In the dark expanse of the digital forest, trees twisted and gnarled, their bark shimmering with pixelated patterns beneath a flickering neon canopy. Nara stood still, while Distant chatter echoed through the stillness.
“Hey, Aurelith” Advan called, his voice slicing through the ambient hum of the forest. He bounded forward, his silky hair tousled from his playful escapades. “Can you switch the sky to night mode? I have an idea!”
Aurelith paused, a flicker of annoyance crossing her face. Her cascade of blonde curls glowed in the eerie light as she sighed. “I fear your ideas, Advan.”
With a reluctant flourish, she raised her hands. Despite her hesitation, she summoned the change. The warm sunlight faded, yielding to a starry night that glittered like a thousand scattered diamonds. Advan’s expression lit up.He climbed a nearby dead tree, its splintered limbs reaching out like skeletal fingers. From his perch, he exclaimed, “Gather around, everyone. I challenge you all to create and summon a monster in this realm”
“Why is it always a monster with you?” Nara raised an eyebrow, skepticism lacing her voice.
“Hold on now, This is no ordinary monster,” Advan waved his arms dramatically and declared. “This one must have no claws to climb and no wings to fly, yet it should be able to reach this treetop effortlessly!, And I shall be the judge of that. Whoever creates such a creature will earn a very special prize.”
Nara leaned closer to Aurelith and whispered, “I bet the prize is that Eagle-like creature from his collection.”
Aurelith smirked and whispered back, “Deal. There’s no way he’s giving it away that easily.”
As Aurelith spoke, her arm began to glitch—pixelating and fracturing in a way that clashed with the sophisticated graphics of their simulated reality. Players who gathered went on with the digital realm, but Advan climbed closer to Nara and Aurelith while her arm was still failing to allain with the realm.
Aurelith brow furrowing as she observed the rigid edges flicker in disarray and said
“I think one of my stupid spikes pierced through the tech shield again”
Nara glanced down at her with a mix of concern and curiosity and replied “Maybe you should rethink the whole human arm integration”
. “Human arm?”Aurelith’s voice sharpened, cutting through the air like a knife
“Oh no- That’s not what I meant” Nara stammered, her words tumbling out in a rush. “I meant an arm with your spikes—not that they make you less human.”
“Nice save,” Advan chimed in, attempting to lighten the mood.
But the lightness of their banter faded as Aurelith’s expression hardened. “Oh, so I could just be another monster among those we battle?” she scoffed, tension lacing her voice.
“You’re no monster,” Nara said quickly, her tone earnest. “I’m sorry; it was just a bad choice of words.”
Aurelith frustration is palpable. Without another word, she logged out, leaving an echo of unresolved feelings in her wake. Silence descended, thickening the air around Nara and Advan like fog, lingering long after Nara followed suit.
With a soft hum, the digital mask lifted from Nara’s face, releasing her from the veil of the realm. Her ashy brown hair cascaded gently around her shoulders, framing her olive complexion. She felt the grip of reality tighten as the arm and leg attachments disengaged, gently lowering her into a stark, small cubicle room.
The once-vibrant forest faded away, replaced by a dim space filled with wires and blinking lights. There were no windows—just a door leading back to her modest home. The familiar yet uninviting space felt suffocating; a simple couch faced the hearth, and a small steel kitchen sat conspicuously lackluster, devoid of a dining table.
Morning light streamed in, and Nara felt the weight of the day beckoning her. She quickly donned her maroon jacket and hopped on her bike. Her mind remained caught in the digital echoes of her recent adventures. Not long till The dirt path shifted to cobblestoned road, and the sun hid between the long buildings of Purahylles, Nara pedaled past the press office, grabbing a stack of newspapers and went on with her route, delivering them door to door. House after house then a mansion after a mansion,—— till the sprawling mansion that belonged to Advan. She got down to put the newspaper on by his door. Through the long window, he waved at her, still clad in his tailored sleepwear with silky duster robe, his playful grin suggesting he had been gaming until the last minute, Nara returned his smile, but a sigh escaped her lips when she moved on with her work. She was acutely aware of her modest means compared to the wealthy of Purahylles. As Advan was one of those, yet he had no responsibilities, no job, just pure fortunateness coming after the rest of his family was infected with the parasite and was sent away, which of course, she doesn’t covet him for.
