Dustin

As Dustin rounded the corner he saw a face that seemed vaguely familiar to the boy. It mattered little to him about who she was, Dustin was gonna use her for a moment. "Sorry to drop this on you, but could you hold them off while I equip my gear?" Dustin asked, his voice carrying no insight into how he felt about this whole situation. His hand swipes through the air as he opens his menu, navigating quickly to the inventory section.

Soon Dustin stood up in his full combat gear, looked dead at the monsters circling them as a small smile formed on his face. "Been a while since I had fun like this." Despite Dustin's excitement, his voice remained monotonous.

Counting them would do him no good, and he would rush in and jump off of the ape's arm, kicking the monster in the jaw with a backflip. Dustin lands and glances up at the healthbar of said monster, watching the green bar shift to yellow as it dropped just below half. Dustin's little grin opened up into a big toothy grin, as he slipped the monster's attack and maneuvered to stand next to Zandra. "The name's Dustin, what's yours?" He would ask in his unmistakably broken voice.

Had this been the real world that wipeout might have cost a few broken ribs and certainly a broken leg, but because this was a game there was no damage. Dustin like this world, but even he had to admit that no pain does dull the sense of adrenaline. There's no punishment for a mistake, there's no motivation to better your technique. Dustin almost wished there was an option in the menus making it possible to feel some pain of the mistakes.

Dustin looked around but saw nothing. What were his options? Mom always said stay put because someone might be looking for you. That's out, even if someone was looking for me, it wouldn't be to bring me back safely. I could try running to the nearest player and asking them for directions... No, people are generally put off by a random kid in the woods frantically asking how to get home. Maybe I'll wait for a player to stumble upon me. No, I picked this path for it's low foot traffic these days. He sits in the mud and waits for a noise or something to let him know when to move, almost reaching a point of meditation.

His eyes shoot open as a rustling is heard nearby, and Dustin shoots up towards the sound, and upon seeing it, quickly turns and starts running the exact opposite direction as fast as he can. He hadn't donned his weapons or armor in a long time, and right now was just in his casual attire. He had come across a few large apes and had neither the time nor energy to deal with them. Today's officially shit. He couldn't climb faster than the large apes, but he could probably out maneuver them for quite some time. Still though, He would like to get rid of them.

Between the apes screaming at him and the sloshing of mud, Dustin barely heard a voice in the background of all of it. His footing changed, making a sharp right turn and bringing the apes to the nearest voice, because while this was a horrible thing to do, he was hoping they could at least hold them off until he could equip his gear.

(OOC: Dustin's Idea of casual attire, coupled with a simple pair of khaki cargo pants and heavily used combat boots)

"HOW CAN YOU STAND IN FRONT OF ME SO CERTAIN THAT BEING A MURDERER IS OK! THAT WHAT YOU DID WAS JUSTIFIED!"

"When did I say it was justified? When did I say it was okay? I know what I did was wrong." He explained. "Sometimes though, a person will do something they know is wrong because they felt like it needed done." He plants his metaphorical foot and prepares to push back, but realizes what he's saying. "I've still got a moral compass, I still know what's right and wrong. I know why you hate me, and that's how I want it. How could you not hate me for what I did?" His words had lost a tinge of life, as if when he realized he was defending himself he was losing himself. "Yes, I took two more lives than I planned to that day, but it's not like they didn't make their choice. Same reason I kill the monsters here, because I believe it's them or me."

Dustin hated himself for the life he took, even if they were just as bad as Greil. Even if they did attack first. Even if they did choose to try and kill Jinx and Arabelle, Dustin wishes they could've run away, so he wouldn't have had to kill them. "It's not like I killed him in one hit. It wasn't like he didn't know that he was doomed if he kept fighting. He had the option to run, and yet he stayed and hurt you." His gaze fell to the floor beneath them, then ascended to the night sky. "I relive that night every time I close my eyes, Every moment of silence I hear that noise. Every time I blink I see his horrified face. I've become haunted by my decisions." He closes his eyes and for a moment, a small smile can be seen on his lips. "But this is a hell I can endure if it means you and Belle are safe from that old bastard."

"If killing me stopped me from killing those three, would you have done it? If taking an arm or two could've kept me from cutting such disgusting lives short, would you have taken mine?"

