At the center of it all stood a towering spire of light, pulsating with an ominous energy. The spire was wrapped in streams of glowing red code, jagged and volatile, like cracks spiderwebbing through glass.
“That’s it,” Lena said, her voice hushed. “The control node.”
Erik stepped forward cautiously, his gaze fixed on the spire. He could feel its power from here, an overwhelming force that made his body feel both lighter and heavier at the same time.
“It’s… broken,” Erik said, noting the flickering patches of instability around the spire.
“It’s been corrupted by the glitch,” Lena said. “The devs lost control of it long ago, but they’re still using it to push their experiment.” She gestured to the red code. “That’s the glitch. It’s rooted itself in the node.”
“So, what’s the plan?” Erik asked, gripping his sword tightly.
“We sever the glitch,” Lena said. “If we can purge its influence from the control node, the system should stabilize. It’ll stop the devs’ experiment—and hopefully, it’ll stop the world from falling apart.”
Erik nodded, though unease gnawed at him. The control node wasn’t just massive; it was alive. He could feel it watching him, its presence pressing against the edges of his mind.
“And if we fail?” Erik asked quietly.
“We don’t,” Lena said, her tone firm. “Come on. Let’s move.”
They approached the base of the spire, where a platform of jagged, floating code spiraled upward into the core. The air around them crackled with energy, and Erik could feel the tension building with every step.
“Stay alert,” Lena said, her daggers already in her hands.
They ascended the platform cautiously, Erik’s eyes scanning for threats. He didn’t have to wait long. As they reached the first level of the spire, the red code began to pulse violently.
“Something’s happening,” Erik said, gripping his sword.
The platform beneath them trembled, and streams of corrupted data coalesced into humanoid forms. These weren’t constructs or hunters—they were pure manifestations of the glitch. Their bodies flickered and distorted, their forms barely holding together.
“More of the devs’ toys?” Erik asked, backing up.
“No,” Lena said grimly. “These aren’t the devs. They’re the glitch itself.”
The figures let out a piercing, static-laden screech and charged. Erik swung his sword, slicing through the first attacker. Its body shattered into shards of red code, but the fragments reassembled almost instantly, forming a new figure.
“They’re regenerating!” Erik shouted.
“Then hit them harder!” Lena snapped, darting forward. Her daggers flashed as she attacked another glitch entity, her strikes precise and brutal.
Erik focused, summoning a terminal screen:
[ENTITY: GLITCH-MANIFESTATION_01]
[STATUS: REGENERATIVE.]
[ACTIONS AVAILABLE: PURGE // DISABLE.]
“Purge,” Erik muttered, selecting the option.
The entity froze mid-attack, its body dissolving into a cascade of sparks.
“That works,” Erik said, moving to the next one.
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Lena fought alongside him, her movements a blur as they cut through the remaining entities. One by one, the glitch manifestations fell, their forms disintegrating under Erik’s commands.
Finally, the platform grew silent, the red code flickering weakly.
“Is it always going to be like this?” Erik asked, catching his breath.
“Probably,” Lena said, smirking faintly. “You wanted to be a hero, didn’t you?”
As they ascended further, the energy around them grew more volatile. The spire’s light pulsed erratically, and the red code became denser, spreading like veins across the structure.
“We’re close,” Lena said, her voice tense.
Erik’s gaze locked onto a massive, glowing orb suspended at the center of the spire. The orb was the source of the red code, its surface pulsating with unstable energy.
“That’s the heart of the node,” Lena said. “The glitch is using it as an anchor. If we destroy it, we sever the glitch’s hold on the system.”
Erik nodded, though the sight of the orb made his skin crawl. It wasn’t just a source of power—it was aware.
“Look out!” Lena shouted, shoving Erik aside.
A blast of energy erupted from the orb, narrowly missing Erik as it struck the platform. The force of the impact sent shards of code flying, and Erik scrambled to regain his footing.
