Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The office was quiet. Too quiet for how crowded the HQ was. Not a single bird chirp could be heard, not a single whisper from the employees. It was like the whole building knew about what was going on inside the office, and no one dared to intervene.

“Do you really think this is a good idea? To recruit a random robloxian as a future-to-be Admin?” Buildeman looked up from his scattered files that were all over the desk, adjusted his glasses to look at the man in front of him better as he raised an eyebrow. He himself was left speechless from this strange request.

“I don't see anything particularly wrong with it. If they pass my criterias then so be it.” Telamon adjusted his robe as he cleared his throat; a sign that he wouldn't back down from this… rather strange idea.  “Besides, I could use some help. My realm has become quiet…” he took a sharp breath in search of the right word that just wouldn't show up. “Lacking.” He chucked at his words as he emphasised the word; he couldn't believe he chose this poorly descriptive word for such a situation.

“And how will you exactly do this? The selection?” Builderman picked a file from his desk and scanned through it like it was the most important file out of everything there was. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t; what was certain was the fact that Builderman, in fact, did not care what Telamon was about to do for as long as it did not bother him. He didn't want any more responsibilities as what he had in front of him was enough.

“I’ll challenge them in a sword fight.” Telamon pointed up to the roof as his Illumina magically appeared, shining brightly before disappearing instantly as he brought his hand down as a fist. “After all, I'm the best swordsman. And I'm feeling quite rusty, I must admit.” He put up his hoodie, hiding his obvious smirk that was hidden by the hoodie’s shadow.

Builderman looked up to him, unimpressed. With a generic voice, he replied. “Then so be it!”

—

The news that Telamon was in search of a right-hand man spread like wildfire across Robloxia. And such news obviously reached the ears of a seemingly underground hacker that was walking the streets of a bland uninteresting city disguised as a homeless person. Looking at the floor, she picked up a fly which had the HQ building displayed with big bold words that read. “DEEM YOURSELF WORTHY. FIGHT THE DEITY, FOR YOU SHALL BE THE CHOSEN ONE.”

1x1x1x1 looked at the fly, really looked at the fly, and then let out a deep laugh, almost mocking. “The Telamon, to reach out to us? How pathetic.” She crumpled the unworthy piece of paper and tossed it to the ground, then forcefully stomped on it. “Does he think we are idiots? Who would even go and apply there?.” She continued walking as if nothing had happened a few seconds ago, even though she was still rambling. “The Great Telamon would never stoop so low and be so vulnerable to have a right-hand man. Especially one of us.”

Right?

Right?

Chapter Text

“Are you fucking serious?!” 007n7 uncontrollably slammed her hand down hard on the table as she looked 1x dead at her eyes. “You? To challenge THE Telamon on a sword fight?! Are you perhaps trying to get yourself… hmm... i dont know… FUCKING DEAD?!” 

“Calm down Sev!” N0-li tried to pull her into a side hug before getting a slap on his hands, which from the way he quickly reacted, it seemed to hurt. “You’re getting stressed for something you’re not even doing.” He tried to calm her down to no avail. 007n7 was too drunk to think.

“I AM CALM!” She exclaimed loud enough for others in the club to turn their heads to face her. In the heat of the moment, N0-li pulled her near him as he landed a quick kiss on her cheek, earning a light slap on his arm. N0-li rolled his eyes, reaching for his jacket behind the chair to cover the girl that was clearly drunk. Too much drunk to be more exact.

“Can both of you quit this act?!” 1x laid back and groaned loudly for both of them to hear. She didn't want to be in this situation, in fact, she didn't even want to be in this club at all. She preferred the calm of the abandoned corners of the city where she would sleep over the thousand eyes that were staring. 

She spread his wings which touched the floor and then drank all of that alcoholic drink with one sip as if there was no tomorrow. The only good thing in this shithole was that it had some damn good drinks. “It's me who is going to fight that deity, not any of you.” 1x mumbled, the effects of the alcohol still not getting her. Which sucked as she wanted to forget everything she had seen today, or yesterday, or even the day before yesterday.

“Well she is kinda right though!” N0-li pointed out. “It's not guaranteed that you will win the fight. With what sword will you even fight him, our swords are weak and almost like cheap plastic compared to his swords. He is an admin after all.”

“Do I look like I care about what will happen to me?!” 1x got up to stretch her arms. She flapped her wings that seemed to have frozen for a second. “All I want is to get the hell out of these conditions.” Her wings reflected the strong light of the club towards the table, pointing the reflecting light right at 007n7 that hit the table with her head. “That girl is clearly wasted…”

N0-li shot a glare right at her. It seemed that he didn't quite like that remark.

“Youre looking at me as if I am devouring your supposed friend!” 1x furrowed her eyebrows.

“Don’t even think of that!” N0-li gritted his teeth as he stared at her.

“Yeah, right.”

N0-li furrowed his eyebrows and clenched his jaw at those remarks. Then he spoke in a glitchy voice.

“D4mn r-r-r1ght sh3 1-1-1s!”

1x stared at him with a weird look as if she was looking at an anomaly, which was partially true, come to think about it as N0-li had quite the lore. What was he thinking? But then, not caring enough about any of them, blamed the amount of shots that the two of them had drunk.

“I’m heading out!” 1x rolled her eyes as she grabbed her cloak and made a sign pointing at the door, leaving right away for him to deal with her. She didn't want to stay any longer in that place.

“Such an ass!” 1x mumbled under her breath the second she slammed the door shut.

—

Outside it was raining, but 1x had no umbrella with herself, so she had to walk to her corner where she has been staying for the past few days. She had to walk through dark alleys this time as she couldn’t teleport right into her place, she had forgotten her GUi back there, on that dirty corner where she would rest. It was nothing unusual about the alleys, dark places lit with dim lights and inhabited with dirty little rats and bats here and there, covered with tiny drops of water that had become puddles in the ground. You know, the usual deal.

It took longer than she had intended, but what other choice did she have? It was either this or walking through the main road, which was definitely a big no for someone like her. But since these alleys were that frequently used, she had the option to not be that vigilant as she usually was. After all, everyone would walk under the safety of a well lit and populated road at this time of the night.

Suddenly she heard a crack behind herself and snapped her head backwards in an instant.

The only thing she saw was just a broken branch that she didn’t remember stepping on. 

“Eh?” 1x1x1x1 whispered, but then she continued walking. She wasn't too bothered to go and check.

Then 1x1x1x1 heard it again.

And again.

Again.

“Am I imagining things or what?” She wondered loudly as she stared at the leaf on the ground. 1x1x1x1 didn’t remember stepping on it earlier. So what was happening? It was driving her crazy. She had become paranoid.

Paranoid? Why must she feel such a dishonourable feeling?

She grabbed the pocket knife she had in an inside pocket and held tight onto it just in case.

Then 1x1x1x1 heard another crack behind her, but this time she turned around quickly and threw the pocket knife straight into a direction, hearing a loud gasp.

1x caught a man that was stalking her.

“You!” 1x stomped towards him. “Who do you think you are?” The moment she tried to grab him by the throat and pull him closer, the man pushed her far back and went to a dark place. Fair enough, 1x didn't expect a random man to pull such force out of nowhere.

Him disappearing into the shadows wasn’t a justification for her eyes not to scan.

He had curly brown hair, had worn a simple white shirt and a pair of blue jeans.

He vanished inside the shadows that 1x couldn't reach.

“W-where did he go?” 1x looked around to check for him, but all she saw were just the dirt of the ground and the faint spotted places. She couldn’t believe her eyes; he was right there for one second and then the next he disappeared. 

“How strange.” she wondered.

