[ZERO SPACE]

Shae stood before Sunset Cliff. This used to be a popular area for sightseeing, but there wasn’t much to see here now. Just a stark grassy cliffside, overlooking a violent ocean and an expansive wall of fog far beyond.

Shae opened his palm interface to his Friends List:

FRIENDS LIST Friend Name Active Mission DangerFace869 &n^!!..5yY?q....+qr~m+qr..w>oOO‘]~mlw>+qr5yY

He selected the active mission:

Mission Participants

1. SizeMatters1420 (Leader)

2. DangerFace869

3. Chroma

4. ---

One more slot left - they hadn’t found a fourth. Shae invited himself along, causing a large purple bubble to stretch out across the cliff.

This wasn’t a normal bubble - it was flickering and restless, as if something within threatened to break free. Shae’s premium account might not be enough, but it would give him a fighting chance. Or at least more of a chance than DangerFace869 had on his own.

Shae’s first step into the bubble submerged him up to his waist in gelatinous ground. This wasn’t mud, water, or any natural substance: it was literally the ground, liquified. Cubes of solid sky fazed in and out of existence, soaring through the atmosphere like cubic asteroids. The ocean churned below in a thrashing whirlwind of blue mist.

Shae crawled onto solid land. Pebbles and grass rolled by his face, uprooted by their own lack of gravity. An erratic breeze jostled his clothing. Thick air resisted him every step of the way.

Mumbling incomprehensible voices drew near. Shae dove behind a flickering boulder, watching two hobbling NPCs trudge forward. Both NPCs held frothy white energy spheres, dripping with fragmented steam. Their bodies were Frankenstein amalgamations, composed of limbs and outfits from a thousand different races. Each second, their appearance cycled like reels in a slot machine. Shae decided not to engage, even with 13 SP.

Wait --

13 SP? When did that happen?

It must have been the Level 2 material. A five-point SP increase; Shae hoped all Level 2s would be as profitable.

He watched in silence until the two glitch men finally lurched into the distance, pathfinding towards an irrational destination.

DangerFace869 was just ahead, sparring with SizeMatters1420 by the cliff’s edge. Chroma stood on standby, in case one of them took it too far.

SizeMatters1420 parried a barrage of demonoid punches.

“Don’t underestimate your opponent,” said SizeMatters1420. “Even with your fighting chops. Get it? Because you’re mostly chopping --”

“FURY STRIKES!!”

DangerFace869 used his Level 2: bright fuschia fists lit up SizeMatters1420’s body. This was enough to grind most foes into dust. However --

“SLIME SHIFT!”

SizeMatters1420 transformed into a gooey mess. Each of DangerFace869’s blows slapped at harmless jelly, allowing SizeMatters1420 to reform behind him with a binding bearhug.

“Knowledge is everything in Zero Space,” said SizeMatters1420. “You gotta bait powers out before you make a move.”

SizeMatters1420 squeezed harder to drive the lesson in. DangerFace869 flailed in his grip.

“My level one beat your level two, because I used strategy!” said SizeMatters1420. “If you don’t know what your opponent can do, you’re in for a crushing defeat. Get it? Because I’m crushing you.”

DangerFace869 gasped for air.

“Chroma,” said SizeMatters1420. “Get ready to heal him again.”

Shae’s diving foot caught SizeMatters1420 in the side of the head. The kick barely registered.

Chroma waved at Shae. “Oh, it’s Shae! Hi Shae! How have you been?”

Shae didn’t bother answering. He socked SizeMatters1420 in the jaw, injuring his own fist.

“Shae?” asked SizeMatters1420, ignoring the assault. “Where the hell did you come from?”

Shae delivered three rapid kicks to SizeMatters1420’s side. DangerFace869 croaked and thrashed in the triangloid’s grip.

“You’re starting to piss me off Shae,” said SizeMatters1420.

The next kick clipped SizeMatters1420’s knee, causing him to drop DangerFace869. A follow up kick bruised his eye.

“That’s it,” yelled SizeMatters1420. “You’re dead!”

SizeMatters1420’s palm intercepted Shae’s incoming foot. The triangloid smashed Shae against the ground several times, reducing him to a limp pile of meat and bones.

“SHAE!” shouted Chroma.

Shae rose from the dead at Chroma’s command, but SizeMatters1420 pounced upon him.

It took five punches to cave in Shae’s face completely.

“SHAE!” shouted Chroma.

Shae awoke in the same position he was in before. This time, it took four punches.

“SHAE!” shouted Chroma. “Sizey, stop it!”

