-The Story-

MAGE OF TIME: DESCEND

Ian shot up groggily, and saw purple shades reflect off of the surrounding area and crowd his vision. He was in a room identical to his own, and he felt himself seem as though he sat in water. He knew this weightless feeling, this was a dream. He experienced it many times over, but this was the first time he ever felt it within this situation. However, the dream held an exceedingly long familiarity to his own mind, as if he had been here before. He stood, and proceeded to look around, confused. His clothing had been replaced with a somewhat scratchy shirt and pants. He wore bright yellow shoes with purple pants. His shirt was a basic collared shirt, but he wore an overcoat alongside it with twin coattails, like that of a butlers. However, the pants, shirt, and overcoat were all a shade of purple. Upon the back of his tailcoat sat a strange emblem, a purple, crescent moon.

Ian crept along the floors, feeling a strange weightless feeling. He knew very well that this was a dream, but it sure was confusing. He decided he would decide to grow lucid. He put out his hand like he does in all of his dreams in order to create a giant robot or something just as stupid. However, as if this world was real, he held no power over anything he saw. Ian turned his head and sat down on his bed. He was somewhat confused about the matter. Dreams were supposed to mean something... but this one did not. From what he had seen, all this was and ever could be was a construct of his mind built off of the ridiculous boundaries found only within himself... he always did overanalyze things. Ian proceeded to feel himself begin to float in the air, and he panicked. He flailed his arms around, only to become adjusted. He drifted to the window and proceeded to fly out of it. He saw as he now floated above a large, crowded city. Above Ian was the endless void of space, silhouettes of strange figures drifting across the void. The city was all a shade of purple, spires, towers, and Victorian styled buildings resembling chapels. Black mannequin-like beings with glowing, white eyes and black robes all crowded the streets of the planet. Connected to the planet was a large chain that led to an even bigger planet resembling the small orb Ian stood on. Ian saw his own room was connected to a large spire, his room's walls making a strange orb. There was another spire nearby, an exact copy of his own. However, there was a third that had not been in such good shape. It was rotted and old, cracks and gashes in the purple metal. The orb atop it was cracked and old, a large hole in the orb revealing its torn and rotted insides. Within the dream, he began to hear the sound of the real world, and he begrudgingly began to drift back into reality.

MAGE OF TIME: AWAKEN

The sound of the wind whistled through the trees as Ian slept. His bed was most likely the comfiest thing he had felt that whole morning. His room had books spread about, his laptop aside of him. Several loose manuscripts of his own creation were strewn about the floor and his hard drive. His computer chimed from the notifications he had received throughout the night.

At the sound, he quickly forgot his recent dream, and he quickly grabbed his computer, seeing the chat client he downloaded having sent him mostly junk mail. Normally, his computer would have been incompatible with the file itself, but he had known his way across changing a file from his copious amounts of emulation and watching of the most astute guides online. He himself was terrible at this job, at least in his eyes. When his hands came close to the computer, he realized it, in fact, was not where he had left it. Ian trailed off and began looking around his room. He found himself all the way in the back of his attic, finding not his laptop; but a book. "Mysterious and Strange Daunting Texts of the Horrorrterrors" was the title. Ian was not surprised, for books had appeared around his house at random all the time. He found his computer under the book and smiled. As Ian grabbed his computer, his memory of the dream slowly died, and he checked the clock. It was about 9 in the morning. He groaned at the time. It was going to be a long, long summer.

When he began to type, he found his friend Ben was in fact online. Ian smiled at the fact and began to request a chat session. Within minutes, each of them was situated and began to talk.

TimelessVisionary began chatting with SnipingNative

TV: Hey Ben.

SN: sup

TV: So, how is your summer, in fact, goin'?

SN: okay i guess, it got boring real quick, you?

TV: I could say the same really. My entire family just left for another outing or something. But, it does give me time to practice my self-loathing, so that is a plus.

SN: Did you talk to J yet?

TV: About?

SN: you know the game

TV: Oh, that! No. Can I tell you something about that?

SN: sure.

TV: I have been kinda hesitant to that. It is a little convenient that us, and five of our friends just "won" a game that no one has even been talking about. Call me a little skeptical.

SN: five? bruh did you forget? cal is comin with.

TV: Oh, I forgot about her. I really wish she wasn't comin with. I mean, she must be great and all. She is a bit of a control freak.

SN: no one said you had to enjoy her company. just live a little, huh?

TV: I guess you are right.

TV: I will talk to J in a bit. We need to discuss updating the client anyway.

Ian closed his laptop and sighed slowly. He began to think about the game. Earlier that month, he and his friends had been "selected" to partake in a new game coming out. Of course, it was in the same vein as those "millionth website visitor" scams. Sburb was the name. It was one of the weirdest sounding games he had ever heard. It was supposed to be one of the best games ever made, even though no advertising of any sort was surrounding it. When he looked up reviews for the game, he found that apparently it was completely hidden online, the only reviews clearly being scams, being from completely different dates in time that had yet to even occur. It was clear they only existed just to show people that, once the "game" would get popular, people would have been "playing" it for weeks. Too bad most of the dates would take months to be current. So, Ian took it into his own hands. He was terrible at computers, but he managed to find the most basic build of Sburb off of the Deep Web. It was basically a ripoff Sims game, if not for the combat mechanics. But Ian tended not to dwell on the fact. All he knew was that he was supposed to have fun with his friends... and Cal. His computer chimed again, and speak of the devil, it was Callie herself. Ian was never too fond of her, seeing as she was one to try and blend in with hobbies not for herself, but for the good of becoming associated with the latest "trend". Ian supposed he should have been a little more caring for her, but work was not to get in the way of his monotone emotion. He just had too much to do with too little time. With nothing better to do, Ian accepted the request.

TimelessVisionary began chatting with calliePrincess

CP: Hi Ian!!! :-)

TV: What do you want?

CP: Just to talk!

TV: Well I don't.

TV: I'm working.

CP: On what??

TV: Writing my memoirs, what else?

CP: I just came to discuss something!

TV: Let me guess...

TV: Who the leader of our session is going to be?

CP: How did you know?

TV: I know you. And before you say anything, it isn't you. We know that much.

CP: Wait, why? I mean, do you not trust me?

TV: Go talk to J about this. I think she is the only one who cares. But again... it is not you.

CP: How rude! >:-( I think that we just shouldn't have a leader anyway.

TV: I have been studying this game for a month. I know for a fact that a leader is needed. Democracy is going to get us nowhere.

CP: So demanding!!! I am going to go talk to Julie!

TV: Good. Now go away.

calliePrincess has signed off

TV: Because you disgust me.

KNIGHT OF SPACE: AWAKEN

Julie tossed around her bed with a tired spazzing motion. Her room was piled high with manga graced to her by the weeaboo deities, paintings and drawings were thrown about. She sat on her phone as her short, blonde hair frizzed about. It had been a long night. She and Ian may have been chatting past midnight or so. However, the fact Julie gets no sleep anyway was another point to get across. She tended not to get up as early as she did, but she did today just to get some time away from her insane family. This time was precious, and not to be taken away from--

You gotta be kidding me. Julie groaned when Callie proceeded to contact her via the same chat client. She and Ian had made it mobile in one of their many bored hang out sessions. The sun shot through her window as she gazed out the window and saw the town below. She had lived on a quaint hill just south of her school. Below the houses were many restaurants and houses, cars constantly choking up the road. It was not that much of a crowded area as much as it was too small for the number of people that are there.

calliePrincess began chatting with InsomniaticJury

CP: Hey Julez!

IJ: What?

CP: I had a question.

IJ: I am sure you do

CP: Let me guess, you are working.

IJ: No I am not Ian. You need to learn that we are not the same person.

CP: Come on, you two are like twins.

IJ: It isn't even worth my time for this.  You have no proof whatsoever. Just another pointless effort of yours to try and make me what I am not.

IJ: Like it or not, I am going to keep as I am.

IJ: Alone... Because in my head there aren't nearly as many idiots to waste my time.

CP: Your logic makes no sense because you hang out with ian anyway.

IJ: I can count the number of friends I have on one hand. I prefer quality over quantity.

CP: Anyway, I am here to ask you something!

IJ: Don't you dare ask about Sburb. Ian has already been buzzing my phone enough about it.

CP: See!

IJ: The kid is a nervous wreck. It is called:

IJ: He trusts me.

CP: When we get into the game, do you know who the leader is going to be?

IJ: Cal, for the millionth time, it does not work like that.

IJ: Each person is going to get each other into the game via a chain.

IJ: I am getting Ian in first, then he is going to try and get Ben in, who is going to get you in, you are getting Riley in the game, and Riley will get Ava in the game, where Ava will get me in.

CP: Why Ian first?

IJ: He has been studying the game's constructs for a month. The chat client we are using was his idea anyway, I was just the one that bothered to help him because most everyone was "busy". Including you. I mean, they really are the only thing he is good at. Besides, he is a Time player, you are a Rage player. My protection as Knight is only going so far. Plus, he is just going to be testing the waters until it is safe for us to join.

CP: So?! He has been reading a bunch online, big deal.

CP: Isn't that unsafe

IJ: Not like you care.

IJ: Give me one good reason why you would be a good leader.

CP: Well... I am going to be the team's Seer, right? Don't they like... forsee things like a prophet?

IJ: Seers are a passive class. Common knowledge. Mages (who Ian is, spoiler alert) are active. They do the exact same things as Seers.

CP: See! That means we would do the exact same thing!!!

IJ: Except Mages can actually fight enemies. You are more of an information gatherer.

CP: Don't you feel the slightest bit... jealous. You are a Knight of all things!

TimelessVisionary has joined chat

TV: Hey.

CP: How did you get here?! :O

TV: I made the thing. I do what I want.

TV: Duh.

CP: You can't just barge in on other people's conversation! Right, Julie???

IJ: I really don't care.

TV: Callie, I am going to need you to leave. There has been a change of plans.

CP: But

TV: Go. You can come back in maybe a minute or two.

calliePrincess was kicked out of chat.

TV: You are going to help me.

TV: Change of plans.

TV: The order at which we enter the game is going to change a bit.

TV: You are going to be the leader.

TV: But I am still entering first.

TV: But they don't need to know that.

TV: And after I get in, I will get you in... and we can start from there, k?

IJ: What? I don't know if I can handle all of that!

IJ: I barely care enough just to get up in the morning, let alone be in charge of a rodeo of idiots.

TV: Clearly the fact you are up now is just proving my point. If you got up as early as you did, you can lead a rodeo of idiots.

TV: Besides. That is why I will be pulling the strings from behind. I have enough things to do. So... for all intensive purposes

TV: You are in charge to them.

TimelessVisionary has gone offline.

IJ: Oh shoot.

IJ: I think it is here.

IJ: I just got an e-mail.

BE THE PRINCE OF BLOOD

Ben sat on his large couch, his Xbox controllers aside of him as he sat at his large gaming PC. He had just spent another sleepless night on his computer, and he thought now might have been a good time for some shut eye. Ian just went offline for whatever reason, so Ben decided to plant himself in his bed. He closed his eyes and felt himself drifting off. He gazed out the window to see a large amount of grass and trees outside. His short, brown hair had been shaven at the sides as it blew in the slightest breeze.

PRINCE OF HEART: DESCEND

Ben now awoke in the same, amethyst shaded land. It was known as Derse, the Kingdom of Darkness. Ben stood tall in his Dersian clothing, a purple shirt, pants, and yellow shoes. The back of the robe he wore over it held the Dersian emblem, a purple crescent moon. His hand gripped a hatchet tightly as he stood atop the building. This place was not new to him, and Ben had made a name for himself across Derse, the Prince of Blood. The city was all shades of purple, and the buildings were like that of Victorian-era Europe. Ben stood atop his room, a large orb standing atop a thin spike that shot from the ground of the moon of Derse, connected to the planet via a large chain. Ben then proceeded to jump off of the dome as he had many times before, and he flew through the air, the void of space surrounding him. He drifted in the sky for a minute or so, flying as the Dreamers of Derse always do, and pulled a paper from his pocket. It was crumpled slightly, showing images of several officers of the kingdom, some of them with their faces crossed out in red marker. Ben smirked as he saw his next target. It was the Archagent himself; Jack Noir. His name had become famous around the kingdom for his tactical prowess, and his Hate-Love to the Queen. He was a glorified accounted, the whole scheme of "prowess" only existing to make Derse seem better than it was. He worked directly under the Queen of Derse herself. Ben had an ironic respect for the man in the most shallow of fashions. Ben put the paper away and drifted off into the square of Derse. Several Shadowy beings in black cloaks walked around. They were like black mannequins, their eyes, and teeth a glowing white. They were carapacians. They were the citizens of Derse that the Queen ruled over as the King readied to leave the planet in search of conquest. Ben proceeded to walk around the square and found the large Opera House in front of him. "Showtime.", Ben murmured as he walked in. He found himself in a large hall, people chatting as they awaited the show to start. Ben took a turn left into a small hallway leading into the VIP section of the play. He began to walk when he found himself in the hall with 2 guards. They looked at him and ran at him carrying large swords. Within seconds, he saw as both of their heads came clean off, and dropped to the floor. Now, his robes were covered in the crimson blood of the soldiers, and he proceeded to open the door. Ben then found a large, spiral stairway. He began to fly upward and found himself at the top, and right behind Jack Noir's room in the Opera House, overlooking it as a spectator. As the opening scene of the play began to end, Ben opened the door slightly. He saw Jack Noir. He was tall and thin, resembling a bald human with pitch black skin, sharp teeth, and yellow eyes with black pupils.

He tapped his feet against the shag carpeting and placed the blade against the back of the chair Jack sat in. Without saying a word, Jack stood, lunging at Ben as he planted his knife into Ben's side. The blaring music of the show masked Ben's screams of agony. Blood rushed from his side, and Ben looked at his painful wound. Ben stepped back, swinging his ax out of shock. Jack dodged the attack quickly and  stood behind Ben. Ben swung again, aiming for the head. Jack stood restlessly as he saw his right arm amputated from the attack as it missed his head. Jack fell to the floor before Ben kicked him. One of his many fangs shot from his mouth, having become lodged in the carpeting. Ben finished the battle with a final, making Jack go limp.

Ben grabbed the corpse and began walking down the hall. As he walked, he saw color fade from his eyes, and he slumped against the wall, a line of blood staining it as Ben continued to bleed. Finally, he crashed through a window out of shock, flying into the void of space. As he flew, he still held on to life, only do die instantly as he collided with a large clock tower. As he went through the other side, his corpse had a gaping hole where its heart would have been.

Ben gasped awake, finding himself sweating heavily. He was back in his room. He slammed his hand against the bed and frowned. "Dangit!", Ben yelled. He looked around, finding the house was completely silent. He checked his computer, finding Ian was online again.

SnipingNative began chatting with TimelessVisionary

SN: Oh shoot. Oh my god, Ian, I am screwed.

TV: What? What happened?

SN: I... I don't know how to explain.

TV: Then... why are you here?

SN: I had something to say, it just sounds stupid.

TV: Why?

SN: Because it does!

TV: I am your bro, man. You can trust me.

SN: I can't explain, okay!

TV: Why not?

SN: You would not even understand!

TV: I am sure I would.

SN: No, you don't know everything! You can't help me! This is the biggest mistake I ever. Made.

TV: So, I can help, Ben.

SN: Dear God, you are such an idiot. You would not understand!

TV: Whatever, man. Why are you even talking to me?

TV: Here, problem solved.

SnipingNative was kicked from chat.

BE THE WITCH OF LIFE 3 HOURS AGO

Riley jolted awake, finding sweat drip down her face. It was another nightmare of hers as if she had not had enough. The first thing to greet her was the smell of the old hotel. She felt the cool breeze of Hawaiian air enter her room as she got up. Her mother and brother must have in fact been at the beach, and her father must have followed suit. Riley stood, and fixed her auburn hair into place, being sure as to not knock over her makeup. She checked her phone and had in fact gotten a message from Callie, then again, all she had gotten were notifications from social media lately.

TerminalLaziness began chatting with calliePrincess

TL: hey

CP: You excited???

TL: For wat

CP: The game? You know, Sburp or something like that?

TL: yeah, Sburb. I am just a little on edge this morning.

CP: Is everything okay?

TL: Oh, yeah. I just had a really, really weird dream.

TL: so I was like... in a black void. There were a bunch of... me I guess... they were dead.

CP: And??????

CP: I... I don't know how to feel about that. It must have just been a nightmare.

TL: Now I am just really on edge. Like, more edges than a 20 sided razor.

CP: Anyway, I gotta go talk to Ian about something... see ya.

TL: I can't wait to get out of Hawaii.

TL: There is a huge volcano really close by, I am afraid it is gonna blow up or something.

TL: Right in my face.

TL: Can you go? I need to contact Julie.

calliePrincess was replaced with InsomniaticJury

IJ: Yeah?

TL: Hey, can you help me?
IJ: Sure Ri, I gotchya.

TL: Thanks. I had a dream last night.

IJ: Oh, okay.

TL: Well, I... you know what. Here is a link to my chat log with Cal.

TL: [OPEN FILE]

IJ: Oh, that. Yeah, I can't say I have any dreams like that. I don't even dream at all. Turns out I am a little boring.

TL: Really?????????????????????????????

IJ: Yeah.

TL: Kewl.

IJ: Look, whatever you saw... it isn't real. 

TL: Wait... how did you know?

IJ: Tsk. so forgetful

TL: Oh yeah... See ya Julie <3

Riley sighed from relief, got up, and dressed for the day. She ran out the door, making sure as to not forget her bag. Riley joyfully ran down the hall, her feet barely hitting the floor as she ran. Today was going to be a long day. She quickly checked her phone again, finding her cousin was in fact online.

TerminalLaziness began chatting with Living Luck

TL: Hey Ava!

LL: Hey.

TL: You okay?

LL: Oh, I am fine.

TL: Oh, no you aren't. Are you okay? I can tell when my cousin is down in the dumps.

LL: I am just nervous... that is all.

TL: Why?

LL: Julie told me my role when we play the game later today.

TL: Oh, Maid of Light or something, right?

LL: I just feel a little nervous about it. Don't get me wrong, it sounds cool. My problem is that I am apparently supposed to chart our team's way to victory, right? God, I sound crazy. like, i just kinda find clues on the best ending?

LL: My problem is that I am scared. I don't think I can do that on my own.

LL: I mean, what if I can't get Julie in the game in time? What if we lose the game?

LL: It will be all my fault. At least you got an easy job! Witch of Life! Look at me! I heal things! Bluh!

TL: We all have our roles. We all have our weaknesses. Doubting yourself is only part of yours. Maybe you just need a good luck charm. Besides, we could just... try again like any other game!

LL: Since when did you play team mom?

TL: Since now :P

Riley put her phone away and proceeded down the hall of the hotel to find the rest of her family.

The sun beamed down like a giant flashlight and reflected off the windows as she trotted down the hallway. The sky was clear, and she smiled as the sun beamed into her eyes. Her brown hair flew in the breeze, and she knew that is was going to be a long summer.

BE THE MAID OF LIGHT 2 HOURS AGO

Ava awoke in her room on Prospit, the Kingdom of Light. It was not the first time she had done this. Recurring dreams were a common element of her day to day schedule. As she stood in her golden, loose dress, she watched the blue sky of Prospit. The golden moon emblem on her chest gleamed as she floated around. The golden, Renaissance-era buildings stood high and strong. She now stared at a strange pile of corpses that drifted through the sky. One was in fact, her friend Ben. He wore clothing like hers, except they were purple. Strange enough, his dead eyes stared out into space as the large hole in his heart perpetually bled. The strange, shadowy corpse next to him was held by the tight, cold grip of Ben's corpse. Ava studied the sight, only to float away for the time being. She was quite confused at the visions she saw within the clouds. Some showed fire and explosions. Others... others were that of a house, standing in the darkness. Yet another... was a meteor, hurtling through the sky.

MAID OF LIGHT: AWAKEN IN PRESENT TIME

Ava got up from her bed and looked around her room for her old desktop. Of course, it was on her desk as most desktops in fact are. She got up from her bed and quickly ran over to it. She sat down and looked at the time. She had been asleep for going on 2 hours. She decided to contact Ian to discuss some things, especially like her dream.

TimelessVisionary began chatting with LivingLuck

TV: Dagnit Ava, not now.

LL: What is wrong?

TV: No, you don't understand.

TV: I just got into the game, man. Julie is busy running around doing God knows what.

TV: How far away from my house are you?

LL: I dunno, maybe about 5 miles?

TV: Good, it shouldn't have a spread that far.

TV: Stay calm, Ava. I am sure everything will be fine. Just...

LL: How intense is this game? Must be fun!

TV: Pretty intense, Ava. I only have about a couple minutes left.

TV: You aren't going to hear of me for a bit. I am fine. Everything is just... crazy.

LL: Okay :/

TV: oh god ava i have to go something is happening

BE THE MAGE OF TIME 10 MINUTES AGO

Ian smiled as he was sent the e-mail. His family was still not home yet, but he decided to start the game now to get some alone time. As he readied the file, sweat poured down his face with anticipation. As the game began to load, he decided to go into his chat client. He had been making an update for quite a bit, and decided now was a good time to add it. Ian installed the update, and it began to load into the latest version of the client. By the time it would be finished, everyone would have the new features. At the moment, Ian was trying to contact Julie to begin the session.

TimelessVisionary has begun chatting with InsomniaticJury

TV: Hey, can you start now?

IJ: Oh, okay.

IJ: I already have the game online. Tbh I have been watching you the whole time.

TV: Okay, neat.

IJ: Okay, open the file

TV:...Okay. I got it.

TV: Whoa, I just finished the update to the client. Let's try it out!

CHAT SESSION DISCONNECTED

SEARCHING...

