Chapter Two

Stadtplatz, Their Death Announcement

[2724 words]

He’s surrounded with sudden emptiness and blackness but just for a mere microsecond, then a bright white light blasted behind his eyelids and replaced the darkness. The next time he opened his eyes he found himself stood in different place. He tumbled forward as a wave of nausea hit him after the sudden teleport.

But a pair of hands held him and prevented him to fall face first flat to the ground. “Gyu-Hyung, are you alright?” A soft voice heard, so near to his ear.

Gyu nodded and opened his mouth after he’s sure he won’t puke instead. He blinked his eyes a few times to clearer his vision. “Where are we? What was happened?”

One second ago they were still on the small hills with the sheep, tried to solve Gyu-couldn’t-log-out problem, but now they already stood in different place, a large open room with a nice water fountain located in the center. Some buildings, more likely shops and stores by the small signboard hinged on the front, surrounded that paved area.

“Stadtplatz, that’s how you called town square here. Apparently we’re being transported forcefully here, just like the others,” Howon answered as peoples magically one by one came into Gyu’s sight after the white light flashed here and there. Soon the piazza full with hundreds of confused and disoriented players, low buzz filled the crowd, panic questions heard everywhere.

Suddenly Gyu’s shoulder bumped with someone who stood too close to him and didn’t really see where he’s going. Once again Howon had to save Gyu from kissed the hard pavement. “Stay close,” Howon murmured to Gyu’s ear as he pulled the latter closer to his body.

Gyu felt the temperature around his body rose, and he’s so sure it’s not because many people surrounding him, but rather because of a certain boy whose hands wrapped securely around his waist. He’s surely taller than this boy, but the boy had a bulkier body and undoubtedly stronger, it made him felt safe in his warm embrace. Gyu glanced at the boy beside him, stunned with the close distance they had, he even could count the eyelashes that boy had if he wanted, but it’s not the right time to do so. That boy didn’t aware that Gyu was looking at him, eyes busied scanned all over the place, tried to look for answer why suddenly they’ve been transported here.

Unexpectedly laughter thundered and drown the noise the players made, so loud it shook the ground, spilled the water from the spring, made people fell to their feet, and added the panic to the crowd. As sudden as it’s start, it’s cease abruptly and the silent afterwards was so sickening. Second later people started murmuring again, and get louder as some players pointed at the sky. Gyu turned his head up, still in his on all fours position. Howon who kneeled next to him also had his head directed toward the sky, where a shadow appeared, floated in the empty air, face unseen under the hood.

“Welcome to The Lost City Saga, my precious players.” The shadow raised both of his hands, imitating a pose when a priest blessing his people. “Welcome to my world, where I, Lee Jungyeop, am the sole person can control this world.”

“He’s the game master, the creator of this game,” Gyu heard Howon whispered to his ear. He nodded to indicate that he understood what a game master was.

“I’m sure you’ve already noticed that the Log Out button is missing from the main menu,” as Jungyeop continued, Gyu felt relieved that he’s not the only one who couldn’t log out from the game, the other players also faced the same problem. He expected this game master was going to announce that it’s just a little mistake on his behalf, he would get it fixed and in no time all of the player could log out. Gyu started to miss his bed where he would curl up under his warm blanket and did his homework peacefully.

But the next sentences by Jungyeop tore down all his hope, the hands Howon put on his shoulder squeezed hard, he whimpered slightly because it’s hurt and because he couldn’t believe what he just heard. The crowd roared in angry but Jungyeop’s voice still rang louder, “I repeat, this is not a defect in the game.”

“You can’t log out from this game by yourselves, and no one on the outside can shut down or remove the Nerrig. If someone, maybe your friends or families, attempted to remove it, the transmitter inside the Nerrig will emit a powerful microwave, destroying your brain and thus ending your life. You’ll gone forever both from Infinite and the real world.” When Jungyeop paused to take a breath, the player who was previously bumped at Gyu suddenly shined in white light. It’s so bright and wouldn’t go unnoticed in the darkness of that night. Gyu widened his eyes in horror as the boy looked around in panic and ended stared at him, hand held out, as if asking for help from him. Gyu didn’t know what he should do, didn’t know what would help that boy, but still he stretched out his trembled hand. Their fingertips touched, Gyu had the boy’s hand in his palm before the boy in front of him disintegrated into thousands colorful glass-like shreds. Gyu inhaled sharply as now his hand clenched an empty air, his heart also shattered into pieces.

