"Brian! you take her back to the room! Me and Aston will save the real victim!" Daniel speak as he head to the direction where the voices come from, followed by Aston.

"Damn, Daniel! You sound like a hero from the movies!" The black-skinned man chuckled as he run beside the other man. Daniel reply with the same serious face. "We had no other choice. If her plan is to kill all the 13 victim, then we should do anything to save them!"

They keep running until they get into another hall, though this time not flooded. What unnerving is that there are few dead bodies scattered through the area, seems just murdered a minute ago.

One of them are still moving. Daniel examine the dying man and tried to help, but his wound already too deep. With the remaining breath that he had, he move his lips weakly. "He... still here... Run..." After giving the warning, he stop moving. Just like the rest.

"It's too late..." Daniel grow frustrated, unable to figure out what to do. He don't even know if their target are among them or not, but if yes, they maybe lost one step behind.

Suddenly, the ceiling pour down water and fill the hall quickly. "He's going to use the same trick again..." Daniel take out his weapon, they both know what would come next. There no time to think or figuring things out, they must fight and survive this.

Ready with the confrontation, they both prepare their weapon and stand idle in center of the hall. After minutes of waiting, the same humanoid creature that attacked them before jump from the water to Aston, which he reflectively knock down with one strike of his knife swing. The monsters start surfacing one by one and group against them. However, Daniel could easily overwhelm him with a relentless quick attack, thin out the number as fast as possible.

Two of them attack Aston at the same time and few are behind. One of them lunge on him, and the man kick it until it thrown back to the other creatures. He then use his large knife the butchered them quickly. In less than ten minutes, the two manage to kill them all until nothing remain. The water turned red as their bodies filled the hall.

"Not bad, Mr. Former Cop." Daniel clean his cleaver as he turn to his battle partner. "You too, Mr. Unemployed." Aston replied with a comeback at his sarcastic praising.

The water stop leaking, and after a long silence, sounds of hand clapping heard from above the hall. "Not bad, not half bad..." The two man turn to the direction and spot a man dressed in black formal outfit and short brown hair combed to his back. He sit on the wooden railway, look down at them with an amused smile.

"You finally show yourself." Daniel speak as he prepared his weapon. "You must be one of them, one of the 13th missing people." That word change the man's expression, even more amused now. "Seems our prey start to realize about the predator that soon would hunt them down... Well then..."

He jump down to the hall, then lower his body, bowing down in Victorian-era manner. "My name is Clark." He start introducing himself. "A former businessman, now Liana's liegeman, and a gentleman."

Aston prepare his knife and took some distance from the man. "Cut the bullcrap! It's ain't no gentleman to brutally murder peoples and to trick us like this! If you dare, face me one o' one!" He start shouting to the man, seems unable to stand with his facade anymore.

Clark giggled as he smirked again. "I assume you prefer a duel instead of battle royale? As you wish." He snap his fingers as the water around him start to move by its own, it spin into a whirlpool. The liquid levitate into the air and form a solid matter; a broadsword. It didn't surprise them that he could do it after seeing what Karl could do.

Without waiting for his opponent to attack, Aston charge to Clark. However, the flooded hall decrease his movement speed, make him failed to rush at full speed. He swing his knife to the man, which he easily evade. Seems Clark didn't affected by the flood, as his movement stay as fluid as in the land. He counter his attack by striking relentless attack to his target, yet manage to be blocked by his knife.

He then tap the water with his feet in order to cause some splash, showering his enemy. While Aston get distracted, Clark strike powerfully at him, thrown away his knife to the water. Daniel realize something was wrong when Clark had a scheming smile and there are shadow inside the water that are moving. Knowing he's going to do the same trick to what he do to Russel, Daniel strike at the water, causing shriek to the yet-to-come monster, killing it before it surfacing.

"Catch!" Daniel toss his knife to the owner. He catch it and quickly back to his feet, ready his muscle and swing the blade widely. Clark manage to evade, but there are a horizontal slashing wound in his face. "Not bad..." He touched the blood in his cheek and seems to acknowledge their capability.

"Give it up! It's two against one!" Daniel joined the battle as he point his cleaver to the man. "And seems you can't regenerate as quickly as Karl, judged from how you move." Now he's smirked, finally had an upper hand at their enemy. True that Karl avoid getting hit, but Clark on the other way are startled by even a scratch, showing that he can't almost regenerate instantly like Karl.

Clark made a hissing sound, seems cornered as his card revealed. "Nice observation... But please don't compare me with such a mindless man as Karl. I'm on a whole different level than him, you see."

Suddenly, he touched the walls, and after the knocking, crack start to appear and torrent of water burst from inside, somehow. The water rose up quickly as Clark smirked. "If you don't take your leave, then you'll be eaten alive..."

He start submerging, as if the floor that support him descend down slowly. As soon he's disappear into the water, and the torrent from the wall stop. There only silence and anticipation about what they don't know, and the sound of our racing heartbeat.

Suddenly, massive creature in resemble a monster from the deep sea trench emerge from the flood. It's open the mouth that filled with thorn-like teeth, ready to eat them.

