What I Can Do

I flew above the treetops to see if I could pinpoint a target amongst the battalion. I could make out swordsmen, spearmen, and archers. I looked around for anyone who stood out, but nothing caught my eye.

Where’s the knight…? Based on what Finley said, he should be here with the rest of them.

I turned my head to look at the front of the army. They were nearing the camp, which now looked nearly empty. I could see small figures rushing out behind the tents, some of them climbing into wagons.

Think, think. Who in the army is the strongest? Or the fastest, the most capable?

Time was passing fast, and I needed to make a decision. I charged toward a burly swordsman near the front of the army. I reached out my hand, and as it came into contact with his head, I felt a shock like static travel through my entire body.

The world went dark. I regained consciousness in an empty void, filled with a soft sound like static from an old TV. I could see a figure identical to my own floating a short distance beside me. Their body was shaped like the swordsman, but its color was a pale red.

What is this? When I was in Faye’s head, I couldn’t see anything… But back then, it was almost like… being in a coma.

I approached the figure and reached out my hand. I touched his shoulder, and it began to warp. Small squares appeared, flashing in multiple colors.

Glitches… Like my own. Like Faye’s vision before I took over. Is this how it happened? Is this… how I do it?

I began to feel nauseous. Without a body, I would have expected to feel nothing at all. I bit my lip and prepared for the worst. I knew that one NPC meant nothing, especially since my next actions would mean taking the lives of many more.

They’re all NPCs, even those in the rebellion. When I get out of here, none of this will matter… But then, why do I feel so conflicted? Why do I care what happens to them all?

Argh… It’s just like when I was a kid. Getting attached to people that don’t really exist, spending so much time on them. Then a new game came out, and I’d do it all again.

… Wait. I remembered? No, I couldn’t ‘see’ anything at all, I still don’t know what I looked like or who I knew. But somehow, I remember how it felt back then.

I looked at the figure still floating before me. The glitched pixels were starting to fade.

Argh, what does it matter? Right now, I have the chance to be a hero in another world. I need to push all that behind me and just enjoy this moment. This world. These friends.

And it’s my friends’ safety… that matters most!

I plunged my hand into the figure’s chest. Glitches began to spread from its place, quickly covering the entire form. I felt a pressure in my head as the void lit up. My vision went white, and the world faded in.

Did it work? Am I…

I looked down at my hands, which were large and gloved in white. I heard shouting and thundering footsteps all around me. I whipped my head up and saw the tents from the encampment.

“Pick up your weapon, soldier, and keep moving!”

On the ground in front of me, lying close to my thick brown boots, was a well-shined sword. I bent down to pick it up, and dirt flew into my eyes. I squinted and tried to blow it out as I stood up.

I’ve got it. Man, I feel so groggy. Ah, what was I doing again?

Memories of a commander’s orders flew through my mind, then memories of Finley and Matthias disappearing into the encampment.

Right— soldier memory is his, friends running into camp is mine. Now, how do I stop an entire army? I’ve never fought like this before, so maybe I should just not think and do.

I rushed to the front of the line as they entered the camp. I turned fast on my heels and faced them head-on. Behind me, I could hear people rushing to escape. The army slowed a bit and began to shout at me.

“What are you doing?!”

“Move it, get out of the way— or else you’ll be struck down!”

I readied the sword in my hand and charged at the first soldier I saw with their guard down. He staggered and fell back, the next soldier beside him shouting in surprise.

Okay, one down. That wasn’t too hard. Let’s see how long this body holds up!

I swung at the next soldier, and the army began to turn its focus onto me. As my sword cut into another soldier, a spear sliced the side of my neck. I used my leg to kick an approaching swordsman as I sliced the spearman’s arm.

It burns. This body is strong, but it has its limits. I can’t stop them all on my own. When this body falls, I’ll just have to take another!

I forced my sword into another soldier’s abdomen. They fell before I could take it back, and I looked around frantically for another weapon. An arrow struck my leg as I threw myself down to grab another sword.

I jumped up, and as I ran to attack another spearman, a soldier came from behind and sliced my back. I stumbled into the spearman and he head-butted me. I deflected his spear and turned to face the swordswoman. She raised her sword and I stopped it with my hand.

As the blade cut through the glove, I swung my sword at her collarbone. The spearman thrust his spear into my back, and I felt the heat leaving my body.

Dammit, this one’s done. Even if I survive, I won’t be in a condition to fight anymore. I need to get out, quick.

I focused on exiting the body, but nothing seemed to be working. My vision darkened, and the limp body fell to the ground.

Get out, get out, get out.

My vision came back, and I found myself hovering above the corpse.

“What the—“

“It’s the specter! Run!”

The soldiers near me began to disperse, but those behind me continued to charge into the camp. I rushed to find another body and spotted an archer with a shoulder wound.

Not perfect, but it’ll have to do.

I forced my way into her head and entered the familiar void. Her ‘soul’ also appeared to be a pale red, and it warped as I forced my hand into its chest. The glitches spread quickly, and my head pulsed as my vision switched.

When I came to, I heard screams coming from inside the camp. I rushed inside and saw a family that had been too slow to get away in time. I picked up a sword from a nearby weapons rack and approached the surrounding army.

I ran into the crowd and swung the sword with my good arm. One soldier fell, and the next turned as I swung my blade downward. My arm stopped prematurely, and it seized up.

My head tilted downward to see something sticking out of my abdomen. It looked like a large, pinched-closed claw and was sharp, hard-edged, and rock-like.

The sword clattered to the ground as I tried to lift my head. Above me was a cold gaze peering through strands of faded white hair. Their pale face and sunken eyes made them look almost like a corpse. The lower half of their face was covered in what looked like an intricate mask made of obsidian, carved at the edges with teeth-like grooves.

The figure’s dark blue eyes, which had pupils shaped like split planets, narrowed slightly as they removed their hand from my stomach. I felt my back hit the ground with a thud. My vision darkened as the figure receded from my sight.

“Enough, specter.”

The voice coming from above me was cold and indifferent. It sounded masculine, and as my consciousness faded, I remembered the opponent I’d forgotten to look out for.

Ah, right. I remember… like Vivian said. He must be…

“Reveal yourself. The Queen… has a message for you.”

The Shattered Knight… Endymion.