VOICE CHAT ENABLED

"Oh, does this work?", Ian asked. His headset scratching the input noise slightly. "Oh, yeah. It works!", Julie said. "Is the game finished loading?", "No, just put it in.", Ian said. "Yeah, don't start it yet.", Julie said. "Just do what I say. My copy of the game seems to have come with a guide. Lucky me!", Julie said. "Okay, I see your bedroom.", Julie said. "Whoa! What?", Ian asked. "Yeah. This must be one of those superimposing games. Anyway, I am supposed to deploy some of these machines on my screen here. Most of them have a cost with something called... Build Grist? Hmm... oh, four of these are free! I guess we use these!", Julie said. Ian nodded, knowing very well Julie could see him. "Okay, I am deploying "The Cruxtruder".", Julie said. She dragged the machine onto her screen, and it materialized right in front of Ian to his awe. Julie's eyes were wide as well. "Whoa... that is weird.", Ian said. "Well, don't do anything with it, okay. The walkthrough is busy being... weird.", Julie said. The machine was like a large, white platform with white wires protruding from its corners. The device was almost plastic in nature. The center had a large tube in it, with a valve handle and lid. "Okay, now I am deploying the "Totem Lathe".", Julie said. Suddenly, another machine appeared. It was a small control panel with a card slot in it. To the left of the panel sat 2 flat surfaces parallel to each other as their flat ends faced each other horizontally, with a jackhammer-like device overhead of the gap between the 2 discs. Julie placed the machine within the thin reaches of his closet to fit the shape of the device. "Okay, can I place the final machine somewhere else?", Julie asked. "Oh, yeah. Place it in my parent's room. Just move their bed, and put the final machine in its place.", Ian said. "Are you sure. They are going to be mad, aren't they?", "Yeah, but I don't think their bed being gone will be the biggest problem once they find these machines. "The Alchemiter" appears to be the final device.", she said. A large bang was heard in the room down the hall, and Ian quickly ran down the hall left of his room to see that Julie had thrown the bed out of the house, making a large hole in the ceiling. "Julie! Oh my God, what the--", Ian's remark was cut short as the final machine materialized in front of Ian. It was a large platform with a strange spiral on it. A small pad sat next to the platform, a robotic arm with a small laser pointer at the end shifting around the room in a smooth motion. Another 2 pads sat connected to each other, opposite of the robotic arm, and right to the large platform relative to perspective. "Okay... now the walkthr--", "What even is that thing?", Ian asked. "Oh, the walkthrough. Yeah, someone sent it to me along with my email. It looks quite hastily written. Most of it is in diagrams anyway," Julie said, "Heh, no wonder it is so shoddy. Looks a lot like your handwriting.", Julie teased. "I didn't write that.", Ian remarked. "No duh.", Julie commented back. "Okay, so now you need to go back to the Cruxtruder.", Julie said. Ian ran back to the machine. "Okay, so now the guide is saying that you need to get that lid off.", Julie said. Ian quickly climbed the device and laid his hands on the cold lid. "Now... pull!", Julie said. Ian quickly pulled on the lid, and it began to pull out of the shaft. As it pulled, dark green sparks of electricity shot around the room. "Uh, Julie... this doesn't look too--", Ian began. He was thrown aside in a blast of electricity, and he fell to the floor with a bang. As his vision cleared, he saw the lid was in fact gone, and a countdown appeared on the small screen of the device. "Wait, what?", Ian asked when he gazed at the entity in front of him. It was a glowing orb the size of a basketball. It drifted around the room, and Ian was mesmerized by the green bolts it created. "Okay, you can deal with that later... oh, I see that I forgot something.", Julie said. Suddenly, a small card appeared in front of Ian. It was punched with several holes. "Okay, so you need to turn that knob over on the Cruxtruder.", Julie said. Ian quickly ran over, and turned the knob, finding a large, blue cylinder pop out of the shaft. Ian picked up the somewhat light device as he checked the time. He had 20 minutes. "What is going to happen if I don't make it past the time limit?", Ian asked. He looked at the sky, and his jaw dropped.

It was a meteor, flying toward his house as the clouds parted.

END OF ACT 1

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ACT 2 INTERMISSION 1

Memories and Memoirs were the only memories left of this terrible record. Almost like clockwork, the Prophet had seen it all fall. The figure's name was gone, dead to those he once knew. Ever since the breath of Rage had filled the noses of the Heroes, all that was left for them was the countdown to their slow and painful deaths. But that would not matter now... not anymore. It was complete, the seed. The catalyst to bring hope that maybe, just maybe, the next set of Heroes would live again, that they would live new. With this birth, the ultimate death would be brought. Though the memories of billions would fade in an instant fire, whoever came and took the Prophet's place would lead the fire into an inferno. Who would take his place? None other than himself. But he and those with him would have what the Prophet did not... knowledge. A guide to the world they would call their downfall. 

ACT 2

The meteor made the sky red as everyone began running around, pools of fire chasing the mound as they hollowed out the horizon, revealing a mess of crimson sun. Ian ran back to his computer playing the audio the noise of his advisor came from. He found an alert had appeared on the screen. "Who is it?", Julie asked Ian, panicked as well. "Oh, it is Ava.", Ian said.

TimelessVisionary began chatting with LivingLuck

TV: Dagnit Ava, not now.

TL: What is wrong?

TV: No, you don't understand.

TV: I just got into the game, man. Julie is busy running around doing God knows what.

TV: How far away from my house are you?

TL: I dunno, maybe about 5 miles?

TV: Good, it shouldn't have a spread that far.

TV: Stay calm, Ava. I am sure everything will be fine. Just... don't leave your house.

TL: How intense is this game? Must be fun!

TV: Pretty intense, Ava. I only have about 3 hours left.

TV: You aren't going to hear of me for a bit. I am fine. Everything is just... crazy.

TL: Okay :/

TV: oh god ava i have to go something is happening

Ian groaned as he looked over at the large cylinder. Ian ran over to the Totem Lathe as corrected, and proceeded to ask for more directions. "Okay, so take the card, and place it into the slot. Then, put the Cruxite Dowel -that cylinder thing- and put it into the slot under the drill.", Julie said. Ian did as followed, and hit the button on the device. To his surprise, the drill shaped the rectangle into a statue of sorts, making it resemble a wine glass. It was wide at the top and the bottom, with a thin middle. "You have got to be kidding--", "Just take the cylinder over to the Alchemiter already! You just lost 10 minutes of time!", Julie yelled. Ian took the cylinder to the Alchemiter, and placed it onto the platform next to the pad, and he hit the button. "Okay... so the button is saying that while the Alchemiter does its thing scanning the Dowel, go find something for that orb to do. The guide is saying that we need to do this... hey, are you even listening?!", Julie asked as she watched Ian. He was gazing out the hole in the roof, seeing families evacuating the town. "You... okay?", Julie asked. "Oh, yeah... just annoyed. I mean... my family is still God knows where. Typical. But hey, there is nothing to do about it now anyway.", Ian sighed. He turned his head to see the orb flying right at him. Ian ducked his head and saw as it flew right over him. "Okay, so how do I fix this? Julie?", Ian asked, finding as Julie's signal went dead. "Julie? Julie!?", Ian asked. As he was trying to attempt to contact his server player, a large, blue bird flew into the room. Noticing the orb, it quickly flew at it. Ian turned his head, finding another blast of green energy hit him. He hit the ground with a thud, and all went black.

However, it was no longer an orb. It bonded with the bird. Now, it was larger, and ghostly in nature as it fluttered around the room. Its large wings ejected green dust, and Ian stared in awe. Ian finally saw the countdown. The impact from the blast must have knocked him out. He saw he had about 1 minute left. He bolted back to the Alchemiter. He found that the pad was creating an object. Suddenly, as quick as the process began, a large, green book sat in the center of the pad. It was textureless like the Cruxite. Ian looked up, seeing the sky was dyed a crimson shade, and fire hurtled toward his house. Ian picked up the book and opened it. All of the pages were blank. Ian groaned in frustration. "Useless!", Ian began, slamming the book against the floor. It cracked, like that of glass. "Useless! Useless! Use! Less!", Ian screamed as he slammed it, seeing the book flash with white blotches of light before snuffing out. It hit the ground with a thud, and the book shattered into a million pieces. Suddenly, the pile collected itself, and a small white dot was in the air. The dot then blasted outward, and Ian felt everything go white.

BE THE KNIGHT OF SPACE

"Oh God! Oh God!" Julie yelled as she slammed on her keyboard. It had been an hour since she disconnected. In the ongoing mayhem of the meteors, it appears her old router had in fact stopped. Julie grabbed her computer and ran to the router. For a split moment, she found that her signal had returned, and she had been given one message.

TV: It is okay. Your internet connection should return in about 8 minutes or so. Just don't die. I am going to send you a tool you could use.

TV: Change of plans. There is a lab somewhere an hour North from your position. I left you another couple presents for your Sprite.

Julie looked confused at the message, but she was unable to dwell on it, as the message disappeared as fast as it appeared. Suddenly, a blast of light was next to Julie, and the blast left a small backpack in its place. Julie ran for the bag, finding there was no opening in it of any kind. She grunted, put it on her back, and ran out the door with her laptop. She stamped the ground as she walked out the door, and she began flying through the air to her own surprise. She saw as wings ejected from the sides of the bag, and she began hovering through the air. She blasted through the sky and began to go North. As she flew through the air, she saw the crimson sky and the meteors. It had gotten even closer to Ian's house. The heat was felt from where she flew, and she turned her head. Suddenly, a white flash was seen, followed by an explosion near Ian's house, completely destroying the site. Julie stopped flying, and she looked at the burning site. She turned her head and went even further North. The flame from her jetpack began to become slightly more sporadic. As she flew, a large clearing was seen far from any place she had ever been. There was a large, grey lab sitting alone in the clearing, pieces of old meteors having been strewn around it. She went to the ground, and ran inside, ignoring as tears fell down her face. 

She saw as cobwebs were strewn about the room, and she closed the door behind her. Inside was a large room with a giant monitor, keyboard, and the same machines she had given Ian, having already been set up. However, a pile of 2 corpses sat at the center of the room. One was like that of a black mannequin wearing black robes, a large, bloody wound cut across his chest. A nearby window was completely shattered. She winced at the sight but saw as the countdown had begun. There were about 3 minutes left. She proceeded to find herself repeating the process she had told Ian to do just minutes ago. Soon enough, she heard an earthquake under her as she saw the Alchemiter scanning the Cruxite dowel. She found herself gazing before a complete copy of the orb she had witnessed in Ian's home. However, it was now red. She looked over at the corpse and proceeded to pick it up. The corpse's blood on the floor was fresh, almost as if it had just landed in the lab minutes ago from what was presumably space. She lifted it's somewhat heavy stature, and threw it into the orb. A blast was seen, and she now saw as the orb fluctuated in shape and size. When the process was finished, a ghostly version of the corpse stood before her. It grunted in a deep, New York Boston accent. Suddenly, the Alchemiter finished the act, and a strange, red globe appeared in front of her. "Ugh...", mumbled the strange Sprite. "Wh-wha...", it said, rubbing its head. It looked at its ghostly, white and red hands. Its eyes flared with light, and the Sprite convulsed and screamed. Large beams of energy shot from the Sprite's eyes, and cut a large hole in the ceiling, and cutting the meteor above in half. The blasts continued, and Julie jumped out of the way of a burst of light. The sprite looked up, seeing its hand permanently stained in blood, a gash across its chest. "I... I am alive. I am alive, world!", the Sprite cackled. It laughed and looked at the frightened girl. "Who da heck is you?", he asked. "I-I am J-Julie... I revived you.", she said. "Oh... so yous the one who got old Jack Noir up n' runnin', eh?", said Jack. "Wait 'till da Black Queen sees me now.", he mumbled to himself. His neck was laced with the torn robes he once wore. He looked at Julie "Do ya know what to do now?", Jack asked. "Uh, no. I think that globe has something to do with it.", Julie said. Jack looked at it, and grabbed it, slamming it into the ground. All was white outside. "Jack is back! Jerks!", he yelled.

END OF ACT 2

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ACT 3 INTERMISSION 1

The Judge stood tall atop the mound of rocks and fire, her sword in hand. In front of her stood the Siren, a sweet smile on her face contrasting the infectious Rage in her eyes. The Judge had fallen into this drastic void, her eyes being slowly converted into the same, heinous shade. The sky was gray as streamers of death danced around the hollowness of the void as the Judge stood with the Siren. Ignoring her best judgment, the Judge recounted her sins before her, hatred filling the void in her soul that the betrayal had dug. The sentence for this... was death. With a clean cut, the Siren's flame was removed from the already sparse candle that was their chance of survival. The Judge knew quite well that this the entire Session was off the rails... but this completely destroyed them.

ACT 3

BE THE PRINCE OF--

No time for that asinine intro. Ben ran down the hall of his house, his phone in his left pocket. He had just contacted Julie and Ian, but they both just went offline. Ben could not imagine that anything good happened to them, seeing as there were meteors literally everywhere. In truth, he was in so many pickles that the cucumber had to file for divorce from all of these pickles and her man. That cucumber went on to better things. Ben typed faster than he ever had in his entire life, trying to contact someone. He looked at the sky, and none of the meteors seemed all that enthused in trying to reach his house. "Oh, God.", Ben mumbled. He ran to his PC and quickly tried contacting Ian.

BE THE MAGE OF TIME

The whole sky was black, and Ian awoke to the sound of creaking metal. He looked out of the large hole in his ceiling, finding the sky was dark, and the bird still flew around him. He must have been asleep for awhile, seeing as the walls had grown cold and messy in some spots. The walls were stained in the black puss, and Ian stood up. He heard the sound of nothingness. It was the first time in a while. There was no wind, no sky, not even any light. But somehow, everything was illuminated, despite the fact, no light had been turned on. Above Ian was a large portal, hovering with ease. As Ian walked around the upstairs of his now ruined home, he heard a slam in the kitchen. He looked at the bird and saw it freeze. Ian looked down at the stairs under him and heard them creak with a moan whenever he stepped foot on them. Soon enough, he reached the bottom and found himself within his lounge room. The TV was busted in, and Ian saw as his couch was torn to shreds by what appeared to be claws. Ian gulped down his fear as he stepped more and more into the kitchen, seeing a small, black object looking around in his fridge. It wore torn, black robes, held a small knife and had bird wings sticking out of its back. Ian crept by and saw a nearby frying pan stained in the black fluid. Ian grabbed it, and crept up behind the monster. The monster devoured some of the food in his fridge before looking at Ian. Its movements were jerky and stiff. It charged at Ian with a rotten howl. With one fell swoop, Ian slammed the monster in the back of the head with the frying pan, seeing it burst into a pile of goo. Several pieces of Build Grist and other materials known as Shale leaked from the pile. Ian saw out his windows, finding the monsters infesting every crevice of his house. However, his house was the only thing left. If he were to go out a few more feet out of his door, he would fall into the endless void. With his now trusty frying pan, he proceeded to scavenge the house for his laptop. He ran into his basement, seeing as several more of the beasts proceeded to look at him. They held his laptop and licked it with their gray tongues. Ian charged at them, slamming the frying pan into the one monster, seeing it fly into the air. Another of the 3 proceeded to launch at Ian with its wings, its knife ready to attack. Ian recuperated from his attack and swiped again. The knife fell from the monster's hand, and Ian swung again. The monster fell into a pile of goo, ejecting more Shale and Grist. The final monster looked at Ian, and quickly ran away, its hands flailing in the air, the wounded one following after.

Ian sighed and saw as his laptop still worked. He had received an alert from Ben.

He looked around, making sure that no more of the midgets were there to bother him.

TimelessVisionary began chatting with SnipingNative

TV: Oh my Gog Ben, what do you want.

SN: Oh nothing! It is just the fact that the sky is literally red right now!

TV: Oh yeah, that. Okay, I am going to get Julie into the game.

TV: Tell her to join the chat.

SN: Okay.

SN:...

TV: And?

InsomniaticJury has joined chat

IJ: Hey losers.

TV: Thanks for leaving me hanging last minute!

IJ: What are you talking about? You sent me a message saying you were fine. Clearly, you are if you are still talking.

TV: I did not send you a single message since I got into this Void.

SN: we can argue later, did you get into the game, Julie?

TV: Yeah. Who got you in?

IJ: Well, whoever was impersonating you made some jetpack appearify for me. I just entered The Medium.

SN: the medium?

IJ: It seems that armageddon was an inevitability. I just took advantage of the game, Ben. Once the opening sections of the game are completed, getting us "into" the game, we appear to be teleported into the virtual constructs of the game, saving us from certain doom.

TV: Makes sense.

SN: What?

IJ: Besides, Ian. Did you prototype your Sprite yet?

TV: Oh, the orb. Yeah. Some bird just drifted into it. Now it thinks it owns the place.

IJ: Oh, well, after "you" gave me the jetpack, I found some sort of lab that I was told to enter. Inside, I found my own Cruxtruder, Alchemiter, and Totem Lathe. For my prototyping, I was given only the finest of corpses. The guy is a loon though. He is going around stabbing the walls.

SN: Wait, what is this guy's name?

IJ: Why?

SN: Just tell me eggbrain.

IJ: My omelet based cranium is very offended :]

IJ: Anyway, the guy's name is Jack Noir.

SN: You have got to be kidding me.

SN: I WASTE MY DREAM SELF TO KILL A MAN WITH FULL INTENTIONS AS TO RUINING THE ENTIRE PLAN I MADE. AND NOW, YOU HAVE HIM WALTZING AROUND LIKE HE OWNS THE PLACE.

SN: I am done. I am leaving.

TV: Julie, if what you said was true, do you think we should get Ben into the game before anything bad happened to him?

IJ: I believe so. All we really need him to do is get something into his sprite beforehand to accommodate for the fact that none of us have a fully Prototyped Sprite yet. I have been exploring this lab for quite a bit of time. I found some weird machine. It has a screen similar to that of a Server player, but it teleports nearby objects into the plane at which the presented image resides. Within a few minutes, I will send Ben a present. You just help him out for now. And Ian, I will e-mail you that guide. For help.

Ian sighed from joy. "Ah, friendship.", he muttered. If what Julie said was true, Ian needed to get Ben in, and fast. He checked his installed copy of the game, and soon found himself watching Ben.

BE THE PRINCE OF BLOOD

He was at his computer, slamming the keyboard. Ian typed an alert into the chat, beckoning Ben to enable voice chat. Ben looked at his computer, and clicked "accept".

"H-Hello?", Ben asked, leaning in closer to the computer. "Okay, Ben. I am going to get you into the game. Right about now, a large machine called the Cruxtruder will be presented somewhere near you. I just need to move some stuff.", Ian said. He quickly took his to his mouse and threw Ben's bed out the window. Ben, being away from his microphone, looked at Ian with a frustrated confusion. Ian planted the Cruxtruder in Ben's bed's place. "Okay, don't do anything with that.", Ian said. He took the Alchemiter, and quickly planted it in his living room, crushing his TV. "Oops.", Ian said. "What?!", Ben asked. "Nothing.", Ian said. Ian placed down the Totem Lathe next to the Alchemiter, and the Pre-Punched Card next to Ben. "Okay. Now that that is over with... how fast are you?", Ian asked. "I uh... pretty fast?", Ben said, still confused by the strange machines. "Okay. I need you to take the lid off of that Cruxtruder. An orb should pop out of it. Just take the orb, and whatever appears in front of you... put in it.", Ian said. "O-ok.", Ben said. He lifted the lid, bracing the blast of blue light before him. As he stepped back, a small outline of a figure appeared under Ben. Ben hit the ground with a thud, seeing what he stepped on. "It... it is me?", Ben said. He saw his Dream Self's corpse, the hole still in his heart. "Oh, my... Julie?", Ian asked, wondering where she got the corpse. Ben picked up the corpse and quickly threw it into the orb. A blast was seen, and Ben fell back. Before him was a blue, ghostly version of himself. A large hole was where the heart was to be. The sprite looked at its one clean room. Bensprite looked at Ben. "Hey.", it said. "Sup.", Ben replied. Bensprite looked at the spot the bed once sat at. "Okay, now turn that crank over there.", Ian said. Ben looked at the countdown: 10 minutes. "Oh dang. Bensprite!", Ian yelled through the speaker. "Yeah?", it said. "Turn that crank over on the Cruxtruder.", Ian said. "Now!", Ian howled. Bensprite put his hands on the Cruxtruder's crank. Within seconds, the Sprite's strength shot several Cruxite Dowels into the air, and onto the floor. "We are all going to die.", Bensprite said when he saw Ben trying to dodge the rain. "Can you lighten up a little?", Ben asked. "Sorry, man. I got no heart now.", Bensprite said. He pointed to the hole in his chest. Ben grabbed one of the Cruxite Dowels and ran down to the Totem Lathe with the Pre-Punched Card. Bensprite looked at the camera Ian watched from. "You can go, Mage. I have all the knowledge in the world right now. I got this. Leave.", Bensprite said. "Are you sure?", Ian asked. "Oh, you know I am sure.", Bensprite said. Suddenly, Ian's connection was cut short, almost as if the Sprite knew it was going to happen. Ian saw as his own Birdsprite landed on his finger. The large wings folded into place, and small, green particles fell to the ground. Ian opened the guide he was e-mailed, and he saw as it told him his next step. Strange enough, it was addressed to him, almost as if it knew it would be given to Ian.

"After your prototyping, you should be in the Medium, a place where the real game begins. Before you go and get the rest of the players in, I recommend that you reach your first gate. It is a large portal above your house. Once your server player uses the accumulated grist to build your house up to the point of the gate, you will land on your planet, your personal world where part two will begin."

Ian saw as he only had a small amount of Grist, far less than what would be needed to modify his home. He realized some Grist farming was in order. But before that, he ran over to his Alchemiter and looked at two objects. He grabbed an old green, flannel shirt and a suit he wore ages ago, and he put each of the items on the two, separate pillars on the Alchemiter. Though he would have wondered why he was doing this, the fact that his Sprite was constantly gesturing to him about such actions  Ian hit the large button and saw as several pieces of grist were sucked into the Alchemiter, where they morphed the two items into a wrinkled suit. It was a black, collared shirt with a dark green tuxedo and pants, with coattails that reached the ground. Ian saw as it was not perfectly comfortable, but he saw as it added quite a bit of stats. To be honest, it looked tacky and terrible with its bright red tie. Ian looked around his room, his mind winding with ideas.

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ACT 4 INTERMISSION 1

The Splintered and Judge stood alone with the Prophet's husk. The streams of death had yet to reach them here. They were completely alone. With them was the Scholar, struck sightless during the attacks. The Splintered was lost in thought, the Judge drenched in her own sins as the ghost of Rage ensconced the edges of her mind. The Husk was broken, unable to so much as feel anymore. He was now a tool for the purposes anymore. They were in an eternal stalemate now. They were unable to even be killed by the game they failed at. All they could do was wait.

