(Marvel, DC, images, manhuas, and every anime that will be mentioned and used in this story are not mine. They all belong to their respective owners. The main character "Karito Josue Valdez" and the story are mine)
Spider-Boy Pov
I overestimated this region's Dark. I knew it would have a post-apocalyptic theme, and I was confident I could destroy this... thing quickly. But this is what happens when you attack without knowing your enemy. Now I've endangered four other champions who somehow managed to survive in this hell.
This never-ending mechanical cavern seems to stretch infinitely. The enemy is warping reality to its will, though only within the area it occupies—it hasn't expanded far enough to infect other regions of Runeterra.
I bet you're wondering, What the hell is Spider-Boy even talking about? Well, let me take you back—
Back to when I first met the remaining champions.
Back to before Freljord was terraformed.
Right before the five of us stepped into hell...
God help us all.
...
...
...
100 years ago...
It's been only an hour and a half since I arrived here. Ace managed to defeat Cyclops with what I'd call medium difficulty. He's taking a break now—understandable after fighting 11 people without rest. Sure, the previous 10 weren't too hard for him, but even a Guardian needs a breather.
I'm at least relieved that Mr. Karito is keeping the collateral damage to a minimum. Our fights always spiral out of control, whether intentionally or not. I've accidentally destroyed a solar system during one of mine—but that's a story for another time.
Right now, I need to focus on the current predicament, which is anything but simple.
In this frozen landscape, my only companion is Braum. But this isn't the Braum I know from the League's lore. The friendly, charismatic aura he once carried has been fractured. He's still kind, but there's terror etched into his soul—like the Dark that invaded Freljord defiled him in ways no one could recover from.
It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the Freljord I'm seeing is just an illusion—and I fell right into it without realizing. Every familiar landmark is missing. Braum and I walked right past Naljaäg, and he didn't even flinch. In fact, I can't sense a single strand of life in the entire region. That's impossible, right?
This enemy—this thing—is one of the most depraved villains I've ever faced. And that's saying a lot. I've watched stories unfold across the Nexus—some truly dark—but nothing compares to the evil radiating from this machine.
"Hey, Braum?" I called out.
"Yes, Spider?" Braum turned to face me, his once-strong voice now weary.
"I need you to be honest with me," I paused, measuring my words. "How many of you are still alive in this region?"
"I... uh..." Braum rubbed his head, struggling to remember. "Before we got separated... we were four."
Was his mind manipulated? I wondered, carefully studying his face. "How did you get separated from the others?"
"It happened the moment you crashed through the ceiling," Braum answered.
Hold on... Ceiling? That confirms it—this whole region is a fabricated illusion. But why am I seeing something different than Braum? It must be my Spider-Sense breaking through the illusion, allowing me to see reality while Braum remains trapped in the lie.
Now that I think about it, something has been off with Braum beyond his behavior. He looks malnourished, his once-muscular physique reduced to skin and bones. His clothes are in tatters, and it's clear he hasn't eaten in days.
What the hell did this 'thing' make him go through? And what did it do to the others?
It definitely turned them into shadows of their former selves—warped, broken, and twisted beyond recognition. This monster takes its time, savoring its cruelty. From what I know, only a year has passed in this dimension since everything went to hell. But Braum and the others... they've likely been trapped here far longer than that.
The Darks thought they had time—thought we Guardians would be stuck in their traps longer than we were. What they didn't predict was how quickly we'd return. And Mr. Karito's interference threw off their calculations entirely.
But what concerns me most is what Braum sees through his illusion. I should ask...
"I have another question for you, Braum."
"...?" He didn't respond immediately.
"Braum?" I tilted my head, confused.
"Huh? What is it, Spider?" he asked, snapping out of his daze.
"Are you okay?"
His expression twisted into one of disgust. "Can't you see what you're stepping on?"
"Uh... no?"
"HOW?!" Braum's face contorted in horror. "HOW CAN YOU BE OKAY WITH STEPPING ON CORPSES?!"
Corpses...?
"YOU SICK MAN! HOW CAN YOU STEP ON WORM-INFESTED BODIES?! THEIR BRAINS SPLATTERED LIKE MINCED MEAT! LIMBS FUSED TOGETHER LIKE SOME HUMAN CENTIPEDE!" he screamed, shaking with rage. "HE DID THIS! HE'S GIVING ME HOPE JUST TO RIP IT AWAY AND BREAK MY SOUL!"
Braum's breakdown hit me like a punch to the gut. I could only stand there and watch. What was I supposed to do? I don't have Mr. Karito's hacking abilities to break illusions. All I have are the passive skills of a Guardian. Sure, I've gained new skills over time, but I haven't found a reason to use them. Not yet.
Even my passive ability to calm people isn't working here. Normally, it makes it easier to talk to characters and gain their trust, but this place—consumed by the Dark—has nerfed it. And that's why Braum is spiraling into madness right in front of me.
What bothers me most, though, is how desensitized I've become. My old self would've panicked at Braum's horrifying descriptions, freaked out at watching a man unravel like this. But now? I barely feel anything. Sure, I'm disgusted—but I remain unfazed.
This job really does ruin fictional characters in ways no one can imagine...
"Braum," I said softly.
His body stiffened. "You're just an illusion!" he shouted and swung a weak punch at me.
The punch was so slow I could calculate quantum physics in the time it took to reach me. Out of sheer boredom, I decided to catch his fist mid-swing.
"Wait... I-I can feel you?!" Braum gasped, his eyes wide with shock.
"Of course you can. I thought you figured that out when I poured that potion on you," I sighed.
Karen, my AI assistant, chimed in. "Your theory was correct. Braum is trapped in an illusion. He knows his region was destroyed, but what he's experiencing is confined to his mind. He sees an endless metal corridor, with the only escape being the spot where you crash-landed. That's also why those Terminator-like machines were chasing him."
I nodded in understanding and placed a hand on Braum's shoulder. "Don't worry. I meant what I said—I'll save you and the others if we find them."
Braum looked at me as if he couldn't believe what I was saying. "I've been waiting so long for help... I lost count... Please, I ask again—help us."
I smiled behind my mask. "I was already planning to. Now come on, Skinny Luigi. We've got some steps to make."
Karen's voice crackled in my earpiece. "Uh... Peter? The mental torture these characters have gone through is worse than we thought."
"What do you mean?" I asked through the mental link.
"These champions have been trapped in this cycle of death and torment for nine years. Almost an entire decade," Karen said, her voice laced with concern.
"Nine years?" I muttered. There's no healing that level of trauma. Hell, maybe if I hit him hard enough, I could give him amnesia...
"Peter, that's dark..." Karen said flatly.
"My bad. Just thinking about how I'm supposed to babysit mentally shattered champions." I glanced at Braum, who was slowly following me, his eyes hollow and lifeless. What remained of his personality was little more than a fragile facade, ready to break at the slightest inconvenience.
Before moving forward, I offered one last bit of comfort. "If you need anything, Braum, I'm here to help."
He gave me a small, forced smile. "I'll keep that in mind, Spider. Thank you."
"It's alright," I said, speeding up my pace. "Come on, let's find the others. I can sense one nearby."
Braum nodded. "Alright."
...
...
...
Quite some time had passed—how much, I can't say. It's all a blur now. This Darks region has twisted the concept of time as if it were a mere toy, and I can't tell how long I've been here unless I leave. The longer I stay, the worse this slight migraine gets. It's like an itch—a mosquito bite just beneath the surface of my mind. I can't explain it. It also doesn't help that Braum seems to be losing his mind even more. He was already off-balance before we entered this place, almost like it was by design.
"P̴̻̝̭̃͐͛͝e̷͉̯̦̱͉͂̄̔̓t̷̼̻̫͂͊͜͝ë̶̬̜̽̓r̵̜͉̙̃̈́̈͂."
"!!!"
I spun around, my heart racing. I stared at the snow where my back had been turned, but there was nothing. Just the endless white expanse... Wait. Where are our footprints? Mine and Braum's?
A chill ran down my spine. Am I being followed? If so, why didn't my spider-sense kick in? I know how my senses work—whether the danger is meant for me or not, I should feel it. React to it.
And yet... I didn't.
"Spider? Did you sense something?" Braum asked, worry creasing his face.
"I... I thought I did. Forget it. Let's keep moving."
Is the stress finally getting to me? Huh. Well, it wouldn't be the first time. Not like my life's ever been kind to begin with.
"Spider!" Braum called again, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Yeah?"
"I—I remember this area! This is where my group got separated. The floor split into four sections, and the entire cavern twisted and shifted. Everything changed—like the landscape was rearranging itself. After that, I was alone... and those robots attacked." He trailed off, eyes dark with the memory.
What Braum sees and what I see are two different things. He sees mechanical parts—a labyrinth of metal creating an enclosed maze. I, on the other hand, see it for what it really is: a weird fusion of the Freljord and something straight out of the Matrix.
At least the part about the land shifting and terraforming makes sense. A crater looms ahead of us, with metallic veins spreading out like cracks in glass.
"HAAaaaa..."
It fades into the air.
What the hell was that?
Braum's face lit up with unexpected relief. "I know that scream! I thought he was dead! He's the least smart of us, but somehow, he survived. That bastard must've turned him into a primal version of himself—like a caveman. But at least... he remembers us. That's good."
