The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

The Reality

by J. Darksong & asianpersuasion

Culmination

James Windsaber has no idea what he was seeing. He’d never heard of Final Fantasy, or Kingdom Hearts, both decades before his time. The name ‘Sephiroth’ likewise meant nothing to him. But standing on the edge of the hillside, watching his uncle JD fighting their nemesis, he couldn’t help but compare the action and movements of the silver-haired warrior to a ballet, or a dance. Every move, every slice, every dodge—all were a thing of beauty, moving with such style and grace it seemed almost as if he were barely even trying.

Ray, in contrast, was all thrash and crush, his movements comparable to a bull in a china shop. They were both moving at incredible speeds, nearly too fast for the human eye to follow, yet each time, JD’s attacks struck true, while Ray hit only air. Wincing in pain, furious, he began casting spells, augmenting his attacks with fire, yelling out, “Draco Inferno, Hellblazer aetheres!” encircling his wrists and hands with fire, his rapid-fire punches lighting up nearly the entire sky with flames. And still, he was unable to make contact. “DAMN YOU! STAND STILL!” he yelled, charging in yet again.

“No,” JD said simply, activating his Flash, vanishing as Ray reached him, reappearing behind him an instant later, sword back in its sheath. “That’s enough,” he said casually, as a series of vertical slashes erupted across Ray’s body, causing him to drop from the sky. Lifting a hand above his head, JD risked a glance over at James. “And, just to add insult to injury—Shadow Flare!” he called out, summoning a ring of black energy orbs, sending them flying at Ray, pelting him relentlessly.

“GRRRRAAAAUUUGHHHH!” Raymond roared, lashing out with his wings, repelling the remaining energy orbs in his fury. Surging back to his feet, he glanced back up at where the attack had come from, only to find his enemy gone. “What th... where did you go?”

Sin...

Whirling around, he found him, hovering in the air several hundred yards above him, hands glowing with a blue light as he gestured, casting some kind of spell. Immediately, Ray noticed a series of glowing pink runes appearing all around him. A sudden sense of dread swept through him; he had no idea what the elder dragon sage was planning, but something told him it wasn’t going to be good.

Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! he thought in desperation, The power he is emitting... whatever this is... no choice, I must use this!! extending his hands sidewise “Inferni ignis Beelzebub erinys!” At once his body began to change—turning into that of a dragon—his skin was like made of semi-solid magma, as a huge firey magic spell of his materialized in the air.

Heartless...

“Grrrrr... goddammit!” Ray yelled, pushing himself to his limits, bringing out more and more power from his dragon side—his own mind slowly dissipating into a rage-filled oblivion as the dragon took control. The air itself began to burn from the terrible heat coming from his magic. The pink runes too, caught fire, dissipating into nothingness. Jeffrey’s eyes narrowed, pausing in mid-spell, even HE had seen no spell like this before.

“Uncle Jefrrey!!!” he heard James shout from below. “That’s the technique—what he used to destroy Bonnie’s protection!! IT’S A FUCKING HACK! In order to destroy your protection on Bonnie’s cove—he created a fucking worm cluster, a virus disguised as a fire spell powerful enough to burn away other spells.”

Jeffrey looked down, scowling. Around them, mountains began to crumble into sand as the heat blaze touched them, warped and twisted them, doing who knows what damage to the computer code for this section of the world. Ray, on the other hand, had gone completely berserk—his dragon side had taken over with his human completely repressed: were syndrome. That made things tougher; normally, Heartless Angel would have taken the rampaging pseudo-dragon easily enough no matter what state he was in. Unfortunately, he himself was on his last legs, and casting and maintaining such a complex spell took a heavy toll.

“Let me help!” he heard James shout through the heat. “Try making the spell again!!”

Suddenly he felt an explosion of power, making his very skin tingle—even Ray paused, turning to see the source of the enormous magic. James stood, his long silver hair blowing gently in the wind as an enormous blue-white aura encircling him. As if in cue Jeffrey started casting his spell again, but this time the pink runes were intermingled with the blue, dramatically increasing their power.

Ray let out an enormous bellow—looking this way and that—as if to figure out the greater threat, then faster than the blink of an eye he charged at Jeffrey.

Sin...

Jeffrey ignored him completely, focusing all of his attention and energy into this casting. He was completely unconcerned about Ray’s charge, trusting in his own strength, and in James, to pull it off. Heh. Said it was all or nothing to begin with, he mused to himself. As long as I get this off, it doesn’t matter what happens to me...

Heartless...

WHAM!!

A blue-white bubble enveloped him bathing him with a calming sensation, shielding him and deflecting Ray, stunning him enough to snap him out of rage. Scowling, he whirled around, glaring at the youngster, arms outstretched, panting with the effort of maintaining the shield. For a moment, he stood, frozen with indecision on who to go after, the one trying to kill him, or the one protecting his assailant. Growling, he went for the closer target, barraging the shielded Jeffrey with punches, putting everything behind them, each punch causing a million damage on impact. Yet no matter how much he tried they bounced back off the blue bubble—completely harmless.

Kazejin’s wind- the strongest wind in the game wielded by the wind god himself, Jeffrey mused to himself, as he gathered his remaining energy to complete the last sigil. He remembered those winds, he had seen them being made—by his very best friend, James’s father, Anthony. Completely benevolent in nature, it can take on the property of any substance in the game. And now your kid is using what you invented to avenge you and protect all those he holds dear. Heh. A regular chip off the old block. Just wish you were here to see this... Opening his eyes, he invoked the last word.

Angel.

