Hidden

In response to Raidou's question for his name, Hidden would simply sigh. "I've picked up some poor vocabulary from her. I don't get out much so she is most of the people I talk to." Bringing him inside, the man would immediately begin assuring her that no one had seen him. She would shrug in response. "Not too worried about it. If some weirdo finds my place I'll just kick them out." The room seemed to darken at the word 'kick' only to lighten back up a moment after. Returning to her cooking, she would quickly stir the food still cooking on the stove. 

"Me a cook? Don't make me laugh. It always tastes barely better than shit. Noodles always suck ass," she would reply distastefully. Using a finger, she would tuck white hair behind one ear before squinting at the noodles as if threatening them to taste good. 

"I brought you something. It's some delicacies from floor 1 and 4. Thought you could try them out."

Hidden would turn to inspect the gifts and nod in approval. "Thanks dude! Already know I'm going to fuck up the apples beyond recognition when I try to make them into Candy apples but I will get to at least taste the cider." Leaving them on the bar, the woman would begin turning off her stove. If Raidou got a good look, he would find that surprisingly, Hidden had made enough spaghetti for two to eat their fill. 

"Shiina? It really depends. Sometimes I feel like she's always here and then I don't hear from her for a week. Kinda just bursts through the door unannounced. I usually enjoy the company but sometimes I need someone to come that I don't fear is going to destroy my house." A small chuckle would escape the woman's lips. 

Shifting the conversation, violet eyes would turn on Raidou. It seemed some of her suspicions had bore some fruit. He seemed to be different today. "So no glasses today, huh? You have the free time to just make a trip out here too? Normally you are pretty busy doing who knows what." while he answered, Hidden would turn to begin straining the water from some stiff looking noodles. 

            Purple eyes squinted hard with focus as the woman stirred a pan of meat and tomato sauce. Long white hair fell back onto a black jacket and sweatpants giving her a bit of a lazy look. Finally, a white shirt would contrast the red of her apparel. It was a much different attire than the one she would normally wear, but it was a kind that she had found herself very comfortable in recently. Switching to her port of noodles for a moment, she would give it a quick stir before returning to the meat. 

*thunk thunk*

A jerk from her hand from surprise brought sauce splattering onto her white shirt. "Fucking Shiina... I told her to message me before she pops up." A sigh came to her lips as she set down her spatula and started walking over to the door. 'wait, Shiina doesn't knock.' The thought made her begin questioning who had come then. Some stranger somehow found the path to the house? Unlikely, but if that were the case they would pay for making her shirt needing an early wash. 

Footsteps could be heard faintly approaching the door, revealing she had no intention to be stealthy about her approach. Turning the doorknob, Raidou would find an expression mixed with confusion and searching. "Oh, it's you, Book Boi," she would say, stepping out to hold the door open for him. "Come in quickly, don't need onlookers thinking I'm letting random men into my abode." 

After ushering him inside, Hidden would trace herself around him, moving through the entrance, past the living room, and into the kitchen. Once in the kitchen, Raidou would be greeted by the sight of an ornate kitchen and dining table. A thin layer of dust lined the kitchen table as if it weren't used. The bar and its stools appeared to be used frequently enough, however. "Need something? Don't get many visitors these days, which I consider a blessing. Getting tired of fishing Sprinkles out from some random piece of furniture." 

@Raidou

In the ethereal realm of dreams, reality finds a reflection, obscured by a veil of imagination and symbolism. Within this surreal landscape, the mind's deepest desires, fears, and memories intertwine, creating a tapestry of experiences that mirrors the waking world.

What lay on that side of the mirror?

~

In the city of Taft, the evening sun's rays shone through the Grand Cathedral's stained glass, casting its mural on the city below. A meadow, blossoming with flowers and wisteria trees. A river passed by these trees, flowing endlessly from a location unknown to the mural. This mural was only visible in full for about thirty minutes a day as was the path that opened to this area. The eleventh floor was strange and many of its sights were completely obscure to most members of Aincrad. 

Nobody would guess that a player's lodging would be found within one of these places. A decent-sized house would be found past those flowers, past the wisteria trees. A house with white walls and ornate enough windows that one might consider it gaudy. A bed of lilies would be found outside along with a wooden porch. These flowers seemed to be well taken care of, not a single one wilted. In the evening sun, light glittered off of the passing river, giving the atmosphere a serene touch. The lights in this building were lit, the faint sound of music would be heard: a woman's voice singing softly. The sound of clattering could also be heard from within, revealing that someone was inside the building. 

The battle almost began to seem like a race against time. Raidou could cut the battle cold and freeze it while she restored energy slowly over time. That idea didn't interest her much. So when Raidou suggested falling back until she could recover, the assassin would shake her head. "I'll go until he or I can attack no longer." The shadow didn't have the energy to spare on any fancy tricks. Slipping into the shadows was no longer an option. She would strike head-on until her reserves gave out completely. 

