POV: Elly (the same fight)

Jared asks me, "What trick are you holding back that would help us with that?"

"None, I've got no trick up my sleeves. If I had I would've told you ages ago."

Most of what I had was guesswork anyway, or from when I peaked at Graham's notes. Nothing I - or rather my original - was even allowed to see.

The pain inflicted by the glitchy atmosphere is getting worse and worse. It is already worse than I expected it to be in several hours from now, did I miscalculate that much?

Well, no matter. C̵͖̑a̷̭̔n̸͔͋'̵͕̓t̵͓̂ ̷̢͑c̶̞̍h̶̝̽a̵̞͆n̶̳̎g̶̲̉e̷̺̾ ̵͚͛į̴̕t̶̳́.̶̞̽

I think I have now two options: I could just ask him to end me, or better yet, I manage to kill him. The universe would really appreciate his sacrifice. The leaking glitches from his soul have already done enough damage.

Shut up! I don't want to do this either, but if I don't...

I̶ ̸d̶o̵n̸'̶t̶ ̸g̵e̸t̴ ̶i̴t̷ ̷e̵i̴t̴h̶e̴r̵.̴ Is that really my decision or have the glitches already driven me that insane? I feel all the time how something tries t̴o̷ ̵i̴n̶v̸a̴d̷e̴ ̷m̵y̴ ̸b̴o̶d̷y̷ ̵t̵h̷r̶o̵u̵g̵h̴ ̶t̶h̸e̸ ̸h̸o̵l̶e̵ ̸i̷n̴ ̷m̸y̶ ̷c̵h̷e̶e̷k̸, it is disgusting.

No, I should stop, that's obviously the influence of the...

Ah, great. I'm not the only one that has to fight with a glitch-induced split personality. P̷o̵o̸r̸ ̸S̷y̶s̴t̶e̴m̴ ̵c̵r̷y̷i̵n̴g̵ ̵f̷o̷r̵ ̶h̶e̸l̸p̷.̶ Sorry, but you'll have to suffer longer than me. I won't be around for long.

What should I do now? I was about to call it off, but the corrupted error message urges me to do exactly that, I need to save the System from... us. But... do the glitches want me to stop or are they now employing reverse psychology? Wait, no, URGH!!! M̶̥͂y̷̟̍ ̷͈̌h̷̲͛ȅ̷͜á̵̘d̶̰̃ ̴̳͂h̴̩̍u̵̻͘r̶̠̒ẗ̴̺́ṡ̸͖!̷͖̈́

Reset, I have to... reset.

Shit.

No, no, glitches aren't that smart. They are unthinking, like plain biological viruses. T̸h̷e̷y̵ ̷o̴n̴l̵y̸ ̸w̶a̸n̸t̴ ̷t̵o̷ ̴s̷p̶r̸e̸a̶d̷.̶ I must not play into their hand. Sorry, Jared, we're both victims here.

So what are my chances?

I know his old stats, but I haven't checked his current ones, but they can't be that much higher. I can't use [Appraisal] since it uses MP and I'm a spirit, and asking you for your stats would give everything away: Hey, can you tell me how strong you are now? I wanna know if I can kill you.' Yeah, that would be stupid.

He had 2452 HP when I last saw him before the catastrophic dungeon, my level has increased from 9 to 11, so it is pretty much a given that they took the first step of Lucia's plan and Jared added a class with 8 or 9 CHA growth. Those classes tend to be on the frail side and he should've only gotten about 2 levels in mage classes from their trick. So he can't have more than 3000 HP now. No idea how much damage I can deal to him, but about 150 sounds right.

A surprise attack, twenty quick hits, maybe some critical hits; maybe 70:30. The longer he takes with using his armor the better. Once I'm forced into the air, I've as good as lost, too little SP currently for an extended fight with him.

Or maybe he can prove me wrong and actually overcome this. But for that, he would need much more combat experience, actual skills, and not just a collection of skills.

Yeah, I know how to play this.

Wait, why were those thoughts so clear? They haven't been in a long time. ...or am I already gone? What a scary thought.

I do my best to ignore the constant burning all over my body and stand up, "I feel like my time is almost up."

"Have the glitches already eaten that much into you?"