He might have hated her at first, but she had opportunities to stop him. She could've smacked some sense into him. "How effective were the words of a best friend when you asked me to not kill someone? Huh? I still went through with it and hate myself for avenging my brother. They all killed more than a few people for no reason, and you were their next targets. How was I supposed to keep you safe? Ask them not to kill you? Please. Tell me. Because I hate what I had to do. I hate that I was forced to kill two people for trying to kill us, but there was no other way." His hand glows a bright blue as he turns and slams his hand into the ground using the most powerful sword art he has. "WHY DID I HAVE TO DAMN MYSELF TO SAVE MY TWO BEST FRIENDS? WHY DID I HAVE TO CLAIM TWO SOULS?" He stares at that bright signage, and chuckles a little to himself. "Even if I hate it, I would do it again. No matter how many lives it took, no matter how much you hated me, I would kill to protect you and Arabelle again and again."

Sometimes people have to die. Sometimes the best people have to do the worst things.

Wake up, make your bed, clean your room, stretch and warm-up, eat breakfast, ten kilometer run. That was Dustin's morning routine. Every day he would wake up before sunrise and start this list. By 10 AM Dustin was running across the bottom floors. Recently his schedule has been all out of whack, what with the whole avenging his brother thing. Today he woke up ass deep in snow, before dusting himself off and deciding to run. Is it early or late? Eh, who cares, I have to run anyways. Today was the sixth floor, the jungle terrain kept him on his toes and made for an interesting path that changed everyday. Maybe the moss of a branch slips and he has to recover, maybe the trees sway in a different pattern with the wind. Who knows, that's why Dustin went on these runs.

He teleports up to the floor of jungles and starts on his journey. Keeping in the trees is difficult normally, he hadn't planned on rain though. Water poured heavily over the boy as he rushed from branch to branch, ledge to ledge, and across the distance. Today he felt faster, so he pushed himself to take a different path. Maybe I can complete a new path altogether. He turned his foot and darted off to the right completely changing his direction. As he did though, he'd noticed his footing was off, and in an attempt to correct it, he overestimated the rotation of his ankle and launched himself straight into the ground. Damn, that was unfortunate. Dustin stood, looking around and up at the trees above him.

"Wait, where am I?"

There was no sign of relative direction, except he could see where he hit the ground there was an "immortal object" notification. "How am I supposed to get back to my house?" He frowned, looking overall dejected for being lost in such a place.

That question she asked burned a whole in Dustin's chest. The pain was new, but familiar. He had no words for it, but he needed to explain. "They were unforeseen variables. I didn't think I'd have to kill them. God knows I didn't want to." He said, holding his head down in shame. "Of course I don't know their names, you think I want to remember their faces? Hear their voices everywhere I go? I already do, and knowing their names would make it so much worse." He wanted to scream at her, but he couldn't. He had no reason to. "You didn't see it, so you don't know what it's like to watch the brother you were supposed to protect with your life explode into nothing right in front of you. You didn't watch everyone you care about die while the man who did it laughed, because it padded his numbers. Even if you did, you probably would've picked the better option. YOU probably could've figured out a way to take care of this without ending a life. I'm not you. I'm not a sweet little girl that befriended the wrong boy." He looked back over the ledge and looked at her. "I've considered jumping several times, you know. I stand on the edge and just look down for a while. Sometimes I work up the courage to take a step forward, but I know the fall would be painful, and the impact much worse." That old voice, the one that radiated youthful ignorance and blissful naiveté finally made its way through the soft raspy whispers from before.

"But I can't run, not this time. I have to face what I've done and who I did it to." His words had returned to the dull hum of before. "Do you want to know why I did it? Why I don't feel bad for doing it. Why the worst thing about that day was watching you cry?" He looked Jinx dead in the eyes with a blank stare. "Because he was a monster. Not even human. What kind of man kills a twelve year old? The kind that deserves to die. And as for those other two, I do feel like shit. I was put in a bad situation and chose to protect my friends. That was their choice not mine." The snow of that night fogged the boy's memory, but he was very sure of one thing. They had attacked first. "Remember this though, I didn't want to kill them. I wanted you to stop me, I wanted Belle to tell me I was in the wrong. I wanted to be the bigger man. I wasn't."

