X stared down the scope of his magic-rifle from several thousand feet in the air, floating quite easily with the use of his Airsuit. With a cheeky grin, he pulled the trigger and watched as the Hero’s head was splattered on the pavement.

“Tch, too easy”

A sonic boom rang out and he turned to look at the fighter jets that whistled through the air faster than the speed of sound. His magic-rifle morphed into several small parts before rearranging into two blades.

“Time for the Game to really begin then?” he asked jovially. “Took him long enough.”

His Airsuit blurred as he raced forward towards the formation of Fighter Jets, the humans inside wide-eyed. Only two had the time to bank fast enough to avoid the collision, his blades slicing the jets in half. They ejected as fast as they could.

X let them be, his swords reverting back to his large magic-rifle. He took aim towards the human below, hiding inside the tank with “Gerald’s Avatar” over the top.

“Panzy,” X snidely said. “Hiding behind your tech isn’t gonna save you this time.”

The magic-rifle began to hum and hiss as he charged up the core and fired slightly before it went critical.

Everything flashed and he found himself at a bench in a small park, sitting across from Gerald.

“You haven’t been practicing enough Gerald. You’re falling behind,” X, short for Xavier, picked up the can of Throttle as he stood and walked away from the dumbfounded youth

Xavier walked down the paved street, looking around at the domed city. Skyscrapers hung high in the air, collection runes glimmering brightly from the outside. The runes powered the facility, leaving none of the ambient mana to go to waste.

Horland was established before history’s records could date back to and was inhabited by his people, the Vork, who all were tall, skinny, and had a light blue hue to their skin. Their eyes were larger than humans, and their ears were little more than holes in their head, but that didn’t stop them from regularly outperforming the other city domes.

Xavier’s eyes took in the amazing scenery, nature being blended into the large dome city quite well, and began walking away from the residential district towards the manufacturing district.

Only the bottom half of the Rankers had to work and their Rank determined on how long they were required to work. The only rule for Horland was that every citizen had to play at least one Game before the end of the week.

Xavier entered the plant, the runic display scanned his face and automatically opened the door in front of him to allow him entry. He sighed as he shrugged off his leather jacket and donned the button-up they forced upon him. It was baby blue with a frocket, matching every other worker. The only thing special was his name and Rank being displayed: Xavier Malkov, Rank 5193.

Another worker handed him the headset he dreaded so much and he placed it on his head, instantly hearing the shouts and buzz of the day.

“X, where the fuck have you been?” His shift-lead, an absolute dick-of-a-guy, shouted out over the comms.

“I’m walking in now,” he replied as the door in front of him did another scan, opening up to the loud workplace.

He walked to the place where he packaged foodstuffs into a box, enchanted it with an increased longevity rune, slapped a label on it, and then passed it down the line to be shipped off to their client.

This was how people survived in Horland. Anybody above Rank five thousand had their food brought to them three times a day. Every meal packed with the proper sustenance to maintain perfect physical and mental performance.

“Another day of wasted time,” Xavier said as he looked at the Rank on his shirt, messing up the rune he was inscribing. “Shit.”

He fetched another box and quickly switched the contents, correcting his mistake, but his work had already backed up by then. Of course, that was when his dickhead lead walked over, face redder than a Snorlgax’s ass, and began ripping into him.

“You lazy shitbag. You realize how lucky you are to have this job? If it weren’t for your parents’ years of hard work, I’d throw your useless ass out this second. You know who gets chewed out when you make stupid mistakes like this, right? Right?!” That was only the beginning.

Xavier could usually tune out the tirade of nonsensical drivel that spewed out of lardo’s toxic mouth, but today he seemed to have a stick rammed up his ass. As Xavier kept working to catch up, the stupid git grabbed the collar of his shirt and pinned him back against the line Xavier worked on.

“Don’t you dare fucking ignore me!” Xavier’s eyes narrowed and a knife flickered into existence firmly pressed against the man’s kidney.

“Touch me again, and I will make you understand why you will never pass my Rank,” Xavier’s steely eyes dared the other man to keep up his shit. “Give it a week, I won’t be here then. Until that happens, keep your filthy hands off me pig.”

His lead’s face had drained of color, but Xavier was a higher Rank and therefore had a higher social standing. There would be no repercussions for his actions, meanwhile, his piece of shit lead would be left out to the wolves for assault.

The knife pricked against his lead’s skin until the man let off of him and stormed away, slamming his fist into the hardened wall. The runes flashed and his lead swore as he cradled his hand.

“Fucking shit for brains,” Xavier turned back, the rush of adrenaline fading made his arms feel heavy. A new rhythm was quickly established as he continued to verify the contents, rune the boxes, and then slap the shipping labels on them.

The afternoon waned into darkness and a buzzer rang, signifying his release.

“Thank fuck,” he swore angrily, the day’s events still left a bad taste in his mouth and anger in his heart. “I need to Game ‘cause there’s no way I’m putting up with that fuck for another week.”

High-stakes games could build Rank, but the task of finding someone at a similar or higher Rank to Game with oftentimes was a bigger challenge than winning in the first place. Too many people waited for the Official Games that came once a month with higher returns for winning or for the bi-annual Tournament. Gaining Rank day-to-day? That was damn near impossible.

He tore the headset off and threw it at the poor worker who watched him storm out of the building. His jacket was thrown over his shoulder and he rushed outside. His main priority was getting out of the-.

“Hey, you little shit. I bet you won’t ignore me now,” his lead called out. Three other workers stood at his side, glaring at him. “We’ve decided to take you down a notch.”

“You think you four have what it takes to challenge me?” he called out with amusement. They flinched as he pulled out a paper and wrote down his conditions.

Challenge: One Vs. Four - Elimination

Starting Resources: Team Equivalent

Races Available: Any

Time Limit: None

Stakes: Four hundred Rank spread amongst team members.

Limitations: None

Handicaps: None

He finished writing out the conditions of the challenge and he tossed it forward onto the game, “Check it.”

One of the lead’s lackeys walked forward and grinned, passing it about for the others to see. Xavier sat down on a bench that was on the side of the building for those that still smoked, the area smelled musky. He took a deep sigh before reaching into his pocket, pulling out a pack, lit a cigarette, and placed it against his lips. He sat there casually, arm resting against the bench’s back with one leg crossed over the other.

“I’m waiting guys. Places to be, things to do, and whatnot,” he said as he flicked ash in their direction.

“Arrogant prick,” the lead muttered, though was still hesitant to accept. A hundred Rank per person was no small laughing matter. “Fine, we accept.”

The same guy that had taken the paper walked back over with it, handing it to Xavier, and then they all walked back to where they had stood and sat. Xavier looked at the cigarette with a frown and then flicked it away.

“Burn,” he said in another tongue.

Next thing he knew, he was in the pre-Game with all the available races in a catalog in front of him.

“Welcome back Master X,” the joyful voice of his AI companion echoed out. “You’re back a lot sooner than you said you’d be.”

“Complications and whatnot,” he said as he waved his hand dismissively. A glint of amusement flashed through his eyes before he asked out casually, “You saw the Game, right?”

“I also saw the participants and their Ranks. Are they…” the voice didn’t finish her question as she didn’t like to be rude, but X, as he was known in this world, laughed out.

“I don’t think they’re mentally slow, just ignorant.”

“Oh, okay. What do you think, Master X? With four times the resources, you can do a lot of fun stuff! Maybe the Kobolds- oh no, you have to do the Kor’Tar!”

“I just used the Kor’Tar against Gerald. Seems kinda lame to do the same thing twice on the same day. What about the Moledox?” Tinkling laughter was the only response.

After X had selected all of his options and tech paths, he dropped down in his Avatar and waited patiently for the Game to begin. The timer that hung in the sky, initially counting down from ten minutes. There were only two minutes left now.

“Etna, you know what happens when we win, right?”

“What are you- Oh my god!” The voice resounded out within his head, damn near screaming.

“Yep, today’s the day.” His Rank was 5193 and this game would push that up the ladder to below five thousand. That was the make-it-or-break-it limit for real Gamers. The world truly opened up at that point.

“Eeee, now we have to try really hard!”

“Right, I almost feel bad for them, but at least they gave us a nice boost.” X talked as though he already won.

The counter ticked down quickly until the sky lit up, signaling the beginning of the Game.

“Etna, spawn advance Dig to five with all our skill points and then summon ten workers. Have them dig about five-hundred feet, relocate our Command Point and then fill it in. When they finish, resource collection, swarm breeding and then select the Iron Gut and Adaptation mutations. I’m going out.”

“X, why do you always talk like I’m a newbie? I’m not a dummy!” Etna’s voice whined in his ears.

His avatar jumped forward and began rapidly digging into the soil underfoot. Everything he’d set in motion should be completed by the time he finished what he needed to accomplish. He closed his eyes and let his Earth-Sense spread out in every which way.

Hours, or what felt like it, passed as he tunneled forward. He set out for information collection as his primary goal and sabotage as his secondary. Most low-Ranked players wouldn’t expect a preemptive strike from an Avatar.

Earth-Sense felt vibrations from above and he exploded outward before the foe could respond. His sharp claws and teeth quickly mauled the group of blue-clothed humans with gathering tools, not a single warrior among the ranks. They fell quickly and he returned to the soil before anything else could record his presence. The gatherers hadn’t the time to truly comprehend what attacked them before dying, so his stealth sabotage would work a few more times.

It was ill-advised to send out gatherers with no protection, even if that did slow down gathering speeds. He attacked two more groups, another of the blue-cloth and one of red-cloth. That meant he’d found two of his enemies, but there was no sign of the third and fourth. He dug underneath one of the human’s outpost to see how much progress they had made and had to stop from laughing.

“Fools.”

His priority became finding the other two players, but he had no luck until he approached a mountain. There he found Wolves and Goblins working in tandem.

“Well, that’s no fun.” Wolves and Goblins could work together with great effect. They could compound bonuses and become rather obnoxious to kill, but they didn’t have the skills or resources to come close to fighting off X.

