Polynya

I am aware, but it was you yourself who suggested sending Tamana and Tomas, and while they did little to stop your brother’s guild, they were able to add some psychological damage to the equation. Too bad we lost the dragon, though.

“Yes, you’re right. I’m sure my brother wasn’t happy.”

And his unhappiness will only grow with what I have planned next.

“Oh?” Kodai stands and raises an eyebrow at the serpent woman. “What is it you have planned? I’m aware of what we discussed, the larger plan.” He can’t help but grin. “The takeover.”

It will be glorious, but we cannot and have not yet been able to fully take over a person’s life chip.

Kodai nods.

This isn’t the first time he’s heard the woman mention ‘we.’ She has told him some of what she, or better, they, are trying to do. It seems easiest with RPCs, as their D-NAS has already been registered in Tritania’s system and when they take an avatar, small slivers of their original avatar remain with them, which is how the infection seeds.

But all they’ve been able to do with this infection is briefly modify a person’s iNet display. They still haven’t worked the kinks out in actually controlling the person, and for the most part, people that don’t immediately die after they see Tritania play out on their real world feed seem to recover. Well, sort of. They generally end up going insane, which doesn’t help to build an army at all.

An army of people who are controlled from within the game.

The thought only increases the size of Kodai’s grin.

They will work the kinks out. Kodai knows this, and he has already begun to plan how to control this army of mind-zapped denizens in the world out there. When they first met, it only took the serpent woman thirty minutes of explaining how it would work to completely sell him on the idea.

Still, he had questions, and for the most part, she deflected any question that dealt with specifics or reasons as to why he was chosen for this task.

“What is your plan?” he asks. “Should we attack them again?” A sinister grin spreads across his face. “I’d love, love, to lead an attack.”

Come here.

Kodai takes a step towards the open doorway in the center of the room. He reaches his arms in, moves closer, and breaches the game-time continuum.

His body and lower torso are still firmly planted outside the golden door, but his upper body is now inside.

He blinks as he takes in the starry galaxy in which the serpent woman stands.

She moves closer to him and a forked tongue extends from her mouth. It touches the bottom of his chin and pulls him just a bit closer to her.

The woman kisses him, as she did before, and as they kiss, images flash in front of his mind’s eye.

He sees a man in a robe; a white mage floating in the air with her nose upturned; a clean cut guy pursuing him around a circular hallway; a man in a life vest with arms that have turned into two grotesque weapons surrounded by throngs of screaming people; a war viewed from a perch in the sky; a faun flying through the air with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth as he unloads an ungodly amount of bullets; a black man pleading with her in the very space in which they currently stand.

Kodai just barely manages to pull away.

I believe you will really enjoy our next move.

“Sure, but,” he tries to recall the images as they slowly burn out, “but … what was that? What did you just show me?”

My past. Once you leave here, you will spawn in Porthos. Her eyes soften as she takes in Kodai’s face. You will mask your handle, and you will wreak havoc.

So transfixed is he by her gaze, Kodai doesn’t see the tendril of green magic moving to his temple.

“And the authorities will think it’s Ryuk,” he says.

And you will continue to disrupt his guild, preventing him from furthering his endeavors.

“What makes you think he’s going to Porthos?” Kodai asks. “He’s way out of the way.”

Your brother may not be as smart as you, but I’m assuming he’s smart enough to know when he is in over his head. I believe he is hoping to contact The Knights of Non Compos Mentis, specifically Sophia.

“Then we can bring the battle to them.”