[ZERO SPACE]

“That’s a really great story!” Asira said, forcing out a laugh. “Please continue!”

Chief shuffled on her throne, seeking a more comfortable position. Birds rattled in their cages above, maintaining a reasonable volume.

“We defeated him,” said Chief. “The dragon, I mean. He was much different back then. He didn’t require an eight person Castle raid. You just walked into his cave and took it. His treasure, I mean.”

Dalli stood next to Chief, a loopy smile across his wrinkled lips. He could listen to Chief’s stories all day.

“Dalli, you were so young,” said Chief. “Back then, I mean. You only had your level one.”

“What level was your ability, Chief?’ asked Asira.

“Level Two,” said Chief. “My level three came after. After defeating the dragon, I mean.”

Asira nodded, focusing her orange eyes.

“So you really managed to defeat the dragon with just your level two?” asked Asira. “That must be a really powerful ability.”

“It is,” said Chief. “But Asira, what brings you here? Did you come just to hear them? My stories, I mean?”

“I’m gathering intel,” said Asira. “We’re about to fight the dragon. You know it better than anyone.”

“No one’s more experienced than Chief!” said Dalli.

“Sb4&ua?qk!” said the Ruby Rumpus, red feathers fluttering in a cage above.

Asira gave the Ruby Rumpus an odd look. Were birds supposed to sound like that?”

“I won’t be of much help unfortunately,” said Chief. “With the Dragon, I mean. The fight is different now. He used to have a vulnerable red heart on his chest, but that’s since been removed.”

“How did you hit the heart?” asked Asira. “Did your ability target it directly?”

“It wasn’t me who hit it,” said Chief. “The heart, I mean. It was Dalli. Him and his Shadow Stab. Always so reliable.”

Dalli smirked, elevating himself with his leggoid legs.

“Did you distract it then?” asked Asira. “With a distraction ability?”

“There was no need,” said Chief. “Others drew its aggro. I simply drained it. Its health, I mean.”

“So your ability is damage related,” said Asira. “Gotcha. And it must be ranged, since the dragon can fly.”

“Asira, why are you so curious?” asked Chief. “About my ability, I mean.”

Asira’s wings tensed up.

“I-I’ve just never seen it,” said Asira. “Everyone’s curious.”

“And they’ll remain so,” said Chief. “Curious, I mean. I hold that secret close.”

“Even from your own guild?” asked Asira. “Don’t you trust us?”

“I trust you,” said Chief. “Our core raid group, I mean. The others, I’m not so certain. Deadly Skull spies infiltrated us long ago. We must be cautious.”

Asira’s pteranoid fur grew damp with sweat.

“I-I’ve just never seen you fight,” said Asira. “Everyone says how strong you are. Y-You should really join us for the dragon raid. We could use an eighth.”

“I’m afraid my time is over,” said Chief. “On the battlefield, I mean. I once made it all the way to the Wizard Twins. But then the world reset from under me. All that progress, gone in an instant.”

Chief sighed, settling into her throne.

“I still haven’t recovered,” said Chief. “From my burnout, I mean.”

Chief’s wings fluttered.

“I do miss it sometimes,” said Chief. “The comradery of fighting alongside allies, I mean. The thrill of a close battle --”

“Please, just a quick spar then,” said Asira. “J-Just to relive old times?”

Dalli slammed his spear against the ground.

“Asira!” Dalli yelled. “That is highly inappropriate!”

“And highly unusual,” said Chief. “What’s this about? Really, I mean?”

Asira shook. She couldn’t say what this was really about: Chief’s power. Priceless information, especially to the Deadly Skulls. They were willing to trade Asira’s life for it.

“You’ve had a long day,” said Chief. “Getting the Dragon Shield, I mean. I suggest you log off and rest.”

“N-No,” said Asira. “N-Not until I’m certain you’re fit to lead us!”

Chief froze.

“Asira!” snarled Dalli. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Y-You say you’re such a strong fighter,” said Asira. “I-I want proof!”