"Kadin would hate me. He'd sit me down and yell at me all day. 'That girl did nothing to deserve that, so go hang your head and apologize. And remember, she doesn't need to forgive you.' Those would be his exact words. You reminded me of him you know. That's why I couldn't stop myself when those men attacked."

"I didn't want the best of us to die again." 

Dustin watched as she approached the wall. No one was tailing her, no one was keeping an eye on her and Dustin clenched his fist. So you actually came. Thanks. He said to himself, right before she made her way up to him. Fou, that floaty dog thing she was so fond of, had eyes like daggers. On the other hand, Jinx's stare felt all too empty. There was no apparent mistrust or hatred, she almost looked like she didn't care.

"Don't look at me like that."

It had been so long, the boy had almost forgotten what his voice sounded like, but it was never like this. The rasp and volume of a husk trying to utter its last words for an eternity. 

"Look at me with all the hatred you feel towards me."

He says again, his voice gaining a little more volume. He had almost reached the normal speaking volume. His eyes began to water as he looked up at her. He made her this way, He stole her smile. Now he wasn't sure if she could ever trust him again. "I don't want your forgiveness. I don't want you to understand what I did. I just want you to know that I'm sorry I made you watch. I wanted you to know that I wasn't coming back from what I'd done." How could someone he cared about forgive him for committing such an atrocity? "This isn't me telling you how I feel, this isn't me explaining what I had done. You don't need that. I'm telling you I'm not coming back." If she looked, she would be able to see Dustin's menu clearly reading "Are you sure you would like to leave The Guardians of the New Dawn." "She was right. Eatos. I told her what I was going to do, and she called me an idiot. Hestia did too. But even if it was the wrong thing to do, it was something that needed done."

The boy stands up, walking along the edge up to Jinx. He looked her in the eyes and then at the ground beneath them. He considered dropping down the wall, face first into the ground. Instead, Dustin looked back towards Jinx.

"I cared for you, you know. Same way I did for Arabelle at first."

Dustin sad atop the hill in the field on the first floor, staring at the sunset. I can't believe it's been that long since I've spoken to anyone. The boy stares at his brother's broken blade, before opening his menu and going to his friends section. An entire list of people he didn't want to see for a while. I have to tell someone, or they might try to find me again. Maybe someone who won't lie. He wondered if anyone would even listen to him after what he had done. He practically made Jinx watch him betray her trust. I didn't want to do it you know. I didn't want you to watch. I wanted you to see what I would become just to stop those who hurt the ones I love, and I want you to hate me. I know what I did was wrong but it was something that needed to be done. He clicked on Jinx's name and started typing up a message. It had been a long time since anyone had heard from him, at all. He was avoiding everyone, keeping himself hidden from those who might try to chase him down.

But he owed her some sort of explanation.

He stepped out of the field and into the town at the west gate. It's late, but this will be the last chance any of them have at seeing me for a while. His thoughts focused on those he still cared about, the ones who hadn't paid the ultimate price. Then his thoughts flipped to those he cared for that had. Kirbs and Kadin would've been great friends, had Dustin been able to save either of them. Eatos was little more than someone who gave Dustin a great opportunity. You were right. This is hell. Whaddya know? His leg would push into the wall, launching him up higher than he'd ever been before. The view from the wall was truly something to behold, and that was exactly why he picked this specific spot to tell her.

He was finally gonna tell her everything.

This height was probably enough to do some serious damage to the boy if he were to jump off. He looked down over the edge before sitting. His legs swung low as he watched the map eating the last bit of his snacks he had stocked up on so long ago. It truly was the end of an era, and Kadin could finally rest.

Greil stood, as the short fiery girl launched attacks at him. He barely moved, letting his health drop. He’d taken more damage than he thought he would, and in a moment of pure shock his hammer had lifted off of Dustin’s chest. The fourth slice barely missed his limb, as he feared he would lose it had he kept it there.

Dustin saw opportunity. His legs pushed down as he rolled back onto his knees and stood to his feet. It was time he showed this man what he was made of. Two spinning kicks placed themselves on the shaft of Greils mighty hammer, before the man stepped back and recuperated. He smiled for a moment, spinning the hammer in his hand and drawing his gaze between the two. All he had to do was be smart, they weren’t ahead of him stats wise but they weren’t far behind either. Greil’s hammer placed itself on Dustin’s shoulder, with the hooked spike down behind Dustin’s back. Dustin’s arm locked it in place, as Greil had thought he would, before pulling it as hard as he could kicking Dustin in the lower gut.

