Authors note––I'm sorry it took this long to post both this and the last chapter, which I haven't touched, dang it. I was trying to get these up by January but I couldn't access the account to upload, long story short Sol's hell reaches an interesting point. The Angel is explained if you the very vague hints haven't already alerted you. But let it be known that Eld has it out for Sol. And that this will shape him for the rest of the game when Eld's part is said and done. But always expect him to come back for one last back stabbing moment.
Phase 06 Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall and all the King's horses and all his men...
I heard footsteps outside the door. A brief knock then the door opened. "Sol, I got you some breakfast." I was unresponsive for a time.
Then the words reached me, my mind worked for a response. I smile down at my hands. "That's nice." She closed the door and brought up a chair. I ate mechanically. The soup tasted good.
"Do you need anything Sol?" I felt parched.
"That's nice." I answered automatically.
I seemed to have finished my meal as she set the bowl down. "Do you hurt anywhere?" The bird singing outside sounded really good. "That's nice..." I heard Red sigh.
She made to get up. The floorboards creaked and the door open. I looked up. "Red..." She stopped in the doorway. I looked at the curtains. "Red...like the sunset..." Then I returned my gaze to my hands.
Nothing else to do. The door closed. The footsteps went down stairs. The bird stopped singing. "...Sad..." I muttered to myself.
I sounded like a machine, especially since I was talking to no one in particular. I continued to look down at my hands for a while. The wind picked up and I closed my eyes. Who am I? A voice asked. What am I? I shook my head. I'm nothing then.
I ignored the sudden need I had to keep my eyes closed. Voices were approaching, and it wasn't the one in my head. "I got the word, he woke up." They got closer.
"Yeah." They walked towards the door. "I have to say though...he's out of it...Don't push him for much." There was a brief silence and then the door opened slowly.
"Sol." I looked down at my hands. "I heard you woke up, I just came to congratulate you." "That's nice." I heard the bird start again.
"Yeah, we were all worried. We saw you take on the boss to cover us. That was really brave." The bird sounded good again. "That's nice." There was a pause in which I only heard the bird. "Sol...are you listening?" "That's nice." Again the quiet with the bird.
Then whispers. "Just let him be." "You...You've kept an eye on him these three days. Has he been like that..." The silence was welcomed. I look up. The sun shined outside. "Its bright." I said a bit dreamily.
Footsteps approach. "Sol...are you in there...Sol." Is that who I am? The voice came back.
I frown. "S...ol..." The word seemed familiar.
"Don't upset him." Red said. "Sol. You know me. Its me E-stone. You know. Goldilocks." I smile. "That's nice." The silence was filling me again.
"Sol...what did Eld do to you?" "Eld?" Eld...Eld...Eld...That's not who I am. Eld. That name clicked in my head.
Eld. I clenched my hands. Eld. Eld. "I see. I'm sorry to bother you Red. If he ever...Lets keep in touch." The footsteps start to go away.
"Eld?" They stopped at the door. "Yes, Eld." The door opened. Then something snapped in me. For two seconds everything was dark. Then it grew bright again.
E-stone was sprawled out at my feet. Shocked. My hand slammed into the wall and the glow faded. "Yes...that's right. Eld. That's right." I sneered. I picked E-stone up. "Where is he?"
He looked as if he had a variety of emotions passing through his mind. "Sol, your back?" "You know it." I responded.
We sat at my table. We were in fact in my house. I don't know the specifics but someone thought I should recover here. Red had been staying with me since I collapsed. "Have you found him?" E-stone shook his head. I grunt. "That's fine." I lean back in my seat.
I briefly thought about how I'm going to slaughter Eld. That perked me up a bit. "Sol..." I looked at Red. "You should rest a bit more. You went a long time without food and sleep. A little more rest will do you good." I look down at my hands for a moment. "Its been three days. That's long enough." They seemed anxious.
"Out with it. You want to know something." It was a fact. They shared a look. Red began talking. "Well...we all just want to know what happened to you." I calmed myself. "Eld. He found me. He manipulated and used me. For that three players are gone. He got his wish. He won." Its a generalization. But its true, he had won.
They were quiet. "If you want the details you'll have to pry them from my corpse." I was completely serious. "No need to say that. Considering that you were pretty close for a while." E-stone looks down. "Don't worry. I'm back to normal now." I stand then.
"Help yourselves to whatever you want. I've left the clearing for long enough." I head to the door. Halfway there I stumble and drop to one knee. Red's at my side. "Your not fine, you can barely walk to the door." I grimace.
My body felt sore and each step made me ache. E-stone helped me up and I leaned against a wall. "Take it easy man. You practically tore yourself apart these past few days. Take it slow for a while." He seemed nervous. "Look we're going to prepare for the twenty-fifth boss fight. If its like we think then its going to be a hell of a fight." He extends his hand. "I'd like to have you there." I nod. We shake hands. "I'm still going out there." He sighs. "Red, look after him for a while. I don't want to tell them he died of stupidity." She nodded.
E-stone left. I took a moment to gather my strength. I took slow careful steps to the door. I tottered and Red was at my side. "Easy now. If you won't rest at least go at your own pace." I nod. Outside we link up. "I'm sorry for keeping you occupied." She shook her head. She turned away from me for a moment. Then she put her hood on. "Its fine. I was tired of fighting." We went to the new tier.
The Twenty-fifth tier was a dark area. It was filled of blue rocks and canyons. Glowing crystals and perpetual night. The main town here was at the base and inside a giant stone tree. It had a nimbus of glowing lights in its leaves. Casting down light on the town, Lumen. I look up for a moment. The mysterious stars were always out here. "..." We head to the field.
While out in the field with Red I had some time to think. "...Pathetic..." I muttered under my breath once. I thought Red might not have heard it, or she ignored it. There was this area on the tier called The Sheer. It was wide open with only a few boulders. It was well lit from above. After you got here you had maybe three hundred feet till you got to the cliff's edge. I looked down the perpendicular cliff.
"Sol..." Red called from behind me. I looked down, there was a chasm at the bottom. From a fall like this it would probably be an instant death. But there was something about this place. How the cliff had certain boulders in line with each other. I checked my quest log for answers. I looked at it grimly. "Sol." Red called again.
"I'm coming." I closed out the menu. "You alright, you froze there..." I look down at my feet. "Its nothing. We should head to town before it gets any later." We started to turn back.
The hike down was tiring. The number of monsters doubled because of the lateness of the day. Hypocrite. I grimace. That's what I was. I remember telling the Alliance of White Wings something, it was after I saved Laura from the Creepers. And how I should now take my own advice.
"I don't think you've noticed but I was scared too." I push Jane away. I was trembling. "And that is why I have to go." She was shocked. She's not the only one who can play emotionless. "This is Dæmonica. Purgatory. The Death Game. And being afraid leads to being another number on the dead list." I draw my sword. "Because this game puts our lives at risk we shouldn't hide and run from our fears." I'm a foot away from the dark wall. "If you live with fear on your shoulder all you'll have in the end is death." I lunge forward into the dark.
"Sol!" I parry the strike from the Imp. The little monster with wings lifted its pickaxe once more. I stepped towards it and unleashed Lunula.
