I lay there, stunned. The wetness was gone—but I remembered it. I remembered the feeling of her blood.
Something trickled into me. A pulse. A surge of power.
My stats spiked—XP flooding in like wildfire. It hit all at once, blinding and disorienting. My vision blurred. My head spun like I was inside a hurricane. I felt my feet leave the ground as the orbs spiraled into me.
My body shorted out.
And then: blackness.
When I opened my eyes, I was standing in a room, staring at a toddler version of myself.
My stat panel glowed faintly beside me. Just one glance confirmed it: I was inside my memory banks. A failsafe Codewrights could use to protect themselves when they short-circuited—or when they were short-circuited.
I took a step forward, closer to her.
She was sitting on the floor, scribbling wildly with pink and purple markers. Her tiny fists clenched the pens like weapons, slashing color across the paper over and over. She stuck out her tongue in concentration and shook back her white hair.
We both looked up as the door creaked open.
I already knew what was coming. And still, my heart swelled with the same joy.
"Alis," Father called. His smile was enormous—wider than I'd seen in what felt like forever.
Little me dropped the markers and bolted to her feet. She bounced in place before running into his arms.
"You're a big sister now," he said, ruffling her hair.
I stepped past them to get a clearer view.
"Big sister?" she echoed, eyes lighting up.
She peered around his legs to where Mother stood, cradling a bundle of pink blankets.
Mother looked exhausted—deep shadows under her eyes—but she was smiling. She bent down to reveal the tiny pink face nestled inside.
"This is Vivid," Father said. When toddler me reached out, he gently added, "Be gentle, Alis. Be a good girl like we taught you. Want to hold her?"
I moved even closer, now just an arm's length away.
She hugged Vivid close to her chest. "I love you," she said softly. "I'm going to be your big sister. I'll show you how to draw! We're going to have so much fun!"
Mother laughed into her hands.
"She's not ready for that just yet," Father said, smiling.
"I can wait," my younger self chirped.
I realized then—I was watching the happiest moment of my childhood. The system must've triggered a highlight reel to protect my mind. I wondered how long it would last.
The scene shifted.
Now we were older, racing down the streets on hover boards. Vivid wore head-to-toe pink, like she'd fallen in a vat of neon paint.
We rounded a bend and I hit the boost, flying ahead like I had wings.
"I can't keep up! Slow down!" Vivid shouted from behind me.
I turned, just in time to see her board wobble and tip. She crashed, landing hard with a yelp. A few health points slipped away in a faint flash.
I skidded to a stop and ran to her side.
"You okay?"
"Yeah," she winced, but her smile was still there.
I pulled her up.
"Want to ride with me?"
"Mother says I need to learn on my own," Vivid muttered, staring at her feet.
"Fine," I said, grinning. "I'll ride with you on yours. That way it still counts."
Her face lit up.
"Take us down the big hills!" she said, bouncing with excitement.
"I'll take us down all of them," I said, hopping on behind her. "And I'll show you a few tricks. Mother will never know."
We tore through the streets, screaming with laughter. Vivid slowly took more control, gaining confidence. Then, we ditched the board and tumbled into the grass, breathless and grinning.
"Can we do it again tomorrow?" she asked.
The memory flickered.
A thought from outside had broken through.
I had just killed someone.
The image stuttered. I fought to hold onto it—to see Vivid smile again.
But the truth wouldn't let go.
I had ended a life.
Reality snapped back, jagged and cold.
All of Hexa Quell's XP had flooded into me. My stats were off the charts—strength, speed, endurance. I wasn't a newbie anymore.
I had killed Hexa Quell.
And now… she was a part of me.
Hexa had been ruthless. Dangerous. Maybe even monstrous.
But not like that. Not crushed on top of me. No last words. No mercy.
She was just… gone.
The battlefield quieted. Her warriors began to retreat. I spotted her twin daggers, some food rations, and a crumpled map. I scooped them up numbly.
A cheer rose behind me.
"We did it!" someone shouted.
The villagers surged forward, celebrating.
I looked down at my hands—clean. But I could still feel her blood.
Priya reached me first, eyes wide with joy. "That was brilliant!" she cried, pulling me into a hug.
I flinched away. "Don't."
The joy didn't reach me.
I wasn't supposed to be a taker.
I was a maker.
But now… all I could see was her death mask.
I scanned the field. Scattered piles of belongings marked the dead. The village was alive with celebration—but I couldn't bring myself to join them.
I drifted toward the edge of the houses, searching for somewhere quiet. Somewhere to breathe.
Then I heard it.
A low, broken groan.
Unmistakable.
A Runner.
I spun around, heart hammering. I ran before anyone could stop me, following the sound around the village perimeter.
And that's how I found her.