Heavien's oil painting of a woman is an indirect self-portrait. It was she who, despite her gentle and calm face, had hidden her true emotions. Anger, hatred, sadness, frustration.
Leonthan saw the real her just by looking at and interpreting that painting. Silence is the title because silence has the loudest emotions. It is something intangible and invisible, but a powerful sentiment. One can't read the painting right away, but it has a deep meaning.
"It may be a selfish thing to hold on to you, but I will never let go of you, even if it kills me. But this will be my end, so letting you go is the last thing I would do... Heavien."
This is what the boy whispered in her dreams several times when her memories hadn't been fully recollected. Same tone, same emphasis, and the same voice. Leonthan turned out to be the one who was saying those words. She is delighted when he calls her by her name.
"Thank you," Two words came out of her trembling lips with puffy eyes.
There was just a tear dripping down her left eye. At the same time, the boy who shook her whole world and changed her destiny closed his eyes. She kissed his forehead and stroked his soft, dark brown hair. She embraced him tightly. Even though there is no more life left, she stated...
"I am so glad to have met you—not just as a co-player of this game but as a friend who holds you dear. I will never forget you, even though 60 days passed. I will lose my memory of the game, but not the memories of you. Because of you, I met more friends from this game. I learned and discovered a lot of things about life. I will cherish it all until I grow old. As for your will, I will live to the fullest because of the second life you granted me in exchange for yours. Thank you for everything, Leonthan."
She glanced at his innocent face. How peaceful he looks.
"Miss Heavien Cyre Luvitos, also known as Second, congratulations! You are the Triumphant of the fifth tri-games!" That's the voice of Author.
Heavien searched for its hologram and saw that it was just beside her. They were in the middle of the living area, where Author often shows up.
She laid down Leonthan's lifeless body. She slowly wiped away her tears and tried to regain her courage.
"Author, I know I won't be able to receive a tri-prize from winning the fifth tri-games because I already won the fourth. I've used up the time' and I just went back to the game. But why are you still here? Is it just to congratulate me?"
"It is a sign of gratitude."
She smiled subtly at what Author remarked.
"As for your wit and valor, I congratulate you as the fourth and fifth winner of the fourth and fifth tri-games. You may now leave the nth planet and return to Earth."
"Um, wait. Why is this game the same as the last?" She questioned why Leonthan had different games and players from third to fourth.
"The fifth tri-games is identical to the fourth, unlike the third. It is a loop. When a winner wishes to replay tri-games with someone from the game who's already dead, the game style will remain the same, with a new set of games and new co-players. But if the one who got dragged from the previous tri-games has wished to go back with someone who's also already dead, it will exactly repeat the previous tri-games."
Heavien was left in awe. It was supposed to be a clue and advantage to her, but she didn't grab it.
Author told her that she can now go back to Earth, the so-called ex-planet.
"What about the bodies of Leonthan and the others? What would happen to them?"
"nth planet has its own cemetery for the players who reached 'game over'."
"What cemetery? Can I go there?"
"You will be given a chance to visit the nth planet's cemetery momentarily."
Good thing Author agreed, but she was surprised when Leonthan's body, which had been lying next to her, disappeared at once.
"Kindly proceed."
Suddenly, Author's hologram screen extended upwards as wide and as high as a door. She walked through that thing and is amazed at where she is now. She went back to the center of the galaxy, and she is now inside the glass capsule.
She observed the surroundings, and they're all here, the battle 24 with her. They were all inside an individual glass capsule, forming a big circle. They stood there like they were floating in the glass capsule, but their eyes were closed. A bit pale, and... lifeless. Their faces are peaceful compared to how they died. They still wear a school uniform with a clean appearance and physique. Each capsule has labels of its number names and real names.
There, she sees the lovely faces of Myriana and Rochevel. Brenille with his eyeglasses on. Trake still looks cool. She turned to the other side and saw the label, 'Eleventh' and 'Shaunrey Hortaia'.
It made her feel downhearted when she read that. He's Leonthan's younger brother. His face strongly resembles Leonthan's. She hasn't even been with him a long time during the game. She turned to her right side and saw Leonthan's body standing. Closed eyes, a bit pale, and lifeless. It appears that he's just sleeping soundly in a serene place.
"Time is up. You need to leave this planet and go back to Earth."
She can't do much but touch the glass capsule that separates the two of them. Everyone, she bid her farewell.
"By the way, I have another question." A sudden question came to her mind.
"What is it?"
"Since this is the fifth tri-games, it means there will be a next. How can one stop the tri-games from happening?"
If there's a way that she can put a stop to this gruesome game that kills people, she would not hesitate to try. Yes, there are prizes that tempt you to play, but the lives of 23 people cannot be compared to this.
"Good question. I'm glad you asked." She hopes she can get a good answer from Author. "As long as the nth planet exists, there's no way to stop tri-games from happening. After all, the nth planet solely lives because of the thoughts of the people on Earth. What people think that's impossible on Earth are made possible on the nth planet." What Author replied has made her hopeless. "Actually, there's one way."
That put a smile on her face. "Tell me!"
"That is to cease the human existence."
"What do you mean?"
"Without people on Earth, there'll be no thoughts and feelings, so does the nth planet and tri-games."
It made her feel worse. For her to stop the tri-games is to end the lives of people on Earth. As long as there are emotions made by humanity, the nth planet continues to live on, associated with the tri-games. They've been dragged here to play with no crystal-clear memories, so they were forced to play for the sake of living. After a few levels and stages had passed, they regained everything about their identity, making them more motivated to win. This game is unfair to those who died early and weren't able to recover all of their memories that would drive them to fight more eagerly.
"You seem to be friendlier to me than the last tri-games, Author."
"An incentive for winning twice."
"I won't be meeting you again, Author. Goodbye."
This is her way of saying goodbye to Author. And she does not wish to meet Author anymore. She's had enough of these tragic events. It was not really a 'good' bye because a lot of bad things have happened here.
She loathed Author too because of this survival game. But she willingly put herself again here to play one more time, expecting to change its outcome.
She trying to hold on to herself despite the bloody events. It was ironic to have said that to Author when, in the first place, it's this game that was the reason they killed each other for the tri-prize. But the thing that she's grateful for Author is that it has given her the second life that Leonthan wants her to have.
Heavien disappeared into space instantaneously. She closed her eyes. The surroundings lit up like the light when she and Leonthan touched his necklace, and they found themselves inside the game.
She has mixed emotions that make her want to burst.
Goodbye to all of you, battle 23.
She will never forget all of them. She is grateful to have met them. They worked hard and fought together to reach this conclusion.
Heavien opened her eyes in case everything would return to a normal beginning.