As she paused to peruse the news, she leaned to a wall on her bike, with her feet crossing on the bike grip. Articles designed for detailing one matter only, the plight of those infected with the parasite, or so called the Armadorns. Nara's unease deepened as she saw three arrested Armadorns cases in the kingdom, who were sent away to the far land, Scaleward. So even with being shouted at for news delays, she clinched the hope that being in Purahylles meant a better fate.
“I’ve waited quite long enough. Such a delay deserves a report, young lady!.”
During one of her deliveries, Nara found herself face-to-face with Mister Hoizeld Rahus, a man in his sixties whose gray hair and splendid frock coat radiated affluence. As one of the few residents in Purahylles who owned a carriage.
“Forgive me, Mister Hoizeld. It won't happen again,” Nara said earnestly, yet confusion clouding her thoughts; Mister Hoizeld had never shown interest in the news before.
He barely acknowledged her, brushing past with an air of impatience while flipping through the pages of the newspaper. His irritation was barely contained as he entered his mansion, leaving Nara to ponder what had piqued his interest.
In the mansion's tall halls, Just behind him, a man approached with gray hair and a carefully groomed black mustache. Clad in a tailored tailcoat, he inched closer, seeming both cautious and intrigued.
Mister Hoizeld barked to himself “WHERE IS IT?”, his voice sharp, echoing with urgency in the grand hall.
“May I inquire what you’re seeking, sir?” The man asked, his hesitation evident as he stepped cautiously into the space.
Mister Hoized turned to him, recognition dawning as he realized it was one of his two butlers, whom he had always referred to as Butler Broom.
But Mister Hoized's agitation was palpable. “Isn’t this supposed to detail the outbreaks and the exile of the Armadorns?!”
“Indeed, it is, sir.” Butler Broom replied, attempting to maintain composure. “If I may be so bold, what about it has captured your attention?”
Without another word, Hoizeld’s temper flared. He waved Broom off dismissively, retreating into his chambers. Mr.Hoizeld needed to lose the tension that lay on his shoulders, before he entered his meeting that day’s evening.
Hours trickled by in silent solitude until a butler’s voice finally broke through the stillness, beckoning Hoizeld to enter the digital meeting room. As the older man stepped inside, he was greeted by a vast and opulent chamber, a striking contrast to Nara’s cramped world filled with wires and flickering screens. This digital environment gleamed with sophistication, outfitted with attachments made of silky fabric, a reflection of the wealth and refinement that Hoizeld commanded.
As he ventured further into the regal room, Hoizeld’s gaze fell upon a long, polished table positioned by expansive windows where light entered softened by the steam in the space. Surrounding the table were grand, ornate chairs, occupied by some of the most high figures in Purahylles. Their voices intermingled into a low murmur.
“Ah, Mr.Hoizeld Rahous,” a voice drawled, smooth and confident. A man draped in rich green fabrics gestured him toward an empty seat. “Glad you could join us.”
settling into his chair. The chatter swirled around him, an intricate dance of dialogue that carried the weight of their looming decisions. a gnawing anxiety settled inside of him. A man logged in, and the room went silent. He strode tall, small braids in his black beard framing his black skin, and an elegant tailored suit of fine wool clung to his frame. He strode purposefully to the head chair of the table, facing the gathered assembly.
“I have called this meeting to address the succession following the Purahylles ruler's death,” he announced.
“Shouldn’t the prince assume such a role, Mr.Jadayil ?” a voice piped up from the crowd.
“Regrettably,” Mr.Jadayil replied, “both the king and the queen no longer possess the authority to designate a ruler—their son is no different, other than that, his governance has proven unstable, and therefore, he will not be considered in our voting process.”
“Voting?” another voice echoed, curiosity piqued.
“Yes, voting. We will adopt a new approach to assign a ruler for Purahylles through a democratic vote. This will commence in a few months, giving any aspiring candidates ample time to prepare,” Mr.Jadayil explained, then added, “But for now, let us address any urgent issues concerning Purahylles.”
As the discussion unfolded, Mr. Hoizeld raised a matter that had been weighing heavily on his mind. “I propose we pay closer attention to the potential threats of poisoning in our land.” An uneasy silence fell over the room as the assembly urged him to elaborate.
