have fun besties.

-----

I opened my eyes groggily to a dull grey colour. I winced at the bright lights hanging high up above me and then rubbed my eyes tiredly, sitting up as I took in my surroundings.

"Y/N!" A young voice a few feet away. "You're awake!"

I blinked. "...Orion?" I rubbed my eyes groggily. Was I still asleep...?

"Asleep?" the demon kid repeated, as I'd apparently spoken the thought aloud. "What's wrong, Y/N? You don't remember?"

"...Remember?"

Orion walked over to my side, where I was sitting up in a cot-like sleeping bag, resting on a tiled floor. "Mhm. In the middle of the night, you stumbled into Lambda half-awake n' stole my bed from me, telling me you'd give it back to me later. You were mumbling something about a 'stupid brat' n' not ever getting any breaks. Also, there was a lots of swearing, and you looked real tired."

"Last night?" I mumbled with a yawn. "I don't remember..." I suddenly perked up. "Wait, Orion, what day is it?"

Orion scratched their chin. "It's November 15th...?"

I paused momentarily as I took his words in. "November 15th?" I shot up to my feet. "It's been 3 days since the attack on the capital, then!"

"The what?!"

"Oh, shit." I groaned, rubbing the back of my neck. "I've got to go–"

"Wait!" Orion exclaimed, tugging my sleeve. I turned to face them slowly with a curious expression. "Um... Well... Leuvis... wanted me to tell you he was waiting for you when you woke up."

"...Why?" I asked, though I feared I already knew the answer.

"Well... he finished the cure yesterday, so..."

My stomach twisted. "You know what? Uh, tell him I died of some mysterious disease, and I'm just gonna–"

"After all the work I put into my end of the deal," his voice sent chills down my spine, "wouldn't that be quite rude?"

I turned to face Leuvis slowly, my throat dry. "Leuvis, I–"

"Well, after all that, you wouldn't let me down, would you?"

"I totally would." I muttered lowly before my tone turned tentative. "Leuvis, I'm not feeling it. I can't... die right now."

"Then kill me!" he hummed humorously. "Isn't that the point of a fight to the death? Well, it's only fun when both sides are desperate for survival!"

I gritted my teeth. "I can't."

"Why not? Are your weapons the problem? No worries! I've a stash of old guns here."

"That's not–"

"I'll give you a full 12 hours to prepare. For someone of your caliber, that should be enough to re-familiarize yourself with the tools and rest up. Even then, I'll have you know in advance... I'm nearing my regeneration limit, Y/N. It is within your capabilities to kill me myself– else it wouldn't be a fun game, of course."

"Leuvis, I don't–"

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice." Leuvis rose to his full height. "If I'm not dead by tomorrow, I will go about killing as many people close to you as I can." he giggled. "How's that for incentive?"

My blood chilled. "What?"

"Toodle-oo! I'll meet you in the electrical room in 12 hours. Don't be late~~"

Once Leuvis exited the common area, I slid to the ground. "Shit!" I cussed angrily. "If Leuvis goes on a rampage, and finds them somehow..." I wrapped my arms around my head, cussing again. "Of all the times for them to get here..."

"Y/N... are you okay?" Orion asked nervously.

I chuckled drily. "God knows how long it's been since I last was." I mumbled, pushing myself to my feet. "Do you know where Leuvis keeps these guns?"

Orion shrugged. "he has a back room he stores stuff in... Maybe there, I think..."

I nodded tiredly. "Show me the way."

Indeed, it was a glorious stash of weapons. With my new-found muscle, I was able to wield most of them, though I settled on a handgun, and strapped some extra ammo to my chest. I wouldn't have to travel with a bag or anything else heavy, so I selected an extra gun that used the same ammo and strapped both of the handguns to my thighs. I made sure I had all my knives, and then sharpened them.

Then, lastly, I grabbed a larger automatic sniper-like gun, strapping it to my back.

Then I took the guns outside, and tested my aiming accuracy. It took a few tries to get the feel of them down, but soon I was able to utilize them as if I'd been using them for years.

By the time this was done, I had 10 hours until my duel with Leuvis.

I then ate lunch with the other demons, who were in a cheerful mood now that they'd accessed a cure. Many of them took time out of their meal to thank me, as well. Once that was finished, I cleaned up and re-dressed my wounds, making sure they were all healing well– and that the stitches on my arm were in place. 

Thankfully, they were, and there were no abnormalities at this point.

9 hours remaining now.

I took another well-needed nap, safely in a hidden space I found, away from the others. Unfortunately, the sleep was patchy, and I often found myself staring at a wall instead, wide-awake.

