“YEEEEEAAAAAAAAH-HAH-HAH-HAAAAAAA…!!!!”
The young Draiken girl – Veena Alko – screamed out at the top of her lungs in triumphant success, face beaming brightly as she leapt up for joy. With her arms up high, the calm and focused aura she portrayed previously was non-existent. In its place was a young teenage Draiken girl ecstatic by her long-awaited achievement. She embraced the moment of triumph with full glory, refusing to let anyone take away her moment until she’s satisfied.
“Err … Miss Alko? You can exit the arena now.”
A heavy, masculine voice then called out to her awkwardly through the overhead speakers, hesitant to break her moment of celebration yet also conscious on the time.
“...Ah.”
Veena halted her jumps for joy as she glanced over to the observation window to her left, her face flustered as she realised she had acted excessively. Overcome with embarrassment, she lowered her arms and refined her posture immediately.
“Ah-hah-haa … sorry, Chrom. I got carried away.” She apologized, chuckling to herself as her soft yet spunky tone echoed across the vacant digitized arena.
Veena then stepped over to the door situated beside the observation window, passing through into the homely lobby of the Battle Simulation Club – or ‘Battle-Sim’ for short. The Lobby was a haven for socialisation and vital recuperation. There were various couches and sofas spaced-out in sections of lobby, circling designated glass tables and housing various club members. In terms of aesthetic, the lobby was plastered in various shades of blue, purple, violet, and a hint of turquoise – acting as a cleansing solution after an intension session in the simulation. Finally, a bar serving various refreshments and revitalising potions sat at the very back of the lobby, enticing the young Draiken girl to quench her thirst with its range of options.
However, as she took a step forward, she was bombarded immediately by three fellow club members.
“That was AMAZING, Veena!”
“I’m so jealous. How were you able to pull it off so flawlessly?”
“You need to teach us everything you know! And I mean everything!”
The three fellow female Draiken formed an impenetrable wall in front of Veena, all of whom were of similar age to her. The first of the trio who had first congratulated her was a short, bubbly girl with blond shoulder-length bob hair and fair-blue eyes hidden behind rectangular glasses. She wore a light, summery attire to match with her fluorescent green wings, further emphasising her bright personality.
The second to speak was a taller, bronze-skinned, sophisticated girl with long braided black hair and exquisite maroon eyes. She wore neat, luxurious attire that were fashionable during social appearance yet also breathable for extreme activities. Additionally, her wings were a luminous bronze sheen, adding to her gracious and independent attitude.
The third was an eccentric, tomboyish girl who stood at average height. She had hazel eyes and dense, pixie-styled ginger hair, matching her outgoing personality yet also discarding any meaningless distraction when in action. She also sported extensive attire with various zippers and belt-buckles equipped – mostly designed with cosmetic in mind over practical use. Furthermore, her wings were filled with bright lavender scales, completing her quirky nature with its vibrant appearance.
Their names: Lillis, Reina, and Nai respectively. The trio were Veena’s childhood friends, hanging out together throughout their time at the local academy and during their free-time at the Battle-Sim.
“Now-now, you three. Give the girl some breathing room.” A deep, masculine voice advised the trio.
Veena glanced over upon hearing the familiar voice, with the other three following suit. They noticed a bald, toned man a few years passed his prime approach casually, his hands in pockets and an impressed smirk strapped across his stubble jaw. He wore a simple uniform consisting of a rolled-up sleeved tracksuit top – complete with the Battle-Sim’s emblem weaved into the top left corner – and matching joggers. His dark-grey wings also fit his physical appearance; bulkier than many average-sized adult Draiken and the veins of the inner skin more pronounced in appearance. He was the Battle-Sim’s director and mentor to the four: Master Chrom.
“It seems congratulations are in order, Miss Alko. You certainly live up to your family name.” He commended as he directed his attention to Veena, a relaxed smile breaking through his firm expression. “I consider that a flawless run.”
“Ehh ... not quite. I was careless and slipped up during the late stage of the Konabura fight.” Veena admitted with a disappointed sigh, crossing her arms as she recalled the moment she was struck by the Konabura’s tusk. “But … because I took that hit, I was able to gain the element of surprise that I needed to win the battle. So, there’s always a silver-lining.” “Well, I’m sure that was your intention from the start.” Chrom assured her in a low chuckle, hoping not to discourage her over a minor nit-pick. “Regardless, I don’t see anyone topping the new record in the near future.”
