Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 172: Star Players, Part One

{Lianna}

It felt like the day started just a little too early.

The sunlight filtered in through the curtains, pouring against Lianna’s eyes, as the girl stirred. She could hear her phone ringing, the sound prompting her to speed up the waking process just a little.

She was alone in bed. A rare thing these days.

As she grabbed it, she saw that the caller ID flashed with an unknown number, piquing her curiosity as she answered the call.

"Hello?" Lianna’s voice was still tinged with sleepiness.

"Good morning, Lianna. This is Matt from the Player’s Management Committee," the voice on the other end greeted warmly.

"Oh, uh, good morning. How can I help you?"

Matt quickly got to the point.

"We’re hosting an exhibition showcase next week, and we’d like to invite you and Mrs. Alteri to participate."

Lianna’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"An exhibition showcase?"

This sounded quite a lot like that Player Showcase she and Enverna had participated in before, during the time when they’d met Zura and where the president of Telvan had been assassinated.

[Come to think of it, I haven’t really heard much else about the president since then. Huh.]

"Yes, it’s going to be a series of combat matches between players, a fun event to showcase different styles and skills. Of course, there are rewards for the winners," Matt explained.

Lianna’s mind raced with possibilities.

This could be an excellent opportunity not just to have a good time, but also to spread awareness about the ongoing attacks on Watchful members.

[Maybe if we win, they’ll give me some time with a microphone?"

"What kind of rewards are we talking about?"

"Nothing too serious, mostly rare gear and some money. It’s more about the experience and camaraderie," Matt assured her.

A thoughtful expression crossed Lianna’s face.

"Can Enverna and I participate as a team?"

Aside from them being much, much less effective when separated, Lianna also figured this was very opportune in so far as combat research was concerned.

[This could also be a good chance to put that buff to use against some stronger opponents. I can look at my stat line and marvel at it as much as I want, but I still haven’t really taken on anything that could test me since the fight at Garriden. I wanna see how we’ll do.]

"Absolutely. We have duo matches as well," Matt confirmed.

Lianna nodded to herself.

"Alright, let me talk to Enverna about this. I’ll get back to you soon."

"Sounds good. Looking forward to hearing from you," Matt said before they exchanged goodbyes and ended the call.

Lianna tossed her phone onto the bed, her mind already spinning with plans and strategies.

She quickly got dressed, excitement replacing her earlier drowsiness. Making her way to the living room, Lianna found Enverna on the couch, watching tv.

"Good morning."

Those two words were packed with so much warmth that Lianna couldn’t even speak for a couple of seconds.

"Uhm, hey..." She breathed in, joining her.

"Something the matter?" Enverna asked, one brow raised.

Lianna wasted no time, diving into the details of the invitation from the event committee. She explained the concept of the exhibition showcase, the duo matches, and the rewards they could potentially win.

Enverna’s eyes lit up with interest as she listened.

"That sounds quite fun."

"Yeah, and I was thinking it could also be a platform to talk about the attacks on the Watchful. Spread awareness, maybe even gather information, you know?" Lianna added, her tone thoughtful.

Enverna nodded in agreement.

"It’s worth considering, for sure."

"So, what do you think? Shall we team up for this?" Lianna asked, a hopeful smile on her face.

Enverna returned the smile with a nod.

"Count me in. Let’s show them what we’re made of."

With their decision made, Lianna quickly called Matt back to confirm their participation.

The organizer was delighted to hear their acceptance, promising to send over the event details and schedule soon.

As Lianna hung up the call, a surge of anticipation and excitement filled her.

"Well, we better get to training."

[Our stats may be bonkers, but our skills are still lacking.]

Enverna leaned in a little.

"Aren’t there better ways to keep ourselves sharp than mere training these days?" She asked.

Lianna’s heart skipped a beat.

[God, when did she get so horny?]

"That too," Lianna replied with a chuckle.

"Very well," Enverna stood up. "I’m going to get ready."

On that note, she walked into the bedroom.

And, Lianna let the breath she’d been holding out.

[She’s killing me these days.]