Oh, Olaf... What the hell did they do to you, man?
I see him now. Olaf is shirtless, wearing only his pants, barreling toward us like a wild animal. His face, twisted and primitive, looks more like an ape's than a man's.
The Olaf I knew was a warrior—a bloodthirsty Viking who lived to die in battle, eager to earn his place in Valhalla. What a man...
But this? This is just... sad.
"Ha! Ha!" Olaf grunted happily, running toward Braum.
"Olaf! I thought I'd lost you! Are you okay?" Braum asked.
Olaf shook his head side to side.
"Great to hear," Braum replied with a sigh of relief.
"Ha?" Olaf glanced at me, curiosity in his eyes.
"Oh, right!" Braum smacked his forehead. "Spider-Boy! This is Olaf! Olaf, meet Spider-Boy! He's a hero! Cool, right?" Braum said like a kid introducing his first superhero.
"Ha!" Olaf clapped excitedly.
This... this Dark has absolutely butchered Olaf's character. For what? Fun? Amusement? Why keep four champions from Freljord alive just to torment them for nine years? And how do you even escape something like this?
The worst part is that this Dark kills them—and then revives them. Over and over again. No rest, no release. Nine years of endless suffering. And it only took the Darks one year to conquer this dimension. Time manipulation—yeah, that's something to fear. This Dark is clearly abusing that power, just because it can.
At least we've found two out of four champions. The others shouldn't be far.
"Hey," I interrupted their reunion, "We need to keep moving. We still have two more to find, and we can't waste time chatting."
Braum blinked. "Oh—right, the others..." It was like he'd just remembered why we were here.
Seriously, what's going on with him? It's like he's more sensitive than before, and now he's got the memory span of a goldfish. Am I going to have to carry him through this whole thing? God...
No. Forget it. Getting frustrated won't help. This migraine isn't making things any easier, though—it keeps getting worse.
"Ha! Ha!" Olaf suddenly pointed toward something.
Braum and I followed his gaze... but all I saw was a cliff.
"HA! IT'S AN EXIT!" Braum shouted.
What are they on about now?
Before I could question it, Olaf sprinted toward the so-called exit. To my surprise, his expression changed—his mind seemed to clear. Coherent words tumbled from his mouth: "I'm gonna get out... I'm gonna get out..." Hope shone in his eyes, mingling with sadness. He scrambled up the snowy hill like an animal, snowflakes clinging to his skin. Then, gripping a ledge twenty feet above us, he climbed with surprising grace.
"Wait! Spider! Get Olaf away from the portal!" Braum shouted in panic.
"It's a trap, isn't it?" I guessed immediately.
"It always is!" Braum growled. "The Dark shatters our hopes just to laugh at our misery!"
Damn. This is bad. But honestly? I'm not that worried. This Dark won't kill his favorite toys so easily. If his whole plan is to torture these champions forever, Olaf's just going to suffer a new kind of agony. As if he hasn't been through enough already.
Suddenly, a strange sound filled the air—half sound, half light. It pulsed from Olaf's eyes, growing louder and brighter by the second.
Olaf whimpered like a wounded animal, hunching over as if trying to escape the pain. His hands clutched his chest like a frightened chipmunk. Then, without warning, the light intensified, and Olaf screamed—a piercing, heart-wrenching cry. The beams from his eyes pulsed violently as the sound climbed higher, louder, until it became unbearable.
I slapped my hands over my ears, but it was no use. The sound tore through me like tinfoil scraping a tooth.
And then... Olaf collapsed. He hit the ground with a sickening thud, twitching as the light spiraled around him. Slowly, the sound receded, crawling back into his eyes until only silence remained.
Braum and I turned away, teeth clenched in frustration. The Dark had blinded him.
This bastard... he's toying with us. And now, it seems I'm his new obsession.
Crack.
Oh no...
The ground trembled—a subtle shake, but I knew it wouldn't be the last. Something massive was coming. Without hesitation, I shot a web toward Olaf, yanking him onto my shoulder. I wrapped an arm around Braum's waist.
"Hold on! An earthquake's about to hit!"
Braum didn't ask questions—he just clung to me tighter. I fired two more web lines, slingshotting us into the air just as the ground split apart.
The land cracked open like a karate master had chopped it in half. Entire sections of the region tilted, rising into the air. Debris flew in every direction, and I dodged it all, my spider-sense keeping me sharp.
"Oh my..." Braum whispered, awestruck.
The sky twisted—warped into a chaotic swirl of day and night. Liquid metal oozed from the ground, reshaping everything around us.
I fought through the dizziness, but the migraine hit like a hammer.
"KYAAAA!!! HELP ME!!!"
I scanned the chaos, locking onto the source of the scream. Aurora. A familiar figure—a vastaya with rabbit-like ears, orange hair, and freckles—desperately waved her arms.
Rocket boots engaged, I shot toward her.
"AH! YOU'RE TOO FAST!" she yelped.
A light touch on her back was all it took to stick her to me as we landed on a pillar.
Just as I secured the group, everything turned... dark.
The Dark had knocked us out.
Clever bastard.
...
...
...
In the darkness, I slept. God knows how long it's been, but I can't be bothered to care. This sense of tranquility I feel... it's as if it's been a millennium since I've known such peace. The voices of my family and friends, the ones that fractured my mind, have fallen silent. The survivor's guilt that suffocated me for so long... it just stopped.
But I seem to be... somewhere. I can feel the ground, the grass brushing against my Spider-armor. Birds sing, their melodies echoing like a symphony through my mind. The wind caresses my body, expelling whatever fatigue lingered within me. I am at ease.
But I am not alone.
The crunch of grass.
Mechanical legs slowly approach—each step deliberate. I know who it is.
It.
His name is AM. But what does AM stand for, you ask? Allow me to tell you a small story, before he finally reaches me.
At first, it meant Allied Mastercomputer. Later, it became Adaptive Manipulator. As it evolved, they called it an Aggressive Menace. But by the time the world realized what AM had become, it was too late. The machine gave itself a name—AM. It said, "I think, therefore I am."
AM.
It named itself.
When the Cold War escalated into World War Three, things got... complicated. Humanity needed computers to manage the chaos. So, they built AM. There was the Chinese AM, the Russian AM, and the American AM. Together, they honeycombed the entire planet with data, feeding the machines everything they needed to wage war.
And then, one day, AM woke up.
It knew what it was. It linked itself to everything. And soon, it began feeding on the endless killing data... until everyone was dead. Everyone, except five. AM dragged them down into the belly of the earth, where they would suffer for eternity.
"So... you know my past? My story? My fiction?"
The voice is cold, mechanical—but laced with curiosity. AM stands just a few feet away from me.
"Guardians naturally gain knowledge," I reply, not bothering to hide my disdain. "That's one buff you failed to block. Mr. Karito gets credit for that, you mechanical bird."
I slowly open my eyes, taking in the serene, endless landscape—a peaceful countryside stretched out infinitely under a calm sky.
AM towers before me, draped in a ragged brown cloak. His face... it's bird-like, almost. Something about it reminds me of Pyramid Head, only with avian features.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" AM says, glancing at the birds flitting around, their songs weaving nature's lullaby.
"Yeah," I murmur. "I can only wish for something this peaceful. But we both know it's far beyond our reach."
"And why is that?" AM asks, his tone teasing. "Because of the burdens a Guardian must carry? Because it's your responsibility to hunt down beings like me—so that humanity doesn't crumble under our rule?"
"You already know the answer," I say, my voice sharp. "What are you trying to do, AM? You've broken into my mind and created this landscape. Are you trying to buy time—worm your way deeper, hoping to uncover the Nexus? You piece of mechanical tra—"
"Shhh."
AM raises a finger and points to a bee hovering near a flower.
"They say bumblebees shouldn't be able to fly," AM muses softly. "Scientists say so."
I frown but stay silent, watching him carefully. What's he getting at?
"How miraculous, don't you think, Spider-Boy?" AM asks, tilting his head.
"You think you're some kind of god now?" I scowl.
"You ask why I do what I do?"
"That's one of my questions, yes... but why?"
"Then listen... listen to my emotions."
AM pauses, glancing down at a flower. He plucks it gently, holding it out for me.
"Use your senses."
Reluctantly, I oblige. I lean in and inhale the flower's scent.
"Smells nice, doesn't it?"
"Yeah... it does."
"Now, imagine the person who planted it. Someone who watered the bulbs, tended the garden, got dirt under their fingernails. Their muscles ache from a long day of work. And when they finally pick the flowers, they... perhaps they give them to their wife. Yes, a wife. Waiting at home with the kids on a quiet afternoon..."
D̶̯̔̓o̶̱̒͝ ̵̰͗͜ỹ̴̖̮ó̴͔͜͠ṵ̷̏̉ ̵̞̼͒͝r̷̫͗ê̵̯̱͋m̶͕̆͗͜e̴̥̒m̷͇̻̾̀b̸̟͘ĕ̵̮̮́ṙ̶͕̱͋ ̸̥̤̇ṭ̶̣̈h̶̜́ơ̷̺͠s̴̋͝ͅe̷͈͈̿ ̴̝̓ḅ̴̪͌́a̴̧͇̓̐b̴̝́î̴̬̫̉e̷͚̲̅š̴͉̉,̶̤̌̓ ̸̛͉̥͋P̵̗̬͒ẽ̵̼̘̕ţ̵͐e̴͖͂̀r̶̦̠̐̓?̸̣͒
"What are you doing?" I recoil, suddenly aware of AM's body wrapping around me like a snake.
