Summary: What happens when a man meets death face to face? What happens if said man falls in love with the face of mortality?
Rating: M
Genres: Horror, Gore, Comedy, Mature Romance, Action, Mystery.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Elsword and am not related to the original owners in any way shape or form.
Author's Note: Thank you for being patient with me. It's been a rough 2014-5, but here we are, with a fresh new story. I will update the others in due time, but for now, enjoy.
Sanguine Meetings
Chapter 1: Brutality
This world isn't the big enough for all of us. That's why I take care of the ones that need to fall off. Maybe they deserved it, maybe I'm just a ruthless guy. Probably both and then some. I'm not too fond of irregular actions, and I guess I try to take out the right people, but murder is still illegal, regardless of who it is. That's a little upsetting that even after all this, the cops still come after me, but what can I say. What's a game of death without a bit of a chase and a bit of fun?
I suppose you're wondering who I am or why I'm telling you all this. I guess it doesn't really matter. We're from alternate dimensions. I'm a cunning serial killer and you...well...you're someone who enjoys reading about stuff like this. Basically, we're both disgusting with our likes and dislikes, but that's alright. I'm not one to judge. The main point of this story is just for you to know about her.
Who is she, you ask? Well, she's not actually real. Okay maybe she is, but whatever she is, is a metaphor for in this piece of writing shouldn't really be personified. But damn, let's hope the actual author of this story makes her hot.
She is Death.
Every time I kill someone, good, bad, neutral, anyone, she shows up. The persona of death. Always cloaked in all black and red, yet still you can see her. She comes to reap the soul of the gone. Of course, she never really notices me. After all, isn't the job of a soul reaper exactly that? Why bother with me? If anything, I'm basically her source of infinite souls with all the blood I'm shedding. Corrupt politicians, rapists, terrorist, the like. I guess they're not the best meals, but I'm not here to preach about morality.
I'm already in position for my next kill. It's really easy when you've spent most of your days in the military, though you learn much more on your own. The orders and drills they teach you are limited in fear that you might become too powerful and corrupt. Who would want to kill a great soldier? The answer is his brother in arms. Anyways, today's victim is a man who raped one of my closest friends. I'm not going into details of names, but let's just say that she helped create my mechanical left arm and he was into that kind of stuff and since she was basically all mechanical...well...you can tell from there.
I see the small head of him, his white hair spiked up and a devious grin on his face while he listens to obnoxiously loud bad rap music on those purple headphones of his. Really a bother and waste of oxygen if you ask me. I always take careful notes on my targets. If they did one wrong deed but are still otherwise good samaritans, then I just leave a bloody message. A pet, body part, something. But this man has his way. He's gambled his way to wealthiness and won dozens of fighting tournaments. I'm not really afraid of his electrical punches or kicks because of this nifty neutralizer that my friend gave me.
She wants it, and I do too. I'm sure nobody will miss him, after all. I leap down from my position at the top of a small building and use my bladed heels to grind down the side of said building and hastily position myself over the window. He opens this one every night as soon as he gets home at exactly 9:13 PM. I don't know why he's so specific with it. Perhaps a special time about his gone mother? Who knows.
It's almost time and I'm already getting excited. My wrist blades are sheathed for now, because I like to kill with style. I've been appropriately, or inappropriately, named the Blade Killer, since all of my kills utilize multiple blades of various sizes and such. Tonight's dramatic performance will be a quick one. I've just increased the size of his shower head and instead of water alone coming out, the pressure will force 32 blades to rain on him during his nightly showers. I don't need to even be here right now, I just enjoy watching my masterpieces occur.
I heard the bathroom door close and I swing in and take a seat on the couch. I opened up my laptop that was left under his bed and start streaming the camera feed. The display is a bit fuzzy at first, but it clears up. I can see inside the shower. It's hidden to blend in with the wall, and by the time he notices it, it'll be too late.
"Esper needs to stop being such a bitch to us bro. All he does is just try to kill people and we always have to go and stop him. Why can't he just be a fighter like us? Control his anger?"
