Birds scattered by the sounds of falling trees. Cursors rained down and settled on shrubs and grass. A lingering scent of wood pervaded the tense atmosphere. Shards snowed on the limited field, passing over the eyes of two men—one with a dagger, and the other with cursors.
“Fascinating. The Consortium should be watching you, yet they’re not,” the man said, his face calm. No fear or anger emitted from him. Moko couldn’t read that disturbingly quiet expression. “Where are you from, boy?”
Moko took his Cookie out of his mouth to speak. “That doesn’t matter.”
“So, you’re playing that game,” he said with a light nod. He tossed his weapon straight up in the air and became a collection of smoke. The black haze consumed the blade. As it dispersed and the fog dissipated, the dagger ceased from existence. The man faced him after that presentation. “If that child disclosed anything about us, then you must know our intentions. Likewise, I know yours just as much. Rather than raising arms, let us have a civil discussion with no escalating disputes. It is a common principle in the Lei Realm—a fine etiquette, is it not?”
Moko knew what the man was doing. He wasn’t buying into his schemes. “You think my mind is going to change from some talking?”
“Perhaps. Consider that you’re looking at a soul from a distant realm. I know things you do not. It would be wise to listen to me more than to a child. The Consortium, the Bank, Scholomark—there are businesses that go beyond peace and tranquility, and dwellers of Lei can easily overlook this. I can tell you what is going on.”
“I think I’m okay,” Moko said, keeping his eyes sharp. The glowing orbs stuck to his fingers were still radiant. He hesitated, contemplating the consequences of swinging his arm. The stranger possessed the ability to quicken speed beyond any normal human capability. For now, he needed to avoid the manipulation.
His voice, gentle and perhaps even slightly expressive, conveyed pity. “Oh, that is quite problematic, to tell you the truth. The people of the Lei Realm will understand its faults, especially the ones in the southern region. You all thrive within the virtues of the Lei. None of you try to avoid it, which I understand. But if you keep thinking like this, there are greater things you should–”
“Can you just shut up?” Moko interrupted the man. “You have your rules, and I have mine. If you really think you know my intentions, then this conversation would’ve been over a long time ago.”
The suspenseful air changed. The man hadn’t responded this time and kept his mouth shut. His eyes pinned Moko like needles. It strained his lungs. His heart was beating fast. His hand grew stiff and could not feel the orbs glued to his fingertips. He felt like running. The man’s expression remained constant, never altering. It made this situation more eerie. An opponent showing no obvious emotions was unsettling. Unpredictable.
From his pocket, he pulled out a polished dagger, sharp and gleaming. Rays seeping from the clouds shined on the metal piece, attesting to its sharpness. He raised the blade. His narrow eyes gazed at the boy. Moko grabbed hold of the Cookie in his mouth again. His teeth bit on it, making sure it wouldn’t fall from his grasp.
“I was ordered to slay the problematic child than to capture him,” the man said. “I will testify.”
“Please, don’t do this,” Moko said, feeling the adrenaline rushing through his veins. Fear brought forth those words. He had never truly hurt a person before. Conversely, none had done the same to him. No one had ever raised a sharp blade, metal blade, actual blade, or any kind of blade at him.
Over the past journey, ever since departing from his parents, he learned a secret about his System. He had an urge to prevent the battle, even through sharing this secret. He was very close in revealing it to keep the fight delayed. But he knew that’d do nothing but possibly provoke the man further. From the looks of it—fight or flight—he had to fight if he wanted to protect the children, to protect Impy.
“Then I suggest you step aside because I have few spare warnings to use. I don’t mind wasting one to remove you. Rest assured. If you don’t get out of the way, I’ll make it brief.”
Immediately, the man started the attack. His skin darkened into a misty black. His body became engulfed in a blotch of smoke filled with dark magic and deception. He plunged his feet to the ground, a sharp thrust for momentum, and leaped forward. In a rapid motion, he sped up. The silver dagger stuck out of the sinister smoke, its razor tip ready for assault.
Moko staggered back. He raised his hand, and the five orbs glistened in their wake.
He swung his arm in a flat motion, tracing the horizon with his hand. Orbs detached from his fingertips. They hurled into the air and transformed into radiant cursors, each with index fingers edged forward. Whipping across the field with wide trajectories, a couple targeted the man. The rest aimed around him.
In response, he bent low and pivoted his ankles at irregular speed. With just an inch left to spare, he changed course and narrowly dashed between the incoming cursors. They barely scraped his ears, zipping past and landing on a pair of trees. A loud eruption permeated the area. Pieces of wood exploded. Some got sent in the man’s direction, but he outran the raining destruction with ease.
