Countdown to Incursion

Everyone in the bistro gasped to see Fanghui's terrifying face on the screen.

"Ah, splendid," Enshiron frowned. "So nice to see that lovely face of China."

The gang looked at the six figures that stood alongside the Supreme Herald. Overseer Sapphiro Amitonyx of the Shin-Kaminari stood behind Fanghui with his usual scheming grin as if he was enjoying the occasion. He stood beside his droid subordinates, SANDRA, and Cyroid Kyurico. The yellow Jin Feilong watched Fanghui on the opposite side with General Hernamidos and High Visionary Joltiarre.

"Amitonyx," Shien remembered the stories his mom told him about the infamous blue-haired overseer. "It's him."

"What is it, my buddy?" Ritom asked, noticing Shien's discomfort.

"My, my mom. She told me about Amitonyx. She said that he was the one, who, who killed my father."

Ritom and Naivern held Shien close.

"Dude, I'm so sorry," Naivern comforted him.

"Hey, chillax," Ritom said. "We are here for you. It's going to be alright."

"Is that... the Machine Queen?" Phoenicia asked, noticing the black-haired lady with shades dressed in her black robe with glowing green triangles close to the chest. "I have heard players speak of her immense power."

"Yeah, that's SANDRA alright," Elysia replied as she clenched her fist in response to the terrible memories of her past fights with SANDRA and General Hernamidos. "That preachy devil is the hive mind of all the droids. She only means trouble."

Phoenicia looked at Elysia's shaking fists. She walked next to Elysia and placed her hand on her shoulder.

"Anything wrong?"

"Oh, no," Elysia replied, still holding back her past from her new friends.

"Judging by your trembling hands, I strongly doubt that."

"Look. I'm fine, okay?"

"Citizens of the so-called land of freedom," Fanghui began. "I bring forth this emergency announcement across the world with the dire news that requires the world's attention. As some of you may have noticed, the UICA's MMOG, Syanic Earth: Year 3225 has been severely compromised. Millions of unfortunate players have been trapped inside with little hope of returning to the real world due to this World Cybertrap."

"Compromised?" Phoenicia questioned.

"Also, all current UICA electronic products have been mysteriously disabled. We all understand you and your fellow families are just as puzzled as the rest of us. However, it's time for us to wake the hell up!"

The bistro went silent as Fanghui's voice shook the heavens.

"The brainless President Forroway has always demanded me to be put on trial, but now, I demand it's time that Cecilius and the UICA be put on trial instead! They tell you that they build for the better good, but what about now? Look! They have now ensnared your friends and family, even knocking away your conveniences of their products! They plan to use this opportunity to weaken and conquer society with their small yet advanced military. Will you stand for this evil?"

"What the heck?" Shien was stunned.

"Look at Forroway, so compassionate enough to let protests and mobs flood their cities with fire and blood. He's so incompetent that he trusts the UICA too much, letting them plan their sinister shadow games behind your backs. Will you stand for the stupid American democracy to harbor such a sinister organization? Such hypocrisy America has done in the name of so-called freedom, a weak choice compared to order. However, we will not stand for the incompetence of democracy as the innocent are trapped in the UICA's twisted game! I promise you, as the Supreme Herald of the Global Federation of World Justice, we will take action, unlike the sleeping democrats! In immediate response to this rising evil in the west, our necessary invasion of the Americas will soon take place!"

"Wait, did he say, invasion?" Ritom exclaimed.

"Oh no," Shien worried. "That would mean..."

The crowd in front of the Arcane Phalange cheered as the people and Fanghui exchanged their Kneapexist salutes.

"Hail, Fanghui! Hail, Fanghui!"

"I did promise that a necessary invasion would take place, didn't I, foolish politicians full of talk and no action?" Fanghui rhetorically asked. "Unlike President Forroway, I keep my promises as I take immediate action against threats to world justice! I promise the citizens of America, our invasion will bring true justice where democracy has failed for centuries! The UICA will be judged for their crimes against you. The grand Federation is coming to help you! We will find a way to bring your loved ones back from the demonic grasp of the UICA. You have my word, justice will be served!"