He's talking on the phone with his brother. I know their family very well. As much as his brother hates him for his actions against certain women, they are still family. I don't mind tearing up bad families anyways. I think his brother will be alright without another sibling. This Esper person is not on my target list, since though he may try to kill people, he has yet to actually leave a mark on anyone. The one inside has permanently planted his seed inside of my pure friend, and he will pay.
One life. For another.
He's finally turning on the shower, and thanks to my censorship, it automatically blurs out his private areas. Thank god, because I'm here to kill someone, not watch them shower. He turns on the faucet and it should be T-Minus 10 to kill him.
Sssshhhhhh…
It's started. Count with me, won't you? 10. I hear him settling into the warmth and see his eyes close. 9. He takes a deep breath. Most likely his last. 8. Nothing. 7. 6. 5. He notices the small red light from my camera, designed to distract him. 4. He's in the direct angle of the blades. 3. He's poking the camera. 2. He pulls it out of its socket. 1. He winds up a punch. 0.
All that could be heard was a blood-curdling scream as all 32 etch his body into a masterpiece. He falls dead onto the floor and blood pours out with the water. I close my laptop calmly and jump back out the window. I hurriedly escape the crime scene, but there's a shadowy figure blocking my path.
"Oh, it's your work again. Blade, was it?"
"That's just what the media calls me. You can call me later tonight."
"Very outgoing and willing of you, but I have business to attend to. After all, you do most of my work for me."
The figure struts by me, giving me a kiss on the cheek. I glimpse behind me and get a shot of her figure underneath the dark sky. Her dress flows behind her as she disappears into the red mist. I pull my black hood up and walked away, hands in my pocket.
This isn't the first time I've seen her, as you can probably tell. I've seen her plenty before. I can already hear sirens as nobody in a wealthy city gets killed that easily. A few cars speed past me as I use the underground tunnel nearby to escape back to my home.
Lunatic Psyker. Rapist of Empress. Annihilated.
I smugly grin as I cross out that name from my list pinned on the wall. My house isn't much of a house. I only use it for the basic sleeping and eating. I make most of my money off of stealing from the ones I've killed. You didn't even notice me take that man's money during his conversation with his brother. I can explain while I do things. Multitasking. It's pretty easy.
I spend most days scouting out information about my next target. It's rewarding when they've been taken care of, but it's most rewarding when I get to meet her. Though you probably didn't get to see or feel what I did as we brushed past each other, I can tell you that there's no other feeling of electricity that's just like what I felt. Well. Not anything I could put into words at least. I'll be getting some rest now. Tomorrow is an interview with the CEO of a major company I'm about to partner with that specializes in neutralizing dangerous areas. What can I say? To get away with being the bad guy, you have to look like a good guy.
"So, Blade."
"Still calling me that? Come on, introduce yourself first, and I'll let you in on my actual name."
"Alright then. I am Rena, the grim reaper. And you are?"
"Much better knowing that information. And why would you trust a killer like me to tell you my name?"
"I don't exist as a physical human. Me knowing your name would only affect my personal knowledge and no one else's."
"I see. The name's Raven."
"Raven, hmm? What a wonderful name. I could become used to it."
"Used to it? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Time for you to wake up. We'll meet again soon, I'm sure."
Those are nice. Just small little meetings with her in my sleep. Unfortunately I don't get enough to hold proper conversation, but you have to make the most of every breathing day. After all, I could be your last vision if something went wrong. Oh, hold on, the phone's ringing.
"Hello?"
"Yo Raven! It's Chung, just got a new phone. I wanted to check in for how things are going with you right now?"
"Hey Chung, things are going pretty well. I'm actually about to head in for a job interview. Want to catch up over lunch today at 1 at the Slayer Lounge?"
"Sure thing man! You don't mind if I bring the fiance, do you?"
"Of course not! I always enjoy seeing the both of you regardless of the scenario."
"Great! See you then!"
Isn't he the little bubbly commander I know and love. Yeah, I said commander. The guy isn't even 6 feet yet he still is the Commander of the entire Hamel Arctic and Navy units. He leads the mortal army with his demon fiance, Luciela, was it? I'm glad her last name is changing to Seiker soon, I don't think I could ever say Luciela R. Sourcream with a straight face in front of people. Luciela, or Lu as she prefers, used to have a bodyguard named Ciel, but since she got engaged, Chung's been by her side since. Unfortunately speaking, if anyone goes rogue, friend or not, they must be cleansed. That's how I work. Thankfully Chung is too nice of a man and Lu is beginning to be just like him, so I don't need to worry about him. Last I checked, her servant, Ciel, is a commander of his own portion of the demon army. Ever since he left Lu's side, he became a Dreadlord, much more powerful and much more dangerous, though he still has a proper brain.