She grabbed the thrown pocket knife that was stabbed on the wall and continued walking like nothing had happened. But no matter what, her mind kept wandering back at that man.

Why would someone follow her?

How did she let her guard down so low?

She didn't know why, but she found himself turning her head back time and time again. 1x could sense someone still following. She could feel someone staring at her from behind. Her blood went cold as she could hear her own heartbeat now.

Fear.

Insecure.

She didn’t know what was happening.

“Maybe, if I turn around quickly, I may catch them again.” 1x wondered as she was walking slower and slower.

Then out of nowhere, 1x turned around quickly, catching the same man behind her, now unbothered to even hide himself. After all, what was the point? Something switched inside her; she felt cold sweat travelling her body, now able to hear her own heartbeat. How could a hacker stoop so low, why should she fear some random person on the street? They should be fearing her, right? 

So what was going on?

“What is your problem?!” 1x found herself yelling at the man that had a stoic look on his face. A face that bothered her more than she had thought. “You have been following me all this time. Like, seriously, tell me what you want from me.” 

“You’re walking these streets unguarded by anything you own.” The man started to walk slowly towards 1x. That voice… where had she heard it before? And why was it bothering her so much? “You should be the one worrying.” 

“Oh, fuck off.” She turned around and started to walk away. 1x didn’t want to be lectured in this situation. “Mind your own business.” She scoffed.

The man just grinned.

Suddenly she froze. 1x couldn’t move, not even her finger. 1x was frozen against her will and she couldn’t do anything about it. Attempting to move, to no avail. She felt a wave of cold breeze through her body as the only thing she could move was just her eyes and murmur some words. The thing is, she wasn’t frozen in ice, 1x couldn’t understand what was happening.

Frozen against her will. Unprotected. Nothing on her side.

Now able to feel the blood travelling her body. The breath going through her lungs. Her thoughts getting louder.

“So, you're the one, huh?” The man walked towards her and in a swift moment she was turned around. She felt like a lifeless toy being thrown around like it didn’t matter; something so easily controllable and played with. So small, so worthless.

The man was holding a panel, just like 007n7 does, but this one was different, and didn't even look the same. 1x knew well that the C00lGUi did not have such a command, in fact the GUi had no commands regarding controlling people at all.

So who was he?

“The great 1x1x1x1, that is?” He pronounced the word punctuated slowly as he kept grinning, knowing that the other couldn't fight back. “Where’s that fight of yours, huh? How will you fight Telamon if you can’t even get out of this situation?”

“That’s none of your business.” 1x shot back at him, an action which made the other scoff as he looked down on the Panel.

“Pathetic. All bark and no bite.” He simply looked at her, lazily looking up from the strange GUi. That simple act made her even angrier. Anger that she wasn’t able to really show.

“You’re the one who has trapped me.”

“And what would you do if I let you free right now?”

She stood silent for a moment before replying. “I’ll gut you like a fish.” Which would probably become true if he continued with this attitude.

“I like that fight of yours.” He unfroze the other as he spawned a chair to sit on it and crossed his arms, a grin splattered across his face, not taking her words seriously. 1x raised an eyebrow at this action; not even an umbrella, but a chair. For what?

Who was he?

“Who are you?” 1x stood in place as she grabbed the wet cloak that had fallen earlier. “And what do you want from me-”

“I’ve heard a thing or two about you. The way others describe your actions. But all of them describe you differently.” The man used a command to pull the other closer against her will so that mere centimetres were in between them. “Once I've heard you as just a shadow lurking around, another time as this one unusual being that was staring at nowhere. Never had I thought that I'd see you like… this!” 

“How do you even know that I am the one you’re looking for?”

The man laughed. A laugh that needed no swords to understand what he meant.

“And what are you going to do? Kill me?” 1x clenched her jaw at that remark. She couldn’t and wouldn’t give up so easily.

“Nah, that would be way too obvious.”

“To who?”

The man stood silent for a few moments, an action that got 1x deep in her thoughts. 

“So you don’t know me, do you?” The man glared at the woman in front who was staring into his eyes. 

She was, apparently, too blind to notice. 

“Such a foolish being!” He scoffed, almost mocking, looking offended. 1x kept looking, staring even at him, but wouldn't recall anyone who looked like him. But his voice, it sparked a memory deep inside her, something she was unable to recall at all. As if her memory was wiped.

But she had definitely seen the GUi before, the black and yellow edges of the screen that screamed “ADMIN PANEL!" right on top of it, screams that went into deaf ears as 1x was completely lost.

“Who… who are you?” 

“Well meet again, 1x1x1x1.” 

Then 1x found herself suddenly back at her place. She looked around, not realising that now she was back at her place. The unknown city corner.

Who was he? What did he want from her?

And why did he say that they will meet again?

And then it hit her.

“WAS THAT THE ADMIN COMMAND PANEL?"

—-

“YOU W-W-WH4T?!” N0-li practically screamed his lungs out over the phone once 1x explained what had happened to her. 1x1x1x1 had to put the phone down to recover her hearing after that. “TH4-4-AT M4N TH4T W4S E-E-EYE1NG YOU TH3 WH0L3 D4-4-4-MN T1M3?! HE-E-E HA5 ACCESS TO TH3 ADMIN PANEL?!"

“Noli chill out, for fucks sake!” 1x scratched her head thinking of how damn stupid she was, how did she not think of that?  And more importantly, how could N0-li be heard that clearly when her phone wasn't even on speaker.

“I KN0-0-0WN, BUT I CAN’T!” He again was screaming. “… sorry honey i won’t be screaming again.” N0-li then noticed 007n7 staring into his eyes and then he toned it down.

1x shot her head backwards and glanced at the phone. “You called me WHAT?”

“N0T YOU!” He yelled again.

“I hope so!” She sticked his tongue out in disgust as she imagined that happening. Disgusting. “Wait! What did you mean by that man eyeing me the whole time?”

“Yeah, he was.” N0-li agreed.

“AND YOU DID NOT TELL ME?!

Chapter Text

As much as she did not want to admit, the stress of that final day coming near was getting into her. She found herself occasionally looking at her phone, checking the date and the hour, thinking as if magically they would change. She had become irritated, cursing herself over and over on why she did this; to sign up for such a dumb offer that she probably will get herself in trouble for.

Then, in reality, 1x had nothing left to lose. She was homeless, changing places everyday in order not to get found by them. She had nothing with herself beside her trusted GUi that she would probably murder someone if they even looked at it.

Now, one must ask, what is special about this GUi that she had sworn to protect so much?

To put simply. N0-li and 007n7 have access to advanced hacks regarding everyday life. 1x1x1x1 had access to hacks that would literally explode the main servers. And that's why they were in search of her head, probably. After all, how could a random robloxian find such a loophole in the system and try to abuse it so easily? But 1x practically never used them. She would get herself in trouble; the Admins were no idiots whatsoever.

So tell me again, with what braincell did 1x practically give herself over to them like that? Revealing her identity to those who she was hiding from? Simple enough, she wants a better future.

A future where she would have no reason to hide anymore, no reason to stay on the streets, hoping that nothing bad would happen. A future that holds power, a high position. A position where she could truly shine without hiding anymore.

But that was all but a dream. A dream that would stay a dream hidden within the void as they would never even consider her. The second she would show up, they would probably cage her and send her straight to the Banlands. And as much as she did not want to admit, she feared that place.

So she had to act fast and learn.

She needed to learn fast.

The first step was to make her very own sword. A rundown copy of the Venomshank, truth be told, but she couldn’t do much about it since copies of The Swords were hardly given to citizens, and those who were given to citizens were extremely nerfed versions of the originals which only The Great Telamon had access to. But 1x had the possibility to do so; to make a replica of the Venomshank, but on second thought she didn't want herself to get into more trouble.