ACT 4

BE THE WITCH OF LIFE

Riley ran across her hotel, trying to avoid the quakes and bangs going on outside. She ran up the stairs of the large building and saw out the window of her messy bedroom. Riley stared at the slow lava, only to see as a large piece of rubble was colliding with her window. She fell to the ground and hit her head against the floor.

WITCH OF LIFE: DESCEND

She awoke groggily atop Prospit, feeling the cool air of the blue sky above her. Her large dress tangled her legs as she looked out her window. She had almost forgotten her entire endeavor. She looked out her window more and more, seeing the beautiful structures and spires. She looked out her window, seeing Julie in a yellow shirt and pants with purple shoes as she slept walked through the air. Her limp body drifted through the air as she smiled faintly. Riley examined the body. She seemed to be flying off somewhere: into the clouds. The clouds had been there for as long as she could remember, telling those who watched them the visions of the future. She never really enjoyed looking at the visions, seeing as they spoiled the life she lived. Everything was an experience not to be spoiled. She watched as Julie's limp form proceeded to go into the fog outside of the clouds. The white figures in bright robes watched as their Knight drifted off into a world unseen. And, just like that... she was gone... having disappeared in the fog.

WITCH OF LIFE: AWAKEN

"Ri... Ri... Riley!", said a voice in her ear. It was Julie, calling her from her phone. "Ugh... Yeah?!", Riley said, feeling the bruised spot on her forehead. Riley awoke to the sight of several machines in front of her. Each one was as strange as the last, a clean, white shade across them.

"Wha...", Riley mumbled. "Riley! Stay calm! I already fixed your Sprite!", Julie said. Riley looked over to see an old teddy bear floating through the air. Its legs were replaced with a ghostly tail, and the bear looked at Riley, its orange glow beaming into her eyes. "Wha...?", Riley said. "Wait, where is my fam--", "I know this is confusing... but we need to get you out of here. I already did all of the work via this terminal I am using. I just need you to take that orange statue... and smash it!", Julie yelled. Riley looked over to see a strange, glowing statue. It was a rose in a pot, a strange aura leaking from it. "Hurry! You only have a couple--", Julie began before she went silent. Riley felt an aching in her side as she limped over to the object, the meteor in the sky growing ever closer. She stumbled to the floor, and saw as another large stone hurled through her wall, and smashed into the statue. All was white as the clock chimed on July 7, 7:00.

BE THE SEER OF RAGE

Callie ran across her backyard, trying to find a signal. Suddenly, she received a phone call from Ian. "Hey.", he said. "Oh my God! You're okay! Great! Where are you all!", "Don't worry, just do what I say... and everything will be fine!", Ian said. "A-Are you sure?", Callie asked. "I am sure of it.", Ian said. After a few minutes, all went white.

BE THE MAID OF LIGHT

Ava sat quietly in her room, tears in her eyes. Her phone was dead, and everyone in her house had gone off somewhere. Her computer was the only thing that worked, and the heat of the outside still leaked inward. The tree in her yard had been torn from its roots, and so was the car. She saw as both of her doors were locked from the outside, and she sat on her bed. Suddenly, she was alerted by another notification on her computer. It was Ben, calling her. "Uh... yeah?", Ava asked the voice. "Oh, my... Ava! You are still alive! Oh my God! I need to help you! Oh my God!", said Ben. However, his voice was... wispy. Almost as if he was a ghost of sorts. However, Ava minded none of it, and proceeded to follow all of his orders. By the time she had, in fact, started the countdown of the meteors atop her house, she began to grow skeptical of the ghostly voice. "Hey... Ben?", "Yeah?", Ben said. "What is wrong with your voice?", Ava asked. "...I'll explain it later.", Ben said, "I am just a little ticked right now. Riley isn't answering my texts, and I am basically screwed.", Ben said. "Oh... I hope Riley is okay!", Ava said, remembering her cousin. "Anyway, let's get to this... fast.", Ben said.

BE THE SEER OF RAGE

Callie sat in her quiet house, trying to ignore the Imps outside Ian notified her of. She sat at her laptop, trying to install her copy of the game. Her house was quiet, and the gentle hum of her generator echoes throughout the lonely rooms. As she typed, she was given a message.

UNKNOWN began chatting with calliePrincess

BA: Hello, Seer.

CP: Uh... who is this????????

BA: Not of your right to know, dear Seer.

BA: All you need to know is that I have a way to fix your problem.

BA: Would you desire to hear such information?

CP: Sure. If it helps us!!!

BA: The only way out of this is to get a Game Over.

BA: Surely you know what that is... right, Seer?

CP: Ok. But how do I get one? A game over???

BA: When a player is defeated, he/she will be exported from the game, and sent back into reality before the meteors crashed. Within these rules, they would never be able to play the game and trigger the events getting them here, saving them all.

CP: Oh... but how do i defeat them??? That sounds pretty hard :(

BA: Fear not. You are a Seer. In due time, your power will be given to you to do this. I am sure of it. All you need to do is keep this page open. Do not delete this conversation... understood?

CP:...Ok. ill try!

BA: Perfect. Remember something for me... okay?

CP: Okay, sure! C:

BA: Do not trust the Mage, he brings... problems.

CP: Ian? Why? I mean, I still am not one of his best friends... but why wouldn't I trust him! I mean he is really bossy, and everything. But he is still my friend!!!

BA: I will teach you. Now... sleep.

STRANGER WENT OFFLINE

Callie then saw as her computer instantly exploded, and she flew into her wall, knocking her head into it. The fiery ball that erupted from her computer burnt the floor and walls, leaving patches of the carpet black with char.

SEER OF RAGE: DESCEND

Callie awoke in an ornate, purple room. All that was in it was a large bed and a dresser. Her head was sore as she awoke on the purple bed. She saw a large, purple, crescent moon glared at her. She looked out her window, finding a bustling city in front of her. Callie walked to the door and opened it. In front of her was a tall, black mannequin-like figure. Its eyes and teeth glowed with fury as it stood in its black robes. "H-Hello?", Callie said aloud. "Look who the cat dragged in, eh?", said the man. "Who are you?", Callie asked.

"Names Draconian Digintary. I'm your escort for the time being.", Draconian Digintary said. His voice was smooth like silk as he spoke in a suave manner. "Um... Can I just call you Draco?", Callie said. "I don't care, frankly. Welcome to Derse, kid. No one cares about anything other than the death of the so-called-heroes of Derse. The Prince was already killed the otha' day, and God knows when the Mage'll get up. We can't attack until they awaken: rules. The Queen is calling you a special case. I don't think she is going to be using you for getting stuff off the top shelf though.", Draco said. "Hey!", Callie yelled as Draco insulted her short stature. "Why are you so rude?", Callie asked as they walked down the large hall.

"Well excuse if we all ain't happiest here.", Draco said. "By the way, that's a terrible nickname ya gave me.", Draco said.

BE THE MAGE OF TIME

Ian stood atop his roof, combating several imps. Some held large holes in their chests, others with animal ears. He slammed at them with a new weapon he had alchemized. It was the Holy Frying Pan... if not for the fact it was made out of a book comprising the writings and codes of the great Demons of Derse... and a frying pan. White light leaked from the item and shot at the Imps as Ian looked around, seeing the Imps begin to overwhelm him. Suddenly, he was given an alert by his chat client and opened it. His new glasses shot out a holographic image of the screen, and Ian saw it was Julie. "Hey.", Ian said, smacking another Imp. "What are you doing?", Julie asked. "Just finished alchemizing, you?", Ian asked. "Oh, I just started. My sprite is trying to stab some Imps for me right now though. What should I alchemize?", "I dunno... a gun and... you could use your weird machine to appearify this book o' mine.", Ian said. "Oh, that book about Demons? Is that gonna be our whole team's weapon theme?", "I guess so.", Ian said, bludgeoning another Imp. "Is everyone in the game yet?", Julie asked. "I dunno. I haven't checked. If you could send me that jetpack of yours, I could just fly to my first Gate, and get to my land. More gates should be down there. I think I will check on Riley first, she has been awfully quiet recently.", Ian said. "Ok. You should be getting that pack in a mi--", Julie said as the jetpack appeared, falling on the horde of Imps. "Never mind.", Ian said as he grabbed it. He took it inside and made a nice hoverboard with it using an old skateboard of his. "Ok. You can have it back.", Ian said as the jetpack faded away.

Ian took the hoverboard as his Sprite flew to his shoulder, and Ian looked around the wreckage of his home. "...Ugh...", Ian said to himself, sitting down. He knew he shouldn't be mad. They left him. He then looked at his Sprite. They did not even get home by the time the emergency started. "Why the heck do I care...?", Ian asked. Everything was silent, and the knotting in Ian's stomach was the only sense he felt. "Time... Mage of...", Ian said. "We all are a little on edge, Ian.", Julie said. Ian was startled that Julie heard him. "Oh my God... I am such an idiot.", Ian said as he sunk into the chair. "Not at all! Listen, Ian. We all have a little to get over... but we are going to get Riley into this... and we can start from there. Translation; be a good Mage and use that frying pan of yours to save the Witch.", Julie said. "Fine.", Ian said. The bird followed him, and Ian glanced at it. "I thought Sprites couldn't follow people into the gate.", Julie said. "I dunno, bro. I don't count this as a sprite... more like a dumb pet.", Ian said. "Anyway, see ya on the other side.", Ian said. "Wait... do you even know how to ride a skateboard?", Julie asked. "No. But this thing does all of the propulsion on its own. All I do is strap my feet on the thing, and watch it fly. Besides, I needed something to alchemize it with, seeing as you needed the jetpack back.".

He now stood on his roof again, a bag containing his possessions, and a week's worth of food from his basement. His sprite floated onto his shoulder, and he held the Holy Fryingpan in his hand. He contacted Ben again, finding that he was blocking Ian's number. This wasn't the first time. It was like an on again-off again best friendship shtick that never ended. So, he contacted Ava. "Hey Ava.", he said over video chat using his Computer-Frames. "Oh! Ian! Hi. Ben just got me into the game. Nice suit!", "I don't appreciate lying friends, you know.", Ian said. "All this thing does is add to stats or whatever.", Ian said. "Anyway... I need you to tell Ben something. Tell him... I'm sorry.", Ian said. "O-ok? What is wrong?", she asked. "Nothing. Just... do it.", Ian said. He signed off, and proceeded to take the hoverboard, and stand atop it. Ian strapped his feet down, and launched into the sky. 

END OF ACT 4

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ACT 5 PART 1

BE THE PRINCE OF BREATH

Ben coughed awake, soot and debris covering his clothes. His sprite drifted around the room. "You are awake, huh? Well, I did your job and got Ava in... you're welcome.", Bensprite said, holding a carton of milk. "Wha...", Ben said. His short, brown hair had shot around his head wildly, his freckles hidden under the gray debris on his face. "Are you always so heartless?", Ben said. "I dunno. But I have been collecting grist for days for you. I think they all died. Look.", Bensprite said. Ben turned over to his computer, seeing the image of his house. Ladders and platforms had been added to the roof in a disorderly manner. "What?", "I did your Server Player's job as well.", Bensprite said. "Is this entire session just going to be people doing stuff for people without asking?", Ben asked. "Well, yeah. It isn't like you people know how to structure a session on your own.", Bensprite said. "So basically, Ben... your stats are so far behind right now.", Bensprite commented. "Wait... what?!", Ben screamed. "I didn't even need the stats anyway. I already have more Boondollars than you could dream of.", Bensprite said. "Well... can you at least tell me what I need to do?", Ben asked. "Get to that giant black hole at the top of the tower I built. That should take you to your planet.", "Planet?", Ben asked. "Yeah. I am supposed to be coy about this... but still. It is like... your hub for the first half of the game. Your planet is one of many in the game, each player having one.", Bensprite said. "What is my planet?", Ben asked. "You sure you wanna know?", Bensprite asked as he saw Ben nod, "Ok. Land of Graves and Hobos.", Bensprite said. "Wha...", Ben said, flailing his arms into the air. "What the heck! That sounds dumb!", Ben said. Bensprite walked over to Ben's computer and sat down. "What are you doing?", Ben asked. "Finding something to do.", Bensprite said. "Can you not?", Ben asked. "Sorry. Ooh~", Bensprite singsonged. "The Mage is online!", he said, his ghostly tail wagging like a dog's. "Wait, Ian? We aren't talking to him right now.", Ben said. "What, you playing the petty housewife card again?", Bensprite said. "Huh--", "I know you, me. Anyway, if I can't play mediator for you two, can I talk to Ava?", Bensprite said. "Sure? Why?", Ben asked. "'Cause you barely talked to her. Since I am an immortal ghost guy, I have the time to be with friends. Anyway, run along now. I am going to set up an account on this chat client.", Bensprite said. "Fine.", Ben said. "I found some stuff you could alchemize. I even made you a present.", Bensprite commented. Ben rolled his eyes, and saw a pile of stuff in front of him. In front of him were some shorts. "You gave me... shorts?", Ben yelled. "Yeah! Put em' on. I crafted them to give you the best stats you could get.", Bensprite said. They looked like something he would have worn when he was 10, going on 3 years ago. "These things look a little small on me.", Ben said as he tried them on. They were quite small on him. "Oh my God. I look like a dope.", Ben said. "These look stupid! Can't we throw them out!?", "You look stupid, but here you are.", Bensprite said. "Oh, my.", Ben said, trying to ignore his clone. "Anyway, I am gonna go to that portal thing. See ya loser.", Be said. Grab yourself a weapon," Bensprite proclaimed, "we can't risk you dying... again." "Hey, that was you at first." "Back then, you were in control though. You are lucky the Knight bothered to bring you my corpse.", the Sprite commented, typing away at the keyboard. Ben looked around his house, and found a stray hammer on the floor. "This will work.", Ben said as he began climbing, killing the strange Imps in front of him. Ben saw as he had barely raised his stats if at all as he climbed up the strange structure.

BE THE FALLEN PRINCE

GhostlyRoyal began chatting with LivingLuck

GR: Hey, is this ava

LL: yeah, who is this?

GR: I am the guy who just entered you into the game.

LL: Why did you change your name, ben?

GR: Well... it is complicated. All you need to know now is that I am not that ben. I technically am, but i would prefer if you would call me something else.

LL: Liiike what?

GR: Call me GR.

LL: Sound the same to me

GR: I dunno, just ever since I came into existence, the name fit me.

LL: Wait, so you are like... another ben

GR: Yeah.

LL: That is super cool!

GR: You think so?

LL: Yeah! I can't wait to meet you!

LL: You there?

GR: Oh yeah. I was just a little... confused. I was not expecting you to think I was any good.

GR: Much at all.

GR: Since my entire existence was built off of the constructs of being a puppet; a body double for the Prince, I havent had such a good ego

LL: That is fine! Personally, I think it is awesom!

GR: Cool

GR: I gotta go, the idiot just left. I have work to attend to.

LL: See ya GR!

GR: See ya, dude.

BE THE MAID OF LIGHT

Ava held a wooden katana in her hand, slashing at the strange Imps. Her Kernelsprite still drifted across, and she tried finding an object to prototype it. She had considered herself, but she was not about to become GR. She encountered strange Imps brandishing knives. She slammed at some of them, accumulating some Grist, Shale, and some gems such as Ruby and Topaz. She knew her lanky build was not born to fight like this, and every strike against the Imps taught her that more and more. They began draining her of energy as their knives cut her arms and legs. She slammed at more of the Imps, their heads bursting into Grist. It had been about an hour or two since she had talked to GR. He seemed nice. She had completely forgotten what she was supposed to do for Ian, he had told her maybe 3 or 4 hours ago. She giggled when she remembered her conversation with GR. He was pretty weird from how he sounded, after all, the quirkiest things in the world were always existentialism. She hit another Imp with her "blade", before finding the entire room empty of enemies. Black puss spread around the room, peices of fabric and knives strewn about the kitchen. Today was going to be a long day. She ran back to look at her Cerulean Kernelsprite, only to find it flying away in the vacuum of space. "No!", she yelled as she saw it fly into the void.

BE DESCENDED THE SEER OF RAGE

"The Queen cannot meet with you right now, kid. So I hafta babysit you.", DD said to Callie. "What is the Queen like?", Callie asked. "A huge idiot. Dat's what. Her first priority after yer Prince killed some of the other Agents, she decided she would sit theya and wait, like a tool. They are gonna get her eventually.", DD said. "How?", Callie asked. "The object of yer game here is to kill the Dersite royal family, and stop the king from starting one of the most complex and destructive act.", DD said, "The Reckoning, the attack that will destroy the planet Skaia at the center of this galaxy, thus ending the game and killing all life, I think of it as revenge for the Prince's murders.", DD said. "Wait, Ben killed people?", Callie said. "Ben? His name's Ben? Oh, okay. Well, yeah, he killed quite a few. That is, before I got to em' with a ballista shot. He fell faster than the Miles will.", DD said. "Miles?", Callie asked, trying to ignore what "Draco" just said. "The Red Miles. One of the many abilities supplied in the Queen's ring, of course. The ring on her finger hold all of the prototypes made by the players, and has another ability... the Red Miles. You'll see.", DD said. "Ok... but when is the Queen going to use them?", Callie asked. "Oh, she won't.", DD said. "I want that Prince dead. We all do. But the Queen stands in the way of that. She refuses to help in our cause. Soon enough, we will convince her though.", said DD. "You should wake up soon.", DD said. "Talk to Me in about 3 hours. We are gonna get ta work around then. You know how ta use a wand?", DD asked. "No.", Callie said. "Than we need to get to work in 3 hours.", DD commented. "Ok.", Callie said. She ran back to her room. "Time to get to work.", DD said, walking down the hall to the throne room. He turned left, pulling a small pager from his pocket.

BE THE KNIGHT OF SPACE

Julie sat at the large computer, watching the other players through the camera. "What's wrong, kiddo?", Jack asked, watching the crimson blood run down his thumb as he poked it with the knife. "Trying to see the other players. Ben is going around killing things. Callie is sleeping, Ava is sitting there, and Ian is flying through space. Riley's view is just... black.", Julie said. "Hmm... maybe she shut it off on her own.", Jack said. "Why, though?", Julie asked. "Maybe she is takin' a showa. You know how dirty that black ooze is from the imps.", Jack said. "Actually, I don't. Haven't seen one enter this entire lab.", Julie said. "Besides, who the heck is going to take a shower now?", she asked. "Clearly she would.", Jack said. "Hmm... I wonder--", Julie began before an alert came up on the computer. "Who is it?", Jack asked. "Not who, what. It is a file.", Julie said. "Looks like a link to a specific chat session in the client.", Julie said. "Aren't other users banned from seein' those?", Jack asked. "Ian gave me a key to enter them.", Julie said. "I like to think it was a present for being such a good friend.", Julie said sarcastically. "Who, Mage? That kid's a weirdo.", Jack said. "Okay, I got the... wait...", Julie trailed off as she read the message between Callie and the stranger. "Jack, you have a sword?", Julie asked. "Yeah.", Jack said, throwing her a large, black sword. "I'm getting over to Callie.", Julie said. "Wait, kid, what are you doing?!", Jack asked. "What's right, Jack.", Julie said as she walked out of the room. "When you get to your land, before you do anything, make sure you work on the Frog.", Jack said. "Frog?", Julie asked. "Your job as the Space player is to get to your land- the Land of Hives and Frogs- you need to work on some stuff.", Jack said. "Wait, how?", Julie asked, somewhat annoyed at the surplus of exposition before her. "I know this isn't a good time for a plot dump, but I am a Sprite... it is what I do. Basically, you need to breed a bunch of frogs, get some super frog, and combine that super frog with all of the genes you accumulated. After that, you are supposed to take the frog to the core of Skaia where it can grow and give birth to your new universe.", Jack said. "Okay.", Julie said as she ran away. Jack was stunned at how chill she was.

BE DRACONIAN DIGINTARY

DD walked down the hall, having just sent his message. Everything was in place. "Hello, my Queen.", DD said, bowing sarcastically. "Ah, my lovable Draconian. Tell me, how is the Seer?", the Queen asked, her voice smooth and feminine. She was tall, in a large, black robe. On her finger sat the Ring. From her back sprouted large, wings, a large pike running through where her heart would be. Due to the complete lack of complete prototypes, most of the sprite's forms had not accumulated on her body. "Fine.", DD said, grunting. "Soon enough I can begin the plan. We can train her, and she can be the vessel to Transcend. Do you remember the clues?", DD said. "Yes. We scouted all of the planets. All we need to do is find her Quest Bed, and complete the final step.", the Queen said. "Too bad my Archagent refuses to tell it to me.", the Queen said, stepping down, and kissing the man. She then put her hand on his chin, pulling up his face to look at hers. "I hate you.", DD said before he spat at her. "You as well.", the Queen chuckled. "And that is why you love me...", the Queen said. "Come now, Draconian! I have things to attend to. You as well. How is the role of Archagent suiting you?", the Queen asked. "It has given me time to think...", DD said. He pulled the sword from its sheath and plunged it into the Queen's back. Bright red blood leaked from the wound. She fell forward, turning back to look at DD. He slashed at her again, removing her arm. The arm containing the ring fell to the ground, stripping her of the ring's power. She fell to the floor. He looked at her, cracks in her skin already forming. Parts of her fingers and hands had already crumbled to dust. "Die.", he said. He swung his blade, making her head fly from off her neck. The Queen's body fell to the floor, her eyes still filled with anguish. "Long live the queen.", DD said as he grabbed the ring. He felt its golden aura run up his arm, his hair would stand on end if he had any. He sat down at a table as he lit a cigarette, the Dersite newsletter in hand. As he sipped his coffee thoughtfully, taking notice to the ring as he spun it like a coin.

His face was calm as he looked at the ring, six pearls surrounding it to represent the prototypes that had taken place. He spun it again before picking it up. Soon enough, he planted it on his finger. He saw as wings painfully jutted from his back, and his clothing became like that of Ben's dream self as a hole opened up in his heart. Draconian then took his ring and lifted it into the air. He saw red beams of light become like tendrils as they shot from the ring, spreading everywhere. The Miles swept the streets of Derse, impaling any citizen in their path. Corpses sat in the busy streets as Draconian smiled. Soon enough, after he had spread them to a point no one could leave or get in, he saw the Miles slowly crawl through space and toward the planets. No one can escape the Miles.

