The Gamer's System

Chapter 151: What They Went Through

Upon return, Zeke immediately began the piecing together of information based on what was stored within Sylph's dreams. He went to his room and specifically gave the instructions for no disturbances to be made for the time being because the process itself was meticulous.

Zeke went to sleep once again, giving his body a much-needed rest while his mind continued functioning through [Subconscious] and [Gamer's Mind]. 

There were only fragments of memories within the dreams but, Zeke knew that this would be enough for him to reach the truth. Even those dreams had something consistent on them and, this is what Zeke sued to compute probabilities while also piecing together the timeline of information.

"I should've eaten at least. My body must be hungry by now." He said, already strained from all the activities he continually did.

The first was defeating the seven [Chaos Dragons] which needed the use of [Blaze of the Fire God]. This was followed up by the entering of Sylph's dream. Right after, to put his mind at ease, Zeke decided to sort all the data just in case there was something that could be gained from them.

"Okay, let's begin." Zeke said, finally placing every piece of data together and creating a [Memory] out of it.

[Loading all data connected to Sylph Windsprite]

[Please wait a moment]

[Beginning Transmission...]

The first thing which Zeke looked at was the transport itself before their final fight. The whole group got dispersed to different areas. It wasn't any accident nor a coincidence because, as Zeke looked, he figured out that all the areas were major barracks. All the soldiers set to be deployed on the three other Continents were dispersed to these areas and, Sylph took the full blow of fighting one of these groups all by herself.

Zeke himself was sent to a highly populated area. Unlike the three sisters, he was sent to the heart of the enemy forces itself which he felt relief in figuring out. Because if it was any of the Windsprites who was sent there, then they would've stood no chance against Gallio. Not that he was underestimating them or anything of course. He was simply thinking of the facts based on the data collected.

"Okay, let's rewind to that part just after transporting." Zeke said, looking at the beam of light and [Analyzing] it. It was impossible however because it was only a piece of memory. All he could see was based on what Sylph could comprehend, no more no less.

"I knew it wouldn't work. And here I was thinking that I'll finally catch the real culprit." Zeke told himself.

He had a hunch and, a highly probable one at that. Glade Leonis himself couldn't plot a scheme as grand as the one he executed all on his own. It would've been difficult because, Glade didn't have access to all the information and, what he knew was only based on what he got out of Gallio. 

If this was so, there was no way for the elf to outmaneuver him. Zeke knew that there was a stronger force involved. One of the minor gods probably and, specifically, one who specialized in deceit, manipulation, trickery, and all those things.

"Okay. Now onto the next task." He said, skipping the whole fight and going straight to the part of them being transferred to the Labyrinth. 

Since the sisters were unconscious during the transport, they couldn't see who it was that put them there. This also proved troublesome for Zeke as, even this would've been a crucial piece of information for them.

The scene which followed was the life of the Windsprites within the Labyrinth. Although things were mushy because he retrieved them from a dream, Zeke was still able to piece things together carefully. Zeke saw the whole process of torture from day one and, in no way was it humane. 

Their clothing were only ragged blankets which got replaced daily. They were forced to strip while the soldiers watched and even jerked off from the sight of their exposed skin. The soldiers gave them baths by spraying water on them which was extremely cold, followed by excruciatingly hot water. They got burns and screamed over and over again but, a healer was there who restored their bodies back after each bath.

Each and every day, the cell detainers would disperse a gas on them, making it difficult to breathe and giving them visions of Zeke being there. He saw the version of himself produced by the gas which fed them false information. It whispered on their ears, laughed at them, even danced in the middle of the suffering sisters. The illusion said that he was the enemy and that, he was the one who put them there.

It was an obvious lie of course. But with the excruciating amount of pain they experienced every day, coupled by their hunger from the lack of food and water, they started believing these things. Zeke was able to remain stable while watching this whole ordeal because of [Gamer's Mind] but, a tear still ran down his cheek as everything unfolded.

For years, they were able to resist and yet, little by little they were converted. There were lines on the walls of the prison and, just by counting them, he knew that it took four whole years before another prisoner was placed inside.

This was, of course, nothing more than an act because the one who got sent in was none other than Glade. He was beaten to a pulp which surprised Zeke as much as it enraged him. He knew that it was all an act but, with the Windsprites being held there, he figured that it would only be a matter of time before they were fully converted.

"Why are you here?" Of course, Sylph immediately gave him a beating. Considering how angry and frustrated she was, together with the insane amount of psychological stress placed on her because of getting locked up in the labyrinth, with nobody to talk to aside from Allesiah, of course she furious.

