The city burned brightly like a candle, and the smoke almost covered the rusted-colored sky. Shrieks of terror from NPCs and players, and cries of plunder from the invading monsters flooded throughout. As the atmosphere enveloped in their blood-curdling screams, more monsters continued to march in from all entrances into the city, disarrayed. The city was a dinner platter, consisting of people and monsters, being a feast for the latter. The people within served as mere sustenance for their hunger.

Some players who weren't confident in their fighting abilities fled into the buildings to protect what little equipment they have obtained wanting to avoid this one-sided battle.

Meanwhile, some chose to fight back. A group of players confident in their skills attempted to fight these beasts. They are no more than seven who are unfamiliar with one another. They are trying their hardest in resisting the advance of these creatures.

"We can't keep holding them off much longer!" One of these unfortunate fighters armed with an arming sword exclaimed as he found his small group surrounded.

One of the players in this small troop was immediately toppled over by a large wave of monsters, engulfing his whole body. A Nightculler began to feast on this player's immobile avatar. It bit hard on the player's shoulder. Blood sprayed out among the creatures. Horror swept over his face, revealed in his widened eyes.

No one bothered helping him. The random group of players prioritized their own safety first. After all, why risk your neck for somebody you don’t know? Players incapable of taking care of themselves against these creatures are best left behind for the strong to handle them.

This was a common mindset for this group... a mindset they may soon regret.

All of them watched as this man's ill-equipped avatar was swallowed by this massive horde... except for one person.

"Leader—!" The fighter began to rush toward his friend and swung the sword he held.

"No!" A final cry from his leader stopped the fighter's immediate sword swing. "All of you, withdraw! Just leave—" the monsters flooded onto the fighter's leader. Not a trail of his voice was evoked as he drowned into the sea of monsters.

"NO—!" This fighter yelled, as his group watched apathetically, all while keeping their guard for the monsters that surround.

Hopelessness... it was what it was. And just like small insects, they were soon engulfed by their large predators. A hopeless battle this was, as death welcomes them at the end of their futile struggle.

The city guards amongst the battlements fired their ballistae and cannons on the crenels at the monsters that continuously move across the field and moats of the walls. They proved to be useless structures as they continued invading relentlessly. Each time a creature dies, more just seemed to spawn from the forests, and other distant places surrounding the kingdom. Every shadowy nook and cranny were covered as various shops, inns, houses and many other structures have been razed to the ground.

Quickly making their way to the castle, Arka, Banelfsing, Mikrim, and Halvund ventured into the burning city, whilst avoiding the waves of monsters that surround. Some Bor-kulitz and Nightcullers obstructed their path, only to be smashed away by Halvund's great shield. The tall, Nigtcullers fell to the ground with their skinny, broken limbs, while the Bor-kulitz' teeth shattered due to the force of impact. Nothing seemed to stop the quartet in whatever was in their way.It wasn't sooner until they finally reached the center of the city, the Obelisk of Anastasis was still intact which served as the spawn point for the players of Helsfate on teleportation back to the city.

It also served as a respawn point on death of their avatar.

Death in video games has always been a common occurrence for any player. These sorts of occasions are meant to let the players know they've failed in tackling a problem. How would they go about finding a solution to the event or encounter with the monsters they face? It was meant to be a learning experience.

For Arka, her first few deaths in Helsfate has also served this purpose. She has fought countless enemies already in these few weeks. Self-improvisation, fixing holes in her approach to certain monsters; and reviewing mistakes... Rinse and repeat. For these past few days, her strategies improved immensely. It was the same as how it goes for everyone, especially for devoted gamers like her. Since then, she has not died over the days she's played. This placed more pressure on preserving the equipment and items she has gathered and accumulated.

Along with that experience, however, she's already learned a solid approach in fighting this game's monsters. So, she also felt confident in the virtual swordsmanship she learned.

The party halted their advance, as they finally came across an unknown anomaly—A sizeable, pillar of blue light blocks the way to the castle, shooting from a gaping, wide, bottomless pit.

It devoured the city's central area with its radius almost reaching each of the city's structures and districts. The four-way road and the central statue were destroyed by this beam; penetrating the darkened clouds and skies above.

Four of them stared in bewilderment at this blue light. "What in the...?" Banelfsing uttered under his voice.

