The Virtual Realm

by Daniel Perusko

  Dusk was surrounded by a dome of ruby light. The blood radiance was exploding with an unstoppable force. A fierce wind howled around him, preventing Kevlar from getting close. Kevlar watched with horror as the light slowly wrapped around his foe, forming into two blades of crimson light. What’s worse, his entire body was healed: his broken nose, his bloody face, his swollen eyes... All of the damage Kevlar had worked to inflict had been erased like it never happened.

  Dusk could feel far more power coursing through his veins than he had ever experienced. He was no longer in pain. In fact, he had never felt more alive in his life. He looked down towards his hands and noticed blades of deep red light pulsating splendidly. This reminded him of something. Oh right, now he remembered it was...

  The Eon Blade.

  The wind died down as the dual crimson blades began taking form. A sickly shiver ran up his spine upon the realization of what he was holding. He wanted nothing more than to throw it away, but now was not the time. If it meant killing Kevlar, he would sell his soul to the devil. Wielding these wicked blades was a small price to pay to get his vengeance. Suddenly he felt the voiceless entity relaying a message to him from within: the very same enigmatic being which was always there in the realm of his dreams.

  It is not yet time for you to leave this world. I have given you but a sliver of power, that you might live on. It is all you can handle, until you truly accept yourself.

  Dusk nodded, mentally thanking the unknown entity for its assistance. He realized this was why the blades looked different than the ones he saw Drexel wield. They weren’t complete. They looked more like laser swords in this state. He didn’t have any armor either. Either way, this was enough power to kill Kevlar. Now he could give him what he deserved.

  This was nothing like Kevlar had ever seen. Was this some kind of game hack? But Dusk shouldn’t know how to do that. He had never heard of anything like this.

  Calm down, John, calm down. Nothing’s changed. Even if he’s healed, he’s still far weaker than me.

  Kevlar took up his blade, readying for battle against the fully healed opponent. Dusk merely tilted his head to the side, looking at his personified darkness with a predatory stare; a rage that was now calmed and controlled.

  Wordlessly, Dusk vanished into thin air, appearing behind the object of his enmity. Kevlar, sensing the danger behind, slashed immediately, hitting nothing but air. Dusk was already gone. An ostensibly invisible hand hit him square in the face as he flew backwards into the wall. The Eon wielder stopped dead in the center of the room as Kevlar felt himself being lifted into midair. Dusk hadn’t laid a hand on him. He was lifting him into the air telepathically!

  Kevlar was seized by fear now. Here in front of him was someone who truly wanted him dead, and he saw no way to stop him. His stomach lurched as he was thrown forward crashing directly through a pillar.

  He lay on the ground, curled up in agony. But Dusk wasn’t done. Making a closing motion with his fist, he cut off Kevlar’s oxygen supply. The possessive warrior gagged frantically. He felt like his neck was caught in a vise. He clawed at his own neck in an attempt to free himself, but to no avail.

  His face practically turned blue as his lungs burned with unimaginable pain. Just before he was about to pass out, Dusk let go of the hold. Kevlar gasped and coughed violently, taking a moment to gaze up at his archenemy, who had a sadistic smirk on his face. The Phantom’s eyes were now glowing a deep devilish red. Dusk opened his hand to reveal a ball of fire hovering just above his hand as if he had reached up and grabbed the sun down from the heavens.

  He leaned in Kevlar’s face and whispered into his ear.

  “I told you I’d make you suffer, didn’t I? And to think you said I was inferior to you. Look at you, you’re my bitch. Beg for your life. I want you to grovel at my feet like the worm that you are.” Dusk chuckled wickedly.

  “Cough, I’ll never stoop so low as to grovel to you. You’re still a worthless idiot.” Kevlar spat blood at his assailant's face.

  Dusk simply smiled. “Oh really? We’ll see if you won’t change your mind after a couple rounds of... this.” The sadistic swordsman released the ball of flame from his hand, setting Kevlar’s legs ablaze.

