Game of Reflections

The faint glow of rare crystals embedded in the walls barely dispelled the thick darkness of the corridor. Silence exhaled slowly, sheathing the crimson blades. A pile of molten stone—all that was left of the giant fire golem—was smoking under his feet. 

"Another farce,— he said softly, looking around the room. It seemed that nothing but dead silence disturbed the peace of the dungeon. 

— Hey, you! 

The voice sounded harsh and unexpected. Silent tensed, his hands on the hilts of his daggers with lightning speed. He turned around, ready to meet the enemy. 

A man stepped out of the shadows. He looked like an ordinary player armed with a sword. His armor looked tattered, and his movements showed fatigue. Two more girls were walking slowly behind him. 

"Your reflexes are impressive," the stranger said with a smile, raising his hands in a sign of peaceful intentions. 

Silent didn't answer, just narrowed his eyes. There were still no markings on his radar. 

"Who are you?" "What is it?" he asked coldly, without relaxing his grip. 

—Calm down, I'm not an enemy," the man replied. "My name is Hiro. I'm... a survivor." 

Silent raised an eyebrow slightly. Hiro looked like he had recently emerged from a fierce battle, but his calmness and smile aroused suspicion. 

Silent glanced at the strange trio. Their animations looked natural, but he wasn't convinced. After all, his radar was silent, and in this game that could only mean one thing: the system had either crashed or someone had tricked it. 

— Thank you for your help, — the guy took a step forward, raising his hand in a greeting gesture. His armor was pitted, and his breastplate was covered in blood, clearly not his own. — We thought we were finished. 

The voice was full of relief, but Silent sensed the falsity. He did not relax his tense muscles, preparing for a possible attack. 

"Don't thank me ahead of time," he replied coldly, without taking his eyes off their leader. "Who are you?" 

The guy pretended not to notice the disbelief in his voice and hurried to answer.: 

— We are a regular group of players. The fourth wave of monsters took us by surprise, and this golem... He paused, obviously choosing his words. — Anyway, it's just the three of us.

Silence slowly shifted his gaze to the girls. One of them was holding a staff, and her clothes were standard low—level magical attire, worn but functional. The second one looked like Hiller: a white robe, icons on her chest, extinguished potions on her belt. 

"And you decided to hide until I did all the work?" He remarked sarcastically, interlacing his fingers on the hilts of his blades. 

— It's not like that! — the guy hastily objected. — We were looking for an opportunity to get out. But you... You turned out to be a real savior. 

Silent just grunted, but his hands never left the hilt. 

"And now what?" His voice sounded like he was addressing the void. — You thanked me, and that's it? 

"We would like to propose to unite," the guy finally said, taking another step forward. — Together we could go deeper into the dungeon. 

Silent froze. His lips twitched, as if from a slight smile. 

"Together?" "What is it?" he repeated, as if trying the word out. — And how are you going to be useful? 

The mage tensed slightly, but Hiller stepped forward, speaking in a soft, soothing voice.: 

"We know this dungeon. Going alone is dangerous even for a master like you. 

Silenus's eyes narrowed. She was playing on his weaknesses, but she was making it too obvious. 

"Dangerous?" He slowly drew one of his blades, a crimson glow filling the space around him. — I just proved the opposite. 

There was a tense pause. 

"We have information about the final boss,— the mage finally said softly. Her voice was barely audible, but the words struck a chord. 

Silent raised the blade, examining the reflection in its blade. Rick silently clutched the blade, his gaze, imbued with distrust and suspicion, did not look away from strangers, the information about the boss was of little concern. His eyes reflected not only aggression, but also a cold determination honed by years of playing. He didn't move, as if waiting for the moment when his doubts would be justified, but something else bothered him. 

— How did you escape my radar? His voice was flat, but there was steel in it. 

The guy in front of him shuddered, as if he felt the weight of this question. He just stood there for a few seconds, not knowing how to respond, then he forced himself to: 

—I... uh... we... it's… 

"This is my passive ability! One of the girls interrupted him. She took a step forward, her figure swaying with fatigue, but her voice sounded firm. — I have a disguise skill, one of the upgrades. True, its effect is short, but it was enough for us to survive. In small print, not everyone noticed.