Seeable below the edge of this broken earth was a great, dark, chasm where the blue light shoots out from. A strange occurrence, as they ensued in gazing forth.

For Mikrim, it didn't take long for her to snap back to her senses. She wanted to find a way to get across this immense anomaly.

Her eyes flickered after seeing a possible path. "Guys, this way!" The three looked at her as she called them. She was pointing in the direction where her party could go. It was a narrow ledge next to the mouth of the great chasm. A tight space, but ample for four of them to pass through.

Without second-guessing, they began crossing this narrow ledge after forming a line; with Halvund going first, then Arka, Banelfsing, and Mikrim. They stayed persistent in their placements, understanding each other's capabilities.

They hugged against the wall of a building as they continued crossing this gap. Shimmying on the lean, narrow, earth with each careful step they took, a bundle of rocks began crumbling off the wall which broke off from below Halvund's feet. Doubts about their safety in crossing this ledge surfaced among them after seeing this. But what else can they do? There wasn't a better way across... or perhaps they have missed their opportunity in finding a better way in crossing this path. None of them knew for sure.

Halvund stopped and watched the broken rocks fall into the darkness. His eyesight started to spin, as a nauseous feeling of disorientation began to cloud his mind.

"D-Don't look down...!" Halvund immediately perked his head up as he heard this call from the person next to him. "Just... Just keep going. W-We'll make it..." She told him. He looked to his side to see the fully-darkened-armored swordsman who spoke to him.

"Thanks..." Halvund told Arka as he tried to look within the gaps of her close-helmet. Afterward, he looked back at the path ahead.

A mere, few, spoken words... but Halvund was thankful the person behind him spoke up in time. If not, he'd surely lose his footing because of the nausea, and fall into the abyss.

They continued further ahead hugging on the wall of the building and ducked under a signpost that reads Post Service. It was evident that the walls of the building they hugged onto served this certain purpose. The building had an "H" shaped structure to it.

They soon found a more open space where the four of them could stand on, with better elbow room among the walls of this building. At this time, they were able to take it easy for a moment from shimmying across the narrow ledge. They were thankful that this was the case. Still, the remains of the earth they stood on won't guarantee their safety as this could collapse any time.

This uncertainty urged them to keep moving forward in crossing the small distance from the ledge to the road leading towards the castle.

It was soon that they finally reached the end of their risky impediment, and settling themselves on solid pavement. They safely got across. Banelfsing reached a hand out to Mikrim to assist her in crossing over a gap between the broken platform and the whole, road ahead of them.

This path would lead them toward the castle of Fellmoria. All that was left was a wide, stone, bridge connected to the castle riddled with numerous castle guards and monsters, northward. These NPCs and monsters were at a stalemate that was evident in the ensued fighting from the monster invasion.

Priority comes first, and foremost, and seeing this as a chance opportunity, Arka urged her party to run straight through the mob. She understands the NPC and monster behavior in the game that's only capable of focusing on one target at a time. Because of this, it should be simple how they would go about entering the castle. "Let's head straight through!" She said as she faced her party.

However, Halvund strayed from them suddenly. Her party's advance was stopped. A look of confusion, now present on their faces. Banelfsing's raised eyebrows express this bafflement as well.

Arka called for Halvund to come back... or so, she thought. She stopped midway as her hand tried to reach out for him. However, not a single voice came out from her. Was she lacking the confidence in interacting with this shieldsman? After all, she wasn't familiar with this person all that much. Will it be pointless in trying to stop him from leaving them? Her doubts surfaced. She and her two companions have been doing good so far anyway before he joined them.

She watched the shieldsman who was moving away from her party. Was it the right thing to do? She felt sure that it was at the least.

Seeing the direction Halvund headed for, a Weephound was cornering a young boy near one of the buildings. He wept and cowered with his hands stretched out, trying to protect his head and face from being brutally massacred like the three people, faced down in front of him—their bodies mutilated in shambles from their heads down to their stomachs with great bite marks.

Halvund's sudden intentions were understood at this point. Mikrim quickly followed the shieldsman after seeing this, in hopes of helping him as well in saving this young boy. She drew her bow slung over her shoulder.

Arka and Banelfsing froze in their tracks, as they watched Mikrim and Halvund go. They will see how this scenario unfolds.

