Goodbye Sara

"What is going on Zeke?" Scarlet asked. "You look different and act different."

"No, I don't." Alpha said. "It's just me, plain old boring, Zeke."

"You have red glowing eyes." Scarlet said slowly.

Sara popped up off the ground and struck Zeke on the back of the head with a chop, rendering him unconscious again. "This one has stopped the demon king transformation once more." Sara said. "Unknown as to why fifty-one is so vulnerable to the influence of the demon king trait."

Alpha found himself back in the void with Zeke.

"Welcome back." Zeke said.

"Ah stupid android." Alpha complained.

"So, I will be taking my body back." Zeke said.

"Yeah, yeah." Alpha sighed. "Looks like I need to work on a better impersonation of being a loser."

"Ouch." Zeke said. "I don't think I am a loser."

"Don't feel bad, kid." Alpha sighed. "Most of the heroes I have seen throughout the eons have been losers. Hell, even I started out as one, I was just a pathetic guard. It wasn't until I became a hero and truly embraced what that mean did not cease to become a loser."

"So, you will eventually stop calling me a loser?" Zeke asked.

"Depends on if you ever stop being one." Alpha laughed.

"That was really nice the way you destroyed all the gargoyles like that. How did you do that anyway?" Zeke asked. "I mean even if you are in control, isn't my body still the same level?"

"You got a lot to learn, kid." Alpha said. "First off the whole level bullshit is meaningless and pointless. It is a fake system that is making you believe in shit that isn't even there."

"Wait, what?" Zeke said.

"Look as you level you get stronger, correct?" Alpha said. "If your level is higher within the system, you are given an advantage. Well over the years I have found that the system does not belong to the real world and is a fake construct that was imposed upon it. I am outside of that system and therefore I am not constrained to its rules."

"What does that even mean?" Zeke said.

"It means I can do what I want." Alpha said. "Although there are limits apparently. I cannot control anything other than your body and I have the same weakness as your body. So, if your body gets knocked out, I end up here despite everything. You need to get stronger kid; you are my only weakness."

"Even if I did, if I needed your help again you would just steal my body." Zeke said. "We need a better arrangement."

"What do you have in mind?" Alpha asked. "You want to just surrender your body over to me permanently?"

"No." Zeke said. "Besides, Sara would probably just kill us if we woke up with you in control."

"That is a good point." Alpha said. "Then I would have to wait for who knows how long before a new hero candidate shows up. It's always such a boring wait."

"You are awake for the whole time?" Zeke asked.

"Yeah." Alpha said. "I normally study the system and try to uncover its secrets while I wait. Although I don't think I can learn anything else from within it."

Zeke began to fade from the void world. "Looks like I am waking up." Zeke waved goodbye as he disappeared.

"Zeke!" Scarlet could finally be heard yelling his name. "Oh, good he is finally opening his eyes."

"See, this unit told you it did not kill him." Sara explained.

"Oh, my head." Zeke said. "Must you hit me so hard?"

"Must you lose control of yourself?" Sara responded back.

"Okay, point taken." Zeke replied.

"So that other you." Scarlet said. "What kind of crazy power is that? Are you aware of anything while it's happening, or do you just wake up with no memory?"

"I can see it." Zeke explained. "But I am not in control."

"That makes sense." Scarlet said. "I didn't think you would ever call me babe. Still, that was very impressive the way the other you saved me and then took out those gargoyles."

"The power of a demon king is not a toy." Sara said. "Please refrain from using that dark power in the future. It is not the correct path to becoming a True Hero."

"And with all your past failures are you sure that's true?" Zeke said. "Afterall I am number fifty-one, remember? That's fifty failures. Who is to say what is the right path, you obviously don't know it?"

[Wow!] Alpha said. He started clapping. [I am honestly impressed. I did not think you had it in you to tell her off like that. You might just get out of the loser category yet.]

[She has done nothing to help us and only criticizes us at every point.] Zeke responded. [I am tired of it.]

"You are correct." Sara replied. "This unit is a failure. This unit will fall back and observe from a distance." Saying that Sara leaped far out of the area where Zeke and Scarlet were standing.

"Wow, she actually left." Zeke said happily.

"Yeah, she would have gotten us both killed if she stayed with us." Scarlet responded.

[You don't know the half of it, babe.] Alpha said.

[She can't hear you.] Zeke replied.

[Does not make it any less true.] Alpha said.

"So, let's go into the castle and get the treasure." Zeke said. "Status." He brought up his status screen. "Yeah, with those gargoyles dead I am now level one hundred. I shouldn't have any more issues here."

"Wow, you are leveling so fast!" Scarlet said. "The hero class must be really something else to have."

It's a lot of pressure actually." Zeke said. "Knowing the fate of the world rests on my shoulders, it is not a burden I ever wanted to bear, but it is a burden I accept. Let's go."