With that information, he returned to his now-underground base and looked around happily. Earth-Sense allowed for locating minerals and resources underground, finding prey aboveground, and water.

“Etna, report.” By now he’d been gone nearly eight hours and had enough information to move forward more efficiently.

“Yes! Every worker has upgraded into a copper or bronze worker. We have two iron warriors and one steel. I populated and made a deposit center for more resources, made a fridge for meat and water, and had a hunting party collect several hundred pounds of meat. Also, the workers created an underground stream.” She reported back quickly, ticking off each object from a clipboard that didn’t actually exist.

“Okay, here’s what we’re gonna do. There are two human settlements some distance away that we can take quickly, but there are Goblins and Wolves working in unison. I’m split between wiping out the humans and taking over their Command Points or crippling the Goblins and Wolves. What do you think?”

“Is that a serious question?” Etna asked.

“No, do we have enough to unlock the Hero tree?” He could look, but he was busy helping stabilize their underground tunnels. The workers were quick at expansion, but he directed them about to ensure stability.

“More than enough. You could even work on the General path.”

“Is there an obsidian deposit nearby?”

“Not as far as we could find. Steel’s the best we’re gonna have for some time.”

He walked over to the deposit center and saw a bar of steel, “Damn. Here’s what we’re gonna do. Immediately, upgrade Adaptation and Iron Gut to max, and then start allocating points into Weaponized Body. Then, grant the steel warrior Heroic. I’m gonna take him after eating this steel to assassinate the human Avatars. Send six workers after me, with two weaker warriors. We don’t want any wurms to gobble them up without contest.”

The steel crunched in his maw, tasting slightly better than cardboard. His body grew and he felt protrusions from his back, a tingling sensation spread throughout his body. His claws had grown several inches, sharp blades adorned his wrists, elbows, and ankles. His toenails were now sharp enough to easily puncture human flesh.

“Winning this Race makes me happy to this day.”

“You always seem to enjoy all the races you play, Master X. You should probably stop admiring yourself and leave soon.”

X knew he didn’t have to hurry, but prolonging the inevitable wasn’t his style. “Okay, has the Steel warrior become Heroic?”

“Yep!” A voice rang out from behind him and a slightly shorter Moledox stood before him, though it radiated a great pressure. X could have it automated, but by now he was much more comfortable with allowing Etna to remotely maneuver his Heroes.

“Then let’s go,” he said as they travelled back the same way he’d come. His upgraded body tore through the soil and ground, Earth-Sense feeling the steps above him as they found their way under the Command Point. They dug an ascending tunnel up to the back of the Command Point, which for humans was oftentimes a keep or castle of some sort, and then burrowed through the floor.

They burst upward and their steel bodies made mincemeat out of the two guards that only had some leather and crude weapons to defend them.

“You dare?!” shouted out a fat, blue-clothed man with some chainmail and an iron sword as he leapt toward them.

X just smiled, his body easily deflected the iron sword. Etna quickly leapt forward and eviscerated the man, his entrails falling onto the ground in a heap. His face paled and he fell forward.

The Command Point immediately fell under their control, the resource generation and populace also coming under his control. He cared little for the humans and issued a command for all the able bodied to pick up any weapons they could and attack the mountain with the Wolf-Goblin duo.

“That should keep them busy, now onward to the next one.” A boom echoed out across the entire Game and the sky showed the image of the defeated Avatar with a skull and crossbones over it. “We don’t have much time.”

X really had overestimated their competence. Two human empires would usually host a Hero from their allied forces so that the Command Point would fall into the allied forces' hands immediately instead of the enemy. Not only that, it still allowed for the first Avatar to command his forces, but once the Avatar was slain and the Command Point was taken, everything by right was his.

“Idiots.” His scathing remark held less venom now that he’d slain the culprit of his enmity.

They jumped back into the hole and X led them to the next Command Point. There were hundreds of guards inside. It made sense if X thought about it. He’d taken out two gathering parties of the blue-clothes and only one of the red-clothes, and he didn’t know what kind of resources the red-cloth had available.

“Abort?” Etna asked cautiously. If they both died here, their Game would be up.

“What’s the risk?”

“Well, you lose and drop four hundred Rank or come back later when they might be better equipped and reinforced by the Gob-Wolf duo? Their numbers are higher, but do you think they’re strong enough?”

“LIkelihood of success?”

She counted the presences shifting above them, “Counting about two hundred soldiers in addition to the Avatar and…”

“There’s a Hero?” X could sense it pop into existence.

“Oh, well that answers that question.” Their faces glinted in hostility. Heroes weren’t cheap and consumed a Heroic slot, no matter whether they lived or died. This one would be fresh and probably not remotely controlled.

“The experience and resources…” Etna trailed off, really thinking about it.

“There’s nothing to think about anymore. We’re going," he said, deciding the risk was worth it.

They burst through the stone floor and immediately were assaulted by several spears. They laughed loudly as they spun, many spears catching in their armored back and snapping. Others were just too weak to penetrate their thick skin, the adaptation making them far more resilient than normal.

Still, the amount of spears pressing in and the presence of the Avatar and Hero were in the back of X and Etna’s mind. Their only break was that the Hero and Avatar lacked any armor, both wielding long iron-tipped spears.

They must’ve been tipped off. Spears were a good choice against Moledox, though they’d need slightly stronger metal to pierce their hides easily, and by then X hoped to have obsidian. We’re lucky they haven’t put anything into Magic.

As they slaughtered their way through many of the soldiers, the soldier’s morale began to drop and they started to back off and look the way of the Hero and Avatar.

“So it comes to this.” The Avatar stood and the Hero walked forward, brandishing their spears. X wore a wide grin and walked forward to meet the challenge, and Etna burrowed into the floor. X just loved the wide-eyed expression of his enemies when they realized how screwed they were.

X easily danced about the two spears until he caught one in hand, yanking the Hero forward and off balance. The Avatar quickly tried to defend his Hero, but it was too late. With a quick kick, the blades on his ankles beheaded the Hero and he landed with his back towards the Avatar. The spear slammed uselessly against his armored back, and he felt a wet plop as the Avatar fell forward. Etna had done her job well.

X issued the same commands to the humans in this fort and mentally issued commands to Etna.

“Increase population, put everyone out to find obsidian, max Weaponized Body, and unlock the Magic Tree. Manipulation, Control, Power, and then Element: Earth. Enhance Earth-Sense’s range.”

X didn’t want to get into a head-on fight with the Gob-Wolf duo, so he would train his people to be subterranean assassins. It truly amused X how he could take down these four in so little time, yet his Game with Gerald dragged on. Maybe he was too harsh on Gerald, as he could at least put up a decent fight.

The amount of resources he gained with four times was enormous, rarely needing to direct his workers to do more than he already had. His parameters for work set before the Games even began.

Setting parameters allowed him to have Etna do a lot of the automation subconsciously, which meant he could run around in his Avatar and be a nuisance to his foes. Most people hesitated to play that way, but he enjoyed actively sabotaging his enemies early on. The Domino Effect could be seen when he compared the forces of the blue-cloth and the red-cloth, early impacts went a long way. That was when enemies were the most vulnerable.

X didn’t always play like that, but it was a fun way to play when his Rank was on the line. So many Vork played humans and it didn’t make sense to X. Humans were boring, their biggest advantage being their advanced mechanical technology tree and boost to studying techs in that tree. The Kor’Tar, although more physically frail, had wings for early scouting, a boost to magic and tech study, but the tech was slower than humans. When the two combined though, it made for a very enjoyable Game.

They traveled back to their subterranean Command Point and X entered secluded training, absorbing a lot of the experience he’d gained to boost his physical defense. His life was the most important, and as much as he wanted to train Earth, he needed to protect himself as much as possible. Obsidian would be the next upgrade now that Iron Gut, Adaptation, and Weaponized Body were maxed. The next upgrade would be Adamantium and he really hoped the Game was over long before that became an option.

His size grew, his hide thickened, and the steel augmentations glinted with a new sharpness as the durability had been boosted quite a bit. His frame now stood ten feet tall, his accumulated experience from the early kills and taking control of two Command Points brought him to a higher degree than before.

His confidence radiated out as he returned to Etna’s Hero. It had undergone a metamorphosis as well, though it had specialized in Earth, thinning out and growing orbs of magic in its hands and a massive one in the center of its chest. A blue liquid made the orbs glow, sloshing about inside.

Behind her stood twenty more warriors and mages, assorted about in a disorganized manner. He didn’t care much about their organization as they would primarily be working from underground. So far, he hadn’t revealed himself to the Gob-Wolf duo and there was no way to communicate in the middle of a Game. He really doubted there was any way either human Avatars got a message all the way to the other side of the map to the mountain dwelling duo.

“This should be enough, right?” X asked with a grin and Etna responded in kind.

“Enough? You’re huge! You could probably kill them by yourself.”

“I’m not gonna try, also don’t underestimate a lot of the bonuses that come with the Companion Tree. They shouldn’t be able to fight back, but prepare for any and all surprises. Stay hidden until necessary.” They still hadn’t found any obsidian, but with their experience and forces it was a moot point. If they skirmished a round and were forced back, they could always upgrade with obsidian later. He now had six forces worth of resource generation to the two of them.

The mountain would be their enemy’s graves, providing plenty of room for his Moledox forces to mount surprise attacks and then disappear into the very walls.

X wondered, as they traveled, what kind of strategy they went with. Reasonably, the only issues they would face is if all resources and experience gained went into both of their Avatars, but most low-Rankers would waste experience and Path Points to create a Hero and then dumped all their experience and resources into it.

They approached the large mountain and split off into different directions. His warriors and mages already received their commands before they departed. His Command Point was still heavily guarded by more than half his force. His strike team would either be enough or they would regroup to strike again later.

X upgraded Earth-Sense, so he could feel even the smallest movement, like a heartbeat, from the earthen mountain. He was both excited and disappointed. Their Companion forces were bolstered with numbers, but the Avatars were housed separately and had weak Heroes. Well, they were weak in comparison to his forces. Etna could single handedly wipe out the entire Goblin force.

