Outside the Arena, Atoli was waiting for them. However, before she could do anything besides wave, there was a yell of "Haruko! Haruko! Yay!" and what appeared to be a furry cannonball shot across the arena's front and crashed into Haruko. Completely taken off guard, Haruko fell on his face, crushed under the newcomer. A loud giggle fell upon his ears, as the cannonball stopped moving long enough for the others to see that it was a cute Lei tribe character with cat's ears and a long tail. She wore a simple, low-cut pink outfit that showed off her large chest, and her hands were obscured by a pair of gauntlets that looked like stuffed yellow tiger's paws.

Haruko made a muffled noise, and the cat-girl giggled and got off of him. "Sorry, Haruko," she said. "I guess I got a little excited, with the match and all. I can't believe it! The new Demon Emperor, Haruko!"

Haruko sat up stiffly, dusting himself off. "Oh, boy," he said, faking exasperation. "I'd know that goofy voice anywhere." He turned, a big grin on his face. "And there's the goofy player behind it! Tabby-chan, it's been ages!" He hugged her briefly.

Tabby laughed. "Yeah, more than a month! I don't think we've seen each other since the Brigade broke up."

Atoli blinked. "Is this… a friend of yours, Oniichan?"

Tabby turned to Atoli, her eyes somehow both surprised and amused at the same time. "Oniichan, huh? He never asked me to call him anything like that." She gave Haruko a mock pout.

"Well, of course not. Even if he wanted you to, you would have refused and tried to call me that instead." An oddly designed Steam Gunner walked up, a relaxed, amused look on his face. This new character wore a simple leather aviator's helmet and a short mantle that fell to slightly above his waist. Large goggles made his face look a bit ridiculous, an effect enhanced by what looked like leaves sprouting from the helmet, but they also held an odd charm. Strapped to his back was a round tinbe shield. He gave Haruko a half-smile. "Congratulations, Emperor. We saw the match."

Tabby grinned even wider. "Yep! It was amazing!"

Haruko laughed. "So, Sakisaka-san, what are you perplexed about these days?"

Sakisaka gave him an exasperated look. "Nothing, actually. I'm going to have to figure out a new catch-phrase…"

Seeing Atoli's confused look, Haruko turned to her. "Sakisaka-san and Tabby-chan are both friends of mine. They were both in a guild called the Twilight Brigade, which was led by Ovan, that Steam Gunner we met at Arche Koeln. Remember?"

Atoli nodded hesitantly. Haruko plunged on. "Well, Ovan and I never got along very well, but most of the other guild members were nice enough. We Twilight Guardians used to be allied with them."

Atoli nodded. "I see. So that's why you know them so well. But what about the 'perplexed' thing?"

Sakisaka rolled his eyes. "Well, I always used to say that 'I'm perplexed that I joined this guild, and I'm surprised that I'm still in it.' The other guild members always used to call it 'the Sakisaka catch-phrase'. That's what Haruko was referring to- now that the Brigade has disbanded, he was wondering what I have left to be perplexed about."

Atoli smiled. "Oh, now I get it. So, any ideas for a new one, Sakisaka?"

Sakisaka shrugged. "Nothing yet. But I'll figure it out eventually. Either that, or I'll decide to let the idea of a Sakisaka catch-phrase die out along with the Brigade."

Tabby smiled. "So… I know you don't have anything to do in the afternoons, Haruko, so do you want to come to a field with us? You always used to love playing with us…" She gave Haruko a look reminiscent of a sad puppy- impressive for a player with a cat-girl avatar.

Haruko shrugged. "Sure, why not? Atoli, everyone, I'll see you later!"

Antares laughed. "Fight on, Haruko! Do your former master proud!"

Haruko nodded. "You know it!"

Back in Mac Anu, Sakisaka paused before the Chaos Gate. "Hmmm… now where should we warp to?" he muttered.

Haruko twitched as a short mail arrived. "Huh… unknown sender. Now who would…?" He shook his head. Only Zefie-chan ever did that. He read the mail silently. Please come to ∆Grieving Cursed Berserker at once. You will learn something to your advantage. You may bring friends, if you so desire.

Haruko frowned. "Not Zefie-chan, then…" he muttered. He showed the message to Sakisaka and Tabby.

Tabby was excited. "Oooh, I bet it's some sort of super-secret event that someone wanted to clue us in on!"

Sakisaka shrugged. "More likely, it has something to do with the guild. Or maybe it's about the Key?" He frowned. "Maybe Ovan- he sometimes sent messages without revealing the sender. Didn't you say you ran into him at Arche Koeln?"

