Dunes Mirage: Trials in the Desert (1)

Sun ray shines upon his eyes, blinding him through his closed eyelids. He feels seat rolling down by the side of his face. The surface below him dry and hot.

"Wake up—!"

He hears from besides him, but it was hard to see due to the sun shining straight at his eyes. The surface below him burning his skin and boiling his flesh.

Cold water was splashed on him, causing him to jolt awake. He stared bluntly at the four people before him, who are also staring back.

Out of four, three he was familiar with. Among the three familiar people, one he recognized as the lady who treated him back on the train. She was holding a water bucket.

Aksel looked up at her as if to ask: "Why".

"You wouldn't wake up," answered Thea.

According to his companions, he had been out for ten minutes since the round started. They had to wake him up since he would most likely get grilled alive in this sunlight.

Looking around, the surrounding was as depicted, but he saw no pyramids or any shrines and altars.

Thea stated they had to be located. There happens to be a map they can use. Thea accessed her screen and enlarged it for everyone to see.

On the top right corner of the screen read objectives. Upon seeing it, Aksel questioned Thea about it right away.

To answer his questions, Thea tapped in the objectives in which it opened into a larger area, stating as follows:

[ Locate the three monuments and complete the puzzles to obtain butterflies of life. Once obtained, bring the butterflies to the dead oasis to revive it. ]

Looking at the map, Aksel saw how far away each monument was from each other. It seemed way too tedious, he didn't understand the point, unless there is an ulterior motive.

Aksel stood in silence, waiting for his answer from Thea.

She glanced at him and back at the screen, "By completing the objectives, you can end each round early instead of having to spend all six hours here."

Aksel who relieved at the news, but his other companions.

"We already know that…

Are you talking to yourself?"

Thea shook her head, "Aksel inquired me about it."

At her words, Scarlett, Latio and Johannes turned to stare at each other, sharing puzzled looks. Aksel hadn't said anything yet, so they wondered how.

"Anyhow," Thea closed the screen, "None of us have obtained a card yet. We should hurry."

Memories shot back into Aksel's mind. Because of him, he worried they might not be able to obtain the cards.

Thea patted him on the back. 'Did you not read the guidebook properly, or is the heat getting to you?'

At her words, Aksel remembered a crucial detail: the cards are not obtained through scavenging, but are bestowed by the game host to those deemed most fitting. A shiver ran down his spine as he thought about what the game host might do, especially since she was the game creator herself.

They began navigating towards one of the monuments that fortunately happened to be close by. However, the heat was too intense. They were forced to take shelter under a small shack in the middle of nowhere.

At this rate, they were going to get eliminated from the round from dehydration.

Aksel jumped at the news, not knowing it was possuble to get eliminated through dehydration or something of that sort. The guide book really was outdated.

Curious, he questioned Thea about how outdated the guide book is.

Thea thought for a while, "I'd say…" she started, "The game appeared a year before Latio became a uni student… So about six years?" She continued.

Aksel was baffled at the news. This game has been out for quite a while.

If they were to stay any longer in this scorching, Thea was sure they would get barbecued sooner or later.

Thea opened her screen, desperate to find an oasis in the map. Due to the impossible heat in this game field, oases were introduced, scattered around the game field to help the players. Though, the oases had a limited use. Completely draining the oasis of its resources will cause the oasis to disappear into thin air.

Fortunately, Thea located one not too far from where they're taking a break. The group agreed to endure a bit more and continued their journey.

Upon arrival, there were other players there. Aksel recognized one of them as the man who could rival Latio in terms of looks, Ivan. Along with him seemed to be two other people, a man and a woman… with a cat.

Latio approached the group in hopes of them to be willing to share the source. To no surprise, the group wasted the resources, especially Ivan. The oasis having been used up, disappeared into thin air as if it never existed.

After their mischievous act, they walked away, seeming to head for the monument Aksel's group was planning to head towards too.

Thea was so irritated by their wastefulness that she momentarily forgot the intense desert heat and the dehydration her group was suffering from.

Just a few meters away, the guy, presumably their leader turned to look at her, a nasty smirk was on his face as if to mock her. Anger so intense, it caused a blood vessel to pop.