“Many Armad—” he began, momentarily faltering before recalibrating his phrasing. “I mean, many individuals from Scaleward have fled out over the years. We must be more vigilant concerning our link, Niart, that connects our territories. Perhaps we should enhance our background checks significantly beyond current standards.”
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“I voice this with genuine concern about the… potential… rise.. in our death rate—” As he spoke, a tightening sensation gripped Mr. Hoizeld’s chest, making it increasingly difficult to draw a full breath. Panic stirred within him, the air thickening and constricting his lungs.
-“Mr. Hoizeld, is everything alright?” someone interjected, piercing the tense atmosphere.
-“ yes…just a minor technical issue with my attachments. If you would kindly excuse me…” he said in the same matter why he couldn’t declare his real intention in the matter, he couldn’t declare what he was going through.
He quickly excused himself from the meeting, stepping outside the digital realm into the physical world, but the sensation only intensified. With every attempt to inhale, he struggled against an invisible force, his breath coming in shallow gasps. He pressed a hand against the wall for support; he could feel a cold sweat forming on his brow as he tilted his head back. He pulled his blouse up. The infection spot had only more redness and slowly spreading to the rest of his body. He slowly overcomes his panic, when his thoughts are consumed by the urgent need to regain control over his own body. He closed his eyes in relief when he finally went back to normal.
On the other side of Purahylles, Nara returned home after work to the booming music blaring from her sister’s room. Nara pushed her door open. Her sister reenacted the dance moves in her bedroom. Her room was adorned with posters, concert tickets, and handmade crafts. It was a shrine to her idol, inspired by his music.
-“ GWENORE, keep it down !.” Nara requested, her voice firm yet laced with annoyance
Gwenore lifted her mask off her face, over her thick braided hair, framing her light complexion and faced her “ but I am in the great annif G eisa digital concert ”.”she shot back, excitement radiating from.
-“who ?”Nara furrowed her brow but she overshadowed that momentary flicker of interest in Idols of the Kingdom and interjected
“Nevermind, just keep it down.”
-"And you thought isolated sound masks are a waste of money.”
-"They are, and father put me in charge of our expenses, so live with it.”
-“ fine whatever, I will keep it down”
Nara settled onto their worn couch, she sighed as her muscles relaxed after a long morning on the bike, but the music volume was slowly getting higher behind her. She couldn't believe Gwenore is approaching her twelve birthday yet still behaved like a child. But perhaps it wasn’t all her fault. With their father buried in his job at the mansion to scrape away old debts, with Nara’s step mother, leaving it to Nara to be in charge of hers and her step sister's wellbeing and making their living out of delivering news.
She slided a board on the table where there were buttons under it. Each button had words that changed every time she clicked one. She clicked contact, then clicked Aurelith.
“Hey, How are you ?” she typed.
As the sun began to set and shadows deepened in the room, she checked her device again, frowning at the lack of a response. “I’ll enter the game, care to join in?” she sended.
After a brief wait, Aurelith replied, “ hey, I wasn’t at home that's why I didn’t answer you earlier.”
“Did you just arrive ? Isn’t it rather late? ”
“ I was just hanging with new friends I met. Need something ? “
“ ahm, no, I don’t need anything. Am I disturbing you now ?, I’m just checking…you seemed upset last night.”
“ I’m fine”
-"Great, have you started on your monster yet ?. I was thinking something like a snakeish creature, but you know—sharper teeth”
-“ sound cool. Listen, I’m sort of tired so good night”
-“ oh...yeah of course. Good night”
The next day, Gwenore walked to the school. As she walked through its halls, she received a smile from a couple of students, then a welcoming gesture by the class when she entered it.
-“ Gwenore you’re here. I like the changes you did on your G eisa digital realm. It really matches his new album.” A student said to her while she put her bag on her table.
-“ Thank you” she kindly replied.
Gwenore’s friend approached her, excitement radiating from her before she spoke “ so, are you ready ?”
“For what, Rosabelle?” Gwenore replied, puzzled”
“Only For the GREATEST news of your ENTIRE LIFE!” Rosabelle exclaimed. “Annif G eisa is coming to our school to sing his new album, Can you believe it?!”.
