LOCKED DOWN

CHAPTER 4

THE CREATOR WHO DISAPPEARED

The squad made their move. Sammy moved faster and began to bury grenades on the feet of the giants. Kinn began attacking and aimed in the heads with his mighty word. Juliet attacked and shielded the giant's attacks on Kinn. However, she cannot find Night the first few minutes.

She cannot stop herself from being amazed at how the team was playing professionally.

"Are you just going to stand here?" Night asked.

She almost jumped in surprise. "How about you? You are not going to help them?" she asked back.

He smirked. "Oh, I already did. There will be no second wave for I already finished them off alone," he boasted, stressing the word "alone".

This guy is amazing. She can't imagine him finishing the second wave attack on his own. He must be too powerful for him to do that.

She also began stepping towards the battle area. She raised her hands and started glowing. The moment she bend down, she put her palm on the ground, creating a big magic circle. It was enough to cover her place with Night towards her other teammates.

The ability of her squad was enhanced and they achieved the highest possible power of their weapons and skills. She extended her hand and put it on the ground as well. Ice crystals began to appear at the magic circle, targeting the gigantic stone giants and slowing them.

It made the battle easier and they finished the mission faster. It only took them a minute after that to finish their first mission as a team.

"That was a nice cast of spells for a newbie like you," Night praised Pixel upon arriving back at the Center Circle.

They had just finished the mission and were rewarded equally. With that, Pixel immediately leveled up two levels, allowing her to gain more loot. Teaming up with them was a great idea. She can get more coins with their help and she can soon upgrade her equipments.

After the game, she looked at her tab and realized something. Her index finger halted to press the receive button whenshe saw the list of names in her tab. It was the names of her squad members. These people in the squad were friends with her brother. That includes Juliet, Sam, which Juliet calls as Sammy, and Kinn , the leader who they call mother. She was right with the feelings she have from the beginning. She had seen these guys before at the real world and they are so alive in the virtual world in the game. It was just maybe coincidence but she knows it was really them.

"Thanks," she answered to Night, hoping he meant what he said but not really upon seeing his expression.

But he just smirked and asked, "How did you do that newbie? Does someone like you supposed to master such things even in the beginning?". It was almost a whisper and she could hear it with the close distance they had.

"Stop scaring her, Night." Juliet came forward and held her hands. "I knew it! You were good being a mage. The first mission wasn't so bad. Can I call you by your name now, little girl?" She looks happy. Juliet never changed. She is really jolly towards her and calls her "little girl" every time. Not to mention, she still has her anger issues. That is why, she should be really a tank hero in the game.

Now that she remembered, she did not properly said her name to the group. They just saw her name at the tab on their watches. She smiled and nodded. The appearance of Juliet in the game was so much different that she barely recognized her.

Pixel was about to ask her but then the group of Jessy came.

"Look who is here," Jessy walked and took a bitchy pose in front of them. "The losers," she mouthed on her lips, firmly looking at Juliet who also raised her eyebrow.

"And the bitch is here," Juliet murmured on Jessy's face. "Why do you always look for a fight?"

"Because I hate you," Jessy said and squinted her eyes. "Except for Kinn, of course," she winked at their leader.

"Remind me why you hate me so much again," Juliet asked, almost in a questioning tone.

"Your team was the one who made this game. And most of all, you had Odin before in your squad. I wish I killed him when he was still here," Jessy said and it made Pixel's blood boils.

"Stop it!" Pixel could not contain her anger.

Jessy raised an eyebrow and diverted her looks on her. "And what do we have here? The mage who filled up the empty slot. Don't worry, my dear. In a short period of time, this squad will kick you out sooner than you think."

"It is okay. This has nothing to do with you," Juliet held her shoulder, trying to hold her up in making trouble.

Well, she had been in a lot of trouble before she went there. And her mother cannot even shut her from fighting because of the way other people are talking about her brother.

But then, she remembered the last time she fought with her mother about that issue. She was kicked out of school. With doubt that she can be kicked out of that world, she took a deep breath and calmly talked. "My name is Pixel," she introduced herself.

"So?" Jessy almost laughed at what she said out of nowhere.

"I am not just a mage who filled the empty seat. I have the infinite potion that was given on my first mission," she proudly said. Actually, she does not know if what she said will affect the situation.

"You still have that?" Jessy began laughing and stopped, taking a deep breath. "Why don't you join my team?" she asked, grinning from ear to ear.

Is the potion being wanted so badly? She remembered it was a greater reason for Kinn to accept her in his squad.

"Back off! She is our mage, Jessy. Go find yours." Juliet stepped between them, blocking herself. "Besides you already have one. A squad cannot be more than five."

"Yes. She is right. You already have me," said a little voice from a girl with big round eyeglasses and a pretty wide witch hat.

"Shut up!" Jessy shouted at her member.

"Why don't you let her choose then," Night suggested as he crossed his arms on his chest and shrugged.

"Night!" Juliet shouted at him.

"What can you say Kinn?" asked Jessy, looking at their leader.

"Let her choose," their leader firmly stated.

"What?!" Juliet exclaimed.

"I wish to stay in my squad," Pixel decided. Besides, she feels safer with the team she had right now. By the looks of it, Jessy is not a responsible leader and she will not be comfortable working with her.

The grin on Jessy's lips disappeared and she looked at her seriously. Disappointment was obvious on her face. "Suit yourself," she said as she take a leave with her team.

"Thanks for staying," Juliet held her hands again. "I think you need to know while it is still fresh," she started. "Actually, Odin, the developer of this game were our friend. He used to be our mage."

And there, she confirmed that she really know these people.

"Me, Odin, with Kinn and Sam created this game."

Pixel automatically look at Night.

"Well, this guy here was recruited because he has a deep pocket. He was one of the top players of The Legendary Hero. We were just practical before," Sam pointed to Night beside him with his thumb.

"All went well. But as time goes by, players started to blame him for the bug in the game." Juliet took a deep sigh. "The game doesn't have an exit button."

Pixel's lips parted and gave them a questioning look. That means, she can't logged out the game now that she was an official player. But Odin never stated that bug in his journal.

"You can check it if you want," Sam said as he put his hands on his pocket.

She tapped her watch and the tabs displayed. She searched the exit button but there is really nothing among the options.

"Then -- " she started as she started thinking about a conclusion.

"We haven't logged out for a while, I think," Juliet said. "In the Legend, you cannot tell time from the outside world. Time is different here."

She wanted to say that she knows them. And it was already years that they are in deep sleep. But she can't say it, knowing that most of the players hates Odin. The team have an outsider, which is Night, and she can't take a risk. She still needs to know more.