The last sigil formed just as Ray charged again, fist outstretched, ready to try and break the invincible barrier. At the last instant, however, Ray gasped, his strength leaving him completely, his form shrinking back to human. “Wh...whaa...” he managed, sinking back down to the ground. He was sweating, panting, his legs barely able to hold him up as his feet touched the ground. “Wh... what the... fuck... just happened?!?” he managed, staring in shock at his status. His HP was gone, drained down to one point! His power, his strength, his speed—all of his stats had been likewise been reduced to one. Even more troubling, none of his special protections were active. It took him a second to realize why—his mana pool, which he’d programmed to be infinite, was completely empty!

He glanced up as JD and James landed on the ground before him, the older man sinking down wearily to his knees, while the younger walked towards him. James’s own life meter had gone down to red, and he was barely able to walk yet he strode towards Ray with purpose. “This is it,” James said resolutely, grabbing Ray by the neck, lifting him off his feet. “This is where it ends... where I pay you back for all the shit you’ve done to the people I care about!”

“So... you’ve come... to kill me... eh?” Struggling, grasping at the hands around his throat, Ray managed a shaky laugh. “I bet you... cant do it...” he gasped. “As soon as... soon as you... kill me... my slayer attribute will activate... it’ll fry both you... and your ‘uncle’ there.” He turned, however, as JD laughed wearily.

“Nice bluff, Ray,” the silver-haired man replied, struggling and failing to regain his feet. “But we all know you’re done. Heartless Angel stripped away all your special protections and attributes, including your Slayer counterattack. All of your stats have been reverted back to their original values—as in a new level one character.” He chuckled again. “Even if you could still activate it—which you can’t, with zero magic remaining in your mana pool—it would hardly do any more damage than a level one mage’s fireball.” His laughter died, however, as a spasm of pain crumpled him, sending him back to his knees.

“Heh heh! Not feeling too well, eh, Jeffrey?” Ray taunted. “I may go down here, but I still managed to get my licks in! That virus I infected you with is hitting you nearly as hard as I did! Even if the kid takes me out, you won’t be far behind....aaauuurrrkk!”

James’ left hand clenched tighter, cutting off Ray’s air, while his right hand began to pulse with an eerie black energy. “Do you think I will allow that to happen?” said James finally. “Ray, meet the winds of hell itself! Code Pluton” He squeezed Ray’s neck even tighter, causing his eyes to bulge. “You think your fiery hellblaze is the strongest force in this game? Able to reduce anything and everything to ashes?? Well think again- Code Pluton is the Reality’s version of antimatter—able to reduce everything to nothing! And with all of your safety protocols disabled, you know what that means, don’t you? There won’t be ANYTHING left of you, not even a death icon! When I kill your character, the feedback will completely sever the connection and fry your brain back in the real world! This is the end for you! Goodbye, you sick demented fuck!” He raised his fist, the black stenchful winds curling into a whirl around his fist, preparing to strike.

«James» a soft familiar voice spoke in his ear. «James, please! Don’t do it. Don’t kill him... not this way. Not in cold blood!»

James blinked. For a moment, he could hear, could almost SEE his Calypso, his beloved Bonnie. Closing his eyes, he shook his head. No. I have to do this! He has to pay!

«Yes... and he will. You will make him pay for what he’s done. But killing his body in the real world... it’s too much. You can’t! Please!» her voice spoke, imploring him for mercy.

“He killed you!” James said aloud through gritted teeth, his fist trembling. “He tried to kill me, and Uncle JD! He’s a monster, and he deserves to die!”

«I know,» Bonnie replied. «But I don’t want you, my brother, to be a killer. I don’t want you to become like HIM, James. You are better than him...»

Ray gasped, coughing as choking as he fell to the ground, as James released his chokehold. he managed a weak laugh. “Hehehe... pussy. I knew... you didn’t have... the guts... to go through with it...” His gloating died on his lips, however, as James extended his other hand, still glowing with black energy. Instead of enveloping him completely, a small narrow pin-shaped beam struck out, piercing through Raymond’s head, square between the eyes. He gasped, shuddering violently for several seconds before his HP clicked down to zero. His avatar vanished... and a black skull icon appeared in its place.

“Ahh... good man...” Jeffrey Danzig wheezed as James walked back to him, kneeling down beside him. “You... didn’t go through with it. Pluton... would have... totally destroyed him...”

“Yeah,” James said softly, scanning his uncle. “Instead, I just used a fraction of its powers to delete a part of his mind... erase it completely without any chance of recovery, the part that integrates itself with the game. He’ll live, but he won’t be able to play the Reality—or any virtual reality game ever in his life. His mind simply cannot enter any VR system anymore, let alone coming after us.” He cursed softly. Shit! His life is down to twenty HP and falling!

JD grinned sadly. “You mean, coming after you again, kid. I’m afraid I’m just... done.”

But James shook his head, placing a hand on the man’s chest, channeling his healing magic. “You’re not done, yet, old man. You’re going to be around a bit longer. I need you here... you know... for when Bonnie comes back.” He forced a smile. “You know she’ll be pissed when she wakes up and you’re not here.”

JD laughed despite himself. “Yeah... the girl DOES have a temper...” He sighed softly. “Look, James... let’s not kid ourselves. I’m in bad shape. Changing into this form... did a number on my original code, and that virus trashed everything that was left. I’m... not quite going the way of HAL 9000 and start singing ‘Daisy, Daisy’, but I’m seriously pretty close...”

“It’s... it’s going to be okay!” James insisted, pouring more energy into his healing, grunting in frustration as JD’s life continued to drop, rising up one point and dropping two. “Goddammit!” he snarled. “I’m NOT going to let you die like this! Not now, after everything we’ve been through!”

“Heh. You forget, kid... I’m already dead. JD is just a shadow... an afterimage of the real Jeffrey Danzig. So it’s no big loss if I go... I’ve been gone for more than thirty years. As long as Kyle gets the last relic, and you are alive and well, then I’ve done my job...” He sighed and closed his eyes.