“Any ideas on what I should do next?” 1x1x1x1 asked 007n7 who was calibrating her C00lGUi, withut maintaining eye-contact. “Where can I even practice?” 

007n7 turned her head to face the girl. “On the SFOTH realm, where else would people use swords?” 

“Do you think that they will find out that there will be a hacker amidst them?” She glanced at the sword that was resting on her lap. 

“Well, you will be morphed as someone else, so that won't be an issue. And unless you use hacks against them, I highly doubt there would be anyone suspicious to go and report you.” 007n7 then put her GUI in charge. “Unless they’re sweats, of course.”

“Alright” That seemed to calm her down a little as she got up to stretch her back.

“But I've heard stories of players fighting the deity that was dressed as a normal citizen, so I'd be wary of that.” The girl sat cross legged in front of 1x. “More than others, actually. I wouldn’t want to deal with the demigod of war himself. They describe him as a ruthless fighter eager for blood and violence. If you’re caught, it’s its game over for you.”

“… thanks.”

—-

Following 7n7’s advice, 1x1x1x1 dressed up, in her words, “not to look like a hacker”; a simple plain white t-shirt and black pants, with a scabbard where she sheathed her sword, and stood in front of the realm’s gates, where she was greeted by someone she literally couldn't even look at their face as they had a censor bar. “Strange,” she thought. “Why would a guardsman need a censor bar for?”

The second the gates behind her closed, she immediately was greeted by an arrow that, in mere centimetres, missed her head. Standing still, completely shocked, she looked at the arrow that was now pinned to the wall.

A shiny red arrow that had a faint fire at the end. The arrow itself turned into ashes as it fell to the ground, disappearing. Was that an edited arrow? Buffed by the Firebrand?

“Great! How great! Now i have to deal with shooters too. What’s next? Explosives? Firearms?”

“Are you new?” A girl yelled out loud at 1x1x1x1 as she turned her head to face that random stranger.

“Yeah?” 1x slowly turned to face her.

“You need to be careful here, even though they have restricted zones.”

“Restricted zones? What do you mean?”

“Well archery has a restricted zone only for that, shooters have a restricted zone for that too, melee fighters have a restricted zone for it too.”

“And where do i go for melee fighting?”

The girl stood for a moment, thinking. “I think its the road straight. I myself don't know since I come from The Underground War. You know, the zone for shooters.” The girl turned to go back to where she came from.

1x stood there, deep in her thoughts. “So theres a zone, with multiple zones, that have different objectives? Yeah, cool, just to be more confusing for us.”

Taking a few steps forward, 1x was interrupted yet again from the same girl. “You know… I wouldn’t recommend going into SFOTH. The people in there are petty as hell. You will get tunneled for being a girl, especially since you seem to be new. They dont have the reputation to be… tolerant to newcomers… like at all.” (totally not based on my skill issues trust)

“Thanks for the advice… but i want to go there.” 1x stared at the road in front of her.

“Aight! See ya!” Then the girl disappeared once again.

—-

The Realm was filled with sword clashes and occasional grunts, but to Telamon all of that sound meant nothing. Nothing seemed interesting enough to him. He looked at them from up above, eyeing every small detail down there, but it all felt empty, felt blank, felt not enough, as if something was missing. 

He missed the spark that it gave to him. The adrenaline. The rush of speed, the violence, the excitement that it all gave when he saw others fighting. When he himself was fighting. 

He was the dety of war. He lived for the thrill of it. All the blood, all the violence, all the grunts and the yells; it felt exciting, it felt fulfilling, as if an empty part of him was overfilled by the amount of pain coming from the others. He needed that rush, it was like water is for the living beings, like a breath of fresh air for everyone’s lungs, like the children’s screams of happiness when they adopt a puppy. He was no different.

Now he felt nothing but emptiness.

Something was missing. Something inside him was missing. But he couldn’t lay a finger on anything.

…

It was a usual day. He had been called to the HQ for something rather unimportant that he couldn’t remember much. Walking there, he noticed Dusekk holding a pile of papers as he was quietly heading to the library with a low-class worker following him quietly behind.

“Hello Matt. What seems to be the matter today?” He greeted the other.

“They struck again.” They stopped midway as they took off his robe’s hoodie and exhaled loudly. The other one pulled his robe’s hoodie closer to their face as they took a step backwards. The deity glanced at them, chuckling.

Telamon tilted his head, looking confused. “Who?”

“The hacker. They attacked the main server. Thankfully they did not deal too much damage.” Dusekk made a head signal for the other to go to the library before him, trying to get them out of the situation. They rushed away as the deity eye followed them.

“Hmm… What's their name?” Telamon crossee his arms.

Dusekk flipped through some pages before handing one to Telamon. “I think its them, according to the Trappers who were witnesses. They go by different morphs but they all have something in common: long white hair and a green GUi that seems to copy ours.”

Telamon stared at the document and the cctv screenshotted footage of them. What caught their eye was the name.

1x1x1x1

“Hmm… quite the… unique name, i’d say.”

“I’ve already talked to both Builder and Doom. I dont know if theyre waiting in the office meeting, but i want you to see something before you head there. In the library.” Dusekk started going there before he got a response, assuming that the other wouldn’t reject the offer, so Telamon had no other choice but to go after him.

Whispers could be heard from the library.

“Man,i swear to God, i saw that hacker literally teleporting around the place.” An unknown female voice was heard, possibly from a simple worker.

“How do you describe him? What did you see?” That was Doom’s voice for sure.

“It was a girl, wearing a black robe. On one hand she had a green GUi that looked like a replica of the Admin Panel, but missing some things… why are you looking at me like that?”

“You’re bluffing.” Another unknown voice was heard. “A girl? Really? To me it looked like a man.”

“I am not blind! I know what i saw.”

“OK, OK. There’s no need for fighting.” Doom’s voice was heard again.

Dusekk creaked the door open. All three of them looked simultaneously at them, and the two trappers pulled the hoodie up immediately. Dusekk landed on the ground as he supported himseld on his staff and walked to the workers.

“Hi there! What are you doing here?”

One of the workers quickly waved, uncomfortably, feeling like the Mage was speaking to him. “I… i was giving emotional support to my sister there.” They pointed at the other worker. “Yeah… that.”

Telamon chuckled before feeling the intense stare of the Mage.

“Can both of you step out for a moment? I’ll call you back in in just a moment.” The workers looked at each other before heading out. 

While heading out, Dusekk grasped the hand of one of them as the worker lowered their head not to see the obvious blush. The door closed shut behind them as he kept looking at it, oblivious to the fact that he had others in the room too.

Both of the Admins looked at him.

They knew, they all knew,but they didn’t talk about it. Why would they?

Then they heard the trappers talking.

“Spr-int, i am going to skin you alive.”

“Come on Taphie, what was i else supposed to do at that moment?”

“Maybe NOT to speak at all?!” She scoffed. “Emotional support. Really? Pulling that stunt in front of three Admins… we are so dead.”

“Me? Yeah, probably.” Spr-int nodded. “But you, nah. Id also state that the Mage probably-”

“No! Shut it. I dont want to hear you speak.”

“You know, the first stage of griefing is denial. Just saying.” He raised his arms up as the girl grunted.

——

They had warned him that the hacker is dangerous and may cause havoc even in SFOTH. But he had brushed them off, thinking that the hacker wouldn’t try to go on the deity’s realm. After all, who in the right mind would come, all by themselves, straight to the realm? It seemed like 1x was practically asking for it.

