The Gamer's System

Chapter 149: A Chance Encounter

"How did it go rookie?" The mannequin asked him as soon as he entered the room. The male mannequin was nowhere to be seen and, she was mopping the white stains on the floor while she also seemed to cook at the same time.

"She got her shots on time ma'am thank you for your concern." Zeke replied, looking at the cauldron and seeing a hand sticking out. 

The female mannequin immediately caught his eyes and moved the hand inside. As if the whole incident didn't even happen. She spun it around a couple of times to ensure that the hand won't get out again or, any of the other body parts for that matter.

"That's good. You should get some shut eye then. It's your first day in the stronghold and we don't want to tire out our newcomer." She said, leaving the mop resting on the side of a table while she went to a nearby cabinet. There were again a lot of different knives stored but, behind this, there were actually keys being hidden.

"Here you go. This is the key to your bedroom." She said, handing out the item to Zeke.

Before he could reach it however, the female mannequin grabbed him by the wrist using her other hand. She then slammed it at the table, surprising Zeke because of her overwhelming strength.

"Just a little reminder for you. Don't go sticking your nose on things that shouldn't concern yourself. Otherwise, you'd find yourself in a very heated situation." 

Zeke knew what she was implying. He also knew that; the female mannequin was somehow connected to the greater scheme of things within the dream. Hence, he needed to be careful in dealing with her. He doesn't have an exit yet after all and, he needs to find one before things get problematic.

"But I still have some questions left to ask ma'am." Zeke said to her.

"I see." She said, as if choosing between killing Zeke on the spot or not

On the other hand, Zeke knew that she would not resort to the latter as it may induce some negative effects for the mannequin. Plus, there's also the fact that she already killed one person. Killing two within the same day and reporting them missing would raise too many concerns about her.

"Okay then. I'll let you ask just one but I'll be quick about my answer so make it count. Got that?" It said in reply, sitting down and waiting for Zeke to finally ask something.

"It's about the incident you told me. Can you tell me about the events leading to it, stressing only the main factors that contributed to what happened?" With the question, the mannequin's head began shaking in a weird manner, as if it was possessed. But then, it finally stopped, ready to provide the information asked. 

If there was one thing that the gamer was sure about, it was that the mannequin was also a part of Sylph's mind. Thus, it is supposed to be able to store the information Zeke requires and, since this is the unconscious, it could very much as well provide him with vital information.

"It all began on the first term of the countess. She was always in her room and, not feeling well. But how unwell was she really? Well, if we place it on a scale of 1-100, I'd say that she was nearly a 90. She was delirious, would sometimes attack objects out of the blue, scream in fear, shake involuntarily and everything else." The mannequin began and, Zeke was already feeling so much pain for the Windsprite.

"Glade, her closest friend, gave her the medications she needed. He said that, the things experienced by Sylph were side effects of her time within the labyrinth." This was enough to shock Zeke of course but, he tried not showing it, needing more out of the mannequin who may stop with his interruption.

"Her medication was supplied consistently and, little by little we began to see some progress. Then, for some reason, the countess asked her medications to be stopped. It was a bad day. She was having major headaches, with herself looking like all life was being sucked out of her." 

"She must've realized the manipulation at that point." Zeke thought to himself, knowing that all the Windsprites are strong willed and hard to break.

"But this only brought tragedy for all her servants and soldiers. The countess went out of her room in a fit of madness. She screamed the human's name. The very human who tricked her and her sisters and trapped them within a labyrinth. All day, she hunted us down one by one. It was a terrifying experience. Like the grim reaper herself descended to harvest our souls. And"

The room began shaking uncontrollably. There were pieces of debris falling and, even the mannequin began getting destroyed little by little. This didn't last for long however and, they were soon back to normal.

"Oh dear, I think I said too much. That's all I can tell you." 

"May I at least know what the name of the Labyrinth is?" 

"That exceeds the one question."

"But its not a question. It's a request based on what you already said." He replied.

"Clever. Okay then rookie but I'll only say his name once. I don't want to cause another earthquake The one who created the labyrinth is none other than the human Zeke Elwood."

Upon hearing his name, Zeke couldn't help it anymore. He immediately stood up from his chair in both shock and disbelief. There was no way that he was there because for 12 whole years he was under a cave he built. And in no way did he intend to harm the Windsprites. In fact, he wanted nothing more than to search for them.

"Did anyone actually see that person you are talking about?" Zeke

"One question only rookie. And that wasn't even a request anymore." She reminded him, going back to her task right away. 

Meanwhile, Zeke sat there still processing everything he was told. He was sure that a lot of it were true. And if this was so then, the biggest flaw to Sylph's memory is the fact that Glade is an ally while he is an enemy.

"You should go to your quarters. We're not allowed to stay in the pantry for chit-chat rookie." The mannequin reminded.

"Where are these quarters exactly?" Zeke asked, not remembering any instructions being given.

"Oh dear me I'm sorry. I forgot that part, didn't I?" The mannequin immediately proceeded to a nearby wall. There was nothing special about it nor was anything out of the ordinary. But then, the mannequin brought out a key ring, housing a bunch of different keys.