Asira trembled.

“Guild Leaders are supposed to be strong,” said Asira. “But you just hide behind your birds all day.”

Asira extended her orange swords.

“Please, fight me!” said Asira. “And don’t hold back!”

Chief grew quiet. Her birds on the other hand erupted into noise. A slam of Chief’s fist upon her throne button silenced them again.

“Asira,” said Chief. “I have some for you. Harsh news, I mean.”

Asira trembled.

“You may not like me,” said Chief. “Being in charge, I mean. But I was here when Zero Space first started. Old power remains in power. It’s not fair, but it’s reality.”

Asira grew tense.

“I may not be the best,” said Chief. “Guild leader, I mean. But I don’t have to prove myself to you. I don’t have to prove myself to anyone anymore.”

Chief’s beetle wings fluttered.

“My time is past,” said Chief. “You are the future. Of the Feather Birds, I mean. We need you out there. Do you understand?”

“Y-Yes, Chief,” said Asira.

It was all over. Asira’s last ditch effort failed. Now it was only a matter of time before V came to collect.

“Dalli,” said Chief. “Fetch it for me.”

Dalli looked confused.

“My spear, I mean.”

Dalli gasped.

“Chief, you can’t be serious --” started Dalli.

“My raid team is about to fight it,” said Chief. “The Dragon, I mean. I need their morale in top condition.”

Dalli nodded, scurrying into a back room. Chief’s heavy head turned towards Asira.

“Will that satisfy you?” asked Chief. “A battle, I mean?”

Asira froze, then nodded with a weak tilt of her head.

Dalli returned, dragging a halberd behind him. The halberd was nearly the length of Chief’s entire body. Long red ribbons dragged below its hooked blade, flowing like a crimson river. A reef of feathers looped around the weapon’s base.

Chief scooped up the halberd, twirling it above her head. Each spin produced wind strong enough to rustle Asira’s fur, even from a room-length away.

“This will be friendly,” said Chief. “A friendly spar, I mean. Come at me when you’re ready.”

Asira had been ready for a while. She glided forward for a swooping slice --

Chief’s weapon reached out to impale her.

Asira did a barrel roll, skidding to a stop behind Chief. That weapon was impossibly long. How could Asira even get close?

“Players can’t make them this long anymore,” said Chief. “Weapons, I mean.”

Asira was down to four SP after the Dragon Shield dungeon. Four chances to bait out Chief’s power.

“LIGHT BEAM!”

A level one light, straight to Chief’s eyes. Armoroids couldn’t blink - a little known fact that worked in Asira’s favor. Chief stumbled around blind, cages clattering with each heavy step.

Asira swooped in --

SLASH

Both of Asira’s orange swords streaked across Chief’s body!

Chief peered down at two long scratches, cleaved across her exo-skeleton.

That’s all they were - scratches.

“Players can’t be big anymore,” said Chief. “As big as me, I mean. Larger creatures have higher defense.”

With a single heavy kick, Chief ejected Asira across the room. Asira bounced across marble tiles, knocking the wind from her wings and lungs.

“Are you satisfied, Asira?” asked Chief. “With my strength, I mean?”

Asira groaned, crawling to her feet. She had to focus - what had she learned of Chief’s ability? It was damage-related, and a projectile. Chief once used it against the Dragon, a flying opponent --

-- A flying opponent.

Asira could be one of those!

She took to the sky, drifting between hanging cages.

“Asira!” yelled Dalli. “Watch the birds!”

Chief studied Asira with quiet eyes, her beetle wings beating a hypnotic rhythm.

Asira’s level two could fry even an armoroid like Chief. That bulky beetle body wouldn’t be able to run out of the way in time. The only possible counter was SP!

“LIGHT BEAM!!”

Chief jetted from the ground, wings slapping like a furious hummingbird. She soared past Asira’s beam with dizzying speed, ascending higher and higher, until --

STAB

Chief plunged her halberd straight through Asira’s gut, pinning her to the ceiling. Bone and brick parted for Chief’s blade, raining debris across jostled cages.