He felt a warm body hugged him, Howon. “Is he dead? Like, really dead?” Gyu’s voice not louder than a whisper, but the quietness in that area made his words echoed all over the places. The crowds around them retreated a little, left him and Howon in an empty circle, all attention now on them. Howon didn’t say anything, instead kept hugging him.

“Ah, apparently someone mother wants his son to stop playing, but unfortunately she doesn’t know what had she done to his own son, so sad. Now, let’s hope you don’t have a nosy family member who will remove the Nerrig from your head.” Jungyeop now had all the attention backed to him. “I also hope you will relax and attempt to clear the game, but I want you to remember this clearly, there’s no longer any method to revive someone within the game. Once your bloods drop to zero, your avatar will be forever lost and simultaneously, the Nerrig will destroys your brain.”

Jungyeop then continued, “there is only one means of escape, to complete the game. You are presently in the first and only city of Infinite Kingdom, the Hauptstadt. Revive all the other ninety-nine cities, defeat the Demon King and you will clear the game. As easy as that.”

“And this is the end for the official tutorial of The Lost City Saga. Good luck, players,” Jungyeop ended his welcomed speech before melting back into the sky, disappearing and leaving the view to now starry night sky.

“Don’t leave, just don’t.” Gyu grabbed Hoya’s right hand, clutched it tightly in both of his arm, close to his heart. He’s so ready to beg on his knee if it could prevent the latter to leave him. “You can’t leave me. Not here. Not in this game.”

“Hyung, I also do not want to leave you alone here,” Howon sighed, tried to get his hand back from his friend.

“Then don’t…”

Howon cut Gyu’s words, didn’t let him finished his plea. “But I had to.”

Gyu widened his eyes and furrowed his eyebrows, tried to create a miserable puppy-look with them, so Howon would pity him and forgot the idea of leaving him. But it was either the look didn’t give the effect he wanted since his eyes were pretty small or Howon didn’t really paid any attention to his look, because on the next moment Howon repeated his sentences again. “I had to.” Only it’s sounded weaker this time.

Gyu gave up his puppy-eyes and sighed, also gave up on koala-ing Howon’s strong arm. He had to change his strategy, so he hardened his face, now had his arm crossed in front of his chest, and spoke in harsher tone. “Give me a reason.”

“How if Mom comes into my bedroom and removes the Nerrig from our head? I had to warn her first before it happens or both of us will be dead.”

Gyu gasped, he didn’t think about it before, that kind of possibility never came to his mind. Howon ruffled his own hair, looked so frustrated in Gyu’s eyes. He paused for a while, seemed unsure of what to say next, “and maybe search for the possible solution of this problem.”

Gyu threw his tough act away and slightly whined, “didn’t you hear him, Howon? Finish this game is the only solution.” Then he pleaded with his eyes, asked in his mind, ‘that’s the only solution. So don’t leave me, Howon. Please.’

Howon groaned and grabbed his hair, made it more disheveled, “how long you think it will take time, to finish this game? It can be weeks or months or maybe years. Hyung, you don’t understand, it never easy to complete an RPG, you don’t want to be trapped for that long, right? That’s why we need to find another way out.”

Gyu sighed and the conversation between them came into halt, they engulfed in silent, in their own thought. As he squeezed his brain in try of finding another reason to make Howon stay, Gyu let his eyes wandered around that dark alley Howon dragged him to. After Jungyeop the Game Maker disappeared from peoples’ sight, all the players got panicked, and panic people never meant good thing, furthermore if it’s a large number of people. A group of friends started to blame each other for playing that game, and then, Gyu didn’t know how it’s started, but riots broke out in that piazza. Stores and trees lit up with fire, he also didn’t know how they started the fire, people pushed at each other and yells heard in every corner. Howon acted quickly in saving them, dragged the dumbstruck Gyu away from that piazza. People won’t be die when they’re inside the city, city was the safest place, but still it felt hurt if others trampled on you. Howon and Gyu ran until they found an empty alley, where Howon then broke the news that he’s going to log out and left Gyu.

