2 First Blood

"Wooh! Jake, you lost ! Why would you use Layla anyway, even if we're playing 1 vs. 1 , you still need to choose properly. Seriously you suck at these. Well since you lost the bet, obey my dare"

"What kind of dare?"

"Think of the most scariest thing possible"

"Sadako?! No way I'll do it. Don't you have a little bit of conscience?!"

"Dude I've been kind to you for years. This will be the first evil thing I'll do so please get on with it. Treat it as a present for my birthday"

"Okay okay. It's not like it would kill me"

"Oh really? Based on what I've seen so far. Jake, you're a scaredy cat. The type of dude who can't sleep at night after watching horror movies. You're like a child dude. You need to grow up! That's why this dare is the most suitable task for you"

"J-just tell me what the dare is"

"9 pm The Ring 3 will play in two of the cinemas at SMB, cinema 6 and Cinema 4. But in your case, you'll have to watch in Cinema 4"

"Dude can you spare me a bit? It's already horrifying enough to watch the Ring 3 in a theater but CINEMA 4?!"

"Yeah that popular rumor about the theater ghost intrigued me. I wanna know if it is real"

"By using me as a bait?"

"Don't worry I'll be outside prepared to save you anytime. I might also bring a couple of guards"

"Okay okay. Just this once. Since I haven't given you any gift for as long as I can remember. This will be my first gift for you"

"Thanks Jake. I , Vincent shall remain your friend for the rest of your miserable life"

"Blah blah blah funny"

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"So you want me to wait here till 9-10 pm while you're looking out for victims in the cinema?"

"Wow for once, you got that right my precious apprentice" Look at his bragging face. Handsome but ridiculous. I wouldn't dare to ask another question cause for sure he will tease me again and again. What am I, his toy? Nah I need to endure this. He's in fact one of the popular ghost out there.

"So Master Lev. Do you expect me to wait for that long?" Oh sh*t I asked another question! Need to cover it up before he..

"Oh dear of course you should wait thirteen hours for me to return, bringing you inside the victim's dream world.... Idiot don't you have your own common sense? You'll die if you wait too long. Of course you'll have to wait 8-11 pm. Geez" I knew he'll tease me again. To be honest, those words accidentally slipped through my mouth, not expecting my brain to actually reveal them. My mood was broken after seeing Lev's annoyed reaction. Need to change the topic before he fire me.

"Oh right. Let's go hangout outside, Master. Pretty sure you're invisible so how about a walk near the bay? Too bad, no one could see your handsome face " I got my very own puppy eyes with a pouting lips and heart sign on my hands just to impress him a bit cause I don't want a strong ghost to have a temper issue.

"Yeah they wouldn't see mine, they'll see yours. Which means their eyes would already be ruined seeing your plain face" Argh I swear if he's still a human? My fist already made its way to his nose!

"Okay. Let's just go Master Lev" Without even thinking I started pulling Lev outside but that caught my attention.

"Sorry" Letting go of his wrist after a thought hit me right in the kokoro (Heart) . Didn't noticed this a while ago when I touched his face after waking up, but now that I held his wrist, I proved myself right. He's in fact touchable.. BUT HOW?! He's a friggin ghost, even if my third eye's activated I will not be able to touch a ghostly figure.

"Master Lev. How come I can touch you?"

"Pervert" He made a "pft" sound as if he's making fun of me again.

"No! I mean!... Argh never mind" He won't listen anyway so instead of arguing with Lev, maybe it's better to walk outside and breathe some fresh air.

"I gave your third eye some extra abilities like what an enlightened person should have" Lev floated his way in front of me after unexpectedly answering a question of mine. Now his feet met the ground as he started walking next to me like what living humans do, like what friends do. The term friend made me smile by myself for a second. Somehow my thoughts sounded desperate to earn friendship.

"Look at that creepy smile of yours. I hope you're not thinking about dating me" Here he goes again. Even if he looks like a straight up super star, I'm still not willing to date somebody as rude as him.

