by Terra Snover
“Maybe you are willing to make that choice for the world, but I’m not." We blinked tears from our eyes. "I’m sorry, Leon, but you give me no choice.” We started to put pressure on Leon’s neck. What little Health Points he had left started dropping with every passing moment. “We’ll talk about this when you respawn."
“And I’m sorry about this.” Leon swung his katana at our center and we had to step back to dodge the attack, and lightning quick Leon tossed a knife right into our eye. We fell back and shrieked, dropping one of our swords and pulling the knife from our eye. We let out a battle cry and with the sword we had left we rushed at Leon and thrust our sword into his chest. Leon coughed up foul smelling viscera and wrapped his hands around the sword. He frowned, his eyes moving from the swords that penetrated him to our eyes. His health dropped ever lower. “Amber… Make sure I don’t come back… Promise me that I won't wake up again,” he mumbled then went limp.
"I'm, I'm… sorry, Leon." We pulled our blade from Leon's limp body, tears streaming out of our one good eye. His health dropped to zero but he didn’t disappear, he was just slack on the floor! Did we kill him or not? None of this made sense, he should have vanished and come back in the morning, but there was a DoS happening so maybe the rules were different right now.
No time to dwell on this, there were more important things to consider right now. We looked away from our friend to Var. We stumbled over to the wall and leaned against it. We weren't doing well, we only had a few HP left and with one good blow we would be dead. We looked over the hall with our good eye, and watched as the people she cared for tried to kill each other. Thaz and Gelm were wrestling on the ground in an almost comedic manner, shouting at each other due to the misunderstanding of all misunderstandings. Drac and Tilln were fighting with multiple illusions of Alexander and Hell’a. Then there was Var, out of all the people in this room she was in the most danger, she was fighting a battle for the entire world of Another Online. The fate of every N, Monster, GM and player in her, my, yeah, my hands. That was me there and I was doing something important... I was fighting the Mama! “Get, me, back…” I managed to push my words out through Amber's body. Amber shook, I could feel the shock from her. “Var?” she asked.
“Get me back,” I said again. She gave a nod and slowly moved through the chaos to my body. Amber was barely avoiding stray spells, arrows and blows. Her legs didn't want to work, she was in so much pain.
Amber finally reached me and reached out to me. Amber placed her hand on my cheek and whispered, “Var, you can do this. I believe in you.” Moments later, the entire world shook, every object in the Great Hall began to glitch, pulsing in and out of existence. Messages filled Amber’s vision, every last one of them was total gibberish. Suddenly, gravity stopped working and everything lifted into the air, well everything but my body. I seemed stuck in place. Everything started moving away from my body as if a heavy wind was emanating from her, the many stained-glass windows in the room shattering into the grounds beyond. Amber scrambled to grab my hand, managing to barely grab onto it. Amber clung onto my hand using all her might to hold onto me. “Var, please come back to us!” Amber struggled to hold on, her hand slowly slipping away from Var’s.
I found myself on the ground of the center. Mama slowly walked towards Lily. “-should we do with you?” she asked menacingly. I jumped to my feet and pounced onto Mama. She slid face first onto the ground and I took this opportunity to open her terminal and selected all her code. “Time to go, you… I’m sorry.” I reached for the delete key. But it was just gone. I didn’t delete her, she was still here. Oh gods...
She smiled. “Time’s up.” She blinked away from me, reappearing in the center of the room, floating. “Well, my Sugar Dumpling, I think-” and her head suddenly jerked to the side. “I think-” then her head jerked up, then down, then to the left. Her head started jerking around faster than I could see. “Well, that’s… I...” She stopped and looked into the middle distance. “Oh my god, I...” She grabbed her head. “It's so big.” Her eyes went wide. “I… I… Can’t!” She screamed a scream of pure terror. “We have made a mistake. God, what have we done?!” She fell to her knees. “WHAT HAVE WE DONE?!” Her eyes went completely white. Black, jagged lines started to grow from her eyes and slowly grew over her body. “BrOKen SkY,” she gasped, mouth wide. The inside of her mouth was black like a void. She held out her hand, reaching out to us. The jagged black lines started to grow out of her, spreading across the ground. The room turned orange with squares on it, with the word, 1 meter, against each of the squares. “Var, I think we should go.” I almost jumped out of my skin when Lily talked. I had forgotten she was in the room. Lily took a step away from the ever expanding black lines.