Clasping both of his hands, Halvund smashed his shield that he wielded on his right arm into the four-legged beast.

A powerful swing. It howled in pain because of his surprise ambush. A clean hit it was, as he felt its sudden shift in weight, and hearing a violent crack that resonated along his metal shield upon this creature.

It stood on all fours yet again, beginning to show difficulty in its breathing. It proved to its opponent that it can endure his attack, as it prepared to tackle Halvund.

Halvund assumed the next, worse, outcome; as he rushed to protect the young boy by kneeling on a knee and planting his shield on the ground in front of him preparing for a counter-attack. Was it the best course of action?

As the Weephound finally regained its posture, a sudden, magical arrow flew in blinding speed, striking through the beast's thick hide with its already-broken ribcage. Its wide frame immediately slumped over, seeming to have died first of shock.

Halvund then saw Mikrim at a distance, who has just fired a magic arrow from her bow, with eyes, still focused on her recent shot. Trails of faint, blue light, ebbed out of her fingertips. She gave a subtle nod at him, and the shieldsman nodded back accordingly.

Halvund then turned his head to the young boy. "Are you alright?" He spoke. Seeing the lad, he could see that he lived from a family in destitution judging by the worn, white shirt, and blue overalls he was wearing.

Upon seeing the tall man in front of him, the boy acknowledges this, shaking his head nervously in disagreement with shivering muscles from his neck, down.

"You should leave this city with your family right now. This place is done for. You know how to get back from here...?" Halvund said to the young boy, as he pulled his shield out effortlessly in the broken, flooring of the road.

"I... I can't do it..." the boy said.

Halvund was worried that this event may have traumatized the young lad. He wanted to accompany him, but he didn't want to make his party wait too long, especially now understanding the sudden action he just made by separating from his party. Would they be patient and understanding?

Besides, it would be too late by then if he did wait any longer to rescue this young boy, despite being an NPC... "Do you want me to take you home?" He asked him.

"N-No... it's not that..." the teary-eyed boy said nervously. Halvund was puzzled upon hearing his answer.

The boy then pointed with his index finger; speechless at the three corpses that laid at a distance in front of him. Suddenly, it was clear as to why this boy couldn't go home with this voiceless implication. The boy's family was dead. The half-eaten corpses of his mother and father, and another corpse showing the exposed bone and utterly flayed skin of a female presumably the boy's sister—there was no home for him to go back to.

An expression of anger was seen through his wrinkled glabella and his tightened lips. Then he looked back at him trying his best to suppress this feeling that stirred inside him.

He thinks he can't bring the boy with him to his party. There were still unknown dangers ahead of them, and he can't separate with Arakar now, for there is still a lot he has to see through with them.

It was clear enough for Halvund that it was safer for the young child NPC to hide amongst the rubble until he comes back.

"I see... stay and hide among these ruins for now then," He told him with an indicative tone with certainty about the boy's safety. "I'll be back for you,"

Still, the boy looked up at him, with a worried look of fear-stricken eyes. "N-No, I don't think I can—" the boy's voice shook, unable to utter another word.

Understanding the boy's ensued uncertainty, Halvund devised a way to finally calm him down. Of course, this also fully guarantees the kid's safety.

He took out a roll of twine in his leather, belt bag around his back. After that, he unrolled the twine to a length of about ten inches, and placed some of the unrolled twine on the ground and had his foot, step on some of it.

He formed the twine into a cross-like shape. After that, he started to rub the twine together in a brisk manner, until one of its ends soon snapped off, being cut due to the heat from being rubbed together.

He took the cut twine, and placed the whole roll back in his leather, belt bag.

Next, he took out a ring he wore on his left, index finger, and put the ring around twine, and ties it, connecting it. It was now a ring necklace. "Here," he said as he held the makeshift, ring necklace out to the boy.

He placed the ring necklace on the young boy's opened palms. "What's this?" He asked Halvund.

Halvund made a short pause, thriving for a creative way to explain the ring he let the boy borrow.

"It's a good luck charm. It'll keep the monsters at bay. You'll be safe,"

Thus, he wore the ring necklace Halvund made for him. "I'll be back. I promise," Halvund told the young boy.

The boy nodded to Halvund as he went underneath the rubble in one of the burned down houses of the area.

