"Shadow of a new year."
Floor 3: Forest of Wavering Mist => Floor 4: Lobria
HP : 90% - Exp: 26% - Col: 2500
In the Field => The Lotus Inn
HP : 90% - Exp: 26% - Col: 2500
In the Field => The Lotus Inn
Pixels.
He never got total satisfaction because of that. When they died they just burst into pixels. If nothing else he supposed that it got rid of any real need to hide a body or cover his tracks, but it was still so painfully boring. Sleeping out in the field like this girl had been on New Years Eve also royally pissed him off. It was no fun when they were so easy to take care of... so stupid! He had told this girl his life story as a joke... scared her off to follow her later. She had seemed so paranoid for the first few days, checking over her shoulder... spending so much time with friends... still after a while she forgot about him as he expected she would. He was a ghost, a spectral entity almost. When he didn't want to be known about, he wasn't... and this girl had barely even tried to find him out.
Give it two weeks and its New Years Eve, little lady goes to her boyfriend and tells her to meet him by some damn glade in the field just outside of town on the fourth floor. Says she wants to spend New Years with him... ****ing sickening. Anyways, it gave him the opportunity he needed. Fella doesn't show, maybe not bothered...
Maybe dead?
Kyusai, or Vanish as he went by in game, didn't really care. Either way the girl, completely unaware of any danger, lies down in the glade waiting for mister right and falls asleep.
He had noticed how dainty her hand was as he carefully moved it across the menu interface. It was a shame that the dude hadn't showed up actually, Vanish had to admit that his latest victim was worth a grope while she was laying there so peacefully... he didn't do it of course, that would have been unfriendly, unsanitary and incredibly rude. Say what you want about Kyusai, but at least he was a gentleman and a professional. That sort of behavior was uncalled for.
Once the duel started he did the usual procedure, slap to the face to wake her up and get a reaction, hand over the mouth before she could draw a weapon or, God forbid, scream. Drag the knife slowly across ones own tongue to activate the sword art... and to really instill fear in the target.
Stab. Stab. Stab.
Well, this one was low level, so two stabs was enough. Another reason to be disappointed! Either way, her expression was vaguely interesting before she noticed her HP drop and this boring sense of hopelessness washed over her as she shattered into polygons and data bits.
Boring. "Samey" even.
"Hey! Sorry I'm- O-Oh?"
Was that a voice? A masculine voice? Kyusai turned his head and smiled somewhat, it was a natural and friendly smile. He knew this one... this was the boyfriend. Just a little too late and the poor fool had no idea that his lady love was even dead and gone... maybe the whole "no remains only pixels" things wasn't so terrible after all. Kyusai spoke to the new arrival in a happy and explanatory tone.
"Oho... sorry, were you looking for somebody else? There was a girl here a moment ago... she looked to be crying... though I was pretty far away when I looked." He paused momentarily, masterfully faked worry crossing over his face before he continued.
"I decided to come over here to see what was wrong, but before I could get close she was running away... was she a friend of yours maybe? Perhaps the person you thought would be here instead of, well, me?"
The young man grimaced horribly and approached Vanish with a disappointed look in his eyes. He was ashamed, bless him.
"Yeah man, she was my girlfriend, my one and only... I was meant to meet her here but I was caught up with some mobs. Sorry if my actions had you worried for her... did you see which way she went?"
Vanish patted the ignorant and foolish mans shoulder and pointed to an area where he knew some high level mobs just loved to hang out. The smile on his face remained and beamed with understanding and slight pity. A facade of emotions so perfect that not even the worlds greatest detectives could pick out the lies.
"I think she went that way man, hey don't worry about it... we all make stupid mistakes sometimes... right?"
"Thanks man, you're a real life saver! I'll see you around."
Vanish waved and smiled until the man disappeared around a corner somewhere, far out of view... right into the clutches of what would presumably be his death. Two victims, one night, a couple no less. Kyusai smiled with a tinge of insanity. Things had turned out so much better than he had hoped. He could barely contain his happiness as the night of New Years eve drew to a close and the morning of the new cycle began in full swing.
"Ha... haha... HAHAHAHA! HAHAHA! HAPPY NEW YEAR! AND MANY HAPPY RETURNS!"
