[ZERO SPACE]

“RICOCHET SHOT!”

A green bullet infiltrated the Deadly Skulls.

-- Off Bowman’s pteranoid brain.

-- Through Wagger’s crazed magicoid teeth.

“STORM SHIELD!”

-- Deflected by Syadd’s spinning flail.

“CARE STARE!!”

Both Bowman and Wagger opened their eyes. With a Level 2 upgrade, Bez could revive multiple people simply by looking at them - they didn’t even have to look back.

Lanzer shook Bander, but Bander remained AFK.

“Shae Shae Shae,” yelled Lanzer. “Bander’s gone! Bander’s gone!”

Shae’s attention was diverted just long enough for a stick of TNT to sneak by his feet.

Lanzer bared his pirahanoid teeth. He’d had enough explosions for one day.

“SUBTLE SLASH!!’

In the span of a millisecond:

-- Lanzer grabbed the stick of TNT.

-- His claws slashed through Wagger’s magicoid face, driving the stick of TNT down her throat.

-- He skidded to a stop, several meters away.

BOOM

Wagger ate the whole explosion.

“CARE STARE!”

Wagger’s scattered pieces reunited.

DangerFace869 snuck up on Bez, wrapping an arm around his throat. Healing for the Deadly Skulls was cut off.

Lanzer now found himself between three Deadly Skulls. His ability got him into this position, but it could also get him out of it:

“SUBTLE SLASH --”

Syadd’s flail interrupted him, coiling around his body like a segmented serpent.

“That’s enough!” yelled Bowman. “Everybody stop fighting!”

DangerFace869’s arm squeezed Bez.

Syadd’s chain squeezed Lanzer.

“Hold up!” yelled Shae. “We’ll attract dark goblins!”

“Give us back our healer!” yelled Syadd.

“Give us back our Lanzer!” yelled Shae.

“Hurry it up,” said Bowman, watching the trees.

“You first,” said Syadd.

“No, you,” said Shae.

“You!” yelled Syadd.

“You!” yelled Shae.

“Me!” yelled a dark goblin.

Five dark goblin claws ripped through Syadd’s belly. The brutoid collapsed, knocking Lanzer over like a domino.

Lanzer toppled sideways, still tangled in chains. His head and toes wiggled in a futile escape attempt.

“Um um um,” said Lanzer. “A little help please?”

Another dark goblin dismembered Bander’s AFK body.

“That’s bad,” said DangerFace869.

A third dark goblin rushed at Shae.

“We’re gonna kill you slow!” shrieked the dark goblin.

“PIERCING SHOT!!”

Shae’s Level Two bullet lifted the Dark Goblin from the ground, carrying him several feet before depositing him in a flower bed.

“Split up,” yelled Shae. “Split up!”

Shae bailed.

DangerFace869 released Bez, sprinting after Shae.

“Wait wait wait,” yelled Lanzer. “Don’t leave me here!”

“They’re getting away!” yelled Wagger, giving chase.

“Bez, heals!” yelled Syadd.

“CARE STARE --”

A shrieking goblin leapt in front of Bez.

“Holy snap!” yelled Bez.

Bez fled towards Shae.

“Damn it Bez!” Syadd yelled, clutching her bleeding belly. “Come back here!”

A dark goblin approached Syadd. Lanzer thrashed in his chains.

“Help help help!” yelled Lanzer. “Get me out! Get me out!”

Syadd legitimately tried to free him, but her hands were too busy shoveling her guts back in.

The dark goblin moved in - two easy kills. NPCs had no honor. They only had directives. But these dark goblins took extra pleasure in it.

Long claws carved trails through the soil, one hand reserved for Syadd, the other for Lanzer.

A sandal touched down in the way, scattering dirt with a heavy stomp. Maroon clothing concealed a fit pteranoid body. Arching wood stretched a bowstring to its limits. Twenty arrows quivered in their quiver.

Bowman’s bright orange eyes lit up beneath his hood - he was the last thing standing between the dark goblin and Syadd. He never gave anything less than his all, and this was all or nothing.

Bowman rolled forward --

“HOMING ARROW!”

A single arrow curved through the air, driving towards the dark goblin’s throat.

Goblin claws fanned the air, slicing the wooden shaft to ribbons. A foolish mistake. Dark goblins would laugh off anything less than a Level Two. That would cost Bowman some blood. He just had to decide how much blood.

