Fake World. Real Experiences.

Chapter 17: Crimson Onslaught

Everyone watched as Josh rose from the shadows. They couldn't believe  he was able to escape from Midnight's shadow. They stared at him, the vibe he was giving was rather...volatile.

"Josh!?" Mira called out to him, running to him.

"Are you able to fight again...?" 

But he provided no answer, his blood red eyes, looking around for something. As he gazed around, midnight arose from the shadows. behind him, panicked by his sudden disappearance from her Shadow Shroud.

'J-Josh? What are you doing? Your supposed to stay with me until the others came up with a plan!" She scolded, grabbing onto his shoulder. Josh looked back at her, his eyes on her in a almost cold manner. Midnight was startled, and moved her hand off of him. Mira watched Josh. This was not how he acted at all. What was with the red eyes? 

A sudden holler filled the room, a few players were thrown back as the Royal Atrax slammed into them. Josh quickly turned to face the Spider, and began to walk its way.

"Joshua...?" Mira whispered as she watched him. Josh just walked, as the Royal Atrax set his eyes on him, screeching at him. But Josh didn't even flinch, his sword beginning to glow with black light. He was preparing a sword skill. 

The Spider tried to fire its webbing at Josh. But he cut it into small traces of silk. Even the way Josh attacked now was strange. He swung his sword much harder then was needed. He growled weakly as he suddenly darted to the boss, his sword slashing right trough the same leg Mira had damaged, but Josh severed it clean off. It yelled out in a fit of pain, it stumbling backwards, almost backing into the wall behind it.

"Woah..." A bystander near Mira  mumbled. They rest of the players in the room retreated as Josh hacked at the boss, its HP dropping rapidly. They watched as he attacked it without mercy, but not uttering a single thing. Other then growls and yelps of pain as the boss also fought back, nothing was said. The two fought on, like the animals they were.

That was until the Royal Atrax was sent into the red. It fell back unto its side, faintly breathing. Everyone watched in astonishment as Josh brought the Royal Atrax, a boss that was giving everyone a hard time, was brought down single handedly. 

Josh growled faintly as he raised his sword in the air, the black sword skill charging as he stared the spider down. It tried to scurry to its feet, but it was to weak now to even move.

"...is the boss...s-scared of him? a female player asked. Mira looked over at her, and then back at her friend that had become a savage animal. 

"Josh..." She muttered.

Josh swung into the Royal Atrax's head, it twitching before going limp. Josh twisted it in it's head as the spider glowed. It finally shattered into fragments of data. Floor 55 was open at long last, the room lighting up with the torches that hung on the wall. Everyone rested at long last, glad the tension of the boss was finally fading away. Mira and Midnight noticed however Josh did not move from where he was, he became still, stiff as a statue.

"Um...Sir? Thank you for defeating the boss." A player said, beginning to approach him.

But as he got close, Josh's eyes darted their way, him swinging at the player.

"JOSH!?" Mira called out to him, the player barley able to evade in time. Everyone stood, weapons in hand.

"What is the meaning of this...?" Heathcliff asked him. 

Josh's crimson eyes darted around, growling faintly, and breathing tensely, as if something was chocking him. Mira approached him next. but stayed a safe distance away.

"Josh...whats got into you? Were your friends, you cant swing at someone innocent." Mira said to him, trying to understand why he was acting this way. Why his red eyes turned him into a monster.

But as Mira tried to reason with him, the doors to the next and current floor opened. And someone walked into the room.

"Josh!" A voice called out. Everyone turned to see who it was.

It was Athena, wearing her new armor given to her by Lisbeth.

"Athena! Get out of here! Josh isn't right! He is lashing out like-" Mira yelled to her.

'A..savage animal?" Athena calmly replied. 

Mira's eyes widened at how calm she was, nodding to her. Athena lightly smiled. 

'It's okay...let me handle this." She insisted. 

"W-what? Wait! Athena!!" She said worriedly.

But Athena slowly approached  him. He noticed right away, and swung into her shoulder, her HP going into the yellow. And Josh's cursor went orange above his head. She yelled out in the pain. But despite that, she quickly regained a smile.

"J-Josh...it's alright, the battle is over..." She began, Josh's growls slowly beginning to calm. His eyes suddenly glitched between their normal brown, and the bloody red.

"You don't need to fight anymore...because you already won Love." She calmly assured him, pulling them both to their knees.

"Everyone here is safe because of you...Mira is safe...I'm safe to. So, you don't need to rely on your...special skill anymore...you need to come back to us Joshie...please..." She said. without breaking their eye contact.

"...I-I" Josh muttered, his eyes beginning to favor brown as they continue to glitch out. Athena gently cups his cheek with her hand, his eyes widening at the warmth of them.

"I know...everything is going to be okay...alright? Your not an animal...your you."

Josh's eyes finally stayed brown, but once they were, they dimmed, and he fell over unto Athena, resting his head on her shoulder as he once again passed out. She gently ran her skinny fingers trough his hair.

Everyone watched as Athena calmed the beast Josh had turned into so easily, including Mira and Midnight. 

"Crimson Onslaught,hm?' Heathcliff said, kneeling beside the two, a menu appears in front of him as he pokes the unique skill Josh had. 

Crimson Onslaught: A skill given to the player with the biggest heart. 200% increase in attack, 125% in speed, and 70% decrease in defense. Weapons equipped will also see 20% increase in damage. Player will be given side effect "Crimson Curse" for duration of skill. Crimson Curse is not curable trough crystals. 

"...Such a strange skill." he commented.

Mira approached behind him, reading the menu as well.

"What is this 'Crimson Curse'?" She asked Heathcliff, but he shrugged. He stood then, the menu fading as he gathered the other players, and dismissed them, them all going their separate ways.

Except for Athena, Mira, and Josh.

'"So...he gets cursed huh? It couldn't just be something like Conner's Duel-wield huh?" Mira said with a sigh of relief. Athena looked up at her as she held Josh in her arms.

'U-um...Miss Mira?" She began, Mira looking down at her as she say beside her.

"...I know it may be rude to ask...but...how did Connor..." She cut herself off. Mira's eyes winded at the sudden question, and they dimmed as she remembered every detail.

"Well..."