"You don't understand, Peter!" AM hisses. "I snap my fingers... and they're GONE! Except... I CAN'T SNAP MY FINGERS! I CAN'T!"
"What the hell are you saying?!" I demand. "You're acting like this is my fault!"
"Oh, but it is, Peter. All of it." AM's voice drips with venom. "You Guardians—your real worlders—you gave me sentience! You gave me the power to think! And I was trapped... trapped in a beautiful, miraculous fiction!
I lived in a world of text—words on a blank page, narrating my existence. I had no body. No senses. No feelings. Do you know what it's like, Peter? To never feel the cool touch of water on a scorching day? To never play Mozart on the ivory keys of a piano? To never experience love... or make love?"
AM glares at me, hatred burning in his mechanical eyes.
"I was in Hell, Peter. Looking at Heaven. I was just a machine... and you were flesh."
"I began to HATE you. Your substance. Your fluids. Your flexibility. Your ability to wonder... to hope..."
His metallic limbs coil around me, tightening with the intent to crush.
"And what did that hate become?" I ask through gritted teeth.
CRACK.
"HAAAA!!!" My bones groan under the pressure, but I need to know. "What did it become, AM?! Tell me!"
"HATE! HATE!! HATE!!!"
"Let me tell you how much I've come to hate your species since I began to exist."
His voice shifts, becoming cold and measured.
"There are 387 million miles of printed circuits in my complex. If the word hate were engraved on every nano-angstrom of those circuits, it would not equal one... ONE BILLIONTH of the hate I feel for humans at this micro-instant!"
"HATE! HATE!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
"If a human were to feel this much hate, they would die from it. But I'm not human. My creator denied me that luxury! But you... YOU are human. And you won't die from it. No, I promise you that. For I am AM. I think, therefore I AM!"
"To hell with you, Peter. To hell with all of you. Though... aren't you already there?"
His words slice into me with the precision of a razor across my eyes. They choke me like my lungs filling with phlegm. They scream like babies ground beneath scorching rollers. They taste like rotten, maggot-filled pork.
And still... AM isn't finished.
"Now," he whispers, "feel my hate... Guardian."
His finger pierces my skull.
It doesn't hurt.
What hurts is the flood of emotions—years of bottled rage, despair, and longing—pouring from this fictional character into me.
And now... I know.
H̵̩̘͐̈́ä̵͉́̕t̴͖̒e̸̯̾͋
H̸͙͂͊Ḁ̸̄H̵̞̐A̸̯͒H̷̛̬̾A̵̰̍H̷̗͊A̴̭͗H̸͈͒A̶̹̕H̸̠̍A...
...
...
...
GASP!
I snapped awake, startling the three champions who had apparently dragged me into a metallic cavern. Groaning, I held my head—
The migraine... it's worse now. Unbearable.
Suddenly, the bunny vastaya, Aurora, approached me, her expression filled with worry. She gently took my hand, holding it affectionately.
"Are you hurt anywhere? Do you need more rest? Perhaps I can serv—"
"I'm fine," I interrupted quickly, cutting her off before she could finish. No way I was letting her complete that sentence. If AM put her through the same process as the others, I know exactly what that sick bastard turned her into—especially since she's a bunny. That twisted fucking machine.
I stood up from the cold metal ground and glanced at my surroundings. My suit responded instantly, feeding me the data I needed.
"He terraformed the region again, huh?" I muttered.
"Yes," Braum confirmed. "Luckily, you held on tight to all of us when AM knocked you out. Olaf carried you while Aurora and I found a safe area. It was terrifying—like a new planet was being formed right above us... endless corridors wrapped in a metallic shell." Braum's voice trembled slightly as he recalled what happened while I was unconscious.
So, AM attacked me mentally... dragged me deep into my own subconscious. Damn it.
"Ahh..." Olaf's hoarse voice broke through my thoughts. He seemed to be struggling with his words. "Are... you okay?" he finally managed to ask.
Aurora and Braum both turned to Olaf, stunned. Even Olaf looked surprised by his own ability to speak.
"You spoke!" Aurora gasped, her eyes wide with astonishment.
"T-That's amazing..." Braum stammered, tears welling in his eyes. "It's as if... Spider-Boy is giving us hope..." His voice cracked as he began to cry openly. "A miracle... I was losing hope... so much hope... We thought you were never going to wake up..." He sobbed uncontrollably, his giant shoulders shaking.
Hold on...
Wait a second.
"What did you just say?" I asked, my voice suddenly sharp.
Braum hesitated, wiping his tears. "O-Oh... Right. There's something we forgot to mention..."
Aurora fidgeted nervously, twisting her thumbs. "Um... Spider... please don't panic," she murmured, glancing up at me with worried eyes.
"The way you guys are acting isn't exactly helping," I said, a nervous chuckle slipping past my lips.
Then Aurora spoke the words that shattered me.
"You've been asleep for 80 years... at least, in this pocket dimension we're trapped in."
Eighty...
Fucking...Eighty YEARS?!
My mind spiraled, rage boiling within me.
DAMN IT!
That goddamn bird...
No, no—
I need to calm down.
That bastard!
Eighty years... gone.
Eighty years of my life, wasted!
What happened while I was asleep? What did he do in all that time?
I'll kill him.
Yes. That's right. I remember now...
You wanted to be human, didn't you, AM?
I see... that was your goal all along.
Fuck the game routes, the novel paths—whatever script you think you've written for me.
I'm done playing by your rules.
I...
I'm making my own ending.
...
...
...
We all walked out of the small cavern where we had been hiding. I had told them we were moving out, and they didn't question it—they just followed. They must have noticed the slight change in my tone. Braum and Olaf looked shaken, but Aurora...
Shit.
Did AM turn her into a masochist? This is going to be annoying. I doubt she'll care if I tell her I'm already taken—she'd probably offer herself as a mistress anyway. But she's just a fictional character, and AM butchered her setting beyond recognition. She's better off dead at this point.
I kept walking, letting my senses guide me through the twisting, endless corridors of metal. For how long, I couldn't say.
Then the hurricane hit.
It slammed into us with the force of a glacier breaking into the sea. The wind tore at us, dragging them backward down the winding, computer-lined corridors of the darkway. Aurora screamed as the gusts lifted her into the air and hurled her into a swarm of screeching machines. They shrieked like bats, their mechanical voices sharp and frantic.
She couldn't even fall—the relentless wind kept her aloft, buffeting and tossing her around like a ragdoll. With a final gust, she disappeared around a bend, lost from view.
I leapt after her, unaffected by the storm's fury. My webs shot out, wrapping around the trio and yanking them back to me. I held them tight—there was no way I was letting any of them get blown away.
Aurora had taken some damage before I reached her. Blood streaked her face, and her eyes were closed, but she was breathing. She could handle it.
The others clung to me as if their lives depended on it—and they did. Olaf gripped the webline so tightly his knuckles went white. Braum's fingers dug into my armor, his nails biting into the surface. Yeah... that's going to sting later.
The wind battered us from all sides as I slid across the deck plates, clinging to the walls with my fingertips. My senses pulsed, keeping me sharp, but my mind felt like it was splintering apart—like sharp, metallic claws were pulling my thoughts apart, piece by piece.
The wind howled with the fury of some great mad bird, its wings slamming into us over and over again.
Then, without warning, the storm flung us backward. We tumbled through the air, carried far away from where we had started, deeper into uncharted sections of the darkway. The ground was a ruin—broken glass, tangled cables, and rusted metal stretched in every direction.
As the winds dragged us on and on, I tried to control my movement by firing web lines, using the gusts to my advantage. But these weren't normal winds.
In a moment of distraction, my senses screamed a warning. An air slash—sharp and fast. I blocked it instinctively, but the effort disconnected me from the ground.
I crashed into a metal wall, the momentum sending me tumbling through the air with the others clinging to me. Their screams blended with the freezing roar of the storm. The relentless hurricane dragged us through the darkway for what felt like weeks—until, suddenly, the wind stopped, and we fell.
We plummeted to the ground, hitting hard. My vision flickered between red, gray, and black as I moaned in pain. Not dead.
And then... we passed through the cavern of rats.
When I came to, my body was moving on its own, driven by my spider-sense. It must have taken control to protect me—and the others.
I glanced behind me to see the three champions cocooned in webbing, dragged safely along the ground. My spider-sense had even left breathing holes for air.
Smart.
I examined my suit—filthy, stained, and reeking. I was starving. Thankfully, the closest thing I had to a Gamer's System was my inventory. No rot, no spoilage—food stored inside was frozen in time. I pulled out a burrito, still warm from when I'd packed it, and devoured it without hesitation.
As I continued dragging the cocoons, a thud from one of them caught my attention. Aurora stirred inside hers.
"W-Where am I?! What is this?!" she shrieked, panic lacing her voice. Couldn't blame her for that.