ACT 5 INTERMISSION 1

Floating, floating. The tongues of the Voidful fill his mind. Blood, blood stained him like a torn piece of cloth. He floated in the constantly expanding void of The Furthest Ring. Their tongues stabbed him like knives as he heard their whispers. The future, past, present, all of it was like clockwork. He knew it all now. He saw everything. He had signed their eternal contract and had become their servant. Skin of pitch and eyes of pearl, his smirk was like that of a demon's. Blackness, darkness, ripping him apart until he was nothing but hatred. Faces... faces... where were they? Part of him still hung within their grasp, but yet, his Time was yet to engulf him. He felt the voices grow closer, their cooing and chirps giving him the eternal hypnosis only their demonic voices could give. As they grew closer, he heard them more and more. By now, he had bled to death, but their voices kept him alive. Their voices were telling him one thing...

"Make her pay."

ACT 5 INTERMISSION 2

BE THE MAID OF LIGHT 1 DAY FROM NOW

Ava was still typing away at her computer, her eyes wide.

GR: So like, from what I understand, you are... scared?

LL: Yeah. This semes really strezsful. God am I tiiiiiired.

GR: No. You cannot go to sleep again. Ava, you have been sleeping non stop. Any more and things will just get worse.

LL: i dont neeed yuo telling me what ot doo

GR: What are you doing?

LL: Sorry. I hav been alchemzng sftuf and i made this cool sffut that hepls you slepe.

LL: I think i toko too much. Now everything is blurry and i wnnaa take e nap

GR: Ava, stop it. I don't want to see you like this.

LL: so sofry if im so stressde. pardon m3 if the human raxe is ded

GR: Ava, I know it is scary. But I promise i am here for you. Look, the kid I am stuck with doesnt enjoy my company all that much, and I know that your sprite isnt exactly... there. So i will make you a promise.

LL: Rly

GR: Yes Rly. how bout i become your honorary sprite

LL: Thansk gr. At least you understand me.

GR: Oh?

LL: Well, i donno where rilye ewnt and now ian is nto answein eigther. and jacke told me juules left to go fight callie or somehing.

GR: Fight? Cal? What did she do?

LL: ikd. Theyll sort things out. julie is niice

GR: k

LL: Can i have a hug/

GR: No. I am across the solar system right now on a planet of hobos.

LL: Fine. Hug your computer and ill tooo

GR: K.

Ava reached in and held tightly onto her computer, too tired to stop. She needed to sleep.

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ACT FIVE PART 2 INTERMISSION 1

BE THE WITCH OF LIFE A FEW MONTHS AGO

Riley happily typed as the clock chimed. It had just become the next day, exactly one minute after midnight, making the day February 15. She had lost track of time as she talked to Ian. He had just finished the Beta of his new chat engine he and Julie had built. They were discussing the new game they had won.

RileyM began chatting with atomicBuzzer.

RM: Hi Ian! Sorry I had to go for a bit, you know how family is!

AB: You can say that again. God, sometimes I just wish they could disappear and leave us to ourselves, you know?

RM: Yeah. And once our new game arrives we won't have time for it if they keep nagging!

AB: I don't blame you anyway Ri. I was just busy coming up with new ideas for my username.

RM: Why! I like yours!

AB: Well ever since we figured out our roles for the game, I guess being a Mage of Time sounds okay. I am more of the thief type when I play games, but being a magic guy sounds cool. Wht do you think of... TimelessVisionary?

RM: Cool, but not to play devils advocate but you misspelled the word what.

AB: Sorry, I just didn't get any sleep. I used to get alot, but ever since we won the game I guess I have been a little tired, staying up at night trying to study for the game really doesn't help.

RM: It isn't like a test! That snowstorm has been keeping us away from school anyway.

AB: I suppose so. Too bad we can't help each other study ever since you Av and Ben transferred.

RM: Yeah. How are you and J holding up? It is hard to lose your best friends.

AB: Okay. But it hit her much harder. I am just used to Ben cutting contact with me. Just not on this scale.

RM: That doesn't sound good.

AB: Eh. He gets over it in a week or so. Anyway, you should change your username. It isn't safe to use your real name.

RM: I will change it later. My mom just called me to clean my room. I will do it in a bit. 

AB: You must have a disease.

RM:???

AB: You never do anything.If I was a doctor I would diagnose you with terminal laziness.

atomicBuzzer has gone offline.

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ACT 5 PART 2

BE THE MAGE OF TIME

Ian finally reached the other end of his gate, finding his land to be quite pleasing. Large gears made from every metal knowable turned through the sky, working as platforms as they stood alone in the sky, or connected. Large discs ticked below the cogs, making a small ticking sound. However, most had stopped due to running out of power. The sky was a bright blue. Before Ian was a menu screen. "Here it is... the Land of Sky and Pendulums.", Ian said. He looked up, finding another gate atop a mound of old and rotted cogs. "That should be Riley's...", Ian said. Before him appeared a small object. It was a robotic arm, not yet used. It was limp, seeing as it lacked a socket to hold onto, like a lonely housewife. "Okay. Whoever is sending me a bunch of junk, I would appreciate if they would stop sending me old robot parts!", Ian yelled out to no one. "Oh my--", he yelled. He now stood on a large, charred pillar. "W-Where am I?", he asked. Corpses were strewn about around him, and a purple figure stared at him. "H-Hello?", Ian asked. The figure ran at him with inhuman speed, and all went white.

Ian gasped and found himself back where he once stood. Ian stood back up, finding the closest gate was atop the mound, monsters surrounding it. Ian turned left, finding his frying pan cracked and broken. "No! No no no!", Ian yelled. He picked it up, finding parts had fallen off, leaving the long handle. It looked kinda like a stupid wand. "Well, that is disappointing.", Ian said. He pointed the wand forward, seeing a white beam shoot from it, and strike a large cog in front of him. It cut into pieces and plummeted out of the sky. "Oops.", Ian said, hearing the screams of many NPCs before him. He looked at the mound, seeing large ogres and liches walking around it. He knew he was too low-leveled, but he needed to get to Riley before it was too late. So, he began flying toward the mound.

BE THE PRINCE OF BLOOD

Ben kicked another small imp off of the ledge of the highest point of his now towering house. He was covered in a mixture of black goo, and bits of his own blood. "It would be nice if you could bother to help me!", Ben yelled to his Sprite as he watched. "...Nah. That is too fun. You are a tight schedule, Ben.", GR said. Ben grunted, and walked away, climbing up just ever closer to the portal. He called Callie. "Hey, Cal. You get to your planet yet?", Ben asked. "Yeah. I just got there. Land of Felt and Silver is the name. I am a little unnerved though.", Callie said. "Oh?", Ben asked. "Well, I keep seeing a bunch of... red stars flying around space. Do you see them?", Callie asked. Ben looked up, seeing thin, red lines far in the distance, barely moving. "Maybe some meteors from far away? I dunno, Cal. I gotta go. I have a schedule to get to.", Ben said. "How is your Sprite?", Callie asked. Ben rolled his eyes. "An idiot. Keeps trying to do all of the work for me. You?", Ben asked. "Mine just died. Didn't make it very far before I entered the Medium. Turns out that making one out of a dead cat and a pillow just gets it distracted.", Callie said. "It is fine though. Gives me some peace and quiet.", she said. "I guess.", Ben said. "Okay, now can I go?", Ben asked. "Sorry!", Callie said before hanging up. Ben kept climbing.

BE THE WITCH OF LIFE

The cold, wet air drifted across the Land of Velvet and Vine, the crimson red floor had gone rotted, revealing a greenish beige rock underneath. All of the Jungles had become dead, trees barren and forests flattened in the cold wind. Burnt villages of dead Consorts were strewn about if they weren't already engulfed in sand. Ian walked across the barren land, his bag containing his board and the loose robotics. His wand still leaked white aura. "Riley! Riiiiiiley!", Ian yelled, only to hear no answer. There were not even Imps on the planet. "Riley!", Ian yelled again. He came across a large clearing, a giant pillar of stone shooting from it. "This must be where her house is.", Ian said. He looked up and saw the top did not hold a house. The top had fallen off, leaving jagged ends where the house would be. Just north of the pillar, a pile of rubble and ruins sat alone in a ditch. Ian ran to it, the worst not having yet crossed his mind. Ian ran forward, feeling the cold air grow hot as he came closer to the ruins. In front of him, pillars of wood and mounds of stone collected in one, large pile. Pieces of what once Cruxtruders and Alchemiters were strewn about. Ian saw a blue blood leak from the pile, the remnants of a Sprite torn apart. It looked as though it was made out of a plushie of sorts, and a second plushie... too bad it was dead. In front of that was a pool of crimson. "Riley!", Ian yelled, his Sprite bouncing around his bag. Ian pulled away pieces of wood, finding Riley's body on the floor. "Oh my God!", Ian yelled. He fell back and sat in shock. "R-Ri...", Ian said, tears falling down his face. From his bag, his sprite fluttered around his head. "I am so sorry...", Ian said. He looked at Riley, tears only growing more frequent. Ian looked up, seeing large, red beams in the blue sky. They were flying right toward them. Ian quickly grabbed his bag and beckoned his Sprite to return into the bag. "Come on!", Ian said, trying to get the Sprite's attention. "Hurry up!", Ian yelled. The Sprite bolted toward Riley's corpse, and Riley was engulfed in green light. Her corpse flew up into the air and sprouted wings, her legs replaced with a tail. Her eyes opened, now becoming a bright white. As she returned to life, a gasp was heard. "Where am I? Ian!?", Riley asked. "Come on, we have to go!", Ian said, seeing a red beam collide with the ground, making an explosion nearby. Ian pulled out his board, and grabbed Riley's arm, pulling her onto the board. Ian began getting on the board as another beam came closer. "Move!", Riley said as the beam aimed toward his face.

Ian turned and stepped out of the way. However, the beam followed him, and shot right through his arm, removing it from his body. "Ian!", Riley yelled. "Dangit!", Ian grunted as he fell onto the board. Ian kicked it, and it began flying, a trail of blood leaking from Ian's wound. Riley looked at her now ghostly hands. "What did you do?!", Riley asked. "I-I don't know... augh, dang!", Ian said, the pain more of a numbing feeling. "I needed that arm!", Ian said. "Calm down, Ian! I am sure it will be okay!", Riley said as they flew through the air. "For now, we just need to get outta here!", Riley yelled. "Gotcha!", Ian yelled. "Augh, it even damaged the suit!", Ian said. "Ian! Calm down!", Riley said. "How do we get out!?", Ian asked. "Fly out into the Incipisphere! If we fly en route away from the planets, we can regroup with everyone there!", Riley said. "What happens if we don't go out far enough!?", Ian asked. "We will! I know it!", Riley yelled. They broke through the clouds, and the sheer force of the lack of gravity left Riley's weightlessness making her stumble. "I am fine!", Riley said. They flew through the void with calm, seeing the pieces of Riley's now gray planet falling into pieces. Finally, the Miles engulfed it, leaving her planet falling to pieces. The Miles were spreading like a plant toward all of the planets. "What do we do?", Ian asked, holding the bloody stub that was once his arm. "I don't... know.", Riley said. "The Miles are running toward Skaia.", Ian said. "Once they reach it, its shield of clouds can only stop so much.", Riley said. "Yeah.", Ian said. "Ian, I think around now, the point where I go is afoot.", Riley said. "What, we just got you back!", Ian said. "No. When Skaia is wounded, we Sprites need to go over to it to help protect. I am sure we will be back soon, I promise.", Riley said. Suddenly, her aura began to be sucked toward the planet. "Bye. For the first and last time.", Riley said. "What!?", Ian asked. "You are a Time hero. We know this version of me was meant for this.", Riley said. "I don't understand!", Ian said. He tried yelling to Riley, only to find her essence completely wiped away, and flying toward Skaia, along with a few other light beams. Ian sat back down and saw as he was now alone, far away from any planet. Around him stood Ava's Kernel, not yet drawn into Skaia due to the lack of substantial changes in its form. "How did you get out...?", Ian asked as he held it between his hands, feeling its light. He heard whispers of voices around him, and he looked forward, finding shadows just out of reach of his vision. His board ran out of gas, Ian quickly flew forward and sat completely alone in the void of space. He pulled his phone from his pocket as the Sprite drifted away.

TimelessVisionary began chatting with InsomniaticJury

TV: Julie. I need to tell you something.

IJ: Yeah?

TV: You most likely won't be seeing me for a while

IJ: Ok. Where are you

TV: I don't know.

IJ: Oh, when will you be back?

TV: I don't know.

TimelessVisionary has timed out.

BE THE FALLEN PRINCE

Jack and GR stood atop the lab on Julie's planet, glaring at each other. GR had just arrived, looking at Jack. "Got something to say? You have no right to talk to me right now.", Jack said, smirking as he held a cigarette in his mouth. "You know very well that we cannot just stand here anymore and act like there is nothing to lose. We have a reason to be alive.", GR said. "Why should I care? I gave up caring a long time ago.", Jack said. "And besides, you don't deserve my help.", Jack said. "Who said I was asking?", GR said. "Why don't yous go help the Maid? She deserves better company anyway.", Jack snickered. "Don't even bring that up. You know, we both have people we are trying to protect.", "...I help J 'cause I am her Sprite. Nothing more, nothin' less.", Jack said. "I wasn't saying anything. But maybe... we can put this aside for just... a moment?", GR said. "Do you want her to live or not?", GR said. "I owe nothing to you...", Jack said. "No one said I would enjoy this. I hate you too, but I bother to suck it up for once.", GR said. "For a guy with no heart... you really do try to protect what you know isn't worth your time.", Jack said. He walked over to GR. He spat in GR's face. "I hate you.", "You hate flirting with me?", Jack asked. "What?", GR commented. "Oh, forgot you was a human. Basically, I hate you so much that I wanna have sloppy make outs.", Jack said. "...What.", GR said, his eyes wide. "Then again, now I just sound stupid, cause you don't know a thing about our culture or how we do romance--", Jack said before GR slapped him. "Hate you too.", he said. As he did so, a burning light was seen, and a purple light took its place. Out of the explosion erupted a completely new being. "Ugh... where am I?", it asked, its voice both childish and gruff. "Wait... no.", it said. Its body was like that of Ben's, if not for the fangs, white eyes, and clothing of Jack Noir. "Of all the miserable piles I had to get stuck with in a Sprite, it was you!?", it said to itself. "Oh god now I might as well just die!", it said. "Something kill me now! GEEZ!", it sneered. "...We still up for the hatedate-- OF COURSE!", it said to itself. "Neat...", it said again. "I hate you.", it said again. "You too.", it said again.

BE THE KNIGHT OF SPACE

"I am glad you could visit, Julez.", Callie said as Julie walked across the soft ground aside of her. "Calms my nerves knowing my friends are still alive.", she said. "Yeah.", Julie said. She looked out and off into the horizon, finding the same red beams flying through the sky. "What are they?", Julie asked. "I don't know.", Callie said. "They the look like they are heading right toward--", Julie began. One of the beams blasted through the ground, setting off an explosion. The carpet-like floor quickly lit ablaze, and the fire spread everywhere in seconds. "Come on!", Callie said. She pointed to a large pillar of rock jutting out of the ground, a beacon shooting from it. "Okay!", Julie said. It was made from rock, and would most likely be unaffected by the fire. She sprinted much farther than expected, outrunning Callie in seconds. As the fire grew larger, a large explosion appeared next to the two, ready to engulf them. As Callie gasped, Julie put out her hands, feeling power surge through them. As a green bolt was seen, a large jutting of rock shot from the ground, shielding them from the blast. Julie looked at her hands, smiling in confusion. "Come on!", Callie said, quickly climbing the pillar in front of Julie. They reached the top, and saw as the entire planet was engulfed in fire. "We are gonna die up here!", Callie said. She bunched up into a ball. Julie scoured the horizon, seeing the planet engulfed in flame and smoke. With the sword in hand, she looked at Callie. "Julie! Do that weird Space thing again! Maybe we can raise the pillar high enough into the air to get us away from the flames--", "You... won't... be leaving.", Julie said. She revealed the blade to Callie. "I... I know what you are doing. I saw the entire thing.", Julie said. "Y-you c-c-cannot be serious! No one said I believed the guy!!!", Callie said. "Then explain this.", Julie said, revealing what Ian had sent her. "It is clear what you have done... you killed him.", Julie said. "No! I haven't talked to Ian since... you have to believe me!", Callie said. "As a Knight my job is to make sure people like you don't mess anything up.", Julie said. "You have to understand!", Callie said. "Shut up.", Julie said. "Julie! You are joking! I promise I didn't--", Callie began. In a flash, Julie lunged the sword through Callie's chest, seeing her eyes go wide. The blade was then removed as Julie looked away, seeing Callie standing. She fell backward and onto a large, stone slab with a purple aura. Her blood surrounded the slab, and Julie stood. Her phone rang. "Hello?", she asked shakily. "You need to get out of there! The planet is going--", said Jack. "You okay?", she asked. The phone deadlined. Julie was frozen before she felt the two cold wings of her jetpack activate, and fly her away from the planet.

BE THE FALLEN PRINCE

Benoir saw the Miles, and quickly began to put his plan into action. He put away the computer and sighed. The Miles were crawling ever so closer to Ava's planet. He bolted through the air, blasting through his window. He grabbed Ben by the arm, and quickly saw as the Miles plant themselves into his planet. "Hey, what are you--", Ben began as GR flew through the air, carrying Ben. "Helping you not get killed kid!", Benoir said. They quickly flew left, and toward Ava's planet, Land of Dreams and Gems. Several small suns orbited the planet exclusively made out of gems and a purple fog. "They could not have reached her planet yet!", GR said. He kept flying, finding himself within orbit. He saw Ava's house atop a giant pillar of stone, and he quickly grabbed her out of her own window. "Hey wait--", Ava began. "No time.", Benoir said. He looked around, finding one planet not yet touched by the Miles: Ian's planet. The mound of cloud and machinery sat alone, the other 2 explosions setting it off orbit. GR looked at his hand, finding his aura being sucked into Skaia, a ball of light in the center of the planets. GR quickly flew down to the planet and left Ben and Ava upon it. "Wait, what is going on!?", Ben asked angrily. "How do I put this... Ian and Riley are dead, and we don't know where Julie and Callie went.", GR said. Ava quickly broke down into tears, and Ben sat there, frozen. GR began feeling himself slip away. "No! No you won't!", Ben yelled. "Don't get to attached to me, Prince. Ava, you are our Hero of Light. I am sure you can find a way to fix...", GR said as he slowly slipped into dust, floating toward Skaia. Before he could go, Ava grabbed his foggy form, holding it tightly. "No! No no no!", she began. As he dissipated, Ava felt nothing in her grasp. Two more explosions sounded, and the pieces of Ben and Ava's planets quickly stabbed Julie's, honey leaking from it like blood. In a collective firework, the remnants of every other planet exploded, making the sky red. Ava crumbled to the floor, and Ben just sat there... afraid.

BE THE KNIGHT OF SPACE

Julie stood on Ian's planet, watching the mass of fire Callie's had become. Suddenly, she saw a green, wispy figure fly toward her. As it grew closer, its large wings folded inward, and the ghostly figure looked at Julie. "Riley? Why do you look--", "Julie.", she said. She looked closely into the now bright green eyes of Riley. "I don't have time to catch up. I am sorry.", Riley said. "I... I have been asleep for a long time... and all I have to say... is take care of them.", Riley said. "Wait, you are Ian's Sprite! What happened to him--", "If I told you... well, I am a Sprite now... just a bunch of 0s and 1s...", Riley said. "Don't be like that.", Julie said. Green tears fell down Riley's face as she looked at Julie. She handed Julie an object. It was a disembodied arm with a bright green sleeve. "No...", Julie said, knowing who once used this arm. "I know you want to protect them all, Julie... but there isn't enough time.", Riley said. "But you are back now. We can fix this! With your powers as a Sprite... and my newfound Space abilities... we can get better! We can...", "I am nothing. Julie, we lost the Hero of Time. A Hero of Life and Space just won't cut it.", Riley said. "But... but you are my friend! Why are you doing this... please... don't leave.", Julie said. "I don't want to be alone anymore.", Riley said. Julie put out 2 fingers in a v shape. "What is that?", Riley asked. "Jack told me about it.", Julie said. With her now infinite knowledge, Riley put her two fingers out, and connected them at the tips of Julie's, creating a diamond. Riley hugged Julie before fading away, leaving Julie alone. She sat with the arm. Too bad her Sprite was how far away by now. She held the arm, seeing blood having stained its green sleeve. She saw Ben and Ava looking for her on the other side of a large gear, but she still sat alone.

BE THE WITCH OF LIFE

Riley and Benoirsprite^2 stood together upon Skaia. Its floors were like that of a checkerboard. Due to the lack of everyone's Sprite having been prototyped, the planet was not as much a planet is it was a large sphere made out of several cubes, collecting and separating at will. The Black King stood tall with his Dersite fleets, soldiers standing by the millions. The soldiers of Prospit only stood in the thousands, their King standing tall as well. The White King held a small scepter in his hand. Soldiers fought as blades clashed. Blood stained the floors. As Benoirsprite^2 yelled, Riley was frozen still, her wings large. She fought several soldiers before seeing the King himself charge at her. Her head was held high as she froze, and the King impales her with his mighty sword. Soon enough, she had dissipated into green smoke, Benoir looked at her. As he saw her form disappear, he froze. "...Kid--Riley!", it said in 2 different voices. "What are you doing, kid?!", Jack yelled as he saw his body grab the knife. "I-I am gonna kill you all!", Benoirsprite said. His eyes flared with purple light. "No! That attack, what are you doing--", Benoir said before his eyes shot beams of purple light into the sky, hitting several ships... and Prospit. The Sprite froze and stared at the wreckage it had created. Out of the wreckage appeared a golden corpse... Julie's Dream Self's corpse. A single tear came from Benoir's left eye, the other wide in horror. "J-Ju... Kid?", it said. Out of anger, it continued its battle, killing soldiers in the thousands. Soon enough, Benoirsprite^2 was killed as well as the rubble of Prospit crushed everything, killing everyone except the Sprite. "H-how...", the abomination said. It pulled a sword from the wreckage and looked at it with intent eyes. "What are you doin' kid?", the being asked itself. It looked at its arm as it glitched, making a static noise. It was unstable. 

"We are going to die soon.", the Sprite said. "No... you don't mean it.", it said again. Turning the blade on itself, it sent the sword into its own stomach. From one of its eyes leaked red tears, and it shakily smiled. "Pfft... they have no idea what they did... this whole game was a mistake.", it said before falling back, blood leaking from its wound before fading away.