Either that or even worse, they are already done with me. Either way, it is better to remove me from this life - or better both of us. A̸ ̴f̸i̸n̴a̶l̸ ̷g̸o̴o̷d̴ ̴d̴e̷e̷d̶,̸ ̸I̷ ̵h̷o̴p̷e̶.̶

Ah, the d̸i̷s̸t̶o̴r̶t̸i̷o̴n̵s̸ are back, whatever that means.

Ḳ̴͂K̶̞̿ȓ̵̙r̴̗̈́r̵̫̍s̸̜̄s̵̙͆s̵̗͗ḧ̸̪ḥ̶̋h̴͔̐h̴͇͗h̵͚̃h̴͔̿h̸̻̽

Fuck that sound, that hurt!

"Yes, so, I want you to listen to my final request", I materialize my sword, "A duel to the death. Show me that I can leave you to your own devices without regret."

Jared, the ball is in your court now. May f̸a̸t̵e̶ ̴c̸h̶o̶o̴s̶e̸ ̵w̸i̶s̸e̶l̷y̶ who wins this.

I don't give Jared a chance to react and immediately rush toward him. He is especially w̶e̷a̴k̶ ̸i̷n̴ ̸m̴e̷l̵e̷e̶, at least until he activates his strange a̷r̵m̷o̴r̵ ̷s̸k̸i̷l̸l̶ this is my best chance to win.

Not even the name remains? So we're both so strongly affected that we're b̸e̸y̷o̸n̵d̴ ̸s̸a̴v̴i̷n̵g̵. Hold still and let me put us both out of our misery.

I only got two hits in before he brandishes his claws and starts fighting back. Damn, I underestimated him.

CRACK

I can feel parts of my body slowly forming fissures and beginning to break apart. T̵h̵i̸s̴ ̸h̸u̵r̶t̷s̷ ̵l̵i̴k̶e̸ ̸h̴e̵l̷l̴!̵ Like the constant burning of the last couple of weeks condensed into a single moment.

Jared seems distracted when asking, "What's gotten into you!?"

My sword and his claws continue to clash against each other. His attacks don't reach me, but I land a few glancing blows.

"I'm pretty sure I was quite clear on this."

Clear, but admittedly not c̵o̴m̶p̸l̴e̵t̴e̶l̶y̶ ̸h̷o̴n̵e̵s̸t̸.

CRACK

Even more fractures and pain. I also notice how my vision gets a bit blurrier.

Yet another message that wants me to give up. I̵͘͜ ̸̦̈c̸̲̋a̴̓ͅn̸̲̓'̸̫̄ț̸͋ ̵͔̔d̵̦͊ô̵̤ ̵̢̓t̵͆ͅh̷̜̍a̷̼̒t̵̨͋, I have come too far.

The message is shocking in its near-clarity and gets me to hold in for a moment. Compared to every other message before, t̷h̶i̸s̴ ̸o̶n̸e̵ ̴s̶e̶e̴m̸s̸ ̶m̸o̸r̸e̶ ̸c̴r̶e̴d̶i̴b̵l̴e̷ for some reason. Should I really give up? For some reason, I now feel like I should...

Meanwhile, I notice that Jared has taken this distraction to gain some distance from me and start casting a spell.

H̵o̸w̷ ̸a̷b̸o̴u̴t̵ ̸n̴o̵!̵

I dash toward him and swing with my weapon, "You can forget about that."

I barely miss yet again but his spell fizzles. Good enough for now, I wouldn't survive a single spell.

By now Jared has enough and finally activates his glitchy armor skill, a mass of blocks and glitchy tentacles encages his robe, "Likewise."

In doing so, he forces me to abort my attack. I'm doing t̵o̸o̵ ̵l̷i̸t̷t̸l̶e̸ ̸d̶a̶m̶a̸g̷e̸ already, dealing with its life-draining relation effect would immediately force a failed state for me.

So the boss fight has already reached phase two and I have maybe done twenty percent of his health, just great. He just turned this into a f̴͚̉i̶͎͌g̸͈̅h̸̝̔t̸̩͑ ̴̤͝ȍ̷̮f̷̳͊ ̴̠͛å̸̖t̵̛͎t̷͇͌r̶̰̐ǐ̵̢t̶͔̾ì̵̭ŏ̸̢n̶̡̛, and the cost of my attacks just doubled.