He approached Moko too quickly. His body reverted from the blanket of smoke. The limbs reappeared, already heaving his blade for a strike.
He swung his arm. The weapon came from the side, aiming his head for a clean horizontal cut.
Overwhelmed, Moko refused to grab orbs from the System screen and resorted to blind defense. He flung his head back and arched his body. He clenched his teeth, exerting all his force to lean backward. The blade missed him by an inch. His trembling eyes watched the sharp blade slide past his view, watching it catch a bit of his hair and slice it effortlessly.
Sailing over his target, the man went off balance. Moko used this time to retreat. He caught his feet as he twisted in the opposite direction to run off—to distance himself and the man.
But the sinister aura intensified from behind. Moko felt the man closing in from the scent alone, a bitter smell that strangled his throat. The man transformed into a body of smoke again.
As he turned, he caught sight of the man running close behind. The blade hoisted above his head and plunged down on him. Moko was too late dodging it, too late avoiding it.
In a desperate attempt, he swerved his head to the side. He extended his hand, his palm confronting the dagger.
The blade pierced his palm. Moko felt his skin tearing and ripping apart like a thin cloth. It stabbed through his nerve endings, through his bones, and came out on the other side.
The pain was immediate. It electrified his body from the tip of his hair follicles to the bottom of his feet. The agony was so excruciating that his legs gave up standing, his body shutting down. Moko plummeted to the floor as the man persisted, pushing the dagger deeper and deeper until the crossguard stopped any more advancement. His Cookie fell out of his mouth, falling right beside his head.
Moko screamed at the top of his lungs. His face scrunched and seethed in pain. He bit his teeth and tears streamed from his eyes. The man pressed his body on top of Moko and pinned him and kept the blade firmly planted in his hand. Blood rivered down and dripped on his face. He tasted the metallic filth seeping into his teeth and up his nose.
His hand trembled, keeping the blade from going any lower, keeping it from touching his head. The man also refused to withdraw, breaking a smile as he pushed his weight on the dagger. Their limbs shook, one immense force pushing against the other—a battle of endurance.
“Moko!” Terayla shouted, hearing his painful cries. She left the hiding spot and watched the scene unfold. She hurriedly ran to save him, but Impy held her back. He pulled her away, keeping her from marching straight into danger. As much as he avoided helping, he couldn’t decide on a clear answer. There was nothing he could do. He watched in horror as Moko lay on the floor with a dagger impaled in his hand.
“It seems like my guess was right,” the man said, watching Moko groan and wince beneath him. “You do not yield to the laws of the Lei Realm. The laws should have punished you when that object slit my nose. And by the amount you shoot those objects at me, it appears you have known beforehand. I was wrong in calling you senseless.”
Moko hadn’t quite acknowledged this secret of his. It remained in the depths of his mind, never solidifying into a clear affirmation. After all, he had no reason to. The realm comprises people adapting to the laws, becoming a rich element bare of violence. Those who thrive here yield completely to authority. If they don’t do harm, Moko found it unwise to do the same—having grown accustomed to this leisurely life… until this day.
He didn’t know when he speculated that his Cookie System didn’t yield to the laws. Was it when his mother threw an envelope at him? Was it when Moko got punched in the guts by the furious man? Was it when Moko hit Terayla in the head with his cursor? Or was it when Moko cut the man’s nose? Perhaps it was on the day he got his System. It was inevitable. Anyone would be curious whether they were actually under the laws. A simple test would affirm it, right? Besides, they had five chances. Sacrificing one wouldn’t hurt in return for affirmation.
But in Moko’s case, he was never sure. There was no clear line distinguishing what was punishable, not when he had the virtue of obtaining an unyielding System. There was no boundary in the first place. This virtue sounded great. But now, Moko came to the realization that it was a curse that deprived him of protection, and he was powerless to remove his System.
“I pity you. No boy should control an unyielding System. Dangers linger, but there is such power to these Systems. Thus, I must slay you alongside that child. In truth, I decided from the moment you harmed me. When you sliced my nose, it astonished me. The laws haven’t heeded to the crime. It truly is a pity.”
Yet Moko refused to concede. He kept pushing his arm up, fighting against the agony and keeping the dagger at bay. The trickling blood on his face made him choke. He couldn’t breathe from the amount of fluids hitching in his throat. Red trickled down his gritted teeth. He never gave up, never giving in to the soreness or exhaustion.
The man reached inside his pocket to pull out another dagger. He positioned the second blade straight at his head. With one jab, it was all over. “I wish you the best on the other side.”