Shae woke up, but SizeMatters1420 retained his straddle.

“I’m just hitting him back for each time he hit me!” said SizeMatters1420. “Too bad I hit way harder.”

3.5 punches - a new record.

“SHAE!” yelled Chroma. “Sizey, please stop!”

DangerFace869 watched in silence.

“You entered a glitch mission!” Shae choked. “You’re Raid Captain. How could you do something so stupid?”

“Danger Face chose it,” said SizeMatters1420. “I don’t see the harm. I’ve been in this mission lots of times. Nothing’s ever happened.”

“But something could happen,” said Shae. “You’re endangering your team!”

“What do you care?” asked SizeMatters1420. “You don’t give a rats-ass about the guild. Get it? Because you’re supposed to be fighting rats --”

“I’m not here for the guild,” said Shae.

“Then why are you here?” SizeMatters1420 asked.

Shae glanced over at DangerFace869.

“The demonoid?” asked SizeMatters1420. “Last I checked, you abandoned him.”

“Danger Face,” said Shae. “I’m sorry. I was a jerk.”

SizeMatters1420 erupted with laughter.

“We need to get out of here,” said Shae. “Now.”

SizeMatters1420 sat back on Shae’s ribs.

“Doesn’t look like you’re going anywhere,” SizeMatters1420 said.

“Danger Face,” Shae croaked.

“You’re not my mentor,” said DangerFace869.

“I’m not your mentor!” Shae yelled. “I’m your friend.”

DangerFace869 grew silent.

“I don’t care if you make mistakes,” said Shae. “I make mistakes too.”

DangerFace869’s eyes went wide.

“Please. I’m begging you. Let’s go.”

DangerFace869 stepped forward.

“I won’t let this this big dumb stupid idiot do anything to endanger you!”

SizeMatters1420 raised his fist --

“FURY STRIKES!!”

A barrage of fuschia fists obliterated SizeMatters1420. Triangloid pieces bounced across the cliffside, twirling and bounding across warped dirt.

“SIZE MATTERS ONE FOUR TWO ZERO!” Chroma yelled.

SizeMatters1420 resurrected, rubbing his head.

“I wish you all had simpler names,” said Chroma.

DangerFace869 pulled Shae to his feet.

“Let’s get out of here,” said Shae.

“Fine,” said DangerFace869. “This place was boring anyway.”

“Danger Face,” growled SizeMatters1420. “If you leave now, you’re off the team.”

“Your team is stupid,” said DangerFace869. “You’re stupid too. And it’s Danger Face Eight Six Nine. Say the whole thing.”

WHIRRRRRRRRRR

The party fell quiet. A low hum of grinding gears vibrated the cliffside.

“What the hell was that?” asked SizeMatters1420.

WHIRRRRRRRRRR -- again, but closer now.

“Sizey, I think we should leave,” said Chroma.

DangerFace869 crept near the cliff’s edge, enthralled by something below.

“Danger Face, what are you doing?” yelled Shae. “Let’s go!”

The demonoid stared into the abyss with wide eyes.

WHIRRRRRRRRRR

An earthquake shattered grass like brittle icicles. Day and night fused together. The ocean evolved into hurricane waves. Clouds spiraled into wriggling worms of mist.

“Danger Face!” Shae yelled.

Something was coming --

A gargantuan entity rose from beyond the cliff. It was a thick segmented roulette wheel of rainbow bone, stained with incomprehensible symbology. Its movement was smooth and consistent, floating upwards without wings or visible propulsion.

Four dead serpents hung from its sides. Loose limp snakes, larger than skyscrapers and equally inanimate. Each one bore vacant white eyes and limp black tongues.

The entity spun at a steady pace, beating stiff serpent heads against the ground.

“What the --” SizeMatters1420 said. “What am I looking at?”

Shae could barely move. This thing was like nothing he had ever seen. Not in Zero Space. Not in stories. Never on the forums. This wasn’t an alien. It wasn’t a god. It was an anomaly. A being of impossible coincidence.

“Someone, please,” said Chroma. “Please make it go away.”

DangerFace869 advanced towards it. The entity’s silhouette eclipsed the setting sun, cloaking the demonoid in darkness.

“Danger Face!” yelled Shae. “No!”

The demonoid didn’t relent. His hand reached forward, mesmerized --

“PIERCING SHOT!!”

A Level 2 bullet lodged itself halfway into the entity’s exterior - no reaction.

“We all need to run!” Shae yelled. “Now!”

SizeMatters1420 laughed.

