In Lex's dream, Northly screams.

  She screams, and cries, and Lex listens, because he barely knew her, but she was kind, and he owes the Northly he knew that.

  Her screams die, but now the dream differs from reality.

  She falls silent because Lex grips her throat. She cws at his hand. Her nails bite into his skin.

  But she smiles. Her tears and snot track down her cheeks, her jaw, her neck, and onto Lex's hand. But she smiles.

  And Lex feels Nateria's words once more.

  KILL ME.

  He can't.

  FREE YOURSELF.

  He can't do that, either. He can't even release Northly, whosefingers have given up cwing at him and instead form signs Lex doesn'tunderstand.

  But he does the thing he can do. He wakes up.

  Lex wakes to an arm across his throat and Sage snarling something. Heflinches, hurt, until he realises that Sage didn't mean their words forhim, but the person sprawled across him. Trice, he remembers. She tucked him under her arm for the st couple of boars. He'd been too out ofhis mind with arousal to speak. But she completed her quest. He reachedlevel twelve.

  "Didn't come," he whines towards Sage. "Still yours."

  The anger drains from Sage.

  "She's pretty," Trice says, and sleepily cuddles down, pressing Lex into her cleavage.

  "She's mine," Sage snaps.

  Trice nods and mumbles, "She said."

  None of them speak.

  Lex tries to even his breaths, but, as sleep leaves his mind, his arousal deepens. Shoot.

  "Scoot over," Sage says, and Trice obliges, pulling Lex with her.

  Sage wraps their arm around Lex's middle, just under his boobs, and squeezes.

  He whines and arches his back against Sage.

  They chuckle. "Do you want to come, pretty girl?"

  Lex hesitates. The arousal fogging his mind makes it difficult to navigatehis thoughts. "I want to…" he begins, but trails off, unable to work out how to end the sentence.

  Trice takes in a breath. "She should fuck you," she says.

  "And you would enjoy that?" Sage asks her. At least one of them has the capacity to check.

  "Yeah," Trice says. A thick rumble underscores her words.

  "You purr?" Sage asks.

  "Sometimes," she says, still purring.

  "That's hot," Sage says, less than impressed.

  "She's hot," Trice returns.

  "Yeah, she is," Sage says. That, they say fondly.

  Sage kisses Lex's neck. He lets out a less than dignified noise and leans into the touch. "Yours," he says again.

  "You're so good," Sage says. "You're perfect."

  Trice slips her fingers into her pants. Lex colours, realising that — onceagain — he's about to have a sexual encounter with someone he barelyknows. But — once again — he finds himself all the more turned on forit.

  "Trice said she wanted to help," Lex says.

  She nods.

  Sage levels their gaze on her, measuring some aspect of the way she returnsit. "Okay," they say. "But Lex can fuck me first. Then we'll see howthings go." Their lips curve in a smile that makes Lex want to get onhis knees in front of them. "Feel free to enjoy yourself."

  Trice nods again, and she begins working her hand inside her clothing.

  Sage pulls their own clothes off and discards them. Lex whines at the interruption of their contact with him.

  They shush him. "Be a good girl," they say, and first pull his shirt overhis head, freeing his breasts. They tweak one of his nipples. He gasps a soft breath. "Still like these?" they ask, letting the weight of one of his breasts sit on their hand.

  He casts his eyes down as he mumbles, "Yeah."

  "Still want them bigger?" they ask. Their eyes bore into him.

  After long seconds, he says, "Yeah."

  Sage pecks his lips, soft and sweet. They're the best. "Okay. Remember — we can take the piercings out whenever you want."

  Those ones, at least, he thinks.

  *

  Lex is too overcome by his libido effect to properly protest their position as Sage sinks down onto his dick. They exhale. His dick makes theircunt feel tight in a totally different way to anal. Not that they'veallowed themself to be penetrated more than a handful of times.

  They smirk as they raise themself up only to drop down again. When theyspring Lex from the game, they'll make sure he gets the chance to fuckthem irl, too.

  They build their rhythm on top of Lex. Theirbreathing turns ragged so that it nearly drowns out the sound of theslick squelches and sps of Sage fucking themself on his dick.

  His dick is much smaller than it was at its peak, and Sage is grateful forthat. Taking his current size was easy, almost comfortable. Like theircharacters' bodies were made for this.

  "Sage," Lex says, breathy and whiny.

  "I know," they say, equally breathless. "Hold on for now." They don't know if he can, but they love to watch him try.

  He squirms under them. His fingers press marks into their thighs to keep them steady, but he only does that.

  He's such a good boy.

  "Good girl," Sage says.

  "Ah—!" Trice gasps. Forgotten but apparently entertaining herself.

  "Sage, I can't," Lex says.

  Sage chuckles. "You're lucky I like you as much as I do," they say. Theykeep pace for another moment, and then one more, before finally saying:"You can come, pretty girl."

  Lex comes inside them.

  Sage rides him through his orgasm, their internal muscles clenching down on him with every movement.

  When he's done, he doesn't wait before shifting them up and sliding down, so his mouth can bring Sage to a finish as well.