Sparks flew through the air as amethyst began to carve through the bronze body of the Ancient Mechanical Construct. Unfortunately, even her second strongest attack couldn't put too much of a dent into the creature. The health bar of their enemy still rested safely within the green. Of course, Hidden herself was running out of options at this point. A single attack from now could be made. Stalling the beast would be inevitable. It almost made her wish she was fighting alongside Simmone or Shiina. A leap would put her out of the monster's reach as it seemed to begin to gravitate towards her. 

Players:
Hidden | HP: 840/840 | EN: 15/102 | DMG: 30 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 6 | BH: 46 | LD: 1 | HLY: 16 | PHASE | REC: 8 | V.D.: 46 | V.O.: 92 | Vanish [2/3] | Charge [3/3]
Raidou | HP: 760/1200 | EN: 110/138 | DMG: 1 | MIT: 304 | EVA: 7 | ACC: 4 | BH: 66 | LD: 6 | BLGT: 32 | REC: 8 | TAUNT | V.D.: 132 | V.O.: 198 | Bloodclot | Just/Vengeful [0/3] | Parry Duration [0/3]

Mobs:
[1,0] Ancient Mechanical Construct #1 | HP: 810/1250 | DMG: 300 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3 | EVA: -3 | Status Immunity

Violet eyes trained on the last target, murderous intent lay within their depths. The graceful shadow splits its foe in two with a powerful slice of amethyst. The last of the Revenants were vanquished. Despite her small winnings, the victory bell had yet to play. The ground would begin to shake as the sounds of whirring gears and steel thuds filled the air. Slamming into the doors to the Ashen Keep, a bronze mechanical giant would rip them from their hinges. Standing several feet taller than either of the players, the Construct would focus its attention on the beings that had dispatched that which it sought to protect. 

 "Not quite." The words would ring in her ears. Where the hell had this thing come from? Just when she thought they were done, they were being forced to deal with yet another issue. An eye flicked to her energy reserves. She was getting rather low. The first time she wouldn't manage to proc recovery would be the last time she could get a good attack in. "That thing is made of pure metal. I doubt it cares too much for getting burned." She would note aloud to Raidou. The question really was 'could she put it down before running out of energy?' 

Players:
Hidden | HP: 840/840 | EN: 20/102 | DMG: 30 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 6 | BH: 46 | LD: 1 | HLY: 16 | PHASE | REC: 8 | V.D.: 46 | V.O.: 92 | Vanish [1/3] | Charge [3/3]
Raidou | HP: 1199/1200 | EN: 106/138 | DMG: 1 | MIT: 304 | EVA: 7 | ACC: 4 | BH: 66 | LD: 6 | BLGT: 32 | REC: 8 | TAUNT | V.D.: 132 | V.O.: 198 | Bloodclot  

Mobs:
[1,10] Red Cloak Revenant #5 | HP: 0 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 75 | Paralytic Immunity | Activate [0/30] | [BRN: 56/1]
[0,0] Ancient Mechanical Construct #1 | HP: 1250/1250 | DMG: 300 | MIT: 100 | ACC: 3 | EVA: -3 | Status Immunity

The air grew darker and colder suddenly as Lady Midnight returned to play. The shadows, elongated by the flames that Raidou had produced, began to form together and enshroud Hidden before she would once again vanish without a trace. The sixth Revenant would strike Raidou's blade, casting a spray of sparks from its still smoldering hand. The man needed to remove the monster from his vicinity or risk getting caught up in her attack. Her control over her skill was still shaky. It still felt like she was merely borrowing it from Hokori despite the skill oddly displaying within her skill list. 

Moving unnoticed to the already blind opponents, Hidden would set up her attack. Her dagger would glow darkly within the shadows before a single slash would be made into the air. Sprouting from the ground, a shadow would soar through the battlefield before it would sever her opponent's body in two. From there, the shadow would slink back into the ground once more. Hidden would once again become visible, eyes traveling to focus on the last remaining target. "Set that one on fire too. I'll erase it." she would tell Raidou. To be honest, she doubted she needed him to even set it on fire. She would use Charge to finish it off. 

Players:
Hidden | HP: 840/840 | EN: 48/102 | DMG: 30 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 6 | BH: 46 | LD: 1 | HLY: 16 | PHASE | REC: 8 | V.D.: 46 | V.O.: 92 | Vanish [0/3] | Charge [2/3]
Raidou | HP: 1200/1200 | EN: 94/138 | DMG: 1 | MIT: 304 | EVA: 7 | ACC: 4 | BH: 66 | LD: 6 | BLGT: 32 | REC: 8 | TAUNT | V.D.: 132 | V.O.: 198 | Bloodclot  

Mobs:
[1,7] Red Cloak Revenant #5 | HP: 426/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 75 | Paralytic Immunity | Activate [20/30] | Stun Immunity [2/3]
[0,7] Red Cloak Revenant #6 | HP: 0/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 75 | Paralytic Immunity | Activate [10/30] | Stun Immunity [2/3] | [BRN: 56/1]

Not quite? Was there more than this? Just how many of them were left within the crypt? Regardless, what was important was that she dispose of the ones that were at home. Taking advantage of the enemy's backsides, a flurry of attacks would rip through the area as she activated an AoE attack once more. Horizontal ripples would fly up through the air, lacerating the backs of the Revenants. One would succumb to the attacks, but the other two would continue to shamble forward.