As Dustin hits the ground, he quickly stands back up just enough to start running towards the old man. He had to think for a moment, but now all he could do was fight. Fight and not look back. He’d cross the room in a moment, wrapping his arms around the waist of the murderer and tackling him to the ground.

Dustin plants himself in the ground, straddling the murderer of his brother and two best friends. “You took my brother from me.” He would say, drawing his fist back and dropping his hand. Greil had managed to catch it with his forearm, but it still did a small amount of damage. He was beginning to panic as Dustin drew his hand back again. “You took Kadin from this world.” Tears slithered down the boys cheeks, his voice and expression remained the same. Punch after punch, the boy pushed the man further into the ground. “You took her from me.” He would say quietly, leaning down over the man.

The boy loses it, punching the man as fast as he can, repeatedly. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Dustin stares blankly as he beats the face of a human being beyond recognition.

Greil began glowing and Dustin started screaming. He hadn’t suffered enough. He needed to lose more. He needed to feel what Kadin felt. “NO!” Dustin would shout, punching the ground beneath the dense snow. Greil was gone, all that was left was the imprint of what was once a man.

The chill breeze picked up for a moment, Dustin took that as a signal to keep pressing on. His energy had refilled and he’d be fine with however much HP he had left.

She spoke, her tone as cold and sharp as the air around them, and Dustin couldn’t help but feel like he was annoying her in his descent into madness. He pushed his feet into the ground and stood up, wiped off his pants and stood for a moment, listening to her final question.

He didn’t want to give her the satisfaction of being right, but he also didn’t want to try and lie to himself. Instead he silently walked away, heading to their destination.

They’d come to the Destination, and Dustin had let that question sit long enough. He needed to let her know that he wasn’t trying to be an asshole. “I was in the wrong.” He says, walking towards the small wooded area and stopping short.

This was it. This was everything he fought for. It was all leading to this. It would be the end for some one either way.

Two cautious steps was all he could handle, as the second that crunch had finished, he’d started running and throw a punch blindly in towards the hideout.

-CRACK-

Dustin’s arm flies towards the ground as a sting of pain ran up his arm. The hammer crashes into the snow beneath his eyes. That hammer. It filled Dustin with an unholy rage that boiled up as the boy tried to recover. Before he could think the hammer flipped and floated back up towards his face, knocking his head back.

Dustin falls flat into the snow, sprawled out staring at the sky. The man looked down on him once more and sneered. “So you’ve come back? Or are you here to avenge someone you once knew?” He smiled and pulled his hammer onto his shoulder. “Or are you here to pad my numbers?”

@Arabelle

Dustin couldn’t stand the thought. She’d stay with him until the end, she’d see this through. Once upon a time he would’ve admired that. Part of him still does, but his selfish nature was the better part of him right now. “You shouldn’t see what’s going to happen. Either way at least a part of me dies.” He says looking down at the snow.

”It won’t be the same as that person I just killed. I’m not defending anyone. I’m not doing this for a righteous reason, I’m doing this for revenge. I- he...” The young boy stumbles over his words as he struggles to find the right ones. “Did I ever tell you about the time Ennakai, Kirbs and I went up into the mountains?” He asked. He didn’t think he had, but he was gonna talk through it anyways. “Enna had a way with people you know? They always found a way to either become their friend or annoy the daylights out of them. That along with Kirbs, the joyful little bugger she was, and me, the brash hotheaded child with a knack for getting in over my head, made up for what could only be described as a rag-tag group of hellraisers.” His words were almost nostalgic, like it was a past he’d missed dearly.

”Enna had brought me along to meet an informant. I knew it was gonna be trouble because it was Ennakai. They liked causing a ruckus as much as I do. It wasn’t that far from here if I’m not mistaken. The informants were orange players.” His eyes remained locked on the snow as his infinite well of conviction became paradoxically empty. “I took a beating worse than ever before. Dropped near to death.” He chuckles, with tears in his eyes. His hand comes up and quickly strokes his chin. “Ennakai killed him. They saved my life but I was so pissed. I called them a killer.” He smiles and looks around, laughing at the irony.

”If they killed saving my life and I was mad... then how should I deal with this?”