So, this meeting I'm about to go to. I suppose you'll want to know about that too. Well, it's just a company that handles toxins and such, even if its infected nearby creatures, we must kill them without remorse for the greater good. I believe the CEO's name was Elesis, though I'm not quite sure. So soon I'll be juggling three jobs: this new one, the assassination jobs, and the Mafia job. Oh right, I forgot to mention the mafia. Well, we can talk about that later. Right now I need to get dressed.
The white shirt really is a bit too small and shows a lot of my abs. Hmmm. I'll just throw a tie and vest over it to keep it clean looking. That's better. Now I'm ready to make my way into town.
"Taxi!"
"Hop in. Where to?"
"The Red Knight Building."
"You got it. What for buddy?"
"Job interview with a Ms. Elesis today."
"Really now? Good to hear. Best of luck in your interview!"
"Thanks."
The rest of the ride is silent as I keep my gaze outside the window, making sure everything seems in place. Cities are excellent hunting spots. Just walk around any corner and you're bound to find a crook mugging someone or a dead body or something. The taxi slowly stops as I pay my fare to the red-headed driver who then speeds off. Heh. Looks like Elesis.
The building is quite large, but nothing too surprising. These guys make a helluva lot of money from what they do. After all, they're the only company that does stuff like this. I walk in and an ebony-haired girl sits at the receptionist counter. Her glasses are well-accentuated by her wide smile as she greets me.
"Hello! What can I do for you today?"
"Here for a job interview."
"Oh? Alright, you'll need to go up to the 71st floor. The third door to your right will be the office of Ms. Elesis. Best of luck, Mr…."
"Dark."
"Right! Anyways, off you go!"
She points at the glass elevator behind her. There's people hustling everywhere, so I make sure that my attire stays proper and in tact. I go into the first open elevator and push the button for floor 81. Why 81 and not 71 like Ms. Haan said? It's the first test. These guys only hire the most intricate people, and you have to know this place before you get here to work here. Also, Dark, right? I can't go around giving my real name, so I use the name of my greatest ally, the Darkness, in order to cloak myself. The elevator dings as I reach the floor and get a beautiful view of the lake behind the office building. I take the third door on the left and open it without knocking. The red-haired woman behind her computer and desk quickly closes the laptop lid and signals for me to sit down.
"You really are as qualified as you seem, Mr. Dark."
"Don't sweat it. It really isn't that hard to tell when someone is lying, especially since your receptionist is so timid and can't bear the fact that she's lying for a better reason."
"Observant. I like that. So, ready for the interview?"
"Of course. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here."
"Right. First question. What can you provide for us?"
"I'd say just about any sort of killing you need for a better cause and I can work well with others alongside having plenty of experience with alchemy."
"Your records seem to back this up as well. Well then, next question…"
This goes on for a bit, so I'll be nice and cut the boring stuff out for you. Here is what I think is the most relevant information to this story.
"Are you in a relationship?"
"Already taking a liking for me I see. I know, I am quite attractive."
"No-"
"I'm playing around. No. I'm not. I have not been in one either. I prefer staying alone because if I dedicate myself to another person, losing them would feel too harsh and wouldn't let me focus properly."
"Good answer."
"What is the salary you are looking for?"
"Any amount you pay me is good, as long as it can pay for my daily needs."
"Even a mere 1000 ED a day?"
"If you treat me that poorly I'll treat this company even worse. There is a limit, you know."
"Very sassy I see. I was thinking around 100,000 a week. Does that seem fair?"
"Sure. As long as I'm put into Triple S missions or Star missions, and not anything lower."
"Trust me, we need ranks that high in order to keep the system going."
"Are you a homosexual or bisexual or any other sort of identification?"
"What kind of interview question is this?"