Halvund stood up and began walking back to his party. In front was Mikrim who was looking at him. He continued to approach.

She was waiting for him. He felt almost speechless. Simple words could not convey his appreciation, but it was better to evoke resolution which was to be understood between the two after what happened. He thought It would be rude not to express this in any way if he just continues his walk in silence. "Thanks," He stopped in front of her as he conveyed his appreciation about her help earlier.

She smiled. "It was nothin'," Mikrim said as she started walking in front of Halvund to which he followed. "I'm glad everything turned out alright," she said. "It's good that you saw that boy in time. If you were late even a little, he could've..."

A man of few words Halvund was, and right now; there was another task at hand. "Yeah, I understand," Halvund said. "It's fortunate how it all turned out."

As Halvund and Mikrim walked back to Arka and Banelfsing, they can't help but be troubled about the smoke from the burning buildings and smoot of the other ruined structures that seemed to almost dampen their nostrils. They exhaled through their nostrils for relief occasionally.

With the rust-colored sky, it was hard to see without a distinct light source. All they had that would shed light upon the cracked road they set foot on are the remaining burning structures. What would guide them would be the noise of battle between city guards and monsters ahead of them.

Halvund couldn't help but feel restless about his surroundings. Many innocent townspeople have died. He witnessed them himself and he was powerless to do anything that would turn the tides about it.

"Thanks for waiting for me," Halvund told Arka and Banelfsing. "And... sorry I broke off suddenly. These people..." He made a fist and looked at it. "They need protecting."

Banelfsing wondered what urges the shieldsman to rescue the citizens. He recalled this man who was defending the people in the farm previously. They were all just NPCs. Why do they matter to him?

He decides now wasn't the time to be asking such questions. He held back from asking them for now.

Arka nodded at Halvund. "It's fine, let's keep moving," After seeing what happened, she couldn't help but wonder as well what urges the man in doing what he does. She wants to understand this unusual member. Are his reactions genuine that he does want to help the NPCs around? Was it roleplay? A past trauma?

As she turned and walked forward, she looked back at her party. "We'll also save any NPCs that can't fend for themselves that we come across," she said.

However, more importantly, was the way Halvund interacted with the NPC... it seemed too interactive. She wanted to find out more about this. An idea was present in her mind, but it was still fuzzy for clear details.

Halvund felt thankful that the swordsman decides to try and understand him. Not everyone, after all, would be as considerate as this swordsman for his unusual actions. He is aware of this himself as well. He didn't even ask any questions. He was thankful that he was leading the party.

Soon after, they continued heading towards the castle.

The city guards fought with every inch of steel and muscle. The more they exert, the wearier they've become. Meanwhile, more of the monsters just spawned from the east and west alleys of the city, heading toward the bridge. Many were slain by these combat-hardened guards, while many fell to these monstrosities' sharp fangs possessing bizarre anatomy of different shapes and sizes.

Halvund, Arka, Banelfsing, and Mikrim looked straight forward and continued running. None of the guards or monsters stopped to notice and engage them at all. Even if they were noticed by either guards or the monsters that surround, it was too late to even approach them as another wave of monsters keep them occupied.

And then—

The castle gates flew open, as Arka and Halvund made a forceful push of these wide, double-doors, the heavy sound of the wood and iron banged loudly against the white, stone walls echoing throughout the building, beyond. Banelfsing and Mikrim followed behind them.

A grand, hall with a vast, red, carpet complimenting this place laid in front of them. White, marble flooring with intricate designs of symmetrical patterns of sorts unknown to them are etched upon the faint hues of gold are decorated beautifully... At least it would have been; if it weren't for the dead guards slumped over the floor. There were even corpses of guards who were even sticking on the walls of the grand hall in blood. Mikrim had her eyes sat intently all over the bloodied, white, marble flooring. It was evident on closer look that the dead guards were from a recent battle that occurred way before Arka and her party entered.

At the end of the room on top of a wide, staircase was two, large, red, cushioned thrones with jewels decorated around its metal rails. One throne was bigger, for a king, and the other, of more minimalistic in grandeur, for a queen.

Five people were standing by. They turned to look at the forcefully, opened metal gates that echoed across this grand hall. A quiet, and awkward atmosphere began to stand out amongst them.

