32nd Judndalph, 1093.
Solim Flats,
Merriheim.
Syèl lay on the cracked earth, resting his head on his interlocked fingers. He stared silently at the starless night sky blocked by gathering rain clouds. What minimal light sifted through, barely permitted sight beyond a few feet. Thankfully, though, the new—and rather stylish—mage armor he'd gotten in Meilfour kept the biting cold at bay.
Still, though, maybe it was the stillness, the quiet, or the cold, but his mind harkened back to that 'place' he had called home for so long—that cesspool of greed and death he had floundered in for so long.
Syèl softly chuckled as he recalled the look on Akari's face the first time they met. Nothing broke the ice like a boy of eight (or was it nine?) pointing a gun at a grown man after all. In a sense, it was from that moment his life truly started. It was that moment that allowed him to meet her.
"What are you thinking about?"
Syèl gazed up at the young woman who forcefully entered his field of vision. Blond hair spilled down her right shoulder, leaving the left side of her neck exposed, warm blue eyes emphasizing a confident, seductive half-smile. His right hand rose to meet her face. "Henri..."
"Who's Henri?"
Syèl froze as the overlapping image fizzled out of place, replaced by Shoko, who regarded him with raised brows. His hand quickly returned to place behind his head as he closed his eyes. "No one," was his curt reply.
"Obviously," Shoko sarcastically shot as she took a seat to his right, and then placed her sword between them. "I am fashionably bored right now. So, are you going to talk, or do you want me to beat it out of you?"
Syèl rolled to the left, showing his back to her. "Don't wanna."
"You will tell me one way or another," Shoko promised. "Consider yourself privileged to receive the civil option." He imagined a cocky smirk as she added, "I always get what I want."
"Except Suzuki, of course," Syèl countered, hiding a grin of his own—a smile that only widened when Shoko had no reply. "Oi, oi, what's this," he joked as he turned to face her. "Cat got your—" Syèl paused, struck by the sad smile that played across her lips. It was a look he had never seen before. He didn't like it.
"You loved her," Shoko stated with a soft tone.
Syèl turned his back to her. "All that cross-dressing's messing with your head if you think I could love anybody."
"You didn't answer my question."
"Didn't ask any, did you?" Syèl grumbled.
"Well, now I'm asking," Shoko pressed. "Who was she, and why is it you see so much of her in me?"
Syèl froze. His heart quickened as he struggled to think up a solution—any way out of this mess. He didn't want to remember. But more importantly, he had no desire to tell anyone, let alone Shoko of all people.
She's not Henri.
No, no, she wasn't. Henri was dead. He had seen to that himself. He had killed her with his own-! A weight against his back interrupted his thoughts. He looked over his shoulder and what he saw caused his brows furrowed in confusion.
Shoko lay on the ground with her head resting against his back. She said nothing; just closed her eyes and allowed her breath to even out, as she fell asleep.
Syel repositioned himself, so she rested on his stomach. He caught himself before his right hand could reach her face. Instead, he rubbed his face and then returned the hand to place beneath his head.
"What the hell am I doing?" Syel’s gaze traveled across the silent sky. Today, it seemed, there would be no answers.
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Embracing the night's solitude, Lunette wrapped a warm blanket around her cold frame. A relieved sigh escaped her lips as the 'cold' status vanished, and her body temperature regulated to normal. Kashi that asshole had thought of everything, even adding specially designed cold-resistant apparel to the lists of items to be crafted and sold by the Meilfour merchants.
The young woman rested against a rock outcropping, dancing flames from the campfire reflected in a solemn gaze. The night was silent save for the crackling of burning wood and the wind's harrowing whistles as it brushed past fissures in the cracked earth. She glanced askance at the feline warriors huddled around the fire, blankets covering their sleeping frames. Ms. Lightwood had advised against it, but Lunette realized she had no choice once Asha explained just how dire Kashi's situation was. She decided to go after Kashi with the Maggots available, with the felines' help for added numbers.
Ms. Lightwood had grumbled about having her vacation cut short, but promised to send a squadron of soldiers their way as soon as possible. What's more, Absalon—who had completed his island duty—would be leading this small army. But Lunette could not wait for the time it would take for these forces to prepare and then make the trip. If Asha's warning was anything to go by, every second was a matter of life and death.