“Your Level Two is faster,” said Chief. “Than me, I mean. But not while I’m flying.”

Asira choked on blood. Her orange swords fell from her hands, clattering against smooth tile below.

“Most people don’t know I can fly,” said Chief. “Like that, I mean. Armoroids are faster in the air. Even large ones like me.”

Asira grew limp. It was all over. For real this time.

“You move slower,” said Chief. “During your Level Two, I mean. I move faster, so I outpaced you.”

Chief leaned in towards Asira, beetle wings abuzz.

“I’ve seen it all,” said Chief. “Your replays, I mean. There’s nothing you can do that I can’t counter. Do you understand the benefits of hidden information now?”

“Y-Yes, Chief,” Asira said, her eyes growing dark and distant.

“You’ve always been one of them,” said Chief. “One of my favorites, I mean. I know you’re stressed, so I’ll forgive your ridiculous behavior.”

Chief hugged what was left of Asira’s body.

“Log off Asira,” said Chief. “For today, I mean. I need you at your best for the dragon raid.”

Asira complied, sprawling out across the ceiling. Chief descended with impossible grace.

“Dalli, I’m done,” said Chief. “Please put it away. My weapon, I mean.”

“Yes Chief!” said Dalli, giving her a firm salute.

Chief stomped off, clutching her head.

Poor Chief. Dalli wanted to help out anyway he could, though he wasn’t sure how. That halberd was wedged in there real good.

He stretched his legs out like a pair of stilts, rising all the way to the halberd’s height. This would take a while.

“oOOqu2=rk!” said the Ruby Rumpus.

Dalli’s head jerked towards the cage. Among the sea of sleeping birds, the Ruby Rumpus still remained bright and chirpy. It flapped in its cage, picking at crimson feathers with a long duckbill beak.

Was that just Dalli’s imagination? No, he’d heard the strange squark before. He didn’t think much of it at the time. Or at least, he tried not to. Chief was so happy when he delivered the bird. She even gave him a long hug: seven seconds - not that Dalli was counting.

But that sound was unnatural. Unexplainable. Like a normal bird sound, but transposed upwards. Or sometimes downwards. Was it a glitch? Dalli wasn’t sure. Was it a problem? Dalli wasn’t sure of that either.

Maybe he could just ditch the bird. Dump it over the balcony, or release it into the wild. If it wasn’t in its cage, it couldn’t respawn back at the guild.

No -- Dalli didn’t dare. Not after all that work to get it. And all the happiness it brought Chief.

The damn thing was in a cage. What harm could it do?

[THE HAVEN]

Zydan’s hands manipulated a pair of action figures.

“Take this Captain Lair!” Zydan made an action figure say.

That action figure was a dragon. Big, blue and scaly. It towered several inches above a meager Captain Lair figure.

“No, sir dragon, don’t crush me,” said Zydan, doing his best Captain Lair impression. “I’m just a stupid little jerk with dumb friends. I am not as strong or smart as you.”

“I shall not crush you,” said Zydan. “Instead, I shall use my final attack - Eye of the Green God!”

“Sir dragon, what’s that?”

“I don’t know. It was assigned to me before that genius Zydan took over. I’ve always wanted to see what it does.”

“Oh sir dragon, you’re so smart and talented.

“It’s true. But I’m going to squash you anyway.”

“Sir dragon? No. No! Arggghhhhh!”

Zydan smacked the two action figures together. Captain Lair’s plastic body refused to give way for the dragon’s rubber foot. He imagined the little figurine exploding, just like Super Duper did. Such a fun death! Doing things himself was far more satisfying.

Yawning loudly, Zydan chucked both figures alongside hundreds of others. These figurines were of Zero Space’s past, present and future. They lay scattered across his room, poking out from scribbled pages, and piled upon game development books.

