Wonderland of My Own Making

Chapter Fourteen

"Prepare yourself," Brill snarled at Dagger, his spear pushing against his friend's crossed blades. Next to the two struggling combatants, Balmung dropped from the sky, a great rush of wind battering them as he back-winged to land in a crouch. Pearl feathers flew as he straightened, starlight glinting off his armor, his own weapon extended.

"I knew it wouldn't be long before you started trying to delete your own friends," the Descendant said flatly, watching as Brill's onyx eyes turned their ice cold gaze to him. "What's the matter, Brill? Have you run out of rebels to kill?"

Brill withdrew the curved end of his spear, apparently ending his silent battle with Dagger in order to turn his attention to his old rival. Dagger dropped his arms, knives falling to his sides along with his only defense, his face reflecting his relief that he would not have to fight his friend.

Balmung had only a second to notice the victorious smirk on Brill's face before the Moderator pivoted and delivered a diagonal slash across the unprotected Twin Blade's chest, his face reflecting nothing as his friend's eyes went wide with surprise, his limp body falling backwards and caught only partially by Ruka's outstretched arms.

"Dagger," she cried, cradling him as best she could in her weakened state. With a detached part of his mind, Balmung noticed Brill had not PK'd his friend, but had left him with health points registering only in the single digits. Whether such an action was evidence of a remaining bond or exceptional cruelness, Balmung couldn't say.

Dagger's sky blue eyes fixated on Brill's. "You… really have changed."

Balmung didn't wait. He attacked instantly, unsurprised when Brill turned again to meet him, seemingly anticipating his action. The sound of steel clashing echoed through the narrow streets of Carmina Gadelica, almost covering up the sound of something like a massive door closing. Balmung heard it but only vaguely, his mind otherwise occupied in keeping Brill's wickedly curved spear from his body.

Brill had exceptional strength, every single blow landing full force and as relentless as an avalanche. Balmung met his attack every time, his quick reflexes the only thing saving him from being hurt. It was obvious the Long Arm had maxed out all of his stats, the Moderator editing his character to a level that was beyond the scope of a normal player. The Azure Sky gritted his teeth. Such a person should never have been made a Moderator.

"I'm going to get rid of you this time," Brill growled, spear spinning in a dangerous arc that Balmung was forced to sidestep. "You've picked your last fight with me."

Balmung lunged forward, his blade going in under Brill's defense, slicing off hundreds of life points from the Moderator's staggering total before moving to the side in anticipation of a retaliating attack that never came. Instead, Brill bent over at the waist from the Blademaster's stroke, looking slightly nauseous.

"Damn it," he cursed, and before everyone's eyes, his character flickered, the colors of his outfit inverting so that he flashed white momentarily. Balmung stepped back with a frown, confused. Brill's voice was hoarse as he continued, "That woman… I'll kill her for this."

"Woman?" Balmung's silver eyebrows lifted as he understood. "You mean BlackRose." Brill flickered again. "Her attack did something to you, didn't it."

The Moderator didn't answer. Instead, his gaze slipped over Balmung's shoulder and a sneer marred his face.

"Why, hello there. Come to kill me, Kite?"

Akira was awakened by sunlight shining into her eyes, the rays slanting over the bed and warming her as well as blinding her. Rubbing a hand over her face, she sat up slowly, still inhabiting that daze between sleep and dreams, her body twinging a bit as she straightened. The subtle pain was enough to wake her completely, one idly rubbing her stomach as she realized she was still a little sore.

Glancing over Kenji's side of the bed, her eyes went to the alarm clock and she realized she had slept quite a bit. Kenji would have already gone to work, something she was sure he hadn't wanted to do considering the night they had had. Akira wrinkled her nose. Good thing she was officially free from work until well after the baby was born.

Slipping out of bed with a sigh, she padded across the carpet and towards the kitchen, feeling suddenly thirsty. Imagine her surprise to find a neat stack of pancakes awaiting her, as pristine as if they were a picture in a recipe magazine. She blinked and reached out to touch them, a shocked expression crossing her face.

They were still warm.

Confused and wondering if she was still half asleep, Akira's brows knitted together as she turned and headed to the front part of the house, her steps taking her to her husband's study.

Imagine again her surprise at finding him there, a set of neuro-goggles on his head.