He thrust his arm, sending the dagger to Moko’s skull.
But then something intruded. An orange cat jumped in between the dagger and Moko. The blade pierced the animal straight into the heart, making it screech in pain and jolt. It nullified the attack.
Terayla hissed and groaned in the background. She curled up as her cat got stabbed. Impy pulled her behind the stump again, but her painful hollers reached Moko’s ears. The cat closed its eyes, grieving in its last breath before concealing in a blanket of light. Its body glistened in a crimson color, submerging the fur, the eyes, the ears, the tail, the legs, everything the light could touch. The animal disappeared, evaporating in the humid air as small beads. They ascended until their colors faded in the broad skylight. The dagger dropped to the floor; the man refused to hold it.
He gasped, feeling every fiber in his body tremble. His exertion on both blades weakened. His eyes shook. An explosive spark emitted from his hand, burning his skin. He loosened the grip on his blade and saw smoke rising from his palm. Clenching his teeth, he covered his face as if in torment.
The laws of the Lei Realm have been called.
They struck him down. Red codes engulfed his entire being, even his clothes. The veil of light overwhelmed him with wretched groans. And emerging from his very core was a boxed number. It dominated his body as if being one with his soul.
[–1]
This was an opening.
Moko peered to the side to glimpse at the Cookie lounging beside him. He lifted and slammed his head on it. He pressed his blood-covered cheek on the doughy surface, prompting the screen to pop up. Using his one arm, he reached to the selected box and pulled out orbs from the System.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
(–5 Cursors)
48 CpS → 43 CpS
He swung his entire arm at the man, sending the five orbs at him with great speed. The red codes have receded and disappeared. His attention shifted back to reality, where he saw the sight of impending doom. The man watched as the cursors approached his body at point-blank. He released the dagger embedded in Moko’s hand and leaned back and applied all his energy to his transformation.
Before completely averting to a ball of smoke, all five cursors drilled into his skin—his upper chest, lower chest, right shoulder, left ear, and stomach.
The cursors couldn’t mount any further into his body as he swiftly retreated. They soared into the sky and landed far away. He reverted to his physical body. His clothes got torn by the brief contact, and underneath, a centimeter of flesh got ripped apart. Some chunks were dangling by a strand of skin. Blood stained his clothes as he seethed in pain.
Moko got up on his feet. He wiped his bloody face like sweat, smearing his hand and his shirt with red. The dagger was still lodged in his palm, but it began to dissipate, forming into a cluster of smoke and evaporating. A large hole remained, and life-threatening amounts of blood oozed from the entrance. He quickly tore a part of his cloak and wrapped the fabric around his wound, all the while enduring the anguish. He tied a knot with his one hand and his teeth, tightening the wound and keeping the blood temporarily at bay. And picking up his Cookie, he put it in his mouth and readied for battle.
(–5 Cursors)
43 CpS → 38 CpS
(–5 Cursors)
38 CpS → 33 CpS
“You’ve got some nerve,” the man said grittingly, trying to orient himself after the massive strike by the laws. A faint crying of Terayla expelled from behind. He eyed the large stump. His unstable expression showed resentment. “That girl. What a nuisance.”
The air thickened as the man transfigured into a thick black haze, quickening his march toward the stump. He pulled out his daggers and searched for the children.
Moko sent five orbs at him. The man watched the shifting cursors shooting in his direction. He leaped back as they struck the stump and pieced out enormous chunks of wood. As they settled and fell to the floor, he resumed his pursuit and dashed around it.
“Guys!” Moko shouted, trying to grab their attention after the futile attempt to stop him. “To your left! Run away!”
But to his surprise, Impy had climbed on top of the stump and brought Terayla with him. He was quick, almost like he’d done this many times. He groaned and pressed his bandaged wound. It throbbed and ached with every movement, but he knew he had to endure, endure like Moko, endure to survive.
Their eyes met. Moko witnessed their terrified looks as the man failed to catch them. They were on the verge of being killed. Impy noticed the sharp glare from below. The man raised his head, gazing at the boy with narrow eyes. He crouched and used his strength to jump up and catch them. The moment he thrust his legs down, Impy shouted, “Moko!”
Moko didn’t see the man emerge from the right or left. Above was the only spot remaining for the man to appear. He knew exactly why Impy shouted at him!
“Duck!” He commanded as he curled four of his fingers, leaving his index finger open with the shining orb in his grasp. He swiped his arm and sent one cursor in their direction. Impy and Terayla ducked as ordered, feeling the whipping cursor zip right above their little heads. The man jumped on the platform, and what met him was a lone cursor.