“Take the midgets, I’ve got the big pup.” He fell through the ceiling and landed in the center of the large cave, an enormous Wolf had rested at the center. Above it read “Kirk’s Avatar” and it’s eyes held a hint of intelligence.

“As much as I hate to admit, you actually look pretty awesome,” X said, admiring the obsidian armor that the Wolf Avatar adorned. “Too bad it won’t be enough. Should’ve played a little more friendly with your midget buddy, then you might’ve had a chance.”

“You talk too much. I’m gonna rip you to shreds,” the Wolf howled, shaking the confines of the cave. Several Spirit Wolves flashed into existence and X felt some surprise.

“Etna, upgrade magic and soul resistance asap. We’ve got Spirit Wolves,” he said as he danced away from the glowing incorporeal forms. He felt resistances quickly layer across his being, but it stopped long before he was happy with it.

“All I can do X, sorry.” The sound of screaming could be heard as, he assumed, Goblins died.

“ETA?” he asked as he danced about, the giant Wolf chuckling at his dilemma. Even though he had resistances now, he still had no way to disperse the Spirit Wolves. Trying to attack the larger Wolf meant that he would be vulnerable to attacks, and he still didn’t know if the Wolf had developed any magic itself.

“Give or take five minutes,” she responded quickly.

“Shit,” he said as the Spirit Wolves closed in on him. “I’m repositioning until you get here.”

He tried to dive into the wall, but found that it had hardened, becoming wholly impenetrable.

“That’s not gonna work,” the Wolf Avatar chuckled out, a dark glow beginning on its front paws.

X jumped down wards and found that the floor was still soft, but there were only a couple of feet he could descend. A barrier? Just the floor and walls? Makes sense, but what if…

An idea formed as he kept dodging, spinning about agiley, oftentimes giving his back to the wolves as they lunged; his resistance strongest there. Dancing around the Spirit Wolves was a real challenge, but he eventually got past them and started running, which felt very weird with his clawed feet, sliding forward under the pounce of the Avatar wolf. He pushed up and eviscerated the Avatar with the spikes on his back. The obsidian armor didn’t cover his underbelly, and the momentum of its leap did X’s job for him. His only struggle was not getting buried beneath the collapsing Wolf’s form.

He tunneled downward and escaped from underneath the Wolf without hesitation, finding that the barrier had dissipated. He emerged from the ground several feet away and saw that the Spirit Wolves had disappeared. A bang rang out and then everything flashed.

Xavier looked at his watch and sighed, pulling another cigarette from his pocket and lighting it, drawing in a hit. "Really guys, it only took ten minutes to take care of all four of you. I didn't even get warmed up."

The four in front of him looked at him with red faces, but they had lost fair and square. Their Ranks took a large hit. If they fell below ten thousand, they’d be exiled to the true slum cities.

Horland was only one of many domed cities, and there were plenty of cities left to the elements where those who were incompetent were sent to rot. Their society was far from the utopian fantasy and everybody knew it. Your Rank determined everything. Whoever held the five-thousandth spot would probably be irate with Xavier, but that wasn’t his problem as far as he was concerned. His shift in Rank up to 4793 meant someone that previously lived in comfort would have to go back to work.

It was Friday and the night air was cool on his skin. Rank updates would be posted Sunday and everybody would receive their responsibility for that week, but his Privileges had already updated. He looked at his Privileges and decided to do something fun now that he’d broken Rank five thousand.

He grabbed his jacket and walked to the entertainment district. The ambience quickly changed; cinnamon and spoke hung in the air, bright flashing lights lit up the streets, and great neon signs made everyone aware of what establishment was what.

“Pretty Princess? Maybe later,” he said with a lecherous grin. “Sam’s Smokehouse, getting closer.”

As he kept walking, many vendors tried hawking their wares. Exotic girls, unknown drugs and drink, and even Game Races of all kinds. He shrugged it all off preferring not to pay for girls, choosing his own drink, and winning all of his Races. He still remembered the day when the only Race he had was an Imp.

Xavier let the thought pass and then finally found an establishment unlike all the others, where he could hear Game discussion as he passed by. They were tattooed, pierced, scarred, and adorned in all black. He’d fit right in with his own dark tattoos of different Races and hair that flared back in a very unusual style.

Another cigarette was lit and pressed against his lips as he walked in, seeing people all across the place heatedly talking about their favorite Races. One guy, the bulkiest Vork Xavier had ever seen, slapped another across the face and walked away in a huff. He saw runes glitter in the doorframe as he entered, scanning him to make sure he had the Rank required.

The door lit up gold and an attendant, a female wearing what could only be called lingerie, ran over and took his hand. She led him up two flights of stairs, though he didn’t mind as he watched her shapely legs and firm butt. He could hear giggles from the girl every now and then as they reached the third floor.

She bowed and the door opened as it scanned him. She started to walk back down the stairs and he called after her, “Wait, won’t you join me?”

She stared back down the stairs and looked back up towards him, uncertainty in her eyes. “I have to g-.”

“Please, I’d be honored if you joined me.” He’d already looked inside the room and seen only three other people inside, one being the bartender. “I’ll make it worth your time.”

She looked back downstairs one last time, before smiling demurely and turning back to grab his extended hand. Her behavior surprised him, but he figured her dress had led him to make a few assumptions of her character.

The runic doorframe shone red as she entered and Xavier waved away the bartender, “She’s with me.”

The bartender shrugged and Xavier sat at an empty, velvety booth. The atmosphere was dimly lit, kind of romantic, and a hint of cinnamon and spice hung in the air. When he looked over at the girl, she’d pulled out a notebook from somewhere and was prepared to take his order, but he shook his head. “Sit and chat for a bit. I’ve nowhere else to be and your shift should’ve only just started a short time ago. Would you prefer to go down?”

She put the notebook away and sat, “Okay, then what would you like to talk about? You’re the honored guest afterall.” Her voice was silky smooth, but held a confidence he was unprepared for. His ability to read the fairer sex was shitty, to say the least.

“What’s your preferred Game and Race, and why?” he asked excitedly, hoping to cover up his lack of social skill with knowledge of Games. He took the last draw of his cigarette and used a nearby ashtray, lighting another. Her eyes lit up and he handed it to her after taking a hit.

She looked at it before shrugging, taking it and drawing in deeply. She spoke as she exhaled, “I’m more of a full flavor kind of gal, but about your question…”

She thought about it, taking another hit, and then passed it back over. He leaned forward and gave her his full attention, anticipating her response.

“I’ll answer if you tell me your Rank,” she evaded his question.

He scoffed playfully, and then looked at the collection of spirits behind the bartender as he casually answered, “Forty-seven ninety-three.”

When he looked back, she looked impressed, “Not bad. Is five thousand what it takes to register as gold? I’ve never seen it go above blue, for those about sixty-five hundred, green, for those above eight thousand, and red anybody else.”

“I guess? First time I’ve come here.”

“You answered my question, so I guess I should answer yours. But,” she started and he glared at her. “Okay, okay. Geez, I was kidding. I like culture and the Shifters.”

“That’s an interesting choice. I bet your enemies don’t even realize most of their population is full of enemies.” Her glare only amused him. “It’s a beginner strategy, but an efficient one that’s used even further up than I am. People just know how to spot the tells.”

And like that, they smoked and shared Game preferences through the night. Xavier eventually ordered alcohol for both of them, and she changed into regular clothes. Her hair was put up into pigtails that stuck out the side of her head instead of a single ponytail out the back, and her black and grey dress flowed easily. Her skin was light purple instead of the normal blue and she had slightly rounded protrusions for ears.

After shift ended, he offered to walk her home and she accepted, and so they wound up at her place in a drunken stupor. One thing led to another, and he found himself waking up with a terrible headache and a cutie laying on him.

Well, that happened. He remained in bed with Aria, her warm body pressing against his comfortably. But, what happens now?

“I’m surprised you stayed,” she said next to him, breathing softly on his neck. He sat up and scooted so that his back was pressed against the headboard, lighting another cigarette. She did the same and waited for him to pass the cigarette over. Over the course of the night, they had gotten very familiar with one another.

“So, what happens now?” she asked him.

“That’s a question,” he answered, unsure himself.

“What do you want from me?” she turned and asked, passing back the cigarette.

“Nothing,” he responded easily.

She looked like she was hurt and had to take a second before responding, “Then you should go.”

“You misunderstand,” he quickly responded, hoping to clear the confusion. “I don’t want anything from you.”

It took her a second before she understood what he’d meant, leaping forward and kissing him passionately, and he had to avoid burning them both with the lit cigarette.

“So, you want me?”

“I do,” he responded. “There’s still a lot of us to learn about each other, so let’s get dressed and we can talk over breakfast.”

They spent most of the morning talking and getting to know one another before Aria had to leave for work. Xavier walked her to work, sharing smokes on the way, laughing and joking with one another. He kissed her softly as she ran off to work, and then turned away to find Gerald, they’re scheduled training time quickly approaching. Today would be fighting at a disadvantage.

Xavier sat at the same park bench they always met at, the wood pressing into his arms as he rested his head on the table. A cigarette burned in his lips, and he stared off into the distance, admiring the blue sky outside of the dome. Gerald’s shoes crunched as he walked over the mulch and sat down with a heavy sigh.

Xavier didn’t even lift his head as he handed the paper with their agreed upon training for the day, but it was a formality they couldn’t get around. Each member had to accept the challenge before the game would start.

Gerald tossed back the paper without looking at it, few words passing between the two young adults. Xavier’s face hardened as he flicked the burnt out butt away and looked at Gerald. “Burn.”

“Welcome back, Master X!” Etna greeted him happily. “You don’t seem very happy today.”

“It’s fine. Prepare to run a Companion simulation against Gerald. I’ll give you full control over the Partnership, that way you can run the session and I can…” His words trailed off as he got lost in thought.

“Are you okay, Master X?” she asked in concern. X wasn’t one to space out when in a Game.

