Eon stepped forward as the Palace Guardians; Realm Beasts forged from the energy of the Artifact, names, came into view.

[D3-V1's Little Fiend - lvl ??]

[D3-V1's Maniacal Fiend - lvl 26]

Little my ass. Seriously, what is her problem?

Eon thought of ways to hassle the twisted battle droid as he looked upon the first overgrown forest monster. It was larger than the previous wolves he had dealt with; however, its level eclipsed theirs by an unknown amount.

Should he grab the Artifact now, before the beast's unknown level interfered with his fun?

Frowning, Eon analyzed the wolves' hooked claws that casually scored groves into the wooden floorboards. How much power had she instilled into the beast's code? From the looks of the fiend, it seemed he couldn't complete the trial.

Dark in nature with dazzling blue eyes that resembled D3-V1's signature glow, the fiend prowled closest to the Artifact, occasionally glancing towards the floating necklace as if it were seeking affection.

The realism captured his attention, causing him to recall the Palace Guardians that reunited with the Nexus Realm's Core, becoming Artifacts of their own.

Is she… no, she wouldn't—

A silent breeze fluttered through the beast fiend's fur as the werewolf next to it began to howl.

[D3-V1's Maniacal Fiend - lvl 27]

Instantly the werewolf's level ticked up from the Artifact's residual energy, and it started to wave its hooked sword around, slashing through the air as energy inside the barrier began to fluctuate. How would he obtain the Artifact after the giant wolf fused with the guardian? It seemed D3-V1 was forcing a restart to the trial. His inspection had come to an end. It was now or never.

Eon sprinted into the center of the barrier when the werewolf's ears twitched, ending its howl at the same moment, leaving a deafening silence in the realm's center. As the ears perked, the werewolf's eyes narrowed, mouth parting in a menacing display of fangs. Honing on Eon's location, its entire body turned in one swift motion, whipping its tail and blade in anticipation of battle.

When their eyes met, Eon shuddered, taking in the muscular physique of a wild warrior. A berserker standing over two and a half meters tall. A different atmosphere overlaid the barrier at that moment. He wasn't in a forest riddled with overgrown beasts. Instead, he was locked inside the realm's center of power, facing a calculating predator armed with a blade and claws.

Corded muscles flexed under tuffs of dark gray fur, and a sheen of blue eyes blurred as the werewolf's form shifted, charging straight at Eon. The momentum was far different from Krieg, and the ancient bone in its grasp contained an edge far sharper than the cold steel that had stolen his eye.

Not again!

The distance the werewolf devoured, ended in a piercing howl as the hooked blade slashed through the air, biting into a current of lightning—sparks of tumultuous blue-white energy that ended in streaks of purple, dark gates that extended into the void.

The gates closed an instant later, reappearing as Eon jumped out of the void, landing a kick on the werewolf's sword arm. His foot slammed into its wrist, only for it to bat him away like a fly as the sword swung outward. The moment Eon felt resistance, he vanished, once more causing a series of sparks to flash inside the barrier. But this time was different. Eon willed the werebeast forward, inviting its cleave to follow him into the void.

A loud growl made itself known as reality returned to Eon's senses. While keeping an eye on the evolving wolf slowly merging with the Artifact, he noticed fine traces of lightning strikes carved into the werewolf's flesh. Thinly sliced channels that mirrored his F-graded element: Void Lightning. He had suspected a level 10 [Void Hunter's Flash] contained enough energy to use the ability offensively, and he had been right.

The werewolf snarled from the surprised pain, but the damage over its body soon retreated. Healed within a handful of seconds, as their level difference and innate power reduced the effects of Eon's attack. He was back at square one, on defense as the werewolf charged.

This time the blitz was faster, a blur of impossible bulk moving forward with killing intent that radiated outwards. An aura of ferocity that invaded his senses. It reminded Eon of the void walker, though the impression of the aura was far different, resembling the primal air of a wild animal with its mind set on destruction.

Their clash occurred as the werewolf's arm swung in a frenzied arc, pushing back his current of lightning. Yet, the draw of the void was unmatched, sealing parts of the werewolf's flesh in a separate dimension.

