Kei pulled at the chains that encapsulated his torso, "Let go!".
Lila slowly came to a halt and turned to face her fellow resident. The chains that were handcuffed around her wrist being a base for every link that followed, all the way to the ones that held Kei in the air.
Seemingly fretted, she began to question him. "If I do, you're going to go after them, aren't you?"
"Yes." He responded blatantly, still tugging at the chains.
"You can't! Didn't you see who they were? They kill others for Spirit Essence! They've probably done it before, I mean, who even knows what rank they might be!—"
"Lila let me go!" He interrupted.
Startled by his shout she clenched her fist not in anger but in pain, she grimaced at the fact that she didn't want to hold her friend captive but also didn't want to let him charge back into an outnumbered fight.
Torn between choices she finally made up her mind.
"Ok… I'll let go."
The chains lowered Kei to the ground and began to unravel. Kei knew his anger towards her was misdirected and didn't want to yell at her but felt he had to.
"I'm sorry." Kei said before turning towards the direction of Simon's House.
'People like them will always chase to get what they want. They'd definitely try to get back at us and if I reunite with Lok when they do he'd be in danger. They won't get a chance once I'm done. Not a soul on earth will bring harm to my brother.'
He thought as he walked with conviction, but her voice stopped him.
"Do you know what a house is?"
"Yes."
Her hoodless tan draped cloak and the red leaves catered to the path of the wind. Her long, slightly curly, elegant, deep brown hair flowed with it and showed the passion in her brown eyes which complimented her caramel skin.
"You don't! A house is the single most sacred act a person can be a part of in this world. We're not just a team, we're a bond. Our spirits are intertwined, and I couldn't accept if something were to happen to you while I've knowingly discovered the power to support you…. even if I can't or I'm not strong enough, that's what I'll try, that's what I'll do!"
Lila for the first time spoke with such conviction her passion settled the voice of nature.
Speechless, Kei for a moment, couldn't respond. Not even a hint of deja vu had struck him, he had never glimpsed at this part.
"You're not coming. Just find Lok and Kori."
"I have to come."
"You can't."
"I have to!" Her tears began to well up, seeking to escape.
Kei could bargain and negotiate as much as he wanted but her mind was made. He stared at her and had now understood who Lila was as a person. She's gentle. Some may view her as weak or maybe cowardly or timid… but the strongest thing about her was the extent of her compassion.
Slowly Kei approached her, then passed her.
"Wipe your tears, I get it. We'll find Lok and Kori together." He finally agreed.
"Really?" She gently rubbed her eyes.
"Yes. And don't call me your friend."
Lila completely ignored the latter statement and knew it was just a part of Kei's gloomy nature but was rather filled with joy, flashing a smile as she walked beside him.
"Ok… friend." She responded happily.
He closed his eyes awkwardly, refusing to be overtaken by her enthusiasm. Lila pulled ahead of him wrapping her chains around her forearms.
Kei slowly opened his eyes, staring at the ground as he walked.
'In the end my goal for me and Lok is still the same. We need to get to our people, we need to get to our home.'
Above him, leaves rustled. With no wasted motion Kei drew his bow and launched an arrow.
"What was that?" Lila asked, being startled by Kei's sudden shot.
His eyes remained fixed at the tree. Small branches and a group of leaves fell alongside a metallic sphere.
Kei approached where it fell, ashamed that his arrow had only grazed it enough to damage it instead of piercing it. He picked it up, it only being slightly bigger than his hand.
'I really need to work on my accuracy, but what is this…'
[It's a camera.]
"Oh, sophie. Done resting?" Kei asked.
[Yes, no thanks to you bird face. Healing you took all the essence reserves I had.]
"How long has it been watching us?" Kei ignored her complaints.
[Rude bastard… Every selection is monitored and broadcasted. Every participant is observed.]
"Can I touch it?" Lila asked excitedly her amazement of the S.E.G outweighed her concern of the camera.
Kei's eyes twitched remembering Lila's fascination with this sort of stuff. "Do what you want…"
"Cool." Lila said as she rubbed the black band, the blue hue resonated to her touch.
[Who is this girl?]
"That's Lila Inés, we're in the same house. Why do they broadcast an event as brutal as this?"
[Once a year Eden's own spirit essence begins to swell up. It is then poured into society making the people stronger. My generation found that if we add our own essence to her pool of it, we get a say in who gets that contribution of essence.]
"What's she saying?" Lila questioned unable to see anything from Sophie.
Kei tapped the band making the hovering blue screen visible to her.
"What's that mean?" Lila asked but in truth Kei was wondering the same.
[It's a parlay.]
Both of them were not quite following.
[When coins can't be used as currency, spirit essence takes its place. That's just how it is. All of Utopia is required to add their essence to the pool so the boost from Eden can be stronger. During the selection the top houses and spectating civilians bet on the winners so they and the one they chose can get a bigger share.]
"Prospects…" Kei muttered.
[Correct. Participants can be bet on as well but people mostly only bet on prospects.]
"So we're being watched individually… to see if we're worth betting on?" Lila questioned.
[Unfortunately not only is that correct but some simply watch for entertainment purposes, there is even a leaderboard.]
"You can't be serious." Lila said as she could barely stomach it anymore and Kei remained unchanged, he knew how humans were, he knew the things that motivated them.
[Selection Leaderboard]
[1- Simon Cozmo: 500 Bets]
[2- House of Decree: 200 Bets]
[3- Kori Hageshi: 100 Bets]
…
…
…
[Kei Juroklet: 20 bets]
[Lila Inés could not be found. Likely zero bets have been placed on the leaderboard.]
"That piece of trash is number one? Just how confident are people in his abilities… Sophie, don't allow my full name to appear on this leaderboard."
[Can I change it to bird face? Seriously, that mask is ugly.]
"No."
[Fine.]
[The Raven: 20 Bets]
"Is that his house in second place… the entire house? I can't believe it. Any of it." Lila added to Kei's disgruntled comment.
"Forget it, let's just find the others." Kei began to stand.
"Ok…" she responded.
"Sophie, scan the area for entities, and create a map locating the tallest standing building in unoccupied destroyed settlements, and caves near the tallest mountains or hills."
Lila gasped, "The deathmatch base plan Kori made…"
"Yeah."
'During the night we formed the house, Kori created several different strategies for several different trials. We just have to be careful on the way."
[On it. We'll find your brother in no time.]