Among these five people, was a man with black, messy hair and a familiar, grey coat. With his dead-fish looking eyes, he looked at the unexpected guests who've interrupted their business.

"Hoh...?" The man uttered under his breath. He turned to look at the four that walked closer to them. "Well, if this isn't a surprise," And with the same upturned smile shown behind his lips, it greeted them with sheer delight, revealing an unspoiled welcome.

Arka looked up and saw two, majestically and gaudily dressed people with their arms restrained behind them. Lily restrained a man with both his arms and his back faced toward her.

Another unknown man who was with them who had long hair tied in a ponytail, wearing an olive, robe with a half of his chest and arm exposed held a woman captive as well in the same manner. He held tightly onto both this woman’s arms with his bandaged, arms reaching to his elbows.

His arms weren’t injured. It was part of his get-up

He stood firmly, with both his black, leather boots and what looked to be beige pants with a ripped off pant leg. It exposed this leg wrapped in a bandage past his knees. It was obvious upon one look that they are holding the innocent pair captive.

The people they held captive were dressed in gaudy and majestic, blue and purple robes that looked to be sewed by the finest craftsmen as shown by its diamond-like patterns. They also wore fur capes in the same design which was also trimmed in gold linen. They both have crowns adorned on their heads.

As Arka saw these people, it was all too obvious what deductive reasoning was there to tell her. It was the king, and queen of Fellmoria. Her party saw this as well. With the same visual cues, they all arrived in the same conclusion. Surprising—none of them ever saw the castle and its contents within. They've assumed the insides were unfinished and empty content of the game. Yet, here they are; walking amongst the fabric of a bloody, red, carpet, splattered with guts on the marble flooring.

As they walked briskly inside, Banelfsing and Mikrim traded a serious look in their eyes, puzzled by what is happening. Halvund stared with his stony eyes, in bewilderment of the scene before him.

Arka didn't like the familiarity she has with one of them, being, Stan. She felt an uncomfortable feeling in the air about it, knowing full well what he; or what any of them could do. She didn't like thinking about it as it just cracked the iron will in her nerves.

Arka's entrance with her party soon came to a halt as four of them now looked up the grand, marbled, carpeted stairs of the hall—a few spaces away from the five people.

The king, seeing that he has no other familiar face to turn for help tried to move toward Arka and her group.

He cried out, "P-Please help...!" Stan looked over his shoulder at the king's sudden, unexpected plea for rescue. However, the king was just forcefully held back by the man in the olive tunic. His grip was tight, making the king wince in pain.

This vivid expression portrayed by the king couldn't help but let Arka feel a sense of panic about to overwhelm her. She quickly stepped forward after seeing this reaction. "Stop!" She wanted to demand the king and queen to be released.

Being the first to speak among her party was a way of getting her chip off her shoulder knowing the uneasiness she felt.

Stan looked back at Arka, "C'mon, don't expect me to believe you've come here to save these useless, desultory, creatures," He directed his hand with an open palm, toward her. "Admit it, you've come here just expecting you'd see us, didn't you?"

Upon hearing this obvious rhetorical question; a quiet, stillness was all Arka evoked. The uncertainty was distinct for her. She couldn't help but lean to agreeing in some way that he was right. Within the crevices of her mind, she did come just expecting to see them. She wanted her questions answered after seeing what has been happening as of late. Besides, it was Stan who egged her on with the vague conversation they had earlier.

Most importantly, already knowing about Stan and his mysterious group's unknown abilities, did she consciously lead her party to their demise? Was selfish motivation of just wanting to see them, the main reason that drove her in venturing into the burning city?

No, that can't be it...

"Arakar," Mikrim called her from behind, "you know these people?"

She gave a glance to Mikrim behind her. "Not at all," she said. "They killed a player, and one of them just attacked me for no reason," She looked back at Stan, her focus unwavering. "It wasn't pleasant," She emphasized this with a hard tone in her voice.

"C'mon, I thought you were, rather, engaged in our little mock battle from earlier. Isn't that why you've come here for?" Stan asked her as he overheard her comment. He was intrigued by all this that was shown on the upturned smile on his face. "Or did you come here for a different reason? Cuz', if you've come here to stop us, you're already too late. We have the so-called king and queen of this little world in check," He gestured his hand toward the king and queen held captive by Lily and the man in the olive tunic. "So, it's useless to try and play hero, capiché?"

