I know that isn’t entirely true.

“What about that Verity?
She’s stunning as well. But she’s mine, you hear? No two-timing and going after
her as well.”

I bite my tongue for the
next twenty minutes of the trip. Markus doesn’t stop talking the entire way to
university and I start to think I prefer him as Sir Laurence.

Even though we left late
due to my sleeping in, there is still half an hour before the welcoming
ceremony for all the new and returning students begins. However, nearly all of
the students have already arrived. Markus is grumbling beside me that he wanted
to be here earlier so he could approach the new female students before anyone
else. I would hit him if he was within arm’s reach at the moment.

Seeing the limousine stop
at the front of the university, many students look over as they whisper among
themselves. I don’t have much time as to try and figure out what it is about
before the butler opens the door and helps me out and into my wheelchair.

Many of the students see
me as a cripple, and a hint of pity shows on their expressions. This changes
quickly when Markus steps out of the car and dazzles everyone. The guys throw
looks of envy and hate his way while the girls seem to be instantly infatuated.
Seeing the hateful glares directed at someone other than me when I have Fen on
my arm is a refreshing feeling.

Yeah, this definitely
feels good.

Markus is like a stone
wall, not even recognizing the glares as he dismisses his butler and starts
pushing me toward the gate.

Even from out front, the
university is huge. A massive sliding gate of steel bars is wide open,
revealing the paved paths, freshly maintained gardens, a small recreational
park, and four large white buildings. Half the view is blocked off, however, by
a large group of male students gathered together.

From inside the crowd, I
hear a familiar voice, “Excuse me. My boyfriend is here now so can you all step
back?”

The crowd makes way as
Verity (Verde) steps out and walks toward us, her hair swaying with each step.
All of the boys glare at Markus as she heads over.

To Markus’s, the
onlookers’, and especially my surprise, rather than going to stand next to
Markus, she bends forward, wraps her arms around my neck, and kisses me on the
cheek.

“Just go along with it,”
Verity coquettishly whispers into my ear.

Without waiting for anyone
to react, she quickly nudges Markus aside and takes control of pushing me in
the wheelchair.

It isn’t until we are
within the university gates that Markus catches up. Verity hums to herself as
she pushes me around the campus so we can look around. Sporting a look of
defeat for the first time today, Markus is silent.

I meet many students along
the way. One of the senior returning students even joins us and becomes a tour
guide. It isn’t until he asks for Verity’s number and she responds that I am
her boyfriend that he quietly disappears. I start to feel a little sorry for
Markus, who looks more and more depressed with every person she tells that I am
her boyfriend.

After exploring the
university, we arrive at a large outdoor amphitheatre used for drama
productions and acting classes. I can’t ascend the stairs, so the three of us
sit along a space in the bottom row.

It isn’t long before a man
in his late forties arrives onstage with a microphone. Clearing his throat a
few times, he taps the microphone to test it and pretends that there is no one
else in the amphitheatre.

Finishing his business, he
looks up at the students and begins his introduction.

“A welcome to all the new
students. Everyone who is returning after the long break to continue their
studies, you already know who I am. For those who don’t, I am the
vice-principal of Cambridge University, Sandy Lauder.”

I listen to him prattle on
about everything the university offers and the benefits of studying here. His
speech is incredibly dull and I’m not the only one who starts nod off.

After the welcoming
speech, Lauder dismisses us with instructions on where to find the schedules
for each course. Verity pushes me to the location, where a large electronic
board is displaying the schedules.

It doesn’t take long to
find the schedule for Philology and Semiotics mixed in with the others. It only
consists of three half-day classes each week. There is one on Monday,
Wednesday, and Thursday.

Verity’s and Markus’s
courses have the same schedule as each other, three half-day and another
full-day class. The half-day classes conveniently coincide with mine, but there
is the other full-day class on Fridays.

“We all have our own
classes to go to. Shall we separate here?” I ask Verity and Markus nervously. I
haven’t been to school in a long time, so I feel a little out of place.

“Yeah. Hollis, shall we
meet at the front gate at lunch before we leave?”

Verity stares daggers at
Markus before saying, “How can you just leave like that. Hollis, as your
girlfriend, allow me to take you to your class.”

“Ah, thank you, but
really, why do I have to play the role of your boyfriend? My first day here and
I already have so many guys hating me.”

“They wouldn’t dare touch
a man in a wheelchair. You are practically immune to them, isn’t it great? And,
well, it keeps them from bothering me too much. Let me continue on with my
little white lie?”

“Argh, fine. I won’t tell
anyone that you’re not my girlfriend, but I won’t be telling everyone that you
are either.”

“That’s fine, just leave
that to me.” Verity gives me a confident smile that makes me feel like I am
missing something. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but she’s definitely
acting suspiciously.

I silently listen to some
of the random conversations around us as Verity takes me to class. It isn’t
until I arrive in front of a large classroom on the first floor of the
university’s second building – often just referred to as the second wing – that
it occurs to me.

‘Why didn’t you just
have Markus be your fake boyfriend? He would jump off a bridge if you asked him
to, let alone be the target of all the boys’ hate. Could it be that you
actually like me? Or just like me more?’
 My
thoughts continue to circle around and around. Whether I’m right or completely
wrong, I’m unable to come up with a better reason.

It is too late to ask
Verity, as she has already left, so I can only enter the classroom and ask her
later as to why she doesn’t just have Markus be her fake boyfriend.

There are eleven other
people in the classroom – eight female and three male students. A large digital
white board is installed on the wall at the front of the classroom. The
teacher’s podium is connected to this display, and anything they write on the
top of the podium displays on the wall.

I greet half of the class
one by one, but regardless whether they are male or female, each one turns away
and ignores me. I don’t feel like arguing after an already exhausting morning,
so I find a table near the front of class and move the chair aside so I can
wheel myself into place.