He shook his head and immediately started looking through different Humanoids that had decent potential as Beast Tamers. He scrolled through quite a few until he found Woad Elves, the forest-loving, pointy haired kind of elves that most people thought of. High agility and affinity with nature, made for good hunters and good Beast Tamers.

Race: Woad Elves (C)

Trait Bonus: Nature Affinity

Innate Boost: Dexterity

Potential - S

Stat Line -

Physique - 15 (3)

Mind - 10 (2)

Soul - 5 (1)

Longevity - 600

Growth - 80

Synergies -

Ranged Weaponry

Finesse Weaponry

Class: Beast Tamer

Element: Nature

Manifestation

“As good as any,” he said with little care. “Etna, what’d you grab and how do you want to play it?”

“Aside from the Workers? Archery and Beast Taming should be the first two, and then when we’ve done some scouting and have more resources, Companionship.”

“And why’s that?” he quickly asked his AI.

“Archery will allow Workers to gather the necessary materials and train a bowyer and fletcher that can then equip our Elves with bows and arrows until we unlock Manifest. It’s a small waste, but it’s an immediate trade-off. Then we have Beast Taming so that your Race can communicate with mine more efficiently. Companionship gives additional stat boosts based on intimacy level.”

“Then what?” he barely waited for her to finish before asking.

“Manifest, obviously, and then Mounted Combat for more of a boost?” she finished with uncertainty.

“Those are good options, though there’s also the consideration of the Enhanced Eyesight Mutation for the Elves and Tougher Hide, maybe even Sentience, for your Race. Then you should also consider unlocking Heroes or Generals for the Elves and Enhanced Growth or Legendary for the Beasts.” The amount of knowledge and combinations he’d run through over the years was nothing to scoff at.

“Okay, so here’s what I’ll do.” He heard her take a deep breath. “We unlock Enhanced Growth and Legendary first, and then whatever becomes the strongest we boost up as a Hero for the Beasts. Then, as soon as possible we take Empowered Manifestations, Keen Sight, and then finally Body As Mind.”

X clapped at the plan, “It’s up to you to make it happen. I’m gonna run my Avatar on Auto. I’ve got to think about some things.”

Gerald was somewhat of a One Trick Pony with how he Gamed. Without fail, he would always rush tech as humans and completely ignore anything magical. He would always complain about how “it’s too much” but then in the next breath complain about not gaining any Rank.

X had argued with him more times than he cared to remember, having given up long ago trying to convince the fool of anything else. It wouldn’t bother X so much if Gerald did different things and pushed the limits of humans, but no… He just did the same thing time and time again.

Aria, will you disappoint me, too? They had spent some time talking about studying so that she could gain Rank. When Sunday came around, he would officially be under the five thousand line and his time would be spent studying different strategies and running simulations similar to this with those between Ranks 2001 and 5000.

X wouldn’t just stop gaining Rank now that he’d crossed the threshold. No, he held higher ambitions. Therein the issue blossoms, as he would without a doubt ascend the Ranks far faster than Aria would. She would really have to push it in the upcoming Tournament to gain a thousand Ranks, let alone the twenty-six hundred that separated them.

A heavy weight rested on his heart; he liked her a lot, but he would only be fooling himself if he thought they would work out. A heavy sigh escaped his lips.

He suddenly found himself actively in his Avatar, hand resting on an enormous leopard, staring down at intruders rushing into his keep. They were inside a large tree, his Workers had used their Nature Affinity to shape the insides of the throne room and his mantle was made of corded vines.

X scanned the enemy crowd and found no hint nor hide of anything more than human grunts, though they were in bionic suits. Has the game really got that far already?

The exoskeletal suits made tanks look like a child’s plaything. Despite lacking a General, Hero, or Gerald’s Avatar, the grizzled look and claws on each of their faces showed their status as real veterans.

“I wonder how y’all fucked up bad enough to draw the short stick,” X said as he stood, his figure easily standing eight feet tall. His Avatar was a lithe with corded muscles stretching above his head, a crown that glistened with gems of pure mana powering the enchantments inside.

With a quick motion, he Manifested the most powerful bow he could and drew back. An arrow Manifested on the string as he pointed above the crowd, quickly whispering out, “Scattered Shot, Multiply, Empower.”

The single arrow consumed half of his mana, which was a monstrous amount at this point in the Game, and wrecked absolute havoc on the gathered troops. The arrow multiplied due to the Scattered Shot skill, and then he Multiplied the casting of Scattered Shot five times, and Empower made his last two skills double power. The effect left every person in front of him a pincushion, blood and oil accumulated underneath the massacre

“Etna, status report.”

“Uh, you looked very focused, so I kept playing around Master X,” she timidly responded. “I’m sorry about that little group, they were Cloaked Elites, but it looks like you handled it easily enough.”

He groaned, “If he’s not gonna learn anything, I give up on wasting my time with him. I don’t care that he’s my cousin.”

“Master, should I take the reserve forces and push for victory?”

“How long has it been?” he could pull up the clock, but that’s what he had Etna for.

“The time has been twenty-four days.”

“Tch, only four hours?” he complained.

It would still be another five hours before Aria got off, so he shrugged and let Etna keep Gerald occupied until he couldn’t Meditate any longer. When X overlooked the battlefield, he scoffed in ridicule.

“I didn’t realize he was so…”

“Yeah, it’s not good.”

X saw his actively deployed forces and their combined power only amounted to one percent of his total, but it held Gerald back with ease. The terrain didn’t favor the human tech user, but it really wasn't an excuse for being willfully ignorant.

“With the amount of time that’s passed, he could’ve travelled to the moon and built an orbital missile, leaving a token force behind while his Command Point relocated to terraform another planet. Like, this is just sad.”

X watched in amusement with his feet kicked back, petting Etna’s Avatar, as the rest of his forces mobilized and absolutely ran through all of Gerald’s tech. The Game ended shortly thereafter.

“I’m fucking done with you!” Gerald screamed at Xavier. “You have to prove to everyone that you’re just the biggest and baddest thing around. We could have Gamed more, but instead you wanted to waste my time. How long were you sitting on those troops? How long did you hide that magic for? You could have ended it at any point. It’s your fault! It’s your fault I can’t gain any Rank!”

Xavier’s eyes narrowed as soon as Gerald started his rant. His frustration with is cousin came out all at once. “You’re a fool, Gerald. How many times do I have to tell you the same thing, time and time again? You’re a fucktard that can’t listen to anything! You think your way is the only way, when it’s just wrong. I don’t have any more advice for you. You know everything there is to know, so what use do you have of me? Stop wasting my fucking time if you know so much. You know what? Let’s go, right now.”

Xavier held up another Challenge slip, but this time Gerald really looked at it. The color drained from his face, “Y- you’re such a dick.”

Xavier just scoffed as he watched Gerald throw the paper down and stomp on it. “Pussy.”

He lit a cigarette and fell into a piss-poor mood. Why did I say that? Gerald was improving by leaps and bounds compared to when they had first begun so long ago. He walked into the same place he’d met Aria the night before, The Gamer’s Grotto, and announced his presence to everyone on the first floor. Another attendant rushed over to escort him up the stairs to the third floor, but he waved her away and found Aria.

She hung upside down on a pole, a stage for dancers set up in the center of the main room. Her cheeks quickly reddened when she spun around and saw him there, sitting at the edge of the stage watching her go round and round.

He analyzed every move her legs made, the fishnets and thin piece of cloth the only apparel she adorned. His mouth watered as she continued her dance.

When she finished, he dragged her up to the third floor. The couple from the night before hadn’t attended, leaving the floor vacant. The bartender didn’t need to bartend if there were no guests.

They’d barely made it through the door, ignoring the flashing as it allowed him entry, before he had pinned her against the wall. His lips locked against her’s, the softness melting against his desire. He pressed his body closer to hers, her perky breasts pressing against his chest, the fishnets leaving nothing to the imagination.

His hand traveled up and down her side sensually, his tongue playing with the nape of her neck, and his desire only skyrocketed as she made cute noises. He turned her around, grinding his hips against hers, her plump butt rubbing his hard-on.

And thus, the night devolved into them enjoying one another’s bodies while she was on the clock. If your Rank was high enough, you could get away with most things. This wouldn’t be the first time guests and dancers frolicked about, and it most definitely wouldn’t be the last.

Moans of passion and groans of pleasure filled the third floor. Xavier was sure there were plenty of swingers that would’ve joined them had they had the Rank to access the third floor. They smoked and partook in pleasure until she was off.

She had met him after cleaning up and changing, her pigtails hung to the side and shaped her face in a very cute way. As they walked along, Aria clung onto his arm and let out a sigh of contempt.

They walked out into the streets and she couldn’t stop giddily giggling.

“Okay, how about this: My AI is still learning how to run a team, so I’ll spectate a Game and coach you. The Tournament is coming up, and I-.” He stopped himself and looked away, knowing how bad it would sound to say what he wanted to.

“I know, Xavier. I need to Rank-up. I don’t want to drag you down or stall your progress. Your record is impressive for someone so young,” she assuaged his worries without him needing to say anything further. “Let’s practice then.”

They ran to the park that Xavier usually spent with Gerald and he saw his cousin sitting there, tears streaking down his face. Gerald stood and took a step forward towards Xavier, opening his mouth to speak.

Xavier took several steps forward and hugged the other young adult, “You don’t have to explain anything to me. We’re family.”

Gerald’s cries echoed out and Xavier looked back at Aria awkwardly, but they both waited until Gerald had calmed down.

“What’s going on?” Xavier wasted no time asking.

“Lena…” Gerald’s downcast expression told Xavier everything he needed to know.

“Shit.” Xavier sat down on the bench and leaned back to look at the stars overhead, placing a new cigarette to his lips. He opened his mouth to say something to comfort Gerald, but he closed his mouth and sighed. “Damn.”

“First my ma and pa, but I thought Lena… She didn’t tell me her Rank had gotten so low.” Gerald’s frustration was obvious and his face reddened in anger. He held his hand out and motioned for a cigarette and Xavier obliged. Aria sat down next to Xavier and they fell into an awkward silence.

