LOCKED DOWN

CHAPTER 5

THE COLD BLOODED DARK PRINCE

"Players were stuck here in the game. Gossips roamed around easily and says that players who left the game never returns. Some would say that they probably die in the real world because of shame."

She wanted to say that part of it was true. The government was blaming the game that Odin developed for the deaths of many players. Deep inside her, she don't want to admit it. And so, she remained silent. For now. Maybe in the right time, she will. But not now.

"Some really loves it. While most of the player hates it, especially Odin."

"Where is he now?" she asked.

"We also do not know. He disappeared one day and no one knows where he is." Juliet looked at her teammates. "That is why, we are trying to level up for us to finish the game and finally meet Helios. Odin programmed the game but he never told us the ending of this game. And we think Helios can help us."

"Helios?"

"Helios, the god of this world. He was like the administrator of this world. Another NPC who announces different events and manages every mission. It was stated that if a player achieved the highest level, this god will grant the player's wish," Sam explained.

Pixel nodded. "Did Odin die in the game?" she asked. She was trying not to make it obvious but she was dying to know at least clues of how to find her brother. If he dies in the game, the chance of him in a really bad state is pretty high. Thinking about it is making her emotional, but she was trying to conceal it.

"He logged out," Juliet said, staring blankly at nothing.

She is sure what happened back then is flashing her mind that time.

"But you said that there was no exit button."

"All the players don't have," Juliet said and sadness glinted on her eyes. "His avatar turns out to be perfectly unique among the other players. His tabs are complete, including the log out button. And that made him leave the game as he wishes to. We waited for his return, but he never came back."

"I'm sorry about what he did," Pixel uttered. "Are you angry at him?" she asked.

Juliet looked at her with the tears on the corners of her eyes.

"I mean, are you guys angry at him?" she asked. She almost slipped that she knew something. What Odin did was like a treachery. Whatever reason her brother has, it should better be acceptable. He even hurt his friends.

"The night is getting late. We need to regain our bars," their leader, Kinn, spoke before someone will say anything. "Let's head to the house, shall we?"

"A house?"

"Yes, beautiful. To Night's house. We are staying there," Sam told her and put his arms on her shoulders. "Our carriage will be here soon."

"Lucky you. You got a place to stay instantly. And you are welcome in case you will be grateful to me for allowing you to stay," Night's lips curved in a smirk.

"I never thought that you can actually buy a real house here," Pixel mentioned as she entered the carriage that arrived for the team.

"There were only few players who got themselves a house in the game. It will take a long time to earn enough coins to build a house. Most of the players spend all their time to regain their life by sleeping at rented inns." Juliet also followed inside and sat beside her. Beside her was Sam.

Infront of them were Kinn and Night, facing them.

"And this guy over here had plenty of coins. He was one of the beta players of The Legendary Hero and was rewarded pretty well,” Sam said. “You’ll be surprise by his big castle.”

“A castle? What is he, a prince?” she asked Sam like Night was not there. She take a glimpse of him and found that he was smirking.

“You have seen it already. I got plenty in my pocket,” he began boasting again. “We are here,” he said as the carriage halted.

As soon as Pixel stepped outside, she couldn’t stop herself from admiring the place. It was as if they were transported to a place in Europe. In the middle of the vast grasses in the courtyard was a perfect castle, glistening in magnificence. Every stone was layered to make those high towers, forming a cone on the top.

The red and white flowers on its bushy fence were giving the magical vibe. They began walking on the bricked path way and were greeted by few maids in same outfit and face. They were like twins in higher numbers. They started forming in parallel lines and bowed in one beat.

She came to realize that these maid girls were also part of the game that a player can purchase.

"Welcome home, Night," they said, in chorus.

At the end of the line stood a man in a nice modern suit. That could be the butler.

"I need to sleep now. Do attend to them," Night said to his maids as he walked passed them.

"So, he really is a prince?" she could not stop herself from asking.

Night stopped by the gigantic entrance of his castle and turned around, looking at her.

"Show her around the place and take her to her room after their meal," Night said and turned once again.

That instant, the door swung open inside revealing what could be discovered more.

And there, Night left them with the butler alone.

"Allow me to take you in the dining area," the butler said in elegance.

She kept looking at him until Juliet held her arms again, pulling her to walk. She even guided her to her seat on the long table by the dining area.

Kinn started to swipe on his tab and combine things in his inventory.

"He was cooking," Juliet whispered.

"I thought we just buy foods."

"No, little girl. The foods we buy were never enough to recharge us. It needs a special skill to combine the farmed goods. These food are much delicious and even gives you boosts," she explained.

"Dig in," Kinn said as a complete meal couse appeared on their table.

And Pixel can't help but to salivate.

"Thanks, mother," said Sam and Juliet at the same time.

"Because he was like a mother to us," Juliet whispered. "Go on. Try his cooking."

"I heard that. You just decided to call me mother," Kinn stated.

"But you never said anything about not calling you that." Juliet took a spoonful of food on her mouth. "That means you liked it."

Kinn just took a sigh and continue eating.

“What about Night? Does he really don’t want to join eating?” she asked again.

“No. It is not what you think. Night really don’t join us in dining. He never eats with us,” Juliet said.

Her forehead crumpled. “Never as in never?”

Juliet just shook her head. “That is why he got the title as the dark prince in this world,” she whispered.

After the meal, the members went on their own room and the butler started to tour her around.

The castle was like a maze. And Pixel could not memorize them all. She just nodded at everything the butler told her. The castle was just too big for her.

After the tiring walk, she was finally delivered to her bedroom where she could finally rest. The butler left her as she started to roam around her own room. It was like a Victorian room vibe. The plave was full of tassle and heavy pieces of clothes. The color was a contrast of dark and gold colors, which doesn’t suit her taste.

She walked towards the bed and found out that it was the softest bed she laid on all her life. She took a sigh as she looked up at the ceiling. The virtual world will be her place for now. Not until she will solve the mystery of her lost brother and how to get out from this virtual world.

She needs to get stronger. She needed to practice more. Though some of the information on how to defeat different beasts and to use different skills and portions were stored in her head, somehow, she wanted to level up. She has read those from her brother’s journal.

She got up and went to her balcony to get some fresh air. She tapped her watch and her tab appeared. She began to scroll and clicked a skill of telekinesis. It would help her to control things. Her eyes look around and saw a small potted plant beside her. With the skill, she began controlling it.

The potted plant began to lift up for a few inches and she felt excited. But then, it went back on where it used to be.

“You should practice more,” she heard  a voice from Night.

She looked around to see that he was just on the balcony beside hers.

“In order to get stronger, you should upgrade your clothes for better defense,” he said as he walked inside.

Her tab rang and she just received a bag of coins. It was from Night and it has a message with it saying, “Buy yourself a good one. Consider this as a welcome gift.”

With a smile plastered on her face, she looked at where Night entered. He was not there anymore.

“Well, he is not as cold as I thought,” she whispered and went back to her room.