She then plugged it to a part of the wall which had a small hole. In fact, it was so small that it was almost unnoticeable and it wasn't even a regular shaped keyhole at that. But as soon as the mannequin placed the key, the walls began changing forms into multiple keyholes. 

"There is a number for each keyhole. You just need to place your key at the appropriate hole and you'd be transported to your room." The mannequin pointed at the holes but even without him looking for it, Zeke instinctively knew that the white stained one was his. Seeing how his key was also of white color.

The gamer immediately took his leave, plugging the key which worked as he expected. Again, the wall began changing structure until a door was finally formed for him. There were a lot of thoughts in his head but he also realized that it would probably be for the best if he first gets to a secure location.

But just as he thought he was finally making some decent progress; Zeke was surprised to be back to the same white room. The starting point of the dream where he was dropped to. He was sure of this because, the area where the hangers were had nothing on them. Furthermore, the same dripping sound from the comfort room could be heard, telling him that it is actually the same. 

"Of course it won't be that easy." Zeke said to himself, already trying to find a way out of the situation.

On his hand, Zeke still had the key with him. This meant that, there was a way for him to get back. So the gamer examined the walls for any keyhole of the same structure. After a few minutes, he found his answer on the room's cabinet. 

Oddly enough it had a keyhole shape on it. Zeke tried out the key and saw that it works like a charm. This solved the problem right away because, as soon as he opened it, he was once again back in the pantry. The female mannequin was not there however and aside from this, there were different dishes present. Oddly enough the feeling of tiredness has run its course which meant that there was a reset connected to the door being opened and closed.

"Oh good you're awake. The countess needs her shots again." The female mannequin said, descending through another staircase found within the pantry.

Zeke simply did as he was told, knowing that something different may come up this time around. And it did, because as soon as he went for the items, another person came in. Someone who Zeke was well acquainted with.

Glade.

"Heyyy hows everyone doing here?" He said, looking at Zeke who lowered his face immediately.

"Oh my, there's a new face. What's your name sir?" Zeke wanted to kill him right there and then. He wanted to get the butchering knife from the table and chop off Glade's head. But he knew that normal attacks would be inefficient against someone of Glade's caliber so, he held himself back.

"Jack sir. They call me Jack." He said in reply, using the first male name that came to mind. 

He was cautious because, even though it was only a manifestation, the Glade he faced could very well be a threat. Thus, he proceeded with caution, not allowing any hostility come from him and preventing any doubt of his loyalty to enter their minds. And for this to happen, Zeke needed to bring the medicines right away and that he did.

"Wait." Glade said, getting a good look at him. Zeke wanted to lower his head again but that would raise too much suspicion. So he kept his head on a neutral position and stared at Glade.

"What is it sir?"

"There's actually a new variant I've created." Glade took out a syringe and a bottle of liquids from his pocket. He filled it up right away, smiling in a way that Zeke knew very well. It was the same scheming smile of Glade.

"You may want to bring this instead of the one you have." He continued, getting closer to Zeke who also made his way to the enemy. 

"Here you" Glade dropped the syringe on the floor. Unfortunately, it didn't break because, Zeke knew what would be asked of him.

"I'm sorry. Can you please pick it up?" Glade asked, with the same expression on his face.

Zeke had no way out of the situation. Since he was a servant on the dream, he couldn't defy orders. He could only pray that nothing bad would happen to him as soon as his head gets down. But before that could even happen, mannequin hands suddenly came rising from the ground.

Zeke wanted to vade them all but he was completely surrounded. With all the hands that grabbed him pulling him down. Meanwhile, Glade already went for the female mannequin. He grabbed the top of its head and, pulled it revealing a face which was actually hidden underneath.

"Sylph?" Zeke said, seeing that the female elf was actually unconscious while the head of the mannequin spoke on its own free will.

"Why is another head there? What's going on?" The mannequin said in panic. 

"Oh shut up will you?" Glade ordered, making the mannequin stop speaking.

"You actually thought you could outmaneuver me? Look, I don't know who you are exactly Jake but, know that nothing I own could ever escape my sight."

If there was anything good that came from the encounter, it was that Glade didn't recognize him. Even in such a difficult situation, Zeke could easily get out but, he needed to squeeze some information out of Glade at least.

"Who are you? How did you enter her head?" Zeke asked, bound tightly by the mannequin hands.

"I was actually going to ask the same thing seeing as this is my plaything's head and all." Glade said getting near Zeke.

"But we don't need to answer each other's questions. I'll just let you experience the effects firsthand." At this, Glade injected the syringe of Zeke's neck. The gamer felt pain as this course through his body, making him want to remove his neck altogether.

"That serum is both a stabilizer and a poison. It removes the negative effects of the poison within the labyrinth I created but, at the same time, it destroys all memories on the mind of the receiver. Reconstructing all memories based on my will." 

"So now. I'm going to make you fight two guys whom I've had quite a trouble dealing with." Glade finally finished and, with a snap of his fingers, two figures appeared. Individuals whom Zeke was very familiar with.

Right in front of him stood Gallio Leonis and Zeke Elwood.

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