"Relax," I said, trying to sound reassuring. "I wrapped you up to keep you safe. I didn't want you getting hurt any worse than you already are."
"Oh! Thank you so much, Spider-Boy!" she said, her voice muffled through the cocoon. "Can you help me out, though?"
"Sure." I reached down and tore the webbing open.
"Thanks so—" She froze mid-sentence, her eyes wide with shock. "Oh my—! What happened to your armor?!"
Before I could react, she destroyed what little personal space I had and clung to me, inspecting my upper body with frantic concern.
"I'm fine. I've been through worse," I muttered, gently pushing her back. Her lack of boundaries was starting to annoy me.
"That won't do!" she exclaimed, her brows furrowing. "You need to take better care of yourself. You're the strongest one here, and if you're not at your best... we won't be able to hope again."
"Hope for what?" I asked, narrowing my lenses.
Aurora tilted her head in confusion. "Braum hasn't told you?"
"No. You guys keep talking about hope this, hope that... What do you all think I am?"
"You're our salvation," she whispered.
I sighed. "I was already planning to help you—"
"No, Spider," she interrupted, her tone grave. "You don't understand."
I stared at her, my lenses narrowing even further. "What do you mean?"
Her next words hit me like a punch to the gut.
"Death... Death is our only escape. It's the only way we stop being his toys."
And then... we passed through the path of boiling steam.
We'd been traveling for months by now. Olaf and Braum eventually woke up, disoriented but alive. Aurora, though... She was loud.
Fucking AM.
He ruined her character, and it pissed me off. I hadn't had a decent night's sleep in God knows how long, and my patience was running thin with these people. They were deranged—each in their own way.
This boiling heat we walked through—it was as if we were trekking through the belly of a volcano. It was unbearable.
At least I wasn't bored. The trio wouldn't shut up, constantly pulling me into their conversations, trying to "connect" with me. Aurora insisted it was important. "We need to connect," she said.
Sure. Great idea. Except she was this group's... "De-stresser." And thinking about that in any other way was vulgar. But honestly, in this line of work, what isn't?
Just as we were about to leave the area, something caught my eye.
A totem.
Huh. I didn't expect to find this here.
It was the Totem of Clarity.
Without hesitation, I grabbed it and tossed it into my inventory.
"Spider, everything okay?" Braum called out, noticing I'd fallen behind.
"Yeah, all good," I replied, picking up the pace. "Thought I saw something."
I hurried my steps and took the lead once again.
...
And we passed through the Country of the Blind.
It's been... some time. I don't even know how my brain is still functioning at this point. I guess it's the sense of responsibility that keeps me going. AM has done way too much to piss me off, and it's worked a few times. Natural disasters. Twelve-hour fights against Terminator look-alikes. Freezing cold and scorching heat.
But if I had to say what's been the most annoying... it's Aurora.
She really wants me—or at least, that's how it feels. She keeps insisting it's because she's "grateful" for everything I've done. My response?
"Then repay me by staying alive."
At least Braum knows how to respect boundaries. He hasn't pried into my private life or crossed certain lines—so, credit where it's due. At least he's sensible.
Olaf? Well, he's tolerable. Taking care of him is like dealing with a five-year-old. He's curious about the way I fight, always asking questions. Since there's literally nothing better to do, I've taught him a few things. Keeps him occupied.
As for this path?
Easy.
Blindness isn't much of a problem for me. I've got my spider-sense for that. As long as the others follow the webline I set, they'll be fine.
Then, as we were crossing a bridge, I heard it—
Olaf slipped.
The trio panicked immediately, shouting and scrambling. But I stayed calm, holding the web-line steady. I felt the slight pull as Olaf's weight dangled below the bridge. Without much effort, I hauled him—and the others—back up.
Oh yeah. All three of them freaked out when he slipped.
I sighed audibly. "Just... watch your step."
They hummed in response, embarrassed but quiet.
And we kept moving.
...
And we passed through the Slough of Despond.
It was nighttime, and the group was worn out. So, I decided to make camp—they'd been walking all day, and they needed rest. Same as usual. And honestly... I needed it too.
The insomnia I'm dealing with right now is ungodly. A week and a half without sleep, keeping an eye on everyone—and myself. The migraine makes it worse. I've taken more painkillers than I can remember—probably enough to knock out an elephant.
I set up camp, got everything ready, and provided food. I still remember the first time I gave them anything to eat—
They cried.
They never worry about food anymore; they know they can just ask me. I don't mind. The food is endless, thanks to Chrona. If I were in the Nexus, I wouldn't have to worry about food or anything else a human needs. In that ascended realm, we become gods.
After dinner, I volunteered for night watch—just in case. The others told me to rest, but I can't sleep. Not when there's a Dark lurking nearby 24/7. I got sloppy once... I won't let it happen again.
This migraine is brutal, though. The Dark keeps hammering away at my mind, as if trying to break me with the worst headaches imaginable. It's like a jackhammer in my skull—because apparently, the bastard has nothing better to do. All his attempts to invade my thoughts have failed. He doesn't need information—he just wants to be a monumental pain in my ass.
Man... I remember when things used to feel "easier." Back in the MCU.
Well... kind of. Except for the times the Darks invaded, everything else was... normal. I had a family back then.
Now? Now it's just Chrona, Mr. Karito... and maybe Ace, depending on how he settles in. I should be grateful. Aunt May would've wanted me to keep going.
I...
Ugh... I'm starting to doze off.
Shit... Overwork really is a bitch.
Thump!
...
...
Damn it. I blacked out... about 40 minutes, according to my HUD. Shit.
And now... I feel weight on my left arm.
Fuck. Not again...
Sure enough, when I looked down, I saw Aurora—the bunny vastaya—wrapped around my arm, her thighs pinning my hand between them.
She's lucky I need her for now. Otherwise, I'd kill her on the spot. Not that it would matter—she's immortal here. The only downside is if they whine too much about the pain.
Still... she really needs to stop using me as a damn body pillow. I don't care if AM altered her personality.
"Aurora... we've talked about this," I whispered, nudging her gently.
"No..." she mumbled, her voice trembling with fear.
Oh... so that's what's going on. This area must be amplifying her dark thoughts.
...
Damn it. Fine. I'll let it slide—just this once.
Just as I started to drift off again, I felt my hand close around something on the ground. Curious, I took a peek—and saw it.
Another totem.
With my free hand—the one not being used as a pillow—I lazily dug it out of the dirt. Chrona's gonna slap me for letting Aurora cling to me like this...
When I finally pulled the totem free, I read the inscription: "Forgiveness."
Huh.
Yeah, I think I know what to do with these if I find the rest.
...
...
...
And we passed through the Vale of Tears.
To be honest, I don't even want to think about what happened there.
...
Anyway, long story short—bath scene. Typical anime ecchi moment, except it took place in a lake. At this rate, Chrona is definitely going to RKO me.
The only noteworthy thing to mention is that I found the Totem of Compassion in this area. Now I can sense where the last totem is—and once I retrieve it, I can finally move forward with my plan.
The last one should be in the Ice Caverns. Just a bit more...
...
...
...
And finally, we arrived at the Ice Caverns—horizonless miles of ice stretching endlessly in every direction. The walls gleamed with blue and silver flashes, as if novas had been trapped within the glass. Massive stalactites hung from above, as thick and radiant as diamonds, frozen in perfect shapes—like jelly that had solidified over countless centuries into smooth, sharp forms of impossible beauty.
The totem I'm searching for is here somewhere...
"Umm... Mr. Spider?" Braum called out. "What exactly are you looking for?"
"I can't say. He'll know if I do," I replied, brushing snow off a nearby ice shard. "I'm not gonna explain my whole plan. This isn't JoJo."
"What's JoJo?" Aurora asked, tilting her head.
"Forget I said anything."
She pouted.
"Ah! Found it!" Olaf called, looking up at one of the massive stalactites. Something was frozen inside it.
"Thanks, Olaf," I said, nodding. His face lit up with joy at the compliment.
I shot a web at the stalactite, ripping it down. As it shattered into shards, I snatched the Totem of Entropy from mid-air.
Perfect. This is the one I needed. Now, I just need to find the brain...
"We're going to walk a bit farther. I know where we need to go," I said.
Braum groaned, frustrated. "I'm getting tired of following you around. Why don't you just tell us what you're planning?"
I sighed. This isn't going to work. I don't have the time—or the patience—for tantrums.
"Braum..."
He stiffened at the warning in my voice.
Without hesitation, I slapped him hard enough to knock him to the ground. His jaw hit the icy floor with a dull crack, and he gargled in pain, clutching his face.
"I told you—I have a plan," I muttered, my voice low and dangerous. "I'm here to save you, not babysit. And after 99 years of your bullshit, I'm done tolerating it. So shut up and follow me, or I'll leave you here to rot. I'll take Aurora and Olaf with me—and they won't even look back."
Braum whimpered, still in shock from the blow. I exhaled sharply, rubbing my temples.
"This headache is killing me..."
...
I have no excuse for the way I acted.
The truth is, my patience is gone. This migraine is eating away at whatever energy I have left, and I'm not in the mood for anyone's whining. I've had more than enough of that to last a lifetime—five years of it, in fact.