Pteranoids had many essential body parts. Arms, legs, head - Bowman needed all those. But his wings? They were extraneous. Just body bonus features. He could spare one.

Bowman leaned sideways, surrendering a wing to dark goblin claws. Numbing pain ran through one of his shoulders, letting the other shoulder know about it. A single arrow slid from his quiver as he leaned. Dexterous fingers caught it mid-fall, twirling it up through the dark goblin’s retina. Dark goblin flesh was sturdy as stone, but their eyes were spongy, soft, and the perfect size for an arrow.

A swift claw swiped, but Bowman was no longer there - the dark goblin had a brand new blind spot. Two arrows penetrated his thin dark goblin toes.

Bowman’s head dipped back as flashing claws whizzed by his face. The next swipe didn’t even come close - the dark goblin misstepped, receiving an arrow to his other eye.

Two lunging claws retaliated.

Uh oh - Bowman was too close. This would require another blood sacrifice. Bowman donated his other wing to the cause, spinning behind the goblin and putting an arrow through his knee.

The dark goblin fell to a kneel. Bowman stomped his face into a tree trunk, before executing a dozen evasive handsprings.

SLICE

Dark goblin claws truncated the tree trunk.

SLICE SLICE SLICE

Several more innocent trees fell victim to thrashing claws. Blinded dark goblins didn’t discriminate. Bark, grass, stone, and roots were annihilated in a fury of teeth and claws.

Syadd and Lanzer squirmed backwards - they were next on the chopping block.

Bowman had to end this now; blinded dark goblins were as dangerous as non-blinded ones. They had other senses to track foes with:

-- Smell.

-- Feel.

-- Hearing.

“HOMING ARROW!!”

Bowman’s shout was loud enough to alert every creature in Sunlight Forest. The dark goblin’s ears perked up, darting towards Bowman in a last-ditch dash.

Only seconds to react - wings would no longer carry Bowman to safety. It all came down to this last Level 2.

Level 2 arrows were inherently faster and stronger than their Level 1 counterparts. Two dark goblin claws interfered, just like before. This time however, Bowman was ready for it. His arrow outwitted rapid claws, weaving between fanning finger blades.

The arrow was clear! But even a Level 2 wasn’t enough on its own - that’s what the dark goblin’s momentum was for! The speed of its charge, combined with the power of the arrow --

CRACK

Right between two dark goblin eyes. Bowman’s sandal slammed into the dark goblin’s head, driving the arrow deep into his skull.

The dark goblin’s body toppled like an uprooted tree, smashing across the forest floor. The ground shook. Leaves fell free from their branches. Grass took flight, fluttering through the sky.

Bowman struck a pose, immortalized in what would soon be a viral replay. It wasn’t arrogance; it was reflex. His glory days as a famous player were over, but there was still plenty more glory to gain.

The dark goblin was defeated.

Lanzer’s toothy jaw slouched to the grass.

“What what what?” asked Lanzer. “You just killed a dark goblin. In melee combat? By yourself? And survived? What the hell was that? Who the hell are you? Wow wow wow!”

Syadd feigned indifference.

Bowman strolled back over nonchalantly.

“Now what?” asked Bowman.

“Now we keep looking for the sword,” said Syadd.

“There’s only two of us,” said Bowman. “And you’re injured.”

Syadd’s palm patched her leaking gut.

“I’ll make it,” said Syadd. “The Ancient Crater isn’t far.”

“Um um um,” said Lanzer. “If you untie me, I can kinda help you.”

Syadd and Bowman glanced down.

“We can all get the Dragon Sword,” said Lanzer. “Please please please?”

Syadd squeezed Lanzer with her flail chain.

“I like you better this way,” said Syadd.

“We’re not going to make it,” said Bowman. “Our healer ran off.”

Syadd lifted Lanzer with her chain.

“At least we have bait!” Syadd said.

***

Two Dark Goblins pursued Shae’s party.

“BERSERKER BLAST!!”

One Dark Goblin pursued Shae’s party.

Wagger rarely called out her ability’s name, but when she did, she meant it. Overpowered sticks of Level Two TNT decimated both her and the Dark Goblin that grabbed her in a glorious fireball.

A crazed magicoid eyeball landed next to Bez. Technically, his Level 1 only required eye contact. This counted.

“CARE STARE!”

Wagger was back.

A dark goblin pounced at DangerFace869.

“FURY STRIKES!!”