ACT 5 PART 3 INTERMISSION 1

BE GR A FEW HOURS AGO

"Hmm... Go fish.", Julie said as she sat with Jack. "This game is terrible!", Jack said, throwing his cards into the air. "Why can't we do something fun?!", Jack asked. "Hush now, Jack. We both know your frequent misuse of your nife is not "fun" it is attempted murder. Now do I need to explain it again?", Julie said. Jack groaned as the doorbell rang. "Who is it?!", Julie yelled. "GR.", said the voice n the other side of the door. "Ah.", she said, opening the door. "Hey.", GR said as he forced himself to look away from Jack. "What brings you here?", Julie asked nervously, looking back at Jack. She saw his face now held a scowel, a cigarette in his mouth. "Pardon him. He is not one for...", "Don't care about him right now. Can I borrow your computer?", GR said. "Sure.", Julie said. GR walked over to the computer and looked at it. It was a small keyboard with a large screen, wires running across it. "Hmm...", he said. He went into the chat client, and quickly changed the settings on it. Using the terminal's abilities to communicate across space-time much as the appearifyer could, he began chatting with a version of Ava from months before. "Hey, GR? I don't think I am the time expert, but communicating with a past version of someone would really mess things up, right? In the time-space continuum that is.", Julie said. "Do you know nothing about time? I cannot just change time by doing something. It doesn't work like that unless you are a god of time or whatever. To present Ava, this already happened to her in the past. I am just making sure it does.", GR said. "How do you know this?", Julie asked. "I had a conversation with the Mage. He knows a lot about this stuff.", GR said. He opened a chat request from Ava. 

Pokefan began chatting with GhostlyRoyal

PF: Who is this? Are you one of Ian's friends? Cause I thought he only gave this new chat thingy to a few people.

GR: Oh he did.

PF: Are you his friend?

GR: You could say that.

PF: Cool! What do you need?

GR: To tell you something

PF: what

GR: I know that things will get tough in a few months, but I am here for you.

PF: Who are you? That sounds weird.

GR: How do I explain this...

GR: I am your guardian angel.

PF: Really!? Cool! I should tell Julie.

GR: No. I can't risk this anymore.

GhostlyRoyal went offline.

ACT 5 PART 3

BE THE KNIGHT OF SPACE 3 MONTHS FROM NOW

"It has been... 92 days since the day we failed this terrible game... and since some of my closest friends have... well... gotten a game over. Within that time... I have taken up robotics. Ben gathered enough parts for me from the wastes of every other planet and some mechanisms from this planet. Ian's memoirs have mostly been a collection information from this game. With this information, we finally finished building... a new Ian. Maybe with this information, we can reset the entire timeline. We discovered a device on this planet called "The Scratch Device." on this planet. No one knows how to use it, but maybe with this knowledge... he can start this up. This device rewrites history itself in order to create new versions of us, completely different from us. With this knowledge, maybe then we will be able to get a better product from our Session using the new factors supplied. We will be stuck in this world forever if we don't. The destruction of Skaia should have killed us all in an explosion, but due to the destruction of the White King's scepter, the Black King was unable to activate the Reckoning with it, leaving us in a vicious loop.", Julie wrote in her notebook. She got up from the desk and quickly walked down the hallway and into the attic, where all of them slept. "Hey Julie.", said Ben, eating a small piece of bread. Ava sat silently. "You ready?", Ben asked. "...Yeah.", Julie said, her eyes red from sleep deprivation. They opened up an old curtain, revealing a thin robot built in Ian's image. It had 2 bright, red eyes with no nose or mouth. Its hair was sculpted out of metal plates to resemble his hair. He wore old, gray pants, an emblem resembling a red gear on its right shoulder made from the blood of the disembodied arm Julie now owned. "I need a break... who wants to watch a movie?", she asked. They all began leaving when the robot finally went online. Julie ran to it as they all stood in an awe filled silence. The robot looked at them, and put its hand on its chest, feeling the cold outer shell of its robotic skin. It bowed its head in shame. "Don't be like that...", Julie said. "Come on.", she said, grabbing its arm as they walked downstairs.

BE THE SEER OF RAGE 2 MONTHS AGO

Callie sprung to life, feeling herself surging with adrenaline. Her old clothes were in fact gone. She now wore a large piece of lavender cloth, resembling a hood that covered her eyes. The cloth enveloped her head, neck, and drooped slightly down her back. She wore a large dress with mid length sleeves. Her pants were tight, deep purple leggings with yellow shoes, her dress billowing in the cold wind. Blood stained the symbol that she would have worn on her chest, but it was unseeable under the crimson stain that was her own blood. She looked around, seeing the ground completely black, dust leaking from it. The sky was filled with red as Callie stood alone. She began flying away using her newfound power and looked toward the final planet. The Miles were still only getting slightly closer. Her phone had been stuck on the ground. She picked it up, and answered it. "Hello Draconian.", she said. "So, you finally ascended?", he asked. "How strange... stalker. Is that what the Queen said before you offed her as well?", Callie asked. "I could say the same to you. But I don't care. You know where to go.", Draconian chuckled.

BE THE KNIGHT OF SPACE 2 DAYS FROM PRESENT TIME

"We have been watching him for a day or two. The code we were given has already started to make holes in itself. His mind is slowly eating itself away. We already have lost track of time. We all miss him, and I think he misses himself as well, if not more. We intend on resetting soon anyway. But now it has become an endurance test. He remembers us, but he doesn't know why he does. To him, we are people he is supposed to know... other times, we are strangers. However... our skepticism of the dangers of this world have given us the idea to... attack any stranger.", Julie wrote. Blood dripped down her face as she wiped it away, holding a warm ice pack next to her eye. Bruises covered her body. "I am....", Ianbot said in a robotic, cold voice. "It isn't your fault.", Julie said. She stood, and looked at Ianbot. "You just... s-slipped up again. That is it.", Julie said. "You didn't choose this... you didn't choose... to die.", Julie said, turning her head. Ian grabbed Julie's arm and pulled it up, the pistol in her hand now pointing toward his head. "Disarm.", Ian said coldly. "W-Wait... what?", Julie asked. "Disarm.", Ianbot said again. "N-No, Ian! Don't be like that...", Julie said, tears welling up. "C'mon, let's watch a--", "Disarm.", Ian said. "Is this because what you did to Ava? T-That isn't your fault! It really isn't!", Julie said. "C'mon, Ian!", Julie said. "I don't want to exist. You and I both know I am not him. Please. I say this not as Ian, but as what I am... a husk.", the robot said. "I...I...", Julie said. The robot tilted its head, and Julie closed her eyes as she pulled the trigger.

Julie gasped awake. "Dreaming, huh?", Ben asked. "I can't get that thought out of my mind... it's like a broken record.", Julie said. "We need to keep moving.", Ben said. They sat alone in a small camp fashioned out of an abandoned village, just south of where the Device should be. "We need to move.", Ben said as he looked at the sky. The Miles were already infecting the nearby area with their power. "Oh my God!", Julie yelled. She proceeded to run upward, and North. "Ben! Come on!", Julie said. Ben quickly ran after her, and they saw as the Miles destroyed their entire camp. They found a large pillar of stone and saw the nearby fire could be escaped atop it. They both reached the top, and saw as the fire was unable to reach them. "W-What do we--", Julie began as a burst of fire shot at her and Ben. She put up her arms in defense, and the Space around her changed, making a barrier of stone protecting them. Ben pulled them back, and the fire faded away. "The fire should go out soon.", Ben said, huffing for air. "Are you sure?", Julie asked. "Why wouldn't it?", said a voice. Julie turned, and her heart dropped as she saw Callie, clad in clothing only a fully realized Seer of Rage could wear. "How are you--", "Alive? God, you are stupid! I knew from the beginning that I would not die. I saw anger in you, as I do now.", Callie said, floating in the air. "I only did the best course of action and exploited it. Now... I am unstoppable!", Callie yelled. "And now I can free us all from this game! All I need to do is defeat you two.", Callie said. Ben pulled out his hammer and ran at Callie. She had a white wand in her hand, and she fired a blast forward, just missing Ben. "You two really are low leveled!", Callie said. "So how about we train for a bit!", Callie said. She saw as the Miles began flying at the two, and they braced for impact. Suddenly, the beams stopped, dead in their tracks. The 3 looked up in confusion, seeing a figure clad in darkness and a green suit standing alone in the sky, a trail of black fire behind it. It held the old robot Julie built in its hand, the Black Queen's head in the other. Callie grimaced as she looked at the figure. Like a flash, it jolted over to the platform. It spoke in tongues not yet known by anyone, and the figure looked up. It was Ian, his left arm robotic, the left sleeve of his suit torn and stained with blood. He now had solid, white hair with gray skin and white eyes. "Ian?", Ben asked. Ian looked over with his solid white eyes and looked back at Callie. His face was without emotion as he grimaced at her. He dropped the robot and punched Callie right in the face. She fell to the ground and slammed her head into it. Callie looked at him with her amethyst eyes, only for him to be unphased. "Don't have anything to say?", Callie asked. Ian spoke, only for the voices of the Horrorterrors themselves to leak from his mouth as tendrils of black fire tried to escape. Ben ran to attack Callie, only for her to turn and shoot a white beam from her wand. The upper half of Ben's body completely separated from the lower half as Julie looked at Callie. "Are you done yet?", Callie asked, looking at Ben's emotionless face. She was stunned... she had just killed a man. Julie ran at Callie, only for Julie to be stabbed by the same wand out of impulse. The beam ran through her neck, and Julie stepped back. "I...I...", she said before falling to the ground, dead, her head rolling around. Her eyes faded back into their light blue, and the sparks of green faded away. Ian stared at Callie in fear and confusion, and Callie jumped at him, punching and kicking him until a black blood leaked from his body. She had lost control of her own body as she looked at him with hateful eyes. "You still think that you can walk back into the world of the living!?", Callie asked. Ian snapped with little breath and saw as the Miles unfroze, stabbing through Callie's chest. A single breath escaped her lungs as she fell limp instantly, and Ian crawled away from her body. Every movement made his bones creak, and he felt his entire body burn with an incredible pain as blood fell from his nose, and his robotic arm had dented and became mangled. He grew close to the slab and climbed atop it. He sat atop it, and blood leaked from his body as he sat alone. His body felt like it was on fire, and he cried as he saw the corpses. Callie won the fight... too bad she forgot whose Quest Bed it was.

ACT 5 PART 3 INTERMISSION 2

BE THE KNIGHT OF SPACE A DAY AGO

Julie sat working on more schematics for the robot. She was lost in thought, completely enthralled in her own ideas. Perhaps she was finally getting somewhere. As she jotted down sketches onto the paper, she heard a scream from the other room. Julie was confused, seeing as no more imps of anything of the sorts had spawned... perhaps one was lurking. Julie grabbed her rifle and ran down the hall. The air was still and cold, the scent of metal having filled the house. She opened the small door, finding Ava on the other side. She was up against the wall, blood had pooled around her as she choked out a breath. "Hey J-Jul...", she began. "What happened?! Who did this!?", Julie yelled. "Ben! Ben grab the first aid! Now!", Julie yelled. "I know this wasn't the... best time to... well, die.", she said. "No! You aren't going to die! Not now! Not ever! Don't say that... please. I lost Riley and Ava and Ian already.", "I just wished that you would have figured it out... sometime later. I was... never ready for this.", she said. "No! No! As the leader, I command you... don't die! You hear me! Live! I command you! "His mind... it is slipping.", Ava said before falling over into Julie's arms. She was smiling. "No! You can't go! Not now! I command--", "Face it, Julez. Like it or not, not all of us are... like you.", Ava said. She pointed to Julie's now emerald eyes, enveloped with her powers of space. "I have known all along... I wasn't ready. Never will be.", Ava said. "No! Ava! Ava!", "Funny, I am about to die... and you aren't even spilling now. I thought for once you could open up to someone. Shame...", Ava said as the color faded from her eyes. Julie stood frozen and turned when the sound of metal hit the floor. It was the robot. That dang robot just stood frozen, completely still. There was no emotion in his eyes. No anger, sadness, happiness, not even desire anymore. Its right arm was stained in the same blood that was on the floor. Julie stood, and punched the robot in its left optic sensor. As it crashed to the floor, the red faded from its eyes, and stood. It was in a rage. "Why...?", Julie asked. "No... s-stop.", said the robot. "Wait, you can talk?", she asked, lowering her weapon. "Julie...", it said again. "J-J...", it began. From the crack in its eye leaked oil, almost as if it was crying. "Ian...", she said. "You remember me?", Julie asked. "N-no... that isn't possible. You are a robot. You aren't him... you will never be him!", she said, pushing away a chair. "Get out of my face.", she said. She raised her pistol. Julie went to shoot it, but she couldn't. "I can't...", she said, dropping the gun. "I... I am too weak.", she said, falling to her knees. Tears ran down her face, and her eyes were wide as tears ran down them. Why couldn't she do this? The robot was their only chance of survival if they could reset the Session... and it had just killed her best friend.

ACT 6

BE THE MAGE OF TIME

Ian awoke on the quiet wreck of his planet, the breeze was warm, and the sky was red.

He wore a red shirt that was connected to the pants, with coattails protruding out of the back and the front of the shirt, parallel to each other, making 4 large flaps. His long sleeves drooped at the end as they reached about halfway down from his shoulder, creating a sort of wizardly design.The hood he wore was slightly larger than his head. A piece of dark red cloth covered his mouth and nose, leaving his eyes and long, brown bangs the only thing visible. He wore red sweatpants tucked into the long, black boots he wore that crawled halfway between his feet and knees. His eyes were no longer the hazel he remembered. They were red, small nubs protruding from them, creating an image resembling a red gear, the same design on his shirt. Everything he wore was a shade of red, excluding the black boots.

He began floating through the Incipisphere of his dead Session, seeing the red and black wrecks of the planets drifting through the sky, Skaia having been reduced to rubble. He held the Queen's head in his hand, his robot self in his other. He went down to Julie's old planet, finding the lab. It was riddled with vines and dirt. He went to the appearifier, and began his job of creating a stable time loop. If this was to fail, they would still be supplied with the items given to them from his timeline to ensure his own existence to send them back to his past self in the first place. Time travel is confusing. He sent them the arm of the old robot to appear on his old planet, and sent everyone everything Julie's penpal did, who he in fact was. After a few minutes, he stood back, and saw as everything was set into motion. With this in his mind, he put out his hands. He flew out the window of the lab, and stood outside. He used his power to lift it off of the ground, and he began shooting it toward Skaia. As Skaia shielded itself from the blast, a portal appeared on its surface, drawing the lab into it and sending it to Earth. Through the rift, he could see Earth just minutes before the meteors began, the lab landing North of Julie's house. The lab would later become the very same one that Julie would take refuge in. As he saw it go through, the corpses of Ben's dreamself and Jack Noir flew into the broken window of the lab after months of drifting out of Derse's orbit. "Oh dang...", Ian mumbled. "That cannot be good.", he said. So, he ran over to one of the many other labs drifting through space, and quickly sent her a message, and the jetpack she would later use.

After that was done, a small, copper pendulum appeared in front of him, spinning slowly. He put his hand on it, seeing it freeze. The whole world around him froze, and he began turning the cog counterclockwise. All became whiter as the plants "rewinded" in time, making the lab clean. He left the lab. He checked the large computer as a hum sounded throughout the rotting engines of the lab. As he saw the shadows of the lab wiped away by the large screen, he found someone was online... his past self. Of course, it technically was an alternate past self, since Ian was from a completely different timeline.

Ian now stood on his Quest Bed again, but his planet was perfectly normal. Blue skies and white clouds were crowding the surrounding area as per usual. He had about 4 or so hours until the Miles would attack. With speed unseen before, he flew through the void of space to Derse.

BE DRACONIAN DIGNITARY JUST BEFORE HE SENDS HIS MESSAGE TO THE SEER

DD was typing away at his terminal, trying to contact the Seer. If his plan was to work, he needed this done fast. In a flash, a silhouette appeared behind him. It was the Mage, having now become fully realized. "Hey, wait!", he said as he gazed at the Queen's head. In a flash, almost as if the Mage stopped time itself to take it, the Mage now had DD's sword. The Mage cut down DD, adding his head to the list, and he proceeded to completely fade into dust. Due to this act, the Queen's head faded away from existence, and Ian sighed with relief. He wiped away the crimson blood from his face, and deleted the message before it could send. He turned to see Callie's Dream Self having awoken and seen the murder. She did not know who it was due to Ian's mask, and Ian was filled with anger. He slowly walked towards Callie as she began running down the hall. Ian thew the sword aside and fired his wand at the Dream Self. The beam collided with the wall, making a large hole in it. The busy streets below froze and stared upward. Callie saw the hole, and looked back at Ian with fearful eyes. He threw the wand aside, and bolted to her. Warping through time, he was now in front of her, his eyes infected with Rage. He punched her in the face, seeing her small frame fal through the hole in the wall and onto the busy streets below. Ian grabbed her by the neck. "You did this!... You killed them all! Y-you ruined them...", Ian said as she flailed around. "You... you ruined me.", he said before she went limp. Ian threw her out the wall. She crashed into the opera house's glass ceiling with a thud, and Ian glanced back before running back into the central room of the castle, retrieving the wand Callie had used to kill Ben and Julie in that long gone future. It was constructed from purple gem into a large, translucent, purple rod that leaked with black light.

The clock chimed 6. Ian left the scene before anyone found the corpse, and found himself staring out into the void of space. He saw his own planet, and quickly flew to it. A strange satisfaction was in his eyes as he saw the planets, fixed back into their healthy forms. Of course, it was a few minutes before Riley would arrive, but quite a bit of time before his past self would leave to get Riley.

He arrived at the house of his past self. Though the question was obvious as to whether or not he would disappear. In truth... he would not. He was from a completely different timeline, a doomed timeline. Therefore, if he was to remove this version of himself, he would just... replace him in sorts. He stood behind his past self now as he was just about to leave to go to his planet. Ian stepped closer, seeing his wand flare with white light as his past self turned to look at him. "Who are you?", he asked. Ian stared at his past self with his red eyes, seeing his past self stand still. His past self had yet to know who it was under the mask as he held his wand. Ian looked away, shooting a beam of white light at the past version of himself. Tears ran down his face as he looked back, seeing his past self strewn across the floor in a pool of crimson. Ian picked up his phone, wiping away the blood. He took another glance at his past self, unable to look. He had just killed himself. He picked up the body, gripping it tightly as he stared at it, finding short breaths still escaping from his past self's mouth. Ian closed his eyes, and sat silently as he saw the body finally go limp. He warped through time yet again to an hour later.

It was about seven o' clock on July seventh, and he stood in space as Riley's planet formed. He ran to it, and grabbed her body, flying out to Julie's planet. "And now that I made sure Callie never joins them...", Ian said. He quickly ran over to Riley's planet, seeing is beautiful skies now fully realized. He went toward the rubble, and lifted up his hand, seeing all of the rubble lift up as well. He took the corpse, and carried it out into space. If he added her to his sprite, he could very well have her absorbed by Skaia again. He needed insight, and there was only one other person who knew about the game as much as he did... Julie.

BE THE KNIGHT OF SPACE
Julie sat at the large computer, watching the other players through the camera. "What's wrong, kiddo?", Jack asked, watching the crimson blood run down his thumb as he poked it with the knife. "Trying to see the other players. Ben is going around killing things. Callie is sleeping, Ava is sitting there, and--", Julie began. She heard a knock at the door, and readied her rifle. "Why would someone or something be knocking?", Julie asked. "I dunno.", Jack said, looking at his knife. "Whatever. I'll get it.", Julie mumbled. She walked towards the large, steel door, only to see something burst in from the window aside of it. It was a red figure. With great speed, Julie began spraying bullets at the figure, only to see it slump over, crimson blood leaking from it. As the adrenaline faded, she saw it was in fact Ian. Due to her research, she knew he was now a fully realized Mage of Time. Bullet holes were riddling his body, and he twitched occasionally. "Did you do that?!", Jack asked. "Uh... no.", Julie lied. Within a few seconds, Ian got up, the wounds in his chest completely missing. "How did you--", she began before she saw that he was holding a corpse. It was Riley's corpse no less, staring right at her. "I need your help.", Ian said. "Y-you must have been busy.", Julie said, looking at his robotic arm and robes. "Uh, yeah... you could say that.", Ian said. "What about you?", Ian asked. "Oh, yeah. The world just ended, and now I am stuck talking to my friend holding my other friend's corpse, and a 30s era ghost.", Julie commented. "Things cannot get any worse!", Julie said, flailing her arms upward. "...You have no idea.", Ian mumbled. "How are we supposed to revive Riley?", Julie asked. "Well, when I was busy... adventuring as you call it... I learned quite a few things about this game. I would assume Riley still has a dream self, so all we need to do is have you revive her.", Ian said. "How?", Julie asked. "Well, I don't know how to put--", "Just kiss 'er.", Jack said. "What?!", Julie yelled. She looked at Ian. "Hey, don't look at me.", he said. "It will merge the Dream Self with your... friend there, and revive her.", Jack said. With only one option, Julie took the corpse...

BE THE SEER OF RAGE

Callie sat alone atop the roof of her house, waiting for Ian to respond to her. She was fully aware of what to do next, but Ian had not been responding to her messages in hours. Call her crazy, but it was almost as though he was ignoring her. She sat alone in her room, no weapons around her to attack as tall Imps slumped past her hall. She dialed Ava, trying to contact her. "Hey Ava!", she said. "Hey.", Ava said solemnly. "You okay?", Callie asked. "I am probably the most unlucky person I have ever met. I just saw my Kernelsprite completely leave! Like, it just flew out into space! What am I supposed to make my Sprite out of now?!", Ava asked. "Calm down, I bet you will find it. It can't be that far. Maybe it will fall on another planet! What even is your planet?", Callie asked. "Land of Dreams and Gems.", she said. "How did you find that out?", Callie asked. "I dunno. I guess it just kinda popped into my head just now.", Ava said. "Weird.", Ava said. "Cool.", Callie said. "Anyway, I was thinking that me and you should all go to Ben's planet. All we need is some way through the gates. Meet me at my house."

