The glowing doorway was a stark contrast to the chaotic battlefield left behind. Its light was soft and inviting, yet there was an unsettling finality about it, like stepping through would mean crossing a threshold that couldn’t be undone. My body trembled, not from exhaustion but from the weight of what y ahead. Every instinct screamed at me to stop, to turn back and stay with my friends, but the voice—calm and commanding—echoed in my mind, compelling me forward.

  “Kiera.” Devon’s voice pulled me back for a moment. His hand was firm on my arm, his expression etched with concern. “You don’t have to do this alone.”

  I looked at him, at Selene standing beside him, her dagger still drawn, her face guarded yet soft. Fi and Mason were nearby, the two leaning against one another, their armor scorched and battered but their spirits unbroken. Even Ethan, who was nursing a cut along his jaw, gave me a nod of encouragement, though his eyes betrayed a deeper worry.

  “I don’t think I have a choice,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “This... this is something I need to do.”

  “Then we’re coming with you,” Devon said firmly, stepping closer.

  “No,” I replied, shaking my head. “This isn’t your fight. It’s mine. You’ve all done so much for me already. Whatever’s in there... it’s calling for me. I’ll figure it out.”

  “Kiera—” Selene started, her voice uncharacteristically vulnerable.

  “I’ll be okay,” I interrupted, forcing a smile I didn’t quite feel. “I promise. You’ve trusted me this far, haven’t you?”

  Selene’s lips pressed into a thin line, but she nodded. “Just don’t make us regret it.”

  Devon reluctantly let go of my arm, his hand lingering for a moment longer than necessary. “If anything goes wrong, you get out of there. Don’t py the hero.”

  I chuckled softly, though it was hollow. “When have I ever done that?”

  Fi snorted, her usual humor bubbling up despite the tension. “Uh, constantly. But hey, if anyone can talk out of a glowing mystery door, it’s you.”

  Mason gave me a thumbs-up, his usual stoicism softened by a reassuring smile. Ethan, however, stayed silent. He looked at me, his gaze holding a quiet intensity that made my heart ache. I gave him a slight nod, and he returned it, though his hand twitched as if he wanted to reach out and stop me.

  I turned to the doorway, the light pulsating gently, almost expectantly. Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward, my hand hovering just shy of the glowing threshold. The hum of energy grew louder, enveloping me in a soft, almost soothing vibration.

  As I crossed the threshold, the light engulfed me, and the sounds of my friends faded into nothingness.

  The space beyond the doorway wasn’t what I expected. It wasn’t a sterile, digital expanse or a glowing chamber of technological wonder. It was... empty. A void of soft, white light that stretched endlessly in every direction. It was neither warm nor cold, neither welcoming nor hostile. It simply was.

  Then, the voice came again, echoing from everywhere and nowhere. It was calm, almost soothing, yet it carried a weight that demanded attention.

  “Welcome, Kiera.”

  I spun around, but there was no one there. The light rippled faintly as though reacting to my movement.

  “Who are you?” I asked, my voice steady despite the unease cwing at my chest. “What do you want?”

  The voice chuckled, light and almost amused. “What do I want? Well, I thought we could have a chat. But first...” The voice trailed off, and the white expanse rippled slightly like a stone dropped into a pond. “Let’s make this a little less weird. Face-to-face might be better, don’t you think?”

  Before I could respond, a figure appeared. She materialized from thin air, standing just a few feet before me. And I mean standing because the figure barely reached my chest.

  It was a... loli. A petite girl with long pink hair tied into twin tails, oversized gsses perched on her nose, and a b coat far too rge for her small frame. Her hands were tucked into the coat’s pockets, and her expression was one of rexed curiosity.

  I blinked. “You’re... a dev?”

  The girl smirked, tilting her head. “What, you were expecting a faceless corporation in a suit? Sorry to disappoint. Name’s Mika, by the way.” She gave a mock bow, the coat sleeves fpping comically. “Lead developer of Eidolon Nexus and your current... well, let’s call it your observer.”

  “Observer?” I repeated, still trying to process that one of the game’s developers looked like she belonged in an anime slice-of-life comedy. “Wait. You’ve been watching me?”