---

The familiar whirring hum of Miss Taylor’s VR simulator greeted Lianna and Enverna as they stepped into the training room.

The room shimmered to life with digital displays and interactive holographic panels as G.E.M. welcomed them.

"Welcome back, Lianna and Enverna. Ready to begin your training session?" G.E.M.’s voice resonated in the virtual space.

"Yes!" Lianna nodded, a determined gleam in her eyes. "Let’s get started."

The simulation initiated, immersing them in a virtual landscape that mimicked a dark, foreboding forest, an ideal terrain for encountering Fiends.

Lianna gripped her bow, feeling its weight and balance even though it was a virtual projection, while Enverna readied her spear, her stance poised for action.

The first wave of simulated Fiends appeared.

Small, scuttling creatures with twisted limbs and menacing glares.

Lianna’s arrows flew true, finding their marks with lethal precision, while Enverna expertly parried and struck down the advancing foes with her spear.

The initial encounters were almost effortless, a testament to their honed combat skills and the buffs they had accumulated from recent victories.

However, Lianna sensed the need for a greater challenge. As they dispatched another wave of Fiends, she signaled to G.E.M.

"Can you increase the difficulty, G.E.M.? We need a real challenge," Lianna requested, her tone resolute. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"Of course, Lianna. Elevating the simulation parameters now," G.E.M. responded smoothly.

The virtual environment shifted subtly, becoming denser with shadows and presenting more formidable adversaries.

Larger, grotesque Fiends emerged from the digital foliage, their snarls and screeches echoing eerily in the simulated forest.

Lianna adapted quickly, adjusting her pace to account for the increased threat level.

Enverna’s spearwork became even more fluid and decisive, each movement calculated to maximize impact.

Their teamwork, forged through so many battles and shared experiences, shone brightly in the virtual arena.

Lianna would draw the attention of the larger Fiends with well-placed shots, allowing Enverna to move in for devastating close-range attacks. Their coordination was seamless, a dance of martial prowess and strategic finesse.

Despite the heightened difficulty, they maintained control of the situation, gradually whittling down the Fiend forces with each encounter.

As the last simulated Fiend fell, dissipating into digital fragments, Lianna and Enverna shared a triumphant glance.

Beads of sweat glistened on their brows, a testament to the intensity of their exertions even in the virtual realm.

"Well done, Lianna and Enverna! I calculate a 271% increase in combative efficiency since your last visit. Spectacular job," G.E.M. commended them.

[I... guess a lot has happened since then, huh?]

Lianna smiled, a sense of satisfaction warming her despite the simulated challenges.

"Thanks, G.E.M. Can you send us the performance data?"

"Of course. Sending it to your emails now," G.E.M. replied.

As soon as Lianna took off her headset, coming back to the real world, she noticed her phone ringing.

A call from Miss Taylor.

"Miss Taylor?" Lianna’s voice carried a note of uncertainty, the weight of her worry palpable.

"Lianna, there’s been an incident," Miss Taylor’s somber tone resonated through the phone, sending a chill down Lianna’s spine. "Xi was attacked last night. She didn’t make it."

The words struck Lianna like a physical blow, her mind reeling with disbelief and shock.

Xi, the Peaceful’s follower, a steadfast companion on a few missions, had been assassinated.

"Wait, what?" Lianna’s voice trembled with disbelief, her grip on the phone tightening involuntarily. "But... I..."

"We don’t know much," Miss Taylor said with a sigh. "There was a lot of blood at the scene, but hers was the only body found. All we can assume is that she fought multiple people, took a few out, but died in the end. The attackers then took their allies’ bodies and left hers behind, for some reason."

Lianna struggled to process the information.

The weight of the news hung heavy in the air, a stark reminder of the dangers they faced beyond the virtual simulations and training sessions.

"I’m sorry, Lianna," Miss Taylor’s voice held genuine sympathy. "The police are investigating the incident, but for now, be vigilant. We don’t know who or what we’re dealing with."

Lianna nodded numbly.

"Thank you, Miss Taylor. We’ll... we’ll stay alert."

As Lianna hung up the phone, her shoulders slumped.

[What in the world is going on, exactly?]