Pointing the Revenant with the most health out, Hidden would inform Raidou, "I am going to kill that one next. Keep the other one busy, I'll get to it next." Any moment, Lady Midnight would be available to her again. Without focusing on an AoE attack, there was a slim chance that she would manage to lose her attack again. No, she would massacre it. Groups of enemies were difficult, but a single one wouldn't stand much of a chance. 

Players:
Hidden | HP: 840/840 | EN: 48/102 | DMG: 30 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 6 | BH: 46 | LD: 1 | HLY: 16 | PHASE | REC: 8 | V.D.: 46 | V.O.: 92 | Vanish [3/3] | Charge [1/3]
Raidou | HP: 1199/1200 | EN: 103/138 | DMG: 1 | MIT: 304 | EVA: 7 | ACC: 4 | BH: 66 | LD: 6 | BLGT: 32 | REC: 8 | TAUNT | V.D.: 132 | V.O.: 198 | Bloodclot  

Mobs:
[0,7] Red Cloak Revenant #5 | HP: 514/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 55 | Paralytic Immunity | Activate [10/30] | Stun Immunity [1/3] | [BRN: 56/1] [BLGT: 32/1]
[0,3] Red Cloak Revenant #6 | HP: 654/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 75 | Paralytic Immunity | Activate [5/30] | Stun Immunity [1/3]
[2,3] Red Cloak Revenant #4 | HP: 0/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 75 | Paralytic Immunity | Activate [20/30]

The air would flash in a red hue as lightning streaked across it and light the battlefield along with it. It appeared that two out of four of their original enemies still stood, shambling in Raidou's direction. Their clothing was made from red tattered cloth. A flash of orange lit the air as a dagger homed into the chest of a revenant. The assassin would rip the blade upwards and split the enemy in two before whipping it towards the other that stood within her vicinity. Amethyst tore through the right arm of her next victim as the previous exploded into light. Of course, this enemy had much more life left in it after having missed it previously. 

The undead creature lunged at her with its free arm outstretched, grasping for her face with broken nails. Pulling away, Hidden would dodge the attack and turn attention to the two new creatures that Raidou had let out. "Is that the last of them?" she would ask him. No longer was she able to hear the pounding of the door he had held tight. 

Players:
Hidden | HP: 840/840 | EN: 73/102 | DMG: 30 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 6 | BH: 46 | LD: 1 | HLY: 16 | PHASE | REC: 8 | V.D.: 46 | V.O.: 92 | Vanish [2/3] | Charge [1/3]
Raidou | HP: 1200/1200 | EN: 112/138 | DMG: 1 | MIT: 304 | EVA: 7 | ACC: 4 | BH: 66 | LD: 6 | BLGT: 32 | REC: 8 | TAUNT | V.D.: 132 | V.O.: 198 | Bloodclot  

Mobs:
[0,3] Red Cloak Revenant #5 | HP: 967/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 55 | Paralytic Immunity | Activate [0/30] | Stun Immunity [0/3] | [BLGT: 32/1]
[2,4] Red Cloak Revenant #2 | HP: 0/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 75 | Paralytic Immunity | Activate [15/30] | Stun Immunity [2/3]
[0,3] Red Cloak Revenant #6 | HP: 999/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 75 | Paralytic Immunity | Activate [0/30] | Stun Immunity [0/3]
[2,3] Red Cloak Revenant #4 | HP: 253/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 75 | Paralytic Immunity | Activate [15/30] | Stun Immunity [2/3]

Ladonian soldiers fell one by one at the Shadow's hands, amethyst cutting through steel like cheese. A voice would suddenly call out to her, "We need to leave. Quickly." An explosion would gather above her, a large airship falling directly towards them. Several events began to unfold as several of the Firm Anima members unknown to her would work together to hold the ship for as long as possible. Meanwhile, Simmone seemed to be working her usual voodoo which created a corridor of some sort for them to move through. 

"What the hell is that thing?" 

"GET IN, NOW ISN'T THE TIME TO BE DIFFICULT."

Raidou's voice would send her back into action and race into the opening after the others. For a moment, the assassin felt like she was falling. Then, she was falling. Their entire group managed to topple the area that @Koga had been occupying. Quickly recovering, the Shadow would quickly take note of her surroundings. Where were they? The big ship? The sound of fighting surrounded them as the players pushed into the Ladonian lines. "I think I've seen enough for one day..." Hidden would mumble. A boss fight and then a floor scale battle? Ridiculous. 

"What now?" Her question was answered as more soldiers began to pour into the area. Were these soldiers from the ships that had managed to regroup with the Ifrit? If so, the soldiers had managed to escape death only to run straight back into its clutches. 

