Transcendental Cyber God

Chapter Eleven

"One thing though, you can't spook them. You'll remain silent until they permit you to speak," Crystal laid down the ground rules, and Dante nodded, unsure what else he was supposed to say. It sounded like a military camp, but he didn't mind.

"Good, you're learning," Crystal replied when Dante said nothing. He walked after her until they got to a clearing. Something felt different, but he couldn't place it. It was neither cold nor hot.

I can hear the birds chirping.

Dante laughed out loud then, unable to believe how much he'd missed them. The Graveyard felt dead, as the name implied.

"Everything here is alive," Dante whooped with glee, and Crystal didn't stop him; she just gave him a small smile, and he noticed a bunch of people huddled together, wearing the same jacket Crystal gave him earlier.

"Hel—" he tried to speak but remembered what Crystal told him a few moments before. Crystal never did anything just for the sake of it; that's what made her stand apart from the people he'd met in his life. She had a purpose, and he wasn't sure he'd ever had that.

"Who's that?" Dante heard a small voice, and a girl hiding behind Gilgamesh stepped out.

Dante's heart shattered. He went on his knees.

She looked to be about nine years old and missing an arm. She wasn't complete; whoever messed with her body didn't care enough to make sure she was able to defend herself at the very least.

Crystal bent down, too, meeting his eye level. Then she spoke in a whisper,

"I knew you'd react this way; that's why I didn't say anything earlier. This is what they did to her and so many others. Her parents were behind on payment, so she became the scapegoat. You don't hate this world more than I do; nobody does. Look at her, burn her image in your memory. Esme, that's her name. It took a while to get her here from The Graveyard, but I managed it."

Dante noticed Crystal's use of I, and something struck him.

"You were the first one here, weren't you?" He felt nauseated at the thought.

"Yes, I was. Barely seven years old, I found myself here. It's been over twelve years since then, and I have learnt to survive. I stuffed my belly with sand, hid from the darkness and contemplated eating my flesh. I created The Renegades. So, treat Esme with respect. She's a warrior, surviving everything thrown at her."

Dante couldn't look up at Crystal; he couldn't because while she fought tooth and nail to survive, he ogled her body instead. He didn't know her origins, yet he treated everything like a quest, not understanding the stakes.

"Why didn't Alan come with you?" Dante asked, still unable to get his legs to rise from the ground.

"I came for him many times, he declined. He chose to stay; there was nothing I could do," Crystal had a despairing look in her eyes, and Dante felt sick to his stomach.

"Can he talk?" Dante felt a finger poking his cheeks, and he turned to lash out, but standing before him was Esme, her smile as wide as the ocean.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Dante said, and Esme shirked in shock.

"Give her a little space; she's not used to you yet," Crystal explained, and Dante didn't mind; he was ready to do whatever it took to protect Esme, even from himself.

Crystal was the ultimate mother hen, but Dante couldn't bring himself to poke fun at her; her existence was filled with pain and even more pain. She had no one to depend on and survived alone.

Dante couldn't imagine it being the only one in the world. It felt like a nightmare.

"Don't worry, she'll come around," Gilgamesh nodded at Dante, who nodded back. The others in the group weren't so welcoming. There was a girl with black mascara over her eyes and a boy who looked like he was revving for a fight.

"I'll introduce you to everyone," Gilgamesh tried to explain, but Dante tuned him out. The world was darker than he'd expected, and he took everything for granted.

How does one survive alone in the world? With no one to call, nothing to reach for. Abyss. Void. Hell.

He looked at Crystal again as she calmed Esme down and ground his teeth.

I won't be pathetic anymore.