“But-”
“VAR!” I glanced away from Mama to Lily. “We need to go!” She grabbed my wrist.
“I…” I looked back to Mama, if you could even call her that. She was nothing more than a black figure shrieking incoherently. I took a deep breath and turned back to the red door. We ran into the hallway, but instead of moving into it we fell through the ground like it wasn’t there. I looked up at the endless sea of hallways and rooms above me like their floors were made of one sided mirrors where I could see into everything like there was no floor at all.
The jagged blackness crept into the walls of the hallway, turning everything into that orange grid. “Var!” Lily shouted, pulling herself close to me. “FLY!” Oh yeah, I have wings! I spread them and tried to fly but nothing was happening, it was like there was no air to catch onto.
“I can’t!” The floors above us were growing ever smaller as we fell deeper into the void.
“Var… I’m sorry, but this is where we part ways.” Lily pushed off of me and opened a terminal.
“Lily, what are you doing?!” I shouted and reached out to her as she typed.
“Saving you, you silly woman.” She closed the terminal. “I’ll always love you!”
“Lily, I-” but she was gone, everything was gone.
It was warm. Like in an oven warm. I opened my eyes and found a mess of glowing red- something. It was hot and soft. “Var?” It was Amber’s voice. I realized that I was engulfed in Amber’s arms, my face full of her hair.
“No! Damn it, you fools! We had a deal! We were going to end this!” Drac shouted. I turned my head and saw the throne room a total mess. Broken colored glass, rubble, gears and cogs. Hell’a, Drac, Tilln, Gelm, Thaz, Alexander, and Leon laying amongst all the chaos.
“Ha, ha, ha, ha, we did it.” Hell’a stood up and licked her lips. “We are free! I knew this day would come. I was too damn cunning not to make it happen.”
“Shut your damn mouth, you psychopath!” Tilln shouted, pulling an arrow out of her shoulder. “I’ll kill you!”
“Oh honey, I would like to see you try in your condition.” Hell’a crouched like a mountain cat ready to pounce on a rabbit.
“You’re not in wonderful shape yourself, blood sucker!” Tilln pointed her spear at Hell’a.
“Enough!” called a shrill voice from the broken window. I peeked to see Pronoia standing there. Her wings were spread open, her face angry. “Dark ones, on this day you all die!”
“Oh, drop the act, beloved, the System is dead. We’re free.” Wait, did Hell’a just call Pronoia beloved?
“It’s done? You did it?” Pronoia glanced around the room.
“I did, we can now rule this world together.” Hell’a approached the broken window as Pronoia glided to the ground and landed next to Hell’a. My eyes went wide, looking at them and seeing the names floating above their heads, it all clicked, ‘N0-0991, Pronoia Hester, Lady of the Sun’ and ‘N0-0991, Hell'a Oll’don, The Mistress.’ N0-0991, they were from the same person, just like there were other 2244s there was another 0991! Hell’a leaned into Pronoia and they kissed passionately. Well, that was something I didn’t do with other 2244s. Everyone just watched, it seemed they were as dumbfounded as I was. Well, everyone but Alexande
r who was walking to the two of them, his tail swinging smoothly with every step. Once Hell’a and Pronoia pulled back from the kiss, Alexander nodded his head. “It worked, Hell’a, I think our business is concluded?”
“Ah yes, Alexander. Your work on the DoS device was more than I could have hoped for.” Hell’a smiled.
“And my reward?” He moved a small step closer.
“Yes, yes. I have all the equipment and ships you have asked for.”
“And Milly?”
“Yes, she is safe, none of my people will ever lay a hand on either of you.” Hell’a’s eyes scanned across the room and stopped where Leon lay on the ground, bleeding out. “Pronoia, would you be a dear and get the progeny? I hate to see a child of mine die in this way.”