Gwenore got up and said“ is this happening ?. Am I about to see him for the first time ever!-“
a boy chimed in “ I don’t get it. He is literally my neighbor yet I still don’t understand what everyone sees in him.”
“ he really is ?, “ Rosabelle said, “ did you ever say hello to each other ?”
-“only once. He did say it back but it felt forced. He is weird”
-“ Weird ?! He is recognised as the best singer in the world and you say he is weird.” Gwenore said.
the boy giggled “ he is recognised as the best in the KINGDOM, no way in the world”
-"Well no one knows a thing outside the kingdom. So maybe he really is.”
Gwenore spoke but their conversation ended when The teacher entered, shushing the students to remain silent on their seats.
After the class ended and Gwenore packed her things, a thin boy with brown hair approached her.
“Hi, I heard you made a digital realm for annif G eisa fans. That's cool.” He said, his soft voice was barely hearable.
“Hey, yes, Are you a fan of his as well?” Gwenore, cheerfully, answered.
“Sort of, I just started to listen to his music recently. ” The boy gave a warm smile before continuing, “I’m Gregory by the way. Gregory Gentry.”
“Gwenore Sowjan. “
They strolled through the school hallways together, “Are you new here? I don’t remember seeing you before.”
-“ I am, father and I just came to purahylles, we were traveling for years before”
-"You are not from here ? That awesome ”
Gregory’s wide green eyes glimmered and said “ It is ?”
-"Yeah, we never left this place, even when it’s believed that there is no danger of the parasite” Gwenore sighed as she spoke. “ My parents never ever considered traveling, it's so frustrating.”
-"You should always listen to your parents, they are only looking out for you.”
-“ Agh, why do you talk like an adult”
-“ s-sorry..I don’t speak with a lot of my age. “
-“ It’s fine, I was just messing. “ she lifted her shoulder while replying.
They chatted their way till their path separated, only to discover that they lived just a couple of buildings away from each other. Gregory did not live in a house, Instead, it was a tool shop where his father worked. They waved goodbye when they parted. An exhilarating thrill danced both in Gwenore’s and Gregory ‘s chest, A new friendship was blossoming.
Gwenore returned to her home, instead of waiting for Nara’s arrival she decided to prepare lunch herself. When Nara stepped through the door, she was greeted by the enticing aroma wafting from the kitchen, she sniffed the simmering dish that filled the air with its warm scents.
“Not too shabby, I must say.” Nara complimented when spotting the freshly prepared food.
“Thank you. They teach us simple recipes in school. Speaking of school, in a matter of days, Annif G eisa will finally have a real concert there!” Gwenore's face lit up.
“ The man whose posters cover your walls?” Nara asked, her disbelief returning a nod from Gwenore.
“Yes. Since you’re done with the room, I’ve got to make some tweaks in my digital realm. Could you tidy up after lunch while I head in? You know, since we are sharing household duties and all that.”
Nara agreed, only to find out Gwenore had used four pots to cook when she could have just used one.
The following day, Nara gathered her things, and Just as she was about to step out, a sharp beep came out from her table device. An incoming message flickered, It was Aurelith, summoning the group for an important announcement.
“Hey, Please, make it quick—I’m going to be late for work," Nara said after she entered the digital realm with her and Advan.
“This will be quick” Aurelith responded, her voice tinged with tension. She raised her voice firmly and said “From now on, you Nara, Advan, and frankly anyone else in our group who isn’t an Armadorn cannot enter my digital realm.”
Advan’s voice creaked through the device, confusion lacing his tone. “But why?…What happened?”
Nara’s intuition sparks and her brow furrows before asking. “ Is something wrong ?”
-“ is it the realm ?..or is it us ?” Advan asked
Aurelith snapped “Short thing: you are not welcome to game with us,”commitment was lacing her words before cutting the connection.
-“ Wait, we've been friends for years, you know us, you know me, Aurelith!.” Advan said but it was too late as they lost connection with her.
The silence that followed weighed heavily. “ You’re okay ?” Nara asked Advan and he nodded back, yet his eyes filled with confusion and sadness.
Nara pocketed the device, frustration bubbling within her. But she cannot waste another moment, so she hopped on her bike and rode it quickly, not knowing she had hitted the bag on Gwenore’s back on her way, pushing her step forward. Gwenore yelled at Nara as she rode away. “ Well good morning to you too, Goofball!”
