The World

Thiera: It wasn't a glitch.

Euryale: What do you mean? Did you see its messed-up health bar?

Thiera: Yes, but it wasn't using an existing monster model, or attacks. It was a unique monster, one specifically designed to look like a glitch. It had to be.

*Luna has logged in.*

Monudon:<I'm fine.>

*Monudon looking around the area*

<I wonder why no one else has logged in.>

"I don't know," Hector said. "Maybe they can't."

Noct: Having a unique model for a glitch is nothing new. It could have been a hodgepodge of various models, or the model data for one monster could have been applied to the skeletal rigging of another. It is actually very common, and can lead to some really unique, even planned looking scenarios.

--

Sab: Agreed, but assuming Thiera is right, why would anyone want to do that? Code in a game element that acts like that, and breaks the game. It isn't a dev tool, those are game breaking but still confined to the barriers of the game; a powerful weapon, a fast travel, 'god mode', etc. This was just some horrible monster thing. I don't see what purpose it serves.
--

Euryale: Maybe it's like the other invincible monsters? You know, the barbells.

Luna: I am fine. I just didn't think anyone cared to know. That's all I wanted to say.

*Luna has logged off.*

Thiera: Wait a second.

Thiera: Darn it.
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*One Long Arm with a simple javelin, blue cape & old-fashioned feather-accented hat logs in.*

Monudon:<I guess others can. Maybe we were just the first.>

"I guess, let's talk to this one," Hector said, approaching the Long Arm. "Hey, do you know anything about what just happened?"

Noct let out a small sigh, then sent Luna another message.

hey:

She then turned her attention back to the IRC.

Noct: I think you may be right. Damn, I can't believe that thing killed Aroma... How do you even kill an NPC like her?

--

Thiera: You could delete her.

Euryale: Well, there is one person I can think to ask about being killed by one of those things.
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Jonas: What are you talking about?

Monudon:<The system error that just happened..>

Noct: That would mean that that monster had the ability to literally alter the game's underlying code. Jesus, who would have thought the most powerful thing you could give a monster would be access to some C++.

--

Sab: Wait, who are you talking about?
--

Mortal: Senthose?
--

Sab: Why him?
--

Mortal: I don't know. I mean, he was the one who was put in a coma because of the game.
--

"You may not have been online, but there was quite a big error of some kind," Hector explained. "The terrain changed drastically and then everyone was logged out, I believe. It happened when I mentioned the keywords 'Skeith, Innis, Magus' to the Recorder. Would you happen to have any idea what is going on? Apologies if this bores you, but I am really quite hoping to find out what's going on."

Jonas: I have no idea what you're babbling about. Who are you? Go away.

*As he turns to use the Chaos Gate, another Long Arm, Luna, logs in.*
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Euryale: I don't remember the scene very well, so I don't know whether or not it used the same attack, but I think I did see binary. Anyway, I sent him a mail asking to talk. Don't know when he'll get it, though.

Hector didn't know whether to speak to Luna or not, and hesitated, but went ahead anyway, "Hey there. Putting aside your obvious hatred towards me, I have something important to ask you. Do the words 'Skeith, Innis, Magus' mean anything to you? They may have triggered that system error before."

Noct: Would anyone else know about what is going on?

--

Sab: I suppose anyone else in town would. Oh, and the Crimson Knights. Before they shut down, they were chasing after that Wavemaster with the barbel monster. They might know something about these... I don't know, Glitch Monsters.
--

*Monudon, not really having anything to add, just nods*

Euryale: I don't know how we'd find any of the old Crimson Knights. I hear they've all changed their avatars & names.

Thiera: Wow, really? That seems a little extreme.

Euryale: Also, Crimson Knight never seemed to want to talk about it.
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*Luna narrows her eyes & puts the tip of the spear to his throat.*

Luna: And what makes you say that?

"Calm down, woman," Hector took a step back and unsheathed his cutlass. "I have information you may want, so quit being a bitch or you can forget it."

Noct: True enough. They weren't the most inviting bunch of players. So, where does that leave us? Do we just... log back on, business as usual?

--

*Monudon moves his spear to a more ready position*

<We were just wondering if you knew anything. If we offended you somehow, it wasn't intentional.>

Euryale: We could try. But there's no way to know whether or not that monster is still there.
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Luna: Enough of your games. You had something to do with this, didn't you?

*Because The World doesn't revolve around them, a female Wavemaster with shoulder-length blond hair, pink robes, & a pink ribbon in her hair logs in. Her staff is a spiral of blue metal, which matches her eyes. Also logging in is a male Heavy Blade with dull green armor colored in orange zig-zags, & black hair tied back in a ponytail.*

Monudon:<All we've been doing is trying to figure out what 'Skeith, Innis, Magus' means. Mostly by asking around.>

"As long as you keep your temper in check, I'll speak to you," Hector said before pausing for a moment and then continuing. "We traveled to an area containing a cathedral in which something strange happened. The music changed and a statue appeared, on which we found the words 'Skeith, Innis, Magus'. When we asked the Recorder about it, the system error occurred."

Noct: True, but what other option do we have? We can't just not log back in. Alright, we can technically do that, but I want to log back in, eventually. This all seems so interesting, or important, like there is more going on than just a buggy game. Plus there is that thing with that guy we met in the dungeon. We can't back out of that.

--

Euryale: Alright, but there's no sense in going all at once. I'll scout it out & tell you what I find.

*Euryale has logged out.*
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*Luna listens to everything Hector has to say. She then rushes forward, grabbing her spear in both hands & thrusting towards his chest. Euryale logs in nearby.*