Two hundred Level 2 fists held the dark goblin at bay.

Shae debated his next move. Once DangerFace869’s ability expired, that dark goblin would wipe them in seconds. Bez was useless, and Wagger was unpredictable. Nothing Shae had could puncture dark goblin flesh --

Dark goblin flesh --

Nothing could get in.

But what if Shae was already in?

Shae’s mind went to some dirty places -- he smacked those thoughts from his head. But he had a plan. It was suicide, but that was better than wiping.

Shae leap-frogged over DangerFace869 at the tail-end of his ability, shoving his pistol into the dark goblin’s mouth.

Two dark goblin claws descended --

“PIERCING SHOT!!”

A Level 2 bullet broke free from the dark goblin’s skull, geysering red and grey matter.

“Shae,” said DangerFace869. “You found their weakness.”

Shae turned towards DangerFace869. A bloody claw mark ran from his forehead to his feet. Everything inside Shae was now outside. An empty shell of skin flopped forward.

DangerFace869 stared at him for a moment, then turned towards Bez and Wagger.

“Bez,” said DangerFace869. “Heal Shae.”

“Ummmmm --” said Bez.

“Don’t even think about it,” said Wagger.

“What do you think, Bez fans?” Bez asked his microphone. “Should I heal Shae, or should I let him --”

“Your four viewers don’t get a say in this!” said Wagger.

“I’m up to five now actually,” said Bez. “No wait, back to four --”

“Let’s just kill the demonoid and get out of here --”

“We can all get the Dragon Sword,” said DangerFace869.

Wagger and Bez turned towards him.

“There’s four of us,” said DangerFace869. “And we have a healer. But Shae’s the strongest. We need him.”

Wagger and Bez considered his words.

“Save Shae,” said DangerFace869. “Don’t be stupid.”

Bez nodded.

“CARE ST --”

Wagger seized the dragonoid’s snout.

“Master Valdi will kill us,” said Wagger. “We can’t help the Feather Birds.”

“He’ll be madder if we fail,” said Bez.

Wagger’s crazed eyes relented. She backed down.

“CARE STARE!”

Shae hopped back to his feet.

“The Ticking Ruins should be nearby,” said Shae, without missing a beat. “I know this sucks, but we have to work together.”

DangerFace869 and Bez nodded.

“We’re competing,” said Shae. “But we don’t have to be enemies.”

A fire lit in Bez’s eyes. Wagger seemed less enthused.

***

Syadd’s flail dragged Lanzer through rocks, luminescent flowers, and small bitey insects.

“Ow ow ow,” said Lanzer. “I know you two are kinda beat up, but that doesn’t mean you have to beat me up too!”

Syadd held her flail in one hand, and her guts in the other.

“Do you need me to drag the clown for a while?” asked Bowman.

“I’m fine,” Syadd lied.

Health in Zero Space was a soft metric. Even with an injury like Syadd’s, enough determination could compensate for not-enough blood.

Syadd wanted to give up. Not just now, but so many times in the past. Brutoids like her were a dime a dozen, a realization only she made after picking her character.

Brutoids had many benefits, but social standing wasn’t one of them. No one took them seriously. Everyone assumed they were big dumb beasts, with a penchant for destruction and not much else. Most players were happy to act the part.

Low Haven floors were filled with Brutoid players. Dumb schmucks that had no chance of moving up. Not in a guild. Not in the Haven. Just mindless muscle, called in for dirty jobs.

Syadd adopted that mentality and Haven life reinforced it. Competitive roommates, putting her down to get ahead. Teachers denouncing her education rating. Enforcers chiding her physical deformities in passing.

Out there, she was a scared little wimp, abused by anyone she came in contact with. But not in Zero Space. Here, she was the biggest. The meanest. The strongest. It was better to be an abuser than abused.

There was something more to Syadd however. A calculated mischief only visible to wise eyes, like those of Master Valdi. Syadd didn’t take shit, and she got shit done; it was everything Master Valdi wanted in a Raid Captain. Only Master Valdi was willing to take a chance on her - her one chance at a good life.

She stopped at the edge of a large hole in the ground -- the Ancient Crater.

Official lore spoke of a meteorite crash-landed in this very spot. On a full moon, extraterrestrial creatures were rumored to roam these lands. Community efforts however had invalidated this theory. According to hacker data, aliens were definitely real. The devs just forgot to put them in.