The orb pulsed again, and from its surface emerged a massive, humanoid figure. Its body was formed entirely of the same red code, its limbs jagged and unstable. Two glowing eyes stared down at them, brimming with malice.
“What is that?” Erik asked, his voice shaking.
“The glitch’s avatar,” Lena said, her daggers flashing. “It’s protecting the node. Get ready.”
The avatar roared, its voice a deafening cacophony of static, and charged.
Erik raised his sword, blocking the first strike as the avatar’s massive arm crashed down. The impact sent shockwaves rippling across the platform, nearly knocking him off his feet.
“Erik, focus!” Lena shouted, darting around the avatar. She struck at its legs, her daggers slicing through the unstable code.
The avatar staggered but didn’t fall. Its form twisted and reassembled, its movements growing faster and more erratic.
Erik summoned a terminal screen:
[ENTITY: GLITCH-AVATAR.]
[STATUS: ANCHORED TO NODE.]
[ACTIONS AVAILABLE: MODIFY // PURGE.]
He selected MODIFY, but the screen flashed red.
[ERROR: ACCESS DENIED.]
“Great,” Erik muttered, dodging another attack. “It’s locked out!”
“Then we take it down the hard way!” Lena shouted, leaping onto the avatar’s back. She drove her daggers into its shoulders, sparks flying as she tore through its code.
The avatar roared, flinging Lena off with a violent twist. She landed hard, skidding across the platform.
“Lena!” Erik shouted, rushing to her side.
“I’m fine,” she said, grimacing as she stood. “But we’re running out of time. The glitch is destabilizing the node faster than I thought.”
Erik glanced at the orb, its surface cracking under the strain of the red code. The entire spire trembled, pieces of the platform breaking away and falling into the void below.
“There has to be a way to sever the connection,” Erik said, his mind racing.
“Then find it,” Lena said. “I’ll keep it busy.”
She charged at the avatar again, her movements fierce and unrelenting.
Erik turned his attention to the orb, reaching out with his mind. A new terminal appeared:
[CORE: NODE HEART.]
[STATUS: GLITCH ANCHORED.]
[ACTIONS AVAILABLE: PURGE CONNECTION // DESTABILIZE.]
He selected PURGE CONNECTION, and the orb flared violently. The red code lashed out, striking Erik with a burst of energy that sent him to his knees.
[WARNING: PURGE WILL RESULT IN SYSTEM COLLAPSE.]
Erik gritted his teeth, his body trembling. “Lena! If I purge the glitch, it might take the whole system down with it!”
“Then don’t fail!” Lena shouted, dodging another strike from the avatar.
Erik took a deep breath, his hands shaking as he selected the command.
[CONFIRM PURGE? Y/N.]
“Do it,” he said, slamming his hand against the interface.
The orb erupted in a blinding light, streams of red code disintegrating as the connection was severed. The avatar let out a final, static-filled scream before collapsing into fragments, its form dissolving into the void.
The spire shook violently, and Erik could feel the entire world shifting around him.
“Erik!” Lena called, grabbing his arm. “We need to move! Now!”
Together, they sprinted down the collapsing platform as the spire began to crumble. The light from the orb grew brighter and brighter, until it consumed everything.
When Erik opened his eyes again, he was lying on a flat, featureless plain. The world around him was still and silent, the chaotic energy of the glitch nowhere to be seen.
“Lena?” he called, sitting up.
“I’m here,” she said, stepping into view. She looked exhausted but alive, her daggers still in her hands.
“Did we do it?” Erik asked.
Lena nodded, a faint smile on her lips. “The glitch is gone. The system… it’s stabilizing.”
Erik let out a shaky breath, relief washing over him.
“But it’s not over yet,” Lena said, her expression darkening.
Erik frowned. “What do you mean?”
Lena pointed to the horizon, where a massive structure was materializing—sleek, ominous, and unmistakably designed by the devs.
“They know what we did,” Lena said. “And they’re coming.”
Erik stood, his jaw tightening. “Let them. We’re not done fighting yet.”