Requesting Paragon 50 Rewards:

1x Demonic Shard, 1x Gleaming Scale, 3x Tier up Tickets

Despite having managed to get into hiding, somehow she lost her grip and lost her obscurity. 'What are you even doing?' Hidden grit her teeth. 'There isn't much natural light here okay, I'm not used to having to think about controlling the shadows to hide. I'm doing my best okay?' Hokori snorted at her. 'That's your best? Wow.'  Hidden refocused on the zombies, a brilliant white light sparking from her location. For a moment, the zombies would falter, even that which was burning. It was as if the fear of holy light was more terrifying than the flame that consumed its flesh. 

Shadows would almost seem to dance as Hidden began to spin rapidly like a top. Black hands formed from shadows would begin to reach out, grabbing hold of something within the zombies that they wouldn't be able to physically see. In Hidden's dance, a blade would strike out, causing two of the enemies to immediately disintegrate into nothing. The other two hadn't been spared either, losing a great deal of health. Stopping her attacks, Hidden would glare at the two remaining Revenants. They wouldn't be alive for much longer. 

Players:
Hidden | HP: 840/840 | EN: 73/102 | DMG: 30 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 6 | BH: 46 | LD: 1 | HLY: 16 | PHASE | REC: 8 | V.D.: 46 | V.O.: 92 | Vanish [1/3]
Raidou | HP: 1200/1200 | EN: 114/138 | DMG: 1 | MIT: 304 | EVA: 7 | ACC: 4 | BH: 66 | LD: 6 | BLGT: 32 | REC: 8 | TAUNT | V.D.: 132 | V.O.: 198 | Bloodclot  

Mobs:
[1,4] Red Cloak Revenant #1 | HP: 0/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 75 | Paralytic Immunity | Activate [15/30] | Stun Immunity [1/3]
[1,4] Red Cloak Revenant #2 | HP: 225/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 75 | Paralytic Immunity | Activate [5/30] | Stun Immunity [1/3]
[1,6] Red Cloak Revenant #3 | HP: 0/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 55 | Paralytic Immunity | Activate [10/30] | Stun Immunity [1/3] | [BRN:56/2] [BLGT: 32/2]
[0,3] Red Cloak Revenant #4 | HP: 584/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 75 | Paralytic Immunity | Activate [10/30] | Stun Immunity [1/3]

Rolls and Stats

A strike of red lightning would seem to be called forth just before Raidou allowed the hoard to slew forward. 'Alright... AoE. I haven't played around too much with this Sword Art before. Let's give it a shot.' Moving forward, the silver-haired woman moved forward to activate <<Dark Torrent>>. A mistake was made and the woman drew to close the burning zombie who wailed in agony from flame. The light from the flame cast upon the woman's figure, bringing down her stealth rating even further after she spoke out. 

'Damnit!' the woman would curse herself. 'Wow, nice one. It's almost like you never actually practiced us-' Mentally telling Hokori to shut up, Hidden would continue activating her sword art. A dark ring would encircle the girl, reaching only three of her enemies. Biting her lip from embarrassment, The shadows seemed to almost wrap the girl in their hands and after a moment she was completely obscure. That was something she couldn't do quickly before but after Hokori learned to share she too became able to vanish on a dime. 

Players:
Hidden | HP: 840/840 | EN: 83/102 | DMG: 30 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 6 | BH: 46 | LD: 1 | HLY: 16 | PHASE | REC: 8 | V.D.: 46 | V.O.: 92 | Vanish [0/3]
Raidou | HP: 1200/1200 | EN: 115/138 | DMG: 1 | MIT: 304 | EVA: 7 | ACC: 4 | BH: 66 | LD: 6 | BLGT: 32 | REC: 8 | TAUNT | V.D.: 132 | V.O.: 198 | Bloodclot  

Mobs:
[0,4] Red Cloak Revenant #1 | HP: 568/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 75 | Paralytic Immunity | Activate [10/30] | Stun Immunity [0/3]
[0,4] Red Cloak Revenant #2 | HP: 692/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 55 | Paralytic Immunity | Activate [0/30] | Stun Immunity [0/3] | [BLGT: 32/1]
[0,3] Red Cloak Revenant #3 | HP: 744/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 75 | Paralytic Immunity | Activate [0/30] | Stun Immunity [0/3]
[0,3] Red Cloak Revenant #4 | HP: 999/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 75 | Paralytic Immunity | Activate [0/30] | Stun Immunity [0/3]

<<Hidden's Battle Theme>>

A Shadow traversed the ashen fields of the fourteenth floor without a foot falling out of pace. From a distance, the sight would appear as a dark blot moving before the backdrop of the floor where light seemed to be unable to touch it. Speed at this point was of the utmost importance. There was a short period that she would have where she knew the Wanderer's location but if he moved then she wouldn't have the slightest clue. Without scouting skills, it would be nearly impossible to locate him again without requesting additional questions. From her source, the man seemed to be moving in the direction of a POI named the Ashen Keep. 