Lunette scrolled through her menu. She breathed another sigh of relief at Kashi's name on her friend list. Good, he was still alive.
"You care for him," a voice cut into her thoughts.
Lunette turned to see Asha resting against the 'right' side of the rock. The Chetah had her eyes fixed on the black void in the sky, rain clouds having sucked all light from once starry skies. As always, she was dressed in a minimalist fashion, sheathed twin blades resting beside her. It made Lunette wonder how she braved the cold with such little clothing. Even her men had resorted to the blankets. "I suppose you could say that," Lunette replied as her eyes returned to the flames. "I do owe him my life."
"Is that all this is to you?" Asha asked in a low contemplative voice. "A life debt to be repaid? It seems to me a little more than that."
There was a slight pause as Lunette pondered the question. A half-smile tugged the corner of her lips as she admitted, "No, I suppose it is more than a life debt." Her gaze traveled beyond the illuminated area to the enveloping darkness beyond. Somewhere out there, Shadow, Syèl, and Diatte were taking their turn at watch. "I..." Another pause as she tried to find the right words to use. "He's given my brother and me more than we could have ever hoped for. We... I find myself wanting to be of help to him whenever possible."
Lunette softly chuckled. "Doesn't make a lot of sense, really, I know." The momentary laugh passed as she tugged the blanket tight around herself. Face, a mask of serenity, she whispered, "To me—us... us. To us, he is an irreplaceable existence."
Asha remained silent, absorbed in her thoughts. Eventually, she released a loud sigh. "That is a pity," she confessed. "I had grown rather fond of your music." At Lunette's questioning pause, she added, "Some of my men bought those song devices... What were they called again?"
"Headsets?" Lunette offered.
"Oh, sweet Vajra, no," Asha strongly refuted. "I would cut the ears off anyone I caught wearing those." Lunette's subsequent chuckle caught her off-guard. "Yes," Asha admitted with a short laugh of her own, "I do suppose that would be quite the graphic image." The two women's laughter provided a pleasing melody in the otherwise moody atmosphere. However, it lasted but a few short seconds. "I would have preferred you were not such an active member. Might have kept you out of reach of my blade."
Lunette managed to swallow the bloodlust that threatened to burst out. After traveling with Kashi for so long, she had learned there were far more important things than fulfilling a short-sighted desire for a fight. "Can I ask you a question?" Asha, somewhat impressed by the bard's restraint, nodded. "Who do you really hate: Kashi, the man, or Kashi, the Daeben of Hopeful Maggots."
This time it was Asha's turn to rein in a surge of bloodlust. Voice tight, she growled, "What is the difference?"
"To me, none," Lunette replied. "However, I am not so sure that is the case for you."
Asha's fur bristled, and not from the cold. "You do not know a thing about me."
Lunette smiled. "Nor do you know a thing about Kashi."
Asha's eyes narrowed, breath quickening as she struggled to keep her raging emotions in check. Something about this human was setting her off. She didn't like it. "I know all I need to."
"You mean that he's a daeben?" When Asha didn't reply, Lunette added, "Or perhaps it is because he's invading Merriheim?" A soft smile played on her lips as one of Asha's sword pressed against her throat. She hadn't even seen the Chetah draw the weapon. "It would appear I hit a nerve. I apologize if I came off crass. Surely you can understand my desire to find out why someone wishes a friend of mine dead."
"No, it is I who must apologize," Asha replied as she swiftly withdrew her blade. "I should have better self-restraint."
Lunette shook her head. "Apologies aren't necessary. At least now I know you consider Kashi a threat for valid reasons beyond blind hatred. Lunette released a sigh. "I wish I could convince you he wasn't, but even I am never aware of his plans." Fits of pent-up frustrated laughter escaped her lips, "For all I know, all this could be part of an elaborate plan, and I am worrying for nothing." Now that she thought about it, even Ms. Lightwood hadn't seemed overly bothered by the news. "What I can promise you, though, is that Kashi is not an indiscriminate killer. He values allies above dead adversaries. Whatever it is you wish to protect, I highly doubt he would attack without reason."
"And if he has a reason?" Asha asked, voice icy cold.