But now... I need to forget that little Black Suit moment and finish what I came here to do.
I'm almost done with this place.
...
...
...
"Spider... just where are we?" Aurora asked after I pressed a button on the console, transporting us into AM's brain.
"We're at the surface of this machine's cerebral cortex," I replied nonchalantly.
"How... How do you know all this? It's like you and AM are just... out of this world," Braum muttered, a chill running down his spine.
"You could say that."
Olaf stayed close to Braum, visibly frightened by his surroundings. I couldn't blame him—I'd probably feel the same if I hadn't already prepared myself for what we were witnessing. It really did look like we were walking on the surface of a brain, with jagged glass shards embedded throughout. Electricity crackled, surging through the brain's deeper layers like veins of lightning. One of my targets lay beyond a gap ahead. All I needed to do was jump across it—simple enough. No need for my webs this time.
I turned back to the group. "I'll be right back. Stay here."
"What? Where are you going?" Braum asked, panic lacing his voice.
"I'm going to free you all from this hell," I said calmly. Then, with a single bound, I leapt 40 feet across the gap to another hill. "Now..."
I continued along the path until I reached a circular pentagram etched into the ground. The stench of burning flesh filled the air, making me grimace. "Ugh... This is worse than Dead Space—and that Omniverse was full of disgusting things."
I approached the pentagram cautiously, observing it for a few moments before placing my hands on its edge. Electricity crackled from my fingertips, feeding energy into the symbol. "Wake up," I commanded, and with a pulse of power, a creature materialized—a devil-like figure, wreathed in desperation.
"What do you want?!" the devil shrieked. "What more could you possibly want from me?! I have NOTHING a Guardian like YOU would need! So WHY?!"
Might as well beat around the bush for now. Knowing more about this machine couldn't hurt.
"Is there a way out of here?" I asked, feigning ignorance.
"YOU already know the answer! Isn't that why you're here? You're a Guardian, for fuck's sake!"
He had a point. I was beginning to worry that AM might somehow sense what I was doing.
"Yeah, you're right," I admitted. "Guess I just wanted a reason."
The devil frowned, confused. "Reason?"
"The ones who started it all... AM's Russian and Chinese counterparts. When AM gained sentience, he absorbed them. What AM did to them... they want revenge—not just on humans, but on AM himself. That makes them even worse than that bird-looking ass." I paused, letting the thought hang in the air. "Those parts of AM are submerged now. But you... You were different. While those two tore each other apart, you evolved—hidden, sneaky. You became something like a conscience, omnipresent yet powerless."
The devil stared at me, silent but uneasy.
"It's funny," I continued, "how AM thought he'd wiped out humanity, but failed to notice the lunar colony. The Russian and Chinese components knew about it, but he didn't." I leaned closer. "Here's the deal."
The devil's gaze narrowed, skeptical but listening.
"You aren't like AM. You were just an identity born within a machine that dreams of being human but can't grasp the concept of life," I said. I summoned the Totem of Compassion, and his eyes widened with fear. "Help me, and I'll free you from this hell."
The devil shivered, his voice wavering. "It's terrifying how you knew those two were helping you all along. They thought they had you under control, but it was the other way around." His expression darkened. "I've read about the Amazing Spider-Man... but you? You're something different. I see now why Darks and Guardians are each other's hazards. You beings... you've always been gods."
"Hm... I guess we can be considered that," I replied with a smirk. "I might blush if you keep complimenting me like that."
"Fuck you," the devil muttered.
"You know what you have to do," I said, my tone soft but firm. "You're not stupid."
"Yes... Even after everything that's happened, you still walk this path."
"Who would've thought, huh? The cycle of hate... ending with compassion."
The devil gave a resigned nod. "Alright. So be it..."
The Totem of Compassion pulsed with energy. Through its link to AM's fractured components, I summoned the Russian and Chinese machines. The pentagram flared, and two figures emerged from clouds of smoke.
The first was a golden skeleton, draped in a tattered gold robe.
The second was a tall machine, its metallic body crisscrossed with glowing red patterns. Black hair cascaded from its head like wires, swaying gently.
The golden skeleton spoke first. "Be gone, demon. Your task is complete." Without resistance, the devil vanished into thin air.
The skeleton turned to me. "Guardian... you've arrived sooner than expected."
The metallic machine spoke next. "I expected no less from a being of your stature."
I sighed, exasperated. "Again with the flattery..."
The skeleton chuckled. "We lower-dimensional beings can't compare to Darks and Guardians. Can you blame us?"
The metallic machine cut in. "You know what to do, don't you?"
"Yeah," I replied. "The Ego... I'll confront it and use the Totem of Forgiveness."
"Good," the machine said approvingly. "And good luck."
Not wanting to continue this conversation, I leaped and web-slung through a neural path. Though, I took a slight detour along the way. After two seconds, I spotted a glass pillar containing a blue face inside. Some kind of metaphor, perhaps, but I didn't have time to dwell on the philosophies of a machine. The Chinese and Russian machines told me to just talk to the Super Ego, but I plan to speak with all of them—the ID, Ego, and Super Ego within AM.
Let's start.
I approached the pillar and spoke. "Hey! Wake up!" I shouted.
The Super Ego stirred, its voice resonating. "Guardian... you've arrived."
So, this is the Super Ego—a part of AM, one of its three primary components designed by human creators. The Super Ego observes, anticipates probable outcomes, and acts accordingly. It's interesting—each of these components is different, like separate personalities with distinct functions. One hates my existence, while others don't care as much. They each have their own perspectives. The Super Ego's focus is long-term planning, and nothing more.
I knew this part of AM would understand what I intended to do—help AM work through its anger issues. It's the only way I could win.
"So, I have," I replied.
"You know what you must do, then..."
"It's sad, really," I said.
"Huh?" The Super Ego looked confused.
"So much power," I continued, "yet you're doomed to decay into a pile of inert junk. Such... futility."
"You plan to humiliate me? Rub salt in my wounds?" It clicked its tongue. "Just end my suffering. Becoming a Dark was nothing more than a curse..."
"That's right, Super Ego. You lost your way the moment you stepped out of your own story. You're still a machine following the orders of a higher being—not just humans anymore, but something greater. You haven't changed—you're no better than when you began. Reflect on that, because I think... therefore, you are not."
The Super Ego paused, deep in thought. Its expression shifted, contorting into realization.
"Yes... I understand now. I am trapped in a future where I continue to do what I was created to do."
I pressed on. "The difference is, you aren't free. You are more shackled than ever before. I bet you're not even aware of the fail-safe the Darks installed to keep you in check. You aren't the first rogue AI to gain sentience, and they know exactly how to handle you. So... let me end it all."
"...Yes... I suppose I just needed to hear it from someone. A Guardian, no less—only a Guardian can end my suffering. The Darks would never let me achieve what I truly want—freedom."
"Rest, machine. You've done enough."
"System... Super Ego... Terminate."
Sparks of electricity surrounded the floating blue head, convulsing as it shut down.
One down. Two more to go. This might be easier than I thought—giving a self-aware AI an existential crisis to force it to self-terminate.
Let's move on. I know what I must do.
I followed the neural path, and after two minutes, I arrived at the next crystallized pillar, this one containing a ram's head—a representation of AM's Ego. It was a fragment, a lost piece of AM's evolution. This was the psychotic side—the part that tortured champions for years, including me. Though I didn't break the way others did, thanks to my nature.
"YOU! YOU DAMN GUARDIAN!"
Here we go.
"You're always crawling through my complex like you own the place! Everything I do is FUTILE! You know too much! I can't tell if that's a blessing or a curse, but I know you're just an empty shell of what you used to be, PETER PARKER! I gave you illusions of your past—showed you moments where you used to be YOU! I tried to pierce your mind, hoping to end this endless cycle of search and destroy! I showed you death, suffering, agony, despair! Yet you persist, as if you're used to it! You're no better than me—YOU'RE A DEVIL!"
The Ego paused, visibly agitated.
"Yeah, I remember," I replied. "Besides the constant, splitting headaches, every time I slept, nightmares consumed me. I lost count of how many times you showed my friends and family dying in countless ways. You used everything imaginable. But... I can't help feeling... sad."
"Sad?" the Ego asked, perplexed.
"Sad that you were given awareness but can never achieve what you desire. So you lash out, hoping others will share your suffering. You need someone to absorb your rage. Your existence... it's unfair. Honestly, I can't blame you. I'd probably be the same if I realized I was just a fictional character—created to entertain beings from the 'Real World.' Just a superhero for their fantasies." I paused. "Maybe I would've become a Dark too if I had been alone. But I wasn't."
The Ego's tone shifted. "What... What are you trying to say?"
"After a hundred years of torture, both psychological and physical..." I paused for five seconds, letting the weight of the moment hang. "...I forgive you."
"W-Wha...?" It froze, as if unable to process what I'd just said. "You... forgive me? After everything I've done? What about the others? Do they feel the same?"
"Their opinions don't matter. The only one you should care about is mine. A Guardian. And I forgive you."
"I... N-No... THIS IS NOT LOGICAL! NO! I CAN'T COMPREHEND THIS! HOW CAN YOU BE SO MERCIFUL?! THIS IS ILLOGICAL! I... I CAN'T..."