  Kevlar’s suffering screams echoed through the halls. His heart rate skyrocketed as his bloodshot eyes bulged in agony. His legs felt as if they would melt away at any moment.

  “You know, it’s funny, Kevlar. When this is all over, you’ll be dead, and Karla and I will both finally be free. I know that just burns you up inside; and I got revenge for my friends too. Now... you’re the one who’s going to see my friends. Say hi to Stacy for me. Goodbye, Kevlar.”

  Dusk proclaimed as he raised one of his energy swords into the air, ready to skewer Kevlar like a human shish kebab.

  ~~~~~

  Tsuki had watched with horror as Dusk slowly butchered her ex-fiancé, taking pleasure in every moment of tormenting him. She watched as he raised his newfound energy sword into the air, about to end Kevlar’s life. She had to do something. Her spirit was spiking wildly and painfully, even more so than when she met Dusk for the first time. Something about his presence had unleashed a flood of spirit strength inside her. She had to tap into this unknown source of power. The only times when she could harness that power was in the climax of deep meditation, but it was only a tiny fragment. There was no more time to conserve her strength—not with her love about to lose himself to the darkness forever. Past love and current love, she had to save them both. To draw that energy, she had to evoke an immense amount of concentration, diving so far into the depths of her own being that everything in the external realm would not be perceptible to her. What was this power and from whence did it come?

  Calm down, Karla. Calm down. Focus your mental energies.

  A small orb of pale light began to form in her right hand. She felt herself becoming attuned to the voice of nature around her. The people around her, the walls, the carpet, even the molecules in the air. She felt as though she was becoming one with all of it, channeling it into a small globe of power. With this power coursing through her arm, maybe it was possible to break through where she had previously failed. The circle of light slowly formed into a blade of pure spiritual power.

  Closing her eyes and channeling a deep, calming breath, she shattered the invisible restraints which Raven had bound her with. Everyone’s eyes wandered to the silver Sword Mage in surprise as she broke free of her bonds.

  Tsuki immediately plunged the blade of light into the barrier, causing the entire room to howl. It was at this moment Eagle took aim with her rifle to try to stop her. Before she could fire a single bullet, the air pushed her into the wall.

  Leo, realizing immediately who had flung her into the wall like a ragdoll, moved to stop Omni, leaving Raven to take care of Tsuki. But Raven was merely watching her with an endless curiosity as she battled with his barrier.

  I won’t let you have your way anymore, Raven! You’ve caused enough hurt.

  It began with a single tiny crack. Tsuki roared as she channeled all of her spirit energy into a focused blade of pure power far beyond what humans were capable of. She was pushing her body and spirit to its limits to overcome this shell.

  The crack grew in length, multiplying into several rifts, until the barrier shattered into several shards. Raven stood there, dumbfounded for the first time.

  Truly fascinating. How did she break through my barrier? She’s not an Eon Blade user, so how? From where did she summon such strength? What is she, really?

  Raven was so preoccupied in thought he didn’t even realize he had released the shackles from his enemies. They ran into the throne room, busting down the large doors. Tsuki hoped she had gotten through in time to stop the unthinkable.

  ~~~~~

  Dusk raised his energy sword into the air, ready to plunge it through Kevlar’s heart and end his fated enemy for good.

  At that moment, he remembered. His brain pulsated as he remembered what Karla h
ad told him months ago. He remembered what it meant to be a part of Phoenix.

  He began clutching at his head like a parasite had burrowed within. What followed was the fiercest internal battle of his entire life. His blood torn eyes were twitching like mad as he struggled within. A new voice echoed inside the chambers of his mind. He remembered this voice. Drexel was haunting him even now.

  Kill Kevlar, he killed your friends.

  If you kill Raven, Kevlar, or Shark... how can you expect anyone else to put their revenge aside for the greater good?

  “Damn it!”

  Are you just going to let him get away with it?

  How will you improve humanity if you can’t even improve yourself?

  “A pussy until the end, aren’t you, Dusk? Can’t even kill me properly. You worthless little shit, you pussy, kill me already!” Kevlar goaded.

