Breaker of Iniquity

Chapter 3: The Color of Mars

Seralyn appeared in the port town of Castor. She sighed and trudged to the usual meeting spot. Mars was there waiting, leaning against a wall behind a stack of crates. His arms were folded, and one foot pushed against the wall like he was trying to be cool. "You should really be nicer to your friends," she said.

"You should really not flirt with everyone you meet." He scowled.

Seralyn scowled right back. "There's a difference between talking and flirting." She looked away and mumbled, "If you'd get out more you'd know that."

"What was that?"

"Nothing," she said. There was a long silence.

"Well, you know the drill." Mars waited.

"Here?!" She exclaimed.

"What?" Mars smirked. "Worried your parents are going to see?"

The Oculus Magna headset was as private as game systems could get. Leave it to Mars to turn that blessing into a curse. "Very funny," Sera said looking away with furrowed brows.

She went into her character menu and began removing her armor. First the black breastplate, then the white robes. Her character stood in a bikini top and slacks. She gulped, opened her appearance settings, and toggled her undergarments off. The bikini top vanished. Mars grinned that creepy grin of his. On instinct Seralyn's hands went to her chest in embarrassment. "This is going to be a lot less fun when they patch it."

"Then I'll just enjoy it until then," he said. "Drop your arms."

Sera looked about the nearly empty alley and obeyed. She waited, trying to control her breathing, as he took screenshot after screenshot. That little camera icon by his name had become a symbol of sleaze and regret. She just had to endure it a little longer. It's only a game. She tried to tell herself. But this wasn't about seeing Seralyn's breasts in character.

It was about humiliating and subjugating Rachel.

He reached for her.

"Not today," she said without thinking. Her hands covered herself once more, as she re-equipped her armor.

"Alright." Mars warned. "Send me two pictures before midnight."

"Bef—Don't you have enough? Don't you get tired of seeing just me?"

He touched her chin and came too close for comfort. "What makes you think you're the only one?" He began walking away. "Two more, or I put the others on the forums."

Rachel ripped the Oculus Magna from her head and tossed it roughly onto her pillow. She picked up her phone and shuffled through the seventeen pictures she had already sent. Grim reminders of just how stupid one girl can be and how easy it is to get caught in a loop by one perv. If she went to the police, he'd expose her. If she told her dad, he'd disown her. If she went to anyone, they wouldn't be able to help her. The most she could do about him was get on an alt and gank his ass into oblivion. Even then, what would that do in the end? She had considered quitting the game, but that would do as much good as blocking messages from someone on Lightwalk when they have your phone number. Rachel buried her face into her hands and fought off the tears. Through blurring salt water, she looked at her microphone and keyboard. Years of handwritten songs sat in a stack next to a picture of her shaking hands with a man from World Youth Entertainment.

"How do you feel about a music career?" He had asked.

"One day," she responded. "Let me finish high school. I want to at least do that before I start." She could barely contain her excitement and couldn't stop smiling.

The man laughed at her for it and said, "Call me on your graduation day! Rachel, we've been waiting for someone just like you!"

Would he say the same thing if he saw those pictures of her bare hips in the mirror below her phone? Would they even be able to look at her? Her hopes and dreams would burn away before her very eyes, all because she took a stupid dare from some horny bastard in a video game.