Turning the Tables

Legolas fled down the corridor in search of his friends.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Behind him was a long-tongued man, hunched over like a feline, holding two kunai inside his hand. One of them was tossed forward, stabbing the elf in the shoulder.

"Gaaah!" Legolas wailed in pain but steeled his resolve and kept running.

"You fool! You won't lasssssst long with my poison in your blood!" Viper Fang lunged to the wall, climbing like a spider at the same speed Legolas ran.

"I have to save Alice and Jacob!" That was the only thing on Legolas' mind.

The poison made its way through his bloodstream, causing the elf to tumble a few times, but from willpower alone, he kept pushing.

"You're mine!" Viper Fang jumped from the wall, holding the other Kunai in his hand.

"Shit!" Legolas turned around, holding up his forearm to block the weapon. It went straight through his arm, nearly hitting his face, "Damn it!!" The elf shouted, proceeding to kick Viper Fang right in his stomach—knocking him back a few feet.

"Heh heh heh, your kickssssss feels like that of a flea—do you believe you can defeat me?"

Legolas stood there, barely able to stand as one of his arms was paralyzed by the poison, "I'll use everything in my power to beat you, for their sake!"

"...Heh heh heh, then we shall ssssee!" Viper Fang dashed toward Legolas, equipping two more Kunai's.

***

"Colossal Demolition Break!!" Bertram attacked the Wraith once more.

"Pain Incision III!" Pocchi attacked from behind.

"Fist of One Hundred Folds!" Honora attacked from the left.

"Heavens flames!" Isabella attacked from the right.

"Inflict Magic, Seraphic Augment III!" Archibald used Inflict Magic to enhance everyone's spells with holy magic.

KABOOM!

Bertram's attack caused a massive explosion.

"We got 'em!!" Pocchi stabbed his daggers inside their incorporeal body.

"Hee-ya-ya-haa!" Honora rained hundreds of fists into its body and bypassed the Wraith's defenses.

"Hruuuuooaaahh!" The last remaining soul within the spirit screamed in pain as its essence was engulfed by Isabella's Heavenly flames.

Now the spirit was empty, unable to protect itself with the souls of its victims.

"…"

"The Wraith is silent! That means that the last remaining soul is gone!!" Archibald alerted the other members, causing them to smirk.

"It's about time! Let's finish it off together!" Shouted Isabella.

"Hell fucking yeah!!" Bertram bashed the spirit with his halberd, knocking it back as a flurry of blows came its way, "This will teach you not to fuck with us!" Bertram kept pushing the spirit back with consecutive blows from his weapon.

Honora did the same, conducting a frontal attack with punches and kicks.

"Inflict Magic, Divine Aura III!" Archibald would cast a divine aura around the players to resist Debuff magic and other forms of unholy spells—leaving them unharmed if the Wraith decided to take them by surprise.

"Now to finish you off, creature of hell!" Isabella lifted her hand into the air as blue flames swirled together; creating a large fireball above her head, "Witness the power of our guild! We'll surpass even the Phantom Mutiny with our wits, and brawns!" She grinned. "You were no match for us from the very beginning."

"Now for, Paralyzation!" Pocchi used Debuff magic on one of his daggers, paralyzing the Wraith and preventing it from moving, "Alright, now get outta the way! Isabella is gonna release her strongest attack!"

Pocchi alerted the others who continued with their assault.

They turned tail and ran.

"Take heed to my strongest attack! With the flames gathered from heaven, I bring destruction upon you, foul creature!" Her other arm lifted into the air, holding the fireball that continued to grow in size, "Sun of Helios!" She would thrust both hands at the spirit, directing the massive attack towards it.

"Oh shit!" Shouted Pocchi.

"W-With an attack like that, we'll also be consumed by it!" The players watched at the cafeteria exit, screaming in terror.

"Are you fucking insane?! You'll end up wiping out the other members with an attack that big! What's wrong with you, Isabella!?!" Pocchi clenched his fists, realizing she wasn't responding, "Isabella, do you hear me or what? Stop your goddamn attack!"

"Something's wrong..." Muttered Dorothy.

"What's going on?!" Asked Pocchi.

"That's... not Isabella." 

Pocchi looked at Dorothy with wide eyes, "What?!"

