Glitch

Allies in a strange land

Clutching her torn pants, Lyra squeezed through the crowd, navigating the bustle of a modest marketplace.

A trader shouted over the noise, advertising her goods as a few buyers gathered around her stall.

Laughter erupted nearby—children raced past Lyra, their giggles and carefree shouts a stark contrast to a silent city she remembered.

She sighed and ignored the stares.

Her appearance was.... different. And not in a good way.

Her torn, slipping khakis exposed too much skin, and the scabs across her body made the townspeople look at her with discomfort—maybe even fear.

Players healed quickly. Tonics, buffs—there were always ways to restore your health.

NPCs regenerated on their own, unless they died of old age, thanks to Æther’s latest update... yes, even that was a thing now.

So no one—no one—walked around with visible injuries.

She turned a corner and spotted a large wooden board. A few worn-out words were painted across it:

"Glades Field."

She repeated the name under her breath, tasting the words. She tried matching it to the map in her memory, but came up blank.

Nothing. Not even a landmark.

It was a small town. So insignificant, it hadn’t even warranted a mention in the game’s official guides.

Sliding down against a wall, Lyra pulled her knees to her chest.

This was her fifth time leaving the shack—her fifth attempt to find a way out.

And every time, she’d come back with nothing.

On her fourth try, she’d discovered this little town. Back then, she'd just scouted it briefly to make sure it wasn’t hostile. But now? Now it felt like a dead end.

“How the hell am I going to find my way out of here…” she groaned.

She couldn’t keep wandering aimlessly.

Recklessness would get her caught in one of Æther’s traps—and she wasn’t ready for that.

But…

Damn it, she missed Kiel.

She missed her mom.

Wiping her face hard enough that it redden her skin, she stood up.

Then something flickered across her vision.

She froze. Her eyes scanning the area.

At first, she thought it was a mirage—but then it appeared again. Clearer this time.

A young girl.

Sharp eyes, Pretty features. Peeking out from behind a broken wall.

Their eyes locked for a moment.

Then, in a blink, the girl vanished behind the wall again.

“…is she trying to hide?” Lyra muttered, tilting her head. “But I already saw her.”

She waited, scratching her head. But the girl didn’t come out.

Then doubt crept in.

What if it’s a minion of Æther?

Or… Æther itself?

A chill ran down her spine.

Without another thought, she turned and bolted down the street.

Behind her, the girl emerged from her hiding spot, brow furrowed. Then, without hesitation, she gave chase.

“Hey! Hey!”

“Why are you running?!”

“Stop! I said stop!”

Lyra didn’t listen. She ran even faster.

Breathing heavily, She reached an enclosed area—an alley cluttered with wood and scrap.

Slipping behind a bent piece of furniture, she held her breath, her body tense.

Her thoughts raced.

'Wasn’t Æther able to sense our presence just by us being here?'

'Then finding me.... would be a piece of cake.'

At that realization, Her pulse thundered in her ears.

She felt a sudden urge to run out of her hiding place.

But as she attempted to do that,

A warm hand landed on her shoulder.

She froze. Her spine stiffened in shock and a chill of dread swept through her limbs.

“What are you doing?” a soft, clear voice asked.

It was gentle, soft sounding, but to Lyra, it felt like the whisper of death.

She couldn’t fight. Not really.

Some basic self-defense, sure. But against.... whatever this was? Whatever this could be? She had no chance.

With a sharp breath, she twisted her body and slipped to the side, trying to bolt—

But a firm hand caught her.

No matter how she struggled, she couldn’t break free.

Defeated, she turned to face the source of the voice.

It was a dark-skinned girl with long blond dreads and striking blue eyes. She was Beautiful, in every meaning of it.

But Lyra wasn't in the mood to admire her. She was calculating her escape.

“Let me go,” she snarled.

Pain flashed behind her eyes as she remembered Victor—his missing arm—and the teammate who hadn’t made it out of the city of lost souls.

