Yo. I am here with Chapter 7. Time to reveal a twist, also I would like to point out that Slayer and Mia are the creations of my fellow writer Mysterious Maniac from his story Through the Darkness. This chapter also has slight spoilers for chapter 6 of Through the Darkness, FYI.

Disclaimer: Do any of us really own any of what we write, I don't believe so.

Kings of Insanity

Chapter 7: The Kings Meet the Slayer! Showdown Against the Knights! Part 1

December 2023 Floor 1.

The three members of the Kings were staring in shock as they beheld the spectacle before them. They had decided that they were going to follow Alice as she met with a person that she had talked to a few times before. The three followed her as she went to the Town of Beginnings and arrived at the church. They saw her talking to a younger girl. She appeared to be in her early teens, with her brunette hair ending at shoulder length, and she had the purest hazel eyes. She was wearing a set of pink light armor and he could see a short sword on her hip and a shield strapped across her back.

Robert narrowed his eyes, "Do either of you know just who she is?"

Lawrence turned his head, "Her name is Mia, and last I heard she was seen with Slayer."

"Slayer? As in the badass in black that was on the front lines?"

"Yeah, that's him. I don't see him though."

John finally popped into the conversation. "They're leaving, we better go ahead. Alice said the two of them were gonna head to floor 22."

The three nodded as they teleported away, not noticing the glare from a short distance away.

Floor 22

The two young girls were out hunting down a rather large group of Minotaurs and their leader. The girls were reinsured that they could do it because of the fact that Slayer was on the floor and Alice saw that Robert, Lawrence, and John were all three somewhere on the floor; knowing them they were close enough that they could see her. Alice looked at her companion for the moment, "Hey Mia, you never told me what happened to your brother." At her friends sad look Alice gasped, "I'm sorry, I didn't know. Where are you staying at the moment?"

Mia smiled at her friend's question. "I'm staying with someone who is really strong. He makes sure I'm safe; he even saved my life a few weeks ago. His name is Slayer, and he is really a nice guy once you get to know him… and block out the constant cursing."

Alice giggled, "He sounds like Lawrence."

"Who? I don't think that I have heard that name before."

"Remember when I told you about the Kings? How I consider them all older brothers?"

"Yeah, I remember. You wouldn't shut up about how strong they are or just how far they would go to keep you safe. I still think that you're lying; because there is no way that you know the Kings of Insanity."

Alice glared at her friend and pointed at her shoulder; the symbol of the Kings boldly being visible. "That symbol is a very important symbol. This symbol, all the lines that act as a maze, each represent the multiple paths that lead to insanity. Yet all paths lead to the same end, it is what we all believe, in a weird way. The only thing in the world that is guaranteed is death, and that insanity is different for everyone. That symbol also points out the factor that all of my older brothers are people that normally you wouldn't think would even associate with each other, and yet they all do."

"That sounds like a pipe dream my friend."

"That is exactly what I said when the symbol was designed and explained to me. What most don't realize is that since they quit fighting the bosses, the speed at which floors are cleared has slowed. Yet, there are fewer deaths. Also, have you ever heard of the Hands of the Reaper?"

"No, but they sound like trouble."

"They are. My big brother Joe is gathering some information on them, and it looks like they are slowly gathering an army."

"Why do you sound like that could be the worst thing in the world?"

"They are a guild of PK-ers. Their leader apparently has a grudge against my older brothers."

A sweat drop appears on the back of Mia's head. "Is it safe for me to travel with you?"

"As safe as you can be, I know that three of my brothers are here on this floor."

"Are they strong enough to beat anything on this floor?"

"You remember the story about seven people taking on the boss of Floor 30?" At Mia's nod, Alice smirked. "Now you know why I think they are strong enough to handle anything here."

"I bet Slayer could beat them."

"Probably one-on-one, but they never truly fight one-on-one. One of the rules is that I must have at least one as a guard. They don't want anyone to use me against them."

"They seem like the perfect set of older brothers. I am slightly jealous of you Alice, it must be nice."