Vantablack caught the wind and guided itself to flow behind her. Finally, the location in question would reach her vision and with it an... interesting sight. A flaming mob stuck out like a beacon. Hidden's steps faltered for a moment as she squinted her eyes to get a better view of the situation. The chances of this being Raidou were more than slim. Floor fourteen was not a place people would just 'be'. The ashen ground made it difficult to push off, but the assassin would resume her pace. Stealth would be entered, the shadows folding around her until she became entirely obscure.

Upon her approach, the amount of light in the area would almost seem to fade a bit and the ashen air would seem to become even colder than it already had been. To her luck, the beacon had led her straight to Raidou. The man appeared to be holding a door while watching as a zombie burned. Scratches and moans lined Raidou's back as they struggled to get out. Was he planning on allowing them out one by one? Why was he fighting them out here? A flick of her wrist would see her dagger dropped from its sheath and into her hand. A sacrifice of her stealth rating would be made to speak to Raidou.

"Let them out."

Stealth Rating: 14
ID: 205648 LD:7(+7)

Players:
Raidou | HP: 1200/1200 | EN: 125/138 | DMG: 1 | MIT: 304 | EVA: 7 | ACC: 4 | BH: 66 | LD: 6 | BLGT: 32 | REC: 8 | TAUNT | V.D.: 132 | V.O.: 198 | Bloodclot      
Hidden | HP: 840/840 | EN: 102/102 | DMG: 30 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 6 | BH: 46 | LD: 1 | HLY: 16 | PHASE | REC: 8 | V.D.: 23 | V.O.: 46

Mobs:
[4] Red Cloak Revenant #1 | HP: 912/1000 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 75 | Paralytic Immunity | Activate [10/30] | [BLGT: 32/1][BRN: 56/1]

Hidden sat, arms folded, in the chair meant for Ain himself. This small room was specified for private meetings. Once up a time, Mujo, Ain, and herself, made plans to strike against the Laughing Coffin guild in here. A single hanging bulb was all that provided light to the intensifying argument.

"I'm afraid we've got nothing at all." Hidden would roll her eyes in disgust. "There was a large amount of work put into finding out their whereabouts. Now, they've moved their base and you simply have no clue where they went? That's some shit." What kind of informant was this? "We were found out and ambushed. Barely escaped with our lives and were completely gone when we circled back. No clue to where they went." 

Hidden would stand from the chair and the informant would suddenly become pale, his eyes widening in fear. "You got the tracking skill don't you?" The boy slowly nodded his head, yes, his confusion growing. "Good, you've finally made yourself useful." Hidden turned her gaze to Ain. "You can leave now. I've got all I need." Ain frowned for a moment before stepping forward. "This is my operation now. I don't think I'm ju-" A chilling cold would tickle his throat as a shadow traced up it. "If you want to be helpful, you can wait for me to message you again. Now get lost." 

Ain would remain frozen in place for a moment. Was it possible he was afraid? The man that wanted to fight the strongest people in Aincrad could fear? Perhaps it was because he wasn't facing something he could quite understand? A shadow in the form of a hand would usher the man away. 

"Alright, Kid, tell anyone anything that was spoken of in this room and I know a few ways to make you vanish." The shadows in the corners of the room began to inch closer. "O-Of course!" The shadows retreated almost immediately. "Good, I need you to track a player named 'Raidou'."

Floor 7.

Wood creaked as a shadow crept forward into the rundown warehouse, voices from within talking in loud and obnoxious voices. From the sound of it, the members of the Faceless had long outgrown their meek tendencies. Months ago, they were the kind that would have cowered from any social interaction. In some odd way, the shadow had breathed life back into each of them. Even if only half of them remained alive. The arbiters had killed many and proven that sheer numbers didn't prevail against an overwhelming force. At that moment, Hidden had left them to simply fend for themselves. From the sound of their laughter, it seemed that they had progressed. 

Pushing open creaky wooden door with rusted hinges, her eyes would peer inward. While the exterior to the building hadn't been remodeled, the interior had seen some serious work. In fact, the inside of the warehouse resembled some sort of hangout. All of it was a little nerve wracking. 

Hidden's steps were silent but that didn't prevent her from gathering attention. She was not wearing the mask that served as the symbol of her leadership but many of them would recognize her instantly. Whispered chatter continued to fill the room until almost every pair of eyes rested upon her. A figure split from the crowd and stepped forward to meet her in the center of the room. Ain. "You aren't expecting to just walk in here and assume control are you, Demon?" A sly grin grew across her face. "Well, I'm not expecting that no. I need some information. If you don't have that information then I need someone who can use the tracking skill."

Hidden stepped forward past Ain, only pausing for a short moment to speak a single sentence. 

"The name is Hidden, might as well start using it." 

Hidden | HP: 840/840 | EN: 102/102 | DMG: 30 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 6 | BH: 46 | LD: 1 | HLY: 16 | PHASE | REC: 8 | V.D.: 46 | V.O.: 92

Light shone in through the colored glass, painting their colors on the marble floor stained with red. Hidden's eyes bore forward into Hokori. Twice the monster had managed to completely best her without breaking a sweat. If Hokori was just her... how was she so refined. It seemed that every movement was honed to its maximum, each strike aimed to kill. 