So imagine his shock when he saw the girl right through that morph entering his realm. The deity watched from up above, looking down straight at that poorly attempt of hiding herself and chuckled.

This was going to be a long day.

Telamon immediately opened the leaderboard to check for her, and there she was; a new player hiding under a fake name. 

Quickly he went through her inventory and checked her equipment. He scoffed. “A replica of the Venomshank. Really?” Then he went and disabled the scripts in such a way that 1x did not notice.

Then Telamon went undercover in the realm himself, wanting to face 1x1x1x1.

Chapter Text

1x1x1x1 wasn't that bad at sword fighting. Matter of fact, she expected to be way way worse than she actually was. But not every enemy was so awful at fighting, sometimes she would face what the others called “sweats” that were too prideful at their job.

“Quit it already” the sword clashed as the force pushed both of them backwards; 1x trying to rebalance herself as she stabbed her sword to the ground as the other took a ragged breath, giving a death stare at the girl. They didn’t expect 1x, a new player, to be this much of a challenge. “You’re nothing compared to me. To us!”

The same person tried to lunge forward, but with a quick side dash 1x dodged the attack, making the other person, once again, suppress themselves from falling to the ground head first but in the process throwing the Windforce to the ground.

1x just stared at them, painfully hiding a smirk while looking at that poor attempt of not getting hurt. Taking a few steps forward, without thinking twice, 1x kicked them to the ground and held them still with her foot while glaring at them.

The terrified look of the person was not enough. It could never be enough.

She yearned for this type of violence, even though she never was a fighter.

But 1x1x1x1 still held herself back from lunging with her sword straight at their neck. Leaving them to rot as they were torn into pieces. Their screams of agony filled the place just like the faint ones coming from all different directions. 

“Nothing compared to me, you said? I’m a beginner and I am still way way better at predicting than... Whatever attempt of lunging that was.” Then with a kick, 1x1x1x1 turned them around, facing the ground now as she couched, grabbing a handful of their hair. “I am only sparing you because I find this attempt of fighting rather… amusing, I'd say.”

Just like that, 1x1x1x1 left the citizen like that to the ground, grabbed her own sword and started to wander where her conscience led her to. But before she did so, she took a quick glance at the person she had pinned to the ground.

And good thing that she did so because they were rather stubborn at her warnings. They had tried to lunge, again.

So 1x1x1x1, taking advantage of their poor attempt to even be stealthy enough, quickly turned around and, just by pointing directly at their torso, had her sword stabbed through the ribcage, blood splattered around both of them, staining her shirt and her sword. But she did not care about this stuff, no.

She watched the person’s wails as they felt their body burn, droplets of blood falling through their mouth and nose. Vision blurry as they couldn’t even open their eyes anymore. 

But they could still feel, still could process what was happening.

And what happened was that 1x1x1x1 threw them to the ground and stomped right on their stomach, earning another painful scream from them.

Then it became silent. A deafening silence.

1x1x1x1 just stared at the body. My mind foggy, trying to process what was happening.
And why did she feel this way?

Why did this feel so fulfilling?

What was going on?

“Hey Marionet- WHAT THE FUCK?!” A voice came from behind, and as 1x turned around she saw a group of teenagers just standing there with shocked expressions splattered on their faces as they took glances at both the dead body and 1x herself.

“Holy shit, we might need to run.” One of them continued as they took a few steps backwards, grabbing the hand of the closest friend they had near and pulling them too. “That… that thing…

That thing is a monster.”

---

That dead body did in fact not affect 1x as much as she had previously thought of it. Not even the blood stained on her shirt. But what affected her the most were those words stated by those terrified teenagers.

A monster? Was she really a monster?

Maybe she was. After all she had gone through the main Servers a few times, causing havoc time after time, but she didn't think of them as a horrendous act. In fact, she thought that her actions maybe were more of a karma to all of them. 

She did not regret what she had done at all.

But she did regret the fact that she was walking without actually looking where she was heading, as she bumped into a person and instinctively put her dominant hand on her forehead, rubbing it, forgetting that she was wielding a sword.

“Good Lord, I was not looking where I was heading.” That justification slipped out of her mouth faster than she thought of saying something. She crouched to get the sword, without even looking at who was in front of her, and as she looked up then it hit her.

“YOU!” She yelled at the man, recognizing him instantly.

“It is me, indeed.” Shed shrugged.

“What do you want? Leave me alone!” The girl tried to push him away with the other hand, but in a swift motion the other grabbed the arm and pulled her closer.

“Told you we’ll meet again, didn’t I?”

The girl tried to pull back her own arm that was forcefully held tightly into place as if it wouldn’t budge.
“Who do you think you are? Release my arm!” The girl tried to push him away with her body this time, but it ended way worse for her as Shed locked her in place with an arm around her neck.

“We need to talk.” Shed said calmly, seemingly not affected by her expressive actions.

“I owe no damn explanation to anyone.”

Then she felt a sharp pain right in her right thigh, freezing her completely. A wave of cold went through her body, locking her in place, wiping her thought away as she now had to endure the freezing cold that she, in fact, was not prepared for.

Then she looked, unable to turn her head, right at where the pain came from. It was a small dagger, still stuck there. It was white… blue… something in between them. An annoying dagger on her thigh that she could not physically remove. But it gave her no pain anymore, probably because her body was frozen to death, to some Absolute Zero degree or something, because there was no explanation to how she wouldn’t feel.

Was it the adrenaline that made her not feel at all?

Maybe the shock? She had no idea what was happening.

“Too much trouble to handle.” He exhaled loudly just to annoy her further more. “I saw what you did with that poor fella. Quite impressive i must say, for like… you know.. For someone who shouldn’t even be in here.”

He then waited for a reply, before understanding that he had frozen her completely.

“Oh right, I forgot that the Icedagger actually freezes you fully. Oops!”

“OOPS??!” 1x thought angrily, since she was unable to express herself properly, which would’ve been violence. “You just FROZE me and all you say is just a simple oops?! I’ll gut you myself when I am unfrozen.”

“Anyways. I need to talk to you. Privately.”

---

You know the warning that 007n7 told 1x1x1x1 before heading in here? That she should be careful out there because there have been cases of the deity actually being on the realm and fighting? Yeah?

Exactly.

1x1x1x1 started praying to anything she could think of that moment the second she saw Shed using the Admin Panel.

Why was she so stupid? Why did she even do this in the first place?
Oh yea, for a better future that now she definitely won’t be having.

Both of them were now teleported to somewhere she did not recognize (as if she knew the realm). A place that seemed like… a place floating on the sky. It had trees, it had bushes, a lake somewhere out of her reach, but what impressed her the most was that she could just look down and see the entirety of the realm.

To be fair, she was only able to look in one direction, only on the front, because she was still frozen. Still unable to move, to feel.

“Oh yeah, I forgot to unfreeze you.”

Then suddenly the dagger on her thigh disappeared in thin air. 

What replaced it instead was a pool of blood dripping down her leg, and the sudden pain that followed afterwards. She immediately kneeled to the ground, holding back a pained yell as he had no power to even scream. It felt like all of her body was burning to the ground as she tried to stop the bleeding.

Then it suddenly stopped. No more pain, no more bleeding, no anything. She let out a “Huh?” without even thinking, because there was no explanation to what had just happened. It had escaped her mind that she had the deity right behind her. To be fair, she felt like she was about to die from how painful it felt and how much she was bleeding, so it is justifiable. 

Then she tried to get up, and only then did she notice that her sword was gone.