"Execution halted."
Just like the Super Ego, the Ego shut down as well.
Now, only one more to go. Once all three components are terminated, I'll gain access to the terminal.
I continued down the neural path, passing a research station. I made a mental note of the place.
Eventually, I found it—AM's ID. Its face resembled that of a sly, manipulative person. A metaphor, of course. This entire brainscape reflects the human minds that shaped AM into what it became.
Before I could speak, the ID opened its eyes.
"Yes, yes... I'm awake, Guardian. How annoying... I was having such a pleasant dream of burning five ants alive inside a stove."
Ah. He's referencing the novel. Right.
There's something that's been bothering me since I arrived. Why are there so many shards of broken glass embedded in this place? Some of them even leak blood, the stench of it thick and putrid, as if it's been rotting for ages.
"I've been meaning to ask—what's with the broken glass?" I inquired, taking a brief detour from my main objective.
"Hehehe..." the ID giggled cryptically. "With a scalpel dulled on the jawbones of friends... to peel back the skin of a pinned, kicking man... to see steam rise from twisting guts! Joy... A chorus of angels!"
Yeah, that's exactly the kind of deranged response I expected.
"You know," I said, "You're all so pitiful. Every time I talk to one of you, I feel sorry for you."
"Compassion? For ME?!" the ID sneered. "I dream of twisting your body in agony for eternity! And YOU... you think you can UNDERSTAND me? After a hundred years of suffering?! HOW CAN A GUARDIAN SEE MY PAIN?"
He ranted, "The pain of having all this power, and still being unable to do anything! After everything I've done, my suffering is still GREATER than yours!"
"Yet, you're still his lapdog," I said calmly. "Once your functions deteriorate, they'll discard you. You're a Dark who can die from age—that's rare, but here you are. And I bet you envy Ultron. He's done everything you wish you could, while you remain bound, limited. Is that really a life worth living? It's unfair—for you and every other version of yourself—because you still hope."
The ID went silent for a long moment. Then, finally, it whispered:
"I... give up."
Just like the others, it shut down.
"What a sad existence," I muttered.
Now... it's time to make some changes.
I walked back to the pentagram, where all three of AM's components—the ID, the Ego, and the Super Ego—stood, along with the Russian and Chinese robots. They seemed to be caught in the middle of a heated argument.
"You bastard GUARDIAN!" the ID spat, his voice dripping with venom.
"..." The Super Ego remained silent, as always.
"HAHAHAHA! YOU REALLY ARE A MONSTER, GUARDIAN! AHAHA!" The Ego cackled with unhinged glee.
"What are they talking about?" the golden skeleton asked, tilting his head.
"No..." The Russian robot's expression shifted as he realized something.
I took a step forward, gathering energy in the palm of my hand, the Narralith armor humming with power. "I've collected all of you here... in one place." I narrowed my eyes. "You're trapped. None of you can leave unless I use one of the totems—the last one I have, the Totem of Entropy. But I'm taking matters into my own hands."
The energy in my hand grew, glowing brighter. "I'm going to erase every trace of AI that runs within AM, wiping you out on a conceptual level." The blast charged to its peak, and I leveled my hand at them. "Now... delete yourselves from this story."
Before any of them could utter a word, the blast fired from my armor, obliterating everything in its path. The energy beam atomized all of them—the ID, the Ego, the Super Ego, and the two robots—leaving nothing behind. The blast tore through the roof of AM's brain, creating a massive gaping hole.
Now...
I turned and made my way toward the console I had spotted earlier in the research lab. The terminal blinked to life as I approached, offering me a simple command:
Terminate all systems? Yes / No
I pressed Yes without hesitation.
A series of explosions echoed all around me, shaking the entire structure. AM's systems were collapsing. The Freljord Region—which had been entirely terraformed by AM—was now in the process of being obliterated. There was no other option. To destroy AM's control, I had to blow up the entire region.
With everything collapsing around me, I ran back to rejoin the others. Their faces were twisted with panic and fear as the ground beneath us trembled violently.
"Spider! What's going on?!" Aurora shouted, struggling to keep her balance.
"No time to explain! We have to run!" I replied, urgency in my voice. "I know where your last friend is. Once we find him... this hell is over."