They want to kill them. It's clear what their intentions are, and it was too late for them to try and take action about it.

They’re the key...? Arka thought recalling her conversation with Stan,

Something feels off, however... Arka's aware of this. Intuition, perhaps? She can't say for certain.

A huge difference was set between their distance from Stan at the top of the steps, and Arka being below it. They're out of reach. If Mikrim drew her bow, Lily would catch on and the man with her would take action before them.

Halvund and Banelfsing will be squashing water... so will she.

There was no other solution. No clear way of solving this problem...

"W-Why—" Arka choked... then, a brief pause.

Stan waited for the words that'll come out of the swordsman's mouth. he was patient in respect to his potential equal. Knowing this potential equal, he waited and listened.

"Why are you people doing this?" was all Arka asked.

This was all she wanted to know.

Arka's aware that she will lose something big if she lets these unknown individuals continue to do what they do. The world she's in now was a place where she was eager to going back to... she wasn't ready for it to end just yet.

As for Stan, the look of glee and enthusiasm against his equal remained. He understands what this swordsman's question pertains to. The depression along the flesh of his cheeks and the wide, smile he shows became a tiny smirk. A pique of curiosity washed over him. He squinted a little at her with his dead-fish looking eyes, wanting a clearer look at this swordsman in front of him. Stan took his time of silence. He had many reasons not to answer this person's question. Mainly, it was about not wanting to compromise his mission. Should he still bother answering this person?

With all the attention his group's already getting, was there still a point in keeping secrets? He began to wonder.

"Perhaps you didn't hear me," Arka insisted. "Why are you people doing this?" She asked again. Her voice came out louder this time; aware of her volatile emotions and thoughts of presumable loss slowly getting in the way.

"Why are we doing this...?" Stan said with a rhetorical question of his own. "So, you've come up the creek without a paddle when you don't even know what you're even fighting for until now?" Stan deduced from her. He felt like he was about to laugh from how stupid it sounded. "Still, good question... The answer is simple, really..."

Lily and the man with the ponytail in olive robes looked at Stan, with their icy glares; cautious about their mission being compromised.

"I want... peace," Stan thoughtfully said peace after a brief pause.

Silent sighs of relief were evoked by Lily and her olive-robed partner.

"What do you mean, you want peace?" Arka asked Stan, confused by his statement.

Stan began walking slowly around the throne platform between Lily and the pony-tailed man. He placed his hand on his chin "This world... has been at war for a long time—way before you lot appeared. It's all a matter of unsettled disputes and differences. Stan pressed down on his forehead firmly with his index and middle finger as he thought about his circumstances until now. "To think that a matter of simple unpleasantries and disagreements with both sides to a scale this big... it's a comedy."

"What do you mean? Who are we at war with?" Arka asked, further confused and uncertain of what was Stan talking about.

"Not us—you," Lily spoke up from behind Stan; while still keeping a tight grip on the king.

After which, Stan stopped in his tracks in the middle of the throne platform and looked down at the four of them. "To put it into perspective, it's Monsters versus Monsters."

"Monsters...?" Arka presses further about this term. "You don't mean—"

"That's right. We're monsters. To be more specific, we're demons," Stan said.

The four glared at him. As they glared, Arka finally noticed how their skin looked paler in comparison to the four of them. Upon closer look, his irises were of different color as well. A hue of yellow.

Was this enough proof to claim how they were different from the rest of them? That they were these 'Monsters' they speak of? Or was this man just crazy?

They heard his words clear as ice in the dead-silent castle of corpses—the fresh blood continues to seep out of the armor among the thirty or so dead bodies. The blood smeared the floor just enough to make it almost hard to discern the design and shapes on the white, marble floor.

With a serious and puzzled look with their silent gaze at Stan, more questions just kept piling on top of each other for the four of them.

"Do you see now? This was a war that everybody wanted to have, including you humans," he said this as he lowered the hand he placed on his forehead, still retaining the same smirk on his face.

Arka couldn't believe what she was hearing. Rather, she was inclined to believing him. Why was she falling for such a lie quite easily?

"W-What are you talking about? This is just a game, isn't it?!" She shouted. The volatile emotions within her finally exploded.