She beat up Glade for half a day and Allesiah just watched this blankly from the side of the cell. It was because she was more intelligent than her sister that the Labyrinth took a larger toll on her. Zeke also figured that the time they spent together would naturally falsify all the illusions but, that was only to an extent. 

She fought back with all her might and as a result, she became something like a doll. Murmuring words day in and day out. Saying 'this isn't real' over and over again.

"You bastard!" Sylph said, breaking some of Glade's bones and punching his face so hard that the elf almost lost consciousness.

Zeke however, knew that this did nothing to the enemy. In fact, he was sure that some sort of defense was placed over his body which allowed him to not feel any pain. There were also things placed to protect his vitals. But he still screamed in pain, coughed up blood, and all those other disgusting stuff because, that was the only way for the two to believe his act.

Sylph then went back to the corner of the room, hugging Allesiah next to her. Glade on the other hand, curled up on one corner, he didn't speak anymore nor tried getting up. The following day, the same thing happened. For a whole week Glade was nothing more than a way for Sylph to relieve her stress. 

All throughout, Glade said nothing more and simply accepted all the beating like a living punching bag. Curling up on one corner after every session; unmoving like a corpse. And then, after a week of being together, something finally came up which placed shock on Zeke's face.

He saw himselfor rather his old body. He saw it in one piece. It was there, clothed regally like Gallio and, on his side were two soldiers that seemed to have come with him.

"Zeke! It's you right?" Sylph said, coming closer to him and, as soon as she got close, she took out a blade. It was carefully crafted all those years with a stone she dug up. It gave her wounds all over but, that was a small price to pay to create a weapon. The soldiers beside the fake Zeke stopped the attack of course which would've easily killed him on the spot.

"That's a cute little toy you got there Sylph." The fake Zeke said, smirking. 

It was definitely him. From the voice, to the manner of speaking, to the body itself and the movements. Everything was so like him and it didn't make any sense. He already transferred bodies and, as far as he could tell, his old body was destroyed by Glade.

And yet there it was, completely intact. If he could use [Analysis] he would've already figured things out. But it was unavailable. He couldn't see a thing because it was through Sylph's memories that things were displayed.

"Could things get any worse than this?" He uttered.

And it did. Sylph's arm was just about to be cut off but then Glade intervened. This made the fake Zeke furious and got him out of the cell. The two couldn't escape of occurs because they were bound by the shackles. 

With the cell being left open, they saw how Glade was given a beating by Zeke. They also saw the menacing laughter he made and how he even [Conjured] creatures. While all of this happened, the soldiers gassed the sisters again and because of this, they didn't see the important part in the whole scene. That even though Glade was being beaten up, he himself was not gassed by the soldiers. 

In fact, the whole thing was probably part of his scheme. Zeke knew it. Even with him not being there, he knew that it was something that Glade was capable of doing and, he hated every part of the manipulation. 

He hated that his old allies had to suffer four years of inhumane treatment and that, their brains were also being shattered bit by bit. He hated that things were being set against him and that, slowly, things were turning to Glade's favor.

Another year passe with this occurring. The fake Zeke continued visiting and, this was all that was needed to finally break them. Glade would defend the two each and every time, receiving the beating that was supposed to be for the Windsprites. Sylph softened up and finally accepted him and, Allesiah did the same. With this, Glade also placed the finishing touches on the two. 

They were broken out of the area and, it wasn't just any normal person who did this. It was Sylvia Windsprite. Their eldest sister came to their rescue. But Zeke already figured that this was also part of the grander scheme of things because, she didn't retaliate against Glade. Furthermore, there was no resistance from the guards.

Sylvia simply broke through the ceiling, got them out and, proceeded to entering a ship at the shore of the continent. Here, Sylph explained everything to them. How Zeke turned on them and that, he tricked the citizens of Elysium into thinking that the Windsprites were evil. He told them how Gallio was defeated only to serve as a means to another end and how, they were being kept as the fake Zeke's personal toys.

Sylph cried and Allesiah was still blank all throughout. But Zeke knew that the deed was done. Glade already won and the succeeding events showed this.

They got one continent each, with the forces being monitored by Glade himself. He gave them the drugs which helped the recover because the gas on the Labyrinth created an effect that required treatment. And this treatment was Glade's medicine.

He also told them years later that he would enter the [Ruined City] to get more items that could help them against Zeke and, the sisters agreed because they knew how strong Zeke was. 

All this time Zeke thought that the four Continents worked as one. But, they didn't. One Continent was made as an enemy of three others and, this was Elysium. And with this, the memory finally ended, leaving Zeke with more questions than before he started.

[End of Transmission]

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