Chapter 100, What a Waste part 3

Jasper saw Amy charge, and then Samantha Blood dropped him. How he fell his face was half buried in the sand, his hand still burning like the sun itself. All he could do was watch his guild mate charge the giant man, who stood slightly back, his arms crossed and his face hooded.

“Let’s see what kind of creatures Lady Xemnara has fetched,” said Samantha Blood, or was it The Dredman? Jasper could no longer tell such was the pain. Was the sun itself winking in and out of existence or was the darkness finally coming for him?

Even in his failing consciousness Jasper saw as Amy closed the distance between herself and this new threat. The figure disappeared behind her bulk, but just when he knew that she was upon him, her body shuddered and came to a stop as though she had crashed into the mountainside.

“Not bad,” muttered one of the Old Guard. “Quite,” agreed the other.

Suddenly Amy roared and was flung away like nothing so much as an annoying fly. Her giant body tumbled away from her quarry, twisting and flailing with the force of whatever the hooded man with the tusks had done. She came to a stop with a boom at the other side of the quarry, twitching and clearly stunned with the force.

“That thing didn’t even move,” said Samantha Blood. “It had the strength to merely toss that Monster Hunter away like it was nothing. Think Solomon could manage that?”

“In any confrontation I will still have my money on Solomon,” said The Dredman.

Amy came to, coming to her many feet and hissing so loudly that had Jasper been able he would have covered his ears. He wanted to scream at her. He wanted for them to escape. Even with her mighty form they had lost. Why was she still fighting?

Now the hooded man with the tusks was holding a blade. It was long and dark and seemed to smoke in the sunlight. Jasper estimated that it was over ten feet long, and likely hundreds of pounds, yet the thing held it so effortlessly. The other dark figures around the hooded man made way for him as he began to take his first steps forward toward Amy.

“This will be good,” said The Dredman.

The Sand beast charged, and nothing about it’s form suggested a polite young woman lived within it. This was now beast against beast, two monsters from the depths of hell come to do battle. The gully filled with the sounds of a hundred feet skittering across the ground and sounded like the battle charge of a thousand men. Yet still the hooded man with the tusks trudged on, the giant blade casually slung over his shoulder.

At just the last moment, right before impact, Jasper heard a distinct grunt from the hooded man. The giant sword flashed in the sunlight, and Amy’s Sand Beast body convulsed. Amy fell to the ground with a loud thud, and suddenly the hooded man was gone.

“Very fast,” said Samantha. “I think he’s got Solomon beat on that count.”

Jasper saw the hooded man, who was somehow now behind Amy, his black sword held before him though his enemy lay behind. Suddenly there was a ripping sound, and the body of the Sand Beast fell apart, torn asunder and into two parts like a giant bug sliced by a knife on a cutting board.

“And that is that,” said The Dredman. He sounded impressed. “Now what should we do with this one?”

Jasper felt a kick to his back. Amy was dead. They had failed. It was all over. Suddenly, the darkness came, and finally he allowed himself to succumb to it’s quiet grip.

In and out of consciousness. Jasper could hear voices at the edge of his perception.

“…my creations needed blood after coming over, so they are gone.”

“Well, I assumed you can get some more Followers. I just thought…”

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Was it cliche. His life flashed before him, little glimpses of achievements and moments since he had spawned in Esem. There he was, meeting the Guide of Nabonoban. Signing his first contract, his second, his third. His early experience of being an Assassin, finding the guild which would be his family. His pride at being one of the renowned Assassin’s of Astatil. His first contract, the way his victim begged for mercy. Being chewed out by Talgador for allowing the victim to panic before his blade found his throat. “We kill quietly, Jasper. Reputation is a powerful thing.”

“He is the last one, Lady Xemnara. Shall I heal him? Perhaps you have some questions for the lad.”

“I knew he was an interloper since the moment I laid eyes on him.”

“Why let him live, then?”

“As a test for my Followers. It seems they failed.”

Running through a field. What memory was this? Was it after a battle? Someone was with him, holding his hand. But that couldn’t be right…he had no memory of this. Where was he, again?