As the crowd cheered with deafening applause, Fanghui walked aside for SANDRA to speak. Elysia clenched her fists again as she gnashed her teeth.

"Rejoice, o ye faithful!" The Machine Queen spoke, holding her arms up. "The grand invasion is nigh! We promise the hypocritical statue of liberty's head on a silver platter! America shall bleed! Hallelujah!"

"Grrrr! Just shut up!" Elysia shouted ferociously as she threw her masala chai cup at the center television. "I hate you! Go to hell!"

As the TV cracked and short-circuited with the mixture of the tea, the bistro was silent to see Elysia's sudden fury. The young Vulpi was breathing heavily, angered with her unforgettable past fighting SANDRA and the Reaper Squad. She then looked around while the other television screens continued with applause. Every player around her seemed scared of her. She then turned to her new friends. They were also shocked to see her moment of fit. Shien and Enshiron were dead silent as Ritom and Naivern huddled together, looking at Elysia. Even Phoenicia was backing away from her.

Oh no! Elysia thought. My new friends are afraid of me! What was I thinking? What should I do? People are seeing me as a monster again!

"E... Elysia?" Phoenicia timidly asked.

"You, alright there?" Shien also questioned.

"Um, uh," Elysia looked around to see the other players hiding from her.

In absolute turmoil, she placed her hands on her cheeks as her past as a member of the Waxing Sickle flashed in her mind. Elysia helped them rebel against the Federation, killing their targets and stealing supplies. She didn't mind when the Waxing Sickle leaders ordered her to accomplish their tasks for Vulpi rights. That was until they forced her to... do it.

The eyes from the players twinkled with fear, reminding her of the eyes of those two crying kids.

Maybe, She thought. Maybe I am a monster. I don't deserve to be with these friends. Nobody will understand me. I can't be forgiven for all I have done!

Elysia then ran out of the bistro.

"Wait! Elysia!" Enshiron shouted.

"I'll get her!" Shien rushed out.

"I'm coming too!" Phoenicia intervened, running with Shien outside.

The players in the bistro began to bustle with confusion, uncertain whether to worry about the Kneapexist invasion first or the fact they are stuck in a game.

"What do we do now?"

"Are we just stuck here?"

"Is the UICA responsible?"

"What's happening?"

"An invasion?"

"Oh no! What will happen to us?"

"Will the Federation save us?"

As the people continued to bumble with intense confusion and panic, Enshiron walked to Ritom and Naivern.

"Dude," Naivern began. "Please tell me I didn't just hear all that."

"Unfortunately, we all did, my loud maiden," Enshiron replied.

"Just great! What do we do now?" Ritom asked. "How did this happen?"

"Ritom, just throwing this out there, my fiery mechanic. Would the UICA ever have any audacity to do such a-?"

"No! It can't be! No way the UICA would ever do this!"

"Easy, dude," Naivern gestured with her hands. "We aren't assuming. Maybe Magnus would know?"

"Perhaps he may provide us better answers from a fellow UICA member's perspective," Enshiron twitched his Vulpi ears.

"Good idea," Ritom scrolled through his menu, selecting his older brother's contact profile. "Trust me guys. The UICA can't be behind this! It can't be! I refuse to believe that!"

***

Sitting by the Tyrminal Lake with a view of the rest of the glowing city of Tetrachrome around her, there Elysia sat alone. Instead of booming with cybernetic music and dances, the players boomed with panic, arguing about the UICA's accountability.

Elysia paid no attention to the people, weeping waterfalls as she continued to remember her past as a member of the Waxing Sickle. They ambushed Federation forces to steal their equipment and supplies. The Waxing Sickle would order Elysia and their rogues to assassinate Federation agents. Elysia covered her face as she remembered helping her old friends raid the mansion of Agent Damian Yakcovic. They separated Yakcovic from his wife and two kids, a son and daughter. The wife was killed while the kids were beaten onto their knees before Elysia. Her friends demanded her to... put them out of their misery.

