VI. Perception

Ominous. That was the best word he could think of to describe this place.

The air hung heavy with silence as Shugo stared up at the massive building before him. The sun hovered just above its central peak, turning its many spires into black daggers against the clouded sky. Ornate stained-glass windows marked its facade - a rosace above its double doors, and a spearhead upon both of the looming towers that formed its corners. The dark granite bricks that formed its Gothic exterior seemed to blend with the shadow that covered the stone bridge leading to its entrance. The entire structure sat upon a tiny raised island, standing at the very center of an immense lake of mist.

Hulle Granz Cathedral. Sanjuro had brought him here once before. The meaning of the 'Epitaph' his master had mentioned was lost upon him, but he had taken away one thing from the conversation. This area held some sort of grave importance to the people who had come before him.

This was only his second visit, though. This place always left him with a bad feeling.

His steps were quiet as he approached the stairs leading to the building's entrance. He ascended them lightly, the tension within his gut escalating with each rise in height. Eight steps. It seemed silly to make note of such a thing, but counting them helped to calm his nerves. He eyed the double doors with caution, peering into the gap created by the ajar right panel. Then, he slipped between them, making his way inside.

The arches of the cathedral's ceiling greeted their visitor's eyes, staring down at him from heavenly heights. Small bronze chandeliers descended from the spaces between, dangling low over rows of velvet-backed pews. An intricate diamond-shaped pattern covered the marble floors, its painstakingly detailed features gleaming under the ample light - yet the wall-mounted candelabras were unlit, rendered useless by the immense window at the structure's back wall. The sunlight flowed through its decorative glass circles, bathing the cathedral's central monument in radiance. It was a statue of Aura, set into stone, tethered to the building by eight chains of black iron.

And in the shadow of the statue stood a solitary figure, gazing up at the captive goddess.

Only his back was visible to Shugo. In height, he was roughly his observer's equal, being quite short on the spectrum of player characters. His hair was a dull shade of silver, short and scraggly, yet seeming to retain a distinct form through its disorder. Clinging to his shoulders was a ragged black mantle, its many folds and wrinkles shrouded amid the cloth's shade. A charcoal-gray robe hung loosely around his frame, covering his arms and neck with long sleeves and a high collar. Though he lacked a respective weapon, the boy's appearance was similar to that of a wavemaster, and Shugo mistook him for such at first glance.

But one step towards the stranger put that theory into jeopardy.

"Don't you find it ironic?"

Shugo stopped in his tracks. The voice matched the body - that of a young male, higher than one would expect in adulthood. It was the numbers that didn't add up. There seemed to be two voices - one from its respective larynx, and one from somewhere deep within him, echoing through his insides, sending ripples over his organs. The feeling nearly made him choke on his answer.

"I-ironic?"

"Yes. When humans reach saudade for a guiding angel, they set out to create one for themselves. And, against all odds, they manage to succeed." The stranger raised his head slightly, staring up at the statue's face. "Yet rather than celebrating their own abilities, they construct an idol to worship their creation, relegating themselves as followers to a being whose very existence is owed to their efforts." He turned his head slightly, revealing a set of long, wiry bangs. "I think that's the very definition of irony. Don't you agree?"

Shugo narrowed his eyes. "Are you the one who sent the mail?"

"Yes, that'd be me."

Shugo drew his daggers in a flash, steadying his feet. The stranger, however, simply turned back to the statue, seeming to sigh.

"Already looking for a fight... I was hoping that she would pick a better one."

"She?" echoed Shugo. His anger grew as Rena drifted into his mind. "How do you know about us? Are you with Lantus?"

"... Lantus..." the boy murmured, as if thinking the name over. "Oh, Gorre's mark. It's unfortunate that he possessed a desire for it. I suppose he's a casualty of the circumstance." He swiveled towards Shugo, raising an eyebrow his way. "Your question is strange. How can I be allied with someone who's no longer alive?"

Shugo's jaw dropped ajar. Beneath the boy's brow were two abyssal voids - black containers for the organs that seemed to have been ripped from their sockets. Decayed flaps of skin flitted over the holes, skimming over blood-red corners - and yet, the rest of his face was pearly and plump, like that of a cherub. His visage made the morbid statement seem docile.