Lunette paused for a moment, reluctant to voice the truth she knew. However, honesty, no matter how offensive, was sometimes the smartest way to achieve a higher goal. With a deep breath, she admitted, "He will destroy without a second thought."
"Nothing changes then," Asha remarked as she pushed against the rock. "He remains a threat."
Lunette watched the Chetah walk away into the shadows. Brow creased, she couldn't help but feel she had just lost Kashi a critical ally. Should she have lied? No, she didn't think so. With people like Asha, it was better to tell the truth... right? Ah, damn, Kashi was the one supposed to do the sweet-talking and convincing. She wasn't very good at this whole leader thing. A frustrated sigh escaped the songstress’ lips, followed by a short gasp as a winged figure suddenly landed in front of her.
The bat-like wings disappeared behind the man as the entire camp shot to their feet, weapons trained at the intruder. "Good Evening Ms. Falsetto," Rider greeted with a polite bow. His imposing figure was offset by the warm smile he sported as he asked, "Where is Kashi?"
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5 th Muriel, 1093.
Second Under,
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Perdition Pit.
The perdition pit was located in a chamber removed from most of Second Under. Almost like it was an abomination whose existence no one wanted to admit existed. Its sole entrance was a single door whose likeness resembled the rocks around it so much, that even Kashi sometimes missed it. It could only be opened from the outside via a lever that a mertian soldier pulled down.
The ghouls dragged Kashi down dark, narrow, winding stairs to a flattened bottom, which had nothing but a great hole at its center. That hole was the daeben's destination and home.
"Stop," Kashi demanded. He stared into the dark hole and sighed as he turned to look at the ghouls that held his arms. "I can jump on my own." He wasn't sure the lifeless dolls could listen to any demands not given by their superior. His concern was answered when they released his arm and undid the locks. They pointed at the hole then prodded him at his back. Well, they weren't complete idiots. That was good intel in itself.
Kashi swallowed a deep breath, then made the plunge. Shivers ran up his legs as he landed in a crouch. He sat on his backside, then massaged his legs, smiling as relief flooded his muscles and bones. That fall hurt more than the hours of 'torture' he'd had to endure from Nadir. Well, what qualified as torture. These people were terribly unimaginative. Whether it was by design or culture, he wasn't sure.
Once Kashi was sure his legs wouldn't fall off, he rested against the wall and closed his eyes as he relieved the past three days in this pit. The routine had been the same: In the morning (he knew it was morning thanks to the menu's in-built clock), four ghouls would jump down. Two were to keep Zuri in check while the other two took him out using those 'flying shoes.'
The ghouls then took Kashi to the torture room, where Nadir would be waiting with another boring line of questions. When they finished, the ghouls returned Kashi to the pit at night, where Zuri would be waiting to assault him with questions about the outside world.
Kashi had come to enjoy those few moments with Zuri. The little monster was as hyper as she was cheerful. Plus, she possessed an innate innocence that endeared her to him. Her wide eyes, which carried no distrust or hidden agendas, were always eager to learn something new. In fact, to her, Kashi might as well have been the center of her world.
Kashi had never had anybody look at him like that—neither had Razznik or Suzuki for that matter. He wasn't sure what to do with the emotions they wrought in him. He wasn't even entirely sure what these emotions meant.
A small frown creased Kashi’s forehead as he realized something was off. The pit was quiet—too quiet. Even if she was sleeping, Zuri had a way of knowing when he landed because, within moments, she was on top of him with a thousand questions. A deliberate sweep of the pit confirmed his fears. She was gone.
"Zuri woke up in a cage. Then the golden man came for me. He put me in this hole and made me fight."
Fight, Fight... A chill ran up Kashi's spine as he recalled Zuri's words. Damn it! He'd been so engrossed in his mission, that he completely forgot about that statement! Zuri had been fighting since she woke up in this game. Not just that, but she had been doing so without the slightest clue what skills or stats were. Considering how strong she was when they fought, and her complete ignorance of the menu, her stat distribution was set to automatic.
Why the hell had he not realized sooner? Stat allocation was set to manual by default. For it to be changed to automatic, she had to have used her menu. However, Zuri acted like she had no clue about system options until Kashi came along.