Shortly after the capture of Agent Yakcovic, the Waxing Sickle organized an ambush to kill the "Machine Queen," hoping that her demise would deactivate the Shin-Kaminari droid army. She helped the Waxing Sickle plunder a Federation border outpost near the Arcane Phalange to get SANDRA's attention, which was an unforgettable nightmare.

Elysia then continued to weep as she remembered General Hernamidos and the Reaper Squad ransacking the Waxing Sickle's underground base after the failed assault on the "Machine Queen." Without knowing, the Reaper Squad tracked down their sloppy escape from SANDRA, using it as an opportunity to vanquish the Waxing Sickle and rescue Agent Yakcovic. She remembered the bloodbath, screams of terror overshadowed by the devilish chatter of the voice scramblers.

***

"Miss?" A voice asked. "Are, are you okay?"

Elysia looked to see the big mohawk player that kicked Ritom out of the bistro's minigames section.

"Okay?" Elysia stammered as she stood up with rolling tears from her eyes. "Do I look okay to you?"

"Um, no, ma'am," The mohawk man nervously replied. "That's, uh, why I wanted to see if I could help you."

"Help, huh? Does it look like I asked?"

"Woah, take it easy, miss. I just-"

"Shut up, human! Go away before I put a bullet in your head! Do you want that? Huh? Wanna die today?"

"Oh my gosh! Jeez!" The man flinched and quickly walked away as the enraged Elysia faced her guns at him.

As the mohawk player walked away, he ran into Shien and Phoenicia.

"Oh hey!" Shien exclaimed. "Ruddigus, was it?

"Hey, you remember!" The mohawk player said. "What brings you two here to the lake?"

"We were looking for a Vulpi named Elysia," Phoenicia told him.

"Does it happen to be that crying Vulpi girl over there?" Ruddigus pointed to the weeping Elysia.

"Yes!" Shien confirmed.

"I, uh, tried to talk to her, but she threatened to kill me. I just wasn't sure what to do. Not sure if I said anything wrong or such."

"I'm certain it's not you," Phoenicia assured. "We will check with her. Thank you."

"Of course. Can you guys believe that this stuff is happening?"

"I know," Shien said. "I don't understand either."

"Eh? Sunny boy?" An old man's voice shouted from a distance. "Where are you? I heard a darn o ruckus happened when I was shopping."

"Oh! There's that old-timer," Ruddigus noticed. "He doesn't know yet. Gotta go."

Ruddigus quickly left to meet up with the short elderly man while Shien and Phoenicia walked to Elysia, who continued to cry as her horrid memories tormented her. The two children's screams haunted her, making her kneel before the lake.

"I can never be forgiven," Elysia mumbled. "What I did. All the people I drove away to escape myself. Even now, my new friends are afraid of me."

"Maybe for a bit," She heard Shien's voice up close. "Until we understand you!"

Elysia looked to her left to see Shien sitting right next to her, looking at the lake. She flinched, not realizing he heard it all.

"Sh... Shien?" She asked. "Where, where did you come from?"

"We wanted to provide emotional support to someone in need of counseling," Phoenicia stated.

Elysia looked to her right and flinched again to find the android girl sitting on her right.

"Ugh. Just, leave me alone," Elysia demanded.

"Nope!" Shien bluntly said as he placed his arm around Elysia. "We want to help you. Phoenicia told me she sensed something was troubling you. Wanna talk about what's been bothering you?"

"Stop!" Elysia said, swatting his arm away. "I don't need help!"

"Analyzing your current state, that's quite an illogical statement," Phoenicia replied.

"I don't care! Go away!"

Elysia punched Phoenicia's waist, only to find the android girl unshaken.

"Ouch! Oh my god, that hurt," Elysia cried as she shook her hand from the painful collision with Phoenicia's metal-supported skin.

"That too was an illogical impulse," Phoenicia said.

"Ya know," Shien chimed in. "Punching somebody made of metal doesn't work out so well."