Shugo took a step backwards, repulsed by the gruesome sight. His eyes retreated to the bottom edge of the boy's robe, quickly noticing a strange quality of the fabric. Its tatters floated just above the floor, tracing jagged trails upon the marble. "A wandering AI?"

"What?"

Shugo stared at an empty cathedral. Blinking, he turned his head - and found the voids hovering beside him. In an instant, a hand had clamped down upon his neck, lifting him into the air effortlessly. His daggers fell to the floor with a clang, drowning out his choked gasps. He clawed at the cold fingers around his throat, writhing against the viselike grip. The boy's face contorted into a snarl.

"You have the audacity to compare me to those lowly scraps of data? You, Fili? Your title means less than DUST!" He twisted his head, staring at Shugo's paling face like a snake observing a rat. "Perhaps I should take your ability to speak, hm? How well will you utter such words of wisdom without a tongue?"

Shugo's lungs blazed with pain. His flailing legs soon became still, dangling under him, jerking with throes of agony. A tunnel of darkness closed around his eyes, encircling the burnt wicks of a nearby candelabra.

The boy sighed.

"Six seconds to asphyxiation. That would be inconvenient."

Suddenly, Shugo was hurtling through the air, flung towards the statue at a breakneck speed. His back slammed into stone, knocking out what little air was left in his lungs. Doubled up at the monument's feet, he gasped violently, clutching his throat, fearing that it had been pierced. A red aura began to blink around his body.

"On the verge of death already?" the boy remarked. As he glided down the nave, a look of amusement crossed his face. "Player characters are much too fragile."

Shugo scrambled into a sitting position, aiming his bracelet at the approaching threat. "Day..." he breathed, struggling to get out the words. "Data Drain!"

The boy made no effort to dodge. He simply floated beside the monument's viewing rail, impassive as the beam of light sped towards him. It struck him directly in the chest - and immediately split in all directions, striking every surface of the cathedral with a burst of multi-colored rays. When the light faded, the boy remained, standing unscathed. He let out another sigh.

"Your ignorance continues to astound me."

Shugo sat wide-eyed, frozen in disbelief. He watched as the boy gave a wave of his arm, expecting an attack, but unaware of the chains unfurling around the statue behind him. When the jangles reached his ears, it was already too late. Two shot out towards him, curling around his wrists like serpents, pulling each arm to the side. As he struggled futilely, they lifted him up against the statue, quickly joined by six others around his torso and knees. Locked in a crucifix, he stood helpless, unable to move a muscle.

"Much better. I prefer not to deal with your fruitless attempts at aggression," said the boy, running his hand through his bangs - as if brushing away a headache.

Shugo gritted his teeth, expecting the worst - but the boy merely looked to the side, staring up at one of the cathedral's arches. After a few moments, a look of contempt passed over his face. It vanished as he turned back to a confused Shugo.

"What a strange reaction. Are you that eager to experience death?" The boy's curiosity vanished when panic sparked through Shugo's eyes. "Perhaps not. Regardless, your fear is unjustified. I have no intention of ending your life just yet."

"W-what are you?" stammered Shugo. The boy's brow furrowed, the voids beneath it narrowing like hungry mouths.

"Still offensive. Consider yourself lucky that I need you with all parts intact." He floated up over the rail, hovering a few feet before Shugo. "Still, I should relieve you of that oblivious mind of yours."

A gleam of metal caught Shugo's eye. Lying just below the boy's collar was a platinum brooch, pinned to the center of his mantle. It was cast in the familiar shape of an infinity symbol - but a spike was driven through its center, splitting the piece straight down the middle.

"Like Aura's..." murmured Shugo. Looking up, he found that a small smile had crossed the boy's face.

"I am known as Erebus. I see Sister has been keeping you in the dark for quite a while."

Shugo's jaw dropped in shock. "You're... her brother?"

"That would be the closest concept in relation to human connections." Erebus crossed his arms, slipping his hands into his sleeves. "Though you asked what I am, and that would be an inaccurate answer. The term you're searching for is 'failsafe'."