Kite met Brill's gaze with the honest determination he was known for. "If there is no other way," he confirmed quietly, as Orca moved up beside him. Footsteps behind him told him Sanjuro and Sasuke had arrived, having received his message only seconds ago. Kite settled at their presence. Everyone was there. He could begin.

Unbeknownst to him, the sound of a door closing echoed through the city for a second time.

Kite raised his right arm, palm out, his left arm coming up to support his wrist.

In front of him, Balmung's blue eyes widened, incredulous. "It can't be."

Brill's voice was soft. "The Bracelet."

"I didn't want to do it this way, but you have left me no more choices." Kite's gaze shifted to the Blademaster. "Get out of the way, Balmung."

The winged Descendant of Fianna was astounded. He looked to his partner, finding it odd that Orca seemed to think this strange turn of events perfectly natural. The blue painted warrior nodded once. Balmung stepped aside.

Kite then glanced to where Dagger lay, still supported by Ruka. The Twin Blade returned his glance silently, almost hopefully. He would not say anything.

Brill wore a hard smile. "I don't believe you will use that thing against me. From what I hear, you were reluctant to wear it even in the beginning and even more so to activate its power." He took a step forward. "I can take the burden away from you. Hand it over and you'll be able to play The World as a normal player, no longer hunted."

As if he hadn't heard him, Kite spoke solemnly. "You have never seen this work, so I don't expect you to know what will happen. Years ago, I saw a similar Data Drain put a person into a coma." Brill's smile slipped. "Their character was destroyed before my eyes." Beside Kite, Orca shifted on his feet. "If you think I can't hurt you with this, I'd advise you to reconsider."

Minutes passed and Brill did not speak. Kite continued.

"You do have a choice. Leave now. Log out and never return to The World. Your presence here is no longer necessary." Kite's quick look to Dagger and Ruka made his point clear. "If you don't, you'll be taking your chances with the Bracelet." He took a breath. "Choose."

There was one pure moment when Kite was sure Brill would surrender and he felt immense relief start to well up in him. Then the Moderator laughed, a hair-raising sound that made his arm tremble.

"You don't have it in you, Kite." Brill dropped his spear, inviting him. "Go ahead then. Do it. You won't be rid of me until you do."

Kite swallowed his failure, but in the real world, Kenji felt his wife's body press against his back, her arm sliding over him until her hand rested with his on the controller.

"Together," she whispered.

Praying for a miracle, Kite stiffened and closed his eyes, his voice hoarse.

"Data Drain," he said, even as another voice commanded, "Data Purge."

The screen went black.

In the next second, The World was back, and so was Bith.

He was standing in between Kite and Brill, his dark gaze locked with the Moderator's, and he was dressed oddly, not like a Wave Master at all. He wasn't even carrying a weapon, that Kite could see, and a pair of glasses sat on the bridge of his nose. It was almost as if…

Bith pushed his lenses up with a finger. Brill snorted.

"So this is where you've been hiding," he said, and for the first time Kite noticed the Long Arm was fading, his colors flickering. From the bottom up he was disappearing. "I wondered how long it would take you to retaliate."

Bith smiled crookedly. "I should have done it sooner, but I've never been one for direct confrontations, as you well know."

"So you hid with them." Brill's disgusted gaze took in the rebels. "Very clever. I never saw you."

Helba's apprentice nodded. "I made sure of it."

Kite was frowning. "Wait. Bith, are you saying…?"

The hacker turned slightly to regard him out of the corner of his eye. "Yes. I am the System Administrator."

"What?!" Balmung exclaimed, looking almost angry. "How is that possible?" He struggled for words. "You've been with us all this time. If you had really wanted to get rid of Brill you could have just— "

"He was being blackmailed." This from Ruka who was helping Dagger to his feet. "I saw the proof myself. Brill threatened to reveal Bith's secret to the Users if he tried to delete him. Bith had no choice but to let him do as he wished until he found some other way to stop Brill."

"And this other way was to pretend to be Bith, Helba's companion?" Orca asked, his face like a rock. He looked ready to run the man through at a moment's notice.

"I am Bith," Bith answered, somewhat impatiently, "I'm a hacker as well as the System Administrator of The World." When no one said anything he sighed. "What do you think CC Corp. would think if they found out I was one of the hackers that caused them so much trouble? I'm not as discreet as Helba, nor as noble. I've done things with my skills that, if known, could possibly land me in prison." His voice strengthened. "But I've also used those same powers to protect people I care about, including the Users of this world (1). I became System Admin because I wanted to continue doing that, even if it meant breaking the rules." Balmung grimaced. "But Brill threatened to expose me to my superiors and so I had to hide myself for a time."