The Imp was killed a moment later. To my left and right I was surrounded by Soul-seekers. Shadow dogs that opened up from their mouths, and all along their spine, like some type of demonic flower. One opened up and lunged. The sawlike teeth that lined it internally sawed into my leg.
I am quite the hypocrite.
Two more come in from behind me. My action pause is over, but I don't move. I fall forward from the sudden blows. I'm on my hands and knees. "Damn!" Red is occupied with her own enemies. A skeletal warrior, bigger than the Wretched.
This was a Sorrowful. "Get up!" She yelled to me. A Soul-seeker blocked my view of her. If it attacked now it'd be a beheading. An instant kill. And I'm not afraid of that. Death is omnipresent in this game. We slaughter these generated monsters who are unique beings in their own right. No two creatures will ever have the exact same experience before being destroyed and another one replaces it. Same covers, different content. I smile. I wish I was afraid. I really do. I thrust forward, to the small gemstone at the back of the throat of the Soul-seeker. Its the critical spot, the monster recoils and halts its attack.
I stand, slowly. "Sol?!" Red called from behind the Sorrowful. Yes, I am Sol. The Angel of Death, hear the beat of my wings. And the bite of my sword. In a flash my situation in reversed.
I pin one of the dogs under my foot and press down on its head. Two come from my sides. I duck as low as I can and let them knock each other down. My arm burned, my very soul and mind cried out for more. For action, for violence. "..." My silent battle cry, with that I slam my foot down once.
Shattered data engulfs me, the Soul-seeker I was crushing was dead. "...Next..." I said flatly. My hand shot out and caught another dog by the throat. I raised it over head and stabbed. I was knocked back for that, two more had stalked right in front of me.
They growl and bare their fangs. I give them a smile. Crescent silences them. I stepped into the attack and cleaved through their critical spot. I see more, three to be exact. They lunge at me, mid-leap my action pause is up. I do a backflip, its an easy evasive maneuver. I slide back a foot after that, then my sword is leveled. One of the creatures springboards off another. Its open wide, I stare into its depths. My blade comes up a foot, the forward momentum of the lunge and the fact that the thing was opened made for a nice instant kill. The monster cleaved itself in half before crashing. The remaining beasts growled but backed off. They'd run soon. I turn to the Sorrowful. The weeping skull got no pity from me as I jumped onto it. I stabbed it mid-spine and tore upwards. When my sword came from free of the collarbone I kicked off it. The monster fell, sprawled out on the ground. It shattered a moment later. I swung my sword once before sheathing it. "We should hurry before more spawn." Is all I say to a shocked Red.
To cut down on expenses we share a room. I sat on the edge of my bed, the shower I took had been cold. I held a photo of the guild from Jane's birthday. I won't prod, I tell you, I won't prod that pain. I put it in my inventory as Red enters with a sandwich for me. "Thanks for the save earlier. I guess the time for solos is coming to an end." "Yeah." She sits on the other bed and watches me for a moment.
"I gave what you said some thought..." I stop eating.
"There's this little guild I know from tier seven." I stare at the sandwich for a moment before I finish it in three bites. "That's good." We're quiet. Deathly so. "If you want..." She started, "I could talk to the guys." I could see where this was going.
"I'm sorry, I will have to decline." I saw her suppress herself. She had somethings to say, but she wasn't pressing me yet. "Thank you for the offer." I turn off my lamp.
I was about to lay down when one thought burned into my head. "Do you like them?" Red answered a moment later. "Yes, yes I do." I close my eyes. "Then stick with them. Don't let them out of your sights." My head hit my pillow and I was out.
I looked out at the vague dawn. There seemed to be a membrane of darkness that made the sunlight dim. I was up early, its the only time to see the pale sun in this game. Several towns had these churches, but they were aways empty. Unless you had an event or quest the church's would always be empty. I kneeled in the pews. The pale light was slowly rising, soon it'd be gone. The cross on the altar looked like it was carved from wood. I didn't go up to it to find out. I pressed my head to the floor, I am not worthy. If God had cell reception in this game then I hope he could carry my prayers.
I went down a list of names. "Kate...Red...Jane...Gaia...Laura..." Each name had a prayer, a wish, a request for big G to help them. Keeping them safe, keeping them sane, an assortment of things I hoped they still the end of my list I felt as if I could go on for the day. "Sid...E-stone...Cooper..." Cooper had the longest pause, he had the longest prayer.
I stood after a few seconds. I could care less about what people would have thought had they seen me. I just knew that this, praying to God from the game, was helping me make it through another day. I made towards the doors and paused. I wasn't very religious in real life. I still went to church regularly, and I remember this. I deposited a handful of Lire into a small box with lit and unlit candles around it.
I met up with Red in the lobby of the inn. "You're up early." She said rubbing sleep from her eyes.
"Yeah." We leave. We walk amongst the crowd for a while. "So, what do you feel like doing today?" For a heartbeat I thought treasure hunting. "Want to go visit Wayland?" There were to many players out and about, I'd hate to get in a fight over hunting grounds.
I had Red go in first, as a courtesy of course. But also to avoid Wayland's overzealous greetings. She came from behind her counter as we entered. "Ah, my two favorite people." She came and hugged us tight.
"Nice to see you Wayland." Red says after rubbing her side.
"Good morning," is all I contribute. Wayland ushered us into her kitchen.
"Its been so long since we've been together like this." She said as she pours us some tea.
I nod and take a sip. Its perfect. I can feel my mind calming down. All the racing thoughts of revenge and despair cooled for the moment. I looked at everything, almost sleepily. This moment, I wish it could last. I take another sip of the tea and feel the moment rot. "Ah..." I saw everything a bit dimmer now.
The forge gave off more of a chill than it use to. I put on a smile at the two people sitting at the table with me. I feel a tiny trickle of warmth coming. Yes, if it would only last forever. I drained my tea and set the cup on the table. I had some light conversation with Wayland. "Yes, the ore fields on the twenty-fifth tier are rich with many rare varieties." I saw her eyes glimmer.
She would want to take a trip there, and we'd get new armor and weapons for our troubles. I would like that, I would really like that. "Can you take me there one day, imagine the boom in my business!" I smile. "Well hurry up, we'll be heading back there soon." She gawked at me.
Then she gave me a crushing hug and went off to fetch her armor. "That was nice." Red said as she got a small sandwich from the plate on the table. "Yes it was." We're eerily quiet. "Do you really want to take her up there, didn't you say she was terrified of the undead monsters?" I shrug.
"If your afraid of something, it will kill you. I don't want to see that happen, ever." I stand. "I'll meet you girls at the inn on the twenty-fifth tier." I made for the door.
"Sol...wait." I stopped, my hand inches from the door. "...Are you sure you're alright?" I sigh. "I'm fine." I leave then, not sure how long I can keep up my lies.
I head straight to the field. There I curl up into a ball and yell out. My pain and agony. It was clawing at me from the scars. I grit my teeth and swallow my tears. Yes, thats right.
"I don't think you've noticed but I was scared too." ...
"And that is why I have to go."...
