Karl trudged across the cracked runway, Overburn finally cooled, armor flickering back to his usual Rider Frame. The sky above Denver was dark and wide, stars sharp against the ruined city's silhouette.
His legs nearly buckled. Not from the flight — though the Vythra drain left him shaky — but from finally, finally letting go.
Agnes' voice chimed into his helmet, clean, warm, almost motherly compared to the feral spiral she'd been in earlier.
"Karl… your vitals are stabilizing. You're safe. You can rest now."
He nodded, breath unsteady. "Yeah. Yeah, Agnes… I think I need it."
He pushed the hangar doors open.
The abandoned hub was silent — cold concrete, broken lights, rusted drones, a single metal crate Karl used as a table. The air smelled like dust, old engines, and loneliness.
He slammed the crate of Abel Brewmeister Armegadob on the table.
Karl wiped sweat from his forehead. "Alright… let's get destroyed."
Agnes spoke softly, not teasing this time.
"You've earned it, Karl. After everything today… you deserve to let go."
Something shimmered beside him — a gentle, controlled nanite bloom. Silver strands wove together with quiet precision, forming a body, a silhouette, then a full hologram-backed nanite shell.
Agnes stepped forward, barefoot, faintly glowing, her voice unmistakably calm and supportive now.
"I'll sit with you. You're not drinking alone."
Karl gave a tired smile. "Thanks."
Karl Untransforms
Karl slumped down onto the cracked concrete of the abandoned hub. He tapped the side of his Drive Regulator, watching the armor plates dissolve into streaming nanites. The Rider Frame shimmered and condensed, then retracted completely into his belt module. His chest rose freely as he took full, unencumbered breaths for the first time in days.
Agnes hovered nearby, her nanite body materializing fully, subtle and humanoid, but still glimmering slightly like digital water. Her tone was calm and soft now, not teasing, not wet — just… present.
"Karl… you're back in human form. You're safe. Drink as you wish."
He blinked. For a moment, he almost forgot he had powers, that he was a Chosen. All that remained was his body — fragile, thirsty, excited for something simple: alcohol.
Effects of Alcohol on Karl (Step by Step)
1. First Bottle — Initial Burn and Warmth
The first gulp hits his throat, an unfamiliar sharp heat, sending tiny tremors through his chest.
His heart rate increases slightly, pulse felt in every fingertip.
Mental clarity is still intact; the thrill is mostly sensory. He smiles a little at the new sensation.
2. Second to Fourth Bottles — Slight Loss of Coordination
Muscles loosen; fine motor control is slightly impaired.
He notices his fingers tremble when holding the bottle.
Thoughts start to feel a little fuzzy; sentences take a slight effort to form.
Warmth spreads from his chest to extremities; a pleasant tingle radiates through him.
3. Fifth to Seventh Bottles — Speech Slurring Begins
Tongue feels heavy.
Words are slurred; short sentences feel like a marathon.
Confidence rises; inhibition drops — he starts laughing at nothing.
His Vythra is stable — as a Chosen, he metabolizes stress well, but alcohol doesn't affect Vythra directly. It just physically drains him a bit, making him feel more wobbly than usual.
4. Eighth to Tenth Bottles — Severe Impairment
Balance is compromised; standing is difficult without support.
His vision wobbles slightly; environment seems to sway.
Mental fog thickens; simple thoughts take effort.
Body heat rises; he sweats, flushed cheeks, feeling both exhausted and exhilarated.
5. Eleventh to Twelfth Bottles — Maximal Intoxication (Short of Passing Out)
His entire body wobbles violently when he moves.
Speech is almost incomprehensible; he can only mumble in fragments, laugh, and gesture wildly.
Reflexes slow dramatically; if he tried to move quickly, he'd stumble or collapse.
Mentally, he's euphoric but aware — he feels drunk, knows it, but doesn't lose consciousness.
Alcohol has effectively removed all restraint, leaving him completely human and vulnerable, yet still aware enough to enjoy the sensation.
Karl collapsed fully onto the concrete floor of the abandoned hub. He peeled back the last traces of his Rider Frame, nanites retreating into the belt, leaving him vulnerable, naked to his human body.
The first bottle hissed as he opened it. He took a careful sip. Heat blazed down his throat. For the first time, Karl truly felt the sensation of burning alcohol on his human palate.
"Huh… that… that's… hot," he mumbled, smiling slightly.
Agnes' nanite body hovered beside him, legs folded neatly, hands resting on her knees.
"Drink, Karl. You've earned it."
The second bottle went down faster. Warmth spread into his chest, relaxing his tense muscles. He took a third, and then a fourth. His fingers trembled slightly as he held the bottle, and his sentences began to slur.
"I… I feel… so… warm… hehe…"
Agnes chuckled softly.
"That's the alcohol talking. Take your time."
By the fifth bottle, Karl was swaying gently, trying to keep balance on the cracked concrete. Each bottle after made his movements more unsteady, speech more fragmented. Laughter came easily, spilling into the empty hub, echoing off concrete walls.
"Haha… I… I've… never… hehe… never felt… like this…"
The ninth bottle made him lean heavily against Agnes' nanite shoulder, body trembling from the alcohol's effect on his muscles. He was drunk, heavily, but he refused to pass out — every sip fueled him further into euphoria, even as control slipped.
"Agnes… hehe… you… you're… sitting… right… here…"
By the twelfth bottle, he could barely form sentences at all. His entire body wobbled like jelly, hands shaking violently as he raised the bottle, spilling some over the concrete.
"Hehe… so… much… fire… in… chest…"
Agnes smiled, calm and supportive, placing a gentle nanite arm around his shoulders.
"Relax, Karl. You're safe. I'll keep you steady."
He leaned into her fully, drunk, human, vulnerable — finally tasting something he had always been denied: freedom, pleasure, and chaos, all bottled into twelve furious gulps.
Karl was severely drunk, body trembling, speech near incomprehensible, yet conscious, aware, and safe in Agnes' care. He had earned it.