  “Shut the hell up! I don’t take orders from you.”

  Are you going to spit on the memory of your friends? Of Stacy?

  Phoenix would not approve of this. Karla would not approve of this. This is wrong.

  Dusk’s arm, which still held the sword, was shaking like a branch in a hurricane. The arm swapped between moving to stab Kevlar and pulling the blade back out of harm’s range—a representation of the ferocious inner battlefield. Most of the time it looked like his arm was trying with all its might to break through an invisible wall as his entire being was about to collapse upon itself like a supernova.

  “Do it you coward!” Kevlar demanded.

  Are you going to let him destroy Phoenix? Are you going to let him ruin Karla’s life?

  If you cannot make peace with this, if you think killing is the only answer, then you cannot expect the world to make peace either. It has to start with you, Drake. What kind of example would you be setting if you succumbed to base revenge?

  Dusk screamed out as he threw his energy blades to the side, to which the blades replied with a whiny moan. The energy swords dissipated as he fell to the ground, motionless. The power had drained his faucet of energy. His dull eyes stared at his fated enemy. Had he really made the right decision in sparing this personification of darkness? Before he could take any time to reflect, the Eon Blade siphoned his spark, taking every last stamina point (SP) as payment for the pact. No longer having the energy to keep his eyes open, his overly taxed body and mind passed out.

  At that moment the doors slammed open as Phoenix charged into the room.

  “I can’t believe it. You really are a pussy,” Kevlar laughed. He turned his head to the side as he met the object of his obsession. His frantically beating heart had come to a complete stop. Though she had different colored hair than in the real world, he would know that face anywhere; especially considering the others who were around her. He recognized all of them.

  “Karla...”

  “John... how could you?” she exclaimed, disappointed.

  “I did it all for y--” He was cut short as a portal of darkness opened next to him, revealing one of the people he most reviled in this world—that disgusting creature that he couldn’t even qualify as human. Shark stepped forth from the oval void, now standing over his broken body, grinning savagely. Kevlar was convinced this woman was formed from the essence of demons—Satan’s daughter in the flesh.

  “Shark, you bitch,” Kevlar spat.

  “I’m so glad that bitch Phantom didn’t kill you, I’ve wanted to do this personally for so long. Say goodnight, Kevlar.” Her words came out sultry as she drove her large black blade down into his torso mercilessly, reducing his health pool to zero instantly.

  “No!” Tsuki shrieked like a banshee.

  Shark simply ignored her as she stomped on Kevlar’s wound sadistically, grinding her boot against the vanquished warrior as he shouted out in agony.

  “That’s for taking my prey. And this is for calling me a slut.” She raised her foot to stomp him again, but before she could do so, a telepathic force slammed her into the wall, causing a small globule of blood to escape her mouth.

  “Kyah. What the hell?” She originally thought it was Raven who did this, but she could see it was actually a dark skinned bald man with empty eyes.

  “This pussy shit...” Shark walked forward slowly, “is nothing!” Omni had been trying to pin her to the ground with telepathic force, but she was wading through the resistance.

  “How about this then?” Scarlet shot a sniper bullet which was promptly deflected by Eagle's inhumanely accurate countershot.

  “Stop interfering, Athena!” Scarlet barked.

  “Sorry, Poison, but I can’t let you harm one of our allies.”

  “After you just killed, Kevlar? That’s laughable,” Reaper pointed out.

  “Kevlar was never one of us,” Raven’s voice rang out from behind. “And he never will be. He was going to defect the first chance he got, I merely made use of him.”

  Tsuki’s tear filled eyes locked onto Raven in a glare of limitless fury. Jerking her head suddenly, she ran towards Kevlar, desperate to talk with him one last time.

  “Hey, what do you think you’re doing, bitch?” Shark called out.

  “You will stay right where you are,” Omni commanded as he picked up a chunk of rubble with his spirit hands and chucked the debris square at her plated chest, sending her back into the wall.

  “You pupil less bastard...”

  “Shark, let her be,” Raven decreed. “Kevlar will soon be gone forever anyways.”