"I wouldn't be. I happen to know that all of them have had pasts that involve a lot of death and periods of insanity. Lawrence, for example, spent a few weeks in a prison cell for the vengeance he got for the death of his family. I remember because the others helped to bail him out… and to get the revenge. Robert might seem to be a kind person at times, but trust me when I say that he has one of the fiercest touches of Pyromania that I have ever seen. He actually once set a large fire in a warehouse because of all the gangs that used it for their drugs and rapings. I think someone mentioned that one of the gangs were still in it at the time."

"He sounds like a dangerous murderer."

"There was no gang in there, just a bunch of their clothes. The gang tried to get back at him, but that is where the others came into play. No one wanted to deal with the gang, so they dealt with it. Like I said, they helped Lawrence with his vengeance."

"Why didn't anyone want to deal with the gang?"

"One of the big shots in the gang had connections to some really powerful people and no one wanted to have an even more dangerous gang show up. It was in the news when the gang was wiped out, not a single one wasn't put in the hospital. Broken bones and some minor burns, the worst was the big shot and a few others; they were all beaten so bad they fell into comas."

"How many were there? Gang members I mean?"

"Roughly twenty to thirty, but they were all drunk so I don't even think they really were able to do anything. I remember it because Joe came home with a black eye and a few bruises on his back. Sometimes I think back to the first time they met. They were all in school, and a fight started between some idiots about who had the better girlfriend. One of the idiots was going out with a friend that they all had in common, and he referred to her as his 'loyal little slut.' They all kicked his ass afterwards, at the cost of that friendship."

"Why did that cost them her friendship? They stood up for her, right?"

"Well yeah, but she apparently didn't mind being called a slut as long as the bastard bought her things."

"When did you start cussing?"

"I hung out with Robert a few days ago while he was selling and buying things for the entire guild, and he doesn't really censor himself as well as the others."

The two girls giggled as John and Lawrence glared at Robert. "You always tell us to censor ourselves. What about you hypocrite?"

"Shut up, someone is coming up to them."

"What do you see?"

"Nothing yet, let's get closer."

"Is that a good idea, what if it's Slayer and he thinks we are enemies?"

"We pray that he doesn't kill one of us before we can tell him that we are just watching out for Alice."

"What if he doesn't believe us? What then?"

"We fight until Alice recognizes us and tells him that we are on her side."

"You have no idea if that will work, do you?"

"Hell no, and I would rather not have to fight Slayer either."

John stared at the two that were having a rather morbid discussion with a sweat drop. "Would you two get serious, we need to be on alert for the Knights or Hands."

The two nodded before they got closer to the two girls. The movements did not go unnoticed. From a short distance behind them a man was watching them. "Who are they?"

Unknowing of the person following them the three got closer to the two, only to hear the tail end of Alice talking about the night they took on the small gang. Robert scowled at the memory, 'Damn all of them fucking bastards to hell.'

Slayer was watching the three and noticed one of them scowl. Taking this as the moment the three were going to attack he decided that he would attack first. Not recognizing the weapons that the two in light armor were wearing he decided to go for the one in heavy armor with a claymore first. As he drew Unrighteous Reaper he prepared to charge the group as quick as he could. With a great swing he cut through a few trees as he tried to cut down his target. Not even registering the fact that the three had drawn their weapon he leapt at Lawrence, aiming for a kill shot that would remove the obvious tank. Noticing movement out of the corner of his eye he dodged the scythe blade of John's kusarigama. "You will need to be better than that motherfucker!"

"Crimson Shadow Dance!" Robert started to swing his hook swords at the enraged man. Seeing the battle-axe that the man was wielding he knew exactly who it was. "Hey, we're not your fucking enemies! We are just watching over Alice!"

"Bullshit, you're just saying that so I will lower my guard! Did Ray put you up to this? Did that little cock-sucker of a little bitch tell you to go after Mia?"

"Who in the fucking hell is that? I don't know anyone named Ray! We are just here to make sure that the fucking Hands of the Reaper or Knights of the Blood don't grab Alice to use against us!"

Slayer hesitated for a brief moment, trying to place the name Hands of the Reaper. He stopped attacking, without removing his hand from the handle of Unrighteous Reaper, and stared at the hook sword wielding guy covered by a cloak. "What is your fucking name?"