Rick remained motionless. He had been in the game for so many years that he knew all the updates by heart. This minor clarification passed by his attention, and he felt irritation begin to boil in him. 

"Really?" — he said slowly, not letting go of the blade. His gaze was as sharp as a blade. "I missed something." 

He pulled out three vials of green liquids from his inventory—healing potions. They weren't particularly valuable, but they were exactly what was needed in this situation. Rick unceremoniously threw them at the group's feet, causing the vials to roll across the floor. 

"Drink while you have a chance," he said. His voice was neutral, but there was something in his tone that made me doubt whether I should trust him. 

The girl with the disguise lowered her head, taking the potions. She looked tired, but her gaze was sincere, and Rick, although he didn't trust her, noticed that there was no hidden deception in that look. Hiro took a step forward and spoke again. 

"We are not enemies," he said with difficulty, but his words seemed sincere. "We really need help." We found the artifact, but with it came... them. 

Rick listened without saying a word. Every muscle in his body was tense, every nerve ready to react to any threat. He didn't trust them, but the words "artifact" caught his attention. 

"An artifact?" His voice was low, and there was a chill in his words. He carefully assessed every move in front of him. 

—So you're saying that you came here for some ancient artifact?" Why should I believe you? 

The girl with the disguise glanced at him, her eyes full of determination and tension, but she didn't object. 

"We're not talking about a simple subject,— she said. — This artifact can change everything. We didn't know we were going to face this. If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't be here anymore. 

Rick just stared at them. He saw something in their faces that reminded him of the truth. Not the perfect truth, but still the sincerity in their intentions. 

"So the artifact was taken by monsters?" Rick asked, because all the players knew that the intelligence of stronger creatures was much higher, and they could build good tactics to destroy players, mostly beginners, by throwing such artifacts as bait. 

—Yes, they went north," Hiller replied. Silent lost interest after hearing about this and started walking away. 

The girl's voice sounded suddenly and loudly: 

— Wait! 

Rick froze, but didn't turn his head. The shadows seemed to swallow him up as soon as he moved. He didn't feel the need to turn around. Before answering, Silent felt the tension in the air increase. 

"Why don't you want to join us?" You're strong, one of the strongest players I've ever seen. With you, we could have completed this dungeon completely, and you would have received a decent reward! Her words sounded sincere, but there was an urgency in them, not a request. 

Rick didn't stop. His voice was as cold as ice, and there was a hint of detachment in it. 

— I'm used to working alone. The answer sounded so mechanical that even he himself felt that the question no longer mattered. 

He took a step forward, but her next question seemed to pierce through him, making his heart stop for a second. 

 Are you really such a loner, or are you just afraid that you'll have to take care of others?

Rick stopped for a moment, his feet digging into the stone. Those words, coming out of her mouth, touched a line that he always tried to keep under control. That deep and dark corner of his soul, where he wouldn't let anyone in, wouldn't even let himself think about it. 

Everything froze. It was as if the air itself had become heavy, and every sound, every movement seemed too loud. But Rick, without turning around, still let out an answer. 

"I'm not interested in what you think. I play to win, not to help anyone. Rick replied coldly and continued, "Besides, 100% clearing of the dungeon is not part of my plans, and what can you do? 

He made a pause. This time, his words were barely audible, but they contained all of his cold dislike. 

— I hate abuzah. 

With that, he stepped into the shadows, disappearing into the dungeon corridor. His figure disappeared into the darkness, leaving behind only an empty echo of his footsteps. The group stood stunned, stunned not so much by his words as by how easily he said goodbye to them. They didn't know what exactly Rick wanted to hide, but the tension in the air made them think. Who was this man who had so cruelly cut them off from his reality? 

Alone with himself, Rick slowed down slightly. His mind, as if on autopilot, continued to process the girl's words that sounded in his ears as echoes of something important that he studiously ignored. "Are you afraid to take care of others?" These words echoed in my head, creating a strange tension. He tried to dismiss them, but his memory brought him back to the days when the game brought joy, when there was still no such fierce desire for victory and self-improvement. Back then, the game was not just a competition, but something more. But now that he was alone, everything had changed. 

—Nonsense," he whispered, almost unaware of what he was saying. Silent forced himself to get back to the point: the next goal, the next fight, the next step. 