BE THE PRINCE OF BLOOD 1 HOUR FROM NOW

Ben sat atop the highest tower of his planet, gasmask in hand. Aside of him sat Ian, wearing a matching mask. The foggy air stayed still atop the thick layer of sand and mud that concealed what once was. Ruins were the only things left. "Nice of you to show up.", Ben said. He looked out onto the horizon, the sky an off tone green, corpses lying everywhere. He was lost in thought now. This was the first time he had seen Ian since their fight. He had just... appeared atop the tower as Ben's Sprite had sat, still talking to Ava. "So, how is he?", Ian asked, still looking forlorn onto the horizon. "Oh, him. Haven't talked to him. He is still concerned with his lady-friend.", Ben said, nudging him. "At least he is still here...", Ian said. "What?", "Nothin'.", Ian commented. "I am just... happy to see you again.", Ian said. He looked down, tears falling out of his gasmask and onto the pants of his suit. "What is wrong?", Ben asked. Ian looked at him, seeing the visions of that timeline. The Ben in front of him distorted, becoming one with a large scar encircling his hips and glassy, white eyes. Ian shook his head, and looked at Ben. "I... I have something to t-tell you.", Ian said. "What?", Ben asked. Ian removed the gas mask, revealing his now crimson, gear-like irisi. Ben froze in awe of them, seeing Ian's eyes half lidded from sleep deprivation. He stood. "You wanna see something.", Ian said.

He snapped, a thick layer of red cloth encircling his suit before forming into the intriquite robes of a Mage of Time. "W-what?!", Ben asked in awe. "First of all... how? Second of all... where can I get one?", Ben said. Ian smiled, surprised by Ben's happiness. He was overjoyed at the support Ben gave him. "As Callie would say," Ben began, "It is to diie for.", he said in a Swedish accent. "Yeah... you could say that.", Ian said. Without saying a word, Ian jumped from the building. "Ian!", Ben said. After seconds of silence, Ian came flying back up, staring at Ben. "Wait, y-you can fly?", Ben asked. "Not all. I know exactly what you are going to do in the next few seconds. Also, I know it is weird.", Ian said. "That is so weird-- wait... you knew what I was going to say? Ian, did you like... level up a ton?", Ben asked. "You could say that... listen... jokes aside, promise to keep a secret?", "Of course.", Ben said. Ian told him everything. Every little bit of his story before he joined this timeline spilled out of his mouth. Ben was looking at him with intent, enthralled eyes. "Yeah...", Ian said. Ben was surprised to hear of his own death, but he thought it was fine. "So, what have you been up to?", Ian asked. "Oh, you know, completing my quest and all.", Ben said.

He glanced over at GR, staring at the robotic corpse Ian brought him. "It was kinda easy. All I had to do was kill my Denizen.", Ben said. "Denizen?", Ian asked. "Oh yeah, I forgot. Denizens are like, the final boss of your planet.", Ben said. "Yeah, my timeline was too busy being destroyed.", Ian said. "DId you complete your Quest?", Ben asked. "Oh, no. I don't think I will.", Ian said. "Really?", Ben asked. "Yeah. I am pretty sure it was to have my Denizen fix the gears to continue spinning or something.", Ian said, "But I am starting to think that that Quest isn't for me anymore. It was built more for my past self to challenge himself, you know?", Ian said. "Hmm... personally, I think you traveling the multiverse for months is hard enough. Besides, isn't the Quest for you to get strong enough to reach God Tier? You already did, so...", Ben said. GR was no longer listening to their conversation as he studied the robot. There was a large bullet hole in its head, its left arm gone. He slowly put out his hand to pick it up, only to see his hand merge with the object. Suddenly, his hand became light as his entire body coated the robot, and the robot began floating upward, only for the light to sink into it, and the robot fell onto the ground. "Hey GR--", Ben began before he saw the new form. GR stood in the robotic body, the eyes now a glowing blue.

"Oops.", Ian said, awkwardly laughing. "Hey guys.", GR said in a robotic voice, looking at his new legs. Ben began looking around nervously for a way to get GR out of the robotic body. "Can you fix this?!", Ben asked. "What would I do? Reset? Ben, why do you care?", Ian asked. "Time is an extremely important element of anythng. Sure, I am a god now, but that is besides the point. Translation: no one cares.", Ian said. "...I like it.", GR said. "Problem solved.", Ian said. He threw his arms upward, only to look at Ben. "Do you have any food?", Ian asked. "I have some chips in my bag over here.", Ben said, rummaging through his bag. "But I do have a pizza back in my fridge.", Ben commented.

He stood to walk back to the house, only to see Ian stand up, and float. "I got it.", Ian said. He revealed 2 small pendulums under his hands, and he put his hands on them. They spun faster and faster as red light shot from them like a cold blaze. Within seconds, Ian had warped through time, now back as red light shone around him. Inside the box he brought were 3 or so slices of pizza. "Hey, let's take a picture.", Ben said. He pulled out his phone, and Ian leaned in to join him. "Get my good side?", Ian asked sarcastically. "Pfft, like you have one!", Ben teased. "Heh.", Ian laughed. He punched Ben playfully, and smiled. Ben hugged Ian, knowing very well he hated it. "Don't touch me.", Ian said, lifting up his finger to lift Ben into the air as Ben was surrounded by red light. "What are you doing?!", "Mage powers bro.", Ian said. He dropped him 20 feet away. Ian then quickly passed out and fell into slumber. Ben got up, and ran to his sleeping body. He hadn't realized how long it had been for him since he slept. He thought the large bags around his eyes just came with the costume. "Tired, eh?", Ben asked. He looked back at GR, walking around. "I'll talk to you later.", Ben said.

ACT 7 INTERMISSION 1

BE THE GHOST OF THE SEER

Alpha Callie sat alone in the void that was Ian's mind. A table, chessboard, and an empty chair in front of her. As she heard the tapping of feet, she saw the red figure walk in, vines of blackness tearing away from him. It was her timeline's Ian, wearing his green suit. He was the only other from the Alpha Timeline. "So glad you could join me again.", Callie said. "Quiet.", he said, sitting down. "I almost thought you got over the incident. But then again... you always were unable to get over things. I don't understand why you still bother anymore. You have them back now after all.", A-Callie said. "This was your fault.", A-Ian said, moving the chess piece in front of him. "I just wanted to help. Too bad everyone here is too stoic to act like they need me.", Callie said. "I hate you.", he said. "You too, Ian.", she said, her glassy eyes staring at Ian's now crimson ones as she moved her chess piece.. "You robbed me of my entire persona. You are the reason why I spent how many months in the void of space. What makes you think that I can just forgive you? Everything has a day that it will end... but my hate towards you will not.", Ian said. "That is too bad. I am in your head now anyways. Hey, we never set any stakes for this game... what do you think?", Callie asked. "I don't know. What do you think? I think... whoever wins...", she began, capturing one of Ian's pawns. "Gets the body.", she asked. Ian's eyes widened, and he stared at her with confused eyes before glancing down. "...Sure. Although, you and I both know you aren't her. All you are is a shallow remnant of Callie. You wouldn't exist if not for your ability to plant Rage in others. You are nothing.", he said, moving another piece. "And yet you still stand here with me.", Callie said. "You are going to have to keep your word. I take what is mine you know.", she said, moving another piece. "I bet.", Ian said, knocking down one of her pawns. "Hmph.", she said. "Don't even try using your Rage powers on me again. You are in my mind, you hold nothing here.", "Perhaps it was a mistake escaping death and growing in your mind. But then again... it will be all worth it when I am alive again. Actually... you know I am right.", she said. "Perhaps. But if you want a battle of wits... bring a brain next time.", Ian said. "I know much more than you could... Prophet.", Callie said. "I could say the same... Siren.", Ian said, looking at her. "Am I now? Well, we did make a name for ourselves when it comes to the infinite timelines that can exist and do.", Callie said. "...Too bad they are all so distorted by the timelines YOU made that doomed most every timeline to the point where you are effectively committing genocide.", Callie chuckled. "You would make a good Rage player.", Callie said. "I do not care for them. Every other timeline is obsolete now. You know what happens to most of them... right? What matters is results. And we would be right back where we started if not for me.", Ian said. "What was I supposed to do? And don't make me pity you. You did what you did.", Ian said. "Of course. It was stupid to have a glimmer of hope here.", she said. "You and the other ascended have made names for yourselves. Since when did you all play Judge, Jury, and Executioner? Last time I checked, Julie lost her head a while ago.", Callie asked. "Since you thought that killing everyone would solve our problems. If you did revive... where would you go?", Ian asked. "I want to be alive again. No strings attached. If anything, you should thank me. Look how far your Session has gone since I died.", "It got this far because I fixed your mistakes.", Ian said as Callie knocked down his Rook. "Impressive.", Ian said. "But remember... I can see everything. Future, past present... all in my head here.", he said. "Funny... almost as if...", Callie said, looking at their infinite doubles, "...I am in your head.", she commented, smirking. She revealed her eyes from under her hood, looking at Ian. "I command you... See my Rage...", she said. Bright purple light leaked from her eyes, and Ian stared into them. Soon enough, his own eyes became a glowing purple, and purple lines leaked from his eyes and ran cross his face. "Kill her.", A-Callie said.

ACT 7 INTERMISSION 2

In the furthest edge of the Furthest Void in the furthest of the infinite realities sat several small pockets. Inside these pockets sat the closest thing to a "civilization" this hostile part of the infinite realities could hold. The Dream Bubbles sat within this beacon of hope in a sea of madness. Inside these voids sat not people... but ghosts of those who have died in the mad game that was Sburb. Since this world was far from the hold of space-time... those from timelines long dead even sat in these voids just as those from the newest timelines would. It was a window into the multiverse... but only few people would ever escape. Only those who could control time or space with complete and utter control would ever be able to get far enough to reach these voids... a window into what was there only discoveries inside these pockets.

ACT 7

BE THE WITCH OF LIFE

Riley gasped to life, seeing Julie. "W-Where am I?", Riley asked. "You are in a lab in the middle of space, and Julie just kissed your corpse.", Jack said. "Wait, what?", Riley asked. "You were dead... and it was the only way to revive you, I mean, your Quest Bed is still how many miles--", "It is okay.", Riley said.. "If it was to revive me, I find no harm.", Riley said. "Oh... okay.", Julie sighed. "Now, how about you introduce me to your boyfriend!", Riley said, pointing to Jack. "Wait, what? No, Riley, you know that I don't--", "I know, loosen up a bit!", Riley said. Neither of them had realized that Julie was still carrying Riley. "Well, he was a corpse from this really evil kingdom that Ben had killed Jack held a bottle tightly in his hand, seeing the little drops leak out just barely helping his pounding head.

MAGE OF TIME: DESCEND

Ian drifted alone across the Incipisphere. His hands were still a solid grey as black aura leaked from his skin. He ruffled his hair, finding it was still white. The reflection in his glasses revealed his eyes were still a glassy white. His head was still sore from the whispers, and his joints felt like they could shatter. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw them. Their long tendrils and faces. He looked outward, finding the ruins of planets, and pieces of old corpses suspended in time sitting alone. Every second, his body burned from the fire, but his screams were always quiet like whispers, the same whispers in his head. He had gone mostly blind, his vision replaced with visions of the future, past, alternate timelines, anything the Outer Ones could shove into his mind. He thought this was all gone, wiped from his head. Even his memory was gone again. All that was in his mind was anger and confusion.

BE THE KNIGHT OF SPACE

Julie sat with Riley and Jack, each of them having just alchemized a surplus of food. "So... tell me 'bout yous two.", Jack said to them. "Oh, well us? We have been good friends for a while.", Julie told him. "Really? You got friends, kid?!", Jack asked. "Yeah.", Julie said. "Quite a few.", she mumbled. "Oh really? I have only seen you with a total of 2 people in the same room, and one of them had a bunch of bullets in his chest!", Jack said, cackling. "I forgot about that.", Julie said, cupping her face in her hands with embarrassment and regret. "Oh Gog, the look on ya face! Priceless!", he laughed. "Stop it Jack!", Julie said. She heard a knock at the door again, and looked out to see a black silhouette standing on the other end. "Leave ya gun here! We ain't gonna kill another one of your friends!", Jack said. Julie got up, and saw the world around her completely freeze. Everyone was frozen in time, and she looked around. The sound of a ticking clock was heard as a figure walked through the door. On the other side was... Ian. His eyes were a solid white with bright purple pupils. His skin was pale and sickly as he smirked. His clothing was like something Callie would have worn. He wore a white shirt with purple stripes running across it with a black overshirt, the collar popped up. "Ian?", Julie asked. "Why are you here!?", Ian said, twitching violently. "What happened to you?!", "I thought I destroyed you! Why are you still alive!?", Ian said. "Who did this? Jack? Ian, you aren't making any sense!", Julie asked, looking over at Jack, frozen in time. In Ian's hand was Julie's own blade. "No matter... if the Seer won't die once... she can die again.", Ian said. He put his hands on his face, his eyes growing wide as he groaned in agony. "What? Wait, Ian?...", Julie asked. Ian put out his arm, a sword from the shelf nearby floating into it.

BE THE MAGE OF TIME

Ian stood at the door of the Dersite fortress, feeling the voices cold hands crawl up his back as existence itself ruptured his mentality. His God Tier clothing was now a deep black, accompanying the Grimdarkness of the rest of his form. His skin dripped black liquid like water as he saw the door in front of him open. On the other side sat several corpses, dashed aside in a bloody mess. Callie stood, still in her purple robes. "Did you think I would die so easily...?", she asked. Ian looked at her, and gritted his teeth. "Why are you here?!", Ian asked. "Did you really think a god could die?", Callie said. "I thought I destroyed you! Why are you still alive!?", Ian asked. He put out his hand, and pulled up a sword from the ground. "No matter... if the Seer won't die once... she can die again.", Ian said. He lunged it at her as the voices grew louder and louder, he saw as the sword pierced her heart, and she instantly fell limp as the voices went silent. He blinked, and all was normal. However, it was not Callie who he had stabbed... it was Julie. He fell back, seeing everyone suspended in time with shock and horror on their faces. "J-Julie!?", Ian yelled. "I-Ian...", she said. Ian ran to her, seeing blood drop down from her mouth as she stepped back. Her legs became wobbly as she smiled warmly. "I-I'll be f-fine!", she said. Her eyes closed, and she fell backward. Ian sat frozen in fear. He looked at her corpse, and saw out the window a large pillar... her Quest Bed. Blood was all over the floor now, and tears began draining from her dead eyes.

BE THE MAID OF LIGHT

Ava hit another Imp with her now steel katana, GR using his new rocked feet to combat several other Imps and Ogres, giant tusked Imps with his machine gun. Ben hit a flurry of basilisks with his hammer, now having a large rocket at the end for propulsion upon impact. As they saw the Imps all die, Ben looked at the other two. "I am going to go for a moment. I am going to go grinding.", Ben said. "Why?", "Because SOMEONE thought they could do all the work.", Ben said. "Hey, don't look at me.", he said. Ben left the room to return back to his own home. Ava giggled, and Ben rolled his eyes as he walked away. "I like your robot form.", Ava said. She poked his robotic skin, and GR would have smiled if he had a mouth. "I do to. Feels nice to have legs again.", he said. "Do you still have powers?", Ava asked. "Oh, I guess.", he said. He began floating off of the ground, a blue light surrounding his body. He put out his finger and pointed to Ava. "Watch it.", he said as Ava pricked her finger off of a splinter. Blood trickled down her finger. GR floated over, his robotic eyes becoming a deep red shade. "What is that?", Ava asked. She saw as the blood began to fly from her finger, and float in the air as it circled his finger. "Hmm... what?", Ava asked. "This might be the power of a Prince of Blood. Like it or not, I still have his Mythological Role... le sigh.", GR said, sighing. "Oh, cool. Now that is what, two people with superpowers?", Ava asked. "I wish I had some!", she said. "I mean, you said something about Ian being magic now? And now you have Ben's powers before he even does! Is that what being a Sprite is like?", Ava asked. "Yeah. Aside from the identity crisis of being a ghost guy... it has its perks. But I like the new robot body.", he said. He looked at his robotic hand, and saw it bend. Each small gear churned, and he felt oddly satisfied. "Where did you get the robot anyway?", she asked. "I dunno. Pretty sure Ian got it from an alternate timeline using his time magic.", GR said. Ava tipped her head in confusion, completely lost in whatever GR meant. "Anyway, I think some code in this thing is busted, whoever made it sucks at their job.", he said. His voice was distorted, like a megaphone. He rubbed his head, trying not to touch the large bullet hole in his head. It stung as he felt it. "Oh! I can help!", Ava said, running over to him. "No, I am fine, really.", he said. "You aren't that though.", she said. She grabbed his hand, and looked at him. "Fine.", he said coldly. "You might not be a Hero of Life, but you sure do know how to make a guy feel better. You will make a great Maid of Light.", GR said as Ava wrapped his head with bandages. His eyes faded back to blue. "Promise?", "Promise.", GR said. "You are a good friend.", Ava said.

ACT 8 INTERMISSION 1

BE THE GHOST OF THE SEER

"So, how did you like it?", Callie asked as Ian stood in front of her. He still wore that black shirt as it was stained with blood. Without saying a word, Ian walked up to her, grabbing her by the neck. "I am going to rip you apart!", Ian said. He gritted his teeth, his eyes still their purple shade. His skin was even paler now. "Hmph. Maybe next time, tell that to someone alive.", Callie said, warping away from Ian's grasp. He grabbed her again, slamming her against the table. "What did you make me do?!", Ian asked. "I didn't do anything.", she said, gasping for air. "Do you know anything? All I did was take your emotions... and for once, actually had you show them." "What do you mean?", Ian asked. "Admit it. You did what you did for a reason! If you didn't have some form of hate deep down, you wouldn't have done what you did. Now your only friend is dead, and you blame me. Admit it Ian. You didn't join us to have fun. You joined us in this game because you didn't want to be alone anymore--", "Shut up.", "You knew from the beginning what Sburb would do to Earth, but you were so enthralled in your own loneliness that you ended up letting it happen.", she said. Ian slammed her head against the table. "Shut up shut up shut up!!!", Ian said. "You can't hide forever.", Callie said. "You liked killing her, didn't you? You spent so long seeing everything from the outside, you decided to change everything. Three months in the void of space does that to someone, I would know. For once in your life, you decided to completely destroy the stable time loops your alternate selves worked so hard to make! Even the slightest sliver of emotion in you knew that it wouldn't matter--", "Be quiet!!!", "Because you would just leave them--", "Stop!", "Like you did us...", Callie said, pushing Ian away. "Since you were too busy being alone in the void of space, you couldn't do your job. Everyone died because of you! But now, you thought you could just leave us and forget it happened. Every Session has a glitch in it. You are that glitch. You gave our Session a plague.", Callie said. Ian knelt down to the floor, silently staring at his own hands. "Just wait until she Ascends. See what she thinks of you killing her."

ACT 8 INTERMISSION 2

BE THE GHOST OF THE KNIGHT

"Ugh... my head.", Julie said aloud. She opened her eyes, seeing a black void surrounding her. Trails of color acted as paths as strange trees stood tall upon them. Off in the distance were other ghosts from other timeline's all separate from her own. She had yet to remember what happened. All she did know was who killed her... Ian. She stood, looking around. She looked down, finding a large hole in her chest. She stepped back in horror as she saw it. She looked up, finding millions of ghosts far away, interacting with each other. She looked around, finding someone was alone. It was Ian. But it wasn't her timeline's Ian. He had still worn the suit, but removed the jacket from it. A gaping hole in his stomach sat alone as white fire still leaked from his wound, as if his own wand was turned against him. He turned his head, seeing Julie with his glassy eyes. He patted the ground aside of him, and Julie sat down. "So... hello.", Julie said, still confused. "Hey.", he said. "I know things here might be a little daunting. But you get used to it. I mean, I did.", the Ian said. "What is this place?", "Your dead. Nothin' else to say about it. So, how did you die?", "Well, I mean... I was killed by another Ian, but also not because he was being weird, but then--", "Another Ian?... So I'm not the only one...", he said. "Hm?", "Nothing. Just... nothing. So, out of the billions on infinite timelines, what makes you tick?", he asked. "What?", "You know. What makes you... you? You know?", he asked. "Well, I dunno anymore. A corpse I guess. I was a protector for my team and all, but I guess Ian had different plans.", she said. Ian sighed. "I have talked to hundreds of ghosts, and the other versions of you all say the same thing. They say they failed as a Knight. That they were unable to do the job this game put them up to. But their problem only exists because they try so hard to be what they aren't.", he said. "I thought you were given your role based on who you are, not who you want to be?", "Yes. But sometimes... sometimes people change. A lot of good people are warped when these games start. Whether you like it or not, most people join the game and leave a completely different person. A long time ago in a completely different timeline... you might have been that... but not now. A timeline where, just maybe, you reached your goal in protecting people. At least some people at least. Something must have just... joined your timeline and... rewrote it. Only someone with complete control of time could do that.", "Ian...", Julie said. "The Ian from my timeline had Ascended. Do you think... he was that something? I am just spitballin' though. Gog, this game really has messed things up. We are dead. Did it ever occur to you... that maybe this would ever happen?", "No. I thought the day that Ben, Av, and Ri transferred was bad. Now look at me. If I could, I would go back in time and slap myself!", he said. He laughed, and looked around. "Well, you can--", "Not here. Most powers are erased here. We are just a bunch of idiots sitting in the void of space here.", he said. "It isn't all bad.", he said. "Now that I have you to talk to--", "Ian!", Julie yelled. Ian turned, seeing Julie. Parts of her body had lit ablaze in white fire. "Oh my--", "Calm down. This is normal!", Ian said. Julie began floating, the symbol of Space appearing to omit from her chest. It was several white lines curved slightly clockwise as they shot out from a central point. He saw a burst of fire appear, and Julie was gone. Ian stopped, seeing himself alone again. He sat alone. "Nothing lasts forever I guess.", he sighed.

ACT 8

BE THE KNIGHT OF SPACE

She felt a white fire leak from her body, and blood materialized all over her hands and chest. She felt her nose beginning to drip blood, and her mouth was filled with it. The pain got worse and worse until all went silent, and she sat alone in a dark void. She grew tired... and fell asleep.