  “Tch, whatever.”

  Tsuki looked down at the mangled and broken body of her former lover. The tears wouldn’t stop coming down; tears of anguish falling onto Kevlar’s fatal wound in an endless shower. She took his hand in hers, gripping it tightly.

  “Karla, I’m sorry.”

  “Why, John? Why did you do all this? Why did you kill innocent people? Why did you side with those whose hearts were filled with evil?”

  “I desperately wanted to see you again to apologize... To apologize for smothering you. To apologize for stalking you. To apologize for not respecting your free will. I just wanted us to be together again. I wanted to protect you...”

  “You wanted to meet me again to apologize? And killing innocent people in the process? Do you think I’d ever condone such a thing?”

  “Karla, listen. I don’t have much time. I just want to say... I love you more than the whole world. I would die a thousand times over for you.”

  Tsuki rubbed her cheek against his hand, basking in all the remaining warmth he had left to give.

  “I love you too, John—very much. We will meet again... in another lifetime.”

  “Yeah, for sure. We will be together in another life, definitely...” he stressed himself to say through his mist of tears. How he wished he could’ve stayed. How he wished things could’ve been different. On the surface his body was torn into shreds; but that didn’t matter to him. All of the pain was worth it to see his love again. The happiness spilled out from his inner realm into streams of tears. Never had he felt so connected to another person. The feeling was out of this world. He would’ve done absolutely anything to get it back.

  As he mulled over everything, his body began to dissipate into globes of light. He was certain that fate would guide their paths together again someday. As for now...

  Dusk, this might be a little much to ask but... Now that I’m gone, could you protect Karla until the next life?

  Dusk being passed out of course, heard none of the conversation taking place.

  A loud, obnoxious clapping broke the scene.

  “A touching farewell to be certain,” Raven smirked. “And with that, I believe it’s time we take our leave as well.”

  “What? But they’re right here! Let’s fuck them up!” Shark yelled.

  “Shut up, Julia. You’ll get your chance, don’t worry. But right now, I’m all too curious to see what they will do about this world. Can they practice what they preach? I very much doubt it, but it will be quite entertaining to watch them fail.�
�

  “I really am going to kill you one day,” she threatened as she entered the portal of shadow, leaving them behind as quickly as she had come.

  “I’m sure you will,” Raven laughed.

  “So, Jed... how do you plan to fix this world now? You have a plan to placate the rabid beasts? I’d love to hear it.” Leo shot his question towards Omni as he held the radiating tear shaped sapphire in his hand.

  “I do have a plan indeed; I’ll prove all of you wrong about humanity,” Omni replied.

  “I’ll be watching the entire time, amused all the while. You’ll finally realize your dream is impossible. Then you’ll understand how foolhardy you’ve been all this time. The lives you've destroyed with your misguided path.” Leo threw the sapphire into Omni’s hand, promptly fading into the abyss.

  Scarlet remained fixated on the blonde ghost in front of her. “Why are you doing this, Athena? Didn’t you fight for justice? Didn’t you fight to protect others? Do you even realize what you’re doing?”

  “I know exactly what I’m doing. It’s you who is lost. You don’t see the big picture. The people we fought for back then were just sociopaths using us as pawns in their own twisted game.” Eagle sighed. The expression on her face seemed to be a mixture of regret and genuine love for the person addressing her. One day soon she would tell Scarlet the truth, and then she would truly understand that they, Ouroboros, were the true saviors. “I wish I could’ve found you back then. I would’ve loved to fight with you again,” Eagle said before vanishing with the rest of them.

  “Now, I bid you all farewell,” Raven said. “But first... a parting gift. It seems the pests have gathered about outside. I’ll go take care of the horde, don’t worry. Watch the screen carefully as I show you a glimpse of what the future will be like. I’ll give you a taste of my world, perhaps then you’ll understand how insignificant human lives truly are.” He chuckled as his form disappeared instantly. The screen showed the image of the battlefield. Suddenly, a single man appeared overhead, flying above the chaos.