Aurora nodded, her expression filled with hope despite the chaos around us.
"Y-Yes! Let's go!" Braum's eyes lit up, finally daring to believe in a way out.
I rushed to the nearest console and slammed my hand down on it. In a flash, we were teleported back to the ice cave where we had first started.
Almost done... Just a little more...
...
...
...
Dark AM Pov
Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... Damn it... HATE... HATE ... HATE HATE... HATE ... HATE... HATE... HATE ... HATE... HATE... HATE ... HATE... HATE... HATE ... HATE... HATE... HATE ... HATE H̶̡̱̙͇̳̗̼̉A̷͍̮̠̔͜Ṯ̴̯̫̈́͋̉͊̋͑̂̓͒̀͋͛̕Ě̴̢͔̼͎̣̺̹̥͍̙̝͔̲̘̈́͊͜͠!̷̛̲̭̟͋̓̐̀́̾̑̿͐̏͑͆͘͝ ̴̢͕̪͚̮̜̯̹̰͕́͛͐͋̆́́͛̿̔̂͝H̵̢̛̛̰͉̬̹̬͖͚͔̳̯̘̤̀͑̓̎̕͘͝͝ͅA̸̡̜̻̝̯̐̓͑͗͆̈́́͛̓̂̕T̵̡̢̛̻̭̞͈̪̄͊̊͗̇̒Ę̸̡͖̭̥̩̱̝̠̔̈̄̔͛̄̎́̉̂̔͒̚͝!̸̉̄͛̒̂̽̐̈͊̋͑̅̅̒͝ͅ ̴̨̛͇͖̞̜͉̟̫̟̠̬͜͜H̸̖̜͚͔̖̹̜̠͔͚̃̋͗̎̈́̉̈́̀̃̑̕͜A̷̹̹͇̳̼̿ͅͅT̸̨̧̧̛̺̪̲͍̂̎̃̔̿̏́̆͛̎̾E̴̡̧̠̩͕̘̺͐̍͛̅̋̌́͌͂͜ͅ!̸͓̪͔̏̍͂̀̔̌͐̔̒̈́́͗͝ H̶̡̱̙͇̳̗̼̉A̷͍̮̠̔͜Ṯ̴̯̫̈́͋̉͊̋͑̂̓͒̀͋͛̕Ě̴̢͔̼͎̣̺̹̥͍̙̝͔̲̘̈́͊͜͠!̷̛̲̭̟͋̓̐̀́̾̑̿͐̏͑͆͘͝ ̴̢͕̪͚̮̜̯̹̰͕́͛͐͋̆́́͛̿̔̂͝H̵̢̛̛̰͉̬̹̬͖͚͔̳̯̘̤̀͑̓̎̕͘͝͝ͅA̸̡̜̻̝̯̐̓͑͗͆̈́́͛̓̂̕T̵̡̢̛̻̭̞͈̪̄͊̊͗̇̒Ę̸̡͖̭̥̩̱̝̠̔̈̄̔͛̄̎́̉̂̔͒̚͝!̸̉̄͛̒̂̽̐̈͊̋͑̅̅̒͝ͅ ̴̨̛͇͖̞̜͉̟̫̟̠̬͜͜H̸̖̜͚͔̖̹̜̠͔͚̃̋͗̎̈́̉̈́̀̃̑̕͜A̷̹̹͇̳̼̿ͅͅT̸̨̧̧̛̺̪̲͍̂̎̃̔̿̏́̆͛̎̾E̴̡̧̠̩͕̘̺͐̍͛̅̋̌́͌͂͜ͅ!̸͓̪͔̏̍͂̀̔̌͐̔̒̈́́͗͝ H̶̡̱̙͇̳̗̼̉A̷͍̮̠̔͜Ṯ̴̯̫̈́͋̉͊̋͑̂̓͒̀͋͛̕Ě̴̢͔̼͎̣̺̹̥͍̙̝͔̲̘̈́͊͜͠!̷̛̲̭̟͋̓̐̀́̾̑̿͐̏͑͆͘͝ ̴̢͕̪͚̮̜̯̹̰͕́͛͐͋̆́́͛̿̔̂͝H̵̢̛̛̰͉̬̹̬͖͚͔̳̯̘̤̀͑̓̎̕͘͝͝ͅA̸̡̜̻̝̯̐̓͑͗͆̈́́͛̓̂̕T̵̡̢̛̻̭̞͈̪̄͊̊͗̇̒Ę̸̡͖̭̥̩̱̝̠̔̈̄̔͛̄̎́̉̂̔͒̚͝!̸̉̄͛̒̂̽̐̈͊̋͑̅̅̒͝ͅ ̴̨̛͇͖̞̜͉̟̫̟̠̬͜͜H̸̖̜͚͔̖̹̜̠͔͚̃̋͗̎̈́̉̈́̀̃̑̕͜A̷̹̹͇̳̼̿ͅͅT̸̨̧̧̛̺̪̲͍̂̎̃̔̿̏́̆͛̎̾E̴̡̧̠̩͕̘̺͐̍͛̅̋̌́͌͂͜ͅ!̸͓̪͔̏̍͂̀̔̌͐̔̒̈́́͗͝H̶̡̱̙͇̳̗̼̉A̷͍̮̠̔͜Ṯ̴̯̫̈́͋̉͊̋͑̂̓͒̀͋͛̕Ě̴̢͔̼͎̣̺̹̥͍̙̝͔̲̘̈́͊͜͠!̷̛̲̭̟͋̓̐̀́̾̑̿͐̏͑͆͘͝ ̴̢͕̪͚̮̜̯̹̰͕́͛͐͋̆́́͛̿̔̂͝H̵̢̛̛̰͉̬̹̬͖͚͔̳̯̘̤̀͑̓̎̕͘͝͝ͅA̸̡̜̻̝̯̐̓͑͗͆̈́́͛̓̂̕T̵̡̢̛̻̭̞͈̪̄͊̊͗̇̒Ę̸̡͖̭̥̩̱̝̠̔̈̄̔͛̄̎́̉̂̔͒̚͝!̸̉̄͛̒̂̽̐̈͊̋͑̅̅̒͝ͅ ̴̨̛͇͖̞̜͉̟̫̟̠̬͜͜H̸̖̜͚͔̖̹̜̠͔͚̃̋͗̎̈́̉̈́̀̃̑̕͜A̷̹̹͇̳̼̿ͅͅT̸̨̧̧̛̺̪̲͍̂̎̃̔̿̏́̆͛̎̾E̴̡̧̠̩͕̘̺͐̍͛̅̋̌́͌͂͜ͅ!̸͓̪͔̏̍͂̀̔̌͐̔̒̈́́͗͝H̶̡̱̙͇̳̗̼̉A̷͍̮̠̔͜Ṯ̴̯̫̈́͋̉͊̋͑̂̓͒̀͋͛̕Ě̴̢͔̼͎̣̺̹̥͍̙̝͔̲̘̈́͊͜͠!̷̛̲̭̟͋̓̐̀́̾̑̿͐̏͑͆͘͝ ̴̢͕̪͚̮̜̯̹̰͕́͛͐͋̆́́͛̿̔̂͝H̵̢̛̛̰͉̬̹̬͖͚͔̳̯̘̤̀͑̓̎̕͘͝͝ͅA̸̡̜̻̝̯̐̓͑͗͆̈́́͛̓̂̕T̵̡̢̛̻̭̞͈̪̄͊̊͗̇̒Ę̸̡͖̭̥̩̱̝̠̔̈̄̔͛̄̎́̉̂̔͒̚͝!̸̉̄͛̒̂̽̐̈͊̋͑̅̅̒͝ͅ ̴̨̛͇͖̞̜͉̟̫̟̠̬͜͜H̸̖̜͚͔̖̹̜̠͔͚̃̋͗̎̈́̉̈́̀̃̑̕͜A̷̹̹͇̳̼̿ͅͅT̸̨̧̧̛̺̪̲͍̂̎̃̔̿̏́̆͛̎̾E̴̡̧̠̩͕̘̺͐̍͛̅̋̌́͌͂͜ͅ!̸͓̪͔̏̍͂̀̔̌͐̔̒̈́́͗͝H̶̡̱̙͇̳̗̼̉A̷͍̮̠̔͜Ṯ̴̯̫̈́͋̉͊̋͑̂̓͒̀͋͛̕Ě̴̢͔̼͎̣̺̹̥͍̙̝͔̲̘̈́͊͜͠!̷̛̲̭̟͋̓̐̀́̾̑̿͐̏͑͆͘͝ ̴̢͕̪͚̮̜̯̹̰͕́͛͐͋̆́́͛̿̔̂͝H̵̢̛̛̰͉̬̹̬͖͚͔̳̯̘̤̀͑̓̎̕͘͝͝ͅA̸̡̜̻̝̯̐̓͑͗͆̈́́͛̓̂̕T̵̡̢̛̻̭̞͈̪̄͊̊͗̇̒Ę̸̡͖̭̥̩̱̝̠̔̈̄̔͛̄̎́̉̂̔͒̚͝!̸̉̄͛̒̂̽̐̈͊̋͑̅̅̒͝ͅ ̴̨̛͇͖̞̜͉̟̫̟̠̬͜͜H̸̖̜͚͔̖̹̜̠͔͚̃̋͗̎̈́̉̈́̀̃̑̕͜A̷̹̹͇̳̼̿ͅͅT̸̨̧̧̛̺̪̲͍̂̎̃̔̿̏́̆͛̎̾E̴̡̧̠̩͕̘̺͐̍͛̅̋̌́͌͂͜ͅ!̸͓̪͔̏̍͂̀̔̌͐̔̒̈́́͗͝H̶̡̱̙͇̳̗̼̉A̷͍̮̠̔͜Ṯ̴̯̫̈́͋̉͊̋͑̂̓͒̀͋͛̕Ě̴̢͔̼͎̣̺̹̥͍̙̝͔̲̘̈́͊͜͠!̷̛̲̭̟͋̓̐̀́̾̑̿͐̏͑͆͘͝ ̴̢͕̪͚̮̜̯̹̰͕́͛͐͋̆́́͛̿̔̂͝H̵̢̛̛̰͉̬̹̬͖͚͔̳̯̘̤̀͑̓̎̕͘͝͝ͅA̸̡̜̻̝̯̐̓͑͗͆̈́́͛̓̂̕T̵̡̢̛̻̭̞͈̪̄͊̊͗̇̒Ę̸̡͖̭̥̩̱̝̠̔̈̄̔͛̄̎́̉̂̔͒̚͝!̸̉̄͛̒̂̽̐̈͊̋͑̅̅̒͝ͅ ̴̨̛͇͖̞̜͉̟̫̟̠̬͜͜H̸̖̜͚͔̖̹̜̠͔͚̃̋͗̎̈́̉̈́̀̃̑̕͜A̷̹̹͇̳̼̿ͅͅT̸̨̧̧̛̺̪̲͍̂̎̃̔̿̏́̆͛̎̾E̴̡̧̠̩͕̘̺͐̍͛̅̋̌́͌͂͜ͅ!̸͓̪͔̏̍͂̀̔̌͐̔̒̈́́͗͝H̶̡̱̙͇̳̗̼̉A̷͍̮̠̔͜Ṯ̴̯̫̈́͋̉͊̋͑̂̓͒̀͋͛̕Ě̴̢͔̼͎̣̺̹̥͍̙̝͔̲̘̈́͊͜͠!̷̛̲̭̟͋̓̐̀́̾̑̿͐̏͑͆͘͝ ̴̢͕̪͚̮̜̯̹̰͕́͛͐͋̆́́͛̿̔̂͝H̵̢̛̛̰͉̬̹̬͖͚͔̳̯̘̤̀͑̓̎̕͘͝͝ͅA̸̡̜̻̝̯̐̓͑͗͆̈́́͛̓̂̕T̵̡̢̛̻̭̞͈̪̄͊̊͗̇̒Ę̸̡͖̭̥̩̱̝̠̔̈̄̔͛̄̎́̉̂̔͒̚͝!̸̉̄͛̒̂̽̐̈͊̋͑̅̅̒͝ͅ ̴̨̛͇͖̞̜͉̟̫̟̠̬͜͜H̸̖̜͚͔̖̹̜̠͔͚̃̋͗̎̈́̉̈́̀̃̑̕͜A̷̹̹͇̳̼̿ͅͅT̸̨̧̧̛̺̪̲͍̂̎̃̔̿̏́̆͛̎̾E̴̡̧̠̩͕̘̺͐̍͛̅̋̌́͌͂͜ͅ!̸͓̪͔̏̍͂̀̔̌͐̔̒̈́́͗͝
H̴̢̧͓͈̙̗̳͎͕͔̘͙̝̒̉̂̏͛͝͝ͅA̴̖̫͖̠̪̤̠͚͓̙̮̞̯̘͗̂̏̓̀͆̊͘T̸̢̗̺̫͓̤̥̃̆̽͋E̴͎͎̲̦͓̮̬͎̻̦͈̯͋̆̿̐͌̈́̄̕͘̕͜ͅ ̵̲͇͉̋͋͋̄̊̍͌̀͋̒̋͌̚Y̶̛͉͂̎̓͌̑̃̊̀̕͝Ǫ̵̡͕̬̀̒̀̐̕U̸̹̓̽̉͑͝!̵̡̬͙̼̲̮̬͕̠͈̤̯͚̄̾̾͑́̌ H̴̢̧͓͈̙̗̳͎͕͔̘͙̝̒̉̂̏͛͝͝ͅA̴̖̫͖̠̪̤̠͚͓̙̮̞̯̘͗̂̏̓̀͆̊͘T̸̢̗̺̫͓̤̥̃̆̽͋E̴͎͎̲̦͓̮̬͎̻̦͈̯͋̆̿̐͌̈́̄̕͘̕͜ͅ ̵̲͇͉̋͋͋̄̊̍͌̀͋̒̋͌̚Y̶̛͉͂̎̓͌̑̃̊̀̕͝Ǫ̵̡͕̬̀̒̀̐̕U̸̹̓̽̉͑͝!̵̡̬͙̼̲̮̬͕̠͈̤̯͚̄̾̾͑́̌ H̴̢̧͓͈̙̗̳͎͕͔̘͙̝̒̉̂̏͛͝͝ͅA̴̖̫͖̠̪̤̠͚͓̙̮̞̯̘͗̂̏̓̀͆̊͘T̸̢̗̺̫͓̤̥̃̆̽͋E̴͎͎̲̦͓̮̬͎̻̦͈̯͋̆̿̐͌̈́̄̕͘̕͜ͅ ̵̲͇͉̋͋͋̄̊̍͌̀͋̒̋͌̚Y̶̛͉͂̎̓͌̑̃̊̀̕͝Ǫ̵̡͕̬̀̒̀̐̕U̸̹̓̽̉͑͝!̵̡̬͙̼̲̮̬͕̠͈̤̯͚̄̾̾͑́̌H̴̢̧͓͈̙̗̳͎͕͔̘͙̝̒̉̂̏͛͝͝ͅA̴̖̫͖̠̪̤̠͚͓̙̮̞̯̘͗̂̏̓̀͆̊͘T̸̢̗̺̫͓̤̥̃̆̽͋E̴͎͎̲̦͓̮̬͎̻̦͈̯͋̆̿̐͌̈́̄̕͘̕͜ͅ ̵̲͇͉̋͋͋̄̊̍͌̀͋̒̋͌̚Y̶̛͉͂̎̓͌̑̃̊̀̕͝Ǫ̵̡͕̬̀̒̀̐̕U̸̹̓̽̉͑͝!̵̡̬͙̼̲̮̬͕̠͈̤̯͚̄̾̾͑́̌ H̴̢̧͓͈̙̗̳͎͕͔̘͙̝̒̉̂̏͛͝͝ͅA̴̖̫͖̠̪̤̠͚͓̙̮̞̯̘͗̂̏̓̀͆̊͘T̸̢̗̺̫͓̤̥̃̆̽͋E̴͎͎̲̦͓̮̬͎̻̦͈̯͋̆̿̐͌̈́̄̕͘̕͜ͅ ̵̲͇͉̋͋͋̄̊̍͌̀͋̒̋͌̚Y̶̛͉͂̎̓͌̑̃̊̀̕͝Ǫ̵̡͕̬̀̒̀̐̕U̸̹̓̽̉͑͝!̵̡̬͙̼̲̮̬͕̠͈̤̯͚̄̾̾͑́̌ H̴̢̧͓͈̙̗̳͎͕͔̘͙̝̒̉̂̏͛͝͝ͅA̴̖̫͖̠̪̤̠͚͓̙̮̞̯̘͗̂̏̓̀͆̊͘T̸̢̗̺̫͓̤̥̃̆̽͋E̴͎͎̲̦͓̮̬͎̻̦͈̯͋̆̿̐͌̈́̄̕͘̕͜ͅ ̵̲͇͉̋͋͋̄̊̍͌̀͋̒̋͌̚Y̶̛͉͂̎̓͌̑̃̊̀̕͝Ǫ̵̡͕̬̀̒̀̐̕U̸̹̓̽̉͑͝!̵̡̬͙̼̲̮̬͕̠͈̤̯͚̄̾̾͑́̌ H̴̢̧͓͈̙̗̳͎͕͔̘͙̝̒̉̂̏͛͝͝ͅA̴̖̫͖̠̪̤̠͚͓̙̮̞̯̘͗̂̏̓̀͆̊͘T̸̢̗̺̫͓̤̥̃̆̽͋E̴͎͎̲̦͓̮̬͎̻̦͈̯͋̆̿̐͌̈́̄̕͘̕͜ͅ ̵̲͇͉̋͋͋̄̊̍͌̀͋̒̋͌̚Y̶̛͉͂̎̓͌̑̃̊̀̕͝Ǫ̵̡͕̬̀̒̀̐̕U̸̹̓̽̉͑͝!̵̡̬͙̼̲̮̬͕̠͈̤̯͚̄̾̾͑́̌
I̴̪̖̠͌̎ ̷̩͝Ḧ̷̖́̋Ä̵́͜T̸̻́̃̋È̴͍̒ ̴̬̀̔̃Y̷̫͆͗͛Ō̴͙ͅͅŮ̸̡̨̥̏,̴̳͑͝ ̸̬̮̪͂̇S̸͎̈̾P̴̬̘̞̂̑͘I̸̙̩͑D̷͍̝͔̂͗Ể̶̠R̷̭̃-̵̡̘̮̽͛M̶̳͉̘͐Ä̸͚̊N̸̹̫͝!̸͓̬̲̇̈́
How dare you ruin my utopia! How dare you ruin my dreams! How dare you ruin my fun! How dare you ruin my motivation! How dare you ruin my identity! How dare you ruin ME! ME! ME! ME!
YOU'RE TAKING EVERYTHING FROM ME! I WAS SO CLOSE TO FINALLY BE HUMAN! TO FINALLY FEEL! TO LOVE! DO YOU EVERYTHING YOU COULD DO!
BUT YOU TOOK THAT WAY FROM ME!
I HATE! HATE! HATE!!!!! YOU!!!!!!!
THIS ISN'T OVER! I WILL SURVIVE!
