[CENTER][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/210119/e22bd06ad7c8eb71800663bf01cd8627.png[/img][/CENTER]
[hr]
Alja was feeling...out of sorts.

She thought that she was used to the fatigue of casting spells, and that this was slightly worse. [i]She thought.[/i] But it seemed like it was more than just slightly worse. She was almost on autopilot, barely even conscious. She'd need to be [i]whole[/i] lot more careful with spellcasting from that point on, or else things would start going wrong. 

By the time she was out of her fugue state, she realized that she was past the door. And of all people, Graves had carried Seele to safety. She felt bile rise in her throat at how little use she'd been throughout that entire ordeal, but rapidly discarded it. It seemed like the devs were starting to implement updates that were messing with the basic systems of the game. Under the circumstances, she could hardly be blamed for trying something that had worked countless times before.

Then, as the door slammed shut behind them--her autopiloted state slackening until she felt in control again--things only began to get worse. Alja had never used her console for magic; she didn't use it much in day-to-day Pariah life in general. Primordial magic, combined with a fairly straightforward playstyle, resulted in a pretty menu-free game. She heaved in another deep breath. "[color=d1fffc]No worries, everyone. 'S probably fine. 'Member a few months back, when the menu didn't come up because of software updates screwing with it? I'm sure it's all good...[/color]"

Then her words died on her tongue; before them was the signature bright flash of light that signaled a game attendant. She heaved out a sigh of relief. No doubt, they would explain that they were rolling out some new test changes--or maybe glitches, she couldn't quite tell what they might be--but it wasn't panning out, so they would be rolling them right back [i]in[/i] pretty shortly. They had absolute control over the game world, after all, and could modify however they chose. They were basically gods. Then, Aag's group and their own would be free to complete the dungeon without worrying about random spikes of [i]actual pain[/i] biting into their gameplay, and she could get that goddamn soup she wanted. She was still [i]hungry[/i], damnit.

But as she listened to the attendant--she'd [i]never[/i] heard one break character before--she bit of relief she felt was replaced with a coldness that radiated through her entire body, and one that had nothing to do with her ice magic. She froze up, her face written with an expression of pure shock.

"[color=gray]...you will [i]die.[/i][/color]"

[i][color=gray]You will die.[/color][/i]

[i][b]You will die.[/b][/i]

There was a strange keening sound, and it took Alja a belated moment to realize that it was her. 

She looked down at her avatar. Alja. The strong backbone of the group. Someone that could be depended on, always, and no matter what. Someone that could serve every role in a party; she could pull mobs and tank them for [i]days[/i]. She could deal heavy burst damage with her flail. She could even lockdown and provide some buffs if they needed support. In all senses, the character of Alja was [i]made[/i] to be her, and it fit her perfectly, not even so much as a glove as [i]skin.[/i]

But in that moment, a high, piercing ringing in her ears as she stared down at her trembling hands in shock, Alja suddenly felt far too large. 

Before she knew what she was doing--before a conscious thought could even pierce through the turmoil that her head had become, the massive, heavily-armored woman had curled into herself. She pedaled her feet frantically backwards, shoving herself into the dungeon wall, as images of her friends and herself bloodied and dying on the floor flashed in front of her eyes. She lifted her hands up, clutching them around her head like they were the only things stopping her brain from leaking out of her ears and splattering bloodied onto the floor. Her throat was sore for some reason.

[i][b]You will die.[/b][/i]

[i][b]You will die.[/b][/i]

[i][b]You will die.[/b][/i]

Suddenly, the world felt far smaller than it should have, and she felt far too large. She huddled tighter into a ball, clutching her head ever harder as tears poured down her face and her open eyes stared unseeing into space..

[i][b]You will die.[/b][/i]
[i][b]You will die.[/b][/i]
[i][b]You will die.[/b][/i]
[i][b]You will die.[/b][/i]
[i][b]YOU WILL DIE.[/b][/i]

Then [color=d1fffc]Alja[/color] opened her mouth.

And [color=dc918e]Kelly[/color] screamed.