"My name's Robert. I'm known in some circles as the wolf of the Kings of Insanity." Robert sighed after this, placing the hook swords in an X in the small of his back. Despite this he kept his guard up, "I also know who you are. Not many people that have fought on the front lines at least once don't know about the badass in black Slayer."

Slayer was watching. "How do I know that you are telling the truth?"

"Honestly, you don't. How about recourse, we walk over to Alice and she tells you if I really am who I say that I am?"

"How am I supposed to trust that when I turn my back one of the other two won't stick a knife in it?"

Robert let out another sigh. "Well, then I guess we're at an impasse. I have no way of properly identifying myself without Alice, while you won't let her come here due to that Mia girl." At Slayer's glare he smirked, "We do not let Alice go with just anyone; we look up whatever information we can about them. Your name and hers seem linked. We heard that the Ghouls were wiped out because they kidnapped her. Funny thing is, they mentioned that they were told that you could only use heavy armor and a battle-axe, but instead showcased a new unique skill."

'That is a lot of confidential information. How did you get it?"

"We have someone on the inside of the Knights. Ever since they started some shit with us, we had to increase our security detail on Alice. We also found out that someone in the Knights has a hard-on for your head, any way that Mia's kidnapping happened to be connected?"

"What if it was?"

"Well then…" At this point Lawrence charged forward.

"You bastard, no one gets a cheap-shot like that against me!" Lawrence swung the claymore, only for Slayer to block the attack like it was nothing. John came from behind but was kicked away into a tree. Lawrence, seeing red after watching his friend fly through the air, was on Slayer like a demon. "If you touch my friends again I'll kill you!"

Robert just face-palmed. "Great, the dumbasses just had to attack him. There goes any chance of a civil meeting. Hey, idiots, what the fuck are your problems?" Noticing that Slayer was about to go for a thrust that would more than likely cause Lawrence some major damage he used the hook sword's hook to grab the battle-axe and move it to the side. "Now now, ya don't have to kill any of us."

"You're all orange players, how many have you killed?"

"What about you, you're red. That means that you killed a green player."

"The bastard was working with some PK-ers." The stare-off would have continued if Alice and Mia hadn't screamed.

"Alice! /Mia!" the four men shouted before running towards them.

When they got there they saw that a small group of Knights of the Blood were standing around the two. "Alice Cathey, current head of the Kings of Insanity, you are hereby placed under arrest for the crime of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and being a member of a guild of PK-ers. Mia, surname unknown, you are under arrest for being an accomplice of both Alice Cathey and Slayer. Both of you are to come quietly and surrender your weapons."

Alice and Mia looked behind the group of eight and started laughing. When one of them asked what was funny Alice wiped her eyes of the tears that had fallen after laughing so hard. "Look behind you, and tell them that we are under arrest."

The group turned around and saw the four people that were rather feared. Slayer: a frontline fighter and former mercenary with ties to the Knights. John Robinson: the Metal Dragon of the Kings of Insanity. Lawrence Blankenship: the Stone Dragon of the Kings. The final person was one that while his combat abilities were widely known as fierce, it was his smirk that told them who it was: Robert Robinson: the Wolf of the Kings.

"Mercy?" The four each drew the weapon that they were known for and pointed at two of the Knights.

Robert pointed at two that each had longswords and shields. The two decided to charge him and quickly fell to the speed that came from his constant training with the hook swords. "Why were these two so fucking weak, the Knights usually don't send anyone this weak after us?"

Lawrence was taking on two guys that had maces and shields. Despite the best efforts the two were swiftly defeated when Lawrence swept their legs and brought the full power of his swing and decapitated both at once.

John was smirking at the tank and scout he had chosen. "You two should just give up, I will kill you if ya don't."

"We aren't scared of a PK-er like you!"

"Oh, then why are your knees shaking?" The two then teleported away, leaving a depressed John. "Damn, I thought that would have caused them to charge at me."

Slayer stared at the two left: the leader and a tank. They were scared and the shaking of their knees was obvious. As he impaled the leader the tank started to rush forward, but was quickly stopped by the frightening expression on Slayer's face. As he froze he didn't notice the blade come down on his neck.

As he turned the two that John let live came back, this time with a few higher leveled and ranked members. The four fighters smirked at once, and had a single common thought. 'Time for some fun.'

This is a wrap.