Gwenore kept walking till she saw Gregory walking on the side. She ran toward him and walked and chatted together till the school. When it was time for school break, Gwenore bought lunch and gathered with Rosebelle but she wanted to invite Gregory as well. When she walked to the halls, she saw many men with suits that she didn't recognize before in her school, and she didn’t find Gregory anywhere. She stepped late into the class, and could feel an unsettling tension humming in the air, her teacher’s usual exuberance seemed notably absent. It didn’t take long for her to sense that someone was missing but the teacher attended starting the class.
“Miss Paige, Gregory has not come after the break yet” she ventured, spelling out his name like a secret. The class fell into an uneasy silence, some students stealing glances at her while others looked down.
“I see you haven’t been informed, dear. He won’t be continuing in the school with us...” Mr Paige's explanation was shrouded in ambiguity.
“What do you mean? Is he okay?” Gwenore pressed, anxiety spiking in her chest.
“He better not be,” came a chilling voice from the back of the classroom.
“He’s an Armadorn. How idiotic can you be to not see that and go near him?” another voice chimed in, scorn dripping from each word.
“Let's watch our language, students. And don’t worry Gregory is not an Armadorn himself so everyone should be okay, you don’t need to get into the details, so let us all forget about this and Focus on our lesson.” The teacher resumed writing on the board, but Gwenore couldn’t shake her nagging worry. She turned to Rosebelle for clarity, but Rosebelle buried herself in her notebook, pointedly ignoring her.
On the other side of Purahylles, Nara went to the press office. Instead of her usual routine of visiting house by house, she pedaled directly toward Hoizeld’s mansion, her heart racing with urgency. She couldn’t afford to face his wrath again—not if she wanted to keep her job.
Mr.Hoizeld wasn’t by his door steps like he was the day before. She approached the door, its surface intricately carved and gleaming and it was open.
Upon taking a steadying breath, she decided to enter. She was struck by the sight of the grand hall. She strolled straight, till many grand doors appeared, but one slightly ajar door felt an irresistible pull to explore.
Nara crept toward the door and pushed it open, stepping into an astonishing digital room. Jealousy welled up within her as she took in. In the center of it all, Mr. Hoizeld lounged comfortably, as he was busy on a digital realm with his mask on and attachment attached.
“ Hey, Mr. Hoizeld” she called out, trying to mask her awe. “Sorry to barge in like this, I just don’t want you to think that I'm more late today.”
she hesitated, then stepped back toward the door but walked back in. “Please don’t get me fired, okay? I actually spended my morning just like you do, in a digital room, so we are not so different after all” she said then held the news between her hands and added” and there is an arrest of a man who has a boy, I never would’ve thought you’d be interested in all of that but here it is ”
she felt that he was not engaging to her or had any type of movement. She walked closer and closer to him, then she met a sight that made her blood run cold. As she reached out a hand to touch the still figure, an icy breath stole through her, panic spiraling in her chest, she tried by force to grab the mask out of his head but it was useless, she didn’t understand how his room worked so she simply broke down stack of wires in the wall till his body fell as the attachments and helmet were disconnected from him. Nara froze. She hesitantly got near him on the ground, then Called out for help while trying to revive him.
A butler rushed in at her cries, eyes wide, hands trembling as he took in the devastating scene.
“He— he is not moving” Nara’s desperation poured out in a flood of words, but the butler stood rooted, shaking.
From the corridor, another butler appeared, his expression shifting from confusion to horror. “ “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?” he stammered, looking from the lifeless man to Nara.
Nara got confused and replied “What, no you don’t understand, I found him like this.”
The butler faced the other butler who, although looked slightly similar, had striking black hair and a gray mustache and the other asked him “ did you see her, did you see her murder Mr.Hoizeld ?”
Caught between his own panic, the first butler finally found his voice. “Y-yes… I saw—she killed him, she killed him before my very own eyes.” he mumbled, his own words sending shockwaves through the space.
Nara's heart sank and she pleaded with a deeper tone. “What are you doing, I didn’t do anything!”the weight of accusation rushed in, and she felt the walls begin to close in around her—trapped in a narrative far darker than she had ever imagined.