But here it was—this feeling, as if something incomprehensible had already begun to break through the thickness of his defenses, and he didn't even know how important it would turn out to be. From the moment I crossed their paths, everything will change. 

The darkness of the forest shrank, as if nature itself did not want to let those who dared to step into its shadow pass. With each step forward, Rick felt the density of this darkness grow, as if it covered him like a spider's web. He held his breath, and at that moment, on the verge of silence, a sound suddenly rang out. It was no ordinary noise. No, it was the sound of war—a growl, the echoes of a steely struggle, and short, wounded screams of pain and despair. 

Rick froze. He activated the improved radar setting, and dozens of enemy dots flashed on the interface screen. His experience told him that what was happening here and now was not just a fight, but something more important than he could have imagined. A desperate struggle for survival. 

He shifted, pressing himself to the ground, and in a few moments found himself at the edge of the clearing. In the center, like an undisputed leader, he saw her. The girl, her body was battle-hardened, but her eyes shone without losing clarity. It was obvious that she was the commander, given the giving of orders. There was a clear confidence in her movements. Her hair, sprinkled with drops of sweat and blood, shone in the sun like a golden crown, and her voice, like a weapon, penetrated into the very heart of the battle. 

"Raiden, let's go! Lia, close Aiko! Taro, bring out the left phalanx! Don't let them surround us!" Her instructions were clear and authoritative. She flashed her sword, blocking the giant wolf's blow.

Her team moved smoothly, as if following a training plan. There was no room for doubt in this group. Each of her colleagues knew what to do, and each of her orders sounded like the absolute truth, like an indisputable law that could not be challenged. But the most amazing thing was how she, without unnecessary words, united these people — so different and so strong. Just like nature itself, she was a part of this battle, an integral part of it. 

Rick felt the inner chill recede, and something in his chest trembled for the first time in a long time. He had always been a loner by himself, but here, in front of him, there was something that could make him doubt his habits. 

"What is she doing here?" he thought. And then he clenched his fists. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't ignore the fact that this girl wasn't just a leader. She was more than that. 

This woman with the nickname Freya moved like the elements themselves. Her thin sword flashed silver, leaving behind bloody footprints and torn bodies of the enemies. She was not just a player — she was a strategist who seemed to be fighting a battle on the level of a chess field, where her every move was thought out to the smallest detail. Rick felt it as soon as his gaze met hers. She didn't just deflect blows, she controlled chaos, causing enemies to fall under the blows of her sword, like wedges into the body of peaceful tyranny. 

But there were too many wolves. They didn't just attack. Their black skins blended into the shadows of the forest, and their eyes sparkled with a poisonous green light. It wasn't just a pack of animals. They were killing machines, operating smoothly, like a well-organized army. Each of the wolves was part of a larger plan, bypassing the weak links of the defense. Rick saw how some players start to lose their stamina when fighting multiple enemies at the same time. 

"Damn, how fucked up they are..." he cursed to himself, gripping the hilt of the dagger tightly. On the one hand, saving them would be a problem, and he didn't want to be a hero in such a situation. But if they do not stand up, they will not only be destroyed, but also increase the power of the wolves by fattening them, and at the same time, the strengthened wolves will create even more problems in further advancement. And I didn't want to risk it again — one more deadly battle, and I could forget about this raid. 

At that moment, one of the wolves broke through the defense and rushed at the healer. Leah, who didn't even have time to scream, stumbled and fell to the ground. The beast was already ready to sink its claws into her stomach, its snarling mouth filled with saliva, and its eyes burned with poisonous fire. But at that moment, Rick couldn't watch anymore. He instantly flew out of his hiding position, the blade in his hand flashed with a bright light, and then he cut through the air, and the wolf burned in pain. 

The beast fell, staining Leah with blood, and Rick calmly walked past, not wasting a second on the sight. 

Freya noticed his intervention, and her voice cut through the silence like a knife edge.: 

"Who are you?" 

Rick didn't turn around. He didn't bother with unnecessary words, preferring to speak only to the point. 

— "Someone who will save your asses if you listen." — his voice was cold and calculating, foreshadowing neither sympathy nor interest in what will happen next. 