Wanting to jump the living light out of that guy, she straight up sprinted towards him mindlessly. A few steps away, Thea noticed his lips had moved, which alerted her. She jumped back, barely evading in time as a bullet shot past her—originating from an AK-15 in the hands of their presumed leader.

Aksel who was not used to this crap felt like passing out again.

Scarlett went in front of him, a hand in front Aksel. She told him to keep calm. Though the abilities do hurt and deal damage, it was designed in a way it cannot kill other players.

Right away, Ivan shot another bullet at the fierce woman in front of him.

Aksel was about to have a heart attack. Strangely, the bullet stopped mid air, millimeters away from Thea's face.

Ivan who was intrigued by her ability shot several afterwards—all froze mid air.

Thea snapped the bullets from the air, twisting it back at the man in front of her.

A gunfight without a gun but only several bullets that will pierce back.

It was ridiculous. With no other option, Ivan put his gun away, saying he isn't looking for a fight.

Thea wanted to curse at him, becaus clearly he was the one who started it.

Suddenly, the ground shook terribly. They were expecting sandstorms, but instead, illogically cherry blossom petals fell down gracefully from the bright sky.

All eyes looked up to see where the pearls originated from. There stood a figure covered from head to toe with black smoke just like the game host.

It was a chaser. The card Aksel learned about in the guide book.

A chaser has been chosen already?! Aksel thought to himself.

Though the whole figure was covered in smoke, some aspects could be made sense out of. It was a woman wearing a kimono—hands holding an instrument that seems to be a biwa.

Before they knew it, the graceful petals turned sharp at the melody made by the biwa, piercing their skins in the form of a storm.

If this keeps up, they would get nowhere. Thea yelled at Aksel and the rest to leave while she handles this. Her companions could leave, but the same couldn't be said for the man who tried to shoot her. She forced him to remain and fight back alongside her.

The chaser tried to run after the players running away but stopped by an absolute order. A commanding voice originating from the woman who stayed behind.

Annoyed, the chaser attempted to run a hand across the biwa, but halted when one of the two runners pulled out a machine gun.

Designed not to kill, but injury was still possible.

The chaser was left with no choice. The lady in a kimono raised her arms, her biwa dropping on the floor.

Thea was on high alert, ready to use her ability if the chaser moves even a single muscle.

The chaser twisted her head, watching over her shoulder, a mischievous smirk on her face.

Thea realized they overlooked one fact. The moment the chaser's body dissolved into black fog, she knew she was done for.

Ivan had a troubled look, realizing they had been fooled by an easy trick.

All players possessing the chaser card is granted a skill which can create a doppelgänger of the player, let it be the player in the chaser form or their runner form.

Thiugh they were caught in a trap, it did not mean it was over for them. Whilst the chaser was distracted on keeping an eye on Thea, a faint whisper sounded from Ivan.

A disastrous snowstorm sweeped the chaser away.

In a bid to defend herself, the chaser unleashed a fury of cherry blossom petals with her biwa, pushing back against the snowstorm.

Unfortunately it was futile under Thea's command which held absolute authority over the chaser. With a commanding tone, she chanted the ability activation, freezing the chaser in place.

The Commander ability of Thea's had a radius in which the ability can be kept activated. Once she leave that area, her command will wear off.

Thea and Ivan sprinted in the direction of the last monument.

The fears that among the people with Aksel, one might be a doppelgänger.

***

"Latio… Are you sure it was a good idea to leave Thea behind with Ivan?"

Latio was sure Thea would be fine. Might he remind Aksel she doesn't possess all those coins for no reason.

And like Aksel mentioned, the Ivan named player was also with her. They've witnessed his ability, so she should be more than fine. Especially if it's just one chaser.

As they continued their way towards the monument, Aksel couldn't help but keep glancing. Ever since the moment his group ran into Ivan's group, that woman part of that group, she had been holding a cat in her arms all this time.

Being a cat lover, he really can't hold himself back anymore.

"Zena, right?"

She turned her head over, noting his past movements, "Do you want to pet him?" She asked, moving her arms outwards towards Aksel, her hands holding the cat in front of Aksel.

"What's his name?" He asked as he petted the cat.

"Fledermaus."

Having studied German in university, he inquired her about why she named her cat Flutter mouse, as in the direct translation of the name and word for bat in German.