James, however, wasn’t done. Summoning the last of his mana energy, he cast a quick but complex spell. “Caelum draco, vita statera!” A blue glow enveloped JD, and finally, blessedly, his HP stopped falling, His own life channeling into the older man, balancing them at the same HP. “Sorry, Uncle,” he said softly, kneeling down to lift the taller man in his arms, “but didn’t I tell you that I’m not ready for you to die just yet?” Pulling out a teleport crystal, he smiled softly. “Come on. I know just the place we can rest and recover.”

* * *

“You’re... Anthony Sanchez?” Kyle said, stunned by this sudden turn of events. “One of the original creators of this world? And... you’re a Dragon God, like JD?”

Anthony frowned, slightly, head tilted. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand the second question,” he replied, then smiled again. “As to the first, it would be more accurate to say that I am an NPC... an autonomous AI construct, modeled after Anthony Sanchez. I was created to deliver a message to the one who managed to obtain this, the last of the seven golden relics.” He gestured, and a stone slab slowly slid back, revealing a raised dais. And sitting in its center was a glowing golden circlet. “The relic is yours, Kyle Shadowchaser. You have earned it.”

“Great,” Kyle replied, taking the band from its dais. “So I guess that’s it, then. You said you had a message to give me, right? Then go ahead and tell me. I need to get out of here soon...”

“Yes,” Anthony replied with a slow nod. “My message is as follows: ‘Congratulations on obtaining this relic. If you have come this far, then you know about the power these pieces grant to the holder. Know you now, however, that the item you now hold was never meant to exist. Indeed... the dragon relics represent an accidental discovery... a mistake that should have never been allowed to see the light of day. My fellow creators and I somewhat disagreed on what to do with this discovery. I thought to trust our employers, that their decency as people would lead them to do the right thing. Alas... I was wrong. The temptation to use this discovery to its fullest for their own gain won out over their decency, and they were determined to let no one and nothing stand in their way.’

“Yes, yes, I know,” Kyle replied impatiently. “I’ve heard the story before. You and the other creators were betrayed. And the company that was responsible is still seeking these relics even now.”

“Indeed,” Anthony replied somberly. “And for that, Kyle Shadowchaser, I must apologize. It was my stubbornness and insistence of believing in the general decency of people that led me to inform the company of our discovery, of the frequencies capable of bending a person’s will. I set all of these events in motion. And I apparently lost my life before I was able to remedy the situation.” He paused, considering. “So I must ask you, Kyle Shadowchaser. Now that you have this power... what do you intend to do with it?”

Kyle blinked, pausing, caught off guard by the question. “I... hadn’t really thought about it,” he admitted. “My focus has been on stopping Marion and the company from getting the relics. And freeing everyone that he’s already enslaved.” He shrugged. “I guess I’ll figure out the rest of it as I go along.” He turned and walked to the door.

“Then I’m afraid I must apologize once again,” Anthony’s voice called out as the doors slammed closed, then vanished, leaving behind only a solid wall, “but I cannot allow you to leave.” Kyle whirled around to face him. “I cannot allow the power of this relic to be unleashed upon the world. I was unable to prevent this before my death, but in this way, I can at least make up for it in some small way.” The AI let out a soft sigh. “I am afraid, Kyle Shadowchaser, that you’re going to spend the rest of your life in this room.”

* * *

Marion sat up with a gasp, shaken, glancing around in alarm. It took a few seconds for him to reconnect with his surroundings, and recall what had happened. I’m... I’m alive?!? The last thing I remember was that punk... Shadowchaser... and his sword coming down at me... Glancing around, he scowled, getting back to his feet. Dammit! I’m back outside the Ivory Tower! I was ejected! Sighing softly, he managed to calm himself. Well... at least I am still alive. Frankly, I half expected to wake up back in the starting town again at level one! I just can’t believe that little punk got the best of me AGAIN!

“Lord Marion!” Igmus Faintheart cried, as he and several of the Viridian Suns approached him. “You’ve returned! Did everything go as planned? Did you obtain the final relic?” At Marion’s glare, he took a step back. “Aahhh... I, er, that is...” he stuttered, only to glance to the side. “Oh! While you were away, Lady Nora awoke. She seemed dazed and confused at first, so I took advantage of her disorientation to place her into a sleep trance. She’s waiting quietly over in your tent.”

“Perfect!” Marion replied with a thin smile. “At last, a bit of good news,” he murmured, following his underling back towards the tent. “Tell me, what else has happened while I was away? Has the tournament concluded?”

“Actually, no,” Igmus replied, twitching nervously, glancing around. “The CEO, Miss Faraday, managed to convince the tournament committee to postpone the finals until either your team or Shadowchaser’s team returned.”

Marion chuckled aloud. “Excellent! Yes, yes... that’s perfect. Then I can still fulfill my dream of beating my brother into submission! If we move quickly, we should be able to challenge the Pantheon without even having to face Shadowchaser’s team at all!” Stepping inside the tent, he walked over the young blonde, who sat, staring straight ahead into nothingness. “Nora... My little slave. Your Master has returned. Rocen vur faestir ve!” he commanded. Nora stirred, blinking rapidly for a moment, before opening her eyes.

“Master,” she said simply, dropping to her knees before him.

“Get up, girl,” Marion grunted. “We have work to do.” Leaving the tent, he turned back towards the Tower just as two small flashes of light shone out. Hmph. Considering how everything went down, I’d be willing to bet those of the other two members of my party. Fuck. He sighed inwardly, then headed back towards the Tower. If he’s already dispatched Barena and Vale, then Kyle must be about to head in and grab the relic. I’ll need to hurry—as long as I can get to the Pantheon and make my challenge heard before he returns, then I still have a shot!