She paused for a moment, assessing his tone. There was something sharp and decisive about him, but there was no pride behind it, but experience bordering on fatigue. She flashed a small smile. She's used to it. He was not like the others, who rush from emotions or look for opportunities for pretentious actions. He was cold and precise. 

—Okay, show me what you can do," Freya nodded, giving the order. - "Team, support his right flank!" 

Rick didn't need any support, but he understood that it was just a form of exchange. He quickly assessed the wolves' alignment: the two alpha males at the head shared the group's attention, controlling the bulk of the battle. A light light flashed in his eyes. Without wasting any time, he dropped the command: 

"Kill the right alpha. I'll take over the left one." 

Her team silently followed the instruction. Rick was direct, and his words didn't require discussion. Freya wanted to object, but her look at his confident actions stopped her. He was already on the move, walking towards the left alpha without experiencing the slightest hesitation.

The battle has entered a new rage. Rick moved like a shadow, his punches were precise, his steps confident, and each new fight was just a continuation of the past. The alpha wolf, despite her agility and strength, could not cope with what Rick brought to the battle — with composure and incredible speed. 

— "You won't survive..." — his last look at the wolf was calm, almost indifferent, but resolute. 

Only a couple of minutes later, when the wolf was already falling, he heard screams, and then silence. On the right flank, his order was obeyed. The alpha wolf was defeated. The wolves, who had lost their leaders, scattered in panic, letting out desperate howls like those who realized they had lost. 

The forest swallowed them up again, leaving behind only the corpses of wolves covered in blood, which gradually absorbed the cold night air. The silence became even more disturbing than before. It was accompanied by the heavy breathing of the surviving players, who, exhausted, bandaged their wounds. Their eyes, still full of fatigue, looked at each other with an expression that could say, "We're alive, but what's next?" 

Rick stood there as if nothing had happened, his face showing neither relief nor triumph. Just a tense look, glancing at the remaining players. He didn't need any praise. For him, everything was just part of the process. He started walking towards the trees. 

Right now, these were just his own steps in search of the next test. 

Freya, a girl armed to the teeth and with the bearing of a queen, approached the stranger who had just saved her team. There was confidence in her movements, but her gaze was intense, as if she was trying to figure it out. Her eyes were fixed on Silenus, trying to find the slightest hint of the hidden purpose of his actions. 

Silent stood by the tree, his figure seemed to be part of this gloomy scene, like a stone merging with the surrounding darkness. He did not move, his face was motionless, but his eyes were cold, calculating. He analyzed every detail: the equipment, the condition of the fighters, their interaction — everything was the subject of attention. 

—You made it sound like killing wolves was a normal routine," Freya said, stopping in front of him. Her voice was firm, but there was a hint of respect in it. "I hate to admit it, but we couldn't have done it without your help. Ask for whatever you want, Rick_silen. You've earned your reward." 

Rick looked up, his face like it was made of stone. There was no gratitude in his eyes, just cold observation. 

"If I hadn't intervened, you wouldn't be here," he replied, without making even the slightest hint of a confession. 

Freya's eyes narrowed slightly. She wasn't someone who was used to hearing such things, especially from those who weren't part of her team. Folding her arms across her chest, she replied with chilling coldness: 

"Are you always so straightforward? Or do you just like to put people in their place?" 

—I'm telling it like it is," his reply was quiet but confident. He put the blade behind his back, taking his time, as if this was all a normal thing for him. "And the truth is rarely pleasant." 

The calm but slightly irritated voice of Leah, the team's hiller, rang out from behind Freya.: 

"Freya, leave him alone! He just saved our lives. Maybe we shouldn't have an interrogation?" 

Freya, without turning around, cast a glance over her shoulder with a slight sneer.: 

"Relax, Lia. This is not an interrogation. This is... an introduction." 

Leah exhaled loudly, rolling her eyes: 

- "Your 'dating' always ends either in fights or long arguments. Sometimes, by the way, both at once." 

Raiden, a mage with a stern face and an equally stern look, was sitting nearby on a fallen tree trunk. He broke away from his thoughts and stared at Rick intently, like a hunter noticing something unusual in his prey. 

"Freya, he's right. Without him, we would be lying next to these wolves right now. But I have a question for you, Rick_silen." 