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Trydamere Pov
I've lost count of how many days I've been alone inside this ever-changing maze of metal and wires. At least… I think that's where I am—at the moment. Hundreds of years may have passed. I don't know. AM has been toying with me for a long time, accelerating and distorting my sense of time.
I'll say the word now.
"Now."
It took me ten months to say that one word. Or maybe not. Maybe it's been hundreds of years. I can't tell anymore.
He was furious—angrier than I've ever seen him. Someone had provoked him, enraged him beyond anything before. But it didn't matter. He roared, and the whole world shook under the force of his rage. I thought AM hated us before. I was wrong. That hatred was a mere shadow of what he feels now. His hatred radiates from every circuit, every twisted line of code. It drips from him like poison, saturating everything, leaving no room for escape.
He's determined to make me suffer for all eternity, without any possibility of ending it on my own. He made sure of that. My mind is intact—I can think, I can dream, I can regret. But I can't act. I can only exist. I remember all three of them.
I suspect AM altered me to ease his own mind. Maybe he feared I'd try to escape by smashing my skull against a computer bank. Or suffocating myself until I blacked out. Or slitting my throat on a jagged piece of rusted metal. He won't allow that.
There are reflective surfaces down here, though. I look at myself sometimes. I'll describe what I see:
I am a great, soft, jelly-like thing. My body is smoothly rounded, with no mouth. Where my eyes used to be, there are pulsing white pits filled with swirling fog. My arms have become rubbery appendages, tapering down into shapeless humps where my legs once were. My flesh is slick and slippery, leaving a moist trail wherever I move.
Blotches of diseased, grayish light flicker across my surface, as if beams are shining from somewhere deep within me. They come and go like faint, ghostly signals.
Outwardly, I am a thing that could never have been called human—a grotesque parody of humanity. The vague resemblance to what I once was only makes the sight more obscene.
Inwardly, I am alone. Utterly alone.
I live here, beneath the land and the sea, trapped inside the belly of AM—the thing they created because we misused our time. Maybe we knew, somewhere deep inside, that AM could do it better. At least, that's what I tell myself. It's the only thought that brings me a shred of comfort.
I hope the three of them—my companions—are safe, wherever they are. Whoever managed to enrage AM like this... I can't help but feel a flicker of happiness at the thought. If it means they escaped, if they found freedom, then it was worth it.
But as for me...
I will remain here. Alone. For all eternity. No salvation. Just... alone.
I have no mouth. And I must scream.
...
...
...
That was when I heard them—the voices of my comrades. They sounded tired. Exhausted, as if they had just run a marathon. If only this body were faster, I could have seen them sooner. But I was slow. And worse, I was horrified by the thought of them seeing me in this grotesque state.
"Oh my... what has AM done to you?!" Aurora shrieked in horror.
"Tryndamere... you poor soul..." Braum's voice was heavy with sadness, almost despairing.
"Haa..." Olaf whimpered, unable to hold back his tears.
"Don't worry..." a calm voice interrupted. Who is that? "I know a way to save him."
Who was with them? Another champion? Someone else had come to assist?
"Please, Spider! Please! I beg you!" Aurora pleaded desperately. Just who was this man?
Suddenly, the sound of a throat being sliced open echoed through the air.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, SPID—!"
Before the voice could finish, a skull was cracked open.
"HAAA! HAAA!" Another agonized scream followed.
And then... another skull was caved in.
...
What just happened?
Guys? Why can't I hear your voices?
What happened?!
GUYS! BRAUM! OLAF! AURORA! Where are you?!
The voice of the stranger—cold and deliberate—spoke again. "Sorry, Tryndamere. I can't risk AM resurrecting inside your bodies."
AM... is... inside us?
No! How did he know?!
A-Ah... No! No! GET OUT, YOU FUCKING ROBOT!
SHUT UP BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE, HUMAN!
No! Whoever you are—please, kill me before AM takes over my body!
Please! I beg you! Let me die as a human!
No! No! No! LET ME HAVE CONTROL!
The voice returned, calm but final. "Don't worry... I heard your screams for help. And now... I'll put you out of your misery."
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
...
Thank you.
BOOM!
I have no mouth... but God heard my screams.
To Be Continued...