It's too crazy to think about, and for a lot of reasons she was aware of... was he saying—

"So, you still don't realize it? Then let me spell it out for you... this isn't a game."

He meant what he said.

"This world is real."

Other than that, Arka's tired of the cryptic explanations Stan has been saying. What do they even plan on doing?

She's had enough of the—

"Bullshit!" It was Banelfsing who said this, loud and clear at Stan. He stepped forward. "Whatever you said sounds like it came from a stupid fantasy story. Just where did you base that from? You must be a fucking dork hiding behind your Dive Console," He called him out. "As if we'd believe something like that. We're not dumb,"

Stan chuckled. "Oh, you'll see then," Stan looked at the king and queen restrained by his two friends. "After we kill this odd couple... all this... this small kingdom you have right now? Will end."

After that, he eyed on the person at the back of the party "And don't even try," he said with his head still turned towards the king and queen.

"We can see you loading that little bottle of Chaos into that peashooter of yours, just now."

Arka and her party looked behind in turn.

Mikrim froze stiff trying to load the bottle into her bow's compartment. Just how did he see her? She couldn't believe it as she was standing behind the group. She was sure she was loading the bottle into her bow as discreetly as she can.

There was still a task at hand that they have to take care of. They can't make way for other questions right now.

Arka looked back at Stan. "What do you mean this will end? Will you s-stop with the crypticness? Just say it straight. I'm tired of all this."

Stan and Arka looked at each other in the eyes

"That's— something I can't tell you for many reasons. It's part of our job. Nothing personal."

"So, I believe enough was said. It's time to begin..." Stan begun to snap his fingers.

"No, wait!" She drew her sword and pointed it at Stan at a significant distance. "Stop right there!"

Arka was sure she caught one of Stan’s eyebrows twitching as she pleaded this. "Don't tell me... Are you going to stop us?"

As Stan said this, she was sure she wanted to... Arka felt certain. She was speechless, still processing everything Stan just told her.

If what he's saying is true, this kingdom will fall.

"Are you planning to stop us after all we just said? Whatever would be the point? Catch my drift? Stan pointed at Arka’s kampilan with a split-tip.

A pun at a time like this. Arka felt annoyed.

She was sure of the outcome that would ensue, and she was sure of her party agreeing about the same thing. They all did agree to resolve this situation. There wasn't much of a choice to make. Whatever will happen now would seal their fate.

Besides that, she had people she knew in this world... or game world whom she wants to keep on seeing whether it was real or not. She has encountered a world like no other to interact with unlike any other world she has been in before. It was a world she loves being in. She was sure about it.

She wants to protect this world.

"Yeah..." she said, without a shaken tone in her voice. "We've come here to stop you, so..." Arka demanded with both of her hands gripped on her sword. "Let the king and queen go!"

"So, it's come to this, huh...?" Stan then made a serious expression on his face, looking down at the four. "I'm afraid I can't do that," Stan held up his thumb and middle finger together. "They're here to die," And at a drop of a hat, Stan snapped his fingers, ordering the execution of the people they held captive. With an immediate gush of blood, the sound of flesh, and cloth being torn; the king and queen of Fellmoria dropped to the ground without an usher or any further warning. They were mere strangers, they have never met.

An immediate gush of air sounded through the swordsman's helmet. She held her breath and bolstered forward with sword in hand. She began to ascend the steps; closing the distance as quickly as she can. She wants a determined outcome, one move to stop Stan and his group's schemes.

She felt her sword hit, but it wasn't tearing flesh. Metal struck metal, as the air reverberated this crashing.

The conflict did not go resolved yet.

"I'll be taking you on," Lily said as she blocked Arka's sword in the way. She defended Stan who was calmly hanging back, just standing without a flinch.

She was fast, as expected of this group of so-called 'Demons'... Just like Stan.

Lily then made a swift swing of her spear sideways. She aimed the tip to come down at Arka. With Arka's sword placed awkwardly, she knew she doesn't have enough time to try and block it.

She could try and duck it. However, she has to time it right. Can she make it?

What if this white-haired woman follows up for another strike? There was no way of knowing for certain. She prepared for the incoming slash.