"Coward," Brill muttered. The lower half of his body had been erased.

Bith shrugged. "I never said I was a hero." He took a breath. "But I did need one." He glanced at Kite. "Sorry for using you, Kite, but I wanted to see if there was a way to make him give up voluntarily." His voice softened. "After all, he is my friend."

Kite exhaled. "I understand."

Bith cleared his throat. "Brill, I relieve you of your Moderator status and all the inherent privileges that go with this position. Furthermore, your character 'Brill' will be deleted. It has become corrupted and must be purged." The System Admin bowed. "Thank you for your service."

And just like that, Brill was gone.

The thread of tension snapped and Kite hunched forward, suddenly exhausted. Similar reactions spread through the other rebels until Sasuke's young voice broke the silence.

"Bith, sir," he said tentatively, glancing at Sanjuro before continuing, "Is…is it over?"

The newly revealed System Administrator nodded wryly. "Yes, it's over."

The Heavy Blade frowned. "But, doesn't this mean that you'll have to give up your position? Your secret is out now."

"Actually, as you might have noticed, I shut down this server 'for repairs', allowing only your groups to enter. After you were all here, I locked it so that no one could come or go, regardless of who they were. This area is protected and everything that happened within it is confidential." Bith adjusted his glasses. "No one knows except those who are here." He turned to take in Balmung, Dagger, and Ruka. "The question now is, can you accept an Admin who is also a hacker?"

Balmung looked like he was struggling with himself, but Dagger and Ruka only had to glance at each other before nodding.

"We liked how The World was before…" Dagger couldn't say the name. "We'd be honored if you would allow us to put things right again."

Bith actually smiled. "Of course." The black gaze turned to Balmung who managed a stiff nod with a look that said I'll be watching you.

"Well, I guess that's settled," Orca commented mildly, sparing a glance to his disgruntled partner. Across from him, Sanjuro spoke in his gravelly voice, one hand resting on the hilt of his katana.

"That's the only thing that is," he said, somehow managing to look serious and amused at the same time. He directed his next question at Bith. "What I want to know is what you meant about Brill's character being corrupted."

The Admin looked thoughtful. "I'm not sure how it happened, although I do think it's somehow related to his encounter with BlackRose." Kenji felt Akira jump, startled. "His files were… Well, they were corroding. The code was all mixed up. It's my belief his system would have crashed given enough time." He offered them that mysterious half-smile of his that always put Kite on edge. "I guess I spared him that. At least this way, when he's ready, he can come back to The World as a normal player. Maybe then he'll find what he's looking for."

"Kite," Balmung said suddenly, directing all attention to him effortlessly. "About the Bracelet…" There was an odd expression on his face. "May I ask why you didn't tell me you had found it? It seems Orca knew…"

Kite smiled somewhat sheepishly. "Actually…" He shook his wrist and gave the Blademaster an apologetic look.

Balmung's eyebrow twitched. "You… were bluffing?"

Orca laughed, immediately lightening the mood. "What? Was even the great Balmung fooled?"

His partner simply crossed his arms over his armored chest. "I'm curious to know how you were planning to Data Drain Brill without the Bracelet."

"I didn't have a plan," Kite answered, scratching the back of his neck. "My hope was that we could just convince him to leave on his own, like Bith said. If that didn't work I would threaten him with the Bracelet." He shook his head. "I honestly didn't think he would risk being Data Drained, but the reality of it was that this situation was something we had to take care of on our own." Without Aura. He caught Bith's eyes. "Bith put Brill in a position of power and it was he who had to take it away."

Sanjuro spoke quietly. "The World was teaching us a lesson."

"We had to help ourselves," Sasuke finished, earning himself a proud grin from his mentor. The boy smiled. "But what do we do now? I'm not sure I know what to do with myself…now that everything is finished."

"Play the game," Kite suggested gently. "After all, you earned it."

Bith smiled and clasped his hands together.

"Server Restart."

Takamoto Kenji leaned back in his chair, tilted his head back and kissed his wife. As she threaded her hands through his hair, he smiled.

"Are there any pancakes left?"

To be concluded…

(1) Refer to the fourth Liminality episode, "Trismegistus".

On to the Epilogue!