"Oh gosh why would I date my own Master. That would rude right?" With a fake smile I successfully maintained my composure, forcing myself to respect a ghost.

"Anyway master. How come you're taking the fear out of the victims? What's your purpose?"

"Someone told me if I collected those fear, I'll receive my freedom" I see. So there must be a deep reason besides freedom right? A reason why Lev was chosen to be the collector of some items. Just like what I watched before?My thoughts were cut off by one teenage guy wearing a high school uniform, bumping onto me.

"S-sorry!" The guy apologized immediately with his apologetic reaction, blushing face and bashful state. As if he was embarrassed.

"It's alright" I smiled in return. The other guy with the same uniform as him pulled him away but me and Lev can still hear their conversation.

"Make sure you'll enter the right Cinema. Cinema 4! Remember Cinema 4" The other guy continue to remind his friend. Those exact sentence attract Lev's attention to the point where I can see through his reaction that excitement overflowed in his emotion.

"You heard that, right?" Lev squeezed in a conversation with a visible smirk appearing on his face.

"You'll have your first guest later. Don't mess it up" He was looking at me with seriousness now. Luckily I am determined to do my first job, even though Lev never explained what my actual task was, except for taking a victims fear. Whatever he's currently thinking, it must be too tragic to the point where his eyes were filled with pain but it soon vanished after he looked downwards,sighing it all out.

"Let's go" Lev tried pulling me by the wrist but I stopped midway.

"We're supposed to walk near the bay"

"I'm not in a mood, let's just watch a movie in your room. You're lucky enough to have your master watch with you"

"To be honest master. Even my video assistant never visited me at home sooo no matter how I see it, you are the first one to ever enter my house" He became silent at the moment. Is it because he pity me?

"Maybe no one likes you cause you're too odd" Argh I thought he'll stop teasing me but I regret thinking he's nice. We had a movie marathon for hours but all along Lev never spoke or even smile. It's as if he's thinking deeply about something. Like he's mind is flying out into space

"Gotta start our task. Apprentice make sure you wait for me to return before going elsewhere"

"Alright" I didn't dare to smile at his current state. He looks too serious. He disappeared in front of me or probably teleport. My back was aching like an old lady with back problems but nope it's simply because I was sitting down the floor for hours. Finally lay down my comfy bed without anyone bothering me. To be honest I'm not really used to having guest or people around the house especially my room and to think that Lev can leave and enter the place so freely.

I just feel like my privacy disappeared ;-; But it's alright, he's my first ever companion after all, besides Kane. OH RIGHT KANE. I need to ask how she was. Even the newest video we have.

"Where is my camera?" I skim through my bag to find where I put the Camera pouch. I found it on the table though, that's strange. How can that be?

"Lev" I mumbled to myself, checking the video camera's contents and to my dismay the videos were all gone, nothing was recorded, not a single detail.

IT WAS ALL GONE. I buried my face in the pillow and screamed my heart out. It's 8 pm so I still have time to check , on my channel. My subscribers are flipping out, waiting for my newest video. This isn't good, need to have a back up plan. Oh right I can record myself reading a paranormal story for now.

"That's all for the night. I wish you a pleasant adventure! Bye!" I sighed after filming myself reading a scary story for 25 minutes. Half an hour editing the video, clip by clip before finally uploading my newest content. Now having Lev by my side, means that I have more ideas for my youtube videos about life and death, right?

My eyelids started to get heavier with my mind turning blank at every minutes passing yet Lev's command prevents me to completely drift off. I hope he'll arrive earlier. Soon my back suddenly met the bed, collapsing through my drowsiness. I want to sleep. I really wanted to sleep ever so soundly, my eyes can't be open anymore But.. But.. But I need to stay awake for Lev and my first mission as his only apprentice happens later at night.

After a few minutes, failure hits me on the back of my head, like he literally smack my nape for accidentally sleeping without his consent. Without Lev's consent. He was looking so furious, from his lifted eyebrows and into his oppositely stretched lips.