Haruko nodded. "Yeah, briefly. He was as eccentric as ever. Well, what have we got to lose? Let's check it out." Even if something shows up, I have my Avatar. But there shouldn't be any trouble.

Sakisaka, meanwhile, was manipulating the Chaos Gate. "Grieving… Cursed… Berserker. Level 35, and not the usual design either. Looks interesting. And I heard that using 'Cursed' as the second word makes Unlucky Animals pop up, which means I might finally finish that set of Lucky Data and get a rare item." He sighed. "Man, that was an annoying quest. It's so much work tracking down all those rare Luckies…"

Tabby smiled. "Well, okay, let's go!" she shouted.

Sakisaka nodded, raised his blade, and the three players warped.

The field certainly was different from the usual grassy type that dominated the Delta server. The ground was barren and lifeless, and the stage itself was cracked, black rock. Furious waves dashed against high cliffs that bordered the area as rain fell from the grey skies. Sakisaka gazed around. "Man, this place is weird… and where are the monsters?"

Tabby pointed at a towering, tree-like creature. "There's one!" she shouted excitedly. "Let's go!" She darted at it and fired off a surprise attack, and followed up with a frenzy of jabs.

Haruko and Sakisaka ran up beside her. "Don't keep rushing in like that, Tabby!" complained Sakisaka. "You should figure out what you're up against first!"

Tabby grinned and rubbed the back of her head. "Yeah, I know, but sometimes it's fun to just plunge in, right?" She leapt back nimbly as a huge branch fell in front of her. "Whoops! Not today, tree boy!"

Haruko laughed. "She's got a point," he said, and attacked the creature, his blades whirling. As he targeted it, he noticed its name was 'Treant'.

Sakisaka sighed. "Nobody ever listens to me…" he groaned. Taking advantage of the large number of hits that Tabby and Haruko had already inflicted, he dashed in and fired off a Rengeki attack that toppled the Treant. "Heh… nothing to it!" he said, giving the others a thumbs-up.

Haruko blinked. "Wow… it shouldn't have fallen that easily. I'm only level 37, after all…"

Tabby grinned. "I'm going to catch up if you're not careful."

Sakisaka gave his usual half-smile. "Yeah, we're both level 32 already. You're slipping, Emperor!"

Behind him, the monster suddenly rose to its feet. Sakisaka whirled around. "What? Where did that come from?"

Haruko's eyes narrowed. "It couldn't be…" he muttered.

Sakisaka sighed. "Now I see it." He pointed at a smaller creature that seemed to be nesting in the top of the tree. "That creature up there can heal it. It's weird, though. I've never heard of a creature that can use Rip Maen…"

Haruko frowned. "There used to be monsters like that. Mimiru-chan told me once… but why here?" He shrugged. "In any case, that's a separate monster. Easily dealt with. Zan Rom!" The powerful wind spell ripped through the healing monster, and it crumbled into dust. Haruko grinned. "Not so tough once you figure it out."

The three players renewed their assault on the Treant. Under their combined assault, its HP quickly dropped. "King Hammer!" shouted Tabby. With three powerful strikes, the Treant turned grey and vanished into smoke. Tabby pumped her fist in the air as all three players leveled up.

Haruko frowned. "And that's odd too. That's how the monsters used to disappear, in the first version of 'The World'. They don't do that anymore. Why would it change back here, in this field?"

A cold voice spoke. "So, you defeated the Treant, and its Guardian Spirit. Very impressive. My mistress will be quite pleased."

The others whirled around. A robed and hooded figure stood behind them. Tabby smiled. "Oh, are you the one who mailed Haruko? So, what's the event here?"

Haruko's eyes narrowed. "You look very familiar…" He shrugged, and then smiled. "So, are you the informant? What did you want to tell me? Is it about the comatose players?"

The figure threw back its hood. Green hair and a headband rimmed a smug, smiling face. "Indeed, Haruko, friend of Aura. The information is… that you will be joining them!" He flung out a hand.

Instantly, the rain stopped, and swirling black clouds covered the sky. In moments, the sky was black. Tabby and Sakisaka stared around, afraid. "What's going on?" Tabby whined. "I don't like this event anymore…"

Haruko stared, stock-still. "Sora-kun…" A wild look came into his eyes. "You! What do you know about AIDA?"

The Sora look-alike seemed puzzled. "AIDA? What are you talking about?"