"Have you noticed yet?" Hidden was suddenly brought back from her thoughts. "What are you talking about now?" The way Hokori spoke and acted, was that how others perceived her? It was nearly unbearable. "Each time I kill you, you become just a little fainter. Soon enough, you'll disappear completely. I won't be able to even see you anymore. You won't exist." 

Unconsciously, Hidden's gaze fell to her hands. Her skin tone was always deathly pale but now it seemed to somehow exceed even that. Was it true? Was she going to stop existing? "You don't stand much of a chance here. Not only am I the better fighter, but I can also manipulate each of these hands to my will. Honestly, what do you even have that compares?"

That was a good question. What did she have to face this behemoth with? Only one way to find out. Activating Vanish, a shrill scream would pierce the air along with a blinding flash of light. Hidden would enter stealth at this moment as half of her opponent's senses were dampened. 

The cold metal slashed through her throat sending Hidden's head from her shoulders. In an instant, the world became dark and silent. Was she dead? Was this the afterlife? It was so... void of anything. 

Sudden light blinded her along with an intense cold. Slowly opening her eyes from a squint, she once again found herself in that very same room. Her own figure stood there, foot resting on a now fading corpse that also belonged to her. 'If I just died, how come I am alive now?' Hidden would ask herself. The white-haired woman wouldn't even be able to take a step forward before the doppelganger began to speak.

'It seems you still cling to life. After you managed to get through those tests I didn't figure it would be that easy. You faced the past and worked up the courage to speak up to Father. You discarded a world built with your desires in mind. You even watched the world crumble away and still managed to overcome it. You could have given in and gave everything to me, but annoyingly you persist.' 

It was this woman that had put her through all that? That didn't make her happy. "Who the hell do you think you are?" The doppelganger rolled her eyes. 'Isn't it obvious? I mean, I already told you long ago. I'm you. We are the same. The difference is I'm not weak-minded like you. I know what I want and I take it.'  Hidden grit her teeth. It was a lie. The two women were obviously different. "What do you call yourself?" The question seemed to confused the doppelganger for a moment. "I've never thought about that... I would never go by the same name as you, I wouldn't stoop to that level." Still patronizing her? What was the deal with this thing? "Hokori. I like that.' 

A flick of her hand would send her dagger from a sheath in her sleeve to her hand. "Well 'Hokori', I hope you enjoy getting your ass kicked." Hidden surged forward, her weapon aimed for the throat just as Hokori had. An orange flare would switch to a hue of white as holy power imbued her attacks. 

It was so sudden, one moment Hidden was attacking and the next she was disarmed and knocked to the ground. Hokori's attack had been unseen as if she had managed to instantly enter stealth and strike at the same time. It was almost as if Hidden blinked and missed the whole thing. "Don't feel bad, you never stood a chance. I will kill you however many times it takes. I'll try not to have too much fun with it." Hands sudden ripped out from behind Hokori, reached for Hidden. On the ground, there wasn't anyway she could fend off the sudden ambush. A tug on her hair would suspend her in the air before Hokori. "This makes two." That very same ninjato would lash out, slicing Hidden perfectly down the middle 

The hands... they were the same as before. Their cold grasps had been the one to drag her to drown before. Violet eyes widened as the White Silence retreated with a leap in the opposite direction. The hands of shadows continued forward, having a seemingly infinite reach. An orange light flared as a dagger slashed through the air and ripped through one of the hands. Unlike last time, Hidden was absolutely confident in her ability. This monster inside of her wouldn't be standing any chance. Another quick stroke followed by a few more would quickly see the hands dispatched. Now, the assassin would simply need to kill her assailant before she had time to make more. Pushing off the ground, she would dash forward at a blinding speed before the hands even had time to fade completely. If only she had known that hands weren't going to disappear. 

Instead, the limbs she had spliced would regrow their hands nearly a second later and began latching onto the unsuspecting woman. First, her weapon hand would be latched onto followed by her legs. Finally, her last hand and neck would tightly grasped. The grip of these shadows brought an unbelievable cold along with a feeling of sickness. It was slight, but the grips of these hands began to slowly reduce her health. Struggling would come to no avail as she second would sap her strength even more. 

"You actually thought you amounted to something? You're just a spineless coward that relies on others to accomplish things. I on the other hand know what I'm capable of and don't need others getting in my way."

Hidden gave one more struggle before breathing, "If that's the case then stop getting in my way." A smirk rested on the doppelganger's face as she slowly stepped forward. "No no, it is you that is in mine." A weapon would form in the doppelganger's hand, a ninjato. From what Hidden could see, each face of the blade was different. One was marred and unclear while the other had a brilliant sheen, mirroring with a perfect reflection. A sadistic look was cast on Hidden, followed by a nearly untraceable strike which would sever head from shoulders. 