"Does my lovely idiotic apprentice wanted master to do everything for her? Including her first job? Didn't I told you to wait for me?!" His voice sounded sarcastic yet angry at the same time, even with my drowsy state, I can not complain nor defend myself from his teasing. Instead I let my head rest some more on my own pillow. Lev noticed that, probably the reason why I heard him sigh loudly before I felt a sudden weight next to me. Seems like Lev was laying down besides me.

We both fell asleep

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It was completely silent, not even the sound of footsteps echoes throughout the place. Elli can't find her way, she can't even see where she's going. It was pitch black, even with her eyes open. The surrounding was blinding and deafening. For a normal person, this place might scare them, luckily Elli never fear the dark nor the paranormal. She reaches her hand into the unknown to find hints towards her destination but as her hand searches around, someone grab hold of it guiding her in the right direction.

"Idiotic apprentice. Call for me when this happens. We're in the dream realm, it's hard to find your way through a specific persons dream."

"Well sorry master"

"Next time call for my name."

"Are you sure you won't be mad if I call you?"

"It's harder to look for you alone, ya know?"

"Here we are"

Lev stopped his feet, they're currently standing in the dark but a huge tall building is hovering ahead. It was a seemingly expensive looking building with blue tinted glass windows, a crowd waiting outside the entrance. It was a long unending line but one person attracted their attention immediately.

"Master, that's the guy who bumped on me this morning!"

"It's Jake. Looks like we found our target" The guy entered the building while Lev and Elli sneaked behind him. No one suspiciously accused them, instead they let them in without second thoughts as if none of them have a mind of their own.

"Greetings fellow gamers, you are all welcomed here thanks to a specific invitation. An invitation regarding the newest game released by our HAKARA company, titled NO MAN! Have you seen the trailer in youtube?! Not just anyone could play this certain game. You were all chosen to play your parts. It is in fact an early access. By the way not only the game can give you tons of surprises but also the game controller SO PREPARE YOURSELVES for an actual battle which includes your physical strength as if you were in the game yourselves! We will choose five people to play it first. Who would like to volunteer?" Hundreds of people in the huge gigantic hall lifted their arms upwards volunteering for the first role. The host chose 5 of them without Jake,Lev and Elliana, so basically the real task haven't started yet.

Jake was listening attentively towards the speaker as it guided the five throughout their game. He let each players wear their own set of gaming equipment including a peculiar looking helmet supplied by the HAKARA company. A few short cables and tiny mother boards were attached at the side, probably to detect each movements. At the center of the hall we can all see a gigantic screen, presenting a horror game. Those five players started playing. Each was sweating terribly as if they are about to pass out afterwards. We can all see what they're experiencing through the huge screen and every players faces different kind of enemies, such as devils, monsters, their own mother and etc.

It seems like the game skims through your brain to figure out your biggest fear and this mastermind called "No Man" copies it. The villan had a blank face, no eyes, nose, mouth, not even eyebrows. His face was completely empty and he turn out to be an imitator, copying the entity of the player's certain fear. He is in fact a shape shifter with an unknown weakness.

5 players fell unconscious after an hour of playing, it freaked out all the audiences, they started barging the door open and escaped the building, all except Jake, Elli and Lev.. They were the only people left in the hall, besides the company's crew.

"It seems like only the three of you have the guts to play our outstanding game" The host announced in front of his microphone.He was wrong though, Jake had no choice. Since the very beginning his mind were filled with escape plans and ideas to leave the place but his body prevents him to leave. Unknown entity pulls him in, without his consent. As if this dimension was made for him and only him. The host pulled Jake in a room, along with Elliana and Lev but they were brought in separated ones with different colors and different table set ups.Jake started the game first in a room with yellow walls and appliances, the host left before the game even started and he was alone but that is when an outrageous thing began. Jake falls asleep.

"Anyone? Anybody?" Jake was in the middle of a huge dark room. Even without seeing a single thing he started to feel anxious, cold sweat falls along with his bravery. Jake is scared, not knowing what lies behind the darkness surrounding him and what is waiting for him within his path. He walk further and was certain it was a high school corridor which welcomed his presence, it was so silent. No one is around to greet him, even though it was filled with lockers and school items..

