Legacy of the Betelgeuse

I\'m slowly looking back at Emma who\'s standing beside me. As soon as I can see her face, she swings her whip sword at me. I immediately dash away from her, but then something is grabbing me from behind. I look up and it\'s Jessica with her smile while staring at me. My whole body immediately getting chills and I use [Moonsteps] to get away from her.

I look at the real Emma who\'s standing next to me. She looks at me for quite a while and she\'s making sure that I\'m the real one even though I already proved myself that I\'m the real one by being attacked by Emma\'s doppelganger and grabbed by Jessica. But then I realize that the ghost now goes back and haunts William.

Everyone is slowly switching targets, and in the end, we all are facing our own fear again, and we have to deal with the doppelgangers. Thankfully the doppelgangers are disappearing, but Francesca\'s doppelganger is still here with us and she\'s facing Francesca and fighting her. Now I understand the reason why Francesca is so afraid of doppelganger because she believes that seeing one\'s doppelganger is a bad omen to that person. It\'s a superstition that she and her family believe.

[The time has come.]

[The end is now.]

The ground starts shaking. Everyone is panicking and I don\'t have to explain to them what that notification is all about. The maze starts shrinking so slowly. William is no longer be able to run freely anymore, the centipedes are swarming this area, Jessica is now invincible like the ghost, the guy from Ivonna\'s fear starts to become aggressive and starts to approach her with his furious expression. 

Jessica is staring at me with her sad expression. I hate that expression because it reminds me of the old times with her. I take a deep breath and exhale deeply then I look her in the eyes.

"This is enough, Jess..."

Jessica is raising her eyebrows pitifully.

"But you\'re still thinking about me from time to time."

I sigh and close my eyes because I can\'t look her in the face.

"I know, but the real you are out there and don\'t even think about me. You\'re just the Jessica that I want her to be. I have to move on from you. I don\'t want this to be my delusion. You have to leave, this needs to end."

Jessica\'s expression turns into disappointment.

"I see... it seems that I don\'t have to regret leaving you for someone else. He\'s always better than you."

It hurts but I don\'t care anymore. I have these people around me that care about me and I will not make the same mistake again.

"Say whatever you want, I will not let you inside my head again."

Jessica is slowly approaching me. She then grabs my face with her cold hands.

"You will never be able to forget me, Trev. I\'m precious to you, and you know it."

Jessica slowly backs away and smiles.

"What you have forgotten will be rise once more."

Ivonna is screaming so loudly, but nobody can hear her except for me.  Ivonna is backing away from that guy, she looks so pale compared to when she saw the ghost. Her eyes are watering and she looks at Grisell and Francesca, but Francesca is too busy handling her doppelganger while Grisell is helping Emma killing the centipedes.

I look at Jessica who\'s about to disappear. I shake my head.

"Goodbye, Jess."

I immediately run toward Ivonna and call her name, but she doesn\'t hear my voice like back then. The guy is raising his hand and Ivonna is closing her eyes while her whole body is trembling in fear. I grab her body and shake her. She opens her eyes and she immediately hugs me so tightly.

I look at the guy and I will remember his face. He must have abused her in the past, but I don\'t want to jump to a conclusion until she or the others tell me about the truth. I can feel her hands are gripping my arms so strongly while shaking.

I hug and stroking her hair.

"You\'re fine now, you will be alright. I promise you."

Ivonna is nodding weakly while she\'s hugging me so tightly. The guy\'s footsteps are getting closer and closer. I look at him and he\'s glaring at me furiously.

"Who are you? What are you doing with my Ivonna? Get off of her!"

His voice is making her trembling more. I keep calling her down as I staring at that guy.

"I don\'t know who you are, but you\'re just someone from the past. You\'re just a memory of someone that she knows."

I look at Ivonna and I don\'t think she\'s listening to what I just say. I lean toward her.

"Ivonna, I know he scared you, but he can\'t do anything to you anymore. He\'s just a memory from your head. You need to face him."

Ivonna shakes her head repeatedly and her grips are tightened. I look at her and I don\'t think she will be able to recover from her past. She can\'t even stand up properly because of him. I really pity her and so I carry her away from him, but he keeps appearing in front of us no matter how far we go. Everyone is still busy and the place is getting smaller and smaller.

Francesca and Grisell are looking at me, they both nod and show their gratitude for helping her. We both keep running away and Ivonna is still not saying a single word and just hugging me in silence.

I look at Ivonna and sigh.

"Hold on for a bit more. Chelsea is going to retrieve the item soon. I promise you."