“HEY! You two! Wake up!” he barked, causing both women to rouse themselves, glancing around in momentary confusion. “Come on! We don’t have time to waste! We’re going back to the Coliseum to challenge the Pantheon!” He gestured back towards the arena, only to pause, frowning as Barena raised her spear at him, point lined up with his throat. “Ah. Still pissed about being turned into a mindless thrall? Well, get over it. You can gripe about it AFTER we’ve dethroned the Pantheon...” His scowl only deepened, however, as Vale likewise raised HER weapon, her bow aimed for his head, arrow pulled back and ready. “Vale?!? You too? You both REALLY want to do this right now?”

“You’re goddamn RIGHT we want to do this!” Barena growled. “And don’t get any bright ideas about muttering anything in Dragonspeak! Your lips move in a way I don’t like, and we’ll see how well you talk with my spear rammed in the middle of your voice box!”

“Can’t think of a better time or place myself,” Vale replied with an angry smirk. “We have a bit of a beef with you, LORD Marion, and even though I hate that barefooted hag’s guts for the way she treated me, I’m actually siding with her on this. The fact that holding you up might just ruin your carefully wrought plan for world domination is really just the icing on the cake!”

Marion swallowed carefully, more than a little perturbed. He honestly hadn’t expected such animosity from the pair. Granted, he’d double-crossed them both. Still, both women had shown over the years to be extremely deferential towards him, submitting to his authority under even the most trying circumstances. “How...” he began only to wince as Wildling’s Stabber poked lightly into his flesh. “How are you both even able to defy me?” he asked carefully. “Hell, how are you even conscious? You should both still be in that mindless trance Shadowchaser put you into for at least the next ten minutes. Even then, you should both enthralled to me!”

Barena’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah. About that... you fucked up, Boss. Taking Vale and myself out of the fight... turning us both into mindless obedient zombies? That was what cost you! We could have taken out those chumps if we’d fucking worked together as a goddamn team! But no... instead, you used us as expendable pawns just to advance yourself to the front line. Well, you know what happens when your pieces get captured by the enemy, don’t you?” she asked with a savage grin. “That’s right, bitch! MASTER Kyle flipped our loyalties. In order to officially win that combat trial, everyone else had to be defeated, like you,” she said with derision, “or concede the fight and surrender. And with all of us pretty much mindless thralls anyway, he merely commanded us all to surrender to him and concede the fight.” She sighed softly, ruefully. “And that’s the thing about this damned Dragontongue that you love so dearly. Context is everything.”

“You wouldn’t know, never having been on the receiving end,” Vale chimed in, lowering her bow slightly, “but being caught between you and Master Kyle... it was like a damned war going on inside our heads, each side fighting for supremacy. When Master ordered us to surrender to him, we did so unconditionally. Not just in the actual fight, but internally as well. We surrendered to him, and became his slaves.” She shook her head ruefully, chuckling. “Maybe I really am as insane as everyone says... but goddammit, I think I actually understand what Master Kyle’s groupies were saying about submitting to him. Being YOUR slave,” she said, glaring at Marion, “it was like having my will stomped flat, crushed and ground into paste. But with Shadowchaser... it was only for a few moments before the Tower kicked us out, but it was like... mmmm... like being gently submerged in warm salty sea water, floating on blissful waves...” Marion rolled his eyes, and Vale brought her bow back up again. “The point, which may very soon be sticking out of your eye socket, is that we’re both officially Team Shadowchaser now.”

Tenere!

Barena and Vale blinked in surprise as all the strength left their bodies, leaving them frozen in place, unable to move a muscle. Nora Snowfallen stepped into view, coming up behind Marion, staff clutched tightly in her hands. “Now, Master,” she encouraged him, “strike them both now, while they’re defenseless!”

Grinning again, Marion took a step back, rubbing his throat. “I have a better idea, my clever, resourceful little slave. I’ll simply sway them back to MY service. After all, I do need them to aid in facing my brother.” He raised his hand, golden armband beginning to glow. “Besides, once we’ve subjugated the Pantheon, and likewise the rest of the Reality, I’ll be able to punish their treachery at my leisure...”

* * *

“NO!” Kyle snarled. He grabbed for Anthony’s neck, only to growl in frustration as his hand passed through the avatar. “DAMMIT! No! Let me OUT of here! I’m one of the good guys! I’m trying to STOP the company from getting their hands on the relics!”

“That may very well be,” the AI stated calmly, phasing through Kyle to stand a few feet away, “but in the end its all a moot point. As a computer program, I’m not qualified to judge ‘good’ or ‘evil’, but I am able to quantify and extrapolate. My programmer left me with another old saying, one that fits the circumstance: ‘Power corrupts, and absolute power, absolutely’. You, Kyle Shadowchaser, in your fight with the other relic holders, used your mastery and knowledge of the subjugation frequency to enslave and then eliminate the other combatants, did you not?”

Kyle frowned. “Well... yes, I suppose,” he protested, “but it wasn’t as if you left me much choice. YOU set the rules, after all, a battle to the death! And isn’t it better to enthrall a person and make them give up that kill them outright?”

“In the context of this game... no,” Anthony’s program responded, surprising Kyle. “When you break it down, this is a video game. A simulation. ‘Killing’ your opponents does no real or lasting harm and certainly has no real-life consequences. Utilizing the subjugation frequency, however, does leave a lasting effect, even when the person affected leaves the game. And that is why I cannot permit you to leave, to prevent you from unleashing that power among the rest of the citizens of the Reality.”

Damn Kyle thought grimly. He actually has a point. I hadn’t considered that. I can’t even really be upset with the guy... or the one who created him. From his POV, I’m dangerous. Good intentions or not, there’s always a chance I might give in to temptation and misuse this power. Hell, the whole incident at the party with Aurelie and Natasha was caused by a lapse in judgment and blurting out something without thinking... He shook his head. Still, the same can be said with this guy. Well-intentioned or not, I’m not about to let Anthony’s ghost keep me captive here! While I’m stuck in here, Marion is out there, no doubt running unchecked. And even without the two relics I have, he has more than enough power to be a major threat in this world!

