A sky and a shadow that lights up.

The tall grass swayed in the wind and for an instant I was under the illusion that it was all over. That after the battle against that player, the calm was real. But the calm never lasts long here. At least not at this moment.

Ikel flopped down on his back in the meadow, panting with a tired smile. I remained standing, my eyes fixed on the horizon. The sky was too clear, too still. It felt like a painting, something artificial.

— Can't you tell? — Ikel asked as he narrowed his eyes. — Rivals are plummeting, it's strange even in events like this —

I swallowed hard. I knew I wasn't the only one with that feeling. Every enemy we had faced lately seemed to fight without passion, like a dummy. Something was wrong.
The metallic sound of an invisible bell interrupted my thoughts. A message appeared on my HUD, bright, invasive:

[ New temporary mechanic activatedAll players' positions will be revealed ] 

The map unfolded in front of my eyes, marking dozens of blinking red dots. One of them was ours, and it was in the middle of a clearing with no cover. It was as if someone had placed a target over our heads.

—  We have to move! — exclaimed Ikel. Without discussing it, we both started running towards a nearby hill, trying to disappear into the bushes. My breathing became a lump in my throat, and each step seemed louder than the last.

We thought we had escaped. We thought we had cheated the system.

Until the ground began to shake.

A deep roar, like the crunching of the earth itself, echoed behind us. The air filled with dust as a gigantic figure emerged from the ground: a stone golem, with incandescent runes running down its body. Its yellow eyes bore into me like razor blades.

Panic paralyzed me. It was too big, too real. His fists were mountains ready to crush us. — Run! —
I shouted, though my legs refused to move.

But it did not fall.

A burst of light shot across the meadow, impacting directly into the creature's chest. The monster staggered, its runes faded, and it collapsed in pieces, raising a cloud of dust that covered us completely.

I coughed, trying to regain my vision. And then I saw her.

It was Noelia standing on a hill, with the wind stirring her hair, still holding the rest of the magic she had just invoked. Her figure radiated confidence, but her gaze... her gaze was charged with that pride that always made me feel small.

When Noelia descended the hill, she did so with that confidence of hers that I found so suffocating. The way she walked, as if each step belonged to the world, made me feel smaller and smaller.

— It's a miracle you found a friend, Asimil. — he said with a crooked smile.  —I thought you'd still be hiding like last time — Her words stabbed into me, and though I wanted to respond, my voice cracked before it came out. She, instead, raised her hand slowly, as if she wanted to stroke my head, to treat me like a helpless child who had survived by chance.

At that instant, Ikel reacted.With a firm movement, he held Noelia's wrist in the air, just inches from my hair. His fingers closed around her skin, stopping the gesture before he could complete it.

— No — he said coldly, looking her in the eye. — Don't touch it — The atmosphere suddenly became tense. I felt my heart racing, and for a moment I didn't know if I was more frightened by the golem's appearance a moment ago... or by what might happen now.

Noelia arched an eyebrow, surprised at first, but then her expression changed to a dangerous smile. — How interesting. — he muttered in a venomous tone. — The little dog does know how to bark — 

He tried to release his wrist with a sharp movement, but Ikel did not let go instantly. The tension between the two of us was so thick that I hardly dared to breathe. — I don't know who you are and I don't care what you've come for, but I won't let you talk to my friend, got it? —Finally, with a sharp turn, Noelia pulled her hand away, glaring at him.

— Tch...defending a coward like him...I thought you had better judgment. — His eyes bore into me again, and shame burned in my chest like fire.

My fists clenched, trembling. For the first time, I didn't want to be silent. 
— And what do you know about me? — I spat at him with restrained rage. You speak from above as if you were untouchable. — What do you gain by humiliating me? Do you enjoy seeing me grovel? —

— Why would it hurt me to humiliate you, if you are not even relevant to me?, What's surprising is that you're still standing. Although I guess it takes time for garbage to decompose, too. — His words tore me apart more than any attack.

I gritted my teeth, but didn't move. — You know what the worst thing is? — my voice was beginning to crack. — That I... when I met you the first time, I thought... that behind that mask there was someone who... —

— Stop it! - He interrupted me coldly. — Don't project your illusions on me. I am not your salvation. — 

That's when everything started to break down.

— I wasted my time with you... — she whispered, but she didn't say it with hatred. She said it like someone who admits a mistake in a low voice, almost reproaching herself.

A shiver ran through my body. And then, I saw him.

The hooded man.

His mere presence chilled my blood, every time I was near him I was always paralyzed, but why?

— So you use an intimidation spell Corvus, huh? — Ikel said, standing next to me. I could tell he wasn't afraid, but rather he looked excited. — Never mind, if you are here to attack us I'm not going to hold back with you two either. — Ikel said as his red flames began to burn brightly in his hands.

I was somewhat relieved, Ikel was here to defend me. Or so I thought.

With a single finger of his hands, the hooded man sent Ikel flying through the air, and I could only watch as he was lost among the trees.

Who the hell was that guy, was he using levitation magic or was it gravitation, I don't know, I just know I was in danger. But I also wanted answers.

Then I watched as Noelia and the hooded guy turned away, ignoring me. Should I feel relieved or should I feel offended for not even taking me into account, after all it makes sense, no one would waste their magic power on a C rank like me.

Even so, I tried my luck, something inside me surfaced and stayed in my throat for a few moments, I plucked up my courage and shouted at him before they left.

— Answer me! — I shouted, my throat tearing. — What's going on? Who are you? — He did not react. His gaze was fixed on the horizon, as if I did not exist.

— Look at me, damn it! — I rushed towards her, driven by a rage that I didn't know where it came from. I touched Noelia's shoulder, although for an instant I felt as if I were touching a cold ice cube. My hands trembled. My words burned — Why are you ignoring me?! —

she finally spoke.

— He is my best friend, saitras — he said with a calmness that destroyed me inside — And I was sent with him to contain something that you should not know... For weeks it has been threatening to break through in this world — 

The words didn't make sense. But the tone... the tone told me he wasn't lying.

— Why... why are you looking at me like that? — I asked when I saw that her eyes turned to look at me, her eyes were expressionless, it was a facet I had not seen from her so far.

— Because I find your presence unbearable. You remind me too much... of my brother — The silence hit me harder than his words. My mind emptied. Brother? What was he talking about?

I wanted to ask, but my lips did not move.

The hooded man extended his hand. Noelia took it without hesitation.

He didn't even look at me for the last time.

A glow enveloped them, and they disappeared.

I was left all alone in that place, with Ikel missing and Noelia leaving me with more questions than answers.