“Markon has failed, but that is no matter to us.”

“…Just let them go?”

“They must be allowed to carry on. Markon missed his opportunity, not that I care. I had high hopes for that one.”

“I am sorry that one of our own interfered.”

“…she is gone now. I could easily swoop in but I think I will let this one play it self out.”

A little girl was sharing her ice cream with him. It was strawberry. But Jasper had spawned at the age of 19. Where was this coming from? The Old World? The ice cream tasted…real. It was more real than anything he had ever tasted in Esem. The cream melted in his mouth and it was like the first time he had ever had ice cream. Perhaps it was.

“…I can heal him, if you wish. Though I doubt he has any information you could want.”

“I suppose you might as well. With you two on my side I doubt any can stand against me.”

“There is still Solomon.”

“I fear nothing from mortal players in Esem. Did you not see my servant kill that Sand Beast?”

“Still…”

“Nevermind. Even if Solomon is stronger than him we still have what we talked about…”

“Oscuro…”

“Yes.”

Jasper suddenly felt a wave of relief wash over him. The pain was gone, and when he opened his eyes the setting sun stung his eyes despite the shade in the gully. He blinked.

“Get up,” said The Dredman. “You’re hand should no longer be burning.”

Jasper shakily did as he was told. He was surrounded by…monsters. The Followers had all be replaced by what he could only describe as nightmares. He saw beaks and lion mouths peaking out of hoods, and clawed paws where hands should have been. He counted over twenty such beasts, and then in the center of them, before him, stood the Antagonista with a wicked smile on her hideous face, her 8 foot tall attendant with the tusks looming behind her.

“You have lost, little Assassin,” said Xemnara. Her eyes flashed. “It was a good attempt, I’ll give you that. You are the only one left of your guild.”

Jasper flexed his hand. The pain had totally disappeared as though it had never been. Despite the grave situation he could not stop thinking about the memories which had flashed through his mind. The strawberry ice cream, the little girl.

“Did you hear me, player?” Said Xemnara, a sound of frustration coming to her voice. “This is the end.”

“No,” said Jasper, finding his voice. “It is not.”

“What?”

“Kill me,” said Jasper. He raised his head high, and once more scanned the beastly faces of those around him. Samantha Blood and The Dredman must have been behind him. “I know where I am going.”

“Do you?” Said Xemnara, chuckling. Some of her beasts tried to mimic her but Jasper could tell they had no understanding why she laughed. “Had some near death memories, did you? I always told AION those were a bad idea to keep around, but the old fool liked the idea too much.”

“What do you mean?”

Xemnara, sighed, but seemed to enjoy explaining herself.

“When you spawn into Esem you keep a single memory from the Old World. And some people, as they are dying, will have a few more before they kick the bucket. These are not visions of where you are going: they are still of the Old World. Whatever peaceful family scene you saw is gone. The people are gone. The Old World is no more. As to where you go after death, I really don’t know, but you won’t be coming back here, I can assure you of that.”

“But…I saw.”

“You saw only ghosts, player.” And then Xemnara’s eyes went wide. She suddenly pulled back her hood to reveal her face. Her hair was mostly patches, and her skin looked even worse in the setting sunlight. Her yellowish eyes slightly bulged and her face had the appearance of melted candle wax. Jasper heard Samantha Blood slightly gasp behind him.

“Hear me now,” said Xemnara, addressing all gathered. “Today I want you all to see what happens to those who test the powers of the Antagonista. AION may have disfigured me, but I am just as powerful today as I was the day he locked me in that prison. The age of the human is coming to an end, and the age of the NPC is about to begin. These rumors you have heard about the child…whether they are true or not are of no relevance. I will kill whatever and whoever stands against me. Now, witness what happens to those you dare to challenge me or my own.”

A little girl giving him ice cream. Was it his sister? His friend? No…

“My daughters name was Emily,” said Jasper, tears coming to his eyes.

Xemnara snorted.

“Then join her in hell.”

Xemnara made a motion, and the tusked man behind her stepped forward, his sword raised high.

Death was swift, and in the final darkness, Jasper was at peace.

End of Volume 4