Countdown to Corruption

"Then... how do I start?" I asked Eo.

"And, how can we help you?" Fudo added in.

"I'm not sure yet, but stay on standby. Ruby, are you sure this is all okay?" Eo asked Ruby while turning back to look at everybody.

"It sounds like if you people don't handle Illya up there, she will come down here again. We're recovering from Alba and Zeal's death and we have to take care of their children while we find a caretaker, but other than that, I'll agree to help." Ruby told us.

Lia, Eo, Lily, Carl, Ellie, Noboki, Moon Alatus, and I all went to a nearby hospital, I think, with that Life Support machine in it to push me to my limit.

It's pretty scary hearing that I might die from this... but I guess some things just have to happen... that doesn't mean I wasn't scared.

Come on Dani... you can do this. You even triumphed over Moon, which you shouldn't have... you'll make it through... it'll be alright...

"Dani, are you okay? You look pale." Lily asked me. I didn't really know her, but her concern for me told me that at least she was an ally.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little nervous. Where is this machine at? The Life Support machine." I said, clarifying what I meant.

"It's right around this corner. It's that sign." Eo pointed out. I saw the sign and turned into the room.

It was pretty large, big enough so all of us could be in here comfortably, but I wasn't sure what I should do here yet.

"Alright, to initiate this, we need to follow the steps of Corruption. Let's see here..." Eo said, she turned to her side and started to squint her eyes at the floor.

"I can't kill anybody to enter Corruption! And... what are you doing?" I asked Eo while lying in the bed next to the weird machinery.

"You don't have to kill anybody. You have to disobey the rules set in place to prevent corruption on purpose. Sky never Corrupted his System because he killed, he Corrupted it because he knew that it would ruin his chances on Earth, and accepted that to protect his friends. That's why his System Corrupted." Eo told us.

"That's true... becoming a Corrupt Stone would ruin his chances on Earth. But to think, he accepted that and still did it...? I need to learn more about your leader." Alatus muttered.

"How do I disobey the System? I'm ready." I told Eo with a confident stance. Well, as confident as I could get in a chair.

"What's one rule that you would never break? That's what it means. Sky learned to the rule of no killing and it became his wall. What rules do you know... rules that you would never break unless absolutely pushed to do so?" Eo asked me.

Rules that I would intentionally break if it meant survival? What rules would I break...

"You have to prove that you would break it as well. No matter what it may be, you have to prove it as well." Eo told me.

"Prove it...? I don't know... I don't want to let anybody down... I don't want to let Illya keep Sky... I would never let him get hurt... does that mean I'm breaking my rules?" I asked Eo.

"Is that Stone red? Then, no." Eo said while pointing to my White Stone.

I can't do it? How am I supposed to help Sky when I'm this worthless right now? I can't even corrupt my System?!

Wait a minute... worthless...

"I'm not... worthless..." I muttered.

"Huh? What did you say?" Alatus asked me.

"My life has a point... Eo, how do I initiate it? I want to corrupt my System. Tell me... tell me right now before I lose it!" I yelled out to her.

On the ice bay, a long time ago, right as Red died, I learned from Zeal that my life would never amount to anything. That was a rule, I guess, that I never wanted to follow, and one that I would do anything to prove against.

"Well, depending on your rule, you'd have to prove it. So, can you prove it and corrupt your System?" Eo asked me again.

I concentrated with my eyes closed, focusing on everybody and their deaths.

I learned about Ullr's death, Tavian's incapacitation, and Sky's incapacitation before I woke up again. Red and Domin died, Cody and Robby fell to the war as well... and that whole time, they were doing something of use. I did nothing, I didn't win, I tied, and I almost died, putting the burden on everybody.

Now... of all times... knowing how terrible of a person I was... I want to prove my worth. I want to prove Zeal wrong and corrupt my System... so... CORRUPT!

[System Alert! Corruption at 40%]

I held my left eye in pain as my whole head ached and I couldn't help but whimper as that pain paralyzed my body.

"She has it! The letters! Come on Dani, push a little further!" Ellie said to me.

40%?! That's nothing, I need more!

Come on Dani... you will be Corrupt. You need to! You need to do this to be worth something!

[System Alert! Corruption at 42%]

I can't make this push! It hurts my head far too much! How did Sky get over this?!

I held my head tighter as the pain intensified... but it never relieved itself. It stood still, and my Corruption didn't decrease... it wasn't moving.

I can't forget what I saw. Sky had this pain as well... but he didn't deal with it like this...

"Do you have any cloth? I need something..." I muttered underneath my breath.

"You know what, Dani, you're at forty percent, you're closer than you used to be. Just give it some time, don't push too far." Eo told me while putting her hand over my body to lift me out of the chair.

Ellie handed me a towel and I thanked her, grabbing it, and putting it in my mouth to bite down on.

"Don't push too far? I haven't even begun pushing yet." I told her. I bit down on the towel and closed my eyes tightly.

This pain... it's nothing... deal with it... it could be so much worse... it has been so much worse... think Dani, remember?

I remember... staring Sky in the eye as he killed his first person... he wasn't regretting it, he had a look of concentration on his face... he was determined... be determined here. You have to match his level... come on Dani... remember it all.

I shut my eyes tighter, almost squeezing them out of my head while biting on the towel as the pain intensified.

"Is it night already? I can't see anything" Domin's voice echoed in my mind.

"Dani, I'm scared. Should we run?" Red's voice came next.

"You're pretty fast... I hope I can be like you one day." Next came Cody's request to match my level.

"Just you watch! I'll get strong too!" Robby shouted out to me.

"I will be useful to you, Dani. Don't worry, I've already helped out Sky a lot." Ullr told me.

[System Alert! Corruption at 70%]