His voice was steady, but there was a subtle note of doubt in it. 

"Why did you come here alone? Even for a pro like you, it's... Boldly." 

Rick silently turned his gaze to the magician, his face remained impassive, as if he was considering not a person, but a task that needed to be solved. Finally, he spoke, in a voice as cold as the edge of a blade.: 

"I always play alone. No one is covering her back, but no one is going to stick a knife in her either."

These words, uttered almost without emotion, hung in the air like the icy breath of a winter wind. No one interrupted. Even Raiden, known for his sharp tongue, paused for a moment, frowning in puzzlement. 

Freya, without taking her eyes off Rick, tilted her head. There was something predatory, appraising in her gaze. She was clearly thinking about what was behind those words. 

—You seem to have been through a lot," she finally said, her voice softer but still firm. "But we are not the ones who abandon our own. We fight, we protect each other, and we always come back together. Would you like to come to my place? We could use someone like you. What do you say?" 

Her words sounded like a suggestion, but there was an invitation wrapped in a challenge behind them. She took a step closer, as if trying to catch the slightest hint of his reaction. 

Rick remained motionless. His dark eyes darted to Freya, tasting her words, but his face was still a mask. 

—No," he replied shortly, as if putting an end to the conversation. "I'm not looking for a team. I play for fun." 

With that, he turned away, taking a step away, leaving the group with their thoughts and the unsaid. 

After a short pause, when only the wind rustled through the leaves, Freya said with a slight sneer: 

"Strange is an understatement. He acts like a man who knows much more than he's letting on. People like him are always hiding something." 

She ran her fingers over the hilt of her sword, as if weighing her own thoughts. 

"But whatever it is, he's obviously a professional. With such skills, a loner can't be random." 

Raiden frowned, taking a quick glance at Freya.: 

"Do you think he's dangerous?" 

—Maybe," she replied shortly, her voice firm, but there was a glint of curiosity in her eyes. "But in a world where danger is everywhere, such allies are rare. Even if they don't understand it themselves." 

Leah, still looking in the direction Rick had gone, muttered: 

"He may be a loner, but he helped us. That means something." 

Freya chuckled, tossing her hair over her shoulder. 

"Don't get your hopes up, Lia. He helped not for our sake, but because it suited his purposes. If we're lucky, he'll cross paths with us again. If not, we can handle it ourselves." 

She turned to the team, her face once again focused and determined. 

"Stop talking. We still have a lot of work to do. Bind up the wounds, check the supplies and get ready for the next rush. It's not safe here." 

Raiden nodded, and Leah reluctantly began to sort through the bag, looking for another portion of the healing potion. But she couldn't stop thinking about Silence. 

Freya took one last look into the darkness where Rick had disappeared, and said softly, almost to herself.: 

"See you again, loner. And then we'll see who you really are." 

No one heard it, but her words sounded more like a promise than an assumption. 

Freya's eyes flashed, her lips stretched into a barely noticeable, predatory smile, like a predator who has smelled prey. 

—But not today," her voice was low but confident, like a commander making a tactical decision. "We're packing up and moving out. We still have to reach the citadel." 

Rick slowly got up from his chair, stretched, feeling how every muscle reminded him of himself after long hours of immobility. His numb hands were shaking, but he ignored it. He took off his headphones, carefully placed them on the table and looked at the monitor screen. There, surrounded by the darkness of the game interface, his character stood motionless. Another heavy raid was completed: plus five levels, a dozen fragments of the assassin's emblem. It's not enough for such a job, but still a step forward.

"Not much... But it's better than nothing. At least the progress is noticeable," he muttered, turning off the game. The screen went dark, leaving only a faint reflection of light from the streetlights in the room. "I don't win so often because I'm the best, thanks to closed beta testing," Rick muttered to himself. 

—Closed beta test,— he repeated more mockingly, glancing at his keyboard. 

It was there that he gained the advantage that now allowed him to break ahead. He was among the few who were able to enter the game before others, explore its weaknesses, mechanics and, most importantly, come up with strategies. 

— It's not a skill. It's... experience,— Rick muttered over and over, staring thoughtfully at the screen.

© Marukuro Rafaello, 2024. All rights reserved.