Death of the Fraudulent

"C'mon, we have to go!!" Honora was pulling Dorothy and Archibald with her as she made a move towards the exit.

"We can't just leave Bertram to fight for us, we have to do something!" Cried, Archibald.

"Don't you dare say that! Bertram is giving it his all out there and using everything he has to save our lives. Don't let his death be in vain!!" Honora cried as she ran down the corridor, anguished in her expression.

Dorothy and Archibald could only follow behind her as they heard the sound of explosions behind them.

"Hey!!" Far ahead of them, they could hear a familiar voice call out.

"V-Viper Fang!" Honora came to a stop, releasing both of their grips as she hugged him around the waist, "You're okay!!" She dug her face into his chest, weeping as she clung to his shirt.

The bruised Viper Fang proceeded to hug her around the chest, releasing a sigh of relief, "Honora... Dorothy, Archibald, I'm glad you're alright."

"Isabella, she's…"

"I know." Viper would cut Honora's words short, visibly pissed off, "I heard what happened—so I came to avenge Isabella and help destroy this spirit."

"No, you can't!" Honora pulled away from his chest, gripping his wrists as she looked him in the eyes, "Bertram is using everything he has to give us time to escape! He's on his last HP." She wiped the tears from her eyes. "Once his intrinsic skill runs out, he's going to die."

"Even... Bertram?" Mumbled Viper, squeezing his eyes in torment, "Everyone is dying! How can I just sit around and do nothing?" Viper Fang gripped the sides of his scalp, pulling out his hair, "They're fucking dying, and there's nothing we can do about it! They won't respawn back in the game, they'll die forever! They'll never come back!! Why? Why is this happening?!"

Frustrated, Viper Fang repeatedly slammed his forehead into the wall.

"Damnit, damnit, damnit!!"

Blood splattered against the wall, dripping from his brows, as tears streaked his face.

Viper Fang lost his strength and will, falling to his knees.

The others could only watch, mourning the death of their friends.

The pain was unreal.

Everything felt like some sick joke.

But this was reality.

And there was nothing they could do to prevent it.

+

"Is this the best you can do? As a barbarian class, I expected more from you, but you're just swinging that halberd of yours like some mindless brute." The Wraith dodged side-to-side, ducking under most of Bertram's attacks as he continued his assault, "it's futile." She lifted her hand, backhanding him away.

"Gaaah!!" He hurtled backward, crashing into a few tables, and crumbing them whole, "...Heh, was that backhand the best you could do? Maybe you're the weaker one here."

"What was that?" The Wraith frowned, approaching the half-dead barbarian, "Your intrinsic skill, devotion, will run out soon. You have two minutes remaining, and sadly, you're all out of MP; so you cannot cast any spells at the moment." She lifted her foot, stepping on his gut, "You gave it your all to save your friends—but from your impudent behavior—I shall not let them escape. I'll incinerate every soul within this Guild and make you watch!"

"You bitch!" Bertram grasped her ankle, glaring at her in anger, "Don't you dare!"

"Hmph." She chuckled. "Then how about you stop me?" The Wraith lifted its hand, summoning blue flames above her palm, "Everything you've done up until now was in vain. You wasted your precious life for nothing! I will destroy every single soul within this guild, and it'll be your fault for your insolent behavior."

"You egotistical maniac! Leave them alone... don't do it!!!"

The players inside the cafeteria huddled up together, fearing for their lives.

"Bwa ha ha! There is no one in this Guild who can stop me! Prepare to meet your end!" The flames above her hand would expand, getting larger, and incinerating everything within a twelve-meter radius.

"Honora! Run away! Get out of here!!" Bertram used every ounce of strength to call out to his friends, hoping his voice could reach them.

"That voice… was it Bertram?" Exclaimed Honora.

"We have to go! Bertram is telling us to run away, something bad is about to happen!" Archibald fled down the corridor, running for his life.

Everyone else followed behind him except—

"Viper!" Honora stopped in her tracks, turning around to call Viper's name, "C'mon, what are you doing? We have to get out of here!"

"It's no use... I'd rather die."

"What?! Stop talking nonsense, this isn't like you at all. We have to escape while we have the chance, let's move it!"

"Just... go without me."

Honora jogged towards him, picking Viper up under his shoulders, and placing him on her back.

"Fine, I'll just give you a piggyback ride!" Viper lost his will to continue, but Honora wasn't gonna give up so easily. She ran down the hallway, following Dorothy and Archibald, "Guys, wait on me! I have Viper Fang on my back!"