“Hey, Aria and I were gonna run a sim with Etna. Do you want to run a match to get your head off of things?” Xavier asked.

Gerald took a moment to really take in what Xavier said and tears could be seen swelling in the corner of his eyes. He could recognize the peace offer for what it was, putting their early spat completely behind them.

“Yes, I’d like that,” Gerald said and looked over at Aria. “As long as you’re fine with it.”

“Yeah, absolutely.” She took a drag from the cigarette before taking a paper out and writing the terms on it.

Challenge: One Vs. One - Culture

Starting Resources: Team Equivalent

Races Available: Any

Time Limit: None

Stakes: None

Limitations: None

Handicaps: None

“Okay, I’ll spectate then.” Xavier looked at the sheet and ticked a 1 at the bottom to show his participation as a spectator and then handed it to Gerald. His eyes widened and then steeled. Xavier took back the slip and spoke the magic language, “Burn.”

Aria looked at the Races in front of her and slid over to her favorite.

Race: Shifters (D)

Trait Bonus: Doppelganger

Innate Boost: Wisdom

Potential - A

Stat Line -

Physique - 10 (1)

Mind - 12 (2)

Soul - 8 (2)

Longevity - 100

Growth - 5

Synergies -

Espionage

Finesse Weaponry

Class: Assassin

Class: Spy

Illusion Manipulation

Her Avatar appeared before her, a formless face and a dark humanoid shadow standing about five and a half feet. She looked at her simple parameters she had set up, but lacked the skill to be able to micromanage everything without being inside a Game. Xavier’s abilities astonished her and she only hoped that she would be able to get that good in time with enough practice.

“Sahb, are you ready?” she asked aloud.

“Miss Aria, it’s good to see you again.” Her AI was still in development, but had a very helpful personality. Similar to attendants in a lot of the establishments she’d been to. His voice was baritone and contained, keeping her calm no matter how badly a Game seemed to go.

The view flickered and she found herself in a magical forest, her Command Point a crystal that floated in the center of a copse. The shade provided by the trees made the dark grey crystal hard to see if one didn’t know where they should look.

The sky lit up as the Game counted down from ten.

“Sahb, I really want to win this one.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Like, really-really.”

“Understood, Miss.”

“Like, we can’t lose.”

“But there are no stakes, Miss.”

“Sahb, you can’t always be so reasonable. I have to show Xavier that I…” She trailed off as the counter reached zero and began focusing on the task she needed to accomplish.

She looked at her five-hundred Essence and spawned five Workers to begin gathering foodstuffs, stones, and whatever fallen wood they could.

She looked at her Racial stats and her Essence gain. Essence naturally accumulated based on the population of your people, their actions completed, and their Physique value. Her Shifters had ten Physique and there were five of them, so she would produce fifty Essence a second. For each action completed, harvesting an entire weightload, she’d gain even more Essence based on the Physique stat.

Whenever another hundred Essence became available, she continued to spawn more until she had ten.

After enough wood and stone had built, she went into the Technology tree and looked at her Study. Study worked similarly to Essence, but was based on the Mind stat. Each of her Shifters would produce twelve Study per minute.

Each unit gained experience based on completing jobs of their proficiency and for every minute they stayed alive based on their tier. The first ten units spawned adults and skipped the growth period, but every unit afterward would require their growth period to be met before she could set them to a task.

She watched as her Study and Essence grew for about eight minutes then unlocked the Assassin Class for one thousand Study. She quickly summoned five Warriors and had them set to train for ten minutes, meaning that she wouldn’t have her first Warrior for fifteen minutes. As they grew and trained, she unlocked Finesse Weaponry for another thousand and then unlocked Stoneworking and Metalworking for fifteen hundred Study.

In fifteen minutes, when her Assassins were ready she had accumulated twenty-seven hundred Study and another hundred thirty-five thousand essence. She unlocked a Hero slot from its respective tab for twenty-five hundred Study and then summoned one for a hundred thousand Essence. She started queuing work orders and told Sahb to take control of the Hero. She spent another thousand Study a couple minutes later on the Spy class and sent her Hero off in exploration with her five Assassins.

At that point, her resource production was in full force and she quickly started spawning in more Workers and craftsmen to make better weaponry and to change the small copse into a fortification worth defending, just in case Gerald wanted to take a more “the enemy can’t have a culture if they’re dead” approach.

Her forces traveled and stayed out of sight, spreading out in all directions to find her foe’s location. One of the Assassin found a gathering party with two Warriors for protection. She found the Class Advancement options under Assassin and Spy Classes, upgrading their tree completely.

Assassin got Hidden in Plain Sight, Heartseeker, and Shadow Warp. Hidden in Plain Sight enhanced all Stealth and Illusions. Heartseeker passively showed the target's weak spots and, when used actively, pierced all armor to strike at the target’s heart. Shadow Warp was a movement ability that could only be used when Stealthed, sending a Shadow Clone to strike at a target with Heartseeker.

Spy was far from a combat class. Spies could act as scouts, sending information real-time instead of with the normal delay that combatants brought. Spies got Diplomat, Espionage, and Culture Shock. Diplomat meant that Spies had a higher chance of taking positions of power in a foe’s civilization. Espionage made it so that Spies could better uncover secrets of Technology advancement, Magical study, the amount of troops, presence of Heroes or Generals, and the overall strength of the opponent. Culture Shock could consume a Spy to heavily influence the populace in the opposite direction the enemy wanted to develop in.

The Assassin waited for backup and trailed behind the group. Her Shifters all attacked together when they had regrouped. They all picked up the bodies and took their form. Her group consisted of six members and the gathering party had six. She hoped the opponent wouldn’t see the difference. Her Shifters assumed the positions and delivered the resources like the Workers they’d slain had.

She thought about her Hero and how it was the only scout unit she had. If a scout unit - the Troop tree could make all units scouts - was attacked, you would know by whom. If a Warrior unit was attacked, you’d only know who it was if they survived long enough. This is why her infiltration could work. She thought about it and decided to pay the ten thousand Study to pick up the All Are Scouts Troop upgrade.

Her culture value hung around twelve thousand, but she needed it to be nearly ten times that much to win - a hundred thousand was the default for culture challenges - and she had to do it before Gerald. She needed to establish her people and start researching entertainment, magic study, and tech advancement. There was a caveat to playing Shifters, though. Her own culture gain was halved, but her cultural influence on enemies was doubled. If she could overthrow Gerald’s cultural influence completely, she’d be on her way to victory in no time.

And so, she kept spawning Workers, Assassins, and Spies. Her own civilization rapidly advanced, and a grin plastered on her face when her Hero Spy got fully integrated and her Assassins gutted the internal structure of the humans. She was surprised to see how far Gerald got before she absolutely tanked his culture and pretty much took over his people. His Avatar descended in a fury, executing people on the streets by the dozens, but only one in every four was one of her Spies or Assassins.

If he had tried to rush her, he more than likely would have found little resistance. His focus on Technology advancement put him far ahead of her in combat power, but this wasn’t an Elimination Game.

She smiled triumphantly as the Culture value slid past one hundred thousand, the world flashing out of existence.

“Wow,” Xavier said between puffs, waving his hand in her direction. “A real strong showing. I saw everything and you… really got lucky.”

“Luck is just taking advantage of opportunities when they’re presented.” She responded quickly, though his amusement was written all across his face.

“Skill is knowing when and how to create opportunities so they’re always there to take advantage of.” He took another hit before flicking the butt. “Still, you really didn’t use much Illusion magic and still did well. If Gerald had Magic-Sight or any idea of the Race you’d selected, you were done before the Game began.”

Gerald rubbed his neck and looked away, remembering a lot of the lectures that Xavier had given him.

“You didn’t even think to look for Spies in a Culture Game? I’m gonna save my breath,” he said and turned back to her. “Your beginning was a little slow, but it’s okay. I could see the processing and logic behind what you did. You didn’t really move your Avatar, despite it being your strongest Unit in the Game, and you spent so much on the Assassin when it was unnecessary at the time.”

She felt like every point he had was helpful critique and things she would do her best to focus on in the future.

“I think you both should spend some time just going through all the Trees. Pick two or three Races and build a strategy for each type of Game. Don’t underestimate Magic,” he said as he glared at both of them.

Gerald stood and ran his hand through his hair, “Thanks X, I really needed that. Do you think…?”

“She’s with your ma and pa, and I’m sure they’ll keep her safe. Who knows? Maybe they’ll make it back here one day,” he said, but it didn’t sound too convincing. Gerald waved and walked off down the street towards the manufacturing district.

The morning sun started peaking over the horizon and Aria let out a yawn, stretching her arms widely. “I’m ready to sleep. Are you coming over?”

He thought about it and then shook his head, “As tired as I am, and as much as I’d love to share your bed, Ranks get posted today, and I need to get my new residence and responsibilities from The Office.”

She shrugged, “Will I see you tonight?”

Her cheeks blushed and he shrugged back, grinning at her as he lit another cigarette. “Quite possibly.”

He passed her the cigarette and watched the sun rise. Her arms wrapped around him from behind and her smokey, warm breath tickled against his neck. Her soft lips lightly pecked at his nape before she let out a content sigh. She spun away, took another drag, and passed the cigarette back.

He pressed it to his lips, watching her cute butt as she walked away.

“Damn, what have I gotten myself into?” he asked as his heart raced.

He walked down the empty streets - most people didn’t come out until the Tournament if they didn’t have to - and whistled a melancholic tune.

The earth shook, nearly knocking him off his feet, and a great boom resonated through the city. Xavier tossed the cigarette away and stuck his hands in his pocket, looking upwards at the top of the dome.

The simulated sky flickered out of existence.

A monstrosity with a maw nearly wide enough to fit around the entirety of the city flickered into view for all to see. Its massive body repeatedly slammed against the reinforced glass, and the very air Xavier breathed turned a dark blue as the mana vein beneath his feet began rapidly powering the protection runes that glimmered everywhere he looked.