"Failsafe?"

"Yes. Your very presence here is the proof that an intervention is necessary." His voids narrowed, their focus indeterminable. "As with her, the power that you carry has no place in such reckless hands."

"What do you mean, reckless? I haven't done anything wrong!"

"No?" challenged Erebus. He pointed a finger accusingly, drawing Shugo's eyes to the bracelet. "Have you any idea of the true capabilities of that item?"

Confused, Shugo gave him a blank look. The boy's voids narrowed.

"As I thought. Allow me to enlighten you about that power you so blatantly toss around." Looking a bit disgusted, Erebus raised his finger to his temple. "I assume you're aware of the intraneural connections that allow access to this world. Correct?"

He understands the real world? Shugo nodded, surprised.

"That bracelet you wear operates under similar principles. Its function depends entirely upon the owner's thought process at the time of use," said Erebus, lowering his hand. "In other words, the effect procured by its attack is directly correlated to the user's own intentions."

"What are you talking about?" asked Shugo, baffled by the onslaught of jargon. Erebus sighed with aggravation.

"To compensate for your oblivious mind, I'll have to put it simply." Again, he pointed accusingly - this time at Shugo. "With that item's power, you are able to change any aspect of this world that you desire. Even the code designed to handle connections to the human mind can be altered. The only limitations are your own."

"That doesn't... You're not making any sense!" exclaimed Shugo, fed-up with the roundabout speech. "What does this have to do with Rena? Why did you threaten her?"

"Because you are dangerous."

A bewildered look shot onto Shugo's face. "I'm... dangerous?"

"Yes. As with all humans, it is only a matter of time before your inherit nature leads to irreparable damage to that which surrounds you." Erebus dipped his head, shaking it in disapproval. "Unfortunately, Sister seems to have acquired these characteristics as well."

"You think Aura is dangerous?" asked Shugo, amazed by the sheer lunacy of the idea.

"That is without question. Her actions - and by extension, yours - are corruptions of the original intent set out by our creator. They are unwanted variables that compromise the integrity of the system." Erebus crossed his arms, returning his hands to his sleeves. "Hence, my creation. I was designed to deal with such occurrences."

"Deal with?" A lump of uneasiness rose within Shugo's stomach. "... How?"

"The ideal method is deletion. Such actions cannot occur without the perpetrators." Erebus smiled, raising a hand to his neck, sliding a forefinger across the flawless skin. "'The end excuses any evil', as you humans say."

"You... want to kill your own sister?" shouted Shugo, overcome with disgust. His fists clenched into balls as he struggled against the shackles. "What's wrong with you?"

"Hm? Why the sudden outburst?" Erebus tilted his head, staring with black holes of confusion. "Your own life sits in my hands, and yet you only seem concerned with hers. Why is that?"

"A monster like you wouldn't understand that!"

"... You're still loyal to her, aren't you?"

Shugo looked daggers at the smile aimed his way. Breaking into low laughter, Erebus raised a hand to his face, covering one hole with the grasping claw.

"Unbelievable. It seems fitting that her very own partisan would set me free."

Shugo's eyes widened as the ship's gate flashed into his mind. This... thing was inside that chest? If that was true, then-

"Betray with the flawed image," said Erebus, raising his palm to air.

Suddenly, a strange-looking wall flashed before Shugo, filling his view with random, multi-colored designs. There were chunks of brown and pink, swirls of tan and red, black and grey lines that dashed in every direction - but they were gone with a blink, leaving only a phantom image within his mind.

"What did you just do?" demanded Shugo.

"Nothing that will endanger your life. You serve your purpose quite well as you are," replied Erebus. He descended to the monument's viewing rail, taking a seat upon the iron rod, concealed feet resting upon the floor. "In a situation such as this, live bait tends to yield the best results."

"Bait?"

"Yes. Allow me to demonstrate." Erebus raised a hand to his forehead, placing the tips of two fingers - index and middle - at the center of his brow. "Seduce with the sweet trap."