Unable to react fast enough, it dug into his forearm. The index finger stopped its trajectory when it met the bones and wedged deep.
The man lost balance from the hit and stumbled forward. He passed the whimpering children, who had their eyes closed and bodies low and heads embraced by their little hands. He tripped over the edge and fell to the floor. Remained lying, he grabbed his numbed arm and observed the cursor stuck in his flesh. The index finger got buried beneath him. He couldn’t flex his limb anymore. Blood seeped down and stained his clothing.
“Grgh!” The man growled, standing up as he faced Moko. “So even that child with a laceration could move like that. All such fascinating people. I will go nowhere from playing with that child. But it seems like you are my priority. My poor judgment of that girl has brought me this consequence. No matter, I will testify.”
His eyes unwavered, gaping at Moko resolutely. It suggested that he was his sole target. Nothing could stop him anymore, nor would he want to—no more talking, no more altering targets, and if it came to it, no more one-swing kills.
He immersed himself in the black fog and dashed toward Moko.
Moko sent the rest of his four cursors advancing in the man’s direction. It moved quicker than him, catching even the sharpest pivot of his feet off guard. He ducked to dodge them, watching them whip past his head and fly toward the faraway stump and distant trees. The children wailed as the ground shook by the forceful impacts. Chips of wood shot out, sending it hurling in the air and raining down. The man quickened his speed and evaded the fragments.
With a cursor still wedged in his forearm, he readied a single dagger with his other arm.
(–5 Cursors)
33 CpS → 28 CpS
(–5 Cursors)
28 CpS → 23 CpS
Moko tossed the first batch. The man morphed into smoke. He bent his head around the cursors. He slid between the line of trajectories. The cursors missed.
He thrust his leg back and shot himself directly at the boy.
Moko tossed the second batch. He applied more strength, more precision to his swing—narrower sweeping motion but sharper twisting on the wrist. Their trajectory was faster and curvier. Their line of impact was minutely thin, relinquishing the opportunity to run between them.
The man clenched his teeth, watching the incoming cursors ramming in his direction. Their modified movement caused him to stagger. He had no chance to dodge all of them. He lifted his dagger as a last resort while bending his head low.
There was a loud clang.
He narrowly avoided four, but one powerful strike pierced his defense. He lost his grip on his weapon. His dagger flew over his head and evaporated. The cursor continued its ascent, grazing a small layer of skin on his head and snipping parts of his hair. A red streak appeared, and blood spilled out.
Unfazed, he pulled out a new dagger from his pocket and raised his weapon and slung it at Moko.
“Oh, sh–!” Moko scurried away behind the tree. The blade stabbed the trunk and missed. The man followed him.
“Use the trees!” Impy shouted from behind the stump. He and Terayla hid again when they got the chance. “He can’t move fast when you’re dodging behind trees!”
–Wow! I could’ve used that information a while ago!
Suddenly, in the corner of his vision, Moko spotted two bystanders down the road. They observed the battle at a distance. He didn’t know how long they were watching. Their eyes were wide and shocked. Seeing their frozen expressions, he assumed they were not affiliated with the man. They were ordinary citizens. He shouted, “Run! Don’t come near!”
–I want them to take Terayla and Impy to safety. But is that really a good choice? I can’t let them get out of their hiding place!
He refocused and heeded the words from Impy. He retreated and headed for a nearby colony of trees. Moko ran up the forest, weaving around the towering plants and over shrubs and bushes. The man caught up. His unusable arm flailed behind like a rag doll, the cursor still embedded deep. His other hand reached into his pocket to grab a dagger.
Moko reacted with the same fervor and snatched an orb.
(–1 Cursor)
23 CpS → 22 CpS
He threw the orb. It transformed into a gleaming cursor. The man hid behind the tree. The cursor missed. He ran again.
Moko noticed his movement was slower. Even the fog and smoke seemed less, giving the impression that he was spending less energy because of the stricken field of nature. Now the two were at equal speeds. Moko had a chance.
The man leaped and swung his dagger. Moko ducked and dodged. The blade pierced the hind tree.
They faced each other in the narrow field. Both simultaneously reached for their weapons. The man pulled out a new dagger, and Moko grabbed his cursors.
(–5 Cursors)
22 CpS → 17 CpS
They swung their arms. The dagger sliced the air. The orbs mutated into cursors. They collided with each other. The blade parried two cursors as they fell on the floor. Three others targeted the man. He retreated and lurked behind trees.
Moko watched the sinister eyes dash between plants, swerving in unpredictable motions. He ran away and also used the trees to his advantage.