The smell of peppermint fills the air and the moonlight shone through the windows, making a tint of blue illuminating to the floor. Although his heart kept jumping recklessly out of fear, Jake still continued walking to find the exit. He knew for sure that it was the game's fault.

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I find myself alone in a classroom after falling asleep in a blue room using the game controllers including the modern game helmet. Somehow Jake's dream produces an astonishing idea, like a futuristic console and that horrifying game.

Now currently sitting in one of the classroom's desk. It was a bit dark but the moonlight acted as the source of light. Beautiful blue light. Lev's words suddenly popped up in my mind "Next time call for my name.". It repeated three times in my mind in a loop before I finally understood. It is an order, right? Calling for his name at this kind of situation?

"Lev?" I muttered softly but nothing happened so I repeated his name again.

"Lev" Nothing happened again. He must be too far away to even hear my call. I was thinking of teasing his name.

"Lev.. Leviosa" I chuckled thinking about Harry Potter's wand.

"Masterium Leviosa!!" I shouted loudly this time before laughing hysterically afterwards.

"My naughty naughty apprentice. I guess having these punishments ain't enough for you. It seems like you wanted more"

OH.....MY.....GOSH...

"Oh hey Master Lev. Since when were you behind me?"

"Oh just simply I arrived at the first time you mentioned my name. I was planning to surprise you but turns out, you were the one who surprised me. CONGRATULATIONS. You shall have a brutal consequence. Two times"

Before I could complain in front of my current master. We both heard thumping sounds coming from outside the room. But as it gotten nearer the thumping sound grew faster as if the person started running for its life. Soon another footstep echoed at the dark corridor.

"It must be Jake running away from No Man" I said before approaching the door immediately.

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Aside from Jake's foot steps, the atmosphere is unbearably silent. It's creeping him out, sending shiver down his spine. No matter how long Jake had been walking, the corridor continues, infinite halls, infinite walks and infinite fear, as if he's trapped in a loop.

"What should I do?! Is there any exit button?! I miss Mia oh heck I miss Mobile Legends already!" It feels like forever as he ventured through the halls yet one screeching noise bothered his thoughts. Like the sound is coming from behind. No matter how he runs the noise follows. The screeching sound soon turn into footsteps, faint footsteps. It almost seem like it was limping towards Jake. He turn to face it a couple of times but there was nothing at the back except for the empty corridor. As he shake the thoughts off, the limping sound turned violent, visible running noises filled the path and Jake started panicking his way out of the corridor, screaming his heart out.

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Me and Lev found Jake running away from a pale girl with a disfigured face and body, she was running wobbly and her hair was covering half of her face while its eye's peaking itself from the dark strands of her hair. Her dress is white yet water drips from them as if she came from a river, lake or any pools of water. Just like The Ring.

"Lev, NoMan shape shifted into Samara from the ring. Everyone hates that ghost. It's creepy. Well but for me it still looks cool though!"

"Apprentice. This is your first job. Go and save that boy. By the way. Make sure it won't kill you or else you really will be dead." Lev ordered me with boredom written in his voice. He slid the door open and pushed me gently outside but guess what happened?

I fell in front of the ghost itself!! My butt met the floor and i made a loud thud. Even with her hair covering her face, I'm still certain she was now looking at me. It's about to grab my arm when I finally got a hold of myself and run as fast as I could.

"Hey are you stuck here too?" Not realizing Jake was running next to me either.

"Yes and I see how creepy your fear was. Don't you have the lowest type of fear? Like something we could defeat?" I asked in between internal breathing and exhaustion.. I had a glimpse of a table in a distance. Luckily, there are some coins in my pocket. I threw them near Sadako, her attention was transferred towards the rolling coin, long enough to give us time. Immediately, I grabbed Jake's wrist and pulled him under the table. We both peaked through the gap and notice Sadako's head turning left to right, searching for our presence. Her feet limps again in our direction.