Veena nodded cheerfully, appreciating his compliments. Placing aside the one flaw to her run, she was extremely relieved by the accomplishment. She had spent the last few months clashing against the system’s gruelling Hard-Mode setting constantly with her progression fluctuating over time. There were days when she would struggle to break Wave 10 of the simulation and others where she would reach the final wave only to blunder at the hurdle over rookie mistakes. However, her overall consistency and dedication to her training pulled through eventually, allowing her to overcome the gruelling challenge that haunted her for so long.
“So … you never answered my question, Veena.” Reina commented abruptly with an interrogating gaze, refusing to let her friend off the hook.
“Yeah! What’s your secret?” Lillis jumped in hastily, a cheeky grin strapped across her face as she anticipated the answer. “I … well, err…” Veena trailed off hesitantly, struggling to find her words.
...Snap!
“I’ve got it!”
Catching Veena off-guard completely, Nai snapped her fingers with a moment of eureka.
She then pointed her finger directly at Veena, revealing her thoughts.
“You’re the Goddess Enva’s reincarnation!”
“I’m no such thing!!!” Veena yelled out in a bewildered response, taken aback at the audacity of her accusation – even when she knew it was clearly a joke.
Master Chrom oversaw the group of girls laughing and joking away, shaking his head with an amused sigh. However, his gaze then veered towards a far-off sofa at the opposite end of the lobby, noticing a pair of legs dangling care-free over its armrest. Additionally, a large, curved broadsword rested upright against the back of the sofa, marking the carpet floor below with its sharp, pointed tip in the process. His sigh then turned from optimism to irritation.
Diverting her attention from her friends, Veena noticed Chrom’s gaze wandering off to the distance. As she followed his glare, her eyes sharpened immediately. Upon noticing the pair of dangling legs, a cunning, feline-like grin formed across her face.
“Master Chrom … permission to wake him up?” Veena requested in a formal yet mischievous manner.
“Permission granted.” Chrom nodded in approval.
Without another word, Veena stepped over towards her target, the other three girls standing aside as they watched in curious silence. She crackled her knuckles, imagining the limitless torment she could inflict on her unsuspecting victim. From a mild fright to a prank of extraordinary proportions, the possibilities were endless.
Upon reaching the sofa, she stepped up and observed the oblivious soul that slept soundlessly before her. Even with the Digi-Visor sitting over his eyes, she could easily guess who had the audacity to slack off so thoughtlessly. Even other Battle-Sim members who knew him found his laziness typical, ignoring him completely as they trotted passed the sofa. With his hands placed behind his head as a makeshift pillow and his sapphire-scaled wings spread out freely over the entire sofa: Zaron Nitro was drifting peacefully in a world of his own.
Veena continued standing over the unconscious Zaron with her cheeky smirk growing from ear-to-ear, anticipating his inevitable reaction to her prank. After observing the area, she leaned over the top of the sofa until she was closely face-to-face with him, trying her best not to laugh or even giggle as she prepared herself for her master plan. With the opportunity so perfect and the light within the lobby aligned in the exact position: Veena executed her impeccable plan.
“Poke.”
She poked him nonchalantly on the forehead.
“GYAAH! I WASN’T ASLEEP-!”
BANG!
Losing his balance through his sudden jolt, Zaron fell off the sofa in the most undignified way possible. With his Digi-Visor binding him, he collided face-first against the firm carpet flooring obliviously.
“Uuuuugh … pain...!”
As he laid on the ground momentarily, Zaron groaned out in an aggrieved mumble.
“…All the pain...”
“You just can’t seem to catch a break. Can you, Zaron...?” Veena joked lightly, finding the irony in his predicament as she watched him return to his struggled off the floor.
Sitting on the floor lazily, the groggy and bitter Zaron lifted the visor from his eyes and switched to her. As his eyes adjusted to the light throughout the lobby, he caught a glance of Veena directing her phone’s camera onto him, snapping a few cheeky shots for safe keeping. He then noticed her trio of friends standing further back as they watched him, giggling, and chatting amongst each other hysterically in the process. He even noticed Master Chrom shaking his head in disapproval, causing the young Zaron to feel guilty.
“You know, there were other – less annoying – ways you could’ve woken me up with, Veena.” He then murmured, ignoring the irritating snaps from Veena’s phone.