"This is Dæmonica. Purgatory. The Death Game. And being afraid leads to being another number on the dead list." I draw my sword.
"Because this game puts our lives at risk we shouldn't hide and run from our fears." ...
"If you live with fear on your shoulder all you'll have in the end is death."
Yes, that's right. I keep my flooding emotions back and head for the meeting point. The girls take their time in getting there. I noticed Wayland's new armor and couldn't help but think she looked fairly cute. I turned slightly away to hide my smile. "Well let's go. Most players should be back in for lunch." They nod and follow me.
The dimly lit tier felt as if it was waiting for me. I let out a shaky breath. Something was going to happen. Someone was watching. I felt the stare bore into me, an ability from the tracking and hiding skills. Or maybe just my intuition. I shivered and kept on going into the field. The strangest thing about right now was the fact that there were no monsters. Wayland found a vein rich in ores and began chipping away. Gathering up the minerals and having a good time. Red seemed as uneasy as I felt. She paced around, as if patrolling a perimeter. I sit down as time passes. "Oh look at this!" Wayland was holding up another ore.
"Gold, I tell you!" That would fetch a nice price at market, or she could make something even more valuable.
I smile at her and look at the scenery. Red still seemed impatient as the minutes past. I saw something that made me shiver. "I'll be back." I tell them.
Wayland is oblivious while Red stops me. "What are you planning?" I shrug.
"I'm going to fall asleep at this rate, I'm going to take an enthusiastic walk." I walk for a bit. As soon as I round the corner I draw my sword. A knife was deflected by my blade. I ready myself.
No peace, no rest, nothing. "I'm surprised that you were able to avoid that." The shadowy figure said.
They dropped down around me. I suppose I should give them a good show. "Let's keep this quiet. I don't want my friends coming over." One of the cloaked figures let out a sound of pure irritation. He draws out his lone sword and moves to confront me. I parry accordingly and stare into the depths of his hood. His eyes reflected only rage. I felt a tremble of fear go up and down my spine. Whatever he wanted with me wasn't good. I shoved him back and put a bit of space between his group and myself. "Sol!" Someone hissed.
I looked back in time to see a spear pierce through me. I stumble forward a bit and recover. I slashed away at the new aggressor. A mace connected with my side moments later. I fall to the ground from the sudden blow. "Damn it." I hiss and start to rise.
Three knives whiz past me. One left a shallow graze on my cheek. And I saw the person who threw them. My eyes were wide. I can't forget those eyes, I should have seen this coming. I stand and charge. "AHHHHHH!"
I get slammed back by two shield-users. I trip over myself. I barely maintain my balance before I see them form up. "Why now!?" Diana the leader of the Alliance of White Wings, no, Jane stood a few meters away.
"This is retribution. Its judgement day for you, and we're here to even the scales." Her answer held nothing in it from what it use to. I lost her, the one person who could see through the veil of lies, I lost her. I feel a regrettable warmth at the corner of my eye.
I grimaced. I don't have time for this. I feel like I might sob. I cover my face with one hand. Its hard to suppress tears in the game, but not impossible. It required an astonishing amount of will power to stop yourself. I continue to grimace but I turn it into that psychotic, evil smile.
I drop my hand, a laugh rises in my throat. "Oh my god...ha...ha..." I stifle it.
"About time, do you want me to clip your wings that bad!?" I level my sword. This would not end well. They glared murder at me but stayed put. "Come at me!" I goad at them.
I feel my soul curl up and wither. This is the thing Eld is the best at. Causing pain. That moment when he gave me that evil deal, that moment was the fount of a humongous well of pain! The scar on my being radiated all that pain. More for Eld to receive, more for him to suffer for. "Why don't you react. Come on. I betrayed your trust, slaughtered our friends––" A knife buries itself in my shoulder.
There is a tremendous force behind it. Her Javelin throwing skill. I pull out the knife. "I see." They were sieging me. I was painted into a corner.
They knew I don't abandon party members, but as far as they are concerned I kill them personally. That's what Red and Wayland are now, my party members. And with Jane being their ranged specialist, I was at an awful disadvantage. But deep inside me, I felt proud. They were very close to Clearer levels now. Just a bit more.
I wish I could have been with them, to continue those happy days in a game of death. More knives. These are barely pinpricks, tiny flicks of a finger on my skin. But a lot of littles makes a big one. I was pushed back. And one hurt my knee bad. I pulled out the various weapons and saw the red damage light come out from the wounds. I was down on one knee.
The odds against me keep increasing. I grip my sword hard for a moment. I was going to have to pull some magic out of a hat for this. I was about to rush in recklessly when two sets of footsteps approached. "SOL!" Was the simultaneous cry.
They stood on either side of me. Wayland and Red. "We got you." Red said as she rapidly assessed my former guild. "Don't." I tell her as I stand.
"What?" Reese and Shay charged in. I could only stand stock still as my old friends warred against my new ones. I grimace. "Don't fight!" I slash upwards and force Reese and Red apart.
Then I grab Red by the front of her cloak and throw her. "Wha––" I aimed her perfectly, she collided with Wayland and both were out of harms way. "..." Reese charged.
He bashed me with his shield before slashing me from shoulder to shoulder. The blade had just cleared my body when I gripped it. "Don't you dare interfere!" I call to Red.
Then I put some distance between me and the guild. Their formation was wide open down the middle. A definite trap. A trap to cover the weakness. I ready myself. Knives glanced off me as I gripped my sword hard. Then it was in the air, I threw it high.
I leapt forward and rocket for Jane, the keystone. I ignore the harsh damage that I was taking. Mace, spear, sword, it was all the same. Then Mike stepped in front of me. His saber out and ready to kill. I didn't stop or change my course. I barreled right into him, his saber piercing my gut. I don't stop, if anything this helps. A human shield between me and Jane. I grab him and charge right for her. "Bastard!" He yells before slamming his forehead into my face.
I grimace, I have to reach her. Then I don't see her, a sharp pain registers. Mike and I separate as I clutch the knife sticking out of my eye. "Damn it." My sword plunges into the ground behind Mike.
I had been counting on this rash plan and I failed to remember that Jane has deadly accuracy. As if to prove that point her knives slice into my shoulder and ribs. Flesh wounds, or the equivalent game wise. I reached for my dagger. We were tense. This was going to be a one sided battle. I draw my dagger and a knife plunges deep into my chest and like that I start to fall back from the especially heavy impact.
"Wonderful, about time." The Angel looked bored on his throne. Something was off, something was very wrong. He didn't seem so...blood thirsty. And this terrified me somewhere in my being.
"What, no attempt at overtaking me?" He spat away from me before talking. "I'm just really tired." He seemed especially weary.
"But I know you will submit, and that I will wreak havoc." I felt dread up and down my spine. He stands from his throne and I can't recognize the Angel. Wrath, pure rage curled off him like smoke. Blood-red smoke. "N-nev––" His knee slams hard into my gut.
"Oh you will. I'm not messing around anymore. This stopped being a game the last time you came here." When Cooper saved me, or when the tears came. I looked up at the Angel and I saw them again. Tears. the malicious aura around him turned into one of extreme isolation, despair, sorrow. I nearly choked, it was just to much. "Submit, to me."