Sighing softly, he turned back to face his jailer, who stood there impassively. Now, I just need to get him to realize that...

* * *

“There! There they are! I see them!” a slightly accented voice called out just as Leila and Serena sat up. A moment later Honor, and their new friend, Aurelie, sprinted down the hill, arriving at the landing just outside the Ivory Tower. “Mon Dieu! You are back, safe and sound. But... attendez... Monsieur Kyle? ’e is not with you?”

“No... he’s still inside the Tower,” Serena replied, shaking her head slightly. “We had a bit more trouble with Marion that we’d expected. We were pretty even as far as combat went... heck, we even had a bit of an advantage over them.” Her expression narrowed. “And then he started using Dragonspeak to mix things up.” She sighed, shaking her head ruefully. “I never really got to appreciate how bad it was for Nora when Master rescued her... having your mind, your very soul, pulled in two directions at once.”

“And it wasn’t just us,” Leila added with a shudder. “That Dragon tongue magic hit his own two companions as well. Not that he cared even in the slightest—the bastard was downright giddy at the way he had Vale and Barena on their knees screaming in agony alongside us.” She sighed. “So much for loyalty amongst thieves, or some such.”

“Well, as a former thief, I take slight offense to that,” Honor replied with a smirk, “being compared to a lowdown snake like Marion in ANY way. But I see your point. And, honestly, knowing the guy, I’m not surprised. Actually, I’m more surprised that you guys came through all that with your minds intact. What happened in there?”

“Kyle,” Serena answered. “He and Marion were going back and forth, each trying to counter the other... and then Master yelled out, um... something.” She shrugged. “I have no idea what he said, exactly, but it suddenly went from feeling like a rubber band being stretched to its breaking point, to feeling like I was falling asleep in a heated steam filled pool at a nice relaxing spa...” She nearly drifted off then from the memory but managed to shake herself back awake. “After that, everything else is kind of fuzzy, but I kind of remember Master taking out Marion... then telling me I needed to surrender to him and say ‘I concede the battle’ before the timer counted down.”

“Right! The timer,” Leila interjected. “It was all a contest, a battle royale, with the last man standing being allowed to claim the final relic. Even with Marion was defeated, we were all still there, so Master needed us all to officially declare him the victor in order to win.” She frowned, glancing around. “So... where is he? Where is Kyle?”

“We were ’oping you could answer zat, non?” Aurelie replied. “When Marion returned, ’e went straight away and challenged ze Pantheon. Ze referees conferred, saying that ’e’d missed ze deadline, but ze CEO, Madame Faraday, she, ’ow you zay... overrides ze council. And since Kyle and ze rest of you had not appeared...”

“Dammit!” Leila growled. “Fucker! I guess it was too much to hope that his death in that duel in the Tower counted as a REAL! And now he’s going for the Pantheon? We have to do something!”

“Lei, please, calm down,” Serena said, hands clenched in frustration. “I’m just as upset about this as you are... but we have to think about this. We can’t just go charging in half-cocked. We need Kyle.”

“But we have to do SOMETHING!” Honor protested, her own frustration showing. “I know Kyle still hasn’t arrived yet, and I’m certainly not arrogant enough to think I can take his place... but the three of us COULD legitimately challenge Marion’s team, and maybe... I dunno, buy some time for Kyle to return—”

“But that’s exactly what we absolutely can’t do,” Serena insisted. “We can NOT challenge Marion without Master at our side. Think about what we just went through in there! Even without the final relic, he could easily enthrall any of us with just a few simple words!” Sighing, she shook her head. “We just can’t risk it. Master was very clear what we needed to do if anything happened to him, and Marion gained control.”

“Rini!” Honor shouted, glaring at her friend and slave sister in disbelief. “What are you saying? You think we should just leave? Log out of the system and hide, and just abandon Kyle? And... what about Anadriel? While we’re standing here debating this, SHE’S out there facing him right now!”

“Do you think I WANT to leave?” Serena yelled back, angrily, causing the others to jump in surprise. There were tears running down the young weretigress’ cheeks. “I know exactly what Dri is facing. And I’m worried sick about Kyle. He should have been back by now. The LAST thing I want to do is just walk away from all of this!” She hung her head. “But I also remember what Master told us all before we came here. And I know what Master wants for all of us.” She lifted her head to look at Honor. “So, Honor... what do you suggest we do?”

Sighing deeply, she pulled her friend into a tight hug. “You’re right, Rini. And I’m sorry.” She sighed softly. “I guess all we can do is just wait here for Kyle to return... and trust that he can handle whatever happens next...”

* * *

Oh man.... I seriously can’t handle this, Kyle thought in frustration.

“Please understand, Kyle Shadowchaser,” Anthony’s incarnation spoke to him, moving to hover at his left side like an unwanted ghost. “There is no malice involved in this action. I have nothing against you. I do this only to ensure that this forbidden power stays contained, for the good and welfare of all.”

“Yeah, that doesn’t make me feel any better,” Kyle retorted angrily, slamming a fist hard against the smooth stone wall. “If I’d known this would be the so-called ‘reward’ for winning your challenge, I would have let Marion win and be stuck in here for eternity!” With an effort, he reigned in his anger and frustration. “You’re a computer program, right? Surely you can access the rest of the system, can SEE what Marion has been up to? You HAVE to know the kind of person he is, right?”

Anthony frowned slightly. “Indeed. As a construct, I am unable to discern the subtle nuances between good and evil, and even I would classify him as a ‘bad apple’.”

“And he’s the one you let go free,” Kyle pointed out. “Even without this last relic, he still has three others at his command. And without me to stand up to him, he’ll run amok through all of Axaelle!”