Eon had flashed back a dozen meters, using a current of void lightning that dealt more damage. At level 10 [Void Hunter's Flash] extended his maximum range to twenty meters, just under half of the diameter of the barrier. He had ample space to pull out his energy's potential, and he would have to do it fast before the trial was over.

Grinning, Eon slipped into the void as he remembered One Eyed Poke, the netrunner that trained him in the ruins of Estera. With his grizzled afro of aged white hair and a mechanic's left eye, Poke drilled Eon through a series of challenges. Back then the name of the game was speed, long before he obtained the Revenant and could slip through firewalls and alter data streams without a trace. Those were the simpler times when A'steri cared for seven kids, whereas now she had sixteen under her protection.

Exiting the void, slipping through space-time, Eon arrived with a palm strike that slammed into the werewolf's solar plexus. The surprise attack lasted less than a second as Eon once more slipped through space-time, dragging the werewolf along for the ride. This time the strength of his pull doubled, carving greater channels into the monster's flesh, leaving behind singed tuffs of dark fur.

"Ouch! You mangey mutt, you hurt my wrist!" Eon called out from twenty meters away, rubbing at his wrist. The pain lessened as he began to shake it, watching as the werewolf's anger soared.

But the strike wasn't useless. He had confirmed a theory as he teleported with his hand still on the creature. At his current stage, the movement ability would only transfer him through the void. Neither would the tendrils of lightning transfer another person. Rather they worked as tiny funnels, pulling all in their depths towards a final desolate destination. Only he could reappear with gear he traveled with.

I guess it's not nearly strong enough, Eon said as he looked towards the Artifact. I'll just try one more thing…

Sparks flashed as Eon vanished, sending a kick into the werewolf's ribs. He had teleported behind the beast, and teleported once again as its sword blurred after him. Once he reappeared, the werewolf leapt, causing him to frown as he would swear the beast had just grown in that brief instance.

It was time to move. Fast.

But something caught his attention, glowing in the werewolf's claws like a full moon. Only it was halved, mirroring the edge of a crescent as it resonated with the floating Artifact.

"D3-V1!"

Eon gulped as the sickle sword glowed, racing towards his neck.

"This is unreasonable!"

[Tick, tick, tick… That's the sound of your life running out.]

Eon could almost hear her smile with the vanity of a serial killer. As he avoided the slash that cut through his lightning, sending ripples within the void, he had two paths before him. And he wasn't ready to give up.

Looking away from the Artifact, Eon called upon his power, sending waves of his energy to churn in a unique pattern. The ability activated with a flash, placing him on the werewolf's shoulders as he slammed two palms into its snout, ripping out whiskers as he fled into the void.

Inside the barrier, sparks flared as Eon flashed backwards, his movement obstructed by ancient bone and petrified wood. Before him roared the werewolf, snarling as it searched for his location. The induced rage had increased its size once more, changing its Arc-blue eyes bright red.

The first step it took towards Eon cracked the floorboards, and he could only perceive its form by the glowing crescent leaving trails through the air. It was simply too fast. But Eon hesitated, allowing for a single second to tick by as the werewolf approached. But, even still he ducked, lest the glowing crescent bisect him in the void.

And luckily, he did.

The primal aura over the blade slashed through everything in its path, carving a three-meter-long arc as the blade descended. It gouged a section out of the barrier that rapidly started to refill.

Eon saw his chance, once more teleporting on the werewolf's shoulders. This time he cared not for attack, focusing all of his perception to a point. Once the werewolf let go of the blade, he was gone.

Then it happened, the beast let go.

Two claws reached up as a small smile played across Eon's face, morphing into a wild grin. He crossed the void for a blade that was stuck in a wall less than a meter away from him. As his hands touched the hilt, void lightning echoed again, then he stepped out of the void into Dragon stance, years of training guiding his movements combined with the new stat from his psionic powers.