“Look at me! Sticking my neck out for you, a hacker.” He snarled at her. “Putting myself in danger just for you. How pathetic! But then, here you are.” 1x1x1x1 turned her head, only to notice that she was now facing the deity himself walking towards her.

The Great Telamon.

She found herself taking a few steps backwards.

“Walking all by yourself in my realm, my territory, and expecting me not to find out? Not to notice you basically asking for it? Be grateful that the others do not know who you are. Because if they did…” he let out a low chuckle as he stared deep into her red crimson eyes. “I’ll let you finish that yourself.”

“Why… Why did you bring me up here?”

It felt so pathetic.

She felt so weak.

She was terrified. Scared. Alone. All of these coming from someone who was all bark and actual bite when it came to facing people all day.

She did not feel like herself anymore.

The deity scoffed. “Telamon wishes he could know the reason behind you coming in here before he gives an answer.” He opened both pairs of his wings wide.

A divine figure like this would give someone peace. Would suggest protection from harm. 

But for her? It gave out fear. Gave out terror.

The girl tried to look around before hearing him yell.

“Do NOT look around when facing the deity of war himself!”

The girl just stared back at him. Unable to actually form a response to that.

What was she even supposed to say? That she knew basically nothing about sword fighting and came to see what others did? That she needed to practice in order to even survive going against him?

Should she lie that she wanted to feel the thrill of it all? The thrill of violence, the thrill of adrenaline filling her body?

“Speak up!” Telamon was feeling rather impatient at her attempt to stay silent.

Not because she was going against his will, but rather that he knew the answer already, he just wanted to hear her say it herself.

To hear her actually being afraid of him. To hear her squirm under his presence.

Because he knew that this was out of her character. And he loved breaking people’s characters into a million pieces, and reattaching them as he wished one by one (you get it? 1x1). Because he had the power to actually do it all by himself. 

But she still stood silent. Her mind did not agree with her own decisions as her body was blocked from any reaction whatsoever. She wanted to say something, but her mind wouldn’t budge. 

“You’re afraid, aren’t you?” He spoke, then stood silent for a moment. “All bark and no actual bite! Just like the rest of them.” He took a step forward as he pulled up his Illumina. “All you hackers act like you own everything. Like you all have the power to control. But all you are just sewer rats, living off of an illusion that you made for yourself.”

“I am no rat?!” She spoke without thinking, regretting those words the second that they spit out.

Telamon just looked down at the other. Not speaking, because his silence was more than enough for what he was about to say. So she dryly swallowed.

“Then why are you squirming under my presence?” He folded both his pairs of wings as he supported his arms with the illumina that was stabbed to the ground.

“I…” She gulped. “Well… it’s not everyday that you…” she stood silent for a moment before taking a quick glance behind her. She could try to escape his grasp right there, and maybe try to use her own GUi in an attempt to actually get away. “...stand in front of the Telamon… you know…”

“Hmm…” He hummed loudly for her to hear it. “Telamon feels rather… pleasant… that you think so of him.”

He did in fact, enjoy this scenery in front of him.

Her actually being afraid of him, even though she tried to sustain from doing so.

Trying to hide behind a face facade that he could still see right through it.

It felt fulfilling.

It felt amazing.

It felt so good seeing 1x1x1x1, the one who caused so much trouble back in the HQ, actually shivering in front of you.

And he loved it.

He loved the sight in front of him.

“Thank you…” The girl took one more step backwards, before taking a glance of the place down.

Then another.

And then she let her body freely fall down from the place, feeling the cold of the air brush her body and the feathers of her wings.

Such a crucial moment for her.

Before she left the strong grasp of the deity pulled her back to the ground and threw her to the ground, falling with a loud thud and with a sword almost straight to her neck.

“What do you think you are DOING?!” Telamon stood tall on top of her, looking down as he eyed both her and the Illumina. The girl took ragged breaths as she kept eyeing the sword that was so so close to her neck it felt like with one sudden snap her head would be sliced open. “Trying to get away from me, IN MY REALM?!”

1x, in an instinct that she didn’t know she had, clutched both her hands in her torso in an attempt to protect herself. A pathetic attempt, to say the least.

Telamon eyed her, then looked at her.

“Be glad that I am merciful only to you.”

Chapter Text

The deity couldn't take his eyes off of her. He was seeing red. Anger fueling his bones, heat radiating through his body. He was practically about to murder her by just looking. How could 1x pull such a stun in front of him? Did she not take him seriously? 

He clenched his jaw as this thought kept making him angrier.

Why?

Why do I find you so different from what the others think of you?

What is this uniqueness that I haven't stumbled upon before?

Why does this feel so…

Strange?

What have you done to me?

The man grunted loudly as he pulled the sword from the ground and sheathed it on his scabbard, urging the girl to sit on the grass below by a simple hand gesture. 1x1x1x1’s mind was processing nothing at those moments, being near death and pulled from it so quickly it physically sickened her.

She hated being played with as a dirty toy.

And then thrown away like unworthy trash.

She knew her worth, for what she mattered.

Why couldn't anyone see her for what she was worth for?

“Get up, will you?” The deity said in a mocking tone, made a hand sign for 1x to get up on her feet, and she did so, hesitantly. Because she didn’t know what else would happen. Anything could happen, to be fair. She tried not to move fast, she tried not to do anything that would anger him more.

“Don’t pull any stunts like that anymore.” He warned her, but the girl seemed to seemingly brush it off. She already knew that she messed up before and shouldn't do anything like that again, so she simply nodded and stayed silent.

After all, what else could she say?

She didn't regret risking her head at all.

She was simply afraid of what he could do to her.

“Wont you say something…?” The deity took a few steps forward to close the distance that 1x had made by walking backwards.”Speak! I won’t bite… hard.” The deity chuckled.

He would have mauled her before if it was someone else who pulled that stun.

Would had bled her dry, would had eaten her whole,

For her presence felt so intrusive to his mind.

1x however, stood silent. Had no words to say. What else could she say, her actions told everything that was not spoken. Her eyes told him what she was bearing in her mind. Her hands wouldn’t stop trembling no matter how strong the grip was. Her body was not cooperating with her mind.

Telamon started talking while taking small steps towards her.

“I heard stuff about you in the HeadQuarters. You, hacking into our servers. Rather… impressive… to say the least.” He stopped walking for a brief moment. The sudden change in his demeanor made her heart skip a beat for a second. 

She did not understand what was happening. Why did she react like that?

The deity continued talking, with a more serious tone than before. “I’ve also heard… birds… telling me about your lifestyle. Quite unfortunate for you, such a great peer to live so miserably, and quite the pain in the arse for us Admins too.”

1x did not expect to have her life detailed, nor being roasted like that at all. She wondered what point he was about to make.

Excluding that, she did not know what to do, what to say, what to even think. 

Why was she feeling like this?

She froze as a cold wave went through her body.

He leaned over, whispering. Not too loud, nor too low.

In a tone that clearly showed seriousness.

In a tone that meant that he really meant something.

“I’m suggesting you a deal!

For you, to get whatever you wished for; a home, friends, a found family per se, somewhere safe and sound to live.”

She opened her eyes wide open, holding back a gasp

1x couldn't believe her ears. She looked to the ground in deep thoughts.

That’s the exact reason why she even signed up for the competition.

For a better future, remember.

Remember those promises that you made for yourself, 1x?

For you not to be afraid anymore for who you were?

For a safe place to live and to call home?

For something you have been yearning for oh so long?

Do not forget!

The man, noticing how the girl was reacting, continued talking. “And in return I get to know the loopholes that you've been exploiting for the last decade. Sounds like a great deal, doesn’t it?” 

He grabbed both of her shoulders as she was snapped back to reality. 