“I know.” She grinned back cheekily, slipping her phone back into her pocket. “But that just wouldn’t be … me.”
“Heh...!”
Without him realising, an amused chuckle escaped Zaron’s mouth.
“You have a point there.”
Wiping away the remaining sleep in his eyes, he took to his feet in a daze. He took the time to stretch out the stiffness in his limbs after sleeping in an awkward position, his wings flapping casually to ease the joints. However, as Veena watched him in his current state, her light smile proceeded to twitch. She avoided the thought as first, believing he fell asleep around the time she exited the arena. And yet, upon observing his groggy attitude and lack of awareness, the realist of the situation dawned in her: Zaron missed her performance completely.
Veena turned her head momentarily, glancing away to hide her growing pout of disappointment. Even though she was on the verge of berating Zaron, she decided to drop the topic. She found it pointless to interrogate him, believing it was wishful thinking that he would watch her moment of triumph in the arena. At least, until she overheard his next comment.
“Well done on the new record, Veena.”
As she switched back to him, Veena noticed Zaron’s warm smile instantly as he expressed his sincerity. She stood frozen with widened eyes, staring at him speechlessly as she was caught out by surprise. She was wrong on her assumption of him – much to her relief. She smiled back at him in overwhelming gratitude before interrogating him further.
“Be honest, how much of it did you see?” She questioned him teasingly, stepping closer curiously and peering at him to observe his reaction.
Jolt!
Zaron’s body reacted awkwardly, feeling a cold shiver crawl up his spine as the warm smile he held trembled.
“Ahh, well … bits and pieces, like … Wave 13 and … stuff.” His words slurred in hesitation, losing his composure in embarrassment. “Oh! But I did watch the boss round with the-!”
“You only saw the score posted on the screen, didn’t you?” Veena interrupted in monotone, hearing enough of his wavering excuse.
“…I did.”
Backed into a psychological corner, Zaron admitted the truth in a low mumble.
Veena sighed out in defeat, “Wow, you’re hopeless.”
“I’M SORRY!” Zaron burst out in a grovelling apology, bowing his head before her. “I was sleep deprived because Dad had me training me non-stop with Artoria for the past few days. I tried my best to watch you in the arena, but I just couldn’t help myself. I thought to rest my eyes for a bit, but ... I got carried away.”
“Yeah ... I can see that.” Veena murmured in an unimpressed tone.
Zaron then turned his head away, avoiding eye contact as he grew depressed.
“And, well ... it didn’t help that my own performance today ended up in travesty.”
(Ah, that’s right…!)
Veena then reminded herself of Zaron’s own attempt at the simulation, remembering how it all fell apart on him at Wave 17. She decided to avoid mentioning the details for the sake of saving him the emotional turmoil, unable to fathom the humiliation he endured.
“But ... I did watch the boss round with the Konabura up until the score was posted. So that counts for something, right?” Zaron then assured as he straightened up, attempting to redeem a portion of his reputation. “I can watch the rest of the simulation on the archive footage, anyway.”
With that, the baffled Veena face-palmed in disdain, finding his mind-set unbelievable.
“W-what was with that reaction just now, Veena?” Zaron questioned warily, struggling to read her thought-process.
“Oh no, it’s nothing really…” Veena murmured with a forced smile, avoiding eye contact. “I guess it wasn’t that important anyway.” Zaron felt an immense sense of guilt engulf him, unable to find a response to her brutal comment.
“You suck at this, Zaron.” A sudden voice whispered close beside him, snickering away.
“…And no one asked for your opinion, Nai.”
Zaron’s guilt morphed to bitterness as he mumbled back to the eavesdropping troublemaker, his eyes half-open whilst expressing his lack of enthusiasm towards the girl who included herself in the conversation suddenly.
Nai leaned beside Zaron stealthily with a condescending grin curling from her lips, finding the scenario far too perfect to ignore. In turn, Zaron grew uncomfortable, feeling as though he needed to swat away an annoying bug. And yet, he decided to resist the temptation, knowing it would only cause him further complications. As they bickered, Lillis and Reina joined in on the conversation, opting to observe from a distance as a pair of amused spectators.
Veena expected their involvement to occur eventually, knowing the trio had a tendency of eavesdrop on others – especially Nai. With that said, she paid no mind to their inclusion, intrigued on how Zaron would handle them.