I jump back and switch my weapon from the sword to the bow, then spend SP to create an a̵̱͠r̴̭͆r̸̹̃o̸̼̍w̴͖͒.

The System's punishment for m̸y̶ ̶f̸r̸e̶e̵ ̸w̸i̴l̶l̴ has already partially paralyzed my dominant hand, aiming this way is unnecessarily hard. I gather my courage, yet my voice trembles, "Be ready."

I hope he is not.

I begin firing shot after shot, and almost all of them hit.

Crack Crunch

Only two shots miss, yet Jared keeps running toward me, only a single hit made him even flinch.

D̷a̷m̷n̸,̷ ̴s̸i̵n̶c̶e̵ ̵w̵h̵e̸n̵ ̵a̸r̴e̶ ̷y̵o̷u̶ ̴s̸o̴ ̵t̷o̷u̷g̴h̶!̵?̴

Wait, why are all the arrows that hit him still on the floor? Projectiles that hit are supposed to disappear!

Before I can make heads or tails of it, he's almost in my face, so I jump up and spread my wings.

I try to fake a smile that doesn't betray the pain I'm in, "Fine, let's skip to exam number two then."

My SP now drops at an alarming rate, flight is too expensive at my low level.

Jared starts again to charge a spell, I have to stop him, so I shoot, "Catch."

Obviously, Jared has now no more way to f̵̚͜ḭ̴̽g̵̖̀h̸̗̃ț̴͂ ̶͕̈́b̷̬͘ạ̸̇ç̶͐k̷͈̀. I almost feel like a b̶̝̍u̷̻̅l̷͇̇l̴̀͜ÿ̷͇́ now, but this is necessary. Sorry...

I continue shooting arrows and the System's punishment gets worse and worse. The cracks in my body grow, my vision fades, and I can feel how the glitches have an easier time creeping into me, their grasp has already reached my à̷͇ṝ̸ṱ̴̍i̴̘͋f̵͉̎i̶̞͑c̶̨͂i̷̠͆à̸̩l̸̛̩ ̴̹͘h̴̯̀ė̶̥a̷̻͂r̸̠͋t̸̋͜. This can't be what the System's architects must've wanted - why are you helping the goddamn glitches!?

I ignore the glitches' plea for mercy, I'm so close to cutting off the root of the problem.

But something must be wrong. I've landed too many hits despite going blind from the punishment, and as far as I can see only a fraction of the arrows actually disappear as they should. I can still feel them, they are my "equipment" after all.

D̵o̸e̷s̴n̶'̶t̶ ̶m̴a̷t̵t̸e̷r̸,̴ ̸I̶ ̶h̸a̴v̷e̵ ̵t̴o̷ ̸b̷e̷ ̸c̸l̸o̸s̸e̷.̶ ̵I̸ ̸h̸a̷v̵e̵ ̷t̸o̴.̵

Once more, I try to aim my bow, but by now my dominant hand is fully paralyzed and my vision is nothing but a blur. I can no longer operate this weapon.

This leaves me only one option, the [Fire Bomb]. I̶t̴ ̵i̷s̸ ̸t̶o̶o̸ ̴e̸x̵p̴e̵n̸s̷i̶v̵e̵ for the damage it does, but what else can I do?

I spend the exorbitant SP cost to create the material and then the bomb in my right hand.

I can't help but tease him a final time, "Hey, Jared, please make me proud and don't be a Gohan."

I barely have the strength to continue. Just 74/2010 SP remaining. Not enough for another bomb, I̵ ̶c̵o̵u̴l̶d̶ ̷o̸n̴l̵y̶ ̴t̶a̷k̵e̵ ̶o̴n̵e̵ ̶m̴o̴r̷e̶ ̶s̸h̶o̷t̴ - if I could move my crippled arm at all, shit.

Through the darkness of my onsetting blindness, I can barely spot a suspicious bright white spot down at the gates - what is that?

Suddenly, everything goes dark after Jared shouts, "How about you don't!"

What is going on now, (What-?)

And then it hits me.

"Taste some of your own medicine!", that smartass unsummoned and resummoned me to use me as a shield against my own attack!?

