Klyde Rivers

Cleo was the one who dropped her gaze first by putting her mask back on her face. Her emerald gaze returned on him as he sits directly opposite to where she sat.

Klyde Rivers is the famous character of the game—the protagonist of Wonderland. His blonde hair glimmered from being wet due to the snow, however, the style of his hair fits his oval-shape-face and his strong jaw—his curtain bangs and undercut behind the ears to his nape gives him a strong impression.

Her gaze landed on his katana-style sword behind him and the pistol that was carefully placed in a belt holder hugging his waist. Klyde Rivers is indeed intimidating while wearing all-black clothes and a black leather jacket.

'Though I don't like to think much right now. It's not comfortable having him here knowing that he is not real.' Cleo thought as she leaned her back on the metal behind her trying to ignore his presence.

'It's a good thing we don't know each other, we don't need to talk,' her thoughts commented.

Her body aches from everywhere as her eyes became heavy again remembering the scenario from the second floor, tears formed at the corner of her eyes which she desperately forced to stop.

The train runs normally which made her thankful because another hectic and wild ride would only make her stomach feel funny and her head spinning. Somehow, Castor and Apricity's words showed up in her thoughts but she would shrug it away in fear that she might cry again.

She puffs some air out from her lungs to keep herself compose.

"…Excuse me," a husky and smoky tone of voice muttered breaking the silence.

She eyed him from the corner of her eyes. Although she was hesitant to answer, she forced herself to reply.

"…Yes?" Cleo responded.

When their gaze met, she almost jumped from his sharp and observant stare. His almond-shaped eyes and his baby blue iris that gazes like a hunter would make anyone feel inferior.

"By any chance... We're you the one who killed Quil back on the second floor?" He asked in a polite manner.

She noticed him leaning his back while keeping his eyes on her, good thing that she is wearing a mask, or else Klyde Rivers would see that he affects her in an uncomforting way. She was silent for a few minutes, and the only thing she could hear is the sound of the moving train.

And once again, she escaped a breath to calm herself. Every nerves of her body cannot process a proper word to respond him—but regardless, she should at least try to respond.

"…If indeed I am, what will you do to me, Klyde Rivers?" Cleo asked preventing her tone not to shake while she maintained her gaze on him.

"You know me…?" He asked, frowning.

"Everyone knows you," she responded, "Now back to the question, what will you do to me?" she continued.

"...I want you to be with us." Klyde announced all of a sudden bringing confusion to her.

Her eyebrows furrowed and her expression soured behind the mask. Cleo is not completely sure if she heard him right, and even if she heard him correctly she is not planning to give any conclusion to his…questionable statement.

"I'm sorry—what?" she responded in a rising tone.

"Only a skilled traveler could defeat him—and you defeated him alone," he muttered. "I want you to be with us," he declared again.

"Are you sure—I mean, I'm new to this and—

"I am," Klyde interrupted before he stands from sitting.

Seeing him walking towards her brought her anxiety skyrocketing inside. Cleo remained unvocal while imagining that she holds more on her sanity than a game could do. Right now, all she could think is the tragedy she encountered and a fictional man narrowing his distance from her. Cleo is still in a state of shock from the second floor but the current event made it even worse.

The train is still moving, and somehow she wished that the train will stop soon. If not, then she wished to be somewhere else. She gazed at his veiny hands, alerting herself if he draws his weapon against her.

'This might be a trap,' Cleo thought.

"Here." He muttered as he handed her some sort of medicine in a bottle and… a handkerchief.

"—What?" she mumbled, shocked.

Her back arch backward in surprise, thankfully the mask is hiding her face from him.

"These are painkillers, it will help ease the pain, and a handkerchief—it has my initials on it, it's a formal invitation from me," he said in a hoarse voice.

She did not dare to say any words to him, Cleo stared at Klyde for a minute debating if she would accept his offer.

"I'm not forcing you to be with us…I just realize that you have the potential to be one of us." Klyde muttered, his expression remained calm and his gaze stays focused on her. "You're going to the third world as well right?"

"Yes." She answered in a flat tone.

"Crusade is also on the third floor, searching for a possible member. If you're willing, then you may go to Orion and meet us there."

She took the medicine and the handkerchief from his hand since she was desperate to ease the pain in her body.

"Thanks for these…" Cleo uttered.

Soon enough, the train stops.

[You have arrived in the third world.]

Klyde Rivers steps backward giving a large space between them but still facing her.

"Your name?" he asked.

"…Cleo Sky," she answered as she slowly stands groaning from the pain.

"Then I hope we'll meet each other at Orion, Cleo Sky," Klyde uttered before he steps outside.

Cleo who's trying to keep her pace faster despite the current state of her body just to catch up with him exited the train as well, but when she came out from the door, Klyde Rivers is no longer at the train station.

'Maybe…he can help me come back home?' Cleo thought regretting not asking any method from him about her problem.

"Ron," she called.