The two human scream as they tried to swim away as fast as they can, but the creature have the upper hand on the water. On critical condition between death, the abomination suddenly cry in pain and submerge back to the depth. Daniel and Aston still don't know what happened, until someone called them from up there.

"I told you I'm good with throwin' knives." Russel are there with Brian that help him to stand up. "Damn, Russel! You should come sooner!" Aston chuckled as he just realize what happened to them. "So you're the one who saved us... I guess we owe you one." Daniel speak as they get out from the flooding hall, and the water soon drained quickly.

They back to the room and dry their clothes meanwhile they use a spare shirt on the room. A young girl pass them a towel as she start introducing herself. "My name is Mary. I'm Brian's little sister, and apparently, not one of the 13 victim or whatever you people talked about." She speak in bright cheery manner. Her hair are blond and tied up into a ponytail.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Daniel, and apparently one of their target. Meanwhile, this big dude are Aston, and obviously not their target. Don't worry, he don't bite." Daniel shake her hand and then point his thumb to Aston, which let out some gags on the room.

"So, found the real victim?" Brian still smiling, but trying to be serious by fixing his glass. Daniel sighed, slightly thinking on what to explain since he don't know much either. "There are few casualties. However, we don't know if this corpses are the actual victim or not."

"And we also found out that the murderer on this floor is gentleman wannabe called Clark." Aston now speaking. "He maybe ain't as strong as Karl, but he's a smartass. He move like a butterfly and strike like a freaking shark, no pun intended." He's done with his rant, as Daniel slightly giggling by his description. "Anyway he's a real formidable opponent. He had the upper hand on the water." Daniel close his eyes, trying to recall the fight. The image of the deep sea monster that about to swallow them also still fresh in his head.

Mary had sudden of expression change. "Wait... Could you describe him?" They look at each other. Daniel held his chin as he tried to recall his appearance. "He's taller than me, almost had the same height of Aston, but are lanky. He's dressed in formal office attire and has his hair combed backward. He act just like the stereotype of a gentleman. Tad annoying, I must said."

Mary try to imagine the man, then she shook her head. "Then it's not him."

"Wait, what do you mean by that?" Ellyn asked her. Mary seems quite confused, but explaining anyway. "He's not the one that help me when the monsters attacked us. He also the one who told me to hide there and not to go out until it's safe." She change her expression again. "Oh wait, we're talking about our enemy? Then never mind, since the guy that helped me clearly a nice guy, so he must be our friend!"

The group went silent for a while, leaving Mary hanged as she get an awkward moment alone. "He sound know a lot... Could it be..." Daniel look at Brian, and he agree. "He's one of the 13 Sacrifice, just like you and Ellyn."

Nobody speak and just nod weakly, giving sign that everyone had the same thought. However, knowing it doesn't help much when no one could be done now. There are no lead on where either the enemy or his target. The least that they could do are to prepare everything and try their best to stay at their best condition. Russel also start to recover, so he could at least walk by his own now.

Meanwhile, Daniel and Aston are questioned by Brian related since they're the one who confront Clark. "Anyway, doesn't seems he's one of our staff." Said Brian. Aston seems trying to recall something, and finally could pull it out. "I think I heard about him before." He start confessing. "He's one of our guest that went missing few years ago."

Aston take a pause as he turn to the window. The non-stop rain support the mellow atmosphere. "I heard he went bankrupt, and also divorced with his wife. He said his rent went out from his reach, so search for a cheap lodge, and since there aren't any, he ended up in here." He end his speech.

Russel suddenly awake from his bed. "Wait a sec. How could a man that couldn't paid his rent would choose to stay on a hotel? Also, ain't there are cheaper motel around here?" His word does made sense.

"Yeah, his reason doesn't made sense..." Brian re-examine his note. "Maybe it's just a made-up reason?" He take a deduction. Everyone was thinking until someone ask the most basic question: "But why?" Ellyn asked.

Daniel look at the window. "Maybe so we wouldn't know about his true intention..." He point his index finger as he speak. "Maybe he don't want us to know about his personal problem. Or two..." He also point his middle finger along with the index as he told the second probability. "His true motive aren't what other should know. Example, he called to this place by Liana."

Everyone look at each other. Ellyn and Aston are amazed, Russel and Mary, get confused, and Brian seems to agree with him. "But we don't know why Liana choose someone who isn't on the hotel from the beginning... Or if it's even possible for her to do it." Brian question his argument, and Daniel simply answered by smiling bitterly.

"I don't think we should question about possibility after all that have been happened with us." Ellyn nod, agree with him. "After all, she's the one who call us to here. Surely she had us on her list, and she had some reason to choose us... Somehow."

After what the two said, there are no more conversation. Just sound of the unstoppable rain that always accompany them as a background noises. After a while, Russel decide to revive the talk with a simple question: "Hey, where are the kids?"

Brian, still lying on the floor, replied with an eyes closed. "They with Mary on the other room." Aston which almost asleep now wake up again. "Wait... You let a girl with two little kids alone on the other room? What if something happened? They had no one to protect them!"

