1Author note: everything in italic format is what is happening in real life. I wont say the character's real name since some of these people are my friends.

Chapter: 1

Not just a role play?

Colnel's Jade eyes opened slowly. He saw the ceiling of the cathedral still whole as he started to slowly sit up " Ugh...damn. What the heck happened?" He run his hand through his red hair and looked at two shadowy figures that were sitting down. "Huh?"

"So finally up? I'm glad we managed to get here in time to save you." One of the shadowy figures stood up. "Are you hurt?" The figure would approach him slowly

"Who are you?" Colnel say slowly trying to make out the person in front of him

"Balmung..." the mans snow white hair became visible. His silver armor shined from what little light that was in the area. He spread his wings slowly then folded them as he starred at Colnel with his blue eyes "Balmung of the Azure sky. I gave you my name, what's yours?"

"It's Colnel." He look around and then saw Siren's fallen body still as he quickly knelt at her. "Siren?" He look at Balmung "Who did this to her? Why haven't you revived her?"

The other shadowed figure came forward "We already tried that." As the light revealed the young looking man reddish-orange clothes with golden symbols on his pants. His hat had a gold tint on top covering his teal spiky hair. "However doing that only bring her character to life. But there isn't any reaction from her when she is revived. Also she doesn't stay revived." He sig ha bit and then kneel beside Siren "One can only assume she has become comatose like the other victims who come in contact with data bugs."

"Comatose?" Colnel look at the young man "You seem to be well informed. How do I know your not lying to me."

The kid look at Colnel with his grey eyes "Because...My friend is going through the same thing right now. My name is Kite."

"Kite...I've heard of you." He look to the side "Your that player with the bracelet people seem to talk about..." He close his eyes "Sorry...I don't believe you. Something about a game that makes people go comatose? The in game sequences here have an affect on the outside world. Seems pretty farfetched. Besides you ever think that maybe Siren doesn't respond cause she logged out?" He stand up. "I'm leaving here."

Balmung grab Colnel's arm "That mark..." He stare at him "They are going to come after you again. That mark appears not too far from where a data bug report is filed." Balmung let go of his arm "I hope for your sake, and the sake of your friend she did log out." He look toward kite "Come on Kite. Lets leave here as well. We can't force someone to believe us till they experience it first hand. The more time we waste talking to him the more time we lose trying to help Orca" Balmung walk toward the door of the cathedral waiting for kite outside

"Look I know it seems strange but its true" Kite say lowly "You should log out soon...check on your friend okay?" He run out the door

"Data bugs...comatose. Don't tell me people are thinking this is real." Colnel folded his arms and closed his eyes "What the?" His expression changed to a bit of surprise "My level has been reduced? By 30 levels?" Colnel clinch his fist. "Was it some type of penalty? Damn it..." He punch his hand "That means all those player killers that I protected people from will be looking for me now...Maybe I can bluff that im not level 5 now..." He shuddered a bit and walked outside the cathedral. He log out of the field looking back at the cathedral before he disappeared.

Colnel would appear in front of the chaos gate in Mac Anu "I hope she is okay...Not that I believe that stuff. I mean it has got to be some type of role play stuff." He look around at the town a bit and then closed his eyes " Log out" Colnel would disappear.

A few moments would pass as some of the buildings would began to become wavy as monsters with corrupted data would appear from the buildings. Screams could be heard through out Mac Anu. System administrators would start appearing telling everyone to log out as quick as possible. The town was being evacuated as the monsters began attacking other players. Data drains could be seen happening to the innocent players.

"No answer..." He put the phone down "Hmm...just coincidence" Colnel would sit down on his bed in his one bedroom apartment. His phone would then go off reading siren's number. "Hello?" He listen on the phone "Collapsed? What do you mea-" His eyes widen "I see but we were just playing not more then fifteen minutes ago..." He clinch his fist " Is she going to be okay?" He look down " Not the first case of someone passing out in front of their terminal." He sigh a bit "No its fine I will be down there hopefully soon. I just have to fill out the papers at work to get the okay to leave. Please take care of her for me. Thank you." He hang up and look down "...Impossible..." He lay down on his bed "Im sure it is just a coincidence...At least I hope so." He look at his computer. "Ill check it out tomorrow..." HE close his eyes and try to sleep

The night went by fast as Colnel awakened to the sound of his alarm. "Morning already?" He look at the computer again and then shook his head " After work..." Colnel would go through his daily routine and came home and then sat down in front of his PC "Okay...lets do it.."

Colnel would appear in front of the chaos gate. He look at the town seeing some of it destroyed "What the?" He look around seeing people helping with the clean up. He walk over to a twin blade "Hey what happened here?"

The twin blade would look at Colnel "Where have you been? Didn't you read the board? Monsters came in to town and started a Ruckus. Monsters that couldn't be defeated. The system administrators had to shut down this server. The damage remains. More players fell in to a coma. Don't you read the boards you newbie.."

Colnel looked at the twin blade "Newbie? How can you even call me that? You're just a level 7. Meanwhile I'm a level thir-"

"Five right? I already looked at what you have on. Trying to pass off as some expert... Talk about weak." The twin blade would keep cleaning up "They are offering some cool items however for helping with the clean up so a lot of people are volunteering for this."