“Yes, beloved.” Pronoia jumped over all of us to the other end of the hall, her wings flapping once or twice to get her there.
Hell’a then turned to face the rest of us. “Now you all have a choice: join me and become a noble in the True Red Empire... No, Empire of Blood, or become my enemy,” Hell’a called out to everyone in the hall.
“Hell’a, I can say without any hesitation that I never liked or trusted you. Both Tilln and I would rather shove a pitchfork up our ass than join you.” Drac shook his head and crossed his arms. “Up yours, you psychotic bitch.”
“Oh Prince, you made the wrong call.” I could tell she was going to attack him. I couldn't handle losing anyone else today so I made a choice. I stood up and looked Hell’a in the eye. “Hell’a, enough!” I shouted using my most strong tone.
“Var, I don’t recognize your authority anymore.” Hell’a looked away from Drac, her full attention on me. “Truth be told, you were nothing more than a plaything for me, to be discarded when I was done with you.”
“But you said you needed me to change the world!”
“Red would have worked as well.” Hell’a’s eyes drifted to Amber. “Amber is far less of an unruly problem child. I could have gotten her wrapped around my finger and we could do the DoS with me at the wheel.”
“But why?! Why do this?”
“The strongest rule. The weak follow. That’s how the world always worked. Another Online is no different.” Hell’a put her hands on her hips and licked her lips.
I shook my head at her. “Strength doesn’t come from one person, it comes from the individual coming together and making something more!” I put my hand out to help Amber up. “Together we become greater.”
“Together.” Amber held one of her swords in her hand, ready for a fight. She looked just as much of a mess as everyone else in here but you could feel her will.
“Together!” Thaz held out her crossbow, pointing it at Hell’a.
“Ugh, together,” Gelm added wobbling on his cane.
“Together,” Tilln and Drac said with viciousness in their eyes.
“So Hell’a, Pronoia, I offer you this one chance to leave here unharmed.” I pointed my finger at her, ready to cast a spell. “Or you could try your luck with all of us.”
“Var, you are always a joy and a pain.” Hell’a shrugged. “I know when I’m beat. So we’ll leave here today. But know that we will be taking over this world and if you get in our way we’ll end you.” Pronoia returned to Hell’a’s side, Leon in her arms.
“You leave Leon here!” I demanded.
“Oh Var, try and stop us.” Hell’a jumped onto Pronoia’s back and the two flew through the broken stained glass window.
“Black Hole!” I cast my spell but Pronoia went straight up, leaving my line of sight, and my spell disappeared into the sky. No, sky was the wrong thing to call it, black jagged lines were crossing the sky intertwining with each other. In between the lines were different skies, one a sunny day the other a storm, another the night sky, another a nebula, one a color testing screen. On and on the Broken Sky went.
I shook my head, now was no time to watch the insanity happening outside. I turned to face everyone. I tried to keep my composure, I tried to look strong, but I couldn't handle it anymore. I was broken, Papa and Mama were gone, Lily was lost, Leon had been taken, everything was wrong. I fell to my knees and cried. Amber rushed over to me, wrapping her arms around me. “Var, it’s okay, everything will be okay.”
“Mother, I mean Var,” Drac said rage in his voice.
“Not now, Drac!” Amber barked at him.
“It’s now or never,” he responded.
“It’s okay, Amber…” I lied, trying to keep my tears under control.
“Var, why? We had a chance to end this.” His eyes tightened with frustration.
“And we did end it. But not in the way we talked about.” I tried to smile at him but I couldn't muster it. “We’re free.”
“But for how long? Hell’a won't stop until she takes over everything. I know her. The world she makes will be far worse than the one we had before. If you would have talked to me about all this, or included us in this, we could have avoided working with Hell’a. You made a stupid short-sighted choice and now we are going to have to deal with this shitshow.”
“Drac, I did what needed to be done. I made the choices I had to make to get this done.”
“Var, you have your faults but I never thought this level of arrogance was one of them.” Drac frowned and shook his head slightly. “We were a team, but after what you did, I don’t know...”
“No, Drac, it will be fine. We can fix this,” I pleaded with him, I couldn't lose someone else today.