Tonight however, something far worse lurked in the crater. Grass and stones stretched and elongated, as if viewed through funhouse mirrors. Stars dripped from the sky like firefly tears. Moonbeams crystalized in glistening pillars, shrinking, expanding, then falling through the floor.

“Another glitch?” asked Lanzer. “It, it can’t be. How how how?”

“Let’s get out of here,” said Bowman.

“No,” said Syadd. “The Dragon Sword could be in there.”

Syadd poked the bubble of wild energy, creating an explosive ripple of color and shapes.

“Wait wait wait,” said Lanzer. “You can’t go in there. That’s kinda a bad idea.”

“I’m not going in,” said Syadd.

Syadd reeled in Lanzer.

“We need to know if the Dragon Sword’s in there,” said Syadd. “You’re going to find out for us.”

A look of horror washed over Lanzer’s face.

“No no no,” said Lanzer. “Hold on. Syadd, don’t do this. The Dragon Sword changes locations each day. Come back another day!”

“Master Valdi wants it now,” said Syadd.

“Please please please,” said Lanzer. “Don’t do this. I’m not joking. This isn’t something to mess around with.”

“Better you than us,” said Syadd.

“No, no, no, please, please, please,” said Lanzer. “I’m serious. You don’t know what’s in there. This is a bad idea. I mean it.”

“Syadd stop,” said Bowman. “You’ll kill him.”

“And what do you think Master Valdi will do to us?” asked Syadd. “You want to be the one to tell him we retreated?”

Bowman remained silent.

Lanzer squirmed in Syadd’s chains.

“You don’t know what glitches can do,” said Lanzer. “Lanzer is all I have. Please don’t kill him.”

Syadd’s chain squeezed Lanzer.

“Go in there and look around,” said Syadd. “Take some pictures too. If we’re not satisfied, you’re going back in.”

Syadd gripped Lanzer’s head fin.

“If you try anything or go AFK, we’ll cripple you and throw you back in,” said Syadd.

Lanzer trembled, tears and sweat rolling across his clown make-up.

“Syadd, this is messed up,” said Bowman.

“We gain a Dragon Sword, or lose a Feather Bird,” said Syadd. “Either way is a win.”

Syadd lifted Lanzer.

“Syadd, please,” Lanzer sobbed. “Don’t do this. Don’t hurt Lanzer. I’ll do anything. I’ll help you get the sword. Please don’t kill Lanzer.”

“You know what you have to do,” said Syadd.

“Syadd, noooo --”

Syadd swung Lanzer with her chain, lobbing him into the deep recesses of the glitch. The pirahnoid rolled through floating dirt, settling on solidified flowers.

Lanzer absorbed his surroundings. Flakes of color glittered in an indecisive breeze. The moon and sun swapped places, merging into a single entity. Soil rolled like waves in a stormy ocean.

Advancing into the glitch could attract the horrors within, and fleeing would prove challenging - Lanzer wasn’t positive which way was out. Even in a weakened state, Syadd and Bowman were too much to handle. Especially Bowman. Lanzer hated how infatuated he was with Bowman’s skills.

There was only one thing left to do:

Lanzer curled into a trembling ball.

“Ledgess, Triya, Xieter,” said Lanzer. “If any of you are real -- if any of you are listening, please help me.”

***

Shae glanced up towards a rustic stone pillar. At its peak was a ticking clock. Ancient technology, clearly inspired by modern technology. A big hand and a little hand rotated across bizarre alien symbology, in the exact same numeric positions of a non-alien clock.

“We’re near the Ticking Ruins,” said Shae.

“Shae, question from my viewers,” said Bez. “How do you feel about leaving your friend Lanzer behind?”

“He’ll be fine,” said Shae. “The worst your stupid friends could do is beat him up.”

Bez turned his microphone towards DangerFace869.

“Same question for you, Danger Face Eight, Six, um --”

“Danger Face Eight Six Nine,” said DangerFace869. “Say the whole thing.”

Wagger lurked behind, watching them all with crazed magicoid eyes. Two well placed sticks of TNT could eliminate all three of them. She always got her way, and obliterated anything in her way.

The Haven had been kind to Wagger. She led a pampered life on floor forty three. Her parents gave her everything, and the Haven gave her everything else. Everyone loved her, or at least the side she showed to them. A rare Haven influencer, born with the perfect combination of body, personality, and inheritance.