1x looked up from the ground and gazed straight at the deity’s eyes.

Straight at his light blue eyes.

Everything felt right. Everything felt too right.

He read her like a book.

“That’s why you are doing all of this?” He took a step backward as 1x stood still. “Caused all of that trouble for what? Just for a better future-”

1x interrupted him immediately. She smelled something fishy, and it proved her right.  “Your manipulation attempts won't work for me!”

Something inside her screamed to run.

But something inside her gave her the motivation she needed to bite back at him

“Do you really think that I will leave everything I have made behind just like that? For you?!” 

Run!

Telamon ground his teeth at her barking like that. How dare she, such a foolish being, disregard his deal? A divine deal on top of everything.

Neither the sword does to me what you do…

“You… you are an inadequate low-live being!” He opened both his pair of wings wide open. To make his divine figure bigger.

To be seen as more dominant.

 ..nor the meeting with my enemy is like meeting you…

“Who are you to question my actions and my words?” 

Telamon grabbed 1x1x1x1 by her arm forcefully towards him. She fell to her knees, hanging by her arm. It hurt like hell, for sure it did, it felt like her arm was being ripped from her body. 

…If an arrow from my enemies lunged over my liver…

He strangled her arm so forcefully, she promptly showed her GUi.

A horrified look was plastered across 1x’s face as the man grabbed it from her arms.

No…NO!

Anything but it!

Anything but the GUi!

The deity threw her to the ground as he held her GUi. “Impressive work, it looks like a cheap replica of my Admin Command Panel.”

With the other arm, he spawned the Venomshank.

And plunged the sword straight at the GUi.

1x1x1x1 watched her work, her time, her blood and sweat, her everything being taken away from her just as easily like that.

Within a few seconds, everything that she cared for was stripped away.

Gone, deleted.

Just like that.

Telamon smirked at the horrific look on her face.

And at the sight of the GUi that was torn into pieces.

In reality, the GUi was not destroyed.

He just made it so that she doesn’t have access to it temporarily.

“You…” That was all that 1x managed to get out of her mouth before she choked on air. 

Her throat was so dry it felt like a dessert filled with a million tiny needles.

Her mind felt so cursed she thought she wasn't her anymore.

And her creation was torn away as it did not matter.

“You want it back, don’t you?” The deity asked, surprisingly in a calm tone. Like what he did was such a random thing.

The girl simply looked up.

Seeing red.

Anger fueling her to the bone.

“That was MINE!” Was all she managed to get out.

The deity grabbed her by the shirt’s neckline close to his face.

So close she could hear his heartbeat.

So close she could hear his raged breaths.

“You want your little creation back, don’t you?”

“You…”

“If you want it back, then come fight me.

You and me.

To a sword fight on the heights!”

…it would not harm me as much as your eyes have!

---

1x1x1x1 found herself teleported back to her dirty corner that she called home. She took one big inhale, finally being away from his grasps, before trying to spawn her GUi.

Over and over again.

Again and again.

It showed the same message, again.

It showed her a timer.

A timer that kept decreasing.

She threw that clone to the ground as she sat beside the remains of it.

Her hands were so sweaty she thought she had dipped them into water. She held back a yell so much it was hurting her insides. Her throat was burning. Her mind felt so heavy. Her eyes were puffy and she did not know why she had started crying. Her legs were shaking to the point she has to lean on something to support her.

She felt so weak. So powerless.

Like nothing.

But do you really blame her?

[A FEW MOMENTS LATER]

“Girl, hello!” The energetic voice of 007n7 was heard from the other side of the phone as 1x1x1x1 called her. “How did it go? Tell me EVERYTHING!” 1x could feel her excitement through the phone, but she didn’t have it.

Her energy did not break the wave of sorrow tht had captured her and drowned her deep into the ocean.

And 007n7 seemed to understand that something was clearly wrong when she didn’t hear a reply. “Uh… 1x… you there?”

A silence

A silence so big it was killing everyone inside.

“Did something happen…?”

Again

“Please reply…”

1x1x1x1’s voice creaked through the phone.

“Y-yes!”

That reply alone made the other spiral into mama bear mode.

Because she sensed that whatever had happened there.

That meant big trouble for everyone.

And the least she wanted was that she, her and N0-li to be hurt.

“OH MY GOD! DO NOT MOVE I AM COMING OVER!”

All that was heard across the phone were yells and crashes before Seven’s voice was heard again.

“Girl do NOT move, I am coming over right now!”

Chapter Text

Telamon couldn’t take his eyes off of the GUi’s remains. He couldn't do so, exchanging looks between the remains and the place where the girl was. But what bothered him the most was his own smile. He couldn’t stop himself from smiling. Such a devious smile, one must say.

Now, the deity didn't consider himself deranged to smile like that. He considered himself high class, way above those simple living beings on the ground. What was wrong with him? He tried to pinch his hand to stop doing so, but that did little to nothing. And it angered him.

In one swift motion, he grabbed all the remains of the GUi and wrapped them in a cloth that he spawned out of nowhere, a cloth that had the same color as the robe that he was wearing. 

Why does this all feel so… strange? Everything, anything… What have you done to me? I feel so different, yet I look the same as always. What is this curse that you have bestowed upon me, that I cannot cast free from? What dark cloud has me inside that my power can’t cast me free from?

—

The manor felt freezing cold like the antarctic ice that never melts; empty like a bird’s nest filled with hatchlings, alive, full of energy, but now only holds the memories of the past; and unwelcoming like stepping foot on a place that you have never before and your everything scream for you to run away as fast as you can. But no matter what the circumstances, it was still his manor, his resting place, his peace within, a piece of his soul that he had built for himself only, a reflection of his glory to everyone who had the chance to witness it.

He stood in front of the manor’s door, waiting there as a part of him didn't want to step foot inside, as if his own body refused to cooperate with this thought. What was this all for? How come that the deity himself does not feel welcomed at his own home? For what?

What could I have possibly done?

Why is this part of my soul spurning me away?

Against all odds, it took a great willpower to step in, and without a second thought, he passed through the corridors like a shadow and went straight to his own room. The place was quiet, too quiet for his own liking, a deep silence following him around the place, judging him silently. But, it wasn't bothering him as much as it would do.

Staring at a table, he placed the cloth there and opened it quickly to splatter everything, and in a snap of the fingers, everything turned back to normal, as if it was never actually broken.

“Well, it's just our presence now….” He chuckled at the GUi on the table, expecting a reaction out of it. “It is just you… and me…” But in reality, he didn’t receive anything. He was speaking to a broken piece of metal that had lost its worth, and expected it to say something worthy of hearing, say something that comes out of her soul, something that made his presence more noticeable.

You are important to me! Why aren't I important to you?

He looked at the table where the GUi was resting, to which he had gained access rather forcefully, and left it to rot like a corpse with no more purpose to it, even though it was restored. Focused on the piece of metal, he pulled closer a chair while brewing a few thoughts here and there. There it was, the source of the problem, the starting point of everything, what they had been hunting for. 

So why was the deity feeling so guilty?

It was eating him from the inside out, like a dissolving liquid would do to a piece of fresh meat. A feeling of dread going around his body, trapping him within himself. But they didn't feel physical pain, no. It was rather emotional, something that hurt him even more. Something that he couldn’t just fix immediately and act like it never happened, or simply hide it from the others. Telamon felt like half a corpse, surrounded by vultures ready to take him by any moment. Was the GUi that was birthing all of these dark emotions, or the menacing presence of her? The spark that made the man himself surrender to the very own thing he found amusement in? 

Or was it the hacker that had found the way within him?