  Mika’s smirk faltered, and she raised her hands defensively. “Not like that! Geez, get your head out of the gutter. We have rules against creeping on pyers like some omniscient pervert.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “Uh-huh. And what about sending people to hunt me down? That doesn’t exactly scream ‘rules.’”

  Mika winced, scratching the back of her head sheepishly. “Okay, yeah. That one’s on us. To be fair, though, you kind of scared the crap out of us when you started breaking the game.”

  “Breaking the game?” I repeated, exasperated. “I didn’t ask to become some unregistered Succubus Demon Lord! The system gave me the hacked css!”

  Mika grinned, unbothered by my outburst. “Oh, I know. Trust me, we’ve been ughing about it for weeks. It’s like watching a reality show, but instead of drama, it’s just you somehow surviving ridiculous situations we thought were impossible.”

  I stared at her, gobsmacked. “You’re telling me you’ve been watching me like some kind of entertainment?”

  “Not just me,” Mika said, shrugging. “Some of the other devs were rooting for you after the whole Oberon thing. Surviving that was... well, it shouldn’t have been possible. At that point, we figured, why not let you keep going and see what happens?”

  “So you’ve been sending assassins and cheering me on?” I snapped. “What is this, an anime filler arc?”

  “Hey, I said I was sorry!” Mika huffed, crossing her arms. “And to be fair, the assassins were just... insurance. You’re kind of an anomaly. A hirious, chaotic anomaly, but an anomaly nonetheless.”

  I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Why am I even here? What’s the point of all this?”

  Mika’s pyful demeanor shifted slightly, her expression growing more serious. “Because things are getting out of hand. UNKNOWN is a problem—a big one. And if we don’t act fast, this whole game will implode. The fragments you’ve been collecting? They’re part of the failsafe we built to protect the game’s core. UNKNOWN’s trying to use them for... well, let’s just say it’s bad news.”

  “And what do you want me to do about it?” I asked, crossing my arms. “I didn’t exactly sign up to save your game. I chose to do this on my own because I actually like the things you did here.”

  Mika adjusted her gsses, her smirk returning. “That’s where it gets interesting. I want to hire you.”

  I blinked. “Hire me?”

  “Think about it,” Mika said, spreading her arms. “You’re already halfway there. You’re fighting glitches, collecting fragments, and surviving crap most pyers wouldn’t st five minutes against. If we stabilize your css—make it your own instead of UNKNOWN’s corrupted code—you could actually stand a chance of stopping them.”

  “Wait,” I said, holding up a hand. “You want me to become... what, an employee?”

  Mika grinned. “Sort of. We’re not just talking about bug fixes and firewalls here. With your abilities, we could make you into something... extraordinary. Still a target, sure, but a target with control over your own power. A target who can hit back without letting her charm tempt anyone.”

  “Hey, you said you weren’t looking!”

  Mika cleared her throat. “Geez, no one saw anything. It just led up to that. But, seriously, think about it….like, uh, now…”

  The weight of her words settled over me, heavy and undeniable. It wasn’t just about me anymore. The fragments, the glitches, UNKNOWN... it was bigger than I’d realized.

  “And if I say no?” I asked, my voice quiet.

  Mika shrugged. “Then you keep going as you are. No hard feelings. But you’ll be pying a dangerous game with no backup and no guarantees.”

  I hesitated, the silence stretching between us. Mika’s expression softened slightly, her voice dropping to a gentler tone. “Look, Kiera. You’ve already come this far. If anyone can do this, it’s you. But it’s your choice.”

  My mind raced, the weight of the decision pressing down on me. But deep down, I already knew my answer.

  “I’ll do it,” I said, meeting Mika’s gaze. “But on one condition.”

  Mika raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

  “And I want to know everything. No more secrets from you devs if you know something," I said firmly.

  Mika’s grin widened, and she held out a hand. “I can't convince everyone, butttt a great many of us are essentially on your side. So, Deal.”

  I shook her hand, the white void around us rippling faintly as the energy shifted. Mika’s smirk turned mischievous as she added, “Oh, and Kiera?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Try not to break anything else while you’re at it.”

  I smirked. “I’ll try not to.”

  END... For Now.

  SussyElf