“Hm-hm-hmm...! Well, I’m generous enough to give you my opinion free-of-charge.” Nai snickered as she patted Zaron’s shoulder lightly, sticking out her tongue in a cheeky gesture. “Maybe you should be more grateful.” Zaron decided to retort with a smirk of his own, “Is that so? If I find out your opinions are finally worth a damn, I’ll be sure to give you a call.”
“Oof…! Rude!” Nai scoffed playfully, reading him like an open book. “If you were more accepting of my advice, you wouldn’t’ve made an arse out of yourself on Wave 17 over a measly Nakemor-...!”
“Zaron. Veena.”
Just then, Master Chrom called out to the two from the distance, preventing any further senseless bickering between Zaron and Nai.
“Could you two join me for a moment?”
Hearing their names being called, the two perked up. At first, they glanced to one another with curious expressions, wondering what he wished to speak with them about. They could only imagine that it was related to their performances in the Battle-Sim – much to Zaron’s despair.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
The two then decided to approach Master Chrom – who was situated behind the bar, brewing up what a fresh caramel latte. Lillis, Reina, and the snickering Nai watched the pair step over to the counter before deciding to exit the Battle-Sim, noticing the time was against them.
“Veena, we’re heading over to Café Vale. Promise you’ll meet up with us later after you’re done here, okay?” Reina then called out, expecting their friend to join them after the debrief.
“Sure, I’ll see you guys there later.” Veena waved back as she caught a glance of the trio leaving.
“You better!” Nai blurted out abruptly before Raina could respond herself. “We can’t have you skipping out on us this time! We still need to celebrate your success ... and laugh at Zaron’s spectacular screw up.”
“OI! Would you lay it off already?!” Zaron yelled back in detest.
Veena rolled her eyes, turning her attention back towards Master Chrom whilst avoiding the guilt of turning down her friends once more. Whilst the four of them would hang out as much as possible during their free time, there were many occasions over the recent months where she had to pass due to her vigorous training back home. With her completing the Battle-Sim’s Hard-Mode, she had no excuses left.
Zaron watched as Veena stepped up to join him as they approached Master Chrom. Whilst she was calling out to her trio of friends, he had taken the opportunity to slip away from Nai and latch his Artoria blade against its magnetic holster. Situated on the centre of his back – in between the two joints that connected his wings specifically – was a magnet weaved into a three-point chest-harness. He was able to simply attach the blade onto his back without significant issue – the only exception was the position of his wings as he attached the weapon. Although a hand-me-down from his father, Zaron felt he was one step closer to living up to the ‘Champion’ name.
And so, the moment Zaron and Veena sat down on the bar’s stools, they were presented immediately with cold refreshments: A simple lime and soda for Zaron, and a tropical-fruit soda for Veena.
“I must say, you two are certainly a peculiar pair.” Chrom admitted as he sat opposite them, sipping away on his latte. “Veena, your ability to rush down your opponents without over-exerting yourself in the process was impeccable. You could even say … I was moved.”
“Thank you, Master Chrom.” Veena responded in gratitude, grinning proudly at the thought of her achievement. “It would’ve been a perfect run if not for-!”
“And there is your current problem.” Chrom interrupted her instantly, his tone switching to a stern aura without warning. “Your perfectionism.”
“M-my … perfectionism?” She echoed in a confused stutter, taken aback by the unexpected response. “Yes. You tend to nit-pick over the miniscule flaws of your performance regardless of the outcome.” Chrom then pointed out. “Whilst it’s commendable how dedicated you are to your craft as a warrior, perfectionism can easily be a warrior’s downfall.”
“So, are you suggesting I should dial it back?” Veena questioned warily, feeling confused by the reasoning behind his criticism.
Chrom shook his head.
“Not necessarily.” He assured her, choosing his words carefully. “Perfectionism is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, there’s nothing more elating than a perfect run – as you demonstrated earlier perfectly...”
Zaron glanced over to her with a curious stare, causing the flustered Veena to avoid eye-contact.
“On the other hand...” Master Chrom then continued, watching the reaction between the two. “If you fret over minor mistakes constantly, you’ll run the risk of losing purpose when you’re out on the field ... and that can be costly. For context: A perfectionist mind-set can be acceptable during the Battle-Sim as the system is programmed specifically on restricted move-sets and choreographed reactions. However, the real world is cruel and unpredictable. Your enemies are guaranteed to be ruthless and use every underhanded trick to strike you down when you’re most vulnerable. Unfortunately, some of my allies fell into the same trap...”
