NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7: . Quest .
Protagonist Tager? Beo raised his eyebrow in confusion. Protagonist Tager, a panel with a name, looks like it has a personality, so why called Protagonist Tager?
[You might be wondering about my name, yes,] it tilted to one side as if thinking. [But really, everything and everyone hates me so why give me a proper name? I made a joke out of it though.]
"Huh.."
[Yea your the character I'm assigned to and you're trying to get to the protagonist, the main character, so I'm the Tager. Like the 'tag you're it' game?] Beo still has no idea what the panel was rambling on about, dispute its beautiful colors he paid attention to.
Cracked, yellow stain glass that probably speckled his face with yellow light, hints of small blue sprouting within and between words, they mixed up wonderfully, but the name doesn't give.
Summit liked books, he also loves the art and visuals each book brings, if the artist even tries. Visuals are important when reading, you have to describe what you really want the reader to see and imagine, like a clear view of the stuff you're describing.
[So basically you have to get the protagonist and I'm here to help. But why were you choosen? You don't seem.. well, special other than your beauty.] It circled him as it selected the words, clearly making Beo see different words from the original.
Before he finished reading it, a loud, booming sound of echoing bells ringed in Beo's ears, which he quickly covered up because wow, it was loud loud. It felt like someone screaming in your ear but it's a voice that is high-pitched and annoying.. sounds like someone he knows.
{Time's up! Time's up! Congratulations!} A automatic voice, cheerful and feminine, boomed after the painful bells.
Beo glared at the text that floated in air and looked for Protagonist Tager, but ir wasn't in sight. Where did it go? Was it annoyed too? That was understandable.
{To the 70 people out of 100, hu, how are y'all not 100? Why? This was so easy!} it said. {Now I'm going to teleport you somewhere! Don't worry, it's going to be quick.}
Teleport us somewhere? The people, some panting from coming in at the last second and some on the ground, all looked up at the text.
"Wh-why are we here again?" Someone asked, then another turned to glare at them
"Oh wow, so you really acting that bland? Nobody knows why, smart-"
Isn't- wait, of course, I didn't get to the end of the book yet! And I'm forgetting things, right? As for this, he stole a glance at the talking panel again, I don't really remember this.
Oh of course I don't, genius, the protagonist was DIFFERENT!
A sound of chimes clinked in Beo's ear, then the next thing he knew, he was slammed to the ground, paralyzed.
The weight of whatever got him almost suffocated him, hitching his breath.
The few people that were still at the entrance with Beo were all in the floor themselves, and he could sense the shock that rippled through them. The struggle.
Without thinking, he opened his mouth to make a warning screech, but then a dazzling yellow panel stopped him briefly. [You can't do that!]
[You can't do that!]
[You can't do that!]
What?
Confusion dawned up on Beo, but he didn't attempt to warn anybody since he also remembered that there wasn't anybody to warn.
In the first place.
....
Ok.
In a flash, Beo found himself in grass that tickled his nose.
The weight was gone too, and he could feel his limbs, the life sweeping into them.
Flexing his arms, Beo pushed himself up, still in confused but shocked state.
Like, who wouldn't? That event that happened completely shut down his mind, but at least it didn't shut down his entire body like what had happened to Dani.
That a horrific.
Dani, huh? He thought as he gazed out on the meadow, his confusion and shock melting away like ice finally thawing.
Dani. Dani Dani Dani. What are you doing now?
Grieving? Surprised? Extremely curious? Those seems to be all the emotions Beo had ever taken from Dani. Dani is the type that gets curious of everything, so no wonder his father almost died.
Welp, his mother died. Yes..
But wait! What!?
"Wait a minute." this was suspicious!
This meadow, haven't he heard of something like this? Wasn't the Protagonist teleported here too?
What was the reason again? What happened here?
"What was the whole point of running to the college building if we were literally going to be teleported here?" someone's voice snapped Beo to his surroundings. "That's unlimitedly stupid."
People started to get up, but some stayed on the grass. One man started to pat his arms and legs, even his torso, as if he didn't believe he was that easily, and so quickly, paralyzed. A child-- oh no it's him!
The red head sat down, his sides heaving as he panted, but his eyes shone.
Spotted with flowers, the meadow looked gorgeous, white, pink, red colors everywhere. Bold green grass that went up high, and the sky above pronounced calmness.
It was kinda peaceful, so Beo got it, but something really jarred him.
What was this feelin? Why was he so panicked?
He put his hand to his temple, rubbing it slightly as he tried to remember exactly why he felt panicked. What was that- something the can't remember?
Dispite the effort, it proved fruitless, but Beo stayed composed and more alerted than before.
[Beo,] the panel materialized, sensing the discomfort of Beo vanishing. [A quest is made for you.]
Me? He thought, batting his eyelashes. Its sparkling surface really distracted him, but the gut feeling of just something felt like a rock forming in his stomach.
Beo felt serious for some rare moments, this actually being a time he focused and didn't try to be 'goofy o' me' thing.
Scrutinizing the field, even with the air of irenticy, unease rippled through him. The panel just have to come and reassure him with a lovely, unhelpful message,
[Ding dong, pay attention Beo. Or you fail and die faster than stay alive.]
"I'm paying attention-"
"Hey, you," a voice interrupted Beo, which his stomach gave a jolt.
Jittery.
Oh my goodness! It was the man! He looked battered nonetheless, may be from getting stepped over repeatedly. His red shirt was covered in dust, and his face had smudges of dirt and flakes of sand dotted it, but he rather looked like his pride was shattered.
That made Beo go into a thinker pose. Honestly, was that ego a dark-edgy lord thing or was it something else? Well, crazy, because was he really was tryna find out is if he still tryna see why this place was dangerous.
The man looked throughly offended when he did that, and his clenched fist said it all.
[Is this where you gonna die?] The panel asked.
Averting his eyes from the man to the dazzling screen, he promptly remembered the panel's message.
Oh, WAIT. YOU'RE TRYING TO GET ME KILLED? DID YA SAY THAT I HAD TO DO SOMETHING?
It shrugged. ['Ya?' Ok, but no, you are being incredibly slow.] then with that, another panel slid out from behind it. [Quest! Quest! You have a Quest!]
"Why did you do that, huh?!" the man, still facing Beo, said with a frown that indicated he was mad. Well, aha, of course. "I could've gotten myself out! You threw be backward, and I almost died!"
[Quest #1: Find the young boy called Jolin.
Details because I'm kind!-]
"Why aren't you listening to me!" Beo felt his anger rising, his blood pressure increasing with it. Closing his eyes, he took in the possibility that the panel might not actually be kidding, so he might actually die because of one man's pride that was destroyed by being lifted up by a bigger man than he was. Making himself smile, Beo opened his eyes, saw the man, then close them again.
Take the hint.
Plus, this human Beo was very strong, even with a fit body like this, or it's just that the angry man was stick-thin, aha. (Which he is.)
His gaze darkened noticeably, but he tried to ignore the stupid man.
[Details because I'm kind!
The name of the boy is Jolin, a 16-17 year old person. Is not a fiddling citizen, but has the cat eye syndrome. He is wearing a white turtleneck sweater with a loose enough collar to not choke him, and currently, he is with his teacher that trains him in something that wasn't mentioned. Of course, for us, we set the protagonist deliberately, but doesn't know if he will be picked up along the way.]
"And what is the cat eye syndrome?" Sounds Fiddlingish.
[Cat eye syndrome—]
"Are you listening to me?!"
"I'm obviously not." With a tone that clearly reflects 'oh please, just shut up for one moment?' the ground shook as the last of his words escaped his lips.