Black hands painted their way through the crowd of soldiers, the sickening sound of rending flesh audible from an amethyst blade cutting through people. With the <<Vanish>> skill, Hidden was able to strike multiple targets twice in a row. With the time that had passed, only a small group of soldiers remained. Hidden stood in between the soldiers and Simmone now, not a breath out of place and a grin spread across her mouth. 

"Freyd is on board and has secured an entry. Question is, will they attempt to rush to the big ship's aid?" 

Hidden turned her gaze to the cat-like woman and would reply, "I don't think these soldiers will be. If only Gabrandr was still over here, he could shoot down the ships carrying soldiers, couldn't he?" 

The remaining three soldiers would charge suddenly forcing Hidden to assume a defensive stance as Vanish had yet to go off cooldown. To Hidden's surprise, the legs of the soldiers would buckle and give out before they even reached her. The swift strike of a dagger would see data shards fly into the air. That was the last of them. "Where to next? We're hunting the ground troops, right? You can find them can't you?" Hidden didn't doubt Simmone's ability to see. If she could point them out, the unlikely duo could be on their way. 

@Simmone

Chapter Four: Autophobia
"Face Yourself"

The sudden light was stinging but no more stinging than the fierce cold that existed inside of the room. Her teeth chattered for a moment before her survival skill began to activate. Violet eyes traced the frosted ground until they would meet a figure. Standing there was her own figure, a disgruntled look plastered on her face. It was obvious who the scowl was aimed at... her. 

The large room floor was made of marble, covered in frost from the dreary cold. Colored glass pane windows lined the longer two walls of the room, sunlight shining through the western glass and casting their colors onto the floor. A dark doorway hung far behind not-Hidden, leading to whatever the assassin assumed was 'forward'. 

A voice as cold as the room spoke, 'I'm surprised you made it here. Every single one of those rooms should have prevented you from proceeding. I had hoped you would have gotten lost inside, but it doesn't look like I get things that easily.'  Eyes narrowing, Hidden would recognize the voice pattern of the figure. While it was her, it wasn't at the same time. "It's been you that has been talking to me, hasn't it? You've been around since..." A memory of the last time she had visited the waterfall had surfaced. Before the memory had been fuzzy but now it was crystal clear. A lot of things had become crystal clear, like that dream about NIGHT.

'I've been talking... not that you listen,'  the voice returned spitefully. This served to anger Hidden a bit. "I shouldn't have to hear you, do you understand how much trouble you have-" Not-Hidden wasn't even facing her. "Are you even listening to ME?" The words were venomous. The words would earn her the attention of the figure. "You want me to listen to you? THEN GET ON YOUR KNEES AND BEG!"  Black hands would reach out from behind Hidden's enemy, launching out.

The cold stone would dig into her knees as she knelt into it. A white mist was visible as she exhaled. Looking up, she would find herself staring down the hallway once again. Now, however; the hallway was perfectly illuminated in light blue. The Shadow could see a frost that covered the walls, only growing thicker as it continued. Unlike before, she could see the epilogue to the never-ending story. It existed as a harsh light at the end of the hall. 

Standing to full height, Hidden would take a confident step in a direction: Forward. Whatever was there, it was waiting for her. No matter how long she would try to hide from it, it would still be there waiting. The Shadow would have to take it head-on. 

Pressing forward, the light only would become harsher as she came closer. Pushing into it, she would become engulfed by the light. Laughter would be heard followed by the words:

"Face Yourself"

A Shadow pressed into the robe, drawn to the very beacon that would burn it away. A Whisper spoke, its voice pushing the Shadow into a direction unknown to it. Where was it that the Shadow had heard these words before? Had it been from a Wanderer in passing? Had it been the melody of a Songstress? Maybe in the smoke cast from a Seer? Perhaps from the one branded in Orange just as herself? Had they all been simply repeating the same words, fallen entirely onto deafened ears?

A hand unclenched, a flower as white as snow would hit the ground. The stinging cold would be relieved from her grasp. The freezing herb would lay there, slowly wilting away. Hands tugged at the hem of the Red Robe one last time seeking the shelter it had once provided. 

"You are only alone because you choose to be."

The words brought on a sudden fierce wind, the robe ripped from her fingertips. Teary eyes, widened with shock, would watch as the Robe flew high into an empty air until she could see it no longer. 'Freyd' was gone and the boss room with him. All that remained was a white void, her, and a black flower that had taken root and bloomed with a purple glow. With a frown, the assassin knelt to the plant. It was... familiar. It was the same flower that she had been surrounded by on her first visit to the waterfall. The same flower that she used as a hairpiece. 

An understanding reached her as the last thought crossed her mind. Her flower had wilted and fallen off long ago. Grasping the flower by its stem, she would rip it from the ground that it had sprouted from.

Simmone's motion caught her attention and she would meet up with the woman shortly after. Hidden's breathing had started to get heavier but her words made it through to the woman just fine. "Talk about? I thought we had spoken plenty," Hidden answered with a coy smile. A figure covered head to toe in dark obsidian armor stepped forward, a heavy two-handed sword would become blocked by a thin rapier. 