***
Vanish walked in tiredly to the lotus inn, back up on floor 4, following that girl all the way back to three had been a pain... and even though he had enjoyed himself thoroughly in the end, he was still left with a sour taste in his mouth after his trek back up.
Still, the inn was a nice place, nice people... though it really made Kyusai feel out of place sometimes. But there were no major threats there and that's what mattered most. The people there were all fairly meh in terms of level... as was he really, but he could tell that just by looking at some of the chumps that frequented the place that they wouldn't be attaining his level of skill anytime soon.
"Yo, Vanish! Back so soon?"
A friendly voice. A player who trusted him foolishly, even was kind enough to get him his new favorite jacket. He got to live for that! Vanish had some time for this man because of this... he could put up with the fools stupid small talk and dialect if it meant using him for more potential armor in the future.
"Yo, happy new year Santoma." Vanish grimaced internally. Stupid meaningless username. "What's up?"
"Not much man." The jester replied in an attempt to amuse the king. "But hey you like unique people right? Folks who don't look like most others passing through? Something about exciting stories or-"
"Yes. Santoma. That's exactly it." His interest rose. Another face to add to his memories... a more unique individual to receive reactions from. Was the jester speaking of a man or a woman? A genius or an idiot? Could it have been someone worth toying with? An expression worth festering and feeding off of... every emotion from friendship, to shock, to pain... to even the understanding of their own demise? Santoma had best hurry speaking.
"Yeah... eh, there's this girl here I heard... fought a boss or something, crafted a really awesome robe..." Santoma spoke and vanish listened with further intent. Boss materials? Rare robe? Was this finally someone skilled...? Someone whom Kyusai could follow for a while... someone he might actually have to try to kill? A worthwhile experience after all this time?!
Santoma pointed across the room to a girl with short purple hair and what was truly a fabulous looking robe indeed. The jester nudged Vanish in the side gently.
"Hey, Vanish... she's pretty cute huh? You think I stand a-"
"No." Vanish stood up from his seat and quickly shot Santoma down, he left the fool at the bar and moved to approach the young woman.
"H-Hey man! C'mon! Help a brother out."
The fact he was still talking royally pissed Kyusai off. The worthless piece of human feces was lucky that he could craft light and medium armor as well as he did.
Vanish didn't openly approach the girl, he observed her for a while... watched her face change with her emotion. The shape of her visage... the way her hair flowed as her slightest features changed... everything about her. How very interesting... oh yes this one was a jackpot! There was a strange kind of resolve in her, he could smell it, see it, taste it from even that far away. She was going to be part of something bigger... Kyusai just knew it. She had that aura about her.
Finally... someone worth his time. He could use her. If she was going places... then he could hitchhike a ride. Yes, he liked the idea of that. Still, it was all just assumption work. If she ended up being worthless to him in the long run like so many others, then he could just kill her for kicks. He was sure at least that her cute face would offer the most adorable look of pain... emotionally and physically if he could gain her trust first.
Now, time for phase one. Subtle flattery, basic conversation making and establishing of a common goal.
Vanish moved to where the girl was and pulled a nearby seat close to her.
"You mind?" He was a handsome man, Kyusai, no doubt about it... and a master of manipulation and lies. There was a certain charm to him in his friendly state... the kind of thing that made many girls swoon. Though wether or not this girl was the "ooo he's attractive" type was yet to be seen.
"That's an incredible robe..." Kyusai said as he sat down. "I was told by a friend of mine who hears more than he should that you made that thing out of a boss material? That takes some serious skill. I bet the story behind that armor's creation is one just dying to be told, neh?" He smiled warmly at the girl, before extending his hand in an act of fluster and embarrassment.
"A-ahh sorry! Where are my manners... I was just curious so... eh... anyways, I'm Vanish, just your typical player I guess." He shrugged gently as his hand sat in the air, offering a shake.
"I suppose before all of that other stuff... I should ask your name right?" He scratched his nose in a way that made him seem awkward... and his cheeks turned red with blush.
It was terrifying for those in the know to think that Kyusai was even capable of replicating basic body language in order to convey a certain atmosphere to himself.
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