Bandits (2)

While Anderson was kidnapped by the bandits, Gil remained unconscious. He was trapped in a dream, unsure of what was happening. In this dream, he found himself inside an inn, near a room. As he tried to make sense of the situation, someone familiar passed by—his deceased teammate, Lack.

"Lack?" Gil said, bewildered by the surreal scenario.

However, his words fell on deaf ears. Lack appeared unaware of Gil's presence. He approached one of the rooms, holding a flower and wearing a serene smile. Then, he knocked on the door and said, "xxx, are you inside? Can I come in?"

Gil felt a sense of unease, not being able to hear who Lack was calling for. His unease turned to shock as he heard what was behind the door that Lack had knocked on earlier.

It was the moaning voice of a woman, and not just one; there were multiple moaning inside. Lack, shocked, couldn't help but say again, "xxx, are you inside? Are you alright?" Still, there was no answer, and the moaning continued.

With a growing sense of worry, Lack decided to open the door himself. As he pushed the door ajar, he was shocked to the core. Inside, he saw three women having a foursome with a guy, a guy both Gil and Lack knew too well. It was Anderson.

"Wait, what are you doing, Lack? Don't you have the manners to knock on the door first?" Anderson said, his body being touched by the women around him.

Meanwhile, Lack was in shock, unable to believe what he was seeing. He stammered, "W-what's the meaning of this, senpai?"

Anderson smirked, replying callously, "The meaning? It's quite clear, buddy." He continued to engage with the women. "Oh, and by the way, since you're here, let me inform you that I've found your replacement," he pointed at another woman. "You don't need to quest with us anymore. Can you just go away and give us some privacy?"

Shock in his face but couldn't do anything, and feeling defeated, Lack slowly backed away and closed the door, his head down in disbelief. He couldn't comprehend what he had just witnessed.

While all this was happening, Gil stood to the side, still in a daze, unable to understand the bizarre situation. "What the heck?! What is the meaning of this?"

Gil knew that Lack died, so how could all he saw now happen?

But before, Gil could know the answer, the landscape he was standing in changed. 

Gil knew that Lack had died, leaving him perplexed about the unfolding events. But before he could unravel the mystery, the landscape suddenly shifted, transporting him to a devastated city engulfed in flames. Shock gripped his features as he recognized this scene - a major event within the game, the burning of the Empire's capital city.

As he scanned his surroundings for answers, he noticed a figure standing not far from him. The person's attire was unmistakable to Gil – a tattered black mage robe with a towering, pointed mage's hat. As he approached the person, he knew who she was. It was Elise.

Elise!" he called out, hoping for a response, but, like Lack before, there was no acknowledgment. Determined to uncover the truth behind this weird event, Gil decided to approach her, seeking any clues available. 

However, just as he was about to take a step forward, a thunderous roar echoed in the distance—a roar all too familiar to Gil.

A bone-chilling roar paralyzed Gil in place as something descended from the sky, landing not far from where Elise and he stood. It was a monstrous creature, wings stretching wide, scales covering its body, and claws on each leg. The sight was tyrannical and terrifying, enough to freeze anyone in fear. It was a dragon, a creature all too infamous.

But to Gil, this dragon held a special significance beyond common knowledge. It was no ordinary dragon. This immense terror was the last boss of the game, the Ender Dragon—the harbinger of the world's end. Its name was Skadilok, the dragon of calamity.

As the dragon fixated its gaze on Elise, it unleashed a torrent of fire. Astonishingly, Elise stood her ground, laughter escaping her lips, a manic and eerie sound. Panic surged through Gil, and he sprinted towards Elise, desperate to pull her away from the dragon's fiery breath. But his efforts were in vain. The flames engulfed them both.

With a sudden jolt, Gil snapped awake from the nightmarish vision. He found himself back in the familiar camp he had built with the others, but the only one present was Elise.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," she teased, flashing a coy smile. "Had a pleasant dream? Let me guess, it was all about me, wasn't it?"

Contrary to her assumption, Gil was panting heavily, still haunted by the vivid memory of the calamity dragon. He scanned their surroundings, his relief washing over him as he realized it had all been a terrifying dream.

'What in the world was that? Was it some kind of premonition?' he mused inwardly, questioning the surreal scene that had unfolded before him.

Elise, noticing that Gil was actually in distress, asked with genuine concern, "Are you alright?"

"No, I'm not."