“It’s not even doing anything,” said SizeMatters1420. “Let’s kill this thing. Imagine the loot it has. What if it has a Level 3?”

“We’re not fighting that!” Shae yelled. “Now come on!”

“Don’t tell me what to do Shae!” yelled SizeMatters1420. “I’m the Raid Captain! I give the orders here!”

WHIRRRRRRRRRR

The entity’s rotation quickened. Massive snake heads slapped against the ground with bone crunching thumps.

“Danger Face, Chroma, come on!” Shae yelled.

The entity spun faster.

“You cowards!” yelled SizeMatters1420. “There’s four of us. We all have level twos. We can take it. This will be practice for the dragon!”

The spinning snake heads escalated into a blur.

“Run!” yelled Shae.

“Sizey, come on!” Chroma yelled.

All four snakes sprang to life, animated by the entity’s rapidity. The snake arms moved with the fluidity of a stop-motion monster; rigid, dynamic, and skipping frames.

Shae knew another way to end this. He brought up his palm interface, attempting to cancel the mission:

Only the Group Leader can cancel the mission.

“Damn it,” said Shae. “Matt, cancel the mission!”

“I’m not scared of this thing,” said SizeMatters1420. “I’m a Raid Captain. Raid Captains don’t back down from a challenge.”

The four serpents aligned, fusing their jaws together into one glowing black maw.

“Oh crap,” said SizeMatters1420.

A blinding white beam emerged. It hurt to look at, but being hit by it hurt far worse, as SizeMatters1420 discovered.

The beam enveloped an area ten times the size of the triangloid’s body. In the span of a millisecond, SizeMatters1420 felt extreme pain, intense itching, and euphoric release. Something about it was freeing. And another part of it felt wrong. Very wrong. This wasn’t death. Not quite. It was something far worse.

In an instant, SizeMatters1420 was gone, along with half the cliff. Not a spec of triangloid persisted.

“SIZE MATTERS ONE FOUR TWO ZERO!” yelled Chroma.

Nothing. Chroma scanned the crater and everywhere beyond it. No sign of SizeMatters1420.

“SIZE MATTERS ONE FOUR TWO ZERO!” Chroma called again.

Still nothing. She looked around with frantic eyes.

“SIZE MATTERS ONE FOUR TWO ZERO!” she tried once more.

The entity hovered closer.

“Chroma!” yelled Shae. “Let’s go!”

Chroma released a quiet sob.

“Shae, he’s not coming back,” Chroma cried. “I can’t bring him back.”

Chroma collapsed to her knees. Zero Space wasn’t always sunshine and rainbows for her, but it was never like this. She didn’t crave a hardcore challenge; she just liked hanging back and supporting her friends. This was all just a game to her; that’s how it was supposed to be. An escape from the horrors of reality.

But this thing in front of her? That was worse than reality. An incomprehensible indomitable nightmare. Zero Space was her escape from reality, but there was no escape from this.

“Chroma, please!” yelled Shae.

Shae paused. If SizeMatters1420 was gone, that meant Group Leader would be assigned to a random participant - there was a one in three chance it would be Shae. He opened his interface:

Mission Participants

1. DangerFace869

2. Chroma (Leader)

3. Shae

4. ---

“Damn it,” Shae said. “Chroma, cancel the mission!”

“I, I don’t know how!” Chroma said.

In all of Chroma’s Zero Space days, she had never once led a group. Her role was support, and she liked it that way. All she had to do was shout names and kick the occasional ass. Navigating the Zero Space interface was unintuitive, and the added stress made it that much more challenging.

Two figures approached - the glitch people from before. They stumbled towards Chroma, each wielding a leaking pale sphere.

Shae fired several warning shots.

“Stay away from her!” Shae yelled.

The glitch men did the opposite, shambling towards Chroma with inexplicable speed.

DangerFace869 intercepted.

“FURY STRIKES!!”

Level 2 fists tore through the glitch men. To DangerFace869’s great relief, the attack was successful. Both glitch men dissolved into fluttering dust, scattering in irregular wind.

The entity’s snake heads reunited, directing themselves at DangerFace869. The demonoid gazed into four glowing jaws, awaiting the inevitable.

Shae aimed his pistols. Shooting this entity did next to nothing, but if it was like other monsters, it would only aggro living players. This was a risky plan, but Shae had no alternatives.

“PIERCING SHOT!!”

A Level 2 bullet exploded DangerFace869’s upper half, leaving nothing but a dancing set of legs that eventually fell over.

White light drained from the entity’s jaws. The plan had worked!

“Chroma,” screamed Shae. “Heal Danger Face!”