Her online presence was inspiring. Inspiring enough to keep her on the upper floors. She encouraged people to live their best lives, even if their best lives would never amount to hers. It was a beautiful lie - the Haven’s favorite type.

Playing a magicoid was the next logical step in her rise to fame. They were the cutest race by far. “Cute” didn’t win battles however. Other players literally talked down to her. Stepped on her. Threw her around. Not being a human was dehumanizing.

Foreign feelings made themselves known - sadness, anger, humiliation. Physical pain was lessened in Zero Space, but her emotional pain was amplified. Months of torment grinded her down from an adorable social butterfly to a hunched terrified gremlin. None of her real world advantages were applicable here.

Then Wagger picked her weapons. A bag of TNT - an overpowered weapon only a magicoid could wield. If no one took her seriously, she wasn’t going to take anything here seriously either. Virtual reality wasn’t reality. It was all just a game, and she played games to blow shit up.

Screw working together. Wagger grabbed two sticks of TNT. It was time to play!

Something caught her eye --

-- The Ticking Ruins. They were aptly named. Cracked green pillars and platforms, dripping in thick moss. Stone clock towers scored the scenery with synchronized ticks. They all seemed to be counting down to the exact same thing.

“That’s ominous,” said Bez.

Twisting staircases ascended to the ruins’ ultimate treasure - a long sword pierced partway into a stone platform. It’s blade stood taller than Shae’s body. A metal dragon coiled around its handle, breathing a ribbon of fire.

Bez gasped at the mere sight of it.

“This is it folks,” said Bez to his microphone. “The famed Dragon Sword, finally ours to --”

Bez’s narration cut short as a figure shambled by, muttering incomprehensible nonsense. It grasped a frothy white energy sphere, dripping with fragmented steam. Its segmented body cycled like reels in a slot machine, switching textures, outfits and races.

“It’s those people from the glitch,” said DangerFace869. “That’s odd.”

“Holy snap, those guys are weird looking,” said Bez.

“Bet they’ll still blow up,” said Wagger.

“Not yet,” said Shae. “Not without a plan. Let’s scout this place.”

A few laps around the ruins revealed nine glitch men:

- Five roving on the ground floor.

- Three on staircases and platforms.

- One near the Dragon Sword.

Shae scratched his chin with his gun barrel.

“We’ve killed these guys before,” said Shae. “They’re pretty weak. I don’t know what they can do though.”

DangerFace869 studied them.

“SP count off,” said Shae. “I’ve only got three SP.”

“Four!” said Bez.

“Three,” said DangerFace869.

“Enough,” said Wagger.

Shae shook his head.

“We wasted too much fighting each other,” said Shae. “We’ll need to end this fast. Wagger, you’ll --”

Wagger spaced out. These guys were weird, but it wasn’t cause for alarm, at least in her mind. She’d rather rush in bombs-blasting than listen to Shae’s explanation. There was enough TNT for all of them.

“Bez,” said Shae. “You’ll go with Dane and --”

Bez watched Wagger in the corner of his eye. She was up to something.

“Dane,” said Shae. “It’s your job to --”

Wagger lit her TNT. Bez blew out both sticks with a single breath.

“Wagger, don’t,” said Bez. “Shae’s in charge.”

“You did not just say that,” said Wagger.

“We need to work together!”

“Don’t you dare get in my way,” Wagger hissed.

“-- And finally,” Shae continued, oblivious to their drama. “I’ll head towards --”

Wagger’s TNT reignited.

“Wagger no,” said Bez. “You’re going to ruin things again!”

“They’re called ruins,” said Wagger. “They’re meant to be ruined!”

“Wait, Wagger --”

“BOOOOOORING!” said Wagger.

Shae and DangerFace869 watched in horror as Wagger’s arm arched back --

Bez’s microphone crashed down against her skull, deafening four viewers. A heavy dragonoid kick launched Wagger backwards against a tree.

BOOM-BOOM

The explosion crafted a new forest clearing.

All nine glitched men glanced over - Shae’s crew ducked down. Blank distorted faces scanned the environment. Thirty three clock ticks passed before the glitched men returned to their patrols, stumbling towards nowhere in particular.

Shae and DangerFace869 turned to Bez.

“You just killed your friend,” said DangerFace869.

“She wasn’t my friend,” said Bez. “She was going to ruin everything. Just like she always does.”

Bez wiped blood from his microphone.

“We have to be a team right now,” said Bez. “Just like you said. If you want me to protect Danger Face Eight, something, that’s what I’ll do.”