He shook his head to gather himself together from these thoughts. He didnt like the idea of his own thoughts interfering with his actions, so against all odds Telamon tried to disassemble the Gui in order to see what was going on behind it.

“Quite the impressive work I must admit.” He exclaimed. “Shame that such work went down the wrong direction.”

His mind went back to the hacker that he had disregarded like she was worth nothing. 1x was clearly different from the other hackers that he himself had gone against. No, there was something clearly different from her, but he couldn't lay a finger on what it was. But it affected him more than he had thought.

Her shiny crimson eyes had its effect on him because why else would he be thinking of her while dissecting the GUi? Why would he think of her when he had something more important on his hands at that moment?

Maybe… maybe she is more important than this.

“Get yourself together!” Telamon shook his head rather forcefully to get his own thoughts to stop, as he took off his hood.

But you are clearly affected by her, don't you think so?

“I must focus on the panel in front of me!” He thought loudly to stop his thoughts, but to no avail.

You can't hide it forever, Telamon. It will haunt you back.

“Let me work!”

The GUi you're holding is not yours, nevertheless. You cannot rip it away from her. 

“No… STOP!” Telamon yelled out loud as he felt rage building up inside him. But he did not want wrath to take over him.

What belongs to Ceasar will go back to Ceasar.

“STOP IT!” In an attempt to silence his thoughts, the deity leaned on the desk, arms resting on the table as he grabbed a handful of his hair. “Who are you to question my decisions?”

I am your conscience that you cannot lie to.

I am your everything and anything.

I'm the unheard voice looming within.

So hear me and return the GUi back to 1x.

“You do not understand!” He slammed his fist down on the table in such a force that it almost broke it.

I understand more than you notice. I know more than you ever will.

“You do not understand. I need this.” He grabbed the GUi and turned it to face the door, like someone was standing there and talking to him. But there was no one there, all it was was him talking to himself. “We ALL need this. This was the cause of all our problems.” 

The wielder is more important than the object that you currently have.

So do not make the mistake of deeming her unworthy, for she will be back for it.

His hands were shaking terribly as he looked at the ground. His heartbeats increased to the point that it seemed it would burst out of his chest, and all he was doing was debating with his consciousness over something that he had brushed off. An outsider would think him of a mentally deranged man, someone that had gone astray from the pressure (pressure, heh, you know. Feeling THE PRESSURE- okok ill stop) he was holding.

“I know she will be back.” He whispered. “She would do anything to get her hands on it, no matter what. That hacker will fall right into the trap.”

It seems that you have rather fallen into her trap.

“What do you mean?” Telamon raised an eyebrow.

You are so oblivious sometimes.

“I am not!” Telamon scoffed, feeling offended at that remark. “She is nothing to me!”

You’re constantly thinking of her. That is no nothing according to my calculations.

“Stop it.” He turned at the table and continued inspecting the panel. “I have more important stuff than playing these little games.”

Those little games have become your constant reminder of her. Tell me, what is it that it’s bothering you?

He turned around at the door again, imagining someone standing there, because to him it felt like someone was there. Like a haunting silhouette following him around like a shadow. 

He exhaled loudly before continuing.

“It’s her eyes!” He clutched his hands so strong it left a red mark on the palms, and slowly opened to see the marks. “It's… I don't know! Her actions… her way of reacting… I don't know what she is doing to me.”

Eyes are just like mirrors, and mirrors are glasses that can be shattered. What is it that you fear?

“It feels like I am losing control over myself.”

Control is something that can be taught. Feelings are something you cannot control.

“I don't know…”

Sometimes it is better to accept. There's no shame when it comes to feeling.

“What would they think?” 

Let me ask you a better question. If you didn't find yourself gripped by the hands of fear, how would you feel?

Telamon grid his teeth hard and again clutched his hands, the tension of the situation finally getting into him. His throat was a canyon dry, the dryness echoing with the thoughts of a thousand cries that never say the escape. His knuckles turned white, numb to the feeling of ripping through the body; the pain being an escape to the emotional counterpart.

“How…” His voice now was trembling. “How should a man walk the face of this place and not fall prey to the.. humanly feelings?" He dryly gulped. “By the heavens above me, even the angels must pity me for my actions.”

Let it be written. Let it be done.

Does no soul see the majestic figure robbed in yearning?

Oh you foolish being!

The silence that fell after that was deafening, as the fog rests upon a man as simple as him, he seeks an answer to the longing. An answer that he clearly didn't hold, a question with an abandoned answer.

“How… how must i act?”

You shall seek the answer within your heart and soul, dear host. I am not the one who shall bear the answer of such a question.

Chapter Text

The lingering question was still hanging around, looming over him, clearly having its effect on the deity, as the pain of not having it figured out yet followed him like a shadow. And it hurt, it clearly hurt that he had yet to find the answer. Others believed him as a shiny star who was reaching its preakness, but truth be told Telamon felt himself nothing more than a black hole, endlessly aiming at nothing at everything at the same time, trying to figure a way out of this never-ending cycle of pain.

And such a menacing presence was felt by everyone at the HQ, to the point that even Admin Doombringer had noticed it. This way, he went to ask the deity himself, knowing that the others probably had no idea what was going on with him. He slid the door rather forcefully, slamming it on the wall as he did not quite particularly calculate the force he used on that door handle, and thus entering the room, slamming the door shut once again forcefully.

He rested his ban hammer upside-down and leaned on it, holding the handle with both of his arms. “Ok my brother, tell me. What is bothering you these days?”

Telamon simply looked up from the desk that was flooded by papers and files scattered around. His look told Doom everything that he needed to know; a look of sorrow and despair, a look of uncertainty and bothersome. And it actually hurt him seeing him, the man who he looked up to, being in such a position, reduced to just a soul with feelings and nothing more. But you cannot really blame him for that, he is still human.

“Do…” Doom tried to say something but couldn't get the words out of his mind nor throat. In a sign of solidarity, he took off his bucket hat and placed it in front of himself. “Do you want someone to… talk to? To listen, perhaps? I can listen if you want.”

“I don’t need anyone for now…” Telamon said angrily, to which it surprised the other, but he did not take it to his heart and not as an offense either, as he knew that he didn’t really mean to speak in a rather harshful tone. “Just…” he took a deep breath. “You don’t have to listen.”

“I mean,” Doom tried to calm him down. “I can’t quite give you any advice but I can listen if that helps you a little.”  Doom gave a thumbs up. “I can call someone else if you need advice.”

“Sit.” The deity ordered the admin to sit on a chair in front of him as if he was interrogating Doom. The other sat, both elbows resting on the table as he leaned forward, supporting himself by his arms. “What would you do… if you can’t find an answer to a question?”

Doom felt rather unprepared for such a stupid question. But the stupid question got him deep in thoughts as he couldn’t bring himself to find the answer either. Telamon was simply looking at him, taping the table with his index finger occasionally out of boredom. 

Was it truly boredom?

“Depends on the question” Doom finally replied. “If it’s a question that requires a lot of research, I'd do lots of research again. If it’s a question that doesn't require much research however, I'd ask someone who had the same problem beforehand. I’d personally go and ask Dusekk, he’s… quite the walking encyclopedia, I must say.”

Telamon was put in deep thoughts. “Is that so?”

“Well, that's what I do.” Doombringer shrugged. “You do not have to do the same however. But… if I was in your position, I would go and ask him. If it's bothering you that much, at least.”

----

It was eating him alive. It was making him bleed.

Bleed me dry. Eat me whole.