Haruko frowned. "Morganna, then! What is your connection to her? And why do you have Sora-kun's character?"

The enemy paused. "You know my lady's name…" He gave a wicked grin. "She will be most pleased! Three strong young sacrifices, and in addition, one of the few enemies she has left will die as well!" He laughed. "I am Pyrrhia, the Ruby Flame! Look upon Death and perish!" He raised his hand, and black fissures opened in the rock, shattering the landscape. Stray code pieces flew everywhere.

Haruko's eyes were wide with fear. My dream… He spun around to face the other two. "Tabby-chan! Sakisaka-san! Run, now!"

Sakisaka stared. "What?"

Tabby shrugged. "Don't be so dramatic, Haruko. It's just an event, after all. I was scared for a minute, too, but it's fine. Even if it's the wrong time of year for a horror event, it's not like anything can go wrong."

Haruko shook his head frantically. "No, it's not just an event!"

Tabby laughed. "Relax, Haruko. That guy's just a crazy NPC."

Behind her, the graphics rippled. Slowly, a red cross began to emerge. A ring surrounded the cross' center, giving it a bizarre, fearsome look.

Sakisaka saw it and leapt back. "Tabby! Get out of there!"

Tabby blinked. "Huh?" She turned around. "Oh, wow… this is a pretty complicated event."

Pyrrhia sneered. "Silly girl, you still think it's just an event? Well, you'll make a fine sacrifice, regardless."

Tabby yelped as the cross suddenly drew her to itself, lifting her high in the air. "O-okay, fun's over. You can put me down now."

Haruko ran towards her as light flared in Pyrrhia's hand. "Orca-sama… Shino-chan… Sora-kun…" he said. "No more. I won't let you hurt any more of my friends!"

Pyrrhia gave a high, cackling laugh. "Let me? You fool! That girl will be sacrificed to Lady Morganna, and you will soon follow her!" A spear of white light leapt from his hands, and struck out to spear Tabby through the heart. She let out a high scream as it flew towards her.

Out of nowhere, a wall of golden light erupted in the path of the light. Pyrrhia's Data Drain crashed into the wall and fizzled out. The wall faded, leaving Haruko standing in front of the cross, his bracelet flaring with a blinding light. "It's all right, Tabby-chan," he said, panting. "I'll protect you, no matter what. I will not let him hurt you."

His face suddenly changed, a fierce, insane look in his eyes. "And you!" he shouted at Pyrrhia. "You bastard… you take the face of my closest friend and greatest rival, and then try and hurt Tabby-chan? I'll kill you!"

Pyrrhia backed up, startled. "Th-that bracelet…" he stammered. "You…" He shook his head violently. Tabby let out a squeak as the cross faded into smoke and she dropped to the ground. Sakisaka darted over and caught her. "Very well," Pyrrhia said. "For now, your pitiful lives are spared. I must consult with my mistress regarding this unfortunate turn of events. But mark my words! I will return, and in the end, this world will be ours! My Lady Morganna… her power will rise and conquer all! The cursed followers of Apeiron, C.C. Corp, stole her eight greatest warriors, but they are fools. With the wand of Skeith that they left behind, we will rise, and take back what is ours! All glory to the Lady of the Twilight!"

He suddenly stopped. Haruko stood directly before him, his blade pressed against Pyrrhia's throat. "Never give that title to your filthy mistress again," he breathed. "Only Aura-sama, and no other, can be given the title of 'Twilight'. Morganna is not fit to wear that mantle. Never again." He paused. "And that face… you will not wear that ever again." The bracelet glowed and struck out at Pyrrhia. "Never wear Sora-kun's face again, within my presence or without!" Haruko howled.

The Sora-face shattered like a broken mask, but before anyone could make out the real one behind it, Pyrrhia staggered back, clutching his head. He gasped and warped out. In his wake, the field began to shatter apart. Haruko spun around to see Tabby and Sakisaka waving at him from the platform. He sighed with relief as the three warped out, just before the field crumbled around them.

Author's Notes: You can't have Sakisaka show up without the good ol' Sakisaka catch phrase being brought up. (By which I mean to say, I couldn't resist. )

And, meanwhile... new villains emerge, and a powerful weapon is on their side! What will happen to our heroes now? And what is this mysterious ability that Haruko has awakened in himself? Find out next time- same Bat time, same Bat channel!

...Okay, enough silliness. Anyway, our little prologue is fast drawing to a close, and then the real story will begin. Come back on Wednesday for the final installment of Overture of the Twilight.