Chapter 12: The pacifist

Nick rushed over to Neptune, and crouched beside her. She had a single, painful looking stab wound in her stomach, and she was fully conscious, sobbing quietly.

"Neptune! Neptune, it's ok, the murderer is gone now," Nick whispered, holding her head up.

"Nicholas, I..." Neptune started. She spit out a bit of blood. Nick held back tears. She wasn't going to die like this- at the hands of a player. A genocidal, insane player.

No. A monster. A horrible monster.

"Neptune, please stay with me. I... I think I love you," Nicholas said very quietly, "and I don't know how I could live without you." Neptune smiled.

"I will try. Do you have anything to stop the bleeding with," Neptune asked, ignoring most of Nicholas's comment.

Suddenly, a woman stepped out of the bushes. She wore a simple white robe with a hood, and carried no weapon.

"Is this Elf hurt?" She asked, rushing over to Neptune.

"Yes, she was stabbed by a genocidal maniac. Can you help?" Nick asked desperately.

"Of course. Well. I don't really know how, but I might have the supplies.

"oh. New player. Got a red bottle?" Nick asked. She nodded.

"Give it to me. Healing potion. Should work," guide said, extending his hand. He was expecting a sarcastic, "no thanks," or perhaps a suspicious glance.

Instead, the woman handed guide a red bottle of healing with no hesitation, and rushed to Neptune's side.

Nick poured it between Neptune's lips, and instantly, her wound began to heal.

"Something tells me we should also apply a bandage, to be safe. I can use a strip from my robe," the new player said. She tore a long strip of cloth from her sleeve, and began to wrap it around Neptune's stomach.

At this point, Neptune had fallen unconscious, but she was beginning to breath normally. The wound in her stomach had nearly closed, and some of her skin color was returning, but she looked different. Hollow. Like a cracked shell of Neptune laying in the grass.

Guide shook his head. Nothing was wrong. Neptune was fine.

"Now, I guess we'd better-" the woman started. Suddenly, I slime leapt from nowhere and launched itself at her. She sidestepped just in time, and smiled. Nick brandished his sword. "I do not wish to fight you. Go back to your home," the woman said. Her hands did not stray to any sort of weapon. She stood her ground, smiling at the slime. The slime quivered for a moment, and, after seemingly making up its mind, the slime hopped away. Nick watched with surprise.

"That was incredible. How'd you do that?" Nick asked, trying to figure out what exactly just happened. The woman looked confused.

"I came to terms with another life form, which was likely just hunting for food. That's how it's done here, correct?" She asked. Nick laughed nervously.

"Actually, we usually just hack them to pieces. The last guy here actively hunted monsters and slaughtered them en-masse. Its a tough world. You gotta kill them before they kill you!" Nick replied solemnly.

"Monsters? You mean the things that are not like us? The slimes and such? They are not the monsters. People such as the one you described are the monsters," the woman said. Guide couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had once shared this sentiment. Why did it surprise him so much to hear it now?

"He's actually the guy who stabbed the... Elf did you say? The woman who you just helped," Guide said motioning towards Neptune, "Needless to say, he's dead now."

"I'm sorry. How'd he die?" The woman asked. Nick stared at her incredulously.

"I... I killed him. So he didn't kill Neptune," Nick replied.

"Was there no peaceful way to solve it? Perhaps a few sharp words to break up the fight, or you could physically restrain him?" The woman asked. Nick looked down shamefully. She was right of course. If Atticus knew who Neptune was he probably wouldn't have shanked her, and his death was somewhat needless.

"He... He was too far gone. Anyways, the guy had it coming. He was a genocidal maniac and a threat to the world," Nick said. There was silence.

"Perhaps we should build a shelter?" The woman suggested. Nick nodded grudgingly. She was doing his job, and he did not appreciate it at all.

"Yes, and you need a weapon. As I mentioned before, it's kill or be killed with the undead out here," Nick said, stressing his point.

"Hmm. I would like to see if this is true. I think maybe it is only that way because you make it like that. Perhaps there is another solution, one without bloodshed." The woman thought for a moment. "No. I do not need a weapon. Let us get to work building." She said.

"Alright. By the way what's your name?" Nick asked.

"... You may address me as Curie. What do you prefer to be called?" Curie asked.

"Nicholas. But you can call me Nick," Nick said on reflex. He then realized that he had just replied redundantly.

"Nicholas-but-you-can-call-me-Nick. An odd preference, but I will conform," Curie said. Guide sighed.

"Actually, I prefer Nick."

And so it was settled. Nick the terrible guide, and Curie the pacifist.