"My bet is on you, go wild."

A small chuckle would be heard from Hidden a moment before she vanished from sight. Amethyst cut through armor before exploding into light almost immediately after. The 'Elite' was dusted into nothing. "You sure you want to see wild?" The assassin would question before whisking out of sight. 

In the next moments, Simmone would witness the white-haired girl move in and out of sight, a shout of surprised pain with each time she appeared. Within a mere two minutes of their arrival, over half of the soldiers had been dispatched. 

Why had she allowed herself to be dragged into more of a mess than what they had started? One moment she was fighting a floor boss and the next she stood underneath a raging war that she had nothing to do with. Violet eyes looked on as Shiina and Simmone moved forward to tend to the Floor Boss they had just saved. What was Shiina planning to do with this guy?

The outcast's gaze turned to Simmone. The woman's words still rang fresh in her ears even though Hidden knew that they were truly never spoken. "Make this happiness your own, through the trials that you must face. Make it real. Don't look back." Was she doing that now? Was she working on it? A flash of color would gather her attention to Shiina and Hidden would take a step back. One thing that had certainly not changed since the Waterfall was the innate fear of whatever the small girl was doing. 

A song would shake the ground and vibrate through the air. Pain. The girl in the dark cloak didn't enjoy it one bit. Her eyes caught a flash of steel as two small enemy airships would arrive next to them and begin lowering the ground. "Guess that makes sense, we're standing next to the 'enemy' king," Hidden would mutter to herself. Hidden would eye those around her. Shiina and Simmone weren't too much of 'fighters' were they? She wouldn't even think to rely on the NPC, and the redhead was unknown entirely. 

'Come on, you just gonna stand there? Do the thing.' A roll of her eyes as her pride began to persuade her actions. "Yeah yeah," she would mutter before wading through the small group. The airships would land and about forty soldiers would pile out from within them. Hidden would move to stand in between the two groups and pull her hood over her head. The cloak would ripple with the vibrations in the air and its fabric would appear to be a tear in their vision as the item refused to reflect light. 

"Finish off the king and any who stand in the way of it!" A leader shouted amongst his group of people. Shouting in unison, the soldiers would charge forward.

Suddenly, the assassin no longer stood in front of the oncoming threat but instead would appear moments later off to the side. A blade of amethyst ripped through the crowd tearing metal from flesh as five black hands stemmed from her figure and seemed to grab and tear at the shadows the soldiers cast off. 

Her face would twitch as Freyd began to speak. Would this man lie straight to her face? When had Raidou cared? All he had done was treat her like a child, toy with her emotions, and use her as a tool. When she had realized that, that's when they had broken apart. Her eyes were drawn to the bright red robe of the Wanderer. Seeing Freyd in it brought a nasty taste to her mouth. If she hated Raidou... why was she even upset about his passing? For the past few months, she had ventured away on her own. The assassin had only traveled with Shiina since and had pushed away all others. Violet eyes were drawn to the ground. Why couldn't she replicate those feelings of anger towards him now? The distrust that she had for him was no longer to be found. Why? 

Discontent would only grow as Freyd continued to steal Raidou's appearance. A pair of spectacles would rest on the man's facial features. In reality, the glasses would just fit fine. From her point of view, they wouldn't fit at all. Freyd would flick the robe and raise it over his head. Hurt revealed itself in her violet eyes as she looked on. Who was he to continue like Raidou didn't exist? He was just going to carry on and pretend to be him? Ridiculous. 

"Change is inevitable, Hidden.  Give up that source of pride and misplaced anger," Freyd would tell her. 

"Change? Is that what you're calling this?" Hidden would fume. Her right hand, the one that was completely her own, would clench. An intense cold would grow there but she would ignore it. An intense gaze would be held between the two together and Freyd would step forward. A defiant look would gleam in her eyes as he took her wrist and placed her hand on his chest. Her hand would stiffen, curling into Freyd until the claws pierced into him. It was obvious that anger still rested within her. 

 "This burden is not meant for you, and must never be.  That was his wish.  Please, let us honor it."

The claws would further dig into Freyd. "Why is he taking all of the burdens? I wanted to help him but he ended up just trying to take my burdens too!" Anger had shifted slightly into grief. "What could have I done to save him? Why am I always losing the things I care about?" 

'What is offered cannot be stolen, simply a gift from one to another, and to those who would take from those they do nothing more than steal from themselves. You have not to steal, for I will gladly offer. If you need a hand, I would offer you one.' 

"Who's going to be there now? Who do I turn to?" Her hand relaxed, the black goo softening before transferring from her hand to the man's chest she had rested it on. Defeated, Hidden's hand fell to her side. 'Is this the future that lays in store?' Looking up, burning tears would slowly gather and overflow from her eyes. Feelings would pour like silent rain as tears began to trace down the side of her face. Hidden would stand silently in her anguish though her breathing was uneven.