That left two possibilities. First, Zuri was an excellent liar and actor. Secondly, someone got to Zuri before she gained consciousness and then used her finger to manipulate her menu.
"Fuck!" Kashi cursed as he shot to his feet. This was no time to be sitting around. It was time to get out of this pit. He knew quite well the pit was lined with nullification stones that blocked magic, and somehow also prevented him from accessing his inventory. It was a good thing then that his captors did not have detailed information on his full range of abilities.
Ferulic Spirit Activated, Kashi dashed at an acute angle to the wall, then Activated [Angel Steps]. He climbed, then sprinted diagonally upwards. Once he felt his velocity begin to drop, he channeled energy through his feet into the wall. Boom! Kashi kicked hard, and the explosive force launched him to the opposite wall. He then repeated the process several times,
Above the pit, two ghouls felt the earth shake beneath their feet. They turned around, only to meet Kashi's flaming glare. Before either could react, fists burrowed into their respective chests and tore out the soul stones from within. Kashi yanked off the gloves and boots from one of the ghouls then kicked both their bodies into the abyss below.
Kashi placed both items in his inventory, then equipped them. The game's 'one size fits all' mechanic came in handy at times like these. Good, he had his manner of escape. Now, he had to find Zuri.
Kashi ran up the stairs to the door. He had heard it enough times to know what to do. A series of short raps, followed by two long ones, and one massive bang. There was a pause, then Kashi remembered one almost insignificant detail. He grunted.
"What's going on?" The Mertian called as the door slid open with a grating noise. The Mertian stood at the doorway, hand on his sword. "It's not ye-!"
Kashi grabbed the soldier's jaw as he tackled him to the ground. Burning eyes contrasted against the stinging cold in Kashi's voice as he demanded, "Where is she?"
Panic filled the man's eyes, but he vehemently shook his head.
Kashi raised his left hand, so the guard caught a full view of the glove. "See these? Care to guess how I obtained them?" Kashi bent low and whispered into his ears, "Do you wish to see a presentation?" The fearful trembling against his hand gave Kashi his answer. He released his grip on the man's jaw.
"She's been taken to the arena!" The guard confessed. "I can show you the way," he urged, "You will get lost otherwise."
Kashi's eyes narrowed as he spat, "Your concern for my well-being is touching." He hoisted the man to his feet and then glared into his eyes. "I want to make sure you understand my next words carefully." The man frantically nodded. "You will take me to this Arena under the orders of your superiors."
The guard's eyes widened in fear, shock, and confusion. "I... I received no such or—"
"Yes, you did," Kashi pressed, eyes boring holes through the man's head. "Understand?"
The guard's shaking worsened as he realization dawned. "Y-yes, I understand. I was ordered to take you to the arena. I-It's very possible the ghouls relayed the wrong order," he continued as he forced a smile. "Happens all the time."
"There," Kashi congratulated with a pat on his shoulder. "That is a good soldier." Kashi released the guard, then placed the gloves and boots in his inventory. He then raised his arms. "Well, what are you waiting for? Ever head of an unbound prisoner?"
The guard frantically nodded as he slapped a pair of cuffs onto Kashi's wrists. Despite the assurance that the restraints should have brought, they both knew the truth. If Kashi wanted, he could twist the mertian's neck with nary a sweat.
Preparations complete, the guard led Kashi to his desired destination.
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32 nd Jundalph, 1093.
Solim Flats,
Merriheim.
Rider frowned. "Did you say Second Under?"
Lunette nodded, though a frown of her own formed when she saw Rider's apparent distress. "Why? What's wrong?"
"No, No, it is most likely nothing."
"Spill it, old man," Syèl impatiently urged.
Rider glanced at the bloodmage. If he was offended by Syèl's curt tone, it did not show. Instead, he massaged his head, revealing even more worry and concern than when he had held Razznik off. "There is someone I know at Second Under. Someone like me."
"Like you?" Lunette asked, "You mean..."
"Yes," Rider confirmed. "He is a survivor of the old world." He finished with a grave tone, "Kashi cannot meet with him. He does not abide by any rules or laws."
"This man, what is his name?"
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5 th Muriel, 1093.
Second Under.