  "Good girl," Sage purrs.

  *

  The pieces of armour that were the Mega Knight ctter to the floor. Verve dashes forward.

  The person and the teeth he saw inside the armour in the previous run aren't anywhere to be found. And neither is Bel.

  "Bel?" he asks the lumps of metal. The lightning dissipated, but so did Bel. She vanished in the final surge.

  He swallows, and heaves one of the Knight's giant gauntlets to the side.Sweat drips into his eyes. He wipes it off and kicks the gauntlet away.No trace in there, he moves on to inspecting the next piece of armour — a leg piece, he thinks.

  He throws that aside, too.

  "What are you doing?" Sasd asks, folding their arms.

  "Trying to work out what happened to Bel," he snaps, and sets about levering the breastpte out from the pile.

  "She'll be getting an exclusive cutscene," Sasd says. "For nding the finisher and getting the first clear."

  Verve clucks his tongue in annoyance. "Then we would be getting one, too. I didn't py, but I watched enoughNecroshock videos to know how it works. She might get a special one, but we should be getting something, too." Unless something else is goingon. Unless the fight isn't over.

  He continues to dig through thepieces of armour. Sasd frowns, but joins him, turning over pieces in a more methodical manner and ying them out in the shape of a person.

  There's nothing inside. Not even a drop. Though, he thinks, maybe the armour is the drop?

  He turns back to the gauntlet he first discarded. It's too big, but he shoves his hand in anyway. It engulfs his arm.

  "You could try equipping it from your inventory," Sasd says. "But Iwouldn't recommend that until you get it assessed for curses."

  Verve groans in frustration. Bel is still showing as online, but thatdoesn't help him work out where she is, or if she's okay.

  "Look," Sasd says, "you really don't need to be so worked up. If there's something wrong, she'll log out."

  Verve barks a ugh. "No, she won't. The only reason she ever logs out is because Lily forces her to. She would literally starve without him."

  "Uh huh," Sasd says.

  "What?" Verve snaps. He hates how agitated he is, but he can't help it. Bel vanished.

  "No one is that stupid," Sasd says. "Plus she seems insanely smart."

  Verve drops the gauntlet again and rubs his face, trying to think. Trying to make his brain work. "Insanely is right," he snaps. Then asks, slightly calmer, "How much money do you have?"

  Sasd tilts his head.

  "Across your accounts," Verve says. "You're a pro, right? You've got lots?"

  Sasd nods.

  "Bel has more."

  Sasd scoffs. "It's not just my accounts. Pros get donations from other pyers." They pause, then add, "Generally."

  Verve rolls his eyes. "And I'm telling you she has more. She's a freak aboutWorld Vector. Hang on, I'll…" he pauses to get a pen and some paper from his inventory. He scribbles down Bel's approximate fortune. "Okay,tell me your number."

  They tell him.

  "This is hers." He shows them the paper.

  "How do you know that?" Sasd says, frowning at it.

  "We went to the bank yesterday. She basically owns it. That doesn't eventake into account what she has in other assets." He takes a breath. "Did you know she was forced out of the adventurers' guild because she broke their systems? They promoted her to honorary something-or-other just to stop the normal rules applying to her."

  "I see," Sasd says. They might not entirely believe him, but at least they've stopped dismissing him.

  Lightning fshes behind them. Verve whips around.

  A voice fills the room. It says, "Lovely talking to you, deary."

  And there's Bel.

  Verve flings his arms around her and pulls her close. He shakes.

  She softens under his hold and squeezes him back. "I'm okay," she says,rubbing his back and whispering into his hair. "I'm okay."

  Stepping close but not so close as to intrude, Sasd asks, "What did you talk to Vuide about?"

  Bel tilts her head. "Hm?"

  *

  Moments ago, in another pce:

  "Oh, darling, you are one of mine, aren't you?"

  Bel smiles.

  "It's amazing to meet you."

  *

  Verve feels stupid. Bel is fine. Well, she's chirpy and slightly obnoxious, which is fine for Bel. She kissed him and pressed her forehead to his as she told him not to worry about her, that's what she has Lily for. And he didn't protest as shecurled up on his p in the anteroom of Sasd's house.

  They mustlook a little silly — him a bit short, her a bit tall — but he needs the contact. And Sasd is a mouse. So when they stare a bit too long athim and Bel, Verve flushes, but meets their gaze.

  "I'll need you to run Mega Knight with me again," Sasd says.

  "Happy to," Bel chirps. "You want to get it from your main?"

  Sasd nods.

  "Or actually," she says, shooting Verve a smile, "Take Vervie. He's got it now and I'd rather stick to my own vids."

  Sasd's eyes narrow. "Why?" they ask.

  She shrugs.

  Silence stretches for too long to be comfortable.

  Verve breaks it. "I think I can now. I don't know how good I'll be as DPS if I have to keep an eye out for it the whole time, but if you're on yourmain you'll have that covered."

  "And I'll send you my vids of the fight," Bel adds, grinning. "See if you can catch it yourself."