6 hours.

I woke up and ate another full meal. I double-checked the ammo and my knives. I triple-checked my wound dressings and started stretching out my stiff limbs.

5 hours.

I had the children who explored Lambda provide me with a detailed layout of the farm. I took extra note of small hiding spaces, as I tried to predict what Leuvis' ploy was.

I located and studied a blueprint map of the farm's vents. I read all the manuals I could get my hands on.

3 hours

I ate a simple meal of beef stew.

I hoped it wouldn't be my last. God knows Mujika could do much better than watery beef stew.

2 hours

I sat at a table, with a pen and paper. With shaking hands, I prepared to write another letter.

I found myself unable to think of any words to write. There was nothing that I didn't feel I had to say in person.

In the end, I ended up writing one word: sorry. Then I folded up the letter and placed it in my belt, along with my medical supplies.

1 hour

I completed my final warmup. I triple-checked the ammo, guns, and my knives. I quadruple-checked my wound dressings. The readers should be preparing badass battle music playlists because the author said so.

It was mere minutes before time. I entered the electrical room, where the demon baron was already waiting.

"You didn't run away." he acknowledged, his tone heavy with amusement.

"I've already decided no more running away from my problems." I responded, loading a gun. "What's your plan?"

Leuvis grinned. "I've sent all the citizens out of the farm. Let's play another game, Y/N. This time, the whole of Lambda will be our playground. 

"You have until 12:00 am to kill me, or you lose. If you lose, I'll go on my rampage. If you kill me before then, it's game-over for me.

"I'll give you a 10 minute head start. That begins now." Leuvis' face spread with a spiky-toothed grin. "Lastly, for the record, my second core..." Leuvis pointed to his lower left abdomen, "is here. Of course, whether you believe this or not is up to you."

I stared Leuvis right in the eye, as time ticked by. The game would start at 10pm. I would have 2 hours to kill him, or my friends were at risk.

And my family.

I waited until there were 5 minutes left on the head-start timer. Then two. Then, I was mentally counting down the seconds.

As soon as the end of the head start finished, Leuvis' arm shot forward at my chest. I shot the gun at his face and it rang out with a "blang!"

"You missed~"

I turned on my heel and ran, as sparks flew behind me. Leuvis never learned.

The lights shut off then as the electricity went out. I had hit a main generator, effectively screwing the light's electricity supply. Red emergency lights flicked on in the halls, just enough light to see vague outlines and shapes.

I reached the spot I was looking for and stopped at a glass door. I stepped onto the handle, reaching for a vent above the door and prying it open. I quickly slipped inside, pulling the vent back in place as quickly and quietly as I could.

"Y/N~?" Leuvis' voice called through the hallway maliciously, not a moment too soon. "Why, I thought you weren't running away anymore?"

Without making a sound, I shifted in the vent, pulling out my higher-powered gun. Inside the vent, I turned onto my back, bracing my legs against the back end. Then, I listened quietly, while Leuvis' footsteps approached.

I inhaled sharply as he passed by my head, holding my breath. At the right moment, I pushed my feet against the hard surface, popping out of the vent, gun first. I shot at Leuvis' back, upper body hanging out of the vent. Then I inhaled sharply and pulled myself back in, clambering away from the opening. 

Not a second too late, as the spot I'd been in moments earlier was soon crumpled by Leuvis' hand.

Breathing heavily, I wormed my way through the vent. I pushed my feet against the side and slid up, making my way into to the ceiling.

I could hear the vent being demolished beneath me. I slid quickly through the vents until I reached a split, where the vent in front of me dipped to the ground. I gripped the corner and slid down the vent, finding that my feet didn't quite reach. I released my hand and my feet soon it the ground, with a barely audible "tmp!"

I gripped my gun, looking at the grate by my knees. Slits of red light flitted through the gaps that were intended to bring air into the room. I listened to the silence, and then kicked the vent in, sending it clattering across the floor. I quickly slipped through the small space, rising to my feet, at the ready.

There was no sign of Leuvis.

I poked my head out into the hallway, looking for a sign of the tall, shadowy figure, only to be met with silence. I checked my watch– I'd stolen it from a room of one of the scientists. The time was now 10:20.

One hour and forty minutes remaining.

I quickly slipped through the hallways, armed and at the ready. My breaths were heavy with tension, and I feared that the heartbeat pounding in my ears were audible through the whole abandoned farm.

I heard a noise behind me and spun, raising the gun.

A mouse skittered across the ground, squeaking quietly. A knot of tension in my shoulders relaxed, if only for a moment.

"I can hear your breathing."