I never thought him more than just bloodlust and violence, but I would have preferred that to this...this...this catastrophe! "N-no." I tried to hold onto my will but already I was fading out. I retreated within myself, trying to stop it from unleashing a monster. "I'm sorry Thomas." It said to me.
I catch myself. The knife still in my chest. I feel the regrettable warmth welling up in my right eye. I look at them through the Angel's perspective. And I felt none of that unmanageable wrath, just a desolateness. A single thought propelled my motion. Stop them. I lunged forward. Even as the barrage of knives dropped my health by large chunks. Mike moved to intercept my hellbent path. "SOL!" He yelled.
I matched his slash with my dagger and punched him, hard. His entire body spun and he fell to the ground. This was all in the space of a few seconds, and I never stopped moving forward. Jane stepped back slowly as she unleashed her storm of knives. I blocked them, and dodged them with great accuracy. I plucked my sword from were it impaled the ground and continued forward at an increased pace.
Reese and Shay moved in to block me, they must have flanked me while I was being dealt with by Mike. They formed a shoddy shield wall. I slammed into it with my very existence. They strained. And then I pushed my sword between the gap between their shields. That was all the give I needed. I knocked Shay aside and landed blow after blow on Reese. His shield barely received half of my attack, his body took the rest as direct hits. I sheathed my dagger, it wasn't necessary. Jane continued her onslaught at a reduced pace, even she couldn't carry an infinite amount of daggers. I sliced cleanly through one and wasn't even bothered by the shatter effect. Then the distance was just that a few feet. I reached for her. She looked terrified. I grabbed her shoulder and leveled my sword. I would plunge this blade into her.
I would have to, if Mike hadn't have recovered. His saber protruded from my chest. Jane escaped, Mike didn't. I turned and dealt with him. He had improved greatly. We matched blades and looked each other in the eyes. His reflected pure rage. He seemed to whisper. "Tell me..." Then we leapt back and he loudly asked me.
"Tell me, how did it feel murdering them?!" I felt a twinge of hesitation.
Eld's deal echoed throughout my mind. I smile then. An uncommon storm settled over us. "How it felt, is that all?" I raised my sword, readying for another strike.
"It was just the most amazing feeling ever." He gawked for a moment, and I attacked him in that moment. He fell back with a harsh slash across his chest. He was missing his saber. The rain came then, pounding sheets of it. I experimented with this style of fighting.
Little did I know that this would hardly be the last time I encountered this style.
The potential seemed high. I swung both swords once and felt a responding wind, and distortion in the rain. A sword in my left hand, a sword in my right. I was surprised an offensive oriented player hadn't thought up this before. Easily twice the offensive capabilities of just a sword. I saw red damage light come from the back of the group in front of me. Red and Wayland. "Keep it together. Nico, Deven with me!" Jane concentrated on me as she let the rest of the guild deal with my friends.
I felt something in the back of my mind. Something that can't be held back. Something stronger than sheer instincts and actions. Probably stronger than this death game. "HAAAAAAAAAA!" I charge forward.
The Angel's influence fading. I was more or less in control. Jane had a dagger out and to one side of Reese. Mike, he now had a rapier, was trying to flank me as I made my enraged charge. I don't know exactly what I was planning on doing, so that meant that they couldn't hope to know what I would do. I stabbed into Reese's shield with both blades and kicked him back. Jane was easily within range but I continued my assault on the tank. With only an occasional attack to deter both Jane and Mike I pushed back the tank till he was back next to the main body of the guild.
Mike came behind me and tried to stop me. I blocked his rapier with one sword and stabbed into his gut with his own saber. I tore it out of him and slashed downward with my blade. He took massive damage and dropped back. Jane kept me occupied for a moment, I brought both swords down hard to knock her back. I had put ten feet of distance between me and the tired Reese. I ran at him, he leveled his sword and put up his shield. Instead of ramming him again with both blades I jumped. We were both surprised. I stepped onto his shield and jumped off it.
I landed in front of the rest of the guild, Jack was about to stab into Red, when I did. I rose and took the spear jab, a full foot of digital steel passed cleanly through me. The pounding rain seemed to slow and waiver. The storm was coming to an end. "I said don't," I bring both blades up and send Jack flying. "Interfere." The rain stops as I step towards the guild.
And the perpetual night on the floor gets darker as both blades glow. I have no idea what special this was, but I was already charging into the guild. I'm like a storm, I spin and slash and bash away at the guild relentlessly. A total of thirteen hits, a long special that devastated the guild. It had a ten second action pause. But it was done, the guild was a mess. "Sol!" I turn to see Mike rush at me, and I give him back his saber. It cuts through the air and stabs into him, a perfect throw, he falls back.
"B...B-bastard!" He collapses. I continue to act my part.
"Ooh look at that. You broke your wings." I walk among the downed guild members. "Hey." Jane is coming. Reese looks done for. With my offensive capabilities halved this would be a pretty close match up. We circle around each other. Any second now. I could see it, I would take down Reese with minimal trouble from Jane, and then it would be over, for now. Reese stopped, its time. I lunge forward, I aimed right for the center of his shield. Thing was, he collapsed. Jane was behind him, and she unleashed a barrage of ten knives.
They hit hard, I stumbled forward and dropped to my knees. My sword clattered to the ground. I was breathing heavily from the last few minutes. Jane steps up to me. Her knuckles are white as she grips her dagger. I have to continue my part. "Have a message you want me to take to Laura and the others?" I asked with a smile.
She raised her dagger high, ready to deliver a killing special. But she hesitates, she turns away from me. I chuckle. "Weak..."
"Full retreat." She says, she was probably the most tired person out of her whole group.
"Where are you going? Aren't you going to end this once and for all?" She kept walking away. I stood with my sword at the ready.
"...Are you okay Mike." She tipped the contents of a potion into Mike's mouth and moments later pulled out the saber stuck in him. She turned to look at me, "Withdraw."
They disappeared into nine columns of light. "..." My facade drops, I feel sick with myself. I totter. I drop to my hands and knees.
The rain stopped, but drops of rain keep falling. I stare down at the ground as my own personal rain continues. That regrettable warmth that keeps welling up. I hear distant voices. But the one I hear loud and clear is the Angel. That wasn't nearly as satisfying as I want it to be. He receded for now, but I know that he could come back and pry at my willpower. He could win, all he had to do was attack.
The distant voices grew closer. But I ignore them because of my self-loathing. You would have killed them. I would have. You were ready to stab Jane in the heart and tear her to pieces. I was about to do that. And now do you think you deserve to have friends. You murderous monster, abomination. Devil. I feel the corners of my mouth turn upwards. More like Angel.
The voices sound so close now. I look forward and see a hand offered to me. I am nothing but a bloody killer. I'll drag them all down with me. I am, "Disgusting..." I slap the hand away.
There was a sharp sound, as if the tension in the air amplified that sound. I stand and look at her, at Red. My face an impassive mask. "Leave me alone Red." I turn, my steps lurch me one way then another. I go four or five more steps before collapsing. I reached forward, trying to crawl away. Then I'm back to my personal hell.