“R-right.” Veena accepted consciously, taking Chrom’s words to heart.
“If there’s anything I want for you to take away from today...” Chrom concluded, summarising his explanation to a bite-size level. “...is for you to find the ideal balance between perfection and purpose.”
Veena then nodded in silence, thinking back to her countless attempts in the Battle-Sim, remembering the many failures and frustrations she endured. Even when her friends and Master Chrom assured her attempts were great, she would always return home furious and depressed over her failings. Even to present day, she was fretting over her ‘slip-up’ against the Konabura regardless of her accomplishment on a feat that she had slaved away for months on practice.
Chrom then turned to Zaron, who felt a sudden pit of dread form within his stomach. He watched cautiously as Master Chrom prepared his review, knowing exactly how the conversation would go down.
“Zaron … today’s performance was an example of your dedication and emotion as a skilled fighter.” Master Chrom exclaimed, ensuring the positive qualities of Zaron’s performance was first mentioned. “You are an aggressor. You have a head-strong approach to the battlefield and can overpower your opponents with a simple swing of your blade – hell, I bet many of your opponents would cower before you when they realise the devastation you could cause unto them.”
Just then, Zaron’s eyes lit up as he realised Master Chrom was complimenting him. He leaned forward quickly, anticipating what other compliments Chrom had to share.
“I can say for certain that you have an unspeakable amount of potential.” Chrom added in confidence, only for his expression to drop unexpectedly. “However ... Wave 17 happened.”
(URK-!)
Zaron’s body tensioned upon hearing Chrom’s following statement, realising he was duped into a false sense of optimism. With his head drooped in despair, Zaron felt a hand rest upon his shoulder, acting as though he was being consoled. He peered over his shoulder to find Veena showing him some half-hearted curtesy whilst slurping away on her tropical soda silently. Staring at her, Zaron felt a hint of mockery in her blank expression, assuming it was payback on him for not observing her earlier performance.
“During Battle-Sim sessions, your techniques seem to fluctuate unpredictably at times – especially during the later stages. It’s as though when you’re rushing, you’re throwing everything to the wall to see what sticks.” Chrom continued to analyse, reflecting on the few years he had known the boy. “Now, that can be a benefit if you plan to throw off your opponents on purpose. However, if you have no plan beforehand ... your opponents will see right through you and turn the tables in the split-second. From what I’ve observed, it all boils down to your emotions running wild.”
“My emotions…?” Zaron mumbled to himself in a questioning echo.
“Today was a clear example.” Chrom then pointed out, taking another sip of his latte before he pressed on. “During the first few waves, you kept a clear head and easily slayed the incoming monsters. For a moment, I thought you had overcome your flaw. However, as you neared Wave 12, you were falling into your typical reckless habit and let your guard down constantly. You opened yourself up to the enemy numerous times as you grew more berserk and uncontrollable in the process. So ... it wasn’t a surprise to me when a lone Nakemori was able to strike you down on Wave 17.”
“Mmgh...”
A muffled groan was heard escaping Zaron’s voice as he planted his head against the bar’s surface in bitterness, resenting the reminder of his humiliating mistake.
***
A few hours previous…
“AAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!”
SLASH!
Unleashing a wide, circular swing, Zaron had defeated the final beast of Wave 16: a small, weakened shadow-Movu without a clue of its own predicament. Within an instant, the small feline beast evaporated in a puff of smoke as a small, crying squeak echoed throughout the arena. Clutching his Artoria blade with a solid grip and body glistening of sweat, the young Draiken boy was shaking with overwhelming adrenaline. The fabric of his shirt along with other pieces of his clothing were sticking to him like glue, every muscle in his body tensed up from the constant action. Although he refused to admit it, Zaron knew deep down that exhaustion and fatigue was finally setting in.
“Tsk...!”
He felt his posture droop as his body and joints ached tremendously, cursing at himself in frustration as he struggled to focus through his Digi-Visor. His mind was consumed with regret and disdain, reflecting on. For the vigorous training he endured to become accustomed to the Artoria blade. From sunrise-to-sunset, he was issued various challenges and duels with his other family members without break – outside of a twenty-minute lunch period. The moment the sun fell into dusk, he fell asleep immediately out of sheer exhaustion. He felt as though he had yet to see the benefits of his gruelling training – aside from the numerous aches and pains amongst his overwhelming exhaustion.
