The heavy footsteps of ignition guards walking along a metal floor grew louder, although they could barely be heard over the low droning of the flagship's rotors constantly spinning. Every corner of the ship smelt like rust, metallic particles flowing through the air clogged up everyone's throats and left an awful metal taste along people's tongues. Navie stood against the back wall of her cell. The chains around her wrists connected to the ceiling and weren't long enough to allow her arms to rest by her side, let alone sit on the floor.

Shadows were cast before her. She slowly peered up to see the guards—covered in bulky black military gear—unlock her cell and haul a writhing Pyxis inside. Relief washed over her as she saw that Pyxis was alive but his head was hung low and his fingers twitched at any sudden movement. The Ignition guards chained him to the wall alongside Navie giving her a better look at him.

Pyxis's breathing was sharp—sucking in air through his mouth while clenching his teeth. His uniform was torn and muddy. The most noticeable change was the aching burn mark slapped across the lower half of his face. The burn mark was in the same shape as a handprint. Navie tried to speak but when she opened her mouth nothing came out.

One of the guards saw Navie staring at him and Pyxis.

"Tch, mind your own business."

The guard punched Navie across the head, her ears ringing afterwards.

Once Pyxis was properly chained the guards left the cell, locking it before disappearing. Navie turned back to Pyxis, paying no mind to the newly acquired bruise on her cheek. Navie couldn't speak but she reached her leg over and tried to nudge Pyxis. She just couldn't reach and the more she pulled on her chains the more the burns around her wrist stung.

Navie looked around but their cell was completely barren. Ignition really didn't want anyone to try and escape. Navie steadied herself and devised a new plan to gain Pyxis's attention. As her courage slowly built and her resolve sharpened, a burst of adrenaline hit her and she slammed her chains together over and over again. The chains made sharp noises that echoed around the empty room. Pyxis groaned and tossed around but his eyes remained closed.

Navie soon stopped once she realized it wasn't working. Soon, the piercing sensation of the burn hit her once more. She opened her mouth to scream but nothing came out. Tears ran down her face as everything remained quiet. It was mutilating.

"Just the expression I want to see."

Navie looked toward the door to her cell and saw Solution watching. The light behind him cast a devious shadow over his face. His eyes unblinking and keeping a powerful hold on Navie's gaze. He gently tapped the tips of his fingers together while a crooked smile grew across his face. Navie attempted to whisper profanities toward him but, like usual, nothing came out.

Solution shook his head.

"That was inappropriate. I must make you aware that I am still in possession of your voice box, though you are still able to speak through it. Anything that you say can only be heard by me."

Solution opened the cell door and walked in.

"I can assure you I will not harm you during our talks."

Navie remained sceptical.

"Talks? Like hell I'd talk with you."

Solution squinted.

"But we are talking right now, aren't we? This is a conversation only we can partake in. Your friend can join in if he likes but I doubt he'll gleam any use from my side only."

Navie grits her teeth.

"I'm not involving him anymore. If you wanna talk with me then you talk to me. Only me."

Navie thinks for a second.

"On an additional note, I'll only talk if you make sure he's okay."

Solution rolls his eyes.

"Bargaining? This is hardly a situation in which you can bargain. But I will show some courtesy and inform you of your friend's condition."

Solution lifts Pyxis's head and inspects the burn mark.

Navie's eyes widen as she thrashes around.

"DON'T TOUCH HIM WITH THOSE HANDS! GET OFF HIM! STAY AWAY FROM HIM OR I SWEAR!"

Solution side-eyes Navie before showing his hands. He was wearing blue rubber gloves.

"Do not fret. I have taken the precaution of securing my hands before touching him. As for his condition... the burns will most likely become infected but... if our talks go well I may be able to do something about it."

"Not in the mood for games, asshole."

"Are you always this vulgar?"

Solution scoffs before standing in front of Navie and glaring down at her.

"Now, shall we begin?"

He smiles and tilts his head.

Pyxis walks through a world of neon blue cubes. In the distance is a massive golden spire that ascends into the pixel clouds above. Pyxis walks through and looks at his body. He was entirely composed of tiny blue cubelets. Around him was a small platform composed of a similar material. With each step forward the platform's length extended leaving him to wander around this digital world.

"L1!"

Pyxis called out, his voice echoing across the digital plane.

"L1 can you hear me? Hellooo?"

After a few minutes of walking, Pyxis found a small cabin amongst a collection of trees. He walked close and heard the sound of a keyboard coming from inside. He knocked on the door and the typing stopped.

"It's me. Um... Pyxis."

After a few seconds of silence, a posh-sounding voice responded.

"Come in!"

Pyxis opened the door and found the cabin resembled an office space. A single cubicle sat in the middle. A hand reached over the cubical walls and waved Pyxis over.

Pyxis turned the corner to see an anthropomorphic dog wearing a suit and tie. He was typing away at a computer but stopped to look up at him.