Colnel would nod and shake his head "Believe it or not I was up to 35 last night. Anyways thanks for the info." Colnel would walk away and head to the Chaos gate. "That cathedral...Yeah..." He would insert the key words again. Hidden forbidden holy ground.

Colnel would appear on the bridge again leading to the Cathedral. "I wonder if her body is still here.." He push open the door to the cathedral and then say Kite and balmung sitting down again.

Balmung had his eyes closed and then sighed "So how is your friend? I hope she is okay...but from the way you seemed to have opened that door...I'm assuming she passed out in front of her terminal...huh?"

Colnel clinch his fist "What are you doing here?"

Kite stand up and turn to Colnel "The data bugs followed you back to Mac Anu. You know that right?" He walk toward Colnel "Fifty seven more comatose victims. That all could have been prevented if only you had listened to us."

Colnel narrow his eyes. "I'm sorry I just can't really buy in to that stuff."

Balmung leap from his seat and then use his wings to keep him a float as he landed by Colnel "I see that mark on your arm is still there." He sigh a bit "Colnel...I know this seems unreal. But the point is your friend is in a coma. My friend as well. Don't you want to try and find a way to fix that? I mean if the game caused it, isn't it possible for the game to fix it? I want..No we want your help. Colnel those data bugs seem to be after you. You survived a data drain."

Colnel close his eyes "My help? I cant help anyone. Not at my current state. Even still I cant fight those things. You see they don't die! Sorry but I'll fight on my own and solve this for myself." He turn his back to the both of them

Kite would glare at him "Don't be stupid! Don't you realize we need each other to fight this? You cant do it alone so stop trying to act like you can!" He shout as a giant spider would appear on the ceiling with corrupted data.

Colnel turn back and look up "What the. Here again?!" Colnel unsheathe his sword "Siren I'll avenge you."

Kite would look up as Balmung saw it too. Balmung nodded and took flight slicing at it knocking it from the ceiling. Kite would pull out his daggers and begin attacking. Colnel would slash at the arachnid. Balmung land on top of it stabbing his sword in to its head..

Colnel would yell out "Damn it! This thing isn't dying!"

Kite would look to Colnel "Shut up and keep attacking. We got to get through its shield so I can data drain it!"

The group continued to fight. Colnel would stop suddenly. He quickly run toward kite and knocked him down to the ground hard Balmung looked at Colnel and jumped down. He was about to say something as Colnel would swing his blade at him to get him to step back.

Balmung looked at kite on the floor "What the hell was tha-" the whip like tentacle shot from the spider's body and flew right over kite and past where Balmung used to be standing.

Colnel look at the spider and rush at it jumping on to its head stabbing his blade in to his eye "Kite now!"

Kite got up quickly and saw that the monster was able to be data drained. He close his eyes and the bracelet glowed brilliantly draining the monster. The monster would turn in to a small caterpillar.

Balmung walked up to the caterpillar and stabbed it with his blade and then looked at Colnel "How the hell did you know it was going to data drain?" He look at Colnel's arm seeing it glow "And more so, how did you drop its shield at level 5?"

Colnel looked at his arm surprised "What is with this...The damage from that attack...did you see how much it did?"

Kite walked up to Colnel "9999...right?" His bracelet glowed more as he got closer to Colnel "Why is my bracelet reacting to your arm?"

Balmung looked at them both "Apparently Colnel has gained something when he was data drained and survived. Kite your data drain rewrites the data of a corrupt monster to turn it normal correct? What if when someone is data drained and not complete it does a different type of mutation to the player. Like Colnel's arm."

Kite looked at Balmung. "Yes that is very possible...but does that mean he can defeat a Data bug on his own then?"

Balmung closed his eyes "Not sure...At any rate we should report to Lios about this. Tell him not to go after Colnel since he wanted to after discovering the data bugs were after him."

Colnel looked at Balmung "Don't talk like im not here!" He stare at them both "You mean to tell me the admins were going to delete my character for something that isn't even my fault?"

Balmung looked at Colnel and nodded "Yeah...that's the way the keep the system clean."

Colnel starred at them both "So what you guys were here to defeat me?"

Kite shook his head "No we were here to warn you. We wanted your character around since you seem to attract these monsters. It get all of us closer to this mystery."

Colnel sighed a bit "So in other words you wanted to use me? That's much better. Im out of here." Colnel pick up his sword from the floor and sigh "My help you said...right?" He look at them both and then give them both his member address "This doesn't mean we are working together. I figure you guys get it eventually so I'm cutting out the middle man."

Balmung handed Colnel an item "Here...this will keep you hidden from the data bugs. But if one happens to find you...expect it to have friends. They are after you to complete what they started. We will contact you again as soon as we find out what is with your arm. Till then be a regular player and try to obtain your lost power. We'll keep you updated."

Colnel nodded and then equipped the item Balmung gave him. "I'll see you guys around" Colnel said as he logged out of that field and back to Mac Anu