"Oh my God!", she yelled, sitting up atop her Quest Bed. She arose from the Quest Bed in a blaze of white fire, holding the sword that was once pierced into her body. She wore a black, long sleeved shirt with black pants, and bright red shoes. She wore a large, black cape with a black hood that covered her blonde hair. Her irises were black like her pupils, the symbol of Space in her eyes. It was several curving, white lines that bent outward clockwise from the center of the symbol. The symbol was also on her shirt. She was drifting through the air, and she saw her planet. It was larger than she ever thought it could be. When the fire faded, she saw Ian, sitting at the edge of the large, stone pillar. He looked outward sadly, and Julie stood behind him. He still wore the black jacket and the white shirt, sitting silently. "Ian?", she asked. Ian looked at her, and stood. He walked slowly to her, and smiled. "I missed you all so much...", he said. "Wait, what?", she asked. She pushed him back slightly. "Explain to me who made you do that... who made you kill me!?", she commanded. She held up her sword to his neck. "Or I will get the answer myself.", she complained. "No one did anything... because it didn't happen yet.", he said. She slapped him. "Stop being so coy! Just answer me--", "Answer you? If I had an answer, I would tell you! Really, I would! What makes you think that I am trying to hide things from you!? The truth is, I don't know!", Ian said. "Ian?", she asked.

His eyes were purple again. "But that doesn't matter anymore. All I know is that something or someone is ruining my life--", "You can't blame anyone but yourself here. As Knight I won't hesitate to ruin you if you try this stunt again. I am leader and you will follow the rules. This is life or death--", "Isn't everything now? Don't forget who gave you this role. I am sick of everyone thinking I will just sit back and fix everything! You have no idea what I see every day!", Ian said. "But you know what? I don't care anymore.", Ian began. "Ian?", she asked.

His skin was pale again as his veins became a solid purple. He laughed. "But now... now I know what I am here for. I need to fix everything. Why be what I am not. I am just the parasite that will crawl into another timeline and do the exact same thing. I have seen you all die too much for me to care! She was right!", Ian said. "You aren't making any--", Julie began. Ian punched her with his robotic arm, seeing her hit the ground with a thud. Blood ran down her nostril as she stood. "This isn't like you.", she said. "I know. Because, for once, I am standing up for myself.", Ian said. "Look, whoever you are, I want you to leave Ian alone.", Julie said. She put out her arm, seeing pikes of rock fly at Ian from behind. "I see how it is...", he said. In an instant, he warped through time. He now stood atop the pikes as they collected together. Julie ran at him with her blade, ready to strike. "Do it.", Ian said. She swung, cutting Ian's cheek. She kicked him to the ground, putting her blade to his neck. "Do it.", he said. Julie stopped, dropping the blade. "Even a god is too weak to face the truth. Everyone will die without me.", Ian said. He turned around to leave, only for Julie to grab him by the back.

BE GR

GR stood tall as he saw Ava. She had gotten a large strip of cloth and covered his bullet wound. "How does it feel?", Ava asked. "Good... thanks.", he said. He hugged Ava, and she smiled. "Sorry.", he said, letting go. "It is fine!", she said. "Thanks.", he said. "I didn't think someone as nice as you could be related to Ben.", she whispered in his ear. "Oh really?", he said. "I mean, he is cool and all... I just don't know sometimes. He and Ian used to be even closer than they are now. I feel sorry for Ian. Whenever I see him, he is always so... anxious. Maybe a year ago was when he just... died inside. We were all splitting up and going our different ways. Most of us had intentions of staying... but some did not. So he and me and Julie tried to keep everyone together through thick and thin... Ben was the least complacent.", she said. "Sounds a lot like a Hero of Blood to me.", GR said, looking down. "No, this wasn't for his friendship, this was for him. So we stayed together... and look where that got us.", Ava said grimly. "So, GR... how did you become... you know... a Sprite?", she asked, trying to change the subject. "Well, I used to be Ben's...", he began. Ben stared at GR after he walked in. "Roof now.", he said coldly. "What do you need me for now?", he asked. "I-I think I'll g-go.", Ava said. "Yeah. This doesn't concern you.", Ben said. She stood, and GR grabbed her arm. "No! Wait!", he said. She ignored him, and GR glared at Ben. "And you need me for...?", he asked. "We need to talk.", Ben said. They walked to the top of their tower, talking as they did so. "You should really be nicer to her.", GR said, his voice cold and calculating. "Why should I?", Ben asked. "She is one of the only people you can trust anymore, and even then you push her away. It is almost a little pathetic.", GR said. "Listen, Sprite. I have some things to say. Our entire species just died at the drop of a pin; friendships are not my first concern anymore.", Ben said. "Also, friendship isn't even your job.", Ben said. "Perhaps not. But neither was getting killed and being bossed around.", GR said. They reached the summit of the tower and stood alone on it as the green sky grew dark from storming rain.

"What do you need... knowledge? Tips on this world? Some health? Go ahead, Prince, I am all ears.", he said. "I need you to stop.", he said coldly. "Stop talking to Ava.", he said. "Why?", GR asked. He would have been confused if not for the fact he was a robot. "It is jeopardizing our mission, Ben.", Ben said. "Don't call me that... Prince. I am not you.", he said coldly. "I will never BE you.", he said. "Why do you even bother with her? You know what is going to happen to you when Skaia is attacked.", Ben said. "You will fade away into Skaia, most likely to never be seen again...", he commented. "I know that quite well. But maybe I would rather spend my expendable lifespan with some dignity left when I go up in a blazing explosion. Heck, kill me now. See if I care.", he said, looking at the horizon. "We don't have time for Ava to mourn for you when you do. She needs to cut off all ties with you.", he said. "Who made you leader?", he asked. "I am the Prince of Blood.... and you will listen to me... Sprite.", he said. "Oh, will I? Ava told me about you. You cause more harm here than anyone else.", GR said. "You have wounded the team in ways I did not know were possible for a Session.", GR said. "Do you think anyone here is happy with how you act?", GR said. "Huh?", "Don't act like you don't know. Long before this game started... you wounded your team in ways unseen. I have been analyzing this robot's data, and it has shown me a ton. From what you did... everyone turned against you. And you thought you could get their love back by stopping the game before it started! You tried destroying the entirety of Derse just so that people would appreciate you. You know what that caused?", GR asked. "What?", Ben grunted. "The entire Dersian fleet to come and try and wipe you all out... because of what you did... Ava was killed, and the Seer went crazy!", GR said, walking over to Ben.

"Don't act like I did that, man. You are my Dream self--", "Who you used like a tool for months. So that is why I decided... an identity was in order for me.", GR said. "So... you are doing this out of spite?!", Ben yelled. "No... just training.", GR said. "What does that mean?", Ben asked. "The armies of Derse will arrive sooner or later, and they want your head. I hope you realize that. After running a few diagnostics... I realized that you are a hindrance to the Session. So... I will do what you cannot.", GR said. "Or I can stay here and give a few coy hints. After all, I am just a Sprite!", GR yelled. "Your passive-aggressiveness is getting annoying.", Ben said. "I think I can fix that.", Ben said. He pulled out Ava's sword, and ran at GR. He stepped back, and looked at Ben. "I wouldn't do that if I were you.", GR said, pulling out his machine gun. "You don't even know how to use that weapon.", GR said. "Eh. It will be funnier to see you killed by your only friend's weapon.", Ben said. "Symbolic, really. You destroy so much friendships in life... that you quite literally are killing the version of you even capable of keeping friends.", GR said. "Shut up. I am sick of your whole intelligent robot shtick. You know just as much as me. You are me.", Ben said, swinging the blade, cutting a large gash in GR's chest. He looked at his chest slowly, finding black oil try and leak through. "Shut up!", GR said, as Ben tried to slash again. "Funny. You expect to kill me when your suicide mission against Jack proved unfruitful? Pathetic.", GR said, jumping back. "Just be quiet for one second!", Ben said. "You don't know what I am dealing with here! Do you think I enjoy it any more than you? I don't want to be the loner.", "Hmph. Do you think you deserve my sympathy? I cannot be held at fault for your failure. I have done everything in my power to make sure that I don't do what you did. I have only done exactly what you won't and can't!", GR said. "What makes you think you have succeeded?", Ben asked. "Because I did not spend my entire Session sitting around and trying to be the leader you aren't.", GR said. "Perhaps you would doubt me? Well remember...", GR began, hitting a button on his wrist. A recording of Ben spurted from his mouth. "You are me.", the recording said. "So now you admit it!", Ben said. "No. Just using your words against you."

He fired the machine gun, and a bullet hit Ben's shoulder. He fell backward, covered in blood. "Consider this a warning.", GR said. GR walked over to Ben, putting out his hand to pull him up. "N-No...", Ben said. He jumped up, putting his hand in the gash, and squeezing his uranium heart. GR stepped back to get away, only to have Ben tug on his uranium heart. Some wires tore, and GR stepped back, twitching. "B-Ben. I don't know if you...", he said, glitching as he spoke. "I will tear you--", Ben began. GR spazzed, accidentally firing several bullets into Ben's chest. Bulletholes dotted his chest and abdomen as he stood. Blood flew in all directions as GR tried his best to shut down the weapon. Eventually, he tore his own hand off in hopes of stopping the fire. Ben was in a state of shock. Blood fell from his mouth and his wounds as he stumbled back. He fell to the floor, blood pooling all over. GR stood frozen, and dropped his gun. He just stared at the corpse.

ACT 8 PART 2 INTERMISSION 1

BE THE KNIGHT OF SPACE A FEW MONTHS AGO

Julie had been waiting patiently the past few hours. Ian had finally finished the new chat client after copious help from herself. She would have felt proud, but really didn't care. She didn't care about much really. But one thing she was interested in was the new game. She had just received an e-mail speaking of winning such games. Apparently, they were to be "testing" it. But that was beside the point now. She saw as the snow still crawled across the large amounts of grass around her home. She held a sketchbook in her hand as her mind winded with ideas of what to draw. Everywhere she looked, she saw the next piece of art, waiting to be found.

Her fingers ached, as she had just come back from the shooting range with her father. She couldn't stand her family sometimes. She had locked herself in her room again. To be fair, she could only tolerate her friends. Then again, even some of them got on her nerves. Callie was a pretty nice kid if you had her in the right mood, but Callie was always trying to play match maker, so she preferred to not provoke her. Besides, the two were almost completely different, at least, that is what Julie's journal said. Now Ben... he was a special case. She kinda stayed away from him. Then again, she had yet to even see him in general lately.

Riley and Ava had always been close friends to her... too bad she barely saw them now. Ever since they transferred schools, she supposed that maybe it just wasn't meant to be. The only other person still in school with her was Ian. To put it bluntly, he was a nervous wreck after Ben left. A complete and utter wreck. He wouldn't talk much, and never ate at lunch. So, Julie started talking to him. They had before, but they talked... a lot. Mostly about things they hated... therefore, there was quite a bit of stuff to talk about. She still has yet to know if it was out of pity, or legitimate concern for someone's well being. But that did not matter now. Soon enough, her game would arrive. Maybe it would be a bonding experience for them?

ACT 8 PART 2

BE GR

GR still sat on the edge of the building, staring out into the void.The sky had revealed patches of a bright blue over the blanket of deep emerald. He held Ben's phone in his hand after readjusting his disembodied arm and putting it back in the socket. He looked through it, finding the camera. He pulled it up, gazing at his metallic face. "I-I would... appreciate if you didn't... take my phone.", said a voice. GR looked back, seeing Ben still clinging to life. "How are you alive?", GR asked. "Simple. I-I guess Sburb d-d-d-does miracles to the body... specifically how long it can b-bleed out for. Besides... all my lungs and s-such are still okay.", he said, snickering. "Now t-tell me... what d-do you plan to d-do now?", Ben asked. "Everything here is a fraud. Even me, everything. If we are to reach the point where we are truly free of this game... I need to save myself. What you did to me... will be my death.", GR said. His blue eyes gleamed, only to flicker and dim. What would Ava say? He was dying. In a few days, this husk of a body would catch up to him. He was trapped inside a corpse. Only now did it hit him. "This entire solar system is a series of zeros and ones, delicately put together to create the same dirt you walk upon. I... have a mission.", GR said. "I will harness this power. If I can find the key to manipulating this world from the inside... I will hold the power to change this world. A simple digit holds an entire reality.", GR said. "What a-are you saying?", Ben said. "I am going to cheat God. I am going to hack Sburb. I am going to escape death by erasing it.", GR said. "Only then will we be safe... only then will she be safe.", GR mumbled. Ben coughed before smiling. "Wow... some dreams...", he said. He slumped over. GR looked back at the corpse. He walked to it, picking it up. He hoisted it up in his arms before throwing it off the tower and into the gassy fog. He saw the corpse disappear into the distance. "I will not cheat God... I will erase the throne he gave himself and create a new one... a better one.

BE THE SEER OF RAGE

Callie sat in Ava's home, typing away. She saw Ava walk through the door. She had changed her wardrobe slightly. She wore all black with bright, red sneakers. Over that was a cape with a hood resembling a red dragon with green eyes made of buttons. She walked through the door, and slumped over the alchemizer, creating a small bag of chips. She picked it up, shoveling the chips into her mouth. "You okay?", Callie asked. "Yeah. I guess... nice dress.", Ava said. Callie now wore a black dress with purple stripes and long sleeves. "Thanks.", Callie said. She continued typing. "What are you doing moping around?", Callie asked. "Well, are entire race is dead, so there is that.", Ava said. She went to her desk, throwing stuff around. "You seen a bottle with small tablets inside? I need some sleep.", "Oh, those. Nah. GR came by a few hours ago and took them.", Callie said. "Oh. Can I listen to your relationship troubles?", Ava said. "Why?", "Cause even they can put a Denizen to sleep. Speakin' of which. You wanna come with me to fight mine?", "Why do you need to? All I had to do was talk to them.", Callie said. "You are the only person to talk to their Denizen. But hey, I am not gonna judge.", Ava said. She shoveled more of her chips into her mouth. "Whatever. I really don't wanna do the quest anyways.", Ava said. "Hm?', Callie said. "I'm supposed to like, stop my Denizen from eating the crystals everywhere because they... help the NPCs? I dunno. It is stupid. Having a Sprite would be useful but of course it had to fly away.", Ava said. "Don't be like that.", Callie said. "No. At least yours died. There was nothing you could do about that... but for me... he just flew away!", Ava said. "Look. Maybe Ian can help.", Callie said. "How? Don't you remember? He is dead.", Ava said. "What?", Callie said. "He escaped on his way to go rescue Riley. Obviously, this thing got to him a little too quick.", Ava said. "Don't you think Julie would have told us in person by now?", Callie asked. "Who knows. I'll talk to her right now.

LivingLuck began chatting with InsomniaticJury

IJ: What?

LL: Hi. Me and Cal were talking. Is Ian okay? He hasn't responded to any of our messages or anything.

IJ: I don't want to talk about him. Not now.

LL: Is he alive?

IJ: Yeah. But whatever happened while he was gone must have been... a little... freaky. He is in the other room right now. He passed out a little while ago. He got pretty wounded wherever he was.

LL: What was he doing before he passed out?

IJ: Well, for starters, he was edgier than a five sided razor. And... he looked... sick. He wasn't himself.

LL: How could you tell?

IJ: Because people don't normally have purple eyes and a bloodlust.

LL: Oh... Well, where was he?

IJ: He ascended.

LL: Wait... what?

IJ: Great, another exposition dump... let me explain. When someone... ascends. They basically become a god in tacky pajamas based off of their role in Sburb.

LL: Like, immortal?

IJ: Yeah. And now I am too. So there is that

LL: Wow! Can I? Can you help me get tacky pajamas

IJ: We can see. Wait, I think Ian is waking up. Can you come over here? Riley is busy trying to keep him calm, but that is about it.

LL: Can Cal come?

IJ: Fine. Just get over here.

BE THE MAGE OF TIME

"Ian?", asked a voice. Ian awoke, turning to look at the source of the voice. It was Julie. He looked around. He was in a bed, bruises covering his body. Bandages ran across his abdomen and arms as he turned. His head pounded as he looked. Riley was with him. She looked at him with intent eyes as she held gauze. "You okay?", she asked. "Y-yeah.", Ian said, rubbing his head. He looked over, seeing Julie wearing the clothing of a true Knight. "Where is Ben?", Ian asked. "We called. He didn't answer.", Julie said. "D-did something happen to him? Oh God, I need to reset!", Ian said. He sat up, groaning in pain. Under his hands, wisps of red light appeared before fading. He felt intense pain and fell back onto his back. "You are going to overexert yourself at this rate. You need to sleep a little bit more. At least until Ava and Callie arrive.", "Callie is coming?", Ian asked. "Oh lord.", he said. Julie took notice to the area around his robotic arm. It was bloody and bruised as wires crawled up his arm. It was shoddily stitched, as if he had done it himself. "Jack! Get more soup!", Julie said. "Soup? You mean that hot water mixed with soggy plants you humans call food? Fine. We are running low on Grist though.", Jack said as he slowly flew towards the Alchemiter. Two figures walked into the room. It was Ava, Callie following after. "Hey Ian!", she said, running after. She saw his robotic arm. "What happened?", "I don't want to talk about it.", Ian said. Callie walked in quietly as she saw Ian. She gasped. Ian looked over, seeing her. "So, how are you?", Callie asked. It was the first time she had seen her in person since the game started. "Well, fine. Being a god has its perks.", Julie said. "It is so nice to see you guys in person!", Ava said, hugging Julie. "Yeah. Same here. Shame the circumstances aren't the best.", Julie said. "Ian, go clean yourself up. You have blood all over you.", Riley said. Ian stood up. "Fine. My only other clothes are mangled.", Ian said. "We thought of that. We alchemized some new clothed for you.", Riley said. "Thanks.", he said.

All was quiet. The silent hum of the lights was drowned out by chatter. "What is with the sword, Julez? You seemed like a rifle gal to me.", Ava said. "Yeah. But I am a Knight.", "So? I imagine what looks cool and what is effective are not one in the same anymore.", Callie commented. "A blade is the weapon of a leader.", Julie said. "Well, look where that got ya. What... what happened? With Ian?", "I don't know. He just... something clicked in his head. I think the game finally caught up to him.", Julie said. "In case you haven't noticed, he is dying. And I didn't do it to him. I might go consult my Denizen. Still haven't talked to her.", Julie said. "I suppose.", Ava said.

BE THE MAGE OF TIME

He sat at the chess table again, looking at Callie. "So, I am surprised how far you have gotten in this game.", Callie said. "Which one? Chess, Sburb, or the slave game.", "Don't be so persistent. Because of me, you have yet another god on your side.", Callie said. "And what if I wasn't able to revive her?", Ian asked. "That is impossible. I have run calculations, equations, predictions, you name it. Your inability to ever just leave things be was all that I needed.", Callie said. "But now that your body is more comfortable with my influence, I am sure that you would have no problem... with more drastic measures.", Callie said. "What do you mean?", Ian said, standing. He fell back onto his chair. "As soon as your body is ready to perform again, you will carry out anything I say.", Callie said. "What does that mean?", Ian asked. Suddenly, the illusion faded. He was in the storage closet of the lab. In his hand was an old pistol. He stepped back. "So... what do you say? If you don't comply... maybe I won't hesitate to have you use this on... them?", Callie asked. She pointed, and Ian turned. Suspended in the air were several corpses. "What if I resist!?", Ian asked. "You and I are alike, Ian. All you would be doing is proving my point.", Callie said. "So... do we have a deal?", Callie asked. Ian stood. He turned his head. He saw them.

BE JACK NOIR

Jack watched the 4 girls talk, rolling his eyes. He took another swig of his bottle, his head still sore. He saw Julie smile, and he almost smirked himself. It did the old Dersite good to know some people still enjoyed themselves here. He took another sip, finding the bottle had run dry. He dropped it, walking to find another. He floated down into the kitchen. On the large counter was a glowing, green bird. "Hey kid? Who brought the radioactive... flying thing?", Jack said. "Jack, that is a bird.", Julie said. "Wait... what?", "Yeah, Ian's Sprite is a bird.", Julie said. "What?", Ian said, walking into the room. He now wore some extra clothes. His suit was thrown out, so he now wore a black one with a white tie. "Wait, oh no!", Ian said. He ran for his Sprite, trying to catch it. Jack put out his hand to make contact with the Sprite. "Stop!", Ian said. As they made contact, a blast of white light was seen. It burned brightly, a silhouette of light within it. As the light faded, the white figure fell to the floor. It was Jack...er, Jack and a bird. Birdoirsprite. Jack stood. His hands had large talons, feathers shooting from his elbows. Large wings protruded from his back. He was bright yellow now. "Wha...", he asked himself. "Jack!", Julie said. Jack looked around, seeing everyone. "Do not think this makes me hate ya any less, kids. Squak.", Jack said aloud. He went into the fridge, pulling out another bottle. "Don't talk to me for a while.", Jack said, leaving. It was silent. Julie looked over to Ian. "You fixed yourself up.", Julie said. "About as good as a mentally unstable god with a missing arm could. But sure I guess.", Ian said. "Can I go home now?", Ian asked. "Uh, no. Your organs are literally switched around. I am pretty sure your lung is down near your hip now. We can wait until you heal.", Riley said. "Then get to it with your Witch powers, Ri.", Ian said. "Am I the one in tacky pajamas and an old suit?", Riley asked. "So, Julie? Where do you sleep?", Callie asked. "I don't.", Julie said. "Can... you show us around?", "Fine.", Julie said.

BE GR A FEW HOURS LATER

GR was wandering through the void of space. The sky was black, and asteroids circled the hollow horizon. Like splatters of paint, figures just out of reach flew through the void, trying to speak to GR. However, he ignored them. Plates of metal on his arm had already peeled away, revealing its skeletal structure. A large patch of his face was gone as well. The bandage on his head was now around his neck. He kept flying, sitting on a large rock. He saw another bolt fall from his metallic joints. "Soon...", he mumbled. Out of his pocket was Ben's phone. He scrolled through it, seeing pictures of him and his friends. "No...", GR said. He saw as the screen began to crack. "I cannot give up now. I came so far...", he said. "I don't want to die.", he said again. Whether he liked it or not, he was permanently linked to Ben. If Ben was to come back... GR was to die. But the team didn't need Ben. He caused more harm than good... at least... for all GR knew. This was confusing. He put his hand to his chest, feeling the heat of his robotic heart inside him. It was getting closer...