Shae nodded.

“Call me Dane,” said DangerFace869.

Bez gave him a sheepish grin.

***

Almost half an hour had passed since Lanzer entered the glitch.

Syadd wasn’t sure she could wait much longer, even for the Dragon Sword. Her insides were finding new ways to escape her body - this was a definite four-out-of-ten on the pain scale. It brought her some small comfort that the pain couldn’t get much worse.

Bowman sat cross-legged on a tree stump.

“I think the clown might be dead,” said Bowman

“One of us should check,” said Syadd.

“When you say one of us,” said Bowman. “I assume you mean me.”

Syadd nodded, gesturing him in.

“I’m not doing that,” said Bowman.

“You don’t have a choice,” said Syadd. “It’s an order.”

“Are you trying to piss Master Valdi off?” asked Bowman. “It’s bad enough we might not get the Dragon Sword. Now you’re trying to get his top Deadly Skull killed.”

“I’m the top Deadly Skull,” shouted Syadd.

“Being Raid Captain doesn’t mean you’re the best,” said Bowman. “You’re only Raid Captain because I didn’t want the job.”

Syadd pushed her face against Bowman’s.

“I dare you to say that again,” said Syadd.

Bowman pushed right back

“Don’t fuck with me Syadd,” growled Bowman. “I’ll finish what that dark goblin started.”

Syadd growled. Then yielded.

“Alright then, Bowman,” said Syadd. “What do you suggest we do?”

“Let’s head towards the Ticking Ruins,” said Bowman. “The Dragon Sword could be there.”

“No,” said Syadd. “We’re leaving.”

Bowman gritted his teeth.

“You’re contradicting me,” said Bowman.

“I’ll do what I want,” said Syadd. “And you’ll do what I want.”

Syadd shoved Bowman down.

“I’m your Raid Captain,” said Syadd. “Just because you didn’t want the job, doesn’t mean you can disrespect me.”

Bowman held his tongue.

“Now let’s get the hell out of here,” said Syadd. “Screw that clown pirahanoid. I’m not going to shed a tear for dead Feather Birds.”

***

Over half an hour had passed since Lanzer entered the glitch; he hadn’t made much progress.

The corruption escalated every few feet. Even basic shapes felt alien. Morphed and deformed beyond recognition. There wasn’t air anymore - there was just color. A breathable, feelable hue with scents and tastes, some of it wet, some of it solid. A furious fog of intangible incomprehensible chaos.

Lanzer fell again to a fetal position, uttering the name of every Zero Space God he could think of.

“Ledgess, Zayder, Onar,” said Lanzer. “Anyone. Please --”

A crackling noise interrupted Lanzer’s prayer. The consistent silhouette of a discernible shape lingered ahead - a large green sphere, floating in the middle of the mayhem. Bits of reality succumbed to its gravitational pull, an outline of emerald energy imploding towards its infinite interior.

It was a path. A gateway to another server. Here, of all places. Lanzer’s jaw dropped. This didn’t seem possible. Did the glitch create this path, or did the path create this glitch? Ex-devs could still enter, but Lanzer wasn’t sure he should. He was already in too deep. Deeper seemed like the wrong direction.

“6’a^!!2=&n 2=?q.. d#_~m.’w %u;~mw>+qr5vY ^!!..?q..”

Lanzer’s head perked up.

A voice. Or at least Lanzer was pretty sure it was. Was it trying to communicate? It was almost impossible to tell.

“?q..oOO`~m+qr%u;”

The voice again. From somewhere ahead. Somewhere beyond the path.

A faint figure glided in the jumbled air. It was humanoid in nature, but its lower half was cylindrical, as if adorned in a phantom dress. Long arms extended into longer fingers, dripping like icicles from glowing palms.

Its head was thin and conic, swirling like a tornado funnel, bleeding white squares. Shapes, numbers and letters orbited its head, projecting its thoughts for the world to see. They were genius thoughts that a primitive being like Lanzer couldn’t understand. This wasn’t some programmed monster. It was a thinking calculating creature - a scientist of Hell.

It wasn’t a God that had come for Lanzer. No, this was something else. Maybe the very something responsible for these glitches. And if Gods couldn’t stop it, Lanzer was quite certain he couldn’t either.

“%u;w>.. &n^!!..+qr”

Lanzer had enough - he picked a direction and ran.