The monster writhed and rolled, covering the dome completely in its oily body, countless tentacles and teeth scraping against the frail looking dome.

From time to time, he would be able to see the expanse past the creature- the chaotic mana surge that tore at the outside world.

His heart raced as he looked on in awe, a hopeless whisper escaping his lips, "Another day in paradise."

The simulated day and night cycle popped back into place as though the cataclysmic monstrosity had never existed, but the image would never fade from his mind.

This marked the fourth time this year.

He returned to his old home and packed his things, not much but some clothes and weapons he'd broken down, and went to The Office. It didn't take long for them to see him and they efficiently processed his new Rank. They assigned him a new residence, further away from the manufacturing district, and gave him a new schedule.

"Runic study, magic manipulation, Game theory, tutoring, and a tournament for mentorship? Geez, I thought I'd have some free time now." He grumbled as he left, luggage over his shoulder in a magically compressed suitcase. "Whatever."

Time passed and Xavier’s days became significantly less free now that his Rank had climbed past the threshold for the lower class. Xavier claimed Aria as his significant other and she was given access to his residence. Months later, the bi-annual tournament came around. They both participated in their own Rank categories. Xavier placed third, leaving a bad taste in his mouth, but he was recruited by a hearty, enigmatic mentor. His Rank growth had some of the senior generations wide-eyed as he rose to 2132 in mere months after the tournament. Aria’s growth was much slower, but she eventually crawled across that line which meant they could spend much more time together. It only took a few more weeks for Xavier to cross the line of 2000, in which they were relocated to the inner city. Xavier claimed Aria as his life partner and disciple, and when she could focus on studying, her Rank rocketed upward.

Two tournaments later, Xavier broke through the barrier of the top 100 and Aria broke through 2000, though not without constant coaching from Xavier. At this point, Xavier overtook his mentor and claimed his spot as Rank 85. When his rise was highest and his growth continued meteorically rising through the ranks, tragedy struck.

Seventeen tier one cities were destroyed and five tier two fell. The One spoke for everyone to see after many years of silence, not a peep could be heard as the dome filled with The One’s face - a Race Xavier had never seen; a thin face leading to a large cranium with several eye stalks twitching in every direction, and her eyes were a deep cerulean.

Her calm voice, garnering every person’s attention, echoed out through the domed city. “My people, we face trying times. Our world is crumbling and only Eternia will remain in another ten years. The information was kept secret, but the calamities have collapsed a tier three city.”

Gasps and cries of hopelessness rose across the world.

“Yes, these are trying times, but there is hope,” she paused as she looked off screen. A deep sigh escaped and she turned back to the screen, “Three more tier two have fallen. Any who wish to come to Eternia to discuss salvation, let your nearest Representative know. Thank you for your valuable time and never forget: We are the last hope.”

Six months passed and, instead of participating in the bi-annual tournament, he was shipped off to Eternia with Aria in hand. In no time, they were led to a meeting area and were surprised. Almost nobody showed. For how many cities that remained, the few hundred people really showed how many people were ready to accept their fate or live in denial.

“This is sickening,” Xavier said under his breath. He reached for his smokes, but realized they weren’t there. All of his paraphernalia had been confiscated before he got onto the underground tram. “Shit, this sucks.”

Aria only held his arm tightly, her rapid heartbeat telling him everything he needed to know. This can’t be it, right? They have to have more than one location…

The room had plenty of space for nearly a hundred times the amount of people with a stage at the front. The room dimmed and the stage lit up, the curtains being drawn aside to reveal The One in all her glory.

Beside her eye stalks, she looked pretty average compared to other races he’d seen in his time. She also had two pairs of limbs lower down her torso and a pair of wings folded neatly on her back. When she spoke, Xavier blasted out with all the magic in his body as his mind felt like it would be torn to shreds.

He could read her lips from his position, “That was… unexpected.”

His eyes steeled and he stood his ground as his violet mana roiled in protest. She kept speaking and he saw that each person in the room had collapsed forward.

Her eye stalks closed and she whispered out with a wave of her hand, “Disperse.”

All the energy around him faded and returned back to his body, seemingly locked behind the will of The One.

“Your energy type is unique- unlike anything I’ve seen before. Also, quick reflexes and a strong will. It’ll be you,” she said dismissively before turning away, the stage curtains closing behind her.

Xavier breathed heavily and he slumped back against the wall. She had only been testing them and she was that powerful…

“Monster,” he said, all consciousness fading as the adrenaline faded and his mana wracked his body in painful spasms.

When he woke, he saw that Aria sat next to him on a comfortable bed. When he tried to sit up, he almost passed out and his head hammered in protest.

“That…”

“Yeah…” Aria agreed with him. She touched his face gently, trying her best to sooth his pain. She asked in confusion and anger, “What the hell happened?”

“It was a test, and I passed somehow. Those eyes of hers seem to amplify her magic,” he said as a look of fear and apprehension washed over him.

“Why doesn’t she lead an army against the calamities or the expedition into the underworld if she’s so powerful?” Aria asked and Xavier just looked at her.

“You don’t think…?” he questioned, but he really didn’t know what to think. “Do you think they’re that powerful or is this something more insidious? What if… do you think she could be holding back?” His mind raced at a mile an hour.

“I really don’t know. I’m afraid, Xavier. Have we made a mistake by coming here?” she asked as she hung onto his waist.

He reached for his pocket, annoyed by the lack of the familiar pack of smokes. His lips craved the familiar feel of cigarettes on his lips. He instead turned and kissed Aria, taking comfort in her presence.

“Maybe you should-.” he started to speak.

“I’m not leaving you,” she interrupted, holding him tighter.

“Okay, then we should-.” A knock at their door interrupted him again, and a letter slid under their door with a silver stamp. He looked at Aria and she looked away, a grin on her face. With a roll of his eyes, he got up and picked it up.

Xavier read the letters aloud for Aria’s benefit, “Xavier Malkov, you are hereby summoned by The One to discuss Operation: Last Hope. Aria Malkov, you are hereby summoned by the Armed Committee of Eternia to be assessed for occupational standing in Operation: Last Hope.”

Aria ran up to him and gave him a big hug, but Xavier quickly ushered them out of their room. They quickly separated and were guided to their respective areas. Xavier entered a councilroom and found only a handful of people sitting at a long, runed wooden table. The One sat with her feet propped up on the table and flicked through several holographic images.

The closer Xavier looked, the more he realized that they were images of real time events from across all the cities. She flickered through a lot of them, stopping only when she saw the rubble of many with their city number above, and did so quickly. Her eye stalks stared at every participant in the room, and he let a bit of his aura lose to protect him from the pressure he felt as one turned towards him.

“Resist,” he spoke aloud in the language of magic.

“Oh really now? You know the language? This is… peculiar. You’re from Horland, right?” The One looked at him with all her eyes, closing them one by one as his mana began to rage again.

The true magic of the world, not the magic of the Games, was something mysterious and only grew with usage and time. He could see the years in her eyes, but her physical appearance was still no older than her mid-twenties.

She had won a lot of years and had seen even more. Her magic felt ancient and he had seen damn near every race out there.

“What are you?” he brazenly asked her. A few gasps escaped surprised lips and even more of the attendee’s eyes went wide in disbelief.

Her eyes crinkled in amusement, and raised out of her seat and approached him. He felt like a predator had set its eyes on him and currently threatened his entire existence.

“You’re not like most people, I can tell.” She walked around him, her aura easily engulfing his. Runes began to appear in the air, pushing back her aura away from him. He felt a headache coming over him, but he kept pushing back until his nose bled. His vision started to fade, but an intense energizing rush passed through him and his mana felt as though it would overflow. His discomfort faded and he looked around with eyes more clear than ever before.

“What the fu-.”

“Watch your language,” she whispered from over his shoulders. “Your parents, Markus and Wanda. Where are they now?”

Her tone held a hint of a threat, but he didn’t back down. “I don’t have to tell you anything.”

Her cackling laughter filled the room and she suddenly walked away. “You asked me what I am? I am a calamity.”

Silence filled the room and they all started taking their distance from her. None dared to breathe too loud, let alone speak their fear.

“Do relax and take your seats.” She sat in her seat and began flickering through the cities again. “Everything you know is rather- oh, how do I put this?”

“It’s all a lie,” Xavier whispered out. He looked into her eyes with a hint of steel and walked to the chair closest to her and took his seat. “I want to know. Too much has been lost to history and I hate feeling ignorant.”

She looked around the room at the wide eyes and fearful expressions, “I’ve been waiting for this day and the looks... Everyone else out. I’ll send you all a brochure. You’ll be joining the rest of the Committee.”

They waited for the rest of the occupants to realize that she was serious, and didn’t get moving until many of the stalks started focusing on individuals. Once one moved, they all ran like cattle being scared off by the big bad wolf.

“Now,” she started and Xavier adjusted his focus on her, going as far as scooting closer so that he could hear even clearer. “Long ago, the humans ruled all the lands. These domed cities were environments where they tested many things. Each city is placed on a mana vein that could eternally power the domes using the energy of the world itself.”

He nodded and began to write in the air with, etching runes with his hand. A piece of paper appeared with a stylus and he created bullet points for each piece of information she gave. His mind was purely focused on comprehending what she had to say, and his emotional reactions were turned off as he listened.

“One of these facilities, what we Xenos call Homeground, tested on the mana vein itself. They unknowingly corrupted the energy of the veins and the people began to change. They didn’t know what was going on and fled, a lot of the growth issue and mutations stopping completely once they left. Their physiology had been completely altered though, and many of their bodies were closer to pure mana than they were to flesh, bone, and blood.”

His stylus was the only other sound in the room, scritching and scratching against the page quickly. Anytime he ran out of space, he’d write another rune in the air and manifest another piece of paper.