It was frustrating, dealing with such constant pain and emotion time and time again. What even was it? Was it an obsession? Why would he even be obsessed with a hacker? After all, he should take them down, that was his job after all. But it wasn't hatred (BLOCKTALES reference yessir) either, because he couldn’t bring himself to feel wrath. He couldn’t lay a finger on anything.

It was burning him from the inside. It felt really pathetic.  

Burn me to the ground, turn me to ashes, for I am not worthy without you.

He didn’t know what was happening. Why was she all he was thinking on the back of his mind? “Stop bothering me so much!” he wondered loudly while shaking his head. “Get out of my head!” He kept digging even more inside of his self-made problem, drowning inside of his own blood and sweat.

He was walking around the place so quietly no one would suspect that someone would be there in the first place. But no matter how much you consider yourself hidden from the other’s eyes, someone will always be sharper than you. Thus, Telamon was spotted by the observant eyes of a worker that never leaves anything out of their eyesight. The worker asked Telamon where he was heading, and after he explained that he was in search of Dusekk, the worker pointed to a direction which Telamon followed after. 

Walking in that direction, he spotted the mage.

“Hello there!” Dusekk exclaimed when he noticed the deity approaching him. “What brought you to me today?” He rested the staff on the wall as he landed on the floor.

“Can we talk for a moment.” Telamon said, not noticing that right behind the mage there was a worker. To be fair, the dark clothes of the work blended well with the shadow of the place, so it wasn't Telamon's fault for not noticing them earlier.

“Of course!” He gave him a warm smile before turning to face the worker. “I’ll talk to you later,” The mage gently grasped the shoulder of the worker before resting his hand on the other’s cheek. “Honey.”

“Honey?” Telamon thought, then as fast as he thought the question it hit him. “Oh!”

How could he be so open to such human feelings? Why can’t I be like that too?

Is there something wrong with me?

The worker chuckled before walking away quickly. Their movements were eyed the whole time by the mage, until their shadow disappeared from the place. (me, you the reader and the chicken man third wheeling like crazy)

Is this what love looks like? Is this how it feels like?

I have wrestled with the shadows of loneliness and battled the dragons of despair for oh so long…

“Can I ask you about something?” He snapped Dusekk back to reality as he turned his head rather quickly to face him. The mage nodded. “What would you do if you can’t find the answer to a question?”

Dusekk stayed quiet for a moment, massaging his chin for a second. “Well, that depends on the question and to what you want for an answer.” He looked deep into the other’s eyes, obviously knowing that that wasn't truly the question that he wanted to ask. “Tell me, what bothers you so much that you seek my guidance?”

The deity stayed quiet for a moment. “May I ask you a… rather personal question?”

“Of course.” He gave him a warm smile.

“I’ve seen you… rather showing affection to this worker.” Telamon rather whispered than talked, and the mage’s smile dropped as he hesitantly reached for his staff.

“You have quite the sharp eyes.”

“Was it the one who was standing with you in here?” Telamon crossed his arms.

“...” Dusekk said nothing but gave a confused look at the other, clearly telling him that that was none of his damn business. 

“Tell me, how do you act so openly about this?”

“...what?” The mage raised an eyebrow, not understanding what point Telamon wanted to reach.

“You know… have this all happen.” Telamon couldn't find the right words to describe what he was trying to convey.

“As in…?”

“How did you figure out that you are… attracted… to that worker?”

That question confused Dusekk even more “The… what… w-why are you asking this?”

Telamon froze like an ice statue because he himself didn't know why he was asking this. The mage tried to study his stiffness, his movements, his body language. But he was caught like a deer in the headlights, practically showing no emotion beside the obvious holding back.

But no one would ask such questions randomly, especially someone who knew about all of this. So why would he ask this?

“Are you… perhaps in the same situation?”

Telamon opened his eyes wide, not expecting him to bite him back like that. Noticing this, the mage smiled. “Oh you fool! You scared me for a second.”

“No it’s not-” Telamon’s face flushed red as he tried to explain but that didn’t work because the others read him like a book.

“It is!” Dusekk let out a chuckle. “You are so foolish sometimes.”

It was clear as day to him that the deity clearly was pinning for someone. After all, he, out of everyone, would know this better.

“So.. who is the lucky person?” He tried to warm him up a little, but that clearly made the other more confused.

“I-i am not in love.” He tried to explain the situation once again.

But everything else told otherwise. The gestures that he was making, the stuttering of his speech, the way he was becoming bright red, the way his wings would occasionally flutter.

“You don’t have to lie to me. I keep my secrets locked upon the door of my heart.”

Then let my heart render a testimony most solemn.

—-

No matter how much N0-li tried to break through the error tabs and the death screens these past days, he was never able to pass through the timer on the screen and that irritated more than he had thought. And the staring eyes of 007n7 weren’t helping either.

“This shit is wrecked beyond save!” He said without thinking too much about it, and then turned to look at Seven who was staring at the wall, completely zoned out of the situation. 

“She has gotten yourself in deep trouble. 1x is absolutely done for.” Seven continued.

“Well she didn't have many choices anyway. I'm surprised how she faced the deity himself and didn’t get herself slaughtered to a thousand pieces.” He stopped for a second as he stared at the timer on the GUi. “That is, of course, if he didn’t want her dead.”

It is collectively accepted that N0-li is quite the wreck when it comes to destroying and causing havoc. He knew what to do and he did it without a second thought and without caring. That happens because he wants it to be like that, not that he was stupid.

In reality, he knew it too damn well that sending yourself there, with nothing to protect yourself, no knowledge beforehand and while being wanted dead or alive, was the death trap with no escape. This was going to happen, sooner or later. He thought of all of this like a stupid idea, after all, who in the right mind would do such a stupid move? 1x wasn’t the type of person who would act with no thoughts beforehand.

What surprised him the most was the fact that Telamon hadn’t slaughtered her right there. If they wanted her dead or alive, he would’ve done it with no second thought. If you’re thirsty and you see a bottle of water in front of you, anyone would take it and drink it right away, right? So what was with him not capturing her, at least?

Not that he was hoping that she would be held captive. After all, she still was his friend.

“What are you questioning?” 007n7 crossed her arms while leaning against the doorframe. “Are you wishing-“

“No.” He interrupted her before she finished even thinking about it. “I don’t wish for her to be sent straight to the Banlands. That would make no sense.”

“Then what are you saying?” Seven walked closer, looming over N0-li that was still glaring at the hologram on his hands, and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Do you really think that he wants her to go back there and face him again?”

“Probably,” he whispered. “Why else would he keep her alive?”

Seven tightened the grip as she wrinkled her nose bridge. She didn’t like the thought of 1x being in such a situation. “I don't like where this is going. I have a bad feeling about all of this.”

“I know.” N0-li let the GUi rest on the table as he turned his head to look at the girl who was deep in thoughts. With his hand, he gently grasped hers, making her soften the grip, and grabbed her hand across his chest, holding it still. “And I don't know what to do.”

“You don't have to say anything.” Seven rested her head on his shoulder as she rested her other hand on his lap. The feeling of her hand on his lap sent waves of electricity across his body, making him lay his head back. “You’re so warm, you know that?”

“Sev…” N0-li breathed out as he watched her bit her lower lip, looking at him seductively. He couldn’t help the way she made him react to her. 

“Hmh?” She murmured as she kissed his neck, making his breath hitch. “You don’t like that?” She said as she dragged her hand across his chest, feeling it rise and fall with each breath and occasionally feel his heartbeat too.

“The things you do to me…” he tried to hold back a moan as she grabbed on his chest, earning her a chuckle.

“You're so lucky, you know that?” She kissed him on the other side of the neck.

“Lucky that I am here with you?” He teased. “Yeah, probably.”