It didn’t matter if Syadd and Bowman were out there waiting for him; they were enemies he could understand. He would resist them with everything he had. Thrashing, biting and clawing like a feral beast - whatever was necessary to survive.

Lanzer never believed in gut instincts. Not until this very moment. Ingrained feelings and intuitions told him to run. Maybe it was an innate response to the unknown. Or a God of Zero Space whispering into his subconscious. But whatever it was, Lanzer knew to listen.

The thing behind him made no sound. It didn’t speak or lash out. But Lanzer could feel it, watching with invisible eyes. This wasn’t something he could outrun or outwit. He knew the other shoe would drop. A giant’s shoe, designed to crush pitiful insects like him.

And then suddenly, Lanzer breached the glitch’s exterior. He was back in Sunlight Forest, without any warning. The glitch grew distant, but Lanzer kept running. Beyond the border of Ancient Crater, past the edge of exhaustion, until not even a chaotic fragment remained visible.

Lanzer collapsed by a tree. A thick scratchy tree. Not a warping tree. Or a color-changing tree. It was a simple boring tree. His favorite type of tree.

There were no Deadly Skulls waiting for him out here. Or even Dark Goblins. Just the serenity of the night, the clicking of small bitey insects, and a few hapless guilds, roaming back and forth in a fruitless forest search.

Just a normal night in Sunlight Forest. Lanzer hadn’t appreciated its perfection until normal threatened to disappear forever.

He glanced at his clown make-up in the reflection of a clear running stream. It wasn’t handsome, but it was his. And he wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the world.

***

“PIERCING SHOT!”

Three glitch-men in a row.

“FURY STRIKES!!”

Two glitch-men in a huddle.

“FALLING KNEE DROP!”

That wasn’t a special ability, but it worked wonders for Bez. Especially at the height he fell from. Another glitch-man down.

Three opponents remained. Shae’s normal bullets dispatched one of them, but another aimed back with a white frothing orb. That gesture alone warranted a safety dive. Good call - a white beam tore past Shae, rippling with translucent pale squares.

Passing heat etched a burning scar across Shae’s forearm. That hurt way more than it should - more than anything in Zero Space had ever hurt before. He was quite certain he didn’t want to get hit by it again.

Another glitch man stood by the Dragon Sword -- but then it didn’t. It was suddenly next to Bez, teleporting in the span of a single clock tick.

A frothing white orb lowered towards Bez --

DangerFace869 pulled Bez down as white squares erupted in a cubic firework display. Twirling with DangerFace869 in a violent ballroom dance, Bez swung his tail into the glitch-man’s legs. Two demonoid feet followed-up, flattening its face into a pixelated pancake.

Shae pursued the final glitch man, flipping and rolling between stone staircases. Bullets and beams were exchanged, but no projectiles met their mark.

The glitch man had no need for projectile-tag - it could teleport! And that’s exactly what it did, right onto a stone column above Bez and DangerFace869. Too close for comfort, and too far for a bullet.

Bez and DangerFace869 were caught unaware. This was bad. It was a difficult shot, and If Shae missed now, one of his allies would suffer greatly.

2 SP remaining. Not enough for a Level 2 Piercing Shot. His Level 2 was larger and easier to aim, but his Level 1 required actual skill.

Wait, there was another way. A guaranteed hit. Shae had mastered the technique unintentionally:

Ricochet Shot.

It didn’t require precision - all it required was a mental path. It lacked the strength of Piercing Shot, or the duration of Poison Shot, but it was more than enough for a brittle glitch man.

“RICOCHET SHOT!”

-- Off a ticking clock.

-- Off a hanging branch.

-- Through the glitched man’s skull.

The glitched man’s head exploded into white cubes. DangerFace869 and Bez crouched as shimmering squares fluttered down like confetti.

The glitched men were defeated!

The Dragon Sword was theirs!

“Holy snap, we did it!” said Bez. “Today was a victory for the Deadly Skulls and the Feather Birds.”

“Not quite,” said Shae. “Dane, grab him!”

DangerFace869 was immediately upon Bez, ensnaring him in a submission hold.

“What the --” said Bez. “Shae, I thought we were a team!”

“We were a team,” said Shae.

Shae stepped up to the Dragon Sword. The blade reflected Shae’s entire body like a standing mirror, lighting him up in a radiant aura of moonlight.

“You said we weren’t enemies anymore!” yelled Bez, thrashing in DangerFace869’s grip.