Ron appeared beside her and eyed her with his drained gaze.

"Try to see if there's no poison or anything from this," she instructed and gave him the medicine, "…And this as well," she added and give him the handkerchief.

"Who gave these to you?" Ron asked as he examine the handed things to him.

"Klyde Rivers—

"Pardon?! —Did you say, Klyde Rivers?" He burst out of shock.

"Yes." Cleo responded meeting his gaze.

"…Wow," Ron commented.

They started distancing themselves from the closing train.

"Ron, do you have any information about Crusade?" Cleo asked as they started to walk to where the benches are.

"Crusade? They are a team of skilled travelers headed by Cassandra Rosal. The system provided them with missions to accomplish. They are skilled travelers that they already reach floor number twenty."

"—Floor number twenty?!" Cleo muttered in disbelief.

"That's exactly my reaction when I found out, but yes! They already reached floor twenty! You're mistaken if you think that Klyde Rivers is the only gifted member of the Crusade. There are four of them, actually." Ron said as he begins checking the medicine and handkerchief.

"Who are they?" She replied.

"Well, of course, the first one is obviously Klyde Rivers, the second is the leader of Crusade, Cassandra Rosal, followed by Van North and then, Aster Topaz." Ron introduced, "Each of them is strong when they are alone but when they team up? Well, it's a different level of power." He added as he shrugs his shoulders.

"But the system agreed they have the same mission?"

"Well… Yes, because the system acknowledges Crusade." Ron responded.

"What do you mean?"

"Crusade is already embedded in the system, and any member of Crusade will also be registered to the system. When a traveler gets registered as one of them, the system will automatically align a traveler's mission with Crusade."

"But how many members do they have?"

"Ha! Cassandra Rosal is very tough. They only have each other as a member."

"You mean… there are only four of them?" Cleo murmured in surprise.

"Correct." Ron commented.

She exhaled a breath and leaned her aching head on the wall. Analyzing the information, it would be hard for a beginner like her to be accepted by that group.

"And the odds of being a solo traveler?"

Ron glanced at her, "It will be harder for sure."

Her gaze rests on the white cemented floor and her damp clothes.

'How do I manage this situation? There are one hundred floors of this game and…to begin with, I originally have no interest in this kind of stuff—I only focus on my study and my part-time job. How do I keep things up? I want to get out of this game immediately.' Cleo asked herself desperately.

"Here." Ron began as he handed her back the medicine and the handkerchief.

"Is there anything from these things?" Cleo asked as she stared intently at the bottle in size of her hand and to the handkerchief he gave her.

"It's both safe. Just take that medicine in one drink." Ron announced as he eyed her while handing him the medicine and the piece of white cloth.

She took them from Ron's grip and frowned behind her mask.

Seeing her pause for a moment before she took them from his hold, Ron tried to read her reaction despite that her face is hidden by the red-stained-dull-mask of hers but eventually failed to do so. She raised the bottle near her face as she wears off her mask.

Her pale and exhausted face was now revealed. Cleo then drinks the bitter medicine and almost choked from the strong taste it has. After a large gulp she handed the empty bottle to Ron while wincing from the bad flavor.

In a minute, her pain subsides. And now, she felt so sleepy from exhaustion.

"…Verity," she mumbled.

["You called me?"] A robotic female voice mumbled in her ears like she was listening to a phone call using ear pods.

"How many coins do I have now?" Cleo questioned in a weak voice.

["You have five hundred gold coins from defeating Quil, one hundred fifty for defeating those level three monsters, and a saving of two hundred gold coins."]

["You have a total of 850 gold coins."]

"You should rest. There is an inn just a few blocks—not expensive at all," Ron muttered as he eyed her wearing her mask again.

"Yeah…"

They started to take the stairs upward, exiting the train station the pouring rain welcomes them. Cleo narrowed her eyes while she blinks from the raindrops tracing her mask. She glanced at the sad weather. The scent of rain envelops her nose when she inhales. When she gazed in her front, buildings, and skyscrapers stood so tall that she thought she was already outside the game. It was so silent for a city—so silent that she could hear the collision of the pouring rain on the ground.

Limping while she walks, she grinds her teeth to stop her body from trembling.

Cleo heard Ron's footsteps behind her but neither of them started to talk. Somehow, she likes that what she hears is just the pouring rain. It is calm. She loves rain more than the sun.

A small smile formed on her shivering lips.

Later, lightning formed from the sky followed by a loud shout of the thunder. But just as she thought she can shrug away the bad memories, flashbacks from her experience from the first floor and to the second floor crashed the serenity inside her.

She feels sick as she takes off her mask from her face and started to vomit. She stops walking and bends her torso while clenching her stomach from being nauseous.

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves she wears her mask again and walks faster. To her full extent, she ignores the memories inside her head hoping the heavy rain could also wash them away while wishing desperately that she could last long and stop the forming tears at the corner of her eyes before it falls.