I see a few things, rough shapes of people. Slurred voices. "Hold him down..."
Then I only see shattering. I open my eyes wide. No...not again. "STOP!" Laura is being tore apart.
"STOP!" I can't move, the chains hold me down. The Angel sits on a stone a few feet away.
"BASTARD!" I call to him as he tugs on the chains. Shut it, You are of no use. My eyes felt unnaturally warm. Then I feel the tears start to pour down the right side of my face. I couldn't even feel the left side of my face, the Angel's chains covered that side of me.
Laura is torn apart, her avatar shatters into data. And she died just like that. "NOO!" I want to reach, to go with her. To not be a good for nothing that couldn't save a single person. Burt charges in. "...Don't..." I say, my voice barely audible. His arm gets severed first. "..." I don't breathe, I just watch as Burt is beheaded.
"STOPPPPP!" I try to break the chains, to escape, no matter the cost. I raise my head strain with every last bit of strength I have. Eld stands behind the mini-boss. It shatters after a moment. ""ELD!" I seethe with anger. I will kill him. "ELD!" I thrash with renewed vigor.
"BASTARD! I'll KILL YOU!" I was able to lift the top of my body off from the floor. John ran past me and towards Eld. "STOP!" I strain and manage to sit up, Eld knocked away John's weapon and floored him. His mouth moved, his offer. A deal to the devil for my soul. The chains tightened and I was pinned back down. A look of sheer disgust and sorrow on my face. I bite my lip, was that blood that welled up?
You know my price. He was smiling as he extended his offer to me. All you had to do was kill your friend. The Angel added and I was suddenly standing. Still chained but standing. I know the price. I feel the hot trail of tears flow and flow. The Angel went up to Ike. I couldn't close my eyes as he lifted John up. "I'm sorry..." John looks at me, not at the Angel but at me. "Do it. Murder me!" His voice changed into one of pure agony.
He's thrown through the air, and a Poltergeist shatters him. And the footsteps approach me from behind. Its all over. I have no where left to be. No one left to help me. I was alone, all alone. I had to act the part. I had to. Amidst the tears. I started to laugh. A laugh mingled with pure agony and sorrow. "I...I KILLED THEM!"
The laugh welled out of me. Straight from the hurt. "HAHHAAAAHAHHAA!" Eld looked a lot like the Angel now, both were dark figures who would take and use me. I succumbed to the darkness. Letting it drag me under the tumultuous waves into the calm underneath.
"Ah..." I shuddered before waking. I sat up in my bed. I couldn't remember what happened, or where I had been. I felt weak, but that was probably just in my head. I got out of bed and felt sore all over.
I shake my head and go to the door. I hear voices downstairs. I hesitantly go to my dining room. Red, Sid, and E-stone are there. They looked exhausted. I leaned against the wall, unsure of what to say. But I don't hesitate for long. "Hey." I said almost meekly. The look they gave me seemed strange, or it might have been my imagination since it quickly disappeared. "Ah, your up." E-stone said as he stood.
"Yeah, I can't remember what exactly happened. And I have the mother of all headaches." I took shuffling steps. Red stood and helped me take the last few steps to the table. They seemed uncomfortable around me, as if they had learned something unpleasant. I couldn't imagine what though. "Well its nice to see you up and about so soon." I nod to Sid, he looked exactly the same as the last time I saw him.
"I don't even know how long I've been out." Red told me. "A full day." I let out a sigh. "Another day lost..." I wince as a blinding pain starts behind my right eye. "You alright?" Red asked as she put a hand on my shoulder. "Y-yeah." A blatant lie.
My head hurt a lot. We talked for a bit, and E-stone finally told me the reason he had come around. "We found the boss." My blood chilled. "Or rather the boss room." What did he mean by that. "And it looks like we're nowhere near ready to take it on." The atmosphere turned grave then.
"I see..." I took a shuddering breath as something flashed across my vision. I tried to suppress whatever it was and keep a straight face. "Well you can count on me Goldilocks." He smiled. "I forgot how much I hate that name." I give him a grin. "Don't worry––" A message appeared.
It was from Gaia. The subject line made me very grave. Eld. I opened it quickly. Found him, he's here on the Twenty-fifth tier. He's up to something, I'll investigate. I grimace and rapidly sent her a message, trying to call her off. I double checked the map data I received. Its a little known dungeon. Not many people have explored it. "Sorry about that, let me make something." I prepared a meal for us. Sid and E-stone hungrily devoured up the meal while Red seemed to have retained her manners.
I smiled, my headache eased. Then I look down, my smile turns into a frown. "Hey." They look up from eating. "Can I ask why you guys looked funny at me earlier?" The room seemed charged, a powder keg waiting to go off. "W-we didn't." Red defended. "And she proves my point." They seemed tense, I have only seen them like this during a boss fight.
E-stone gathered his grit, "Its about––" I received another message. I left it, "Continue." E-stone seemed at a loss for words at my sudden change. I was mimicking Jane's coldness as best I could. "We...were here..." "Speak up." He glared at me. "We were here when you started talking." I felt an icy chill down my back. "Sid and I held you down through your nightmare." Bits of images flashed through my mind. "And we heard you yell, and the things you said and things you did." My vision blurred.
"Oh that." I stand. They gave me a look of concern. "Its of little matter, don't worry about it." "Don't worry about it!?" Red exclaimed. I gave her an icy look. "Its of no concern to you. Its my problem and I'll handle it." She opened her mouth as if she were about to reply immediately. But she stopped herself. She seemed to consider her words.
"Yesterday, you were attacked by nine players." My head hurt. It was different than before. The images hurt more. "Me and Wayland rushed over to help you and you know what you did?" My head was throbbing with pain. Especially behind my right eye. It felt as if someone stuck a hot poker behind it.
"You told us, no you ordered us not to fight." That memory floated up, along with others. "You knocked us out of the fight and fought alone. You rushed the leader and let yourself get hurt terrible. And then you changed." I felt something sickening in my stomach. My very being disgusted me.
"And after you changed you were terrifying. You scared us. Even so we rushed to you, we fought the majority of the players to try and help you." No more. No more. "And when I was about to take a nasty hit you jumped out of nowhere and took it. You unleashed a special I've never seen before and knocked most of them down. And then you were down. That girl was about to end you, and you just kept antagonized her. And when they left you seemed to give up." Those regrettable tears welled up from me.
"Now tell me we aren't suppose to get worried and get involved!" I grit my teeth, I look at her. "It–––" Messages appeared one after another. "Hey, we're talking!" Red made towards, but stopped when she saw the look I had. Gaia's first message was just a report that the dungeon was full of PKers. The next two messages sent chills down my back. Eld is here, he's doing something. I'm getting closer. They suspect something. I might get in a lot of trouble soon. The one after that made my worries a reality. Help. That was it. Then it was a picture. An image of Gaia tied and on her side. Under that there was a voice recording.
I hesitantly pressed play. "Its so nice to hear from you Sol." Eld. Eld! "Now I know what your thinking boy, calm down." He laughed. "I would like to play a game, how about it, care to gamble for your friend's life. Oh wait, I forget you already do that. I have to ask how are your buddies, I mean the ones you didn't kill." The images solidified in my mind, death. Constant scenes from the death of my friends and other players. "But I digress, though I have to ask how is your lady in Red. Last I heard she was taking care of you after that last assassination attempt." I remembered it so clearly now.