“We’re not enemies,” said Shae. “But we’re still competing!”

Shae ripped the Dragon Sword free from the stone. Despite its massive size, it was somehow lighter than his guns. He did a few practice swings, slicing through imaginary foes. Weidling a conventional weapon was a nice change of pace - Shae could get used to this.

Another Dragon Sword appeared seconds later, popping in behind an explosion of green particles.

“Let me go,” whined Bez. “We can both get Dragon Swords.”

“Yeah,” said Shae. “You’ll just get yours tomorrow.”

“You want me to kill him?” asked DangerFace869.

“Maybe,” said Shae. “Be right back.”

[THE HAVEN]

Jay filled his toilet bowl with a satisfying moan. Bladders didn’t complain when players were in Zero Space, but if left unattended for too long, they could release on their own. It was a good habit to ditch Zero Space every few hours and unload. This was a long mission; that was a close call.

Jay grinned at himself in the mirror. It was a goofball grin, one he hadn’t given himself in a while. Anton was the only other person to ever see it, and only on special occasions.

The adrenaline rush of the Dragon Sword almost made up for the catastrophe that was yesterday. That Dragon Sword counted as a Level 2 material. Both a Level 1 and a Level 2 material in one day? It seemed too good to be true. Two more advantages against the Silver Suits, and two more SP.

In just a few short days, Bander would locate the Silver Suits. Shae shadow-boxed his mirror, imagining Silver Suits coming at him from all sides. An elbow to one behind. A kick to one in front. And a spinning forearm to --

His forearm --

There was a burnt bloody scar on his forearm.

The glitch man’s beam --

It grazed his forearm. In that very spot.

Jay vomited what little he’d eaten today. His goofy smile was gone. Just a dribble of egg and two petrified eyes.

This couldn’t be happening. This wasn’t possible. Actually, Jay wasn’t sure what was possible anymore. But this seemed even more impossible than usual. He hadn’t appreciated the stakes. That wasn’t just a battle for the Dragon Sword - it was a fight for their lives.

No, Jay didn’t have time to think about that right now. He was having the perfect day, and he wasn’t going to let a little thing like almost dying get in the way of that. That scar would be gone tomorrow, just like everything else. Jay was some sort of invincible premium superhero - he had nothing to fear.

He booted open the bathroom door, returning to his computer. Esara was still locked to her headset, doing Esara things. She wasn’t salty about not joining the Dragon Sword mission - she already had her Level 2. If there was nothing to gain from it, it didn’t concern her.

Jay rolled his chair back to his computer, grabbing his headset --

BANDER: shae

BANDER: help please

BANDER: i'm trapped in my room

BANDER: unit 27085

Jay stared at the chat window. Those messages had been there for a while. And Bander gave his unit number - no one ever did that.

He couldn’t even imagine what inspired Bander to do such a thing. Hopefully it wasn’t too late.

BANDER: i don't know what to do

BANDER: there's something in my room

BANDER: i'm scared shae

BANDER: really really scared

BANDER: please help shae

BANDER: i don't know what it is

BANDER: please hurry

[ZERO SPACE]

Shae snapped back into action, immediately decapitating Bez with the Dragon Sword. The sword was meant for slaying dragons. Dragonoids were a good warm-up.

“Get this sword back to HQ,” said Shae, tossing it to DangerFace869. “Bander’s in trouble. I gotta go.”

“What kind of trouble?” asked DangerFace869.

“Real world trouble,” said Shae. “There’s something weird in his room, I guess.”

“Something weird in his room?” asked DangerFace869.

“Yeah,” said Shae. “I have no idea. He gave me his unit number, so it’s serious. I’m out.”

“Wait,” said DangerFace869. “You’re going alone?”

“Yeah,” said Shae. “I can handle it.”

“Tell me the unit number,” said DangerFace869.

Shae stared at DangerFace869.

“Tell me the unit number!” DangerFace869 demanded.

“I can’t get you involved,” said Shae.

“You watch my back in here, I watch your back out there,” said DangerFace869. “That’s what we agreed on.”

“I’m, uh, not a normal person out there,” said Shae. “You don’t know what I can do.”

“Same,” said DangerFace869. “Now give me the unit number. If this is what I think it is, you’ll need back-up.”

Shae hesitated, then leaned in. He spoke in a whisper that no wandering phantoms or replays could decipher:

“Unit 27085.”