She didn’t even know if the others had survived.

Æther was ruthless. too vicious and there was no telling what would happen to her if she fell into its hands.

The girl frowned, watching her quietly for a moment. Then, to Lyra’s surprise… she let go.

Lyra stumbled, unbalanced, and fell to the ground.

She blinked up at her. “You.... actually let me go?”

Still wary, she narrowed her eyes. “What is this? What game are you playing?”

“Game?” the girl echoed, confusion creasing her brow. “What are you talking about?”

“Acting innocent now, huh?”

Lyra’s rage simmered just beneath the surface. "Why are you guys following me? Haven't you already done enough?"

But the blond girl only looked confused. Her hands lifted slightly in a calming gesture. "... Following you?"

Lyra just stared at her her eye filled with undisguised hatred and... Fear.

"I think there's a misunderstanding somewhere. This is my backyard, if there's anyone acting suspicious, it's you." The blond lady shrugged.

“So who was after you?” she asked softly.

Before Lyra could reply, a new voice interrupted.

"There she is."

The girl from earlier stepped into the alley. Her voice just like her appearance.

'Speak of the devil,' Lyra thought with a grimace, backing away instinctively.

“You know her?” the blonde asked, glancing between the two.

“W-What? No!” the younger girl said quickly, crossing her arms. “I only saw her today.”

Lyra cringed. She wished she could merge with the wall and disappear.

The blonde raised a brow, watching Lyra carefully. Then something clicked in her expression.

“Oh… she was the one following you?”

It wasn’t even a question.

Lyra frowned but nodded. At that, the blonde burst out laughing.

She was.... Laughing?

Even the younger girl scowled.

“I wasn’t following her!” she snapped. “I thought she was a thief!”

The blonde barely held in more laughter. “Don’t worry,” she assured Lyra, still chuckling. “I’m sure she meant no harm.”

Seeing Lyra’s continued wariness, she shrugged, then tilted her head. “You’re not from this town, are you?”

Lyra shook her head.

“Hey, are you dumb?” the younger girl blurted out suddenly, clearly annoyed after her embarrassment.

“What if she is?” the blonde teased, her tone dry.

The girl’s demeanor changed instantly. “Oh—then I’m sorry,” she mumbled, her face heating up.

It gave her a wet puppy look, It was too much. The blonde let out another string of laughter.

And this time, Lyra almost joined her.

There was something familiar in that sharp-tongued girl— just like someone Lyra once knew.

Fiery, impulsive... but soft like tofu pudding on the inside.

Lyra relaxed.

These two weren’t part of Æther, if they were then she'll be dead by now, she knew that for sure

They were probably NPCs, but it still felt off. NPCs didn’t act this freely. Was this Æther’s influence too?

“Hey,” the blonde called.

Lyra looked up to see her offering a hand.

She hesitated. Then took it.

The blonde helped her to her feet, offered a small smile, and turned to go.

“See you around.”

Lyra watched her retreating form.

“Wait!” she called. “What’s your name?”

The girl paused at the doorway. “Ava,” she replied.

She smiled again, then disappeared into the building.

'Ava?'

'Just Ava?'

Lyra sighed and turned to the younger girl, who still stood nearby, arms folded.

She knew the girl was probably harmless. But something about being alone with her made Lyra uneasy.

“Why are you staring at me?” the girl puffed up her cheeks. “I’m not telling you my name!”

Lyra rolled her eyes. “I didn’t ask.”

“Whatever,” the girl huffed.

Lyra walked past her, keeping a good distance, then slipped through the alley and back toward the market.

She moved through the small square again, ignoring the buzz of vendors, her eyes fixed ahead.

The town was tiny. Too small for Æther to notice.

And that... was good.

Soon she arrived at her wooden 'home'

Squatting beside her shack, she stared out toward the town.

"Tomorrow," she promised herself.

"Tomorrow, I’ll try again."

'I have to find a way out.'