"Honora!" Archibald turned around, making his way back, and opened his personal hub, "Here, try this!" He summoned a potion inside his hand, throwing it at their feet, which shattered and gave them its effects, "A small potion of haste! This should do the trick."

"Ah, thank you, Archibald." She nodded. "Let's go!"

+

"Say your goodbyes to this beloved Guild, once and for all, Insolent worm!"

"Damnit... everyone, take cover!!" Bertram shouted towards the players as most of them erected a magical barrier around them.

Dorothy could only watch in terror but decided to flee from the cafeteria.

"Mwa Ha Ha Ha! Cattles within a Lions Den!"

The blue flames inside the Wraith's hand would constantly expand until it reached its limit.

"Perish!"

Like a pipe that burst with too much pressure—the flames exploded in an omnidirectional assault—engulfing the entire cafeteria.

"Aaahhhhh!!!"

"P-Please, someone, save us!"

"I-I'm scared, please God!"

"I'm gonna dieee—!"

The players screamed in agony as their barriers were penetrated by the flames, erasing their bodies and souls from existence.

Some tried resisting the heavenly flames, but a "Gift" couldn't be resisted unless it was by another Gift.

Most of their bodies fell limp as they vanished into particles of data.

"No, you monster!" Bertram cried.

"Pwa ha ha! They will never see an afterlife!"

The flames traversed the entire Guild, eventually reaching the corridor.

"What's that?" Said Archibald, looking behind him.

"Keep running!" Yelled Honora, panicked in her expression.

They could feel the intense heat approaching them.

They ran as fast as they could.

They believed they could make it in time, however…

"Gyaaaah!" Honora could feel the flames consume her body.

"Gaaaaah!!" Viper screamed in torment, falling off Honora's back, "Help me, help me! Aaaghhhh!" He rolled back and forth, melting down to the bone.

"Nraaaaah!!" Archibald was consumed by the fire, falling to his knees as his flesh was melted away, revealing his skeletal structure, "We... couldn't make it." His entire body evaporated, leaving nothing left of him.

"I'm sorry Bertram! I'm sorry we couldn't escape like you wanted us to!" Honora cried, watching her body slowly disintegrate into nothingness.

"Nghhh..."

However, one remained.

It was Dorothy.

She was surrounded by the undead who shielded her body.

They fell, one by one, risking their life to protect her after she summoned them.

The flames were too intense.

She whimpered, covering her head like a frightened child.

There wasn't anyone in this world who could help her.

She could hear everyone outside of her undead fortress die, and burn away into oblivion.

"I'm... scared!" She mumbled, proceeding to hug her knees while each undead dropped, one by one.

The flames were about to reach her.

"Someone... save me... please! I don't wanna die!" She arched her head, calling out for a savior.

She even hoped that Terra herself would intervene.

She prayed.

She cried.

But it wasn't in vain—

"Did you call for help, Dorothy?"

A deep voice could be heard from behind her as the flames of heaven ceased.

Time was halted.

"…?"

Dorothy widened her eyes as her flow of tears had stopped.

"I've come to save you."

"Who... are you?" The frightened Dorothy asked.

"I am Emperor, Ruler of Mankind."

"Emperor?" Dorothy stared at the ground as memories started flooding her mind, "Emperor… Emperor…?"

"Yes, that's right. You've forgotten who I am after you obtained sentience. It's only natural."

"E-Emperor!!" She slowly started to remember, and stood up inside her undead fortress, "Please, Emperor, save me!"

"Fumu," I snickered, "Very well."

It seems Dorothy actually does remember me. That's a surprise.

"I'll handle this myself."

I'm glad she called out for help. As I said before, she's my avatar; if they're in desperate need of saving, I am alerted and can sense their location.

That's why I knew she was in trouble.

Lifting my hand into the air, I manifested a sigil, "Absolute Null." Utilizing Arcane Magic, Absolute Null allowed me to nullify all magic, gifts, and spells.

It transcends all magic in the game—considering it's the Arcane type.

A divine gift like this was a joke to someone like me.

"What an annoying gift."

Time resumed as the Heavenly Flames perished—revealing the scorched corridor.

"Stay behind me." I walked through the hallway, approaching the source of this destruction.

"Y-Yes!"

My cape fluttered behind me as a dark aura manifested around my body.

"It's time I lay waste to this assailant."