  "And the cutscene you got?" Sasd asks.

  Bel's grin stretches wider. "That wasn't part of our agreement, Sassy."

  Sasd keeps their poker face. "I don't think any of us expected that only you would get a cutscene."

  Bel ughs. "That so?" she says, eyes twinkling.

  Verve jostles her with his knee. "Py nice. Sasd kept me calm when youwere gone." Or, they tried to at least. The fact that he lost his shitisn't on them.

  "Fiiiine," she says, drawing out the sylble. "But don't post it. And I'm going to review it first. If there's anythingsuper juicy we may need to reopen discussions."

  Sasd nods. "Appreciate it."

  An NPC joins them to put a three tiered array of small nibble-y things onthe coffee table. Verve smiles and thanks him, which earns him a puzzled look and a "You are most welcome, sir," before he leaves the room.

  "Huh," Sasd says. "Is that why you have your status off?"

  "Couldn't possibly know what you mean," Bel says, but her grin says more than her words.

  Verve nudges her to one side so he can take a mini-scone. She squirms but allows it.

  "Let me know what you want for that, too," Sasd says. Their expressionbetrays nothing, but something in their eyes tells Verve they're havingfun.

  *

  R stretches, rolling their shoulders and loosening up as they sit down to watch the footage Bel sent them. She included amessage with it. One which sent a chill down their spine.

  W/n fakin btw. can't rmem a thing after t st hit. & this suuuuuuper doesnt help, lmfao!

  After watching, R agrees.

  *

  Bel sps the space bar and tracks the video back to the start. She has atleast three pages full of notes in the cutesy, round writing she adopted after girlgate.

  Leo watches over her shoulder. A slow smile spreads across his face.

  She catches him before he can drop it. "What's that for?" she asks, and he sits down next to her, his cover blown.

  "You didn't tell Sasd you're a guy."

  She sniffs, and returns her focus to the screen. "I'm throwing him off the scent."

  He nuzzles her neck and kisses her. "Sure, sure, pretty dy."

  She pouts, but a moment ter says, "Say that again."

  "Pretty dy," he says. Then adds, "Pretty wife."

  She huffs, pleased. He'd do anything for that smile.

  They continue to watch the video. Bel adds one or two additions to her notes, but for the most part, she watches.

  And then the video gets weird. The ageing ptop's speakers barely handled the Knight screaming, and they don't handle what happens next.

  Leo has no fucking idea what happens next.

  The screen dances with abstract colours and patterns that make his eyeswater. The sound is a garbled mess of choir singing, old time-y radiobroadcast and smooth jazz that fluctuates in volume from one moment tothe next, peaking out then rising like a wave.

  It sts all ofthirty seconds before the video cuts back to the boss chamber, whereVerve squeezes Bel tight and a melodic voice says, "Lovely talking to you, deary."

  "What," he says, "the actual fuck, was that?"

  Bel grins. "That was Vuide."

  "Jesus," Leo says, his ears still ringing. "And you're sure you want to support her and not the other chick?"

  "Nateria," Bel supplies. "Totes."

  Leo sighs as she starts the the section over again. He sps the mute key.If Bel wants to listen again, she can do it without him.

  "Always gotta pick the hard road, don't you?" he says, watching the cacophony of swirls paint the screen.

  "You love me for it," she says.

  He does.

  "They're not super different though," Bel says, absently. "Nateria and Vuide have mega history, but they used to have just the one church, whichworshipped them on the day to day, but the All Mother and All Fathersorta on special occasions."

  Leo grunts — the one that tells her he's listening and engaged, even if he doesn't have words to add.

  "Plus, the Cardinal priestesses still train together."

  "Am I supposed to know what a Cardinal priestess is?"

  Bel smiles her smuggest smile. "Not until we find them," she says. "The two alive ones are usually confined to their churches." She pauses thevideo, unmutes it, then turns the volume down as low as it goes beforerepeating the surreal horror show once more. "Not toooootally sure whythey keep them there, but it could be to do with keeping the worldseparate from the void."

  "And the other two are dead?" Leo asks.

  "Yup," Bel says. "To become the East and South priestesses, they kill themselves."

  A wave of fear sms into Leo. "No," he says, his voice distant to his own ears. "Don't you fucking dare."

  Bel scoffs. "Babe, you worry to much."

  "I won't let you kill yourself," he snarls, pulling the ptop to the side so he can kneel in front of her. "I don't give a shit if it's 'just agame.' I won't let you."

  She continues to watch the screen, neck turned away from him. "We'll talk about it ter," she says.

  His gut twists.

  "I'll destroy your rig," he says. "And mine. I'm serious, Bel. I don't want you killing yourself." He loves her too much.

  She rolls her eyes and looks at him — gaze full of pity. She says, "Fine, fine."

  "Good," he says and gets up from the floor. But he doesn't believe her. And it's because she's full of shit.

  *

  verve. sorry about this but I need you to keep an eye on bells. she wants to be a void priestesses, which means killing herself. i can'tlet that happen. it's too fucked up. i can't let her. please. help me.