There wasn’t time to clean. Not with the hours he was pulling. Lower-floor cleaners couldn’t be trusted. And they all had that lower-floor smell. Most of Zydan’s time was spent on the dev floor anyway; he was less concerned about his own floor.

KNOCK KNOCK

Finally! Zydan’s co-conspirator was running late, as usual. It was time to discuss their next steps: bringing Zydan’s grand plan to fruition!

Zydan opened the door to Cleaver Craig, standing with his full red suit, tall red hat, and handlebar mustache. A large red box rested between both hands.

“Good evening Zydan!” said Cleaver Craig.

“Craig?” asked Zydan. “You’re not who I was expecting. What are you doing here?”

“I have a special delivery for you!” said Cleaver Craig.

Cleaver Craig turned the handle on his music box.

“Wait --” Zydan started. “Shit!”

Craig’s musical mini-gun volleyed thousands of bullets. Zydan dove across his unit, avoiding hundreds of them. Red needles shredded figurines. Scraps of documentation fluttered like startled leaves. Self-awarded medals exploded into shimmering fragments.

The music box melody concluded, leaving Zydan on the ground with dozens of bleeding holes.

“I don’t think I’ve ever set foot in your unit,” said Cleaver Craig. “Mind if I come in?”

Cleaver Craig wiped his red boots on fancy carpeting.

“Nice place you’ve got here,” said Cleaver Craig. “One of the nicest I’ve seen! I’d expect no less from Zero Space’s lead designer.”

“Craig,” sputtered Zydan. “Why?”

“Your father sent me,” said Cleaver Craig. “Me and my father didn’t have a good relationship either. It ended the same way!”

Zydan released a guttural groan.

“I’m sorry about ratting you out to your father,” said Cleaver Craig. “But he was onto us. We had to give you up. He’s practically king of the Haven after all!”

Cleaver Craig sifted through Zydan’s figurines.

“Do you mind if I keep some of these?” asked Cleaver Craig. “I happen to be a bit of a geek myself!”

“My stuff stays here,” said Zydan. “You can’t kill me, you numbskull. I’m just like you.”

Cleaver Craig unfurled his mustache with a finger.

“A premium account user?” asked Cleaver Craig.

Zydan nodded.

“Since when?” asked Cleaver Craig.

“Since recently,” said Zydan. “Dad doesn’t know. No one knows.”

Cleaver Craig’s mustache snapped back into place.

“Well, he’ll certainly know after this,” said Cleaver Craig. “Unless I destroy your computer that is! Premiums don’t come back after that.”

Cleaver Craig glanced below Zydan’s desk - nothing but candy wrappers and crumbs.

“I see your computer's not here though,” said Cleaver Craig. "I don't suppose you'll tell me where you keep it?"

“Not a chance,” said Zydan.

“That’s a shame,” said Cleaver Craig. “Well then, I hope you and your father work things out!”

Cleaver Craig turned to leave.

“Oh, and before you ask, I can’t pursue your father,” said Cleaver Craig. “Enforcers look the other way for many things, but they wouldn’t look the other way for that!”

Zydan groaned. Death was even less pleasant than he imagined. Hopefully this Premium Account thing was all it was cracked up to be.

“Instead of hiring another assassin, consider hiring a counselor,” said Cleaver Craig. “You and your father could use one! Do you mind if I use your restroom before I go?”

“Get out,” growled Zydan.

“Certainly,” said Cleaver Craig. “Great seeing you Zydan. Hire me again some time!”

Cleaver Craig slammed the unit door shut.

Zydan moaned, rolling into a pool of his own blood. Work tomorrow would be awkward. Getting murdered was a fine reason to use a sick day.

Zydan had anticipated all this; in fact, he was surprised it hadn’t happened sooner. But there was an ace up his sleeve: a group that stayed off even his father’s radar. If DD wanted to go nuclear, then Zydan would give him nuclear war.

A faint smile crept across Zydan’s face as he drifted into a long dark sleep.