BAM!

We felt something hit the table we're in. I checked what it is, which changed into regret afterwards. Sadako's hair grew longer and she can use them to slaughter anything blocking her way. In as swift move of her strands can break a wood in half. Jake's panic returned, to the point where his hands trembles out of fear. He's looking too vulnerable, like he was reverted back into his childish self, asking for his parents to protect him. But we are in a tough life and death situation. My hands found its way around Jake's hand, and at my sudden touch, he stopped trembling .

"Listen Jake. Sadako there is merely a game antagonist created by the player's fear. This world remakes whatever atmosphere you had in mind, which means everything here was made by you. And you are the only person who can beat them!"

"You mean I created this world? Even that monster?" Sadako is getting closer

"Yes so now you should create something that can beat it before the fear got to you. Make sure you imagine something that can defeat it Jake. Well, I'll try to distract Sadako, run for now!" What I last said before running towards the enemy.

Strands of her hair kept trying to hit me but I managed to dodge some of them, except for the last attack where it wrapped itself around my body, lifting me into midair. At this very moment. Lev came up into my mind. Am I too desperate to be saved by him? His face and name appears in my mind a couple of times as if I was calling for him.

"Sorry I'm late. I have a situation I need to handle myself a while ago. So how are you doing my precious apprentice?" He asked floating beside me, teasing me as Sadako's hair tighten its grip, rotating me on air. What triggered my annoyance is not the fact that I may vomit any minute now but the fact that Lev was watching me instead of helping me out. He kept laughing now and then. Is that how you treat your apprentice? ;-;

"Master can you please help me out?"

"Sorry but I'm enjoying this"

Sadako soon tried squeezing me with her hair, Lev noticed my uneasy painful expression yet he didn't do anything.

"Sadako bit** ! I'm not afraid of you! Stop hurting my new friend!" Jake arrived yet right now he's with someone impressively beautiful. She have a long white hair tied in one ponytail, her eyes were blue, including her clothes and those long pointy ears. She must be an elf! She honestly look similar as a game character. Is she one of the characters Jake likes?

Lev was staring at Jake and it seems like Jake also thinks Lev is one of the enemies, since he is not helping me get out of this hairy situation, even if he could.

Elf girl started shooting arrows towards Sadako and she hit the girl straight on the head, I fell on the floor as soon as Sadako lost her life.

"Miya thank you for your help" Jake thanked the elf girl as she vanished slowly but before disappearing completely, Miya smiled at the boy who summoned her.

"Nicely done Jake" I shouted.

"I figure that my imagination can turn real so I brought my favorite Mobile Legend Character and it's her. Miya" Jake explained yet I can't relate to the game he was referring.

"Wait. Don't tell me the fight isn't over yet?!" Jake proclaimed as he noticed Sadako's body dissolving while revealing a guy wearing a red suit underneath. A guy with no hair and no face. No Man.

"The real fight begins" Lev chuckled, floating around the corridor.

"What do you mean? I thought Miya defeated her already. Are you the mastermind?!" Jake hav his finger pointed at Lev. Blaming Lev for the monsters appearing continously.

"I see, you think I'm the enemy, right? Then I won't help you" Lev chuckled again laying on air as if there is an invisible bed, not caring a bit about anything.

NoMan emitted a strong red blinding light making us fall unconscious all at the same time.

Next thing I knew, were separated in different realms within the corridor and as for me. Maybe I'm trapped inside a prison like classroom or trapped inside a box like classroom. Overall I'm alone and hungry. Very hungry! Not long till I started hitting the walls around me. My mind creates illusion scenarios involving food and breaking out of this prison I'm in. The strength over powered the prison and I managed to destroy it, making a huge hole on the wall. Who knows hunger can defeat anything?

I squeezed myself out as Lev, Jake and NoMan came into view. Jake was battling NoMan but for some reason this creature have unbelievable powers, he can copy any forms he likes, such as your family, friend, enemies or fear.

