Location: Anchor Vault – Deep Spire Archive, Planet 10
Time: [Current Drift Level: "We're So Screwed"]
Ren: "Alright, Plan A — punch him in the face."
The parasite version of Ren — aka R/Null-REN — launched across the vault like a glitch in God Mode. His hand glowed with corrupted Rift glyphs, reaching again for the Core in Ren's chest.
Ren ducked. Barely.
REN:
"NOPE. Nope nope nope—"
DODGE! BLOCK! DODGE AGAIN!
He swung Snarksteel.
CLANG!
The blade hit the parasite's cloak like it was made of reality itself. Didn't even scratch it.
SNARKSTEEL (screaming):
"WHY IS HE DRESSED IN UNBREAKABLE GLITCH COAT?!"
PLAN A: FAIL.
REN:
"Alright. Plan B: throw a distraction."
He threw Frost.
FROST (midair):
"WHAT THE F—!"
She exploded into shards of cryo-magic mid-flip, freezing part of the floor and slowing the parasite's steps.
It worked!
For like 2 seconds.
R/NULL-REN (calmly):
"Adorable. Try again."
PLAN B: FAIL.
TIME (suddenly appearing in a suit with floating sunglasses):
"Plan C, baby! Let's bend the clock! I'll rewind 10 seconds and we try again!"
REN:
"That'll help?"
TIME:
"Pfft no. But it'll make the failure funnier."
Time snapped his fingers. The moment looped back.
Ren tried kicking the parasite instead of dodging.
FAIL.
Again.
TIME (laughing):
"Ahh. Just as painful the second time."
REN (now panicking):
"PLAN C IS ALSO BAD."
Then he looked behind the parasite.
At the Anchor — floating in the air like a glowing puzzle orb made of code, light, and forbidden dreams.
SPACE (suddenly warping in, drinking boba tea out of a star):
"Okay I have a plan."
REN:
"Please tell me it's not throwing me at it."
SPACE:
"Nope. We're gonna connect the Anchor to the Core via spiritual Bluetooth."
REN:
"…What?"
SPACE (grinning):
"Hold your breath. Think 'connect.' Swipe right on the cosmic interface.
I'll handle the tether."
REN (still confused):
"Wait I don't have—"
AETHERIUM CORE (pop-up):
> 🔵 ANCHORPOINT DEVICE FOUND > Name: [🌀 The Realest Sh*t] > Pair? [Yes] / No
REN (smashing 'YES'):
"PAIR! PAIR IT NOW!!"
Behind him, the parasite screamed:
R/NULL-REN:
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
REN (running in circles):
"TECH SUPPORT, B*TCH!"
The Anchor began to glow brighter—
threads of golden data shooting toward Ren's chest—
merging directly into the Dimensional Core.
AETHERIUM CORE:
> 🔄 ANCHOR SYNC IN PROGRESS… > DO NOT INTERRUPT > WARNING: HOSTILE GRABBY HANDS DETECTED
The parasite lunged.
Gravity locked the room in place — time slowed.
Everything bent toward Ren as the sync hit:
100%.
A giant shockwave burst outward.
BOOM.
Ren was thrown backward, slammed into a wall of memory-steel.
The parasite staggered.
Wounded.
Pissed.
But not gone.
R/NULL-REN (growling):
"You stole it…
You synced the Anchor to a broken host!"
REN (panting, glowing, barely standing):
"I'm not broken.
I'm just… patched with hope and duct tape."
BLAZE (charging in):
"AND FLAMES."