Daniel, which also resting, now wake his eyes and sighed. "Just for the note, Peter and Caroline are middle schooler. So they aren't a little kids."

Just as he finished the note, a loud blast heard somewhere. Few seconds after that, Peter rush into the room, coughing, seems just running away. "Brian I told you not to leave the kids-" Aston about to speak, but Peter cut him off. "Guys, there... There someone under attack!!"

Daniel and Brian look at each other, knowing what just happened. "It's the real victim."

Following the direction of Peter, they arrived to another flooded hall. It's not as large as the previous other hall, but it's crowded with monsters, and a single man stand between them. Just when they about to go in, the ceiling bust open, pour down enormous amount of water into the corridor. The group swept away by the stream, only Aston and Daniel that manage to keep their feet.

"Thou shalt not interfere." 

A familiar voice heard beyond the waterfall, and someone emerge from it. Clark stand normally as seems didn't affected by the strong current. "It's nice to see you again, and seems you two adapt to my water pressure already. Well then..."

He touched the waterfall as he took out something from the liquid. A knives now present, and ready to be tossed into his target. "If you stay, you'll be killed, but If you dodge, you'll be swept away by my current, and you'll never be able to save him... Let's see what this two gentleman value most. Their life or the life of another innocent in front of their eyes?"

The two didn't answered and simply trying to get a hold onto something, trying to survive the stream. Amused by their determination, the man can't help but laugh. "What a naive... Well, I like it better that way. Adieu!" Clark ready to throw his knife as he smirked.

Before his hand tossed the knife, suddenly someone grab his hand. "You don't need to choose." Without letting the prey to react, another hand come from the waterfall as it slice the throat of the man with a kitchen knives, finished him quickly. Clark drop down to the water he submerged. As the stream stop, it revealed that the man which suppose to be the victim already finished all the monster below, and now just saving the two man which suppose to save him.

"Holy shit...you deal with all those monsters alone and now already done with that bastard ?" Aston said in amazement, but the man interrupt him by putting his finger on his mouth. "Be careful. He still alive."

They prepared their weapons, yet after minutes of waiting, there only sounds of water dripping, and the water soon drained quickly. He sighed as he took his knives back to the sheath. "I guess he get away already." He change his deadly serious face to a friendly smile.

Daniel put his cleaver back and extend his hand to the man. "My name is Daniel. I'm one of the 13 Victim that they choose."

"Whoa whoa, Daniel! Don't use that 13 Victim thing! He don't know what you're talking about!" Aston immediately intervene, but the man chuckled and accept his handshake anyway. "My name is Faiz, and don't worry, I know what you're talking about. Though I never use that 13 Victim term."

Aston look at the two with an astounded look. The two seems to fit each other, based on their sharp and keen personality, also with their combat capability. The difference is that Faiz are clearly a foreigner, which can be seen from his face and accent.

Successfully done saving their target, and recruit new allies, the three returned back to the room. On there Faiz introduce himself properly to the team.

"My name is Faizal Abdulah, but people call me Faiz. Nice to meet you guys, and may peace be upon you all." He speak with a hint of Middle Eastern tongue.

The group introduce themselves one by one, and after hearing about Ellyn's introduction, he point his finger to her. "Looks like you're also one of the sacrifice."

Everyone look at her, then switch their eyes to Faiz. "By sacrifice, you mean..." Without waiting, he nod. "How could you know that?" Brian ask him with both amazement and disbelieve. Faiz simply smiled. "Intuition."

The group went speechless until the man continue. "Other than that, it's because all sacrifice suppose to be a 13 special people that summoned here by a certain lady known as Liana Springfield, which also the one that called me."

The group are still speechless, until Brian open his notebook and look at the man. "You must be him." Now everyone are looking at Brian. "Among all the 13 people who been called by Liana, I heard there is this peculiar one who insisted on questioning us about Liana, right after he know that he's not the first one in this case, since there already some people that come to the other staff, claimed to be called by Liana."

Faiz gently move his head up and down. "I simply smell something weird, and knowing I'm not the only victim of this case, this might be a series of phone prank, or something more serious."

Daniel whistle as he smirked. "You conclude that based on just that?" Faiz nod shortly.  Russel cracked as he clap his hand in amused laugh. "This man is better than Aston at analyzing stuff!" The group giggled as Aston replied by a simple "Shut up."

The situation are lighthearted and friendly, until Faiz stand up and smile.

"Well, since we're done with the introduction... Shall we arrange our weaponry now?" He smirked.

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Author's Note

Thanks for reading as always, and would appreciate some comments with vote here. :)

A rather long chapter, and to think that the whole arc suppose to only be two chapter is just unbelievable. Though I'm not sure if this is the best point to start it and to end it, since there many points in this arc that fit to be the end or start of each chapter, and I had hard time figuring which one to use. Well, I decide this is the best point to start and end this chapter. It's quite long, but we need all those explanation on their discussion. Plot first, people.

Another chapter would come on the next week, and I hope you like it because things start to get intense with some more action! I'm excited with it, and hope you guys like it! *^*/