Probably the reason why Jake is scared of him but right now, after seeing Jake fought these monsters, I could tell he's not afraid anymore. Yet NoMan is stronger. What bothers me right now is Lev. Why can't he help Jake?

NoMan shape shifted again and now he looks like an enormous Tarantula. All his red eyes roams around to catch Jake but it ends up noticing me standing behind the two guys in a distance. It stretched its hairy legs towards me. Somehow I outrun the legs but after minutes of running and Jake helping me out, my knees finally collapsed. The gigantic Tarantula got a hold of me,dragging me towards it, wrapping me with its own web. Not even Jake can help me this time. I can't move anymore, right before NoMan covered my eyes with its web, I have a short glimpse of Jake and that's when it all turn black.

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Elliana turned into a cocoon made by a spider web and that's when Lev snapped. He was watching for hours but this certain event triggered him. He's completely clueless why he's mad, occasionally he turn lazy or bored at these scenarios, somehow this time is different.

"Enough!" Lev shouted and it caught both NoMan and Jake's attention.

"The Incy Wincy Spider went up the water spout" Lev started singing in an annoyed manner. Jake is listening but the monster is terrified, especially when Lev revealed a yellow jar with a red ribbon tied around its mouth.

"Down came the rain and washed the spider out" This is when Lev spins in the air and kicked the huge Tarantula, sweeping it out of its feet. The wall broke into pieces after the spider hit its back on it.

"Now tell me Jake. Does this pitiful little Tarantula nor Sadako still terrify you?" Lev turn his head slightly to ask Jake behind him.

"No. I'm not scared anymore" Jake answered bravely with a visible determination in his eyes.

"Good" Lev chuckled before cutting the monster in pieces, after NoMan dissolved, Lev took a glowing red stone out of NoMan's heart.

"Jake, go on save that silly apprentice of mine" he pointed towards the cocoon of web where Elliana's trapped in.

"Oh a-alright.. Uhmm may I know your names?" Jake asked Lev as he removes the web out of Elliana's body.

"Just call me Yellow Shirt and her as The Odd Girl Next Door"

"I hope to see you both again" Jake have a huge warm smile yet Lev's face never changed at all. He still have the same poker face.

"Ugh my head hurts" Elli woke up holding her forehead then Lev landed next to her, crouching down on her level.

"Idiotic Apprentice. How was your beauty sleep? Or should I say Metamorphosis?" Lev asked with a fake smile to tease Elli again.

"Nice seeing you again. Master" Elli returned his fake smile with the same expression, smiling fakely either. She looked away out of his eyes when she noticed the red glowing stone in Lev's hand.

"What is that?" She asked

"This is the Victim's fear. The fear's life would end after taking this"

"Then why didn't you take it in the first place. You just let me and Jake be taken by those monsters"

"I can't take it unless Jake or the victim conquered his own fear. "

"Woah ! You mean the two of you are collectors of fear or something?!" Jake is thoroughly amazed by them.

"Well these collectors are practically busy. Nice to meet you Jake but we need to get going. Farewell" Lev pulled Elli up.

"Bye Jake. Good luck with life!" Elliana said with a cute smile.

"See you later The Odd Girl Next Door!!" Jake managed to shout before Lev and Elliana disappeared in front of Jake.

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I opened my eyes from the dream, currently laying on my own bed, staring at the ceiling, I faced the right direction to check if Lev was sleeping next to me. Luckily he's not in my room. I let out a sigh of relief when I heard three knocks on the door.

"Who's there?"

"It's me, your master. May I come in?"

"Huh? Why are you asking that weird question master?" I was clueless at first but then I remembered our conversation while having a movie marathon. I thought those words doesn't mean anything to him but I guess he respects how I never allowed a visitor in my room. I guess he's not that bad after all.

"Come in Master"

"Thank you precious apprentice"

"You're welcome master"

"Look there is a new underwear peaking through your drawer" Lev chuckled with a smirk on his face

Yeah I hope he's not that bad, after all

TO BE CONTINUED//