He couldn’t think. All he wanted to do was fade away, they wouldn’t even let him do that. “I’m going to become a murderer tonight.” His head drops, his hands pushing his long brown hair back and letting it fall forward.

”It’s so cold.” His voice leveled out, his eyes still brimming with pain and sorrow, practically seeping out into the snow. His face had lost all expression and his mind...

completely blank...

trading to @Arabelle

-1 Easter Bunny's Favor (Here)

Dustin made his way to the Event shop he had heard about. He'd hoped he would have missed most of the people, because if no one's there then no one he knows is there and there are a few people he would rather not see for a while at the very least. He would cut through the people on this floor to find the shop and make his way towards the proprietor of the establishment. "I'd like one of those Easter Bunny's Favors." He would say quietly before walking away from the shop and spotting a few people he recognized all too well.

Quickly, Dustin would swipe his hand before searching through his items and equipping his old cloak he used to always wear before the guild. He watched them for a moment before turning his back on them and walking away from the event area altogether. He had some sulking to get back to anyways, and they weren't doing anything but reminding him of what he had traded away for revenge and a sound mind. He hated what he had done but knew there was no point regretting something you can't change.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Purchased: (1) Easter Bunny's Favor

Spent: 50 Eggs (Received Here)

abracadoodle, these items are mine, you noodle

---------------------

Received:

-50 Eggs

-Arabelle's Favor -- Flash this shiny voucher in Magnolia or Pandora's Wares for special benefits! (or you don't have to really, both shop owners are well aware).

• Magnolia: 100% off for 50 purchases (of any rarity or tier, either custom order or stock purchase).
• Pandora's Wares: 100% off for 25 identification requests (of any item type, rarity, or tier).

He walked, like he was on autopilot. The footsteps beneath him had cut out the chilling sensation of the snow, his face ignored the sharp breeze, he trapped himself in thought. The  tank had screamed and cried for people she barely knew, monsters she had no reason to care for. Dustin couldn’t bring himself to do anything, not even turn to look at her.

She walked away thinking he hated her. Good. That’s what he wants.

Dustin could probably explain this away, tell them that he had to watch as Greil murdered his friends and family, they might even understand. But he didn’t want that. He didn’t want them to be okay with what he’s doing... so why was she? Did she just care about him enough to not care about everything he’s done so far? She hasn’t spared him too much attention, so she’s no yandere.

”Of course your friend is dead. He let his brother die, how could he save himself?”

His quiet words carried a ghastly smog with them. His breath was a thin smoke, barreling out of an empty volcano.

The pink haired girl asked him to stop, and Dustin’s eyes widened. A scout? He stood and looked at the ground for a moment, before sitting down and looking at the girl who refused to abandon him.

”Have I changed?” He asked, unsure if he was asking the right person. “I’d told Eatos this is exactly what I want to do and she called me childish. I told Hestia and she tried to change my mind. I told Jinx and she supported me. Has the world changed or have I?” Dustin asked. He was tired, couldn’t stand to think about what Jinx, yet it was all he could do.

I care Jinx. I really do, but what kind of Monster changes like this and is okay with his friends treating him the same? I don’t want your forgiveness, I don’t need it. It’s not like it means anything if you can just forgive me for what I’ve done. Hate me forever, please. It feels good to know you cared too.

Dustin looks to Arabelle. “Why haven’t you left me here?” He asked, unable to draw any coherent conclusion that would make sense. “It’s not like what I expect your support. I fully expected you to call me a bastard and run away.” He wanted her to. He didn’t want her to see either outcome, he wanted to kill Greil and fade away. Either that or die without continuing the cycle.

“There’s nothing I can do but keep going. If I stopped now, all I’d be is a murderer.”

—————

Energy regen 1/3

Dustin: 580/580 HP | 40/58 EN | 15 DMG | 8 MIT | 2 ACC | 4 EVA | BH: 5

What was the kid supposed to do? Run in and save someone complacent in the murder of his brother? He had known the cost, but it was getting to him. He watched the two players die. They didn’t mean much, or at least not to Dustin. Of course Arabelle’s tone didn’t help the matter. She spoke as if she wasn’t affected by the death of a person. It wasn’t an issue per se, but it certainly made him wonder if she had done this before, or just didn’t care.

It was a human life though. Dustin didn’t want to see them like trash to be cut down and thrown aside.

That’s