Elysia didn't reply, for she was still rubbing her fist from the pain. As her tears slowed down a bit, she looked around. The two were still next to her. Shien on her left and Phoenicia on her right. Elysia attempted to flee as she quickly unfolded her knees, but Shien grabbed her arm before she could stand.

"Nope!" Shien insisted.

Elysia struggled against his arm. She was thinking of drawing her weapons but remembered that Shien was very skilled with martial arts. She reluctantly sat back down.

"Just, why?" She asked. "Why are you two still here? Let me be! I should be alone!"

"Nope!" Shien replied.

"What? What's wrong with you? Aren't you afraid of me?"

"Nope!"

"But you don't understand, I am a monster..."

"Nope!"

"You guys don't know what I've been through!"

"Nope!"

"I killed them!"

"What?"

"I," Elysia sobbed. "I killed those two human kids! I didn't want to, but I did so I would be accepted!"

Shien took a moment to think. Phoenicia stroked Elysia's shoulder, but Elysia swatted her hand away.

"Just go away!" Elysia insisted. "Scared of me now? Will you two just let me be?"

"Well," Shien replied. "Scared? Probably, but that's why you should talk about it with us. You think running away from your past and staying angry will change what you have done? Nope. Perhaps it's time to improve yourself from your mistake. And will we leave? Nope."

Phoenicia placed her arm around Elysia. The Vulpi girl tried to break free, but Phoenicia's arm was a tough arm she couldn't shake off.

"You guys are idiots, you know that?"

"Nope," Shien still said.

"Are you just gonna say nope to everything I say?"

"Nope."

"Ugh," Elysia sighed, unable to drive the two away from her. "Screwballs."

"Nope."

She placed her hands on her wet face, puzzled by the two's persistence to stay with her.

"Here," Shien offered Elysia a handkerchief from one of his glowing magenta pockets of his caidercoat. "Take it."

Elysia hesitated.

"Seriously, why are you two here?" She asked. "And, why are you all making sure I don't escape?"

"Because we wish to comprehend your frustrations," Phoenicia blinked her cybernetic green eyes. "Shien told me that a logical step in dealing with your worries and problems is to talk to people you trust like your friends."

"Um," Elysia struggled to make a counter-response.

Shien then placed the handkerchief on her face.

"This is what friends are for, Elysia," Shien declared. "You are our friend. Please let us help you with whatever is troubling you."

"Even though I only met you guys for a couple of hours?" Elysia asked.

"Yes! What? There are rules to be considered a friend? That's dumb."

Elysia gave up, taking it from Shien's hand. As she wiped her face, she began to dribble out more tears from her eyes when Shien gave her a sudden hug. Also, she still couldn't find a way to counter Phoenicia's quote.

"I, I," Elysia cried, wrapping her arms around Shien. "I am, I'm so sorry. I don't deserve friends like you."

"But friends are friends," Shien started as Phoenicia hugged them. "Love and friendship shouldn't have any cost."

"I wholeheartedly concur," Phoenicia replied as Elysia was still stunned with Shien's statement, knowing that the members of the Waxing Sickle wouldn't say such a quote.

"Oookay, Elysia. Now don't start blowing your nose onto my caidercoat."

Elysia chuckled a bit as the two friends finally let go of their new friend.

"You guys still accept me despite what I did at Enshiron's?" She asked.

"Of course we would still accept you," Shien smiled.

"You won't ask me to do..."

"Hmm?"

"My old friends, they threatened to kill me if I didn't obey them. You all won't make me do something like... what I did?"

"Elysia, of course not. We're not loyalty freaks like whoever your old friends were."

Elysia smiled as Phoenicia rubbed her back. She realized her new friends wouldn't force her to prove herself like the Waxing Sickle.

"Thank you," Elysia nodded to her new friends. "I never had friends like you all."

"And we are so glad to have you as a friend," Shien started. "Now, Elysia, tell us about your previous friends and about what you did, so we can help you face your mistake and become a better person."

"Okay," Elysia took a deep breath as she was fascinated by the caring atmosphere her new friends displayed. "Have you guys heard of the Waxing Sickle?"