Chroma didn’t react; she was barely there, about as AFK as someone could get without removing their headset.

“Chroma, please!” Shae pleaded. “Don’t let him die!”

Chroma pulled herself together.

“DANGER FACE EIGHT SIX NINE!”

Chroma’s words pulled DangerFace869 together, in a more literal sense. The demonoid gave her a thumbs up, and she returned a gentle smile. Helping her friends felt good.

The entity now focused on Chroma, combining its jaws for another blast. Shae took aim at her; he would drag Chroma out in pieces if he had to.

“PIERCING SHOT!!”

But no bullet emerged. Shae discovered a new rule about Level 2 abilities - they had a longer recharge time.

Chroma’s eyes locked with Shae’s.

“Shae --” she began to say.

An obliterating light touched down. Chroma was gone.

“Chroma!” yelled Shae. “Noooo --”

“Shae!” yelled DangerFace869. “Run!”

There wasn’t time to grieve. There was hardly time to escape. Shae took off in a sprint, with DangerFace869 right behind him.

The entity pursued with effortless pace. All four heads came together again, this time aimed at Shae.

“Shae,” said DangerFace869.

“I know,” said Shae.

Shae took aim. Bullets couldn’t kill this thing, but that wasn’t his goal. He just had to hit the right spot --

“PIERCING SHOT!!”

Another Level 2 bullet nudged the snake’s lower jaw upwards. The beam streaked over Shae’s head, ripping through clouds and a portion of the sun.

Shae took one last frantic glance at his interface:

Mission Participants

1. DangerFace869

2. Shae (Leader)

3. ---

4. ---

Shae was Leader now! It was time to cancel this mission and get out of here:

Mission cannot be cancelled while in a bubble.

Shae cursed.

A swirling wall of purple energy pulsed just ahead. Shae and DangerFace869 were almost at the bubble. Meters from its border. Seconds from safety.

But the heads came back together. Shae’s trick wouldn’t work twice; his Level 2 recharge time ensured that.

Shae had some distance on DangerFace869. At this rate, Shae would be out of the bubble before the next blast went off. He just had to hope it aimed at him.

The entity aimed at DangerFace869.

“Shae,” whimpered DangerFace869.

“Don’t stop,” said Shae. “We’re going to make it.”

Shae was certain of his words, but only for himself.

“This is my fault,” said DangerFace869. “I’m sorry Shae.”

“No!” yelled Shae. “We can do this!”

A dim white light formed in the entity’s many mouths.

“Shae!” yelled DangerFace869.

“We’ve got this!” yelled Shae.

Shae pulled up his palm interface:

Mission Participants

1. DangerFace869

2. Shae (Leader)

3. ---

4. ---

A white beam split the sky --

-- Shae dove through the bubble, hitting the cancel button in mid-air.

Mission Cancelled

Shae slammed against the ground, sliding through several feet of dirt. He took a painful glance upwards --

The bubble was gone, and so was the entity.

But DangerFace869 remained. He was curled up into a little demonoid ball, both arms making a futile effort to protect his body.

Eventually, the demonoid’s head unfurled.

“Did you save me?” asked DangerFace869.

“Yeah,” said Shae.

Shae couldn’t be certain, but DangerFace869 seemed upset.

“I messed up,” said DangerFace869.

“Yeah you did,” said Shae. “You got Chroma killed. And our Raid Captain. Chief’s not going to like this.”

DangerFace869 stared at Shae.

“I’m sorry,” said DangerFace869.

“Sorry won’t be enough this time,” said Shae.

“I shouldn’t have gotten you involved,” said DangerFace869. “I should have gone alone.”

“That’s an even worse idea,” said Shae. “You shouldn’t have gone at all.”

“I had to Shae,” DangerFace869 yelled. “I had orders.”

Shae gave him a funny look.

“These aren’t just glitches,” said DangerFace869. “There’s something causing them. I’m here to find out what.”

Shae gaped.

“Whatever we just saw,” said DangerFace869. “That wasn’t part of the game. But you saved me. You saved my entire operation. If I fail, a lot of people will die.”

DangerFace869 stepped towards Shae.

“I don't understand Zero Space yet,” said DangerFace869. “But if you keep teaching me, I promise I’ll protect you. Both here, and the Haven.”

“Danger Face Eight, something,” said Shae. “Who are you?”

“I’m your friend Shae,” said DangerFace869. “Just a stronger friend than you might realize.”

DangerFace869 put a hand on Shae’s shoulder.

“And from now on, just call me Dane.”