Zeing Ashqoj watched the battle below with disgust. What had the proud dwarven race become? Who derived joy from watching members of an inferior race fighting with monsters weaker than children. A mere thousand years ago, dwarfs were at the forefront of history. Kings and Queens begged for their attention. Dwarven kingdoms reigned on mountains, thousands flocking for just a glimpse of their attention. Now, what were they? Cowards hiding below ground, relying on demons for aid.
In this world, there were only two things he hated more than the dwarfs' weakness. Razznik, who set them down this path, and the daeben who took advantage of a weakened race, and then reduced them to their current state.
Zeing supposed that was why despite the ludicrousness of this match, he could still draw a sliver of satisfaction from watching the little daeben scurry around the arena like a rat from a cat. She had put up a good fight, fending off three Vekraptors by herself. But it would eventually soon reach its end.
See? Already, the Vekraptors—four-legged monsters as big as three horses stacked on top of each other—had her cornered. Enraged spit dripped from exaggeratedly large heads that sported natural armor made of protruding bone as they closed in on her.
The little daeben mimicked them, defiant to the end as she growled and barked right back in an attempt to scare them off. It might have worked were she fighting only one, but the confidence of a pack far outweighed any potential fear they might have possessed. They knew very well she stood no chance against all of them.
But then, something strange happened.
Just before the vekraptors could charge, the leader suddenly crumpled to the ground. A daeben Zeing did not recognize stood in its place, showered red in its blood. Before the audience could process what happened, the remaining Vekraptors exploded from the inside out.
The unfamiliar daeben stood still against the chaos, eyes on the female daeben. Whether from exhaustion or relief, she collapsed to the earth. From where he was, Zeing could not determine if she was alive or dead.
"Listen here, the lot of you," the daeben's voice echoed as an eerie silence enveloped the arena. He cradled the little girl in his arms, then walked to the center. Cold eyes regarded the spectators with contempt. "I came here, by my own volition, to find you. I came because I felt you had potential. The Dwarven Kingdoms were one of the greatest in the old world. No one existed who didn't pay an arm and a leg just for one visit." His voice rose, shaking with rage, "Yet what do I find!? Pathetic slaves bowing to an even more pathetic master!? HA! You sit up there, pitting a little girl against impossible odds and feel proud? What bullshit! Do you louts even recall your own history!? These arenas produced the greatest dwarven warriors for generations. Urthek the Brave, Halissa the Wicked, Vyron's maiden Dalis, to name a few." His nose scrunched in disgust as he continued, "these were warriors who fought till their last breath for the glory of their clans. Oh, how they would turn in their grave to see you now. Bunch of cowards." Kashi looked at the girl in his arms. "This little girl, with no knowledge of the world, possesses more wisdom and courage than you lot. She fights for herself. And will continue to do so until the day she dies." He sneered at the spectating dwarfs as troops of armed soldiers flooded the battleground. "Wonder if the same can be said of you..."
Kashi adjusted his grip to make sure Zuri was comfortable, then cast a glare at the advancing soldiers. "I know my way to the pit."
Intimidated by the daeben’s murderous gaze and bloodlust, the soldiers unconsciously parted, allowing him room to pass.
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Slim Flats.
"Why can't they meet?" asked Lunette.
Rider sighed loudly. "In my long life, I've met several men and women like Kashi. He may act calm, but the same fire that was Razznik is in him. He just does a good job of keeping it in check." Rider shook his head. "Zeing, on the other hand, is a bomb waiting to go off. If either of those two set the other off..."
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Second Under.
"STOP RIGHT THERE!"
BOOM!.
Kashi turned to face the dust clouds that erupted behind him. An intense burst of wind blew the dust away to reveal a hulking man dressed in a mixture of cloth and heavy metal armor from the waist down. His fists were enclosed in full metal gauntlets/gloves, but the impossibly chiseled muscles of his upper body/arm were on full display.
Zeing Ashqoj glared at the daeben who had dared to insult his people. "Repeat those words if you dare."
Kashi's glare darkened. "Which one?" He challenged. "You being a coward?"
"If either of those two set the other off..."
With a loud, raging roar, Zeing closed the distance within the blink of an eye, right arm drawn back for a solid punch.
"Kashi is as good as dead."