BE THE KNIGHT OF SPACE

"And... that is the tour. Can you two leave now? I have stuff to work on.", Julie said as they came to the door. "Rude.", Callie mumbled. "Am I now? Well, I have stuff to get done.", Julie said. "Can't we stay the night? Right around now is when the imps start prowling.", Callie said. "Callie. We have a lot on our plates right now.", "Like what? So says the magic god girl.", Callie sighed. "Me and Riley are kinda, you know, making sure our friend doesn't bleed out.", Julie said. "Oh! And after that, I need to work on a magical frog.", Julie said. "What--", "I'll explain later. Translation... get out.", "No.", said a voice. It was Ian. He limped over. "I think it would be fun to see them again. The last time we saw these guys in person, the human population was over 6.", Ian said. He sat down slowly. "...Fine. I think there are some guest rooms in the other room. Just don't bother me or Riley.", Julie said. Everyone scattered, and the sky over Julie's planet grew dark. Riley sat aside of Ian as he slept, reading a book. In the other room, Julie explored the dusty lab. Inside the room were machines of all types. "Hello?", she asked as the metal creaked. She slipped on a wet tile, and slammed her hand onto a large blue button. Aside of her, a large, blue light shot at the ground. The blinding light surrounded the house, and everything went silent. Now, in the light's place... were six babies. Julie looked at them. One had short, blonde hair like her. The other wore small glasses and had brown hair, like Ian. Each of the babies looked exactly like her and her friends. Were these... their past selves. "What?", Ian asked, walking into the room. He saw nothing. He felt a tugging feeling. He looked down, seeing his baby self. "...I am so, so done. What did you do Julie?", Ian asked as his baby self began crawling up his leg. "I dunno! I hit a button and--", "Omigosh! What is this?", Ava and Callie said. They looked around, seeing the babies. "Where did they come from?", Ava asked. "Careful.", Ian said. "Wait, what is this?", Ian asked. Another baby, specifically Ben's past self, was throwing up on his shoe. "Sigh... you two are so lucky we would fade from existence if I--", "Can we keep them!?", Ava asked. "No. If we don't send these guys back to their proper time, we will die and fade from reality itself.", Ian said. "Plus, the one threw up on my shoe. I think I hate them already.", Ian said. "Come on, Ian! Maybe you won't be such a stick in the mud if you just spend some time with them!", Callie said. "My spine is disfigured in 7 places and my liver is most likely somewhere in my arm. If I wasn't immortal, I would be a lump of skin by now.", Ian said. "I am going to go sleep.", Ian said. As he left the room, the children followed him. "Oh, no. That is not how it is going to be!", Ian said. Julie went to grab the children. They quickly ran away from her, giggling. Ben proceeded to throw up on her hand. She fell back in disgust. "Okay, which one is on my head again?", Ian asked as Ava's past self crawled across his head. "I swear if you damage the suit I will kill you all.", Ian said. "Hush little baby don't you cry~", said a voice. Ian turned, seeing past Callie, Julie, and Riley in present day Riley's arms, sleeping calmly. "Okay, this is weird.", Ian said. "And get the kid out of my hair.", Ian said. He put out his finger, the baby being engulfed in red light. Its bright eyes looked around, and it clapped as it flew through the air. He set the child down, walking out of the room. "Ava, I don't know if this is the right environment for six children.", Julie said, wiping down her hand with sandpaper. "Just for a few nights? I'll even run back to my house for supplies.", Ava said. "We stole our past selves from our parents. What makes you think that we can be parents?", Julie said. "This is dumb.", she said. "Come ooon~", Ava said. "Oh boy! I can go back, grab supplies, and call GR!", Ava said, running away. "...This better be good. For all of us... Ian?", Julie asked. "Yeah?", he asked. "If I cut off my right hand, will it grow back?", Julie asked. "I have a robotic one for a reason!", he said. "What?", Julie asked. He had fallen asleep.

ACT 8 PART 3

BE THE KNIGHT OF SPACE A FEW HOURS LATER

"Ragh!", Julie screamed as she swung her blade. Ian jumped back, dodging the attack. "You still aren't fast enough!", Ian yelled, jumping around from gear to gear. Julie stretched out her arm, seeing the gear under Ian's feet crumble to dust. Ian floated in place, looking down. His beady, purple eyes gleaming and sickly face smiling. Julie took a breath, leaning on her blade. She looked around. Ian appeared behind her, readying his wand. As the light collected around his wand, Julie turned her head. In a blast of white fire, she flew into a mound of rotten gears. It was blurry in her vision as she stood. A searing pain resided in her side, and she put her hand on it. She looked at her hand. It was covered in the same, crimson shade that she had seen so many times. She limped, seeing Ian's silhouette in her vision. "You won't get anywhere with that pathetic sword!", he said aloud. He appeared in front of her, firing a blast at her blade. In a flash, she saw as the sword had blocked the attack. Julie looked at it in awe, seeing small cracks form within it until it shattered.

She almost fell to her knees. "No...", she said. She put out her hand and pointed it at Ian. In a flash, the steel ground underneath him morphed, and a sharp blade of metal formed behind Ian. He turned his head before the structure stabbed his back. He gasped as he saw it, just under his chin. His eyes grew wide, and the purple faded from them. His crimson eyes were weak and heavy. "J-Julie...", he gasped. Blood was all over his suit, dying it crimson. Julie crumbled to the floor, looking at Ian. She looked at him. The crimson faded from his eyes, replaced with his regular hazel shade. "I... didn't mean to...", Julie said. His head had bowed over, and Julie saw as she herself fell into death's hand.

She gasped awake, sweat covering her face. Aside of her was Jack, sitting at a small desk and sipping from his bottle. He looked at her. "You okay?", he asked. "Y-yeah.", Julie said. She stood, floating around the room. "I need a drink.", she said calmly, searching for the water. The sky was black, and Julie froze as she felt the cold air. She saw the other room. Ava had returned to her home to alchemize some materials. Riley held Callie's past self, trying to calm her. "Where is the water?", Julie asked. Riley shrugged. "Go alchemize some.", she said. Julie nodded, and walked down the large halls and into the room containing the alchemiter. Ian was now in here, sleeping atop the alchemiter. Julie rolled her eyes. In his hand was a small roll of bandages. His robotic arm gripped them tightly. In his other hand was his past self, sleeping as well. She walked over quietly, took the baby from his arm, and kicked him into the wall. "Get off my alchemiter!", she said. He hit the floor, still asleep.

BE GR

He stood upward, looking onward into the horizon of Skaia. Its blue light and beauty shining onward. GR took Ben's phone, and saw Ava having sent Ben a text. "Hey Ben! Come meet me at Julie's place! There is a surprise!", Ava said. GR looked at Ava's planet. It was a collection of purple fog, blue rocks surrounding it in a ring of aqua shades. He began flying towards it, making sure as to not hit one of the many asteroids. As the black sky became lit up with Skaia's glow and the clouds separated from it, he came closer and closer. Dersite ships carrying small teams of soldiers were getting closer. They would be sent out to scout the land before any real attack would be held.

BE THE GHOST OF THE SEER
"I can see you are nervous.", Callie said as she played with Ian. "We both know why.", she smiled. "Remember, if you even try to go against my orders...", Callie said. "I will not hesitate to have you dispose of them.", Callie said. "Why? Why are you doing this?", Ian asked. "The voices of rage have spoken to me, and I have brought them to you. You will carry out what I cannot now. It is cold here. I want some new friends.", she said. Ian took down one of her pawns. "One day you will let your guard down, and I will take control back from you.", Ian said. He saw the pistol in the ghost's hand. He kicked the board away, jumping over the table. He grabbed the pistol. He put it to his head. "New deal. If you even think of getting out of line, I will not hesitate of removing the only host you have. When I die, you will be erased as well.", Ian said. Callie froze. She bowed her head, her shoulders shaking. "Pfft.... Hahahaha!", Callie said. "Despite what you think... about this whole... being a god thing... you have so much to learn!", Callie said. She laughed violently. "Wha...", "You cannot die!", Callie said. "The only way you can die is if you die a just or heroic death!", Callie said. Ian dropped the pistol, the illusion fading. He now was in the bathroom, crumbled on the floor. "You are stuck with me for the long run... pal.", Callie said. Ian still held the pistol in his hand. He cupped it in his hands, unable to move. "Heroic... or Just...?", he asked himself. "Ian?", a voice said behind him. It was Riley. When she saw Ian, she gasped. She corrected herself, and smiled. "Wanna talk about it over coffee?", Riley asked. "I don't...", Ian began. "Go with her.", Callie said in the back of his mind. He stood. "Sure.", Ian said. "If she wants the truth, give her what she wants to hear, and maybe I will go unnoticed. Remember, if you disobey...", "Do you ever shut up?", Ian asked under his breath. "What?", Riley asked. "Nothing, Ri.", Ian said. "Good.", Callie said. The two sat down. "Care to explain?", Riley asked. "What do you mean?", Ian asked as he gripped his hand with the other. "I can tell when my friends aren't happy. I refuse to think that you were always like this. What is wrong?", Riley asked. Ian laughed. He rubbed his head. "Well, for starters, I wanna know how you are so okay with things. Everyone is either dead or missing and you have yet to think that anyone would possibly just be slightly sullen. I have seen everyone die, kill, and fade into the endless void of timelines I find hard to care about! You have no idea what I have seen. And don't even bother acting like you care.", Ian said, standing. Riley was not moved. She still smiled at him. "I am sorry. It's just... I don't want... there is something... else, now. Do you want to know exactly how I got here?", Ian asked. "Of course.", Riley said. "Idiot! You'll get me killed if you blurt anything out! I swear if you...", Callie said. Ian began speaking.

BE THE KNIGHT OF SPACE

Julie sat alone on the hills of her planet, watching the sky shift in shades of drained yellow and a pastel blue. Before her was the cave her Denizen resided in. She had only heard stories from the NPCs within the towns nearby. Stories told her it had "A body of the strongest trunk, with the bloodlust of the largest war.". This was going to be a challenge for any hero willing to risk their life and defeat the Denizen. Of course, Julie was one of the few who had the advantages of being a god. Perhaps she would not even need to complete her quest. But, she would.

It was almost as if she had been drawn into its domain. A presence was guiding her. Was it Jack? Perhaps Space itself was in tune with her. She held her sword in her hand. She didn't care what Ian said. Well, it was an alternate Ian that had died and met her in a weird... forget it. Besides, each of them were idiots that didn't know the meaning of "making sense". Except the original Ian had a deathwish, and the other was a depressed tool. No diagram could summarize what exactly was going on in the recent days. She continued down the trail, the walls of solidified honey fading away, revealing a red rock tunnel underneath. It was almost like the tunnels of Earth... too bad it was a ball of fire and death off in another dimension.

BE GR

GR stopped, and sat upon a rock nearby Ava's house. He had logged into his client account, and decided he needed some advice. Ben always did talk to Ian. At least, that is what he thought. They seemed like good friends.

GhostyRoyal began chatting with TimelessVisionary

GR: Mage. May I speak with you?

TV: Ugh. I was sleeping. What?

GR: I need some advice... on how to... talk to people.

TV: Look, GR, I am not the person who you should ask.

GR: I mean... someone you, pardon my human speech... like? (Kinda still new to you know, being alive)

TV: That makes things even worse. You are wasting both of our time.

GR: My entire existence is a waste of time, and you have all the time in the world. I see no problem.

TV: Well... I need to know who we are talking about here. But make it quick. I already have enough inhuman voices nagging me.

GR: Like whom?

TV: Not your problem. But... answer the question.

GR: Not your problem.

TV: Fine... just... take some time to talk to Riley or something.

GR: Riley does not understand. She is a female.

TV: And you are a dang robot ghostboy who has a fetish for coyness and bothering me, I don't really care.

GR: Of course. I always think about how I am to pester you. If I was not a robot, I would sweat out enough rivers to fix the planet you refuse to.

GR: Sweat sweat.

TV: I see that robotic body also gave you the traits of a resident sass master like myself. Woosh. Long live the king.

GR: Ah? So you are aware of the memories within this robotic body?

TV: Yeah, kinda. If this makes any sense, that robotic body is basically just a robot me built by an alternate julie from one of the many timelines.

GR: Makes sense.

GR: You know, I hear a lot of talk, but no answers.

TV: Jesus. If you wanted to act that way ya might as well say "I'm a robotic idiot with an IQ I can count on one finger."

GR: What is Jesus?

TV: You're kidding. You mean to tell me you can create a god complex and spout some philosophical junk about thrones and junk that would most likely end up on a poster in some emo kid's room... and you don't know who Jesus is. For your info, he is some magic guy with a beard who... forget it.

GR: Fair enough. But need I remind you I am technically only about a month old?

TV: You want to play god. Some dreams for an edgy baby.

GR: Screw you.

TV: In case you forgot, I'm not Ben. Save your trash talk for people who actually care.

TV: Cause I don't. I have dealt with much, much worse.

GR: Like what?
TV: None of your business. This isn't about me.

GR: Correct. Now, let us get back on topic.

TV: Well... I assume you just ask him?

GR: Him? I am not talking about the Prince.

TV: Oh.

TV: Oh.

TV: You mean Av?

GR: Yes.

GR: I really never realized until now. I guess looking through the memories of this robotic husk has really taught me about how humans are supposed to react. Surprising. Experiencing the life... you... you know, lived... has taught me alot.

TV: That everyone around me is an idiot?

GR: I went inside your small little head, and lived your life for you. Everything you know, I know. But what I know that you don't is that you had it lucky.

TV: You're serious?

GR: Aside from the whole end of the world thing, you need to realize people are still there for you and have been the whole time. You have friends.

GR: I don't.

TV: Don't play victim here. None of us deserve any sympathy. You and I are the same.

TV: Just a bunch of idiots who try and be what they aren't...

TV: good people.

TV: its a mystery that not even the most knowledgeable of Light Player could solve.

TV: You wanna know the Ultimate Riddle?

GR: Yes?

TV: Why we still care about them.

GR: Elaborate.

TV: Every other second is a wasted second. Everyone has their limit before their demise. Life itself is a ticking time bomb that we hide under a rug and drown out with our own uselessness.

GR: Your point?

TV: As of now, we are that time bomb. But I don't just hide everyone's time bomb. I abandon their lives just to find more that will last for at least a minute longer. People like J and Ben don't deserve to waste their time on us. They don't deserve to have us steal their lives.

TV: I destroy their Time. And Time destroys me in the process.

TV: But go on then, GR. Go get her.

GR: Seriously?

TV: No. Just wanted to show ya that I can be an edgy baby too.

GR: Screw you again.

TV: Don't care again.

GhostlyRoyal has been kicked from chat.

TV: Just a joke... yeah.

GR walked into Ava's house. He heard rustling upstairs. But when the noise of the door shutting ran through the house, everything was silent. He limped through the home, being sure as to not knock anything over. His vision clouded, and static patches appeared in his vision. He slumped around as he walked upstairs, reaching Ava's room. He knocked on the door. As Ava opened the door, shock fell onto her face. GR proceeded to fall to the ground, catching himself with his only arm. As he collided with the ground, small cracks formed in his hand. "...GR...?", Ava asked. "Heh. Yeah. I guess I got a little messed up since you l-l-le-le--", he began. His voice began to glitch. "Whoa whoa! Slow down!", Ava said, having him sit down. "Here. I will grab some bandages.", she said. "Bandages can't fix bullet wounds, Ava.", GR said. "...What?", she asked. "Nothing. I have... something to tell you.", GR said. "Before you go and start dumping me with sob stories, take a nap. Maybe we could have a sleepover! You need it--", "No. More. Sleeping. For once, can't you just stay awake and listen to me?", GR asked. "I-I am so sorry. I don't feel a-a-as-s good now.", he said. "Good thing I have... these!", Ava said. She pulled out a small, steel box. Inside were spare wires and metallic limbs. "What-- did you make these--", "No! I borrowed them from Julie.", "You mean 'stole'.", GR said. "Well, at least they aren't going to waste!", Ava said. She pulled GR closer. "Just sit still. Let me work my magic.", Ava said.

A FEW HOURS LATER
"...And almost done!!", Ava said as she held the new arm for GR in her hand. He was fully pollished, most of his appendages having been fixed back into place. "I feel like a new man. Thanks Ava.", GR said. "Well, it gives me something to do. That reminds me! Do you and Ben wanna visit Julie's later today? We have a surprise to show you two.", Ava said. "Ben... won't be going.", GR said. "What? Is he sick? Riley could help.", Ava said, freezing before she could weld the arm into socket. "No... well, I guess not. Do... do you know how to keep a secret?", GR asked. "Yeah. I'm your friend!", Ava said. "Yeah... friend... nothing more... nothing less I guess... heh.", GR said. "Thanks for being such a good... friend I guess. But... can I tell you something... a little personal?", GR asked. "Sure?", Ava asked. "I... I really, really, like--", GR began. Before he could finish, his voice glitched. "What?", Ava asked. GR hugged Ava, and she froze. "What...?", Ava asked. She pushed him away slightly. "So... uh, what... did you have to, uh, tell me?", Ava asked. "I... I killed him.....", GR began. Ava's eyes grew wide. "Ben? You... killed Ben?", Ava asked. "It was an accident. My arm twitched, and before I knew it, my gun went off--", "Get. Out.", Ava said. "W-what?", GR asked. "You killed him?!", Ava asked. "Well, kinda? He messed up my processor and-", "But you killed him! Oh my gog!", Ava said. She began to cry as she yelled. "You promised you would be there for me! What makes you think I would let you do this! As my honorary Sprite-", "Enough with that garbage. You and I both know that I am not your Sprite! No matter how hard I try... I am just another Ben. I am just another person here being what he isn't.", GR said.

GR stood. Ava threw the robotic arm at GR. "...I hate you.", Ava said. GR was frozen. "Go ahead...not the first one.", GR said as he picked up the arm. He left the room.

BE THE KNIGHT OF SPACE

Julie was alone in a black void. Even the sound of her blood running had gone silent. She screamed out, finding not even an echo returning to her. She looked around. She felt something grip her shoulder. She turned around, and saw the outline of a figure dissipate into the void. She turned back after minutes of staring, hoping to hear a noise or see the silhouette. Just out of reach, the outline of something... stranger than human. Julie kept looking around. Surrounding and dotting the horizon were other forms. Some resembled... human like appearances. Others... masses of faces and tendrils. She heard their voices. They soothed... but tore apart her brain. She turned around. In front of her was now a large mass of colored light. Each individual shade was found on what seemed like several bubbles. They shot out a glow. Julie flew towards them, and put her hand on the bubble. It felt like clay. As she stared, small strands of light crawled up her arm. Soon enough, she was absorbed into the bubble. "Ahh!", she yelled. She hit the ground. Suddenly, waves of sounds and colors and smells filled her nostrils. It was almost like the smell of clean grass. She looked around. It was a clean plain, figures walking around on it. It looked almost like the large amounts of grass atop the hill her house once sat on. She stood. The sky was blue. It was Earth. Was this a dream? Clearly, since she still stood in her robes and cape. She held no presence over this land, she could feel it. It was almost like she was far away from even space. She was somewhere else entirely. She began to float off the ground, and she flew through the air.

Under her, the grass began to grow sparse, the figures dissipating as they went far away.

She grimaced as a familiar, overwhelming heat blew at her. She crashed to the ground, and stood. She was in the stuffy lab. "H-how?", she asked. She saw a figure at the large terminal. It was Riley. "Riley! Thank God? Where am I?", Julie asked. Riley turned. Her figure was horrifying. Her skin had blots of blood covering it, burn marks across her skin. She wore a beige dress with a large, brown hood and green, knee high socks. It was the clothing of a Witch of Life. "Julie? Y-your eyes! You're... you're alive?", Riley asked. She ran to hug Julie. Julie grimaced as she put out her arms to push the figure away. "G-go away!", Julie said. "You're not Riley!", Julie said. Riley froze. "Well, obviously. It's just... wow. I am just... shocked there is still a timeline left. Most of them got devoured already.", Riley said. "What?", Julie asked. "Uh... Nothing. It is just... your eyes are n-normal, which means you... you are alive! And... since you aren't dead... that means there is still a timeline left... there is still hope.", Riley said. "What does that mean?", Julie asked. "Nothing! I don't wanna spoil anything.", Riley said, putting her finger over her mouth. "But... who are you?", Julie asked. "Just another of many Riley's. Welcome to the Dream Bubbles! These little pockets of gog knows what are where players of Sburb go when they... well, kick the bucket. But hey, what can ya do! At least I am here with all my friends!", Riley said. "How did you... die?", Julie asked. "Well, you know how your timeline's me was killed before she entered Sburb? Yeah, I got in.", Riley said. "But here is the kicker, Ian died in my place because he couldn't get in. And since he was dead, Callie died, and Ava refused to enter the game because Ben never prototyped his Sprite.", "Why?", "Because instead of helping, you were trying to Ascend to the ranks you now hold. By the time she did, you and Ben struggled for power over who would be leader. Along the way I Ascended, but in the end, our timeline was still consumed by the Voidful itself. Most everyone is here because of that.", Riley said. "Is... is your Ben here now? I wanna talk to him.", Julie said, clenching her fist. "No. There is another Ben in the next illusion upstairs. He seems pretty distant. Maybe he can help ya.". Riley said. "I will go talk to him. Thanks for the help.", Julie said. She grabbed her bag, and proceeded to look around for the steps. In the next room over, she found several other ghosts, appearing and disappearing. All of them held the same, glassy eyes. Julie found a door. She went up to the rotting door, and opened it. On the other side was Ian's planet. Although, it was dead. Platforms had rotted away, and trails of vine and man-made bridges connected them. Julie continued to walk, finding the gear above her. She flew to it. When she reached it, she saw the platform... had someone on it. It was a version of Ben. He was hunched over, holding a small piece of metal. He turned his head. His eyes were, of course, glassy. Blood ran down from his nose and mouth, his left cheek bruised. He wore dark blue jeans and a black shirt with a torn, green flannel shirt. "...Hello?", Julie asked. The Ben stood, hiding his shirt under the green jacket. "W-who are you?", he asked nervously. "You mean 'Which one am I?', don't you? I'm the Julie from the timeline with the identity crisis and the edgy robot. Not really helpful, I know. What timeline are you from?", Julie asked. "Well, I don't remember all that well now. Its fuzzy. I was... talking to... you know what, maybe you can understand?", Ben said. He stood, removing his green shirt. He revealed his chest and his shoulder were dotted with bullet holes.

TO BE CONTINUED IN THE SUB-PAGE "STORY PART II"