I don't get why it hit him twice, b̴͇́ù̸̱ẗ̷̫́ ̸͇́ṭ̶̉h̸̢͝a̷̖͘t̵̖̿ ̵͈̓d̴͍̏o̶̯͠e̷͍͐s̷̫̐ṋ̸͛'̵̝̍ẗ̵̮́ ̴̡́ṃ̶̓a̷̜̕ţ̸̓t̴͉́e̷̲͒r̴̡̓ ̶̙͌n̶̮̿ǒ̴̲w̶̠̃. Damn, this pain is killing me.

I draw my sword for a final time, this time I wield it with my weak right hand, and ram it into his chest while he recovers from the burning sensation of my [Fire Bomb], "Nice try, smartass."

Still not enough. I have just enough SP for one final attack, so I attempt it, but it doesn't connect.

"Fuck off!", Jared pants while banishing me once again.

12 SP left, not enough for anything. I have lost.

G̶G̴,̶ ̸J̴a̷r̸e̴d̶.̶

I'm battered, broken and completely beaten. O̶͖͗ṷ̷̌ṫ̷̙ ̶͖̔o̴̗̍f̵̾ͅ ̶̥̔r̵̳̓e̷͚̔s̸̱̏o̶̧͘ṵ̴̀ř̶͈c̷̞̓e̶͔̔s̷͍͒,̶͉͆ ̴̝̄ö̵̰u̶̞̍t̴̬̀ ̸̰̈o̵̎ͅf̵̺̎ ̸̜͌o̵̦͠p̶͈͒t̵̳̀ḭ̴̕o̷̡͝n̶̝͛s̵͈̾.̴͇̇ I'm as good as blind and my body feels like it is about to fall apart, if not then the glitches will take me over soon - if they haven't already.

But I'm still frustrated, I must've been so close. I hold back some glitch-infested tears while shouting in his head, (Hey, stop cheating!)

I can already feel how he starts charging another spell. He'll probably unleash it and resummon me at the same time. Talk about overkill... there's no chance for me to survive that.

Jared audibly tries to catch his breath, (Cheating? You're one to talk! Or how do you explain to me that you can use [Fire Bomb]? Spirits can't use spells and that skill clearly meets the definition!)

He doesn't sound like he was worried in the slightest. W̶a̵s̴ ̷I̷.̷.̶.̵ ̷t̴h̵a̵t̸ ̵f̸a̵r̷ ̸o̸f̸f̵?̶

As for the skill... I didn't really pay attention to how the skill should work. I just searched through way too many skills and looked at which ones were usable to me. So what? ...probably yet another screw-up by Graham.

I stammer, (It, uh, it is flagged wrong?)

He mentally facepalms, (What else have you kept from me...)

I feel his spell being almost charged, guess my time is almost up. It was... an interesting time while it lasted.

I resign myself to my fate. G̸͚̑o̴̥̓o̵̓͜d̸̻̃ḅ̸̍ỷ̵̨ȩ̸͛ ̸̠͂c̵̡͑r̷̘͛ụ̷͌ë̷̼́l̴͇̂ ̴̲́ẅ̷̗́o̷̞͘r̶̙͝ḻ̵̽d̴͂ͅ.̴͍̏

However, before my time is up, Jared addresses me one final time, (Elly, by now you should know one thing about me, I thought you knew at least that much about me. I do not fight fair, in fact, I hate it. Give me advantageous terrain, minions to hide behind, flight to stay out of range, stun locks, whatever it takes to win. Fighting fair is for those that have nothing important to lose. I do. So, goodbye, Elly. I enjoyed your company while it lasted.)

Likewise...

I feel how I'm getting dragged outside once again, (Shit...)

I don't even have time to suffer any pain. One moment, I'm outside, the next I'm dead already, pierced by a violent mass of darkness.

Just reading this message hurts physically. L̴i̵k̵e̴ ̵d̴i̶v̴i̸n̴g̷ ̸h̴e̵a̴d̴-̵f̷i̸r̴s̵t̶ ̴i̴n̴t̷o̷ ̵a̸ ̸b̶l̴e̵n̸d̵e̸r̷.̴

Fully exhausted I plummet to the ground.

But more importantly, why am I not dead? My body was literally falling apart, still is. And I've attacked Jared, tried to kill him; he even bid his farewell to me - so why was I not deleted? A System error in my favor for once for all the good it does?