“A lot of the Xenos are sentient and secluded themselves away, some even going as far as venturing into the void of space itself. However, there are still many that gave their sentience for power or were too warped by the corruption and blossomed into the monstrosities that just hunger for nihilism. I have been actively reinforcing the runes for centuries, gaining longevity from the Games, but I lack the power to fight against these beasts. My kind have worked for a long time to divert their attention, but...”

His stylus stopped moving across the pages as she stopped speaking. He looked at her and backed away as a fiery red aura emanated off of her, her eye stalks glazed over with an inky blackness.

“What the fu-.”

“Language,” her voice echoed about the room, gaining an ethereal quality to it. She closed her stalks and let out a long sigh. “We were betrayed by some of our finest, and I am all that remain of the sympathizers.”

His skin tingled as the energy in the room vibrated, everything in a sphere around her was dilapidated. When the energy faded, he walked forward and sat next to her.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he reached over and rested his hand on her arm. They stayed that way until she opened her eyes and began talking again.

“You may not know it, but you are also what is known as a calamity. You’re just a young one. Don’t you find it strange how you can use magic so effortlessly compared to those around you and can understand the tongue? You are Xenos.”

He removed his hand from her arm and used the manifest rune twice. He stuck a cigarette to his mouth and lit it, sighing and he blew the smoke out.

“I’ve always wondered…”

“There’s no record of your parents anywhere and you’re not in any official database. Your unusual power registers as enigmatic in all records, your comprehension of complex ideas on such an accelerated time means your intelligence is far above what most are ever capable of, and I’d be willing to bet your body is only a subconscious projection of your parents’ will.”

“Show the Truth.”

Tingling crossed his skin, and he felt strange. Nothing happened though, “Strange. Unless…”

Her eyes widened and she flinched away from him.

“It can’t be,” she whispered as tears showed in her eyes. She collected herself before looking him dead in the eyes, “I know who your parents are and the magic you wield, but it was supposed to be a myth. They… left me here, and sacrificed their lives for you.”

He kept smoking the cigarette, writing down what she said in his other hand.

“Calm down,” he said with steel in his voice. “What do we have to do? How do we save everybody?”

She looked at him in a new light, but maintained her distance.

“Ahem,” she cleared her throat and collected herself. “As I said before, you will be leading the expedition into the underworld. Despite the new information, neither of us are strong enough to stop the true monsters out there. A lot of them have single handedly sucked up whole veins, if not more, of mana to empower themselves. The monstrosity that took down the tier three… There’s no hope above ground.”

He nodded in understanding, “So I’ll be leading all these people into the underground, most likely to our deaths, to set up a city? That requires terraforming, a massive amount of materials, continuous logistics, and maybe another dome.”

“There will be no continued support. After you’ve left, there won’t be another expedition sent your way for five years. Minerals will have to be gathered from the subterranean world itself, but many preliminary scans have shown plenty of high value mineral deposits. Think of all the Games you’ve played, because you will become the permanent Avatar.”

She handed him a compact cube that fit in the palm of his hands. He felt no leakage of power, but saw how small and detailed the runes were on the surface.

“This will allow you to remain safe for some time, but you will be on a clock.” She looked away as though and began to speak. “I will teach you how to take control of your people, so that you can command them with little resistance.”

His stomach sank as the Dominate rune appeared in front of her, “Your Will is mine.”

He felt a force begin to pull at him, but not from his body or mind. Instead it came from his soul.

Disbelief colored his face and he looked at her as a monster for the first time since he’d entered the room. “You can’t be seriously expecting me to dominate everybody. My life partner will be with me.”

“Just make her a Hero then,” she looked at him dumbly, thinking that he was thinking too simply. “This isn’t a Game, but if it eases your mind, you can think of it as such. If that is what it takes to make you do what needs to be done, so be it.”

“They’re all different though,” he said as he recalled the many different races that had gathered in the room when he’d attempted his resistance against her.

“You’re thinking too shallowly. The Games are an embodiment of the power of runes. You will grow with your people. Assimilate them all when they’ve been dominated. Everyone you’ve seen so far in Eternia is my creation for me. A home to lead from. Everyone here is mine.”

His eyes flashed with disgust, and he began to walk away. “Go meet your people. You leave in one month.That will give you the time you need to do what you need to do.”

Her words echoed about in his mind repeatedly as he walked to the gathering area. His stomach was nauseous and he wrote the manifest rune in the air four times in rapid succession. He put the notebook and stylus in the back of his pocket and lit the cigarette, flicking away the fire from his fingertips.

The Committee was easy to find, but he hesitated as he thought of what The One had said. There were about five hundred people in there, and he would need to...

He pushed through the doors open, walked across the stage through the curtains, and with a sinking feeling in his gut, looked at all the faces before him. The talk ended and they waited for him to speak. Tension hung in the air as he went face to face, only stopping to flick the burnt butt onto the floor.

He started over at the first person, met their gaze, and issued a magically empowered command,“Stand.”

The person’s eyes went wide and then they glared back at him, attempting to resist his command, but eventually stood.

“Who are you and why should I care?”

The only response was a glare and the sound of clenched teeth.

“Don’t speak then. I won’t force you, but I will be leading this expedition. Would you prefer me to send you off on a task without knowing what you’re good at? Should I send you into the face of danger if you have no ability to handle yourself?”

The raven-haired human continued to glare, spitting her response with venom, “Name’s Mina, and I’m from Grosdo, tier one. I been workin’ as a farmer mah whole life. I got two youngins at home wit’ mah Robbie. They quickly be approachin’ their Gamin’ Day, and I wanna join this here expedition in hopes that they’ll have somewhere they can grow and work and live in peace, without no threats of death from the sky collapsin’ on ‘em.”

They kept going through the crowd, and he recognized a pattern. Nobody originated from a northern city and nobody came from a tier three city or higher. When they realized he had come from a tier two city and was in the top 100, they stopped questioning his authority. Especially when they looked at his age.

After he had burned everything into his mind, all their names, family, origin city, and specialty, he looked around at each of the five hundred and forty-three people gathered before him. His eyes landed on Aria as she chatted with the person next to her, and he looked away as shame and guilt burned his cheeks.

He knew how much mana the runes he needed to cast cost, and started making time and appointments with each member, leaving Aria for last. He…

“Well done,” The One whispered from behind him. He ignored her and lit another cigarette, blowing it in her direction. “Childish, however you must feel strange now. Those that would be seen as your kind, your family, peers, friends, even lovers… To find you’re different and have to put yourself above them, so that you can lead and not be questioned…”

“Fuck off.”

“Language!” Her eyes all blared at him, but he wasn’t in the mood. She couldn’t see his face, but he hated everything he knew he had to do. He would be a bad guy, using all those in front of him, so that the rest of the world could survive.

His aura radiated out subconsciously and consumed the mana she had used to cow him. Her eyes dilating as she backed away in fear, not wishing to be too close to him.

Aria happily talked with the person next to her, not realizing the gloom and despair that Xavier felt. His first meeting would be in ten minutes, but it would be held privately so that none of the others could see what was happening.

He commandeered The One’s meeting room and blacked out the transparent walls with help of the command table, the controls able to modify anything in the entire facility. He didn’t want to give her the satisfaction of doing what she suggested.

When Mina walked inside the room, he gestured for her to sit next to him.

“Why you havin’ ta be meetin’ us like this?” she asked as she sat.

His hand quickly reached forward, touching the side of her head, and the world changed as the dominate rune hung above them.

They entered a dreamscape, much like the ones created for the Games, and he saw her Avatar. She held an obsidian pitchfork and brandished it toward him.

“Submit. I don’t want to hurt you, but I need to do this.” He tried to reason with her, but she screamed as she charged forward.

The amount of experience he’d accumulated over the years from actively controlling his Avatar was nothing to scoff at, and it showed when he quickly disarmed her and his knee digging into her back.

“If you don’t submit, I will break you. Do you understand?” he asked calmly, though he steeled himself for what he knew would come next. Her Will to life was…

“Fuck yerself, ya prick.”

“I’m sorry, but I warned you,” he said as her conscious mind was burned away, leaving only a husk of what formerly inhabited the body. Now that there was no Will, it was easy enough to assimilate her once they were back in the room with the masic control table.

He had Mina sit halfway down the table, maintaining a straight posture while staring lifelessly at the wall. He felt like a dictator, his mind racing a mile a minute trying to find any solution to be able to avoid doing the same, or similar, to another five hundred and forty-two…

“Hey, thanks for seeing me,” a chipper youth walked in, Malcolm was his name, and sat down. He looked at Mina and his face slowly started to become significantly worried at Mina’s lack of response to, well, anything at all. “Is she ok?”

Xavier rose from his seat and approached Malcolm, “She is an example of resistance. Malcolm, listen…”

He told the youth what he was about to do, and the man’s bubbliness faded and his slunk into the back of his chair and stared at the ceiling.

“Do it then,” he acquiesced, though a Xavier could feel the sadness and defeat as a nearly physical presence.

“I don’t like that it has to be like this-.”

“Don’t try to justify anything to me. Just get it over with.”

Xavier reached forward and touched his face, the run flashing above them. “Dominate.”

The process continued throughout the day until Xavier was too mentally exhausted to continue. He had twenty-nine days to do five hundred and forty-two people. He left an entire day for Aria herself, deciding that he would give her the choice after explaining things to her.

Days passed in a rhythmic blur, and every incident in which he had to burn away their Will left him feeling worn out and angry with life and the situation he found himself in. The next incident was when the guy Aria had talked with at the Committee failed to show for his appointment.

“Well shit,” he swore. He would have to finish all the scheduled appointments before he could go and look for the AWOL man. Concern festered in his heart as he went about each appointment.

The man never showed.

Xavier began his manhunt, searching thick and thin for the man. A theory occurred as he found no sign of Aria either, and his heart faltered as he approached the cracked door to his and Aria’s shared room.

Panting, grunting, and moaning could be heard from inside and his aura began to leak out until it dilapidated the frame of the door, the building’s alarms going off as his mana consumed the runes outlining the frame.

Scrambling resounded out through the door as they scampered about the room for their tossed about clothes. Xavier just stood there and listened with his eyes closed.