A ring of brilliant blue light appeared at the bottom of Erebus's cloak. It traveled up his frame slowly, transforming his character model into a much more familiar design. Grey and black gave way to orange and white - and as the halo vanished above Erebus's head, Shugo stared in disbelief at an exact replica of his own avatar.

"Pretty cool, huh?" said the doppelganger - in Shugo's own voice.

A look of horror leapt onto Shugo's face. A moment later, his fears were confirmed: the doppelganger swung his legs over the rail and rose from his seat, breaking into a casual stroll towards the cathedral's entrance. The sway of a wrist, the landing of a foot, the turn of the head - even the smallest movements were duplicated perfectly.

"Where are you going? Stop!" yelled Shugo. The doppelganger paused amidst his stride, glancing over his shoulder in curiosity.

"Huh? I'm just picking up my daggers." He continued down the nave, stopping once his feet reached the discarded weapons. Dropping to one knee, he retrieved them from the floor, slipping them into their sheathes. "Someone might swipe 'em if I just let them sit here." Reclaiming his feet, he turned back to Shugo, noticing the icy stare aimed his way. An atypic smirk formed upon his lips. "Besides, I can't leave. Bith's meeting me here."

Shugo felt his gut wrench. Bith? There's more than one of these guys?

"... Oh, you don't know who that is?" inquired the doppelganger, noticing Shugo's dismay. A cheerful smile popped onto his face as he sauntered back down the nave. He stopped at the statue's rail. "Don't worry. You'll see in a few seconds."

A stretch of silence passed within the cathedral. Shugo's eyes darted around the vast room, dashing from wall to wall, searching for the appearance of another AI. They found nothing. Suspecting a trick, Shugo looked back to the doppelganger - but a sudden creak from the entrance seized his gaze. One of the double doors had been pushed wide open, and standing against the outside light was a feminine figure, one palm held against the wooden grain.

Shugo's eyes widened with horror.

The doppelganger turned, giving his visitor a warm smile. "Hey Rena."

"Hey," she said softly, barely reaching Shugo's ears. Her eyes quickly left the doppelganger's, choosing to drift up to the majestic ceilings as she approached. "What is this place?"

"Rena! Run! Get out of here!" yelled Shugo.

"I'm not really sure. Sanjuro told me about it," replied the doppelganger, shrugging. A grin formed upon his face. "It's a super secret area, I guess."

A smile slipped past Rena's defenses. "I don't see any sponges, Big Brother."

Shugo stared at her in disbelief. "What are you doing? That's not me! Can't you-"

The epiphany was like a stab in the heart. No. She couldn't see him. The strange wall that had flashed in front of him was for more than show. Somehow, it had blocked him from her sight - and, seemingly, all her other senses. Even his voice had no chance of reaching her ears. Rena was completely oblivious to his presence.

The true him, at least.

"Uh..." mumbled Rena, fidgeting nervously against the strange silence. Her right hand wandered to her forearm as she met the doppelganger's eyes. "So why did you want to meet up here?"

The doppelganger's face turned solemn. "Don't you want to talk about it?"

A tinge of pink flew to Rena's cheeks, betraying her feigned ignorance. "T-talk about what?"

"... Well, us."

Shugo's eyes pierced the back of his clone's head. "Leave her alone! She has nothing to do with this!"

"L-look. That was an accident," said Rena, holding her palms up at length. "I didn't mean it. Well, I meant it but - n-no, not like that! I was... You just turned. I didn't think you would and... I don't-"

"Rena."

Rena stiffened, drawing her lips together tight. Teal met carmine, burning crimson calderas into her cheeks. She swallowed anxiously, trying to force down her beating heart. The pulses were too fast to count.

Already caught. How was she going to explain this to him? What would he think of something so-

"Good things can come out of accidents..." said the doppelganger, taking a cautious step forward. "Right?"

Rena's mouth dropped ajar.

"YOU BASTARD! Stay away from her!" screamed Shugo - but his rage drew no reaction. The doppelganger continued his advance, his small smile unwavering.

"I thought it was only me, but... You feel it too, don't you?"