Well, technically I am dead right now, well, spirit-dead. This is the Spirit Graveyard after all, I was sent here the last time I died in Jared's service as well.

And what was that suspicious white light earlier, what was that? ...not that it matters anymore, I'm not getting out of here, my personal hell. Another giant pile of eternal nothingness. A-fucking-gain. T̵͉̋h̸͉̎ä̴̱́n̷̰̈́k̴͇̅ş̶͗,̶̙͌ ̵͇̇Ġ̸̘r̸̝̈́a̷̞̎h̷̩́a̶̭̒m̸͕̔,̸͙͝ ̴̩̓a̴̫͑s̴̛ͅs̸̰̐h̷͈͌o̷̯̽l̵͖̚e̸̽͜.̶̲͝ Thanks for the trauma!!

...then, why am I still this calm? Logically, I should be freaking out again. I am completely alone but it doesn't feel like it. It feels... like home, like with a... f̸̗͛a̴͎͝m̸̝̄ị̶̑ḻ̵̎y̴̜̏? Eva...

Wait, f̸̗͛a̴͎͝m̸̝̄ị̶̑ḻ̵̎y̴̜̏?

Oh, shit!!

Finally in a panic, I jump up.

There is something here, there must be, I can feel it. But... what? What could be here?

S̷u̶d̵d̷e̷n̵l̴y̷,̸ ̷I̶ ̴f̵e̴e̷l̷ ̵s̷o̴m̶e̴t̷h̷i̴n̶g̶ ̶s̸l̶i̶m̸y̴ ̵t̸u̶c̸k̴i̷n̴g̷ ̵a̷t̶ ̷m̶y̷ ̶b̵a̸c̶k̷.̸

Full of shock and disgust at that feeling I turn around, but I can see nothing, and not just because my vision is all but gone, there simply is nothing here but unending nothingness. Yet the cracks on my back it had touched for just an instant burn like hell.

T̶̤̑ḫ̶̕e̷̩̓ ̵̺̒c̷͖̽r̴̥̍ȩ̶̍e̴̎ͅp̵̙͝y̴͓̒ ̸̮̆f̶͚̌ȇ̴͎e̵͓͗l̷̡̇i̷̍ͅn̷̥͘ḡ̶̢ ̴̹̏m̷̩̑ṳ̶̈s̴͙̅ṭ̸̏'̶͔̅v̵̘́ẹ̴̽ ̷̬̏b̴̤̽e̸̟̋e̶̜̽n̸̙̓ ̷̛̹a̴͎͝ ̷͎͗g̸̢̍l̶͖̈i̸̥̅t̸̢̾ĉ̵ͅh̵̜͐y̷̳̏ ̵̼̈s̶̪͆ȕ̴̯b̶͙͆s̶͔̕t̴͍̋ả̸ͅṋ̸̅c̸̝͌e̶̳͂.̸̙̂ It seems like not even death could save me from them.

I draw my sword, intending to fight against the invisible assailant, no matter how futile that would be.

Over and over again, I'm overcome by a creepy feeling and I futilely strike with my sword at it but I hit nothing. The burning sensation repeats again and again, I'm absolutely helpless to defend against it.

"Ẁ̷͖h̵̯͝ẹ̷̍r̷̥̐e̵͔̕ ̶͚̈́a̸̯͆ř̵̖e̸̻͗ ̵̡̎ÿ̵̪́o̸̧͐ü̷ͅ?̶͎͝ ̷̠͛S̸̩̎h̶̩̒ő̴͇w̴̫̕ ̴͙̕ŷ̶̬ọ̷̕ǘ̸͇ř̶̻s̵̹̃e̵͉͌l̶͉̔f̸̦̀,̴̭̎ ̶͍͐c̸̟̾ó̷͈w̵͙̑a̷̩̕r̷̅͜d̶̪̏!̴̧͑"

Accursed glitches, can't you even let me have the p̴e̷a̵c̵e̴ ̸o̴f̵ ̴d̶e̷a̵t̷h̶...

But as expected, it does not comply. Instead, something suddenly smashes the sword out of my hand.

Clang

While it does so, some mucus drops onto my hand, numbing it completely and making me feel the heat even more.

