Game of DIcE

A Bond with Raelle

Riley woke up from the glazing sun hitting her face, straight to her eyes which caused her to groan. The sound of the birds tweeting simultaneously and the rustle of the trees hitting each other whenever the winds blew and made the trees sways back and forth. Her eyes darted upward, seeing the usual red color of the information shown right above her.

8:57 am

Survivors: 4,330

Death; 3,234

At the bottom of the 'Death' information showed the names of those who were dead every once in a while, and since it was still early, there were only a few. It was also good to know that the number of survivors was still in half, though it was saddening to see that there were also a lot of deaths, she knew she couldn't do anything about it. It's their fate, it's their choice, it's their movement. She didn't have to think of their ways, as long as it wouldn't cross to them and would hinder them from reaching their goals—like what her four bullies did who ended up getting eliminated instead of her.

She slowly sat up. she was now on the ground, with clothes put together that served as her mat, and her jacket uniform as her blanket. The bonfire that Shone made was also already put off, when she looked to the side where her bird was there when she slept last night, he was nowhere to be found now, and she supposed he was being used and accompanied by the three men by the only one present that was with her was Raelle's who was still sleeping a yard away from her.

It had already been two days since her bullies were put to an end, and she slightly of feeling a little happy which she hated how it felt so wrong because she was feeling guilty for being the reason for their end. She wondered if she became like them, or even worse because she had killed four, but something's pushing that thought to the side and screaming at her that it was for her own sake, she just fought back as a way of defense for threatening her life and so as her friends.

"It's too early to think of things that deeply."

She blinked and realized that she was staring at the ground and fell to the deepness of her thoughts. It was cut off by the groggy and already irritated voice on the side, which of course came from Raelle. The newly awoken girl glanced at her then mirrored her position, sitting on the ground with her feet in an Indian seat position with her back resting on the tree trunk.

They were back from their level yesterday afternoon when the three were busy with gathering dried woods for their bonfire, as usual, they were bickering and blaming each other for taking too long on the level, and made them wait. They were also wounded, though not as much as Riley's cut, but they were still hurt. Raelle got bruises on her flawless, smooth skin, but it was nothing compared to Phil who they think had protected the girl from whatever they had been through on their level. However, as soon as they got to be on their side, the youngest girl plopped down and almost drop herself on the ground if Riley didn't just get her in her arms and pulled her on Berd's back where she could rest properly, while Phil almost lifelessly just laid down on the ground next to Shone and did not mind the dirty ground under him in too much exhaustion.

They were also been through a mind exhausting level, if Riley came through a never-ending escape room, Xion was pulled half-heartedly on a sudden class with the witches about potions and such, Shone came from riddles while his body was being buried on the sand with two bombs ready to explode once his time runs out, Phil and Raelle came from a fight with creatures as they had to solve the puzzle with the puzzle pieces snuck in the creature's body. They tried it without thinking of a plan at first, resulting in their body being beaten up by the creatures with, as what Phil described, 'awfully gross tentacles with multiple eyes'. They were so extremely tired, the same as how Riley felt.

"You're zoning out again," Raelle remarked again, rolling her eyes. "You're not thinking of those bullies, are you?"

"No..." She uttered, slightly unconvincing, well certainly unconvincing as she heard Raelle clicked her tongue.

They knew about it, Shone told them about it when they drank a droplet of the potion Xion made and asked who already consumed the potion. They were mad, of course, but what made Riley warm inside was no one blamed her. No one told her to detach herself from being with them and for causing trouble which led two of their friends to risk their lives for a not-so-important woman like her, but the two only grumbled in disappointment for not being in the scene and not witnessing how cool Berd was.

"It's not your fault if you keep on thinking of that. You are too kind for this world, loser."

Riley looked at Raelle, she was having her usual expression but what's surprising for Riley was the way she reacted to what she called her. She was supposed to feel as offended as to how she felt whenever her bullies called her that, but right now she didn't feel anything, but she rather smiled and giggled—probably she knew that Raelle didn't mean those.

"You basically didn't kill them, you didn't even do anything," She continued, snorting, "It was your pet, Berd, who did the thing for you because he knows that you wouldn't do anything to harm them but would only let them harm you. What comes to them was the exact way of how they treated others. It's Karma, it's what they deserve."

Riley stared at Raelle for a while, then a smile crept to her face. The younger girl saw it but only return it with rolling eyes which made her giggle. "Do you hate me?"

Raelle's eyes flickered back to her, then without a bat of an eye, she answered, "Yes."

Riley smiled then looked away, "I hate myself too. I'm tired of being deemed as a weak, loser, and see as a mere inhabiter in the lowest class. I hate myself for accepting everything that they throw at me. Must be nice to be in the higher class."