"Why hello there Master Pyxis! What a surprise to see you today."

Pyxis smiled.

"Hey L1. Sorry to drop by unannounced."

L1 swivels his chair to face Pyxis.

"Oh don't be sorry. It is always a treat to have you around. My my, you do look a little worse for wares. What is the issue you've encountered today?"

"It's a bit complicated."

Pyxis held out his hand and a pile of blue cubes appeared. They all snapped together to form a chair that Pyxis sat on.

"Things aren't looking good at the moment."

L1 leaned in to listen.

"Whatever your troubles are are mine as well."

"The Advance has gotten itself captured by three Ignition warships. Meda and our guests have gone to the surface while Navie, Draco and I stayed aboard to hold off Ignition."

L1 nods thoughtfully.

"I understand. Am I right to assume the current predicament that the Advance and its crew have found itself in is the reason why you have come here?"

"Correct. During the boarding, I fell for one of Ignition's tricks and got captured. Luckily, I had my conscious retreat here. Into the compass."

Pyxis leans back.

"At the moment, I have no idea where they've taken my body. Most likely they've hauled me aboard their flagship, probably waiting to torture me."

L1 looks saddened.

"I'm sorry that had to happen. What can I do for you?"

"General access to the Advance's systems. Also, a key so that I can go further in."

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L1's eyebrows raise.

"You wish to speak with the others?"

Pyxis nods.

"I want to find Navie and Draco. I want to know they are okay. Once I am sure they are safe, I'll ask the other layers to aid in taking control of the Ignition warships through their internal systems."

L1 strokes his chin.

"A brave endeavour indeed. You are certain that the other layers will cooperate with you? It has been a long time since you've journeyed down."

"I'm not certain. Never have been when the other layers are involved."

"That won't dissuade you."

Pyxis grinned.

"Course not!"

L1 turned back to his computer and typed away. Unlike the rest of the technology Pyxis works with, L1's computer was old—a bulky machine with a beige colour and an olive-tinted screen. The keys were thick and each press sounded heavy. Pyxis's wrist began to flash. He looked down to see files appear on a small hologram that hovered over his forearm.

"I've given you access to the Advance's systems. Cameras, steering, doors, speakers, and electronics are all a button press away."

Pyxis cycled through everything.

"Thanks, L1. This is exactly what I needed."

L1 turned back to Pyxis and smiled.

"Of course my good fellow. I've seen a look in your eyes that is ever so familiar. Courage."

Pyxis nodded.

"Something I still wish I had more of."

"Ay, don't dwell on such trivial matters. You've got a plan so stick to it."

"Had no intention of going against it. Oh, also I still need the key."

L1 pointed his index finger up.

"Right! Hold out your hand."

Pyxis followed along and held out his hand. L1's hand hovered over his as a key materialized in the centre. Pyxis grasped onto it tightly.

"All ready to go. Do stay safe out there. If the other layers give you a hard time just let me know. I'll knock some sense into those nincompoops!"

"Thanks again L1. Hopefully, we can chat more later."

"Right, my good fellow."

Pyxis waves before leaving the house. He walks down the blue path and makes his way toward the golden spire. Meanwhile, L1 goes back to his computer and resumes his duties—playing solitaire on his computer.

Upon looking at back his computer, he squints noticing a program he forgot to give to Pyxis.

"Ah. It seems I forgot to him access to the Advance's cameras. Oh, well he shouldn't be too far. If I transfer it over now then it is sure to reach him!"

L1 attempts to drag the program onto Pyxis's device but for some odd reason, the program doesn't budge. L1 looks disgruntled and taps his mouse. He thinks for a moment before getting up and fetching a new mouse. Once he plugs the new mouse into his computer he attempts to move the program again but it still doesn't move.

"How odd..."

His curiosity gets the better of him and he runs the program. A black window appears and quickly disappears before his screen turns off.

"Oh. Perhaps the program was corrupted. I do hope my computer isn't damaged. I was having a fun game of solitaire!"

"You were? Sorry, I stopped it then."

L1 looks over his shoulder to see a woman whose hair is like old television static. She was wearing a pink flower dress and peering down at L1.

L1 backs away slowly.

"You're... not a part of this program."

The girl did look out of place among the blue cubes. She looked a lot more realistic and moved with fluidity.

"No. I am kind of glad I'm not. This place looks... boring. But you look interesting. An anthropomorphic dog wearing a suit. What's your deal?"

L1 kept backing away.

"My deal? I'm sorry Miss...?"

"Heartbreak."

"Miss Heartbreak, you must exit this place immediately. The compass only has so much storage and an extra program being here might overload it!"

"Luckily I'm not a program. I'm a person. Not made of pixels or code. I am a genuine person."

L1 looks nervous.

"That's impossible! The compass can only support digital programs. A human could never enter it!"