Ivonna nods and keeps her head down.

(Somewhere in the forest.)

Chelsea is looking around the area. She looks at the message that Ivonna sent her.

"When I think that I\'m close... I won\'t be able to find it if I\'m looking for it... What is that even supposed to mean? Do I just need to stay still in this place?"

Chelsea is looking around and sighs.

"Well, whatever... I will follow her lead and just sit here."

Chelsea is checking the forum to waste time. She\'s laughing and chuckling when she\'s reading the threads. But then a rustling sound is coming from behind her. Chelsea immediately moves her eyes to the corner and keeps pretending that she doesn\'t hear and doesn\'t care about it.

*Pip*

*Pip Pip*

Chelsea is furrowing her forehead while still ignoring it. The sounds of tiny footsteps are approaching from behind her so slowly and carefully. Chelsea then grabs a leftover bag of chips from her inventory and puts it beside her. She grabs one chip and eats it while keep reading the thread.

The crunching sounds are making that thing slowly walking towards her. Chelsea knows that thing is curious about the snack beside her. When Chelsea is putting her hand inside the bag of chips, she\'s startled because something soft and fluffy is inside the bag and Chelsea is slowly rubbing that fluffy thing. She keeps it calm because she doesn\'t want to scare that thing.

The thing is jumping on her palm inside the bag. Chelsea is surprised and then she looks at the bag of chips. She\'s slowly and carefully pulling her hand out from the bag. A tiny fluffy monster that looks like a rabbit with 4 ears is munching the chips on her hand. Chelsea is grinning happily because that thing is so cute and fluffy.

[Amruchi (Lovecraft) is obtained!]

[Amruchi (Lovecraft): One of the two creatures that the people of Orion used to have in each household. Amruchi (Lovecraft) is one of the companions that the 7 legendary heroes that saved Orion had. They believed that Amruchi is the only creature that is blessed by Betelgeuse. But people of Orion interpreted that statement and thought Amruchi could bring them wealth. So many Amruchis were abused, sold, and slaughtered by the people of Orion. Their existence is now almost extinct. Amruchi keeps themselves away and hides in all kinds of places as far as no human around them.]

[Amruchi (Lovecraft) likes you!]

[Would you like to give it a name and be your companion?]

[Yes] [No]

Chelsea is surprised and keeps staring at the notification and Amruchi back and forth. She then clicks yes. The Amruchi is squeaking cutely while rubbing itself to Chelsea\'s thumb. She then gives it a name.

"I will call you Lucy!"

[Amruchi (Lovecraft) is happy!]

[Lucy is now bounded to the player [Chelsea Adilene LeBlanc]!]

[Name: Lucy(Lovecraft) [Hatchling]

Lucy\'s Status:

Level: 1

HP: 150

STA: 20

ATK: 5

DEF: 10

MDEF: 10

Lucy\'s evolution: 0/3

Intimacy: Shy

Bonust status(s): STR+5, DEX+5, AGI+5]

Chelsea is surprised and excited at the same time. She\'s patting Lucy and rubbing its chin.

[Open Quest: Hidden and Forgotten (Completed)]

[The Klagliaad Forest is now resting.]

[10 Status Points Received!]

[Voice of the World]

[Congratulations to players [C****** ******* ******c], [I*********n], [M*********s], [F******K], [P*********a], [B*****t], [R*********r], [T****r], [G****** *****] [M**** *******]. They are the first players to clear [Open Quest: Klagliaad Forest]. The rewards are [10 status points], [Diamond Mysterious Box], and [Fame +100]. May the Betelgeuse bless you!]

We look at the sky and the forest is now covered by a sunlight. The forest now looks beautiful and peaceful compared to before. I put Ivonna down and she looks at the sky and sighs with relief. She then looks at me.

"Thank you and I\'m very sorry for what I did to you back then in the maze. I really didn\'t mean to be harsh, but..."

I smile and shake my head.

"It\'s okay, I really understand. It seems that we have the same issue, huh?"

Ivonna smiles and looks down while nodding.

I look at everyone and then stretch my body.

"I think we are done here. Let\'s log out. I believe you all are exhausted."

I offer my hand to Ivonna and then she grabs my hand. I lift her up and she nods.

"Let\'s log out for now. It\'s already late at night as well. We need to get some rest."

We all nod. We all log out after Ivonna informed Chelsea, Mike, and Leo to log out as well.

I hit the bed and look at the time. It\'s 11 P.M. That quest was truly a living nightmare. I close my eyes and fall asleep immediately.