It came to the forefront of my mind and jabbed into my eye, tears were ready to come in rivulets. "Oh wait I'm sorry, she was sitting to your right and across from her was the merchant from Bazaar, Sid was it." My eyes opened wide. "And next to him was a good old acquaintance, E-stone how have you been. Do all those players you lead to their deaths still haunt you? Again I should get on with this." His tone changed. I turned to them. "Get dow––" "This is the first round, come to me, no matter the cost!"
My windows shattered and a torrent of arrows and knives flew in. The others managed to hide behind my table. It was reduced to polygons moments later but the barrage had ended already. "No one can interfere other than those in the room with you. Well, you know the or else bit. Or do I need to remind you." In the background I heard a lot of muffled cries and exclamation. "Hurry hurry, her health bar isn't eternal." "Don't So––" I barged out the door as a dozen columns of light disappeared.
"Damn it!" I grabbed a teleport crystal and went to Lumen. There I equipped my gear. I tentatively touched the sword, the one Jane had given me as the Black Rose. Please, help me. Footsteps came from behind me. "Wait up!" Red grabbed my wrist, I pulled away a moment later. "Don't interfere." I went out onto the field and sprinted. Voices called to me. I didn't stop. And for that I got knocked down by an Imp. The hoard swarmed me. I spat, "Don't mess with me!" I threw the Imp into its comrades and let loose on them. I didn't stop then either, I continued towards the dungeon. "Dammit!" Someone punched me hard enough to knock me down. I rubbed my chin. E-stone stood before me. "Calm down." He ordered.
I made to stand up. "You can't just go in without a plan." "I have one." "Yeah right." I grimace. "I am going into that dungeon. And nothing will stop me." He still stood in my way. "Let us help at least." I finally noticed Red and an out of breath Sid. "...Fine."
The entrance to the dungeon was a cave mouth covered in frost. Two of Eld's PKers stood on guard duty. "We split up, Red go right, Sol the left. Me and Sid go straight." We broke off and assaulted the two sentries. They were knocked out in moments. The cave blew out icy air. "Ready." I linked up with Red and we descended. Gaia was right, the Pkers were almost as numerous as the hordes.
"Eld has been doing some recruiting." I lifted up a PKer. "So where is Eld?" He struggled for a moment. "Ah, its brother Sol. The General has been waiting for you. He sends his warmest regards." He then kicked me and chugged something. He doubled over as a poisoned status appeared. He shattered moments later.
"W-what." We stood shocked amongst the unconscious PKers. "Don't dwell on it." Was all I said. They looked reluctant to move forward.
We continued inwards. The dungeon was a marvel. Sometimes we would come across paths that were split by a chasm. Then we'd have to find an icy boulder covering the source of water. They water blasted out and froze, an icy bridge for us to cross. But that was the least of the issues. The PKers were remorseless. They attacked with such ferocity that it was by sheer luck we didn't get over taken. We finally made it to the second level of the dungeon. I had hope that Gaia was still alright. The monsters of the dungeon were docile enough, except that the PKers often antagonized them to no end and made them highly confrontational.
"AHH!" I stabbed a dragon in the pulsating gem on its chest. It shattered moments later as I was dealing with two more. We took a small breather to heal up. "Sol..." Red called to me as I stared at my hand. I turned away from her and went over to a pillar of stone. I brought out the image of me and the guild. I smiled a bit as I saw something that will never happen again.
"Sol." Red was close now. I put away the image and turn to her. "You ready to move on?" She hesitated.
"Are you alright? Eld kept goading you on and now your friend is..." I walk past her.
"It doesn't matter if I'm alright. As long as I can lift my sword and move I have to fight on. Eld," Images flashed before my eyes of the PKer. "Gene Lockeless." I remember the time he talked with Cooper, he didn't seem evil then.
"And even this game and its players." I remember my friends, how they vowed to kill me. And then I remember how Wayland was, shellshocked. And then how I had failed to save the three people with me, and Caesar's friends, and who knows how many others.
And those PKers, Eld's guild, and my other half, the Angel. "They won't stop, so neither will I." The others followed me as I lead the way into the dungeon. They seemed eerily quiet. We entered a safe room, it was stadium sized. I felt someone stare daggers at me. I clenched and unclenched my hands. In one swift second I blocked a sudden attack from my flank. A PKer had jumped down from the icicles above. "Rematch!" He yelled. "Oh hell." I shoved him back, Deg the deranged. He was one of Eld's personal acquaintances. "Oh its the neophyte murder!" He yelled.
I felt an uncontrollable rage build. I was about to charge in when a hand caught mine. I turned, something burning in me. "Together." Red said as she drew her blade. A rapier. It glowed lightly with a certain sky blue color. I had never noticed.
"Fine. Together." Deg took a cautious step back. "Alright boys." More PKers dropped down around him. Ten in all. I knew what we were all thinking. We should escape. "Strife! Advance." They formed into a wedge shaped formation. And they came at us, Deg at the very front. Deg actually broke away from his group and charged at me specifically.
I blocked his thrust and Red slashed his side. He leapt back a bit. "I see you have yourself a new lady. I have to say that you just keep getting the latest models. The one we have and the one you had first just don't compare to your scarlet wh––" I lunged forward and punched him hard.
He stabbed upwards into my ribs. I buried my sword in his gut and lifted him up by his armor. "HAAA!" His men yelled as they charged. With only E-stone and Sid running interference we'd be overrun for sure. "Hey!" My two allies looked over at me and made some room.
I hurled Deg as far and as fast as I could. He knocked down three of his PKers before crashing into a pillar of ice. I was unarmed now. But that didn't stop me from shoving past Sid and E-stone. I charged the ten PKers without even bothering to check if I had backup. Thing was I had long since felt my control slip, the Angel was vying for my body. And that's why they probably faltered as I got close. The nearest two barely grazed me with their weapons when I clotheslined them.
They fell flat onto their backs, dazed. And I worked through the ten PKers. A dagger user lunged at me. I caught him by his wrist and threw him wide off target, then I slammed my elbow back into his face repeatedly before jabbing his knife, which he still held, into his own throat. He fell down spluttering. I turned to see a spear user charge me. I turned and grabbed his weapon, I tugged it out of his hands and spun it overhead to slam it hard into his head. He clutched his temple until I buried his own spear into him.
Then I was blindsided by a shield and sword user. He thrusted at me constantly, I just stepped back until I could get in close and grip the edges of his shield. I twist it to were he had to strain against the chance of breaking his arm. I heard footsteps behind me. I sidestepped and let an axe wielder smash into his ally. They both landed in a pile. And in that brief lapse of concentration someone jumped onto my back and put a sword to my throat. I gripped his hand and reached behind me.