("W-What's happened to me?! Why am I in the Wraith's body?! What's going on?")

Everyone glanced at the spirit, realizing something—

"Isabella!?" Bertram shouted as they registered that the Wraith had switched places with their companion.

"Gaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!" Isabella screamed in agony once the flames engulfed her body, slowly burning her away, "Help me!! Pocchi, Bertram... don't let me die!!" She extended her hand for help as Isabella felt her body vanish, "I-I don't wanna die! Please!"

"Isabella... no!!" Bertram ran forward, but was stopped by Pocchi, "Huh? What the hell are you doing?! We have to save her!!"

"No... it's far too late, we can't save her now. If you touch those flames, your body and soul will deconstruct. We'll be erased alongside her—so there's no point."

"Nooooooo!! Aaaughhh!!"

"...Fuck!!" Bertram watched as his companion slowly faded away, turning into data particles.

Her consciousness has left the game.

"Goddamnit!!!" Pocchi clenched his fists, glancing at the fraud Isabella in front of them, "You bastard… I'll kill you!! I'll wipe you from the face of Terra herself!!"

"Relax." 

"Huh? Did it just talk?!" Said the saddened Honora.

"I took over her soul and body, putting her consciousness into my spiritual form, but sadly, that consciousness of hers was destroyed by her own attack," It scoffed, "I decided to choose her as my new vessel. She is wonderful! This Isabella of yours possesses a Divine Gift! It truly is magnificent!" The spirit lifted its palms in awe, "I have obtained a body that holds power beyond your average magician! My luck couldn't have been any greater!"

"Son of a bitch! Why waste your time switching places with a level 40?! Aren't you Wraith Spirits supposed to be level 100?!" Asked Pocchi.

"Yes, indeed. But that is during the first half of our summoning. My summoner, Legolas, has already used me for 30 minutes, thus, my strength has decreased by half, and now I have dropped to level 50." It clenched its fists. "My level is constantly declining until I cease to exist from the time limit." The spirit glanced at Pocchi, grinning, "But now, I shan't worry about disappearing—with this body, I can stay alive, forever!!"

"I don't understand... why is this happening? A Wraith should only follow the orders of its summoner, so why is it acting on the will of its own?" Asked Bertram.

"I don't know, it's like the NPCs and mobs inside the game have gained their own sentience, allowing them to construct their own morality." Proclaimed Archibald.

"Yeah, that's what I just said; It's acting on the will of its own! This goddamn thing isn't some normal mob! It's alive, with its own rational thought!" Exclaimed Bertram.

"This is bad, we can't face this monster in Isabella's body—we may as well just lay down and die at this point." Proclaimed Pocchi.

"Hey, don't talk so negative! We can still do this!" Shouted Honora.

"Dumbass," Pocchi turned around, facing the fighter class, "None of us has what it takes to face off against Isabella, are you insane? Use logic and reasoning here!"

"B-But, we can't just sit back and die! We have to do something."

"I say we run..." Muttered Pocchi.

"What?" (Everyone)

"You heard me. I say we run as fast as we can and use the other players of our guild as bait."

"You can't be serious right now, Pocchi!" Bertram stood in front of the sadist, gripping his collar, "Betraying our guild is an act against the rules! You already know this! We have to stick together and complete this task as a team!" Bertram frowned. "Scattering like a couple of pussies isn't gonna get us anywhere!"

"To hell with the rules! To hell with acting like a team! And to hell with our reputation! I don't give a damn!! We need to fucking escape while we have the chance." Pocchi looked Bertram into his fierce eyes, harboring no shame, "So tell me, do you wanna die while fighting, or do you wanna take the chance to escape, and live another day?"

"I..." Bertram gazed towards the ground, hesitant to respond, "I want to fight… for Isabella."

"So be it." Pocchi pushed him away and took off running outside the cafeteria.

"Damnit, Pocchi..." Muttered Honora.

"Ignore him." Said Bertram. "We have to stop the Wraith while we still can. Do not allow it to roam free inside Isabella's body." Bertram turned towards the spirit, gritting his teeth in anger, "You'll pay dearly for your crimes. We'll take Isabella's body away from you."

"Hoh? It seems one of your friends has left. How wise." It chuckled. "Very well, I shall bestow quick deaths upon all of you. Be grateful!"