"In case you need to be matched up with a partner and the Alterasia Type-X spur contaminates you, we need to know how to please you in order to release the toxins."
"What the-. Ugh. No use in arguing why that makes no sense, but no, I'm straight."
"Oh good. Now I can have a piece of you sometime as well."
"What?!"
"Relax, I'm also playing."
"And that concludes our interview. You start first thing today. I expect you back here, in my office at 3 P.M."
"Yes, Miss."
"From now on, you are part of my group. You will address me as Miss in the room and Commander on the field, got it?"
"Affirmative. See you then."
What a really strange lady. First she's serious, then she gets flirty, and now she's a dominista. What is this job getting me into? Whatever, it's for a good reason anyways. I brush past Ms. Haan again, who is still working fast at her computer at the front desk. I wave to her as I go by and she smiles and waves back. Some people really do the whole 'Innocent' look very well. It's almost 1, so it's almost time to meet Chung and Lu for lunch.
"Taxi!"
I hail another cab, but this time the driver is silent aside from the standard request for the destination. We take off fairly quickly, as the meeting place isn't too far and the streets are crowded more so than the road. It was a short ride, not really giving me much time for thoughts on that Elesis lady. I get out, pay fare, and already see Chung and Lu at a table outside. I hop over the small fence and take my seat across from them.
"Hey Dark!"
"Yo. How's it going Chung? I see you and Lu seem to be doing well based off of how you guys are dressed."
"Yeah! Chungy bought me this dress just the other day!"
"Ah, baby blue? It suits you quite well."
"Mhmmmmm~!"
Lu was already eating away at her pasta that, I'd assume, Chung ordered before I got here. The waiter came by again and gave Chung a plate of fox meat, and for me a steak, done medium rare. This man knows me all too well. If there was anyone capable of exposing me, it's this guy.
"Thanks Chung. You're the man."
"No sweat bro. After all, this is what we do. So, did you get the job?"
"Yeah actually I start it in two hours."
"That's awesome! I was just out running a few meetings with the Velder commanders and Ciel today. Lu was pretty proud to see her servant grow up so fast."
"Really now? That's neat. What're your plans for this summer?"
"The same you know? It's not like there's anything new since I'm the-"
I heard a crash inside the restaurant. Chung and Lu obviously heard it too since we all got up and walked inside to see what was happening. A man held the owner's wife, a purple haired woman named Aisha, at gunpoint. Normally I would just shoot the guy, but it's daylight, we're in public, and he has a hostage. The owner, Rune, is freaking out at this point. He comes running towards us as fast as possible as some other guys begin to take cash from the drawers.
"Can you help me please? My wife is in danger and we don't have much money in the drawers, so if we lose it, we might not be able to pay for rent this month!"
"Chung?"
"You thinking Formation T?"
"Oh hell yes. On three?"
"On three. One. Two. Three."
I immediately sink into the shadows, gliding towards the man holding Aisha hostage as Chung forcefully takes down the two men at the registers loading up on cash. I quickly disarm the man, release his grip on Aisha, push Aisha towards Rune, and kick the guy to the floor. The three of them are being pinned down with their hands behind their backs and gut to the floor. Rune calls for the police while the three of them moan in pain. Looks like these guys are too pathetic to waste my time targeting.
The police show up soon after, and Chung and I exchange small high fives as Lu gives him a kiss. I excuse the two before Rune approaches me with Aisha still trembling in his hands.
"Excuse me Sir. Today you saved my Wife's life and the business of this restaurant and bar. I wanted to reward you."
"No need. This is just what every good samaritan should do in situations like this."
"So humble, but you still deserve some reward. How about making today's meal free then?"
"I suppose that is good enough. Not too little, not too much. I like it. Thank you, sir."
"No Mister. I should be thanking you now that my wife and business are safe."
"Then you're very welcome."
The clock on the wall reads 2:50. At this rate I'll need to use the Darkness to my advantage.
"Chung. I must be going. Best of luck with your tasks. See you later."
"But we didn't even…"
Was all I heard him say before I ran into the corner alley around the area. I slipped into the shaded area and used it to travel quickly from alley to alley. How you ask? That's a secret. I manage to make it back to the building within minutes. I rush inside and wave at Ara once more before sprinting up the stairs. I manage to dive into Elesis' room as the clock hits 3 P.M. and she turns around from her chair with a shocked look.