I flipped him off my back and watched him groan at the hard impact. I picked up his sword, a short sword. Another sword user came at me, I twist his arm and liberate him of his sword to impale him in the back. He stumbles forward and lands on top of the other sword user. Now I had two swords in my hands again. The Angel threatened to rest control from me completely. And that was dangerous. But with twin swords like this, I felt oddly at ease. I was using a dual sword style different than when usually wielding two weapons. Usually it was that both weapons were used with an individual style, but that's not the case with swords. I had briefly looked at the dual sword skill I had used against the White Wings, it was called Tempest. I watched as the ten PKers retreated and reorganized. "Your insane." E-stone said as he joined my side.
The Angel receded for now. "Oh, were you guys here too?" He gawked at me. Then he shook his head as if to clear it. "Sol, what happened to working together?" Red joined my side as well as Sid. "Its that idiot, he really got on my nerves."
I swung both swords experimentally. "Lightweight, crude, dull." I concentrated on my enemy. "But its more than enough to deal with little nothings like you idiots." They reequipped weapons and formed up again. "E-stone, Sid." They grunt, "Cover my flanks." They take up positions.
"This feels strange, being on the receiving end of orders." I chuckle. "Want to be my partner for this Red?" "Its been a while since we four fought together." Sid said as Red joined me in the center. "...You know they should make a movie out of this." E-stone laughed.
"Maybe we can talk something over later. First we have to get out of this game as fast as possible." We steadied ourselves. Any minute now the pin will drop. "Hey you moth––" Deg barged through his group and pointed my sword at me. "Don't just stand there idiots, get them!" And here we go. "He's mine." I lunge forward, Red not to far behind me.
I hacked madly away at my opponents. The two swords were deadly, "Get back." I yelled over my shoulder. Red did just that as I unleashed Tempest. A blinding torrent of thirteen consecutive hits took many of them out of the fight. Sid swung his axe and knocked away Deg as he charged me. He cursed loudly as we regrouped. "Keep the others busy, I'm ending this." Deg stood and wiped some spittle away from his cheek. "Be careful Sol." Red said to me before she charged the PKers. "Its just the four of us now." Deg grinned as his two personal bodyguards joined him.
"Yeah." I gauged the distance and pulled a gutsy move. I ran towards them as the two PKers charged, their blades glowed a light blue. I threw both weapons. It caught them so off guard that they didn't even try to avoid them.
Upon impact they fell back ten feet at least. I threw my arms wide, "You son of––" Deg lunged forward. My sword glowed as he launched a special. I stop and stand still, "Don't underestimate me!" He yelled as he crossed the last of the distance to me. I closed my eyes.
"What are you doing?!" The Angel lifted me up by the front of my shirt. I glared down at him. "I have a plan, and I need to use you up now." He bristled.
"You sorry excuse for a––" I knocked him down, then I began to stomp on his head. "I don't care about you." I lifted him and our roles were reversed. "I don't care about myself." He spat up a little blood and grinned at me. "Now that's something I can work with."
"DIE!" Deg had lost it. He stabbed into my gut and lifted me high up, dealing massive damage. Red light cascaded in all directions. I felt myself slip. I was losing a hold on myself...I was gone. Deg flicks me off the blade and marches towards my body. He begins slashing madly at me, "DIE!" He really wanted to kill me.
He lifted the sword up once more and prepared to deliver a finisher, a final strike. I caught the blade as it sliced through the air. Glaring up at Deg I grinned. "..." Deg fought to pry the sword from my grip as he bucked wildly. I punched him hard and freed my weapon from him. He backpedaled away from me and brought out his knife. The look of fear that was plastered to his face made me want to chuckle.
The Angel was here. "W-what's wrong with you!?" He yelled at me as I came at him. My sword impaled him to the ground and I plucked his knife from him. I tore my blade up and out to slash him from his sternum to his shoulder. He cringed as his health bar diminished. I threw his knife over my shoulder. "S-stop!" He seemed to command me. "Your one of the good guys, you don't kill us!" I gripped his neck hard, hard enough to make him gasp.
Considering that the system blocked a lot of pain and discomfort for us this was pretty hard. I lifted and held him up. I saw that his feet kicked out madly. He was suffocating, his throat was being crushed. "..Do–––" I stab into him. My blade pierces through his light armor and all the way up to the hilt. Then I bring it out and do it again, and again. He clawed a me, my face and eyes, trying to pry free.
Nothing worked. Nothing. Finally I heard voices. "Sol!" A female voice was the loudest. I blinked away the Angel's fog and let Deg drop. His health was red. I step back a bit. I hoped the Angel had used up as much of its influence as it could, I wasn't going to have it prevent Gaia from being saved. I take a deep breath, a shudder passing through my entire body. A hand gripped my shoulder, hard. And next a knife was at my throat. "About time." Eld said into my ear.
How did he, "I have to say that you certainly know how to put on a good show." He turns me around roughly, making me face my friends. "Hello company, oh so nice to see all these familiar faces." We were at an impasse. But since this was Eld it was probably more like a dead end, mine.
"Oh look at little Red riding hood. All grown up from that little mute on the first tier. How have you been darling?" She grimaced. "I feel horrible right now, maybe cutting off that smug grin of yours will make me feel better." Eld cackled. "Now now, temper temper. I do have your little boy toy here at my mercy." I gripped the hilt of my sword hard, could I afford to take any damage?
No, I'd die before long like this. Eld gripped the blade of my sword and tugged. I let go reluctantly. He tossed it a few feet away. "Now then, what to do? Any ideas, my protege?" I wanted to turn and strangle him. "I am nothing like you." Even as I said that through clenched teeth I had my doubts. "Oh come off your high horse. You know your just like me. After all doesn't this scene in front of you remind you of that time?" My vision blurred. My breathing became sluggish.
I was going to lose it soon. He called over my shoulder, to my comrades, my friends. "Didn't he tell you. He nearly broke apart an entire guild singlehandedly. I spared him that chore though, a beginner should start small after all." I felt the blood rush out of me. Not again, not that moment again. "He only killed off about a fourth of them. Still that's pretty impressive." I felt tears stream down one side of my face.
"Tell me, how are his nightmares? How many times did he plead for their lives." I gave, my knees couldn't support my own weight. Eld let me drop, he planted his foot onto my back. "Y-you monster." Someone said horrified. I could see that moment so many times. So many deaths. "Ha...ah... ...haa" Eld tried to stifle his laugh and failed. "Exactly." He rapped lightly on the back of my head. "Tell us, how did it feel? Watching Amethyst get torn in two. Burrs losing his arm and then his head." I felt my sorrow reach its capacity, I'd shut down soon. "Or how about Ike, staring you in the face defiantly, his girlfriend dead along with one of his friends. Tell me, how did it feel throwing him to that monster so that he'd die." My mind dully registered these words as the real damage came in deep stabs of pain and the memory.
"Oh to bad that they lost all their health. Now those people are dead. Laura." My breath caught in my throat. "Burt." He knew. He knew their names. "And of course John." He knew their names, but he couldn't. Not their real names. "Tell me Thomas, how did it feel?" In that moment I snapped.
The pain in my head and heart to much. No one was suppose to know my name, none but the friends trying to kill me. "AAAHHHHHHHHH!" I cried out. "Hahahahahha hahahha hahahaha!" Eld laughed at my torment. My voice faltered and failed. The long scream of my sorrow dried up surprisingly quick.
