GLITCH

Lax Moment: Crystal City

BLUE TOWN

Saturday, November 13, 2500

As Rylai and Sven were about to leave the town...

"..."

Blending in the crowd, a man wearing a blood-red cloak observed the two. He chuckled as if he's being entertained by a play. He hides his identity. For to her, he's a dead person.

"Let me see if that guy beside you can uphold the promise that I cannot."

With that said, the cloaked guy dissipated in the thin air.

•••

CRYSTAL CITY

Sunday, November 14, 2500 12:03 pm

"How's are you Rylai? Does your left arm still hurt?"

"I'm perfectly fine Ma", I said with a gentle smile on my face.

It's already afternoon when I, Rylai Lux, received a call.

I'm a 17-year old lady bestowed with the Death Mantle; a black haired, lightly tanned, silver-eyed individual, that's me. I'm wearing my usual lab coat, a black set of clothes underneath. Since it's a bit hot here (part of the reason why would be my sense of fashion), I fixed my hair in a ponytail and am currently eating some ice cream I bought after my lunch. The apartment I'm currently staying is near the ocean and I'm sitting near the window; admiring the view and enjoying the sea breeze that helped me cool off.

The one who called me right now is Ma, Lyn Array -- a blonde, fairly-skinned, yellow-eyed, kind and gentle person. She's one of person who saw me almost frozen solid in Feather Island. After a series of events, she together with Pa, Locke Array -- a man in his 30's; he has a masculine physique, a bit tanned like me, and has brown eyes and hair that is long enough to reach his elbow -- and I reunited in Blue Town. I guess I'll thank those madmen for making this reunion possible (no way am I going to do such absurdity). They are now currently staying to my guardian, Syakila Valkyrie. For some unknown reasons, she addressed herself as Syakila Loin.

Oh well, there's no need to pry such irrelevant stuff.

Speaking of madmen, I obtained a lot of experience points from annihilating them.

Rylai Lux HP: 5000/5000 MP: 1000/1000 RG: 0/999

Mantle: Death Lv. 0013

Strength: 25

Dexterity: 25

Constitution: 25

Intelligence: 999

Skill:

SOUL READ [Unique Passive]

Identify the target's soul and its contents

ASTRAL FORM [Unique Toggle Status: Inactive]

Can form into pure magical entity at will

GHASTLY TOUCH [Unique Toggle Status: Inactive]

An inferior form of Touch of Death; gives random debuff to anyone touched while the skill is active

TOUCH OF DEATH [Unique Active]

A simple touch will bring death to the target (can only be used while Rage Gauge is full)

CURSE OF DEATH

The one who wields the Death Mantle is cursed to have only 1000 MP. However, every active skill (aside from the Touch of Death) will only consume 5 MP upon activation, while toggle skills consumes 1 MP every minute; statuses and skill can only be raised every level base 10

When I checked my stats, my level rose by three. It's kind of disappointing, considering the fact that I obliterated a large quantity of madmen; putting that part aside, there are only two things new to me; first would be the new toggle skill that I have; [Ghastly Touch]. This is my first skill that I can use properly use if and whenever there's a battle ([Touch of Death] skill excluded; I can't use it if my RG doesn't reach 999). The second thing I noticed is the Rage Gauge separate contribution to my body.

Rage Gauge...

Whenever used, it always goes back to zero.

All points (no matter how many it is) - consumed immediately after granted access to heal (passive after-battle heal).

999 points - granted access to use [Touch of Death]

25 points - use an astral scythe

Thanks to one of the Rage Gauge effects, my arm is now completely healed; as if there's no sign of getting severely injured at all. But for now, I'm still going to continue my facade that my arm is still on a bad condition.

After four minutes, Ma decided to hang up since she got something to do.

I too have something to do here; going to the library and study about something called "glitch spots". A common example of this is the Island of Ruins, wherein a lot of glitches manifest there just in an irregular manner -- it always spawn in mere minutes. I want to study just because I'm curious…okay, scratch that; I AM CURIOUS.

"I should be on my way now."

I stood up, and went outside my room.

•••

HOUSE OF ARMAMENTS, Crystal City

2:00pm

"Hello, good afternoon, esteemed guest. How may I help you?"

"Do you have some sword with a price that ranges from 7 000 - 8 000 Omega?"

"I see, so you want some D-rank sword? Please go at that area and you'll see a barrel there full of those", the shopkeeper pointed at the far right corner, near the staircase. I bowed slightly to express my thanks.

I, Sven Fleming; 17 years old, a physically fit, white haired, blue-eyed individual, am here inside a weapon shop called "House of Armaments". This is the oldest weapon shop in Crystal City; its exterior is similar to a museum's entrance while its interior is neat and well-organized -- way too different from the usual weapon shops I've ever known.

I'm wearing a green shirt and knee-length brown shorts, and a pair of sandals. I hid the sword Rylai gave to me since she told me that if I show it, it'll garner a lot of attention and that sounds troubling to me.

Speaking of Rylai, we haven't met even once after we came here from Blue Town.

The madman Glitch is certainly a hot topic even here in Crystal City. That incident… I could never imagine myself forget what happened during the Glitch's manifestation. We're overwhelmed, but Rylai turned the tables by unleashing a double-edge attack that killed all the madmen, along with the boss-class of those beings, and heavily injured her arm. I'm so frustrated as a faced the fact that I'm saved by her once again. If only I'm strong enough…she wouldn't have suffered.

Actually, after that incident happened, the news of three individuals defeating a horde of madmen spread like wildfire in the neighboring cities like Emerald City, Platinum City, and here. Fortunately, the Blue Town leader accepted Rylai's request and mandated the citizens to keep our names under wraps. It was to make sure that we won't be swarmed by both curious and opportunistic individuals.

The thing is; something's been bugging me all this time. I certainly see Rylai's hair turned blue violet with petal-like silver stuff falling from it. Is it just from my fatigue and imagination?

I guess I can't get the truth by just thinking about it. Moreover, I don't want to pry about it; since it'll only annoy Rylai.

"Oh, this one's decent."

I picked a sword out of the barrel, and went back to the shopkeeper.

•••

SEA SHORE

5:00 pm

"Ah, it's so relaxing", I said while sitting on the sand and looking at the horizon.

It's been a while since I've relaxed at a seashore. I truly enjoy watching the beautiful scenery casted by the sunset. I did a deep sigh of relief and just realized that my life right now is far from what I've planned. I just want to study in the library here in Crystal City but then I got entangled with various situations. The alarming one is that guy with his mask hidden. Sven and I met him after we defeated the Skeleton General. That guy stole our spoils and escaped. It makes me wonder; what will he do to that monster core?

The sun sank in the horizon and replaced with the moon glowing faintly amidst the darkness as I stood up and went back to my room.