According to her story, she once knew a wild mouse that would frequently visit her. The mouse weirdly could flutter like a bird, so she grew attached to it. Unfortunately when she got her pet cat, it ate the mouse. She wanted to honor the lovely mouse, so she named the cat after the incident.

Followed by her sentences was an awkwardly quiet atmosphere.

Her teammate, Dominik, nudged her by the elbow.

They pretended they never heard that tragic story.

Johannes proceeded to use his clairvoyance ability. They were but just a few tens of meters away, hastily approaching one of the three monuments.

The ground trembled in a faint manner that could be mistaken for just the cause of their running, but Zena sensed danger in it.

A small tip of a plant perked up from the sands.

"Leap steps activate," Zena commanded, grabbing the hand of Dominik. The others she urgently directed to jump to the side, narrowly avoiding the ambush.

Rose bushes emerged from the sands, forming into a huge fortress which circled the monument. Its spikes so sharp it could pierce through human skin.

On top of the monument stood someone. It was not a chaser but rather a runner as she had no black smoke around her body.

"…What're you doing, Nadia?" Scarlett asked.

"I'm impressived you've learned my name."

"It would only be appropriate to know the names of my companions, if I could even call you that," Scarlett remarked with evident sarcasm in her tone.

Nadia descended gracefully using her rose bushes. She stood with confidence on top of her rose bush fortress.

"I've swore alliance with the chasers.

My task is to stop you from completing the objectives."

Scarlett always wore a neutral expression, so Aksel was surprised to see her glaring so intently.

This type of scenario was more than just common in a game like this one, Scarlett brushed her anger aside and accepted the other's words, "So be it. You're an enemy of the runner faction," Scarlett stated.

Suddenly, the personal screens of everyone popped up. It stated one of the three monuments had been activated. This meant only two more was needed before they could end the round early.

Aksel glanced at his watch. It felt like a long time had passed, but it was only 18:46, meaning only around 35 minutes had passed ever since Aksel woke up.

It was to either remain in this torture of a burning desert, or go through the trouble of completing the objectives to leave early. It was obvious which choice was more favorable.

Seeing that the player isn't willing to get down or deactivate her ability, Aksel saw it as an opportunity to use his.

The runner standing on her rose bush fortress struggled to keep her balance for all of a sudden a snowstorm sweeped towards them, blasting her off the fortress.

It was illogical at most.

Thanks to his effort, the rose bush fortress retreated, allowing Aksel and the others to access the monument.

The player on top who was about to fall and possibly gain a lethal injury, was saved by Zena. With her Leap steps ability, they both got down safely.

Zena made sure she would get this person down safely, because she knew something. That this players wasn't just an ally working for the chaser faction, but that there is a deeper, ulterior motive.

As Zena's foot touched the ground, she let the player in her arms down.

Just then, the screens popped up once more. Another monument had been successfully activated, meaning this monument was the last one.

Zena had noticed something in Nadia's behavior, she sweating profusely, not because of the heat, but of what seems like nervousness based on her expression.

Zeno decided to let Nadia go free. She saw hide Nadia's nervousness faded away to some extent. She at last understood Nadia's scheme.

Nadia herself probably noticed that her cover had been found out by Zena, but thankfully the other player seemed understanding.

With a look of gratitude, Nadia sprinted away.

Amidst it all, a figure drenched in black smoke neared the scene.

At that moment, Nadia who recognized the player in front, had a look of panic. She stood still, but Zenq could see the faint trembling behind the tough font.

The sudden grasps from his teammates caught Aksel's attention.

Aksel had a look of trouble on his face, not believing his eyes. Staring at the chaser in front, who held two different cards in his palms.

He couldn't believe it.

The chaser in front… Was someone who possessed the ability Card Emperor. The proof being the two different cards in his palms. An ability that allows the user to summon any card in accordance to their liking.

Fortunately, it seemed that the chaser hadn't completed the three requirements. Completing the requirements would mean allowing the user full right to summon countless cards at once.

The chaser halted, calling out for the card in his right palm. The Witch card.

Aksel felt his whole body losing strength as the chaser threw a potion at him.

The Witch card bestows two potion to the player possessing it. The potion with a blue liquid being a revival and healing potion. The potion with a green liquid being a death potion, killing anything it is splashed on.

The potion that is flying towards Aksel is filled with a green liquid.