Without looking, I fired the gun behind me, skimming Leuvis a few times. His hand shot forward and claws grazed my forearm, tearing through shirt and scratching my skin. I grabbed a hand grenade from my belt and pulled out the pin with my teeth, rolling it through the demon's legs.

I dove into an adjoining room, one covered with glass and filled with stuffed animals and toys as the explosion rocked the hallway.

"Y/N?" soon came Leuvis' voice from the door. I practically held my breath as I tried not to make a sound, though my chest heaved with adrenaline. "I know you couldn't have reached the vent all the way over there..."

I tensed behind the large stuffed giraffe I'd hidden behind, clenching the gun in my hands tighter. A few feet away, a large teddy bear was blown to stuffing as Leuvis stabbed a clawed hand through it, tearing it to shreds in an instant.

I flinched, squeezing my eyes shut tight. I took in a slow breath, trying to relax while Leuvis attacked the larger stuffed animals that would provide a good hiding place.

I crouched to the ground, getting onto my forearms and stomach. I quickly crawled away from the giraffe towards the door, amongst  a mess of smaller stuffed animals. At last, the large giraffe I'd been hiding behind was torn to shreds.

"Where are you...?" the sing-song voice carried easily in my direction, and I froze.

He can see me, I thought. I'm dead.

But no attack came, and instead, across the room, a separate area was blown to bits. I inhaled slowly and reached behind my back, releasing my larger gun. I set it in front of me quietly, and peered through the scope while Leuvis demolished a set of toy train tracks.

I aimed the gun at Leuvis' lower left abdomen and then pulled on the trigger, bracing myself against the heavy recoil by planting my feet against the nearby wall. I grabbed a piece of tape and stuck it around the trigger of the automatic weapon, running for the door. Within moments, the area surrounding the gun was demolished.

By then, I was already hightailing it away.

I slid into the nearest room and practically dove into the vent, finding safety in the small space Leuvis couldn't access.

I moved through the metal space quietly, frequently checking my watch as time passed, feeling faster than ever. I found a space in the ceiling where I could see the hallway below through several grates and stopped at last, sitting down. 

I gripped my handgun in my hands, looking through the slits of red light that came up from the hallway below, waiting for Leuvis to pass below as he scoured the hallways.

"You can't hide forever, Y/N..." his voice eventually rang out from nearby. "Time is ticking..."

I knew that better than anyone.

I saw the top-hat shadow pass below me and readied myself for action.

Maybe Leuvis heard the faint noises from directly above, or perhaps it was instinct. His arm suddenly shot up, piercing the vent mere inches from where I was sitting. My breath caught in my throat.

Slowly, Leuvis' arm retracted. He stayed there a moment, listening.

"Y/N, you can't hide forever..." I heard his voice in the distance, fading away as he moved further down the hallway. "Time is ticking..."

As his droning voice disappeared down the hall I released my gun, which clattered in the vent. I made a sound like a sob as I took in a shaky breath. My hands were trembling harder than they ever had before now.

I looked down at the watch on my wrist anxiously. 10:50.

One hour.

I closed my eyes, trying to calm my breathing. I'll make it out, I told myself. 

I have to make it out.

My breathing eventually calmed, and I slowly placed my gun in my holster. Then I climbed down from the overhead vent, swinging onto the floor– there was no sign of Leuvis.

I could feel pieces of a puzzle fitting together in my mind as I thought up of my plan.

It would take up most of my time to set up.

But I knew that at this rate, I'd be too focused on running away from Leuvis to get any real hits in. The plan I had now, by no means, would give me an upper hand. But if it works out, it could dull Leuvis' senses, maybe just enough for me to get an attack in.

I made up my mind, sticking my gun into my holster.

This was it.

I ran around, gathering things I needed while avoiding Leuvis. Then I made myself to the camera/control room. I grunted, pulling open a panel. I inspected the shot wires, the brass strands frayed. I carefully stripped the insulation off of the wires, cut off the frayed ends, and then twisted them back together, placing a tug on them.

Then I replaced the panel and sat in front of the cameras, slowly turning them on. As each of the screens flashed to life, Leuvis' figure soon appeared. Once the red light appeared on the camera– the signal they were on, Leuvis turned to face the camera's location, staring me dead in the eye.

A low grin spread over his face. He knew where I was now.

Good. Let him come.

As the screens of the camera room flickered, I leaned onto the desk, bracing myself.

This was it. Once this is over... there would hardly be anything left to settle.

Just a little more.

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Next chap should be out super soon. Just gotta edit a few things, hehe.

(If it's not out within the hour, I'm either dead, or eating my entire kitchen)