"Luckily I don't abide by this compass's rules. Though I do wonder. If the compass can barely hold one more program... how much storage do you think it takes for it to load a full-fledged human?"

L1 begins to digitally sweat.

"I..."

Heartbreak smiles.

"Seems we need to... delete unnecessary clutter."

L1 raises his arm. A vortex of pixels is collected into a mass.

"I apologize Miss Heartbreak. I cannot fail Master Pyxis."

Heartbreak grins, her sharp teeth clenching together tightly.

"Let's execute."

Heartbreak darts forward. A pistol appeared in her hand. She swings it around and unloads a flurry of bullets in a widespread pattern. L1 fires off a barrage of tracking missiles that intercept the bullets. A large wall of explosions masks both side's movements and next actions. Heartbreak throws her pistol into the air, the barrel extending to over triple its average length. Once the gun lands in her hand she loads in a high-caliber magazine.

L1 uses the pixels to create a long thin blade. As he readies for the smoke to clear, a loud boom goes off and a bullet blasts a clean hole through the smoke. Heartbreak has L1's position so she adjusts her aim to where she predicts he will go. L1, realizing his cover is compromised, holds his sword over his face. He slowly walks forward, each bullet Heartbreak firing being expertly parried by L1's movements.

Heartbreak doesn't cease her onslaught. She reloads and pulls the trigger faster and harder. L1 closes the distance and uses Heartbreaks reloading time to strike. His blade slices Heartbreak and she stumbles back.

L1 then leaps a safe distance away from Heartbreak.

"FOUNDATION!"

The ground erupts open and hundreds of playing cards fly upward, collecting in a long line that bounces toward Heartbreak. Heartbreak focuses on the fight and summons a minigun to mow down the cards. She lifts it and begins to spray a constant stream of bullets at the cards. L1 leaps up and intercepts the bullet stream. He uses his sword to deflect all of the bullets away from the cards. She doesn't stop shooting, her face scrunched, determined to break through.

A stray bullet is deflected back and hits Heartbreak in the leg. She drops the minigun and falls to one knee.

L1 remains stern.

"Foundation!"

A second snake of cards bursts from the ground and bounces around L1, in synchronization with the other snake. Heartbreak looks up as L1 and the two snakes of cards charge toward her. She braces for impact as the cards slam into her, throwing her across the digital plane like a pebble.

L1 then closes in, the tip of his sword pointed at Heartbreak's neck.

"Foundation."

A third snake appears and bounces around L1. The blade pierced their neck. L1 looks down, his eyes widening.

"L...1...?"

Pyxis reaches his trembling hand out. Blood pooled beneath him.

"I thought... you had faith..."

L1 drops his sword and kneels beside Pyxis, clinging to him.

"Master Pyxis... no... I thought..."

"L1... you betrayed me..."

Tears run down Pyxis's cheek.

"I... can never forgive you."

L1 reaches out, hands trembling.

"This... this isn't real."

L1 is too late to realise his blunder, the barrel of a gun touches his chin.

Heartbreak transforms back into her usual self.

"That's game."

Heartbreak pulls the trigger. Instead of blood or pixels exploding everywhere, pretty pink hearts cover Heartbreak. She wipes it off like it was blood as she steps over L1's corpse. The snakes bouncing around soon stop and fall into piles of cards.

"That was a fun game."

Heartbreak looks toward the golden spire in the distance.

"Slow down Pyxis. I'm still catching up."

Heartbreak reloads her gun before walking down the path.

Further down, Pyxis reaches a large gate. It is unlike anything seen around. It bleeds a blackened maroon as muffled screaming can be heard on the other side. Pyxis takes a deep breath before slotting the key into the door. He doesn't twist the key, instead, he lets go and the key begins to rattle. The door cracks and the screaming intensifies. Pyxis covers his digital ears as the doors explode open. Debris goes everywhere and soon the screaming stops.

Through the door was a barren landscape. A highway replaced the pixel path and pixel fires raged on both sides of the highway. The golden spire could still be seen in the distance. Pyxis felt his digital lungs fill with smoke. He entered the door. A single road sign could be seen—the only thing for miles. Road to Hell.

"Hasn't changed one bit."

Pyxis followed the road, continuing his trek.

Solution grinned.

"So? What do say?"

Solution tapped the tips of his fingers together, his eyes glaring deep into Navie's soul.

Navie remained stone-faced but her resolve was cracking. She needed what was best for her team. She looked over to Pyxis, her face softening.

"Fine. I'll help you. But you keep up your end of the bargain. Make sure Pyxis is okay and then you let me handle Father."

Solution cackled.

"Perfect! Absolutely perfect!"

He calls for guards to help aid Pyxis and Navie.

"This partnership will help us both. I can assure you."

Navie stared into the horrifying gaze of Solution. In it, she saw herself. Her expression wavered and her will to continue barely staying afloat.