I had used up every last bit of my strength for my death throes. Eld kicked me and I was on the ground completely. I was done for. I was dead now. "Ah. Nothing like breaking a player to make one feel refreshed." Someone took shuffling steps behind Eld.
"Eld...can I kill him now?" Deg, of course. "No my rider. We need him to become my successor. But his friends are free meat." Deg laughed. He took two steps around me then stopped. "You know I heard she cried. Something terrible, but she held strong, she knew you were coming to rescue her." Something clicked in me. Something that I didn't know clicked.
"Back so soon." The Angel asked, a bit out of breath. "I'm not done resting, deal with it yourself." I didn't know why I'm here. Why would I come to speak with him of all people. He covered up that immense sorrow and loneliness with a violent layer. He was a monster down to his core like this.
"Are you just here to escape? Coward, you know that right Thomas?" I bow my head and nod. "Of course you do. Such a useless person." He chuckled as if he made a joke. "So what now, are you going to curl up and die now?" I nod and fall to my knees. He took shuffling steps over to me.
"Of course you are. Isn't that what you've always done?" I nod again. He lifted me up an scowled at me. "Pathetic, you don't do their memory justice." Memory...
"Those three would be disappointed seeing you like this." Those three...but...they're dead.
"They gave their lives for you and the others. You weak, spineless worm. You can't even stand up to a memory." He was right. Something came back to me.
"W-who are you?" The Angel grinned. Thomas you should know by now." He let me drop and sat on his throne. "I am Sol..." And it all made sense now. I stood shakily. "I...I..." He smiled at me as tears welled up from my eyes, both of them now.
"Go die Thomas." I was going to do that. "No." I stood defiantly. "I need to use you." Sol laughed. He smiled warmly at me. "Oh really." "Yes, you are Sol and I am Thomas. We are one and the same." I took a step towards him.
"Really?" "Yes, and we are not like this." I reached towards him. "We are not we, I am just one person and mind." His eyes softened. "That's exactly right." He began to fade slowly. But he wasn't disappearing, he was returning to his rightful place in my mind. He was a part of me.
"Your right." Cooper said as he put a hand on my shoulder. "He's just you. You as you were, broken, scarred, afraid. All those things were you. And you couldn't handle it all and he was made."
"Thanks Cooper." He's gone just like that. I step towards the me that had broken in this game. The me I would never be again. "Sol. You are me." He smiled and we shook hands. "I am you Thomas, never forget that. Never forget you are not alone." He turned into a sword. I feel...whole...
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Deg was just two feet away when I moved. I covered the distance to my blade faster than anyone realized. I stepped hard on the hilt of the weapon and caught it spinning. "What the––" Deg was interrupted mid-sentence as I slashed him across the face. He collapsed easily as I faced Eld.
"I am Sol. And I am going to stop you Eld." I said this with a conviction I didn't think I had after losing my friends. He tsked. "Nice to have you back, I'll be waiting for you at the bottom." Eld turned and headed towards the door. "She'll be glad to hear this." He said before leaving. I sheathed my weapon and stared hard at the door. "He's gone..." I collapsed shortly there after.
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"Uh..." Someone mumbled something. "Sol...Sol..." I sat up. "Quiet please, my head hurts." I rubbed my temples, though something very heavy seemed to have disappear from my conscience. I no longer felt the Angel, and the feeling of loss I had was minimized as well. Still I felt tears, some wounds will always hurt. I covered my face with my hand and indulged myself in grief.
But that was quick. I sprang to my feet and tottered. "Easy there." Red said as she steadied me. "Thank you." I said, remembering all she did for me while I was not thinking straight. I doubt she picked up on all of it, but she might have felt it. She helped me over to a wall were I gracelessly slid down.
"Sol!" "Shh. I felt as if I just had my head crushed, give me a moment." Slowly the ache dulled and lethargy set in. But I had a duty to do. I lean on the wall as I stand. "Wait, you need to rest." I grimace. "There will be time after this. Right now," I put a hand on my sword hilt. As if to make the decision for me, seven PKers barge through the door. "There, get them. Eld has ordered that they not make it to him!" They charged.
"Damn." My friends looked weary. I can only guess at the strain they were under. I step forward. "Red, you have my back." There was a pause. She punched my shoulder roughly before standing next to me. "Always." She drew her rapier. My sword looked a bit worn compared to hers. But considering the rough time its had I can see why. I take the first step, and Red matches me.
The seven PKers were dangerous, of course they were. But I felt little fear, with my back pressed against hers most of the time I almost could have enjoyed this. This was what I had been missing all along, and the Angel's words ring in me. Not alone. I kick away a PKer and leap forward. The gap in the loose ring they made around us was enough. I used Sky Dance to completely destroy their formation. We break through and defeat them. I pass out a few healing draughts. After the shattering effect was done on the bottles I marched to the door.
"Wait up." The others seemed a bit sluggish. They were tired. I was to, but I refused to let it show. I refused to.
And with that I lead them deeper into the dungeon, past hordes of frost trolls and icy dragons. Through groups of PKers. And into the depths of the seventh basement floor. The door at the end of this dungeon seemed strange. Not a boss door with its black coloring and rose motif, but a white door with snakes carved into it. "Ready." E-stone said next to me and we pushed through.
Eld of course was waiting. We crossed the bridge to get to the transparent platform. Upon further inspection I realized it was ice, very slippery ice. Eld clapped and five PKers stood in front of him. Blue was standing on his right. "Welcome. About time you arrived." We tensed for a fight, but surprisingly enough we didn't get one.
"Go on boys." Eld clapped his hands together and his PKers teleported away. Blue bowed before disappearing. I took a step towards Eld with my sword out. "No no no. I still have a hostage." Eld held up a throwing knife and pointed behind him. Gaia was standing precariously near the edge. "All I want is to talk Sol." I hesitated before taking a few steps towards him.
We regard each other for a moment. "So I have to ask, how is working with normal people and not your murderous kind?" I kept my expression flat. Eld smiled. "Come on give me something Sol. Aren't you going to humor me?" My silence was his answer. "Damn it, all that hard work molding you just went down the drain, didn't it? Ah well, I guess we can start from square one again." He took three steps back before turning to Gaia. "He's here, just like I wanted. I guess you can go." I was tense as Eld took those final steps to her. This was to easy.
"Yes, square one all over again." It happened in a moment. Gaia was thrown back into the darkness and Eld's knife came at me. It missed me by three feet and struck behind me.
The platform shook. "ELD!" I was prepared to lunge forward when I noticed the cracks at my feet. "No, Sol you had best calm down. Right now, if you dash towards me you'll kill off your comrades behind you." I turn and saw the web of cracks under them.
"Sol. I'll ask you this only once." He walked towards me, the rope in his hand taut. "Remember my offer last time." I blanched, my vision became very bleary. "Kill off the few for the good of the many." Eld held out a hand to me.
"Will you take up my offer again. Will you kill your comrade for the sake of the three friends behind you. Will you!?" I hesitated. And he took it as an answer. "I expect that you know what this means." And he let go of the rope.