Robbed of my dominant hand, I try to summon a new sword in my other hand - it fails. I forgot I was out of SP the whole time.

I have no more chance to fight back, admittedly never had. As much as I try to struggle, it is hopeless. T̸h̵e̵ ̵d̸i̶s̴g̶u̷s̴t̴i̴n̸g̶,̴ ̷i̴n̵v̴i̷s̵i̸b̵l̴e̷ ̶s̷l̶i̷m̴e̸ ̵e̶n̵g̸u̶l̸f̵s̸ ̶m̷e̵,̷ ̵i̵t̷ ̸s̵e̸e̴p̷s̵ ̴i̵n̵t̴o̷ ̴e̵v̵e̴r̶y̶ ̴c̶r̸a̵c̴k̷ ̶i̷n̶ ̶m̸y̷ ̸b̶r̷o̸k̵e̷n̴ ̷b̸o̵d̸y̸ ̴a̴n̴d̸ ̴e̶v̴e̸r̴y̴t̵h̸i̸n̷g̶ ̷s̶t̸a̶r̴t̷s̴ ̴b̶u̸r̷n̶i̷n̷g̷ ̷w̵i̵t̸h̸ ̶g̶r̶e̸e̴n̸-̷o̵r̵a̷n̶g̸e̵ ̷f̶l̸a̸m̵e̸s̸.̷

Not long after, the flames subside and the burning feeling turns into a pleasant, warmth, a feeling of belonging.

It seems the glitches have taken the final step in corrupting me into one of theirs. They couldn't even let me have the peace of death.

...I... I don't have t̸h̴e̵ ̷w̵i̸l̷l̷ ̶t̶o̴ ̶f̴i̸g̷h̴t̸ ̴a̸g̴a̶i̵n̵s̶t̵ this anymore.

I...

...

I'm such a failure...

...

But, how is that possible? Glitches and divinity have an even more explosive reaction with each other than matter and anti-matter, how... how can this happen at all?

Aren't we AAIs made with divinity? Was that a lie?

No, I feel that was true. I could feel some sort of similarity between my being and Lucy's divine class.

Before I can formulate any further thoughts, the slimy feeling envelops my arm and drags me back on my feet, as if clumsily giving me a helping hand.

I don't understand what they even want with me, this battered body is of-

Wait, I can... see again? My vision is back? But how? Did... did the glitches repair me?

I check and my hands and arms feel repaired as well. Hard to see to what extent, still too dark to see much.

While I do so, I feel a kind of current of force that wants to direct me somewhere. For now, I try to ignore it and get a clearer view of my situation. I look around, but there is nothing here in this unending blackness of this spirit graveyard. Just me and nothing else.

I was fixed, but so what? What do these glitches hope to gain from repairing their ene-

Why am I lying to myself? I'm without a doubt now infected by them. Who knows if my thoughts are even still my own or line up with reality...

I'm sorry, reality. The next time we meet it will be as enemies it seems.

But maybe, just maybe...

I feel like I still have control over myself, still am mostly myself. This is weird. I thought the corruption would take you over and transform you completely into one of them.

Or maybe that is just how it feels for the victim. I no longer feel my former deep revulsion for glitches. Who knows what else has changed that I'm not aware of yet?

Not to mention that formerly glitches burned any form of divinity, that should've wiped me out without a doubt. Doesn't that mean the glitches have evolved to a level where they can even corrupt divine beings? That doesn't bode well for anyone.

Well, as long as these things stay friendly, I should try to play along. Who knows, maybe infiltrating their ranks lets me sabotage them and still achieve something, anything.

Sigh

And here I thought my days as a backstabber would finally be over...

I finally follow the pull I've been trying to ignore those last couple of moments.

"Y̷e̶a̸h̷,̸ ̸l̸e̷a̴d̶ ̸t̵h̶e̴ ̵w̴a̷y̴.̴ ̵I̵ ̵w̶a̸n̵t̸ ̷t̸o̵ ̸g̷e̶t̸ ̴o̶u̶t̶ ̷o̷f̷ ̴h̵e̸r̸e̵ ̵a̶s̵ ̷w̷e̸l̸l̵", I go along with my new 'friends' and leave through a faintly visible crack in the eternal darkness, throwing me out in a glitch-covered cinema.