The man emerged from his side. Moko shot his gaze at the incoming danger. The dagger lifted into the air, ready for a strike.
(–1 Cursor)
17 CpS → 16 CpS
He jerked his body and swung his arm. The cursor smacked the blade. It fell out of his hand and landed far away.
(–5 Cursors)
16 CpS → 11 CpS
Moko shot five more orbs. The man transformed into a body of smoke and swerved to the side. The cursors missed. Reverting to his physical body, he stood behind the boy. He pulled out a new dagger. He hauled his arm back. With a deadly swing, he aimed it at Moko’s torso.
Moko jerked down and slid against the floor and escaped the assault. The man spun his dagger into a reverse grip. He plunged his weapon. Moko sprung up and dashed away. But the blade had made contact, slashing his calf and leaving a small mark.
He arched down and groaned. His leg grew numb—his whole body did; everything. From the hole in his hand, his rapid-breathing lungs, his beating heart, his sweat mixed with blood, his fatigued ankles, and his incised legs, he was at his peak of exhaustion. Wheezing through his dry throat, he kept pushing. He pushed his legs and ran and ran.
(–5 Cursors)
11 CpS → 6 CpS
Shooting five more cursors, the man formed into a collection of smoke and evaded them. He returned to his normal state and continued the chase. They jumped over bushes and weaved around trees. Moko created a significant gap between him and the man. He ran behind a lone tree.
(–5 Cursors)
6 CpS → 1 CpS
Moko peeked his head over the trunk. He spotted the man approaching. He fired another batch of cursors.
The man ducked down, used his dagger, shot it at the proximate cursor, parried the cursor, and avoided the hit. The rest missed and dismantled the trees, shoveling out large chunks of wood. Branches fell on them, leaves snowing elegantly. The man grabbed a dagger from his pocket and marched onward.
Likewise, Moko ran in the same direction. Maneuvering through the forest, he peered at his System screen and noticed that he had one last cursor at his disposal. He bit his lips and tasted his blood. When he thought of wasting time by recalling all his cursors, he had a last-resorting idea.
Suddenly, a dagger slashed through the air and barely cleaved his ear off. Moko yelped and leaned down, watching the weapon land on a nearby tree. He ran around and hid behind. He wasted no time. He began his plan.
(–1 Cookie)
151,529 Cookies
Moko pinched his System and extracted a cookie. He tossed it to the side. The man peered in that direction and eyed the sugary dough. Thinking it was Moko’s head, he instantly tossed his dagger at it. It sliced the cookie in half. But then he realized it was a decoy.
(–1 Cursor)
1 CpS → 0 CpS
Moko then snatched his last orb and ran in the opposite direction. He emerged and glanced at the distracted man, too late to react. Moko raised his arm. He put the remaining portion of his energy in his limb. The numbness resisted, but he overpowered it. Adrenaline conquered his weakness. Blood invaded every creak and crevice in his veins and arteries—for the last and final throw. Strength filled his wrist. He thrust his hand downward. Downward it went, and the orb blasted away. The man watched as it morphed into a cursor with its index fingers aimed at him.
His teeth showed, startled. Smoke returned to mask him in the mist. The body thinned and shrunk. But with so much to do in a short time, he couldn’t dodge it completely. He reached inside his pocket to pull out a new dagger. But amidst his effort, he knew it was too late. Instead, he raised his arm. He covered his eyes. He braced for the impact.
The cursor pierced through his hand and amputated it. The cursor didn’t stop there. It penetrated through the bones and advanced to the man’s forehead, through his skin, through his skull, and into his brain. The man stopped running and jerked his head up. He dropped the dagger below him, resting between his feet.
A loud gasp hollered, a horrifying cry that sounded inhuman. A monster. Moko covered his ears and watched the man disfigure into smoke. His mouth opened wide, screeching in a ghostly voice. His eyes rolled back—all the way back, seeing nothing but the white sclera shrinking into dust. Blood leaking from his head darkened and dried out, evaporating with the rest of himself. His head looked at the sky. He looked at the oblivion as death and decay took him there.
Every bit of his skin flaked into smoke, disintegrating before Moko’s sight. And when his mouth crumbled and became traces of black mist, the screaming ceased. The bundle of smoke rose, dissipating with the suspending beam of light carrying it to the sky until no more remained.
Two cursors fell—one from the forearm, the other from the head. And the one cursor that impaled the head landed on top of the dagger. It knocked against the blade, and the weapon vanished in black smoke. There, the cursor remained, resting on top of the footprint of its defeated foe.