Before the blade collided with her, however, Halvund blocked it just in time. Lily felt like she hit a wall. But it wasn't enough to make herself bounce back and lose her footing. Instead, she held firmly and supported the weight of her spear with two hands pushing down on Halvund's shield. Halvund was shocked at her crazy strength, as he felt himself being bent down to his knees.

Halvund, using the weight of his opponent's spear, forcefully tried to shove it wanting to hop back.

He successfully did, pointing Lily's weapon away at them.

He lost his balance however. Lily’s strength caught him off-guard. He thought it was a stupid mistake.

Lily seeing this, followed up with a quick, pinpoint lunge at him. Before it could connect, Arka swung her sword down quickly just in time parrying her quick lunge. Lily looked at the swordsman, denying her of her sure kill. Time seemed to stop at a moment, as they were both next to each other.

Arka then hopped back, with Halvund falling down the staircase, in a loud roll of clattering armor.

Suddenly, a flash of bluish-white light came right at Lily. But she deflected this with a quick swipe from the blade of her spear with one hand as if forewarned before their fight. Just like that, she was at her spear's ready stance, both hands held onto it with the pointed end directed at the four. She was calm and collected without a sign of flinching from her cold gaze.

"What the...?!" It was Mikrim who reacted with widened eyes after firing from her bow.

Stan with open arms spoke up behind her. "Lily, what's this?" Stan's amused expression was back. His same, casual look in his eyes and the grin from his mouth was spot-on. "So, you did decide you want to try fighting the swordsman after all?"

Lily frowned, as a wrinkle formed on her glabella hearing Stan say this. Her curiosity got the better of her to want to try and pick on the swordsman.

She hated it whenever Stan understood what she felt without saying it.

"Shut up. I don't know if you were just fooling around back then, but it just irks me... how could this swordsman land a scratch on you? I want to see this for myself. It's just impossible."

Stan smiled knowing he was right that Lily couldn't sit still. This is a fight he will want to watch. "Alright, well, you have fun then. Tyr and I will just sit this one out. We'll have the portal ready by then,"

Lily held a look at Stan and Tyr, and looked back at the group of four in front of her, still with the same ready stance she has made. She watched as the swordsman down the staircase helped the shieldsman stand up from below. This was a fight purely to test out her strengths and weaknesses. She felt that she was getting rusty herself.

As Arka helped Halvund stand up, Banelfsing was analyzing the situation behind them after their first few moves, "Ara, you weren't kidding... even I can't explain how she moved quickly to block your attack, and to even deflect Mikrim's arrow to boot..." he looked at Mikrim behind him. "That was just insane," Banelfsing said. "If they can move that fast, why didn't they just kill us yet?" He asked her.

Arka just finished helping Halvund stand back up. Banelfsing was sweating... Perhaps even through his own Dive Console after witnessing the spectacle.

"Because we don't matter to them. People like them; they put the mission first and foremost, like trained professionals," Arka said. "I assume the woman with the spear would just be here to test us, like the man who I spoke to, earlier."

"So, what? Are you saying the guy's story was real?" Banelfsing looked at Arka with a worried look in his face. "That's just crazy, Ara,"

Arka returned her focus toward the opponent in front of her. "I don't know," was all she could say to Banelfsing; a part of her believed in the Stan’s story.

"Right now, we should take care of this one first... we have to at least put a stop, or slow one of them down before they cause any more trouble."

"That, I agree on," Halvund said, as he readied his shield.

"How will we do it, Arakar?" Mikrim asked her, with the next shot of her bow at the ready.

A good question by Mikrim. Arka doesn't know how to deal with this person at all. All she knows is trusting her gut instinct, and reaction. She was just a powerless player like them, limited by the game's coding and numbers.

"I don't know," Arka admitted. "I've only fought one of them once. It was difficult. I didn't even have any breathing room when I fought the man in the grey coat. I'm not even sure how I survived," Arka said.

Arka felt that she rambled enough. There wasn't much time.

"Anyway, there's no clear way of defeating them. I feel we'll just have to trust our instincts, and everything we've learned so far."

Four of them turned to face their adversary. Her party readied their stances with their respectful weapons, prepared to fight the white-haired spearwoman in front of them.

And with the still, and quiet atmosphere littered of dead bodies, they prepared as they all eyed at each other across the staircase in the castle, ready for any subtle movement of instant death that will come their way.