“What’s going on? Do you feel that insidious aura?” the man, Zeke, asked Aria.

She didn’t respond for some time, “He knows.”

“That monster?”

“Yeah. We can’t-.” He could hear sobs and then shuffling as someone crossed the room. His mana permeated the building. A new sense filled his mind as something shifted and clicked into place. His aura blasted out, quickly filling the entirety of the skyscraper in only a moment. He felt a severe sense of disorientation, and he collapsed back as his senses scanned over Aria and Zeke, embraced in a passionate kiss.

A monstrous roar echoed out and his aura continued to spread, right until The One slammed him bodily against the wall and wrapped her hands around his neck.

“You’ll kill us all like this!” she shouted out over the bestial roar, which he soon realized came from his own throat. Her grip tightened and his vision faded, consciousness slipping away. As his vision tunneled, he saw the scowl on The One's face as a half-naked Aria and Zeke rushed past. Unconsciousness took him and the building stopped shaking.

Next he woke, he found himself lying on the command table with The One at his side, leaned back in her chair. He flicked his wrists, manifesting a smoke and flame, and then took a drag.

“I’ll be done by the end of the day.” His voice carried little emotion or care as he stared at the ceiling.

“I’ve detained them.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” he responded after a moment, taking another long drag and blowing it in her direction. “Are you able to change form?”

“I am,” she responded, but watched him intently. “You should also be able to. It seems as though you’ve broken through a mental barrier of sorts.”

“I’m comfortable as I am. Is that form comfortable to you?”

“My real form wouldn’t fit inside of the entirety of Eternia, so no humanoid form is comfortable.” She shrugged and watched as he burned two more runes into the air, placing another smoke against his lips.

“That’s neat.”

“Did she really matter to you?” she asked in disbelief, amazed by how his behavior had completely changed.

The aura that focused on her presence, threatening oblivion, was the only answer she needed.

“I get it. What is your plan going forward?” she asked him, playing nervously with her closed eye stalks.

“I’ll gather them all tomorrow and convert them. Also, what was the AI that helps people learn the Games?” He missed Etna.

She touched his shoulder and muttered in the tongue of magic, “Summon Familiar.”

A pixie appeared in front of him, fluttering about his head. Etna’s familiar voice sounded out, “Master X! It’s so nice to see you. I’ve always wondered why you never summoned me before.”

A faint grin showed on his face as he held his hand out, watching as the pixie landed gently in his palm.

“How is this possible? When did this even happen?”

“It’s done during the Gaming Day Ceremony,” she replied as though that was common knowledge.

He took another drag and then flicked it to the corner with the other. He leaned forward and stood up on the table, jumping down onto the floor. He waved and stuck his hand in his pocket and left the command room. “Shit to do, tood-a-loo.”

Etna followed after and found a seat on top of his head, “Hey, Master X, how do you know Feylana?”

“Is that her name? I’ve only known her as The One, since she held the highest Rank in all the cities.”

“The One? That seems a little,” she stopped to consider the word. Her thinking face looked like a pout mixed with severe concentration as she knocked on her head, holding her hand up in triumph as she remembered. “Pretentious! That’s the word.”

“It is what it is. Doesn’t matter much when the end of the world is right around the corner.”

It didn’t take long to round up all the remaining members. He lay at the end of the stage, his head leaning off the edge. He watched as each person entered, a cigarette in between his lips.

As nearly three hundred people gathered before him, sitting close to those they were comfortable with. Aria and Zeke entered last, escorted by several of Feylana’s enthralled. Their eyes were wide and they stank of fear, shivering as his eyes tracked their progress.

He flipped backwards and landed facing the crowd, his body enhanced by the many assimilated he now controlled. He looked at the half smoked cigarette and flicked it at Zeke.

Without saying a single word, his aura expanded outwards and pinned all of them to the ground. “Dominate.”

Nothing happened for several seconds, but then the mana hanging in the air coalesced into several hundred dominate runes. The dreamscape quickly claimed them all.

Xavier stood in a sixteen meter tall Titan Avatar. Tattoos were etched into his body’s energy lines and combined them with his mind’s energy. It created an energy capable of things greater than the two energy types alone. His hulking figure was adorned in equally large obsidian armor and he wielded an enormous adamantine halberd. He stood there before them all, brandishing it before the several hundred Wills. He didn’t discuss the option of submitting with them, and instead stared them down in challenge.

They all hesitantly looked at one another, intimidated by his presence, until Zeke stepped forward.

“Don’t be afraid of him. He’s a monster just like that bitch and they just want to see us all die. They’re monsters, but even the greatest monsters can die.”

“You’re a big meanie! You don’t even know what Master X is going through, you big fat headed meanie!” Etna’s voice echoed about the area, and Mina’s body appeared next to him looking heroic, though half his size. “You do know he could have just killed you already, right?”

“She talks a whole lot of shit for a monster, especially when she wears Mina’s skin! I won’t stand for your filth any longer.” Zeke slid forward, his steps carrying him deceptively far.

Zeke wielded a mythril spear and it whistled loudly as the runes on the shaft activated, the head of the spear spinning quickly like a drill.

Tension rose in the air as Zeke slid forward with his spear pointing forward, appearing before Xavier in a flash. Zeke struck forward with the spear and yelled loudly as his body shook from the strike, his arms crumpling into lumps of flesh as the spear snapped into a thousand tiny fragments.

“Dead,” Xavier whispered out as Zeke ruptured into a pile of flesh and warped bone, the reverberations tearing apart his body until the energy exploded. His eyes flashed and the body, mind, and soul all burned away, offered into the Nothingness.

A flash - the only thing registered by many before fonts of blood and gore died the dreamscape crimson, his eyes burning away the bodies, and simultaneously casting an assimilate rune for each of the dead.

Aria had long since crumpled in fear, hiding behind the swarm of bodies. They all rushed at him in hopeless rage, hoping that one good strike would save them. Their strikes against him showed them that their endeavors were, and would always be, an effort of futility.

Etna saw the apathetic expression he wore and felt tears begin to stream down her face. She rushed forward with an obsidian sword spear in hand and began wading through the bodies, screaming bloody murder. “You bullies, how dare you hurt him!”

Xavier watched on as every member fell, minus one, and their Wills burned away, sent into the cycle of reincarnation. “May they find peace in another life.”

His expression stayed firm and uncaring, but Discord claimed his heart. He sat next to Aria who remained sniffling and rocking back and forth.

She muttered to herself, “He’s a monster, monster, monster…”

“What happened to us, Aria? Why-.” He stopped as his voice started to rise in rage and pain. He only spoke again when he was calm, “Why did you do it?”

“Monster…”

“Am I?” He asked himself, shrinking down into his Vorkian body, and then summoned a cigarette. He lay back on the blood soaked ground, ignoring the blood that now soaked his back. “Things didn’t need to end like this. Hell, if it weren’t for you everyone here would probably still have a Will.”

“No! You’re the monster here,” she screamed back at him. “You’re a fucking monster, just like the rest of those things trying to destroy the world. You lied to me for years! How could you?”

“What am I to do with you?”

She cowered away from him as she began sobbing again, “I d-don’t wanna d-die.”

“Etna, what do you think?”

“Keep her as a pat. Let her see that she chose the wrong side. Let her suffer knowing that she brought about so much mindless destruction by causing you so much pain! Stupid girl, Master X is the best, and you spent so long with him, too. Really shows that you can’t trust a person.” His pixie responded quite angrily, her face turning a deep maroon the long she yelled and lectured Aria.

“Isn’t that kind of harsh? You gotta keep in mind that means I’ll always think of what used to be. She’ll be a reminder of a future that could’ve been, and a truth that things won’t always work out. That would kind of suck,” he responded to Etna, seriously considering his options.

“That’s true. You don’t want her to suffer? Also, won’t she be around anyway, so only you will suffer. Maybe you can give her to Feylana as a pet. You know that Fey-Fey has a crush on you?” The pixie sniggered from Mina’s body.

“I don’t really care. I hunger for-,” his eyes flashed black and he fell forward, gripping the side of his head. A bestial roar echoed shook the dreamscape, threatening to collapse the subrealm on them. Claws started to form on his hands and he began to tear the flesh from himself. Aria looked on at Xavier in bewilderment and gripped her steel dagger that rested comfortably on her waist. She took the opportunity to attack him while he was distracted, and then confusion warped her face as her torso fell apart from her lower body.

The dreamscape disappeared and Xavier found his limbs were still morphing and an earth shattering, ear piercing shriek emanated out from him, shaking the entire building. Feylana put both hands on his head and focused all her eyes on the same spot.

Unconsciousness claimed him.

When he awoke once more, he felt very drowsy and darkness surrounded him on every side. He stood and drew two runes in the air, lighting the cigarette and keeping the flame active to see the bundled pallets of supplies and hundreds of unconscious bodies slumped in all matters of disarray.

“Stand.” All of them did so, nut uttering a single word of protest. He felt for the cube Feylana had given him, what felt like a lifetime ago, and was greatly concerned that he’d been kicked out on his own when he found a letter with a familiar stamp on the outside.

He read the contents once, and then reread them.

Xavier, sorry for leaving you so unceremoniously out on your own. Your presence started to threaten the stability of Eternia, and you started to call all the Lost Xenos to you. I hope you can understand why I did what I did, but I will not ask for forgiveness if you do not. I hope we can meet again on better terms some day. Also, I gave that Aria girl her Will back. Toodles! ~Yours Truly, The One

With a flick, the paper burned into ash and floated down towards the ground.

“What a predicament. I wonder if she’ll hold up on her original statement of five years.”

“Master X, you got kind of scary there for a minute. Fey-Fey told me that you would know what to do with this.” She handed him the cube and he looked at it, feeling a hunger growing inside of him. His teeth began to sharpen and his body began to change, his assimilate rune quickly hung above his head.

Not only did his body begin to change, but all those around him began to change in similar fashion.

Aria could only look on, wide-eyed, and sob out, “He really is a monster.”