“That is regrettably true,” the AI replied, again, in that infuriating calm and emotionless tone that Kyle was beginning to hate, “and yet, how much more dangerous would he be if you were to face him and be defeated? If he were to obtain your relics and add them to his own, he would become a threat not just to the virtual world, but to the real one as well.” He sighed, shaking his head. “No, that must not be allowed to happen.”

“And so... what? I’m literally supposed to sit in this room with you, logged in forever?!?” Kyle demanded. “Until I starve to death? Or thirst to death?”

Anthony blinked, a look of actual horror showing on his features. “W-what? N-no! Gods, no! Of course not,” he insisted. “You can simply log out at any time you wish. The rest of your menu functions have been locked, but log out is still active.” He sighed softly. “When you log back in, you will return here, however. You can, of course, decide at any time to abandon this character, to delete ‘Kyle Shadowchaser’ and begin again as new level one character. That is, actually, the only real option to escape this room, and thus the ideal choice.”

Exactly what I thought, Kyle grumbled inwardly. It wants me to give up my avatar, to simply ‘kill off’ myself and start over. And, just like with any character death, all my belongings, including the Dragon relics, would drop here, at the point where I’d fallen, meaning they’d be here for the next unwary person to fall into this same trap!

“Not going to happen,” Kyle replied resolutely. “I’ve worked too hard and gone through too much to just give up now. Besides, I have too many people out there depending on me.”

Anthony nodded again, looking thoughtful. “I can understand that. I, too, have someone that I need to protect.” He tilted his head sideways. “Well, not me, per se,” he replied with a smirk, “but my creator, the one who this program was based on. His son... this world, the Reality, it was originally meant to his a gift for his son, a place where they could play together and explore.” He turned away. “Alas, Anthony met his unfortunate end before he could have that chance. He left his son many things, many gifts to ensure he would be protected and cared for, but he never got the chance to James this world with him at his side—”

“Wait! Wait for a second!” Kyle exclaimed suddenly. “Did you say ‘James’? He’s Anthony’s son? He’s part of the reason I’m here! I’m working with him and Jeffrey Danzig to gather the relics!”

Anthony blinked, surprise showing momentarily, before fading back to his usual calm expression. “A clever ruse, that,” he replied, with a slight subtle edge to his tone, “but Anthony’s son wouldn’t be involved with these relics. He went to great lengths to ensure that his son would be protected from the fallout from this—he most certainly would not have shared knowledge of the relics with him.” If he hadn’t known better, Kyle would have sworn the AI was actually annoyed.

“Well, he might not have wanted James involved, but the kid definitely is,” Kyle replied, getting another annoyed look from the avatar. “In fact, he helped us retrieve the Amulet of Mekihl from Narwal, and he himself defeated Lugia to retrieve the Diadem of Arcaniss.” He shook his head ruefully, recalling that battle in particular. “I probably wouldn’t even be alive right now if it wasn’t for James Windsaber—”

Suddenly a bright flash illuminated the room. «Passcode ‘Windsaber’ accepted. Accessing hidden subroutines,» the AI replied in a monotone before fading out, leaving Kyle in the room alone. «Playing final message.» A new image appeared, this time a more realistic but lower definitioned image of Anthony, his expression pained.

“My dearest James...” he said, the voice recorded crackling slightly from the old style recorder it had been created on, “I’m very sorry to have involved you in all of this. And I’m sorry I haven’t been there for you, to see you grow up into the man you’ve become. Years ago, I made a choice... a choice to place my trust in our company, in the goodness of the people that I worked with. And that choice, that naive and false belief, lead to my end. I was unable to protect you, my family, my friends, and co-workers. I did my best, but inevitably, I failed. The fact that you are here, now, means that I failed. And so, my son, I must now put my faith and trust in you... to finish what I was unable to do.” He sighed heavily. “Be well, son. And know that I love you.”

Kyle stood there a moment. absorbing those words. A father’s dying message to his son. Damn. It’s more than I ever got, all things considered. Once all this is over, I’ll have to remember to bring James back here to hear this in person. Walking back to the wall, he placed a hand on it, watching in satisfaction as the doorway reappeared once again. But first... I need to finish this. I might not be your son, Anthony, but I’ll take on this mission for you. I’ll stop Marion and the company from enslaving the world. And that’s my vow!

* * *

The entire stadium let out a cheer that sounded like a threatening lion’s roar. Stein dusted himself off as he rose back up to his feet, shaking his head slightly as he withdrew back to his companions. “Well, the crowd is certainly loving this, if nothing else,” he replied drily, wincing slightly as Kornak stepped up, blocking a barrage of arrows with his shield. “So, if it’s not obvious yet, this isn’t working. We need a new approach!”

“Gee, ya think?” East Graywind retorted, leaping acrobatically, dodging as an enraged Barena charged at him, swinging and striking with her spear like a baton. Gaining some distance, he leaped higher, drawing and tossing out a spread of small throwing daggers, striking true, causing Barena to shriek and back off. Panting a bit, he withdrew back to his companions as well. “We’re basically fighting a war of attrition here, folks. They’re hitting us with everything but the kitchen sink here, and all of our best attacks are being negated by that little Healer!” He turned to glance meaningfully at Anadriel. “You know, your cousin is literally killing us here, Dri...”

“I know, I know,” the elven mage replied in obvious frustration, lashing out with a quick fulgar at Marion, the force of the blast driving him back several feet, but, thanks to his dragon relic, doing no damage. “But I told you. It’s not her fault! Marion’s controlling her... controlling Barena and Vale as well. If we can just take him out, we can end this once and for all!”

“Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done,” Kornak replied, grunting, stepping in once again to block an assault aimed for Anadriel. “My brother’s team are all high level and experienced warriors. And any damage we manage to do is instantly healed thanks to young Nora, while our own damage continues to accumulate.” Grunting, he raised his sword as Marion and Barena attacked in tandem, taking the hits but dealing back as much as he’d received. As expected, however, a sparkle of blue light from Nora healed their damage almost immediately, putting them both back to full health.