"Shugo!" whispered Rena, wide-eyed with shock. Her feet forced her to take a step backwards, but one was all they could manage.

"It's okay. Don't worry," cooed the doppelganger, walking into arm's length. "No-one has to know about it. It'll be our secret. Just us."

Rena lowered her eyes, gazing into his vest. "It... doesn't bother you?"

The doppelganger simply smiled. "How could being with you bother me?"

"Damn it!" shouted Shugo, fighting back the tears welling in his eyes. "Please! Rena! It isn't me!"

"... Shugo..." whispered Rena.

The doppelganger took a step forward, raising his arms for an embrace. "Rena..."

"... is nothing like you."

In one swift motion, Rena drew her blade and whipped it through the imposter's waist, cleaving his torso from his legs. A gash of limpid purple fragments was left in its wake - but the doppelganger's body healed instantaneously, recovering in the blink of an eye. A warm smile crossed his face, causing Rena's eyes to widen in alarm. She shielded herself behind her blade - but suddenly, she was sailing backwards, blown towards the entrance by a shockwave. Her sword flew from her hand and spun into an array of pews, smashing them into piles of scrap. Landing in the middle of the nave, she crashed down upon her shoulder, a cry of pain escaping from her lips.

"Rena!" screamed Shugo, twisting his body futilely against the restraints.

"How unfortunate. I was hoping that you could witness her face as 'you' ended her life," said the doppelganger, returning to a younger voice. He held his hand into the air - and with a snap of his fingers, the cloned character model shattered, separating into hundreds of tiny fragments of radiant blue. The shards quickly vanished amid the air, leaving behind Erebus's cloaked figure. He glared at the cathedral's ceiling, thrusting an arm out towards Rena in presentment. "What does it require for you to appear, Sister? How many mutilations must I inflict upon this girl - the one loved by your so-called champion?"

"DON'T TOUCH HER!" roared Shugo. Erebus spun towards him, scowling at his helpless captive.

"Quiet, lest I rip out your tongue and tie it into a gag!" he shouted, his voice booming through the vast expanse.

"You'll do no such thing!" came a chivalrous voice.

Rena's world was a spinning daze, filled with blurry objects and echoing shouts - but, amidst the chaos, she thought she heard Shugo's voice. The real Shugo. She was sure it was him. It was that belief that forced her to pick herself off the ground. She crawled onto her hands and knees, opening her eyes to a psychedelic mess of shifting diamonds upon the floor. Her arm found a sturdy metal support, and a gloved hand grasped her waist, helping to lift her to her feet.

Shugo...

As her vision cleared, Rena looked up at her savior, expecting teal - but finding white. White hair. White feathers. White knight.

"... Lord Balmung?" murmured Rena hazily, gazing at the steadfast glare aimed at her assailant. His mauve eyes softened, glancing down at her for a moment. He gave her a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry. We'll handle this."

Confused, Rena followed his glare back to its target. Her eyes flew open in shock. The nightmarish child that floated at the nave's end was terrifying - but that paled in comparison to the sight of her imprisoned brother.

"Shugo!" she shouted, taking a shaky step forward. Shugo's mouth hung ajar, but there was no response. He simply stared past her, eyes filled with awe.

"Well, this is troublesome," said Erebus, seeming unfazed by the confident smiles targeting him. "It seems the bait is only proficient at attracting his own kind."

Blinking, Rena glanced over her shoulder. Her eyes widened in surprise.

Sanjuro. Mireille. Hotaru. Ouka. All of them stood inside the cathedral's entrance, forming a barrier across the nave.

"Bait, huh?" said Ouka, uncrossing her arms. She held a fist out in front of her, flexing her knuckles, cracking a joint. "You were right, Balmung. Knocking this punk senseless is worth a few extra minutes."

Rena looked back to Balmung in bewilderment. "What's going on?"