Howon’s words rang in Gyu’s head, ‘how long you think it will take time to finish this game?’ Didn’t Howon say that time fly faster in this world than in their real world? How long did one year valued in their world? “It won’t be that long in the real world, right?” Gyu bit his lower lip, still didn’t like the idea of Howon leaving him.

Howon grab Gyu’s shoulders and turned his body so now they stood face to face, Howon then propped one hand under Gyu’s chin to make the latter stare at him, he exhaled slowly before put his explanation into words. He said it slowly and clear. “Still, hyung, before the clock rings ten times tonight, we’ll be already dead because your Mom will call my Mom, ask you to come home and my Mom will be the dead of us by removing the Nerrig in attempt to woke you up. Hyung, I had to explain this situation to our parent and maybe made a warning to other parents too, so other players won’t be dead because their Nerrig removed.”

Gyu shuddered as the previous memory of a player scattered in his arm replayed in his mind. He closed his eyes, but the image just got clearer, he would never ever able to forget the panic face of that player. Was that boy really dead? Gyu didn’t want to believe that the boy already dead by now. Gyu opened his eyes to the sight of Howon still stared deeply to him.

“Hyung, please understand, it may take some time, but I will back to you as soon as possible. If I can save people, then I had to do it.”

Gyu kept silent, didn’t trust his own voice, it would be trembled and sounded weak, he knew. So he just nodded, accepted his fate to be left by Howon in resignation.

Howon then took him to a small inn in one corner of the city, with a small restaurant in the ground floor. “So you don’t have to look for meal too far. Remember to eat at least once every day, Hyung. You won’t feel hungry in this world, but lack of food will weaken your body and gradually decreased your blood, so please keep eating. Also stay away from an inn with pub instead of restaurant. Sure the spread of information circulate around the pub is much faster, but you don’t know when someone tried to make you drunk and rob your money or any items you have.”

“You still can get drunk in this game?” Gyu flabbergasted.

“Many things still can happen here, Hyung,” Howon gave his warning.

The room Howon checked him in was nice as well, everything made of wood and it created a warm atmosphere. The small window faced the small road in front of that inn, the bed looked snugly and a set of table and chair completed the furniture inside that room. “You also need to have enough sleep, Hyung, so…”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, so my blood remain full,” Gyu cut the lecture.

For the very first time in that night, Howon’s lips curved into a smile. “You already know? Good. You are a fast learner, Hyung, I’m sure you can survive in this world.”

Gyu just shrugged his shoulders and let Howon added another information into his brain. It’s hard to remember all the details, moreover when his mind was clouded with worry to be left alone, but he tried his best to keep his concentration, he had to understand this world so he could stay alive. After Howon left, he had no one who would guide him again, he had to do all the things by himself. So better gulped down all the important info while Howon was still there.

“I think that’s all,” Howon ended his lesson. Gyu was aware that Howon still had so many things to be talked about, to be warned about, as that boy pinched his lower lip with his thumb and forefinger, the other hand on his hip –they knew each other long enough to figure out the meaning of body language their friend made. But Gyu understood that Howon had to make his leave as fast as possible, before his Mom made a big mistake by removing their Nerrig and accidently killing them.

Gyu saw Howon stood in the middle of that small room from his rest place in the bed. Howon swept his hand to bring the main menu screen out, and Gyu envied the Log Out button in the bottom. Howon looked hesitate to click the button, he made a short inhale of breath and turned to Gyu.

“Do me a favor, try to stay alive until I back, Hyung.”

For the last time Gyu nodded and he watched sadly at Howon who put his forefinger on the Log Out button to click it. He felt a sudden pang hit his heart, bad thoughts muddled his mind, how if Howon never came back to him? How if he’s too late and his Mom removed the Nerrig at the same time he log out? How if actually Howon also couldn’t log out, the button was just a trap to his death. Gyu bit on his lower lip to stop himself for shouting and stopping Howon for leaving him. His breath hitched in his throat as a bright white light engulfed Howon’s body and when it disappeared –along with Howon– the room felt lot darker than before.

Gyu collapsed to the bed, curled up on his side, hugged himself in fetus position, and tried hard not to shed his tears. Now he was all alone and he didn’t like it. He didn’t like Howon leave him alone. He didn’t want Howon to leave him alone.

Gyu didn’t mind being dead if it mean stay together with Howon.

_A/N_

If you are wondering, the game master speech almost word for word from episode 1 of SAO ,,>.<,,