“Okay. That’s it!” East growled, pulling a pair of twin daggers from his belt. “This has gone on long enough! Dri, I know she’s your cousin and all, but that bitch has got to go! If we’re going to have ANY chance at beating Marion, we have to focus our attacks on her! Stein!” he called out, casting a quick speed buffing cantrip. “I’m thinking the Halifor Gambit. You game?”

Wincing slightly as an enchanted arrow struck his shoulder, the paladin nodded. “I’d actually been thinking of just that strategy.” He glanced apologetically at the former Sylvan Order guildmistress. “I’m sorry, Dri. We have to do this... and we’ll need your help as well to pull it off. It’s the only way.” Grim-faced, saying nothing, Anadriel merely nodded.

“Hahaha! You fools!” Marion shouted, advancing towards Kornak once again, trading blows with him. “You KNOW I can hear you, right? Whatever little strategy you have cooked up to separate me from my lovely little Nora, rest assured, it won’t work! I’m not about to let you—hhrrreggh! Wh-what? What the HELL do you think you’re doing?!?” Marion yelled, outraged, as his brother suddenly dropped his sword and grabbed hold of him, clenching him tightly.

“Exactly what it looks like, Marion,” Kornak replied with a savage grin. “It’s not often used very much in combat, especially in tournament play, but grappling is still a potent if situational, technique. And as long as I have hold of you, you won’t be able to shield Nora! Stein—go now!”

Marion’s eyes widened in surprise. “Barena! Vale! Protect Nora with your lives!” he barked, struggling to break free.

All three women went into motion, the two older minions moving to flank the younger, causing Stein to skid to a stop before reaching them. Instead of looking upset or perturbed, he flashed them a grin. “Just as we planned. With you two occupied playing bodyguard, that leaves your boss completely unguarded! East! Go, now!”

Marion let out a howl of surprised anguish as the assassin struck, double-slashing his undefended backside. East chuckled darkly. “Did you enjoy that, eh Marion? All those little golden trinkets of yours don’t help much while you’re pinned down and helpless!” he taunted as Marion’s life took a massive drop.

“Master!” Nora growled, hands clenching her staff so tightly her knuckles went white. “Infirma—” she began, only to yelp, drawing back as a wave of intense heat swept over her. Barena let out a cry of pain, singed slightly from Anadriel’s fireblast spell. “Dammit!” she swore loudly, canceling her interrupted weakening spell, muttering a quick healing spell for Barena instead. She lifted her staff, intending to send healing energy towards Marion as well, only to gasp as Vale slammed into her from the side, blocking Stein’s attack, disrupting her casting once more.

“Sorry, Lady Snowfallen,” he replied with a smirk, “but we’re not going to allow you the chance to heal Marion anymore. Every time you try, Anadriel or I will strike at you and disrupt your casting.” Nora scowled at him. “I’m sure you could heal easily enough if your two ‘bodyguards’ weren’t so close,” he added casually, “but that would mean leaving you undefended. So, basically, its a choice. Do you protect your Master at the cost of your own safety... or do you obey your Master’s orders and just watch as our comrade East slowly rips him to pieces?”

Nora, Vale, and Barena glanced at one another. They were indeed in a bit of a bind. East and Dri were major damage dealers, and without Nora’s constant healing, could easily overwhelm their entire team. As slaves, obeying Master’s orders were important, necessary, and vital... but protecting Master was paramount. All three came to the same conclusion at the same time, they split apart, moving and acting together. Vale drew, notched, and loosed a trio of poisoned arrows, striking Dri, just as Barena bull rushed Stein, sending him flying back. In the interim, Nora let loose with a powerful healing spell, and followed up with a high-level regeneration spell as well, to provide continuous healing for her Master in case she was disabled once again—

THWACK!

Nora gasped in shock, staggering back from the throwing dagger embedded in her chest. Pain exploded within her as her life bar dropped into the red. She turned to the side, eyes locking with her assailant, East, his hand still outstretched from the throw. It was... a ruse. A feint... no, a double-feint, she realized, sinking to her knees. All of this... was just to draw me out, away from the others...

”Nora! NO!” Marion yelled, bringing up a knee, banging his brother in his crotch hard enough to force him to let go, only to stumble and fall as Kornak managed one last shove. Likewise, Vale and Barena, realizing what had happened, turned, rushing back towards her again. Barena, however, also fell, tripped as Stein grabbed her ankle, pulling her down to the ground.

”Dri!” Stein yelled out, struggling to hold onto the determined savage. ”Now’s your chance! Take her out now! Do it!”

Nora looked up, staring into the face of her cousin, standing over her, glowing rod extended. She merely sighed and nodded, spreading her arms. She was loyal to her Master, yes... but deep down she knew what had been done to her. ”Do it, Dri,” she whispered softly, closing her eyes, a small smile creasing her lips. ”Go ahead and set me free.”

”I... I... I can’t!” Opening her eyes, Nora found her cousin had lowered her weapon, eyes bright with tears. ”I can’t... not again.”

The sound of laughter catches everyone’s attention. Dusting himself off, Marion knelt down and retrieved his Warhammer. “Excellent! Marvelous! Such a dazzling display of tactics and strategy! Your title as Pantheon of all of Axaelle is well deserved. You would truly have had me, if not for the strong bonds of family.” He smirked at Anadriel. “But I am not completely heartless. I wouldn’t want to have dear Lady Shalandearl relive the trauma of being forced to kill her cousin again. Anadriel...Si mi dout pliso,” he said quickly, grin widening as her eyes flashed silver and gold before settling with a soft golden glow. “Now... eliminate all those who stand against me!”