"Dark?! Are you alright?!"
"81 flights of stairs isn't exactly the easiest to scale in a few minutes with these clothes on."
"Nono! I meant at the restaurant today."
"Oh. Of course. That was pathetically easy in comparison to what I've done before."
"Alright. Well, I'm surprised you made it here on time."
I got up, brushed myself off and bowed like a butler.
"I try my best."
"Good. Anyways today I want you to just meet your team. There's no high rank missions at the moment, but I'd like for you to get a feel for your Star comrades. Come in!"
The door opened and I turned around. Three figures walked in. One I recognized immediately.
"Hello Dark, did you forget about me?"
"Not at all, Ms. Haan. I knew your facade was too innocent to be real."
"Awwww~. It didn't work?"
"Who's this guy, Commander?"
A man with white hair that seemed to be tinted purple shot a glare at me. His hair was spiked but loose and somewhat shaggy. No way...it can't be….
"This is Dark, your newest team member."
"Looks like a joke."
"Want to put your money where your mouth is, insect?"
"Oh yeah? You're on!"
We immediately clashed fists before Ms. Elesis pulled us apart.
"You're a team, not rivals. Just deal with each other for the benefit of the country."
"Pleasure to meet you...Dark, was it?"
"Indeed. And you are…?"
"Call me Rose."
She seemed to be what one would expect. Calm, naturally happy, etc. She has blonde hair that is a bit darker than Chung's but still looks just as soft. I shook her hand with my right hand and we exchanged smirks.
"Well, now that you know your team, you're free to do as you wish for the next few hours or so. I have some paperwork to do."
"Do...whatever we want?"
"Perks of having this job. The downtime is very relaxing."
"Oh! Rose! Didn't you want to go to some places around here?"
"Yeah, let's go Ara."
The two left as quickly as they came and it was just Add and I. Who is Add? Why, he is the chaotic brother of the one I killed last night. I know he wants to talk about that, so let's see what he does.
"Dark, a minute please?"
"Make it worth it."
We walked into a different room that seemed to be a leisure area. There was a few beds, a couch, TV, kitchen, etc. all in one spot. A nice place to relax after missions is what my first thought was. Add took a seat across from me on the couches.
"I'm sorry, your name isn't Dark, is it?"
"I don't know what you mean."
"Oh, my apologies. Raven."
I shrugged as his face became more and more red.
"You killed my brother last night. Don't think I don't know."
"I know you know. And you also know why I did."
"A crime punishable by bloody murder?! I think not!"
"He ruined her life."
"And you took his?! How is that supposed to solve anything?! Mind and I KNEW what he did and we were going to force him into raising the child or doing SOMETHING to help her!"
"He shouldn't've done it in the first place. Otherwise I wouldn't've acted."
"You disgusting piece of shit. I'll take your life myself when I can. You can count your sorry ass on it."
"Sure. It won't change anything."
I got up and left the room with an infuriated Esper. I waved to Miss E before taking the elevator down, hands in my pocket. I felt something in there that wasn't before. It was a piece of paper alongside what seemed to be an earpiece, for what I'd assume would be for any emergencies that needed to be taken care of.
Meet me tonight at the Bar and Lounge on the outskirts of town.
Sincerely,
Rena
Hm. How did she-never mind. I can't question the power of spirits. I sighed and leaned against the wall. I got out on the lower floor to see everything was the same, except there is someone else working the front desk. I walk right past him/her and right out the door. The warm sun hits my face parallel a cool breeze,
Times are changing, yes? It's about time I head down to the Mafia HQ. What? I didn't forget about explaining this to you.
I take the first right into the alley for Darkness travel. I glide alongside the edge of buildings and reach a small door at the bottom of a valley. I open it to the smell of used cigarettes and whiskey. Typical Mafia.
"Dark! There you are! You're overdue, you know!"
"Yeah I got it Camilla. What do you need?"
"Well, rumors are that a rival gang is going to try and kill this man tonight."
She slides me a picture of my first taxi driver. My eyes widen as they recognize the facial features.
"And why?"