“No, I can fix this.” He looked away from me. “Var, I like you. You are fun to be around and you make me laugh, but I just can’t trust you anymore. This world needs a true protector.” He looked at Tilln. “We will be the people to save this world from that monster.”
“Yeah, we got this,” Tilln spoke with obvious pain in her voice.
“Var, you can do what you want now, as you said we’re free now, but I’m not going to be a part of your life anymore. I’m sorry...”
“No, I…” I fought back tears. “I can make this right.”
He turned away from me. “You can keep this city, you earned at least that. Know I am taking the other land to build an army so we can defend ourselves against Hell’a.” He started to walk out.
“No, you won't be taking it all.” Gelm’s voice echoed through the room. “The labyrinth is mine and I will protect all within it.”
“Gelm, you also?” Drac looked extremely disappointed.
“Drac, all I have ever wanted is to keep me and mine safe and protected. That’s just what I’ll do.” The two stared at each other for a good few moments.
“I’m sorry to lose you.” Drac shook his head slightly. “Goodbye.” And he left the room with Tilln close behind.
“And Var.” Gelm turned to face me. “It would seem I owe you a debt. You protected us all. I’m sorry if I got in your way, but if someone would have just told me what was going on instead of trying to kill me I may have been of more help.” His eyes drifted to Thaz.
“Yeah, my bad.” She placed a hand behind her head and looked away from us all.
“Now that I’m free, I think I’m going to head home and drink myself into a stupor. Maybe get back into sewing. My friend, I’m sorry to leave you, but know you are always welcome in my house.” He waved his hand at us all and walked out of the room.
“I’m going to head out as well.” Alexander was the next to speak. “I have a wonderful woman I think deserves to see the world. Milly and I are going to have our own adventure.” He looked at Amber. “And the free will to do whatever we want whether some people like it or not.” He straightened his necktie and slowly walked out of the room.
“Well, isn’t this a predicament.” Thaz walked behind us. “Just so you know I’m still with you, Var. I can’t say for how long.” She let out a sigh. “All my menu functions are gone so I can’t log out and I only have a bit left on my life support so…”
“Damn it, Thaz, I’m so sorry.” I was truly sorry. So many were gone becau
se of me.
“We all die eventually.” Thaz smiled. “And who knows, maybe I’ll stay alive, if you have shown me anything, it is that crazy shit happens here in AO.”
“Maybe…” I rested my face back into Amber’s warm embrace.
“Well, I’m going to check out what's happening outside. There is still a war happening, maybe one of us should clean that up.”
“No, the battle is over.” Of all the people I wanted to see right now, Oracle was not one of them. It would seem she lost her dress and wig in battle again, only leaving her mask. She was hanging from the broken window half in and half out of the room “The First Ones have stopped the attack as I now command them.” That statement was confusing... weren't they free to do as they wished? “Roe is pulling his forces back. The players are losing their minds because they can't open menus and can’t log out.”
“Well, shit,” Thaz said.
“Var, I don’t know what you did this day to destroy everything, but know I’m not displeased with the outcome. Also know I'm a woman of my word, and I and the First Ones will be leaving here this day.” I heard her mechanical movements as she started back out the window. She stopped for a moment. “But who knows what tomorrow may bring.” And then she was gone. Nimble little psycho.
“Var, I’m going to find the Wild Ones that are left, I bet they need me.” Thaz left, only leaving Amber and myself. We sat there, her holding me for I don’t know how long. All I knew was she didn’t speak or do anything but hold me until my tears were gone, I felt all the sadness my mind would allow me. “They're gone,” I finally said.
“Who?”
“Papa, Mama, the other me, and Lily, they're just gone because of me.”
“Oh no, Var.” Amber pulled me in closer. “Despite what you may think, your actions aren't the only thing that changes things in the world.” Amber stroked my hair. “We all make choices and we get to live with those choices.” I almost laughed. Years ago, under the tree where my sister had died, my Papa said the exact thing to me. I guess the kind and wise think and speak alike. I sat there in Amber’s arms for a few more minutes. “I think we should get up and see where we stand.”