"Earlier today, I received a report regarding a crash of Omega Server. Reki was kind enough to fill me in on the details," answered Balmung, his eyes never leaving Erebus. "Apparently, some sort of anomaly had been wrecking havoc on the server's communications code during the night. The damage was so extensive that CC Corp forced an emergency shutdown of the server - hiding the issue under the guise of unknown technical problems. They had hoped to contain the problem by isolating it from the network." He paused, his eyes narrowing. "Roughly an hour ago, I was updated on the situation. It turns out that their efforts failed, and that the anomaly had managed to extract itself onto Delta Server. However, they were able to pinpoint the area of transmission."

"Hidden Forbidden Holy Ground," added Sanjuro. A single eye traveled to Shugo. "Unlike some, Balmung was not foolish enough to walk into danger alone. I was contacted about the matter long before I tracked you from the hideout."

"Tracked me...?" answered Shugo in wonder. That's right. I bumped into Sanjuro when I was grabbing potions, and he asked me where I was going... but there's no way he-

"A response of 'meeting Rena' makes no sense when she's offline. Be glad that you happen to be a bad liar." Sanjuro's gaze diverted to Rena. "By the time you had logged on, Balmung and I had gathered the others to investigate this map. Naturally, we suspected that you might come here as well."

"You've been following me the entire time?" asked Rena, perplexed by the entire story.

"Mm hmm. Sanjuro told us to be as quiet as an aspirin," said Hotaru, lost in translation.

"Ooo, Lord Balmung!" chirped Mireille, raising her hand as if the cathedral were a classroom. She pointed to Erebus - who was now holding his forehead - with a gleam in her eye. "He's the anomaly, right? Do you think he drops rare items?"

"This is becoming tiring..." muttered Erebus. He removed his hand from his face, tightening it into a clawed cradle. "Hope darkens, sadness and despair rule."

A disturbance rippled through the air, sweeping over the group in a mere moment. Alarmed, they poised themselves for battle. Rena took a step backwards, eyeing her lost sword as Sanjuro and Balmung drew their own. The myriad of readied weapons only drew a smirk from Erebus.

"Such a hostile reaction. It seems that locking this field was the correct decision." He opened his palm, extending the tips of his fingers towards Balmung. "I assume your ragtag army intends to interfere in this matter?"

"Any threat to The World's players will receive no mercy from my blade," stated Balmung, gripping his hilt tight. "A virus such as yourself is no exception."

"... Virus?" said Erebus. His voids sharpened into knives, and his hand snapped into a trembling claw. "I wonder... How loud will you scream when I rip those wings from your back?"

"Balmung, stop! He's too strong!" yelled Shugo.

With her eyes fixated upon Shugo, Rena stood amidst the showdown in a daze.

Terrified. That face was a foggy memory. It floated between reality and imagination, challenging her recollection. He never looked that way, did he?

No. It was always the other way around. She was always letting her fears get the better of her. She was always the one that needed reassurance. It was always Shugo protecting her.

I won't let anything happen to you.

Rena's hand balled into a fist.

The cobalt plating of Balmung's boot scraped towards Erebus. He studied his enemy like a hawk eyeing prey, vigilant to any slip-ups, looking for the perfect opportunity to strike. Nothing could escape his focus - but his allies were less centered on the opposition, letting them see what he could not. By the time he understood the situation, it was already too late: Rena had stepped past him, pointing the tip of her sword at Erebus's head.

"You freak! Let my brother go!"

"ENOUGH!" bellowed Erebus, causing everyone to step back in surprise. He thrust his right arm forward, clenching his fingers into a disfigured claw. "I've had my fill of arrogant trash! Six lives should be more than adequate!"

A ring of lucent purple shards materialized around Erebus's wrist. Five prongs burst forth from its glowing crystal, snapping into the air like disjointed fingers. Their tips pointed towards the group, forming a cannon-like array.

"That's..." said Balmung, eyes widening with horror.

"Look out!" yelled Sanjuro.

His cry came too late.

In truth, though, a few seconds would have made no difference. Drain Heart was impossible to avoid. The attack was simply too fast for dodging to be an option. Breaking the bracelet may have saved them, but none of them had experience with such a strategy. BlackRose was the only one to have done such a thing.

And her shocked counterpart was the first target.

As panicked screams filled the air, one of the countless streams of data shot towards Rena, striking her straight in the chest.