Biting her lip, a momentary flash of regret sweeping over her face as she nodded, raising her weapon once more. “I apologize for this in advance, Kornak, East,” the elven mage intoned, as she raised the Rod of Perfect Soul, aimed towards both men. Eyes flashing, she released the pent-up energy of her spell. “Hydram!” A massive plume of flame erupted beneath both men before they could react, temporarily obscuring them. When the blast faded, Kornak still stood, alive but scorched, and a black skull icon resting where the assassin had been.

The crowd watching gasped in shock, then screamed in bloody delight at the unexpected turn of events. Grunting, Stein moved back to his comrade, he and Kornak standing back to back as Marion’s team circled around them, surrounding them on all sides. “Dammit... he’s taken control of Dri,” Kornak murmured, “and now we’ve lost East as well. Tell me you have a strategy or plan that gets us out of this.”

The grizzled old warrior sighed heavily, shaking his head. “It’s the worst possible outcome, Kornak. We are, to be blunt, totally fucked. Three of us, yeah, maybe, even with the odds against us, we could MAYBE turn things around. But with Dri on their side? No.” He sighed again. “The only way out of this is... surrender. We concede the fight and give Marion the victory.”

“WHAT?!?” Kornak yelled, whirling around to face his friend. “Are you MAD? After everything that’s happened, you can actually suggest giving in to him?”

“I’m just giving you an accurate assessment of our situation,” Stein replied grimly. “We can’t beat him like this. You’re strong and tough, and even with all the damage you’ve taken thus far, you’re still in the green. But I’m not nearly as durable. Once they take me out, you’ll be by yourself. And with all five of them attacking you at once, eventually, you WILL fall.” With an effort, he lowered, then stabbed his sword into the dirt, a clear sign of resignation. “Live to fight another day, Kornak,” he said, half stating, half pleading. “Lose the battle but win the war.”

Kornak Greensteel, however, merely tightened his grip on his blade. “To me, this IS the war!” he growled. “This thing between my brother and I has gone on for years... for far too long. I’ve tried to avoid this, ducking my head, ignoring all his transgressions, letting him have his way. I ignored your advice, ignored what everyone was telling me because I didn’t want to face him like this. And... in doing so, letting him run amok unchecked, I allowed things to degenerate into this... this... madness! Well, no more! One way or another, it ends here, and now!”

And... end it did. Spectacularly. A five against one struggle, the battle would likely be the talked about for years to come. Kornak fought bravely and valiantly, his sword never faltering or hesitating. Each sword slash, each arrow, each stab or spell assaulting him only drove him on, encouraging him to fight with more fierceness and determination. Unknown to many, Kornak’s class had a particular technique that gave him an advantage. ‘Martyr’s Might’ increased the strength of his attacks with every bit of damage he received. With his life bar full, his attacks were negligible, barely worth notice; on the rare occasions that he took enough damage to dip into the yellow, however, he became a physical powerhouse, dealing back as much damage as he’d been dealt, enabling him to one-shot kill most opponents long before they were able to reduce his massive life meter to the red. It was what made him such a feared and respected adversary, what had made him a champion, and kept him on top for decades.

Alas, it was an ability that Marion, his twin brother, was well aware of. As the battle progressed, he kept his minions back, having them attack with long-range attacks, while he, himself, faced him toe to toe, trading blows while protected by his dragon relics. Indeed, with his speed, agility, and defense raised to ungodly levels, and Nora’s constant healing, he was practically invincible, a living bulwark pressing his enemy, keeping him at bay, while his minions whittled away at the titan’s health bar... until finally, at last, he fell.

“Grraaaaahh,” Kornak gasped as his strength left him, staggering before dropping to his knees, his life bar flashing at the thinnest slivers of red. His sword, the mighty Zweihander Apartanoxis, clattered to the ground at Marion’s feet. He peered up into his brother’s face, seeing only contempt, and a smug sense of satisfaction on his face. “Looks like... you’ve won,” he rasped, panting heavily, as Marion raised his hammer once again. “Finally getting... your... revenge. I hope this... makes you... happy.”

Marion paused. “Happy? You think this is all about taking you down?” He chuckled. “I’ll admit, defeating you this way, destroying everything you worked so hard to build, yeah, it was a part of it. A big part of it. But frankly, brother, this is more about power. It’s about becoming the undisputed king and ruler of this virtual world! Beating and humiliating you is merely a side benefit... the icing on the cake. Once you’re gone, once all of this is mine, you honestly won’t even be an afterthought.”

A single swing of his hammer and it was done. The crowds watching erupted into wild raucous cheering, oblivious to the deeper meaning of everything that had just happened. Marion took a moment and closed his eyes, basking in the feeling. He had done it. Finally! He had won. He and his team were now the new Pantheon, the strongest and mightiest team in the entire world!

YESSSS! He thought triumphantly. It’s mine! All mine! Let Amanda have her world, deal with all the headache and intrigue and everything involved with it. In here, I am supreme! And since dear Amanda is too scared of succumbing to the Dragontongue herself to ever enter or log in herself, I have nothing to fear from her interfering. The only way of dethroning me is to defeat me, plain and simple... and with my minions to back me up, I am untouchable—

“Master!”

Marion opened his eyes, frowning slightly as he turned to face the woman that had spoken. “Eh? What is it, Anadriel? Can’t you see I’m basking in my victory?”

Dri’s expression was gleeful as she shook her head. “No, Marion,” she clarified, pointing behind Marion. “I wasn’t talking to you. I was talking to... him.” Whirling around, Marion took a step back in shock.

“Sorry, Marion,” Kyle Shadowchaser stated, as he, Honor, Serena, and Leila stepped forward, weapons at the ready. “You haven’t won just yet. You still have one more opponent to take on before you can claim the throne. So come on... one last rumble. Let’s do this!”