"Yeah, it's nice," Raelle answered, but her voice was almost in a whisper, she changed her seating position with her knees close to her chest and a solemn expression made Riley felt a little guilty, "If you like to hate people, such as the lowest class as yourself, for completely not doing anything, but because your mom told you to, then yeah, it's nice. If you like being ordered around by your parents, like attending parties with hypocrites, like the pressure on your back which every morning you wake up there were added, more heavy ones, a lot painful until you are just crawling on the ground and barely moving forward. If you like to become basically a puppy, a pet who has to follow her owner no matter what, and if not you'd not get to have your treat. If you want to be like that... then yes, must be nice to be in higher classes."

All Riley thought was the higher class only experienced favorable things in their lives because they were well-off, filthy rich, never experienced eating with bare hands, never tried eating one meal a day, because that was how they showed themselves in the public—powerful, perfect. She never thought they could have problems they couldn't solve, more than just the material things.

"I hate you, or no, probably this is jealousy, envy that is what I feel. You can do whatever you want with your parents' supports. You've got a family to come home to, a family waiting for you to come back to them. While I," She looked down, her fingers clawed on her knees, nails burying on her skin, "I volunteered to be here as a way of escaping. A suicide decision."

Raelle knew the danger of the Game of Dice, but she did not care, she also knew the danger of her parents. She had been so much fed up with their hands on her neck, she couldn't breathe, couldn't move, she just wanted to be free. She registered her name in secret as soon as they were given the paper where they will list the representative of the house, and honestly, she didn't know what to feel. She was happy that they didn't protest, but she was also hurt that they didn't, it seemed to her that she was really supposed to be there.

"You..." Riley croaked, then cleared her throat, "You have no plan on getting out of here?"

"If you are talking to the girl before she meets the three boys who inspired her to live, perhaps yes." She truthfully answered, looking at her eyes so intently. "But it changed, when I met those three, they were determined to get out of the Game of Dice, and it was shocking that it not for the prize."

"What do you mean?" She asked, it intrigued her. She was not also there for the prize, but as a representative of her family, for the safety of her loved ones, and that love pursued her on finishing the game.

Raelle looked around her, she looked at the trees, check if there was something there—a voice detector that might probably be listening to their conversation when she found no trace of such device, she looked back at her, "It's to throw the parliament. Close the Game of Dice forever. And use the money to rule over the Land of Asovine."

The whole Game of Dice became silent, the small birds flew from the trees and the foliage and dried. leaves went along to the wind wherever they bring them. Riley felt like she was stoned and rooted on her spot, her eyes were stunned, completely surprised at the information that was relayed to her, but it was not in some bad effect, it was entirely good.

"I found it ridiculous at first, but they told me they were not asking me to have the same goal as them, basically, they only took me for my food. Just the third week that I am with them when I sided with them, I realized that I still want to live, and their goal... that's also what I want. I want freedom, not only for myself but for all the Asovins,"

"I also want it," Riley uttered, looking up at the clear sky, she saw the berdock from afar, already approaching them. "I want to be with you all the way."

"That's good." Raelle just answered, looking at the way where the three were as well, "I don't hate you by my choice, I hate you because that was what I was told."

"I know, but you are free now." She replied and smiled at her, standing up and clutched the jacket to her chest as she stretched her hand to Raelle, "I don't hate you at all even you're with this impressive, unpleasant personality with you."

The younger girl raised her brow and looked at her face then at her hand, she rolled her eyes, but then accepted it and stood up as well, "Don't expect me to be kind with you. I'm a brat in nature. I'm from the rich class."

Riley just smiled and shook their hands, silently telling her that it was fine, she was used to that, she was far more better than just being a part of the Rich Class like how she was better than just being a loser.

"Yow! What do we miss?" Phil asked, yelling as they were still in the air. "Did this little girl fight with you again, Riley?"

"Why do you always think it is me who starts every fight!?" Raelle shot back, glaring at Phil. "And we didn't okay? She's just being emo right now."

"Me? Emo?" Riley asked in disbelief, pointing herself, "It's you-"

"Anyway! Where did you go? Why did you leave us, you morons!?" Raelle asked then ran to their side, obviously changing the topic.

"Who are you calling morons!?"

Riley just sighed and walked towards them as well, going straight to Berd who leaned on her touch. She then smiled to herself, the background noise of Raelle and Phil fighting and Shone telling them to shut up, the curious eyes Xion was darting her, her heart was soaring.

She found her support inside the game who share the same goals. Takedown the parliament.

"I'm betting to this girl—Riley Violet Cole."