"Well, he's apparently too informed on their whereabouts. I need you to keep him safe since he always is committed to us."
"Got it."
I leave and my coat swirls around me as Camilla waves me off before yelling at the other members to stop drinking so much. There's not much to this job, just a lot of back and forth without being noticed, and that's what I'm good at. So, the taxi driver, eh? First task is to locate him. I hail a cab quickly and get a standard driver. I ask him to take me back to the main station.
"Why?"
"Don't ask, just drive and I'll pay 50% more."
"Alright alright."
Sometimes money can be a wonderful thing, wouldn't you agree? It can buy so many things, but not emotions. Though I would rather be sad in a sports car over on a bicycle. The driver drops me off at the station. I immediately notice two women in the corner of my eye discussing something. They seem innocent enough, but I don't trust so easily. There he is, the man behind the wheel. He's checking out for the day, and I pretend to be on my phone to prevent suspicion.
"Twelve hours today, Elsword?"
"Yeah, wasn't all too busy."
"Alright, see you tomorrow!"
"See you later, Elem. Take care."
He walks by me, but my hood is covering my face so he can't tell it's me. He gives me a tap on the shoulder and I look up. He smiles and sits next to me.
"Hey, how'd the job interview go?"
"How'd you recognize me?"
"I know a lot of things. Example, you're from the mafia."
"...right. Well, it went well, I have the job now."
"That's great! I'm sure my sister will take care of you."
"Sister…?"
"Yeah. She's the head of a huge company and I'm just a lowly mafia scout who doubles as a taxi driver with a bunch of hobbies. I guess you could say I don't like to grab life by the neck except for the mafia."
We continued to talk for a bit, and this man, Elsword, seemed to be a very sincere and honest man. His passion for his hobbies alongside his job were outstanding for such simpleton things. We continued until he patted me on the back and got up to leave. I waved him goodbye and noticed the two ladies were gone. He turned the corner and I got up, putting in my earbuds and stretching before unsheathing my wrist daggers. The thermal scanner seems to be reading 3 figures around the corner.
Pft. Too easy.
I walk around the corner and into the alley. There is Elsword, being held at bladepoint of the two aforementioned ladies. He looks at me silently and his eyes plead for help. I nod in assurance and step into the entrance, taking my earbuds out.
"Ladies. Is there anything wrong here?"
"Who are you?!"
"Me? Just a customer of my taxi driver that I see you are assaulting."
"Don't come any closer or we slit his throat!"
"Alright, you have my word."
I put my hands up in defense as the lime-haired one stiffens her grip on Elsword and the blade at his throat. The other purple haired one teleports in front of me and tries to chain me with magic. My restraint in on and the effect does nothing.
"What? Why isn't it working?!"
"Oh. Did I mention that I'm from the same place as him? My apologies for this."
The liquid that had been coming out of my shoes now reduced the coefficient of friction of the floor and her shoes to less than .01. She slips and falls, along with the other one. I notion for Elsword to stay still as I approach him. I slowly make my way towards him as the other women tumble and struggle to get back on their feet. They can't even grasp the floor properly.
"WhaAAA! What is this?!"
"Just something special for troublemakers like you."
"Come on then, kill us!"
"I'm afraid that's out of my mission."
I pick Elsword up and slung him over my shoulder to his dismay. I leave the two girls sliding around in the alley as we make it out of the danger zone. I put him on his feet.
"I knew there was a reason you were here…"
"Just doing Camilla's mission request. I suggest following me back there for safety. Once there, she'll take you."
"If you say so."
We begin to walk back to the mafia house. The time is 8 P.M. The city lights are turning on as the moon falls. We talk about those two girls, one whose name was Watcher, and the other Void. Who they are or what they do is none of my business. We finally arrive at the house and I drop him off. He thanks me again as I pull my hood up and put my earbuds in. I send a message to my new boss about me turning in for the night.
"Hello Ms. Elesis. I do believe it is time for me to turn in my role for the night."
"You are correct. Enjoy the rest of your night! ;)"
The smiley face confuses me, but I shrug it off.
All that's left is a date with Death. But I think you've seen enough for one sitting, eh? Let's stop here. I'll pick it up after the night is over. Ciao~