This is what she had been trying to pass down…

Joy filled Eon as pain struck him. Simultaneously wrought with two emotions, he swung the sickle blade of monstrous origin, slamming it into the werewolf's gut. Organs were ripped out, dissolving into ambient energy as he swung again. And again. And again. Each time, void lightning flared inside the barrier until he flashed once more and found himself at the title screen.

Huh? What—

[You win, you little shit,] D3-V1's voice said as her form appeared. [What? Don't look at me like that.]

"What about the Artifact?" Eon asked, his chest heaving with exhaustion.

[That was good enough,] D3-V1 shrugged, pointing at the blade in his hand. She looked as if she was about to insult him, but to his surprise, she started clapping. [I mean it. I thought you'd attempt something with those gates of yours. I even raised their resistance, just in case you could actually pull someone through with you. Smart trick, but it won't work forever. Another's energy will rebuff your own, even if your skill allowed for that.]

"As you casually admit to cheating. No wonder my Trait didn't activate…" Eon shook his head. "Very well, I won. Now, where's that prize?"

***

Krieg was hungry. Ghastly hungry. It was due to his Trait that required an extra source of energy to fuel his transformation. Even in virtual reality, the hunger didn't die down. He had heard of techniques psionics used to channel their insatiable needs that develop from peculiar Traits. Various forms of meditation that ranged from singing songs, to balancing on one knee with your arms outspread like a stupid eagle. Perhaps he'd learn one someday, but in the meantime he had to eat.

Walking into the cafeteria, he clicked his mandibles to announce his presence. But to his surprise, no one was there. Not even the droids that prepared his meals. Where the hell had they gone? No, more importantly, how the hell were they late and how long would he have to wait?!

Anger flowed through his blood as his stomach growled. Damned pirates, can't get shit right. At least feed me properly! "Hey, Drexel! I want my dinner, where the hell is everyone?!" he yelled into the air.

"Behind you…"

Krieg turned to the whisper. It was soft, like a ghost had drifted through the air. "What the hell do you want, freak?" Krieg frowned, only for his mandibles to part in a satisfied smile. His stomach replied at the same time, grinning in unison. "Drexel told me about you. Are you my meal?"

Krieg asked as he started moving to sate his hunger. The response was irrelevant. What mattered was that he'd—

"What the hell?" Krieg faltered as the netrunner disappeared in a torrent of lightning. Sparks of dark purple danced at the ends of the bright tentacles, reminding him of the dreaded Uillourn.

"I said… behind you."

There it was again, the whisper. But it was closer this time.

Krieg's mandibles parted as his inner teeth were revealed. Sending a command to his energy, he activated a skill pattern, turning while his hand extended into a cold sheen of white metal. The kid may have an imitation of Uillourn powers, but he was not a void walker.

Krieg spun in a menacing arc, already tasting the human's blood, drooling at the sensation of soft flesh in his mouth. He'd delicately remove the eyeballs this time, slowly savoring their pop while they were still connected to—

While they…

Krieg's thoughts froze as he looked down at his missing hand. Blood pooled out of the limb, staining the white marble of the Siren. How was this possible? He shouldn't receive damage here. He couldn't receive damage here… but someone could. Netrunner!

Krieg's thoughts stopped again as a blade caressed his throat.

"Kneel."

Krieg looked at the curved blade slicing into his throat, following it to the dead hazel eyes that resembled a reaper. Dark with fluttering lights within their depths, the netrunner was growing into his power. Should he call out? Would anyone hear him? Somehow the netrunner had taken over the system, Krieg thought as a deep fear crawled through him, one he hadn't felt since his tribe was killed.

Before the man's lips could part and order him again, Krieg fell to his knees, holding his bleeding stump. The pain wasn't real, but hell if it didn't feel like it. Now he was under the netrunners' complete mercy. He had to obey, lest the runner trigger his implants to explode.

"Whatss now?" Krieg said as he looked into sparkling eyes. "I'll doss anything— ahhhhhhhhhsshhhss!"

The blade flashed, removing Krieg's eyes. Unbridled pain exploded in his face, sending his body to convulse on the floor.

[Don't kill him,] Krieg heard through the pain. [We don't know what effects you will have on him. It may be permanent.]

"Very well… Now, how about that second promise?"