Standing in the digital arena, he could imagine his father and brother watching over his every move, both murmuring and commenting on his sloppiness and lack of consistency in his swings.
“Arrgh...! Dammit! Get out of my head!” Zaron yelled out bitterly, shaking his head to distract himself.
Fwoom...!
Just then, several shadows emerged from the ground, circling Zaron aggressively to encage him from any possibility of escape. Many sneered and growled in anticipation whilst others drew back as they prepared to strike – Wave 17 had commenced.
“If that’s how you want to play this … FINE BY ME!!!” Zaron then bellowed in abrupt wrath, lashing out his blade with fiery adrenaline.
Vroosh!!!
His opponents then leapt at him in ruthless formation, leaving no room for him to evade. With the system set to ‘Hard-Mode’, the Draiken boy knew he had no room for error. All he could do was ignore his crippling fatigue and strike down his foes relentlessly before they could lay a claw on him.
Leap! Whoosh...!
Without a hint of hesitation, Zaron leapt high to the digitized sky above, evading the incoming group of beasts hastily before they had the chance to overwhelm him. He then raised his Artoria blade high above his head automatically, preparing to inflict a sharp, devastating blow upon his foes. With the help of Artoria’s hefty weight, he increased the momentum of his jump alongside targeting the enemies that held back during the initial onslaught. He even noticed the beasts’ widened eyes helplessly as they watched him descent on them.
“HAAAGH!!!”
BANG! Swing-swing-swing! SLICE!
Upon his immediate explosive impact, Zaron proceeded to commence his hostile assault against the beastly opponents, unleashing a barrage of weaponized strikes without remorse. His fangs were clenched down whilst he charged through the hordes of enemies – slashing, hacking, and lunging his blade with pure adrenaline pumping through his veins. As expected, it took no time for the surrounding arena to transform into a bloodbath of black mist. With so much emotion poured into his strikes, Zaron refused to stop for anything – not even to breathe.
“GrrrRRRRGH-!!!”
One strike after another, the shadow-like creatures were sustaining fatal blows from every direction, some even evaporating into a puff of smoke the instant they encountered the unstoppable blade. However, there were a few creatures – namely, the Movu – who were lucky enough to evade Zaron’s enraged assault and countered with an instant lunge of their fangs.
Chomp! Chomp!
“HNGH!”
Zaron reacted with a pained wince, stumbling forward as he felt the piercing teeth sink deep into his right shoulder, left wing and left arm. Losing his stability and momentum, the Draiken boy was left vulnerable to the opponents’ counterattacks who relished in the opportunity. The surrounding creatures struck relentlessly at the distracted Zaron in synchronisation, latching onto his body as though they were parasites locating their desired host. Zaron attempted to shake them off desperately, flailing around and swatting them away with the Artoria blade wherever possible. However, it was a futile attempt, for the Draiken boy was trapped by the creatures, all bundling on top of him and restraining him down with their collective weight.
“...”
What followed was near silence, only the sounds of the shadow-beasts squirming within the claustrophobic pile. There was no sign of Zaron’s body amongst the suffocating ball of shadow-creatures, consumed by the engulfing bodies that surrounded him entirety. It was inevitable, the battle was over.
“Grr...! G-get ... OFF!!!”
Shink! SWING-SWING!!!
Splatter!
Just then, the Artoria blade tore through the bundling hoard of creatures in a swift, abrupt, circular motion, ripping through every shred of shadow-creatures in devastation.
Swing-swing-swing! HACK! SWOOSH!!!
From the small Avatéra to the large, muscular Enta, no creature was a match for the notorious blade. Instead, what resulted were numerous limbs and body parts separating from their owners freely and littering the entire battlefield.
Dash! Slice-slice-swing! WHOOSH! SWIPE!
Continuing his furious momentum, the enraged Zaron forced his way through the remaining beasts with the brute force of his devastating blade. His bellowing roars echoed loud throughout the skies of the digitized arena, consumed by a combination of unrelenting fury and adrenaline. With no patience left inside him, any sense of strategy was thrown out of existence.
“…aaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAARRGHH!!!!!”
Hack-hack-swing...! SLASH!!! Swoop! SLASH-SLASH-SLASH!!!
Refusing to succumb to his fatigue, Zaron swung, spun, and cleaved his Artoria blade, aiming at every beast that stood in his line of sight. His flurry of combo attacks were infinite, showing no end to the assault as he rushed to demolish the final set of enemies.
“RAAGH!!!”
STAB!
And then, the final beast – a cowering Enta that cornered itself against an invisible wall – was slain. Zaron struck the beast in the chest directly, pining it against the unseen wall with unbearable force. At the same time, his fiery eyes met with the Enta’s dying gaze as he awaited its eventual demise gleefully.
Poof! Fwoosh...!
Finally, the Enta dissipated into the digitized atmosphere, existing no more. Zaron felt the weight of his weapon drop suddenly, confirming that he had overcome his opponents. As the fury and excitement died off, the young Draiken felt his entire body slump. He felt the fatigue take complete control over him, causing him to regret spending all his energy over a wave of expendable, worthless enemies. The Draiken boy was close to buckling out of exhaustion, struggling to hold his focus as he still hoped to conquer the final three waves. He took the opportunity to grasp the extravagant horizon – or, at least, what image appeared through the invisible wall. Observing the sky-high mountains in the distance as the fresh breeze brushing passed him, the young Draiken embraced a moment of tranquillity.
“Ha-haa … Aaha-ha-haa…!”
He proceeded to chuckle in an exhausted wheeze, finding the whole ordeal amusing.
“Man, what I would give to-!”
WHACK!
“-OOF!”
Before he even realised what had happened, Zaron found himself lifted into the air uncontrollably after what felt like a sledgehammer strike him across the side of his head. With his eyes wide with shock, he had no chance to brace for the inevitable impact.
SMASH!
The young Draiken collided against the ground instantly, tumbling across the digital floor like a useless ragdoll. After rolling to a complete stop, Zaron felt he had no strength left to recover from the surprise attack. Additionally, as he scrambled back to his feet, he realised he had released his grasp on the Artoria blade during the attack. He soon found its position, only to realise it had stabbed itself in the ground far off from his position. He was in trouble.
Zaron then caught an eye of the perpetrator immediately: a lone, sly Nakemori raised on its hind legs as it stared him down. It had survived Zaron’s onslaught of attacks, its body unscathed and no sign of issues in its mobility. It was in that moment where Zaron realised he was baited to slay the Enta, taking advantage of his blinding anger to expose his faults. The young Draiken cursed at himself for his ignorant blunder, thinking of a way out of his predicament frantically. He then caught sight of the Nakemori rush up to him at a staggering pace. As the panicking set in, he aimed for his weapon and bolted into a frantic sprint.
“Haa-haa...!”
Trip!
However, just as he picked up the pace, the lack of strength left in his muscles caused his feet to buckle forward.
Clump!
“Grgh-!”
Zaron fell to his hands and knees, stumbling forward hopelessly in failed desperation to regain his footing. He was left to accept his inevitable demise bitterly. With one last glance, he watched helplessly as the Nakemori leapt towards him, whipping its body around whilst aiming its hulking tail towards his face directly. The young Draiken then braced, throwing his wings over his head as a makeshift barrier in a last resort to sustain the assault.
WHAM!
A dark, creepy monotone voice was then heard over the speakers.
“GAME. OVER.”
***
Present day…
Zaron refused to lift his head up from the table, pulling up his jacked over to hide the embarrassment. Both Chrom and Veena watched him with awkward expressions, unsure on how to react.
“...at ...stem I... r...ged!” Zaron’s muffled voice then called out.
“What did you say, Zaron?” Chrom asked as he leaned in, failing to catch the boy’s inaudible statement.
“That system is rigged, I swear!” Zaron then repeated in open protest, lifting his head up in spite. “There's no way that dumb Nekamori could’ve outwitted me.”
After glancing over to Chrom with an uncertain gaze, Veena decided to correct the accusation.
“Err ... I think that was just a coincidence, Zaron.”
Chrom sighed and nodded in agreement, “If you controlled your emotions, you would’ve spotted the Nakemori avoiding you easily.”
Zaron lowered his face back down against the table, grumbling to himself quietly.
Finishing off his latte, Chrom decided to conclude the debrief, “However you may feel about the system, it doesn't negate the fact that you need to control your emotional nature.”
With a defeated sigh, Zaron straightened up and nodded begrudgingly.
“Fine. I get your point.”
Veena rolled her eyes in ironic amusement as she watched him respond, knowing he would just fall into his usual pitfall.
“In any case, finish off your drinks and I’ll start locking up.” Chrom suggested to the two, proceeding to close the bar. “Looks like I’ll need to start drafting up code for new battle modes.”
However, whilst Zaron rose from his seat lifelessly, Veena continued sitting deep in thought. Even though she had achieved her goal, she felt unsatisfied with ending the day so soon. Furthermore, watching Zaron sulking in failure sparking a desire to redeem him, believing he had potential to overcome the Battle-Sim’s system. In her mind, all her friend required was additional support.
“Master Chrom?” She called out in request, hoping for an opportunity. “Before you lock up, could Zaron and I attempt one more round in the Battle-Sim?”
Chrom froze in his tracks, switching his sights to Veena with sudden surprise. Upon hearing her suggestion, Zaron jolted in abrupt reaction, switching to her as he wondered if she had lost the plot.
“Miss Alko, I appreciate your boundless enthusiasm, but … we’ve all got to rest at some point or another.” Chrom then advised jokingly, wondering if the Draiken girl was drunk on her success.
However, Veena held firm on her request.
“No worries. It'll only be a quick Co-op session anyway.”
In that moment, both Zaron and Chrom realised what she was implying.
Veena continued to explain her reasoning, “I thought it might be worth ending the day with playing around in the Battle-Sim as a pair. I have a bit of energy left in me and I’m sure Zaron could do with a spirit boost.”
Zaron flinched abruptly, feeling a painful jab in his self-esteem. Brushing the thought aside, he was left in two minds with Veena's proposal: one side was optimistic of her idea, feeling it was a needed change of pace with her by his side; on the contrary, the other side of his mind continued to remind him that he was beyond exhausted.
“I ... wouldn't mind another stab at the arena, I guess.” Zaron accepted, ignoring his desperate desire to recover.
A warm, beaming smile expanded across Veena's cheerful face as she glanced to him, overjoyed to hear his answer.
Hearing their words, Chrom nodded to the two with a wary sigh, “So be it, I have some time to spare. Just ... don’t over-exert yourselves.”
***
The two young Draiken stood at the centre of the digitized arena, their Digi-Visors resting ready on their heads and both weapons unsheathed. Zaron juggle his Artoria blade lightly, assuring its weights was balanced and without risk of hindering him during battle. Veena also followed suit, swishing and swiping her unguarded katana blade several times before feeling satisfied to proceed. The two then nodded to each other as though they were in sync, confirming they were ready to enter the system. With that, the countdown commenced.
“Three...”
“You better not hold back, Zaron.” Veena teased playfully, standing close beside her partner as she lowered the Digi-Visor over her eyes.
“Veena, when have I ever held back?” Zaron responded in question, chuckling away as he lowered his own Visor. “If anything, you'll see me on the floor gasping for air.”
“Ah-ha-haa...! Good point.” She then muttered cheekily.
“Two...”
The digitized arena then transformed its scenery from the default grid aesthetic to mimicking another authentic landscape of Dragora. As opposed to the ‘Open Plains’ landscape the two had chosen during their previous solo attempts, the current arena transformed into a ‘Winter Tundra’. Immediately after the scenery transformed: specs of snow fell from the darkened skies above; a dim, grey haze cloaked the atmosphere, allowing off a fresh yet chilling vibe; to eclipse the area; the surrounding fern trees were covered in blankets of untouched white snow; and the only footprints found the thick layer of snow below were the fresh tracks formed from the Draiken pair. It was hard to imagine a place so beautiful could exist in the outside world, untouched and free from civilization.
“One...”
Suddenly, various shadow-like beasts emerged between the deep gaps of the surrounding trees gradually, their eyes glowering red as they located their presumed prey. Dragging their feet through to thick snow, they took their position. Both Zaron and Veena took their stances side-by-side, preparing for the inevitable clash. Their eyes sharpened as they locked onto their monstrous opponents, anticipating the first strike as they planned their approach dynamically.
“COMMENSE BATTLE-SIMULATION.”
Leap! Whoosh...!
Without a hint of hesitation, Zaron and Veena leapt into a full charge. Every step was bursting with power, acting as though fatigue had never existed in the first place. At the same time, their blades were close by their sides, ready to strike the shadow-like beasts upon immediate impact. The crowding shadow-beasts then pounced from the trees in swift retaliation, racing towards their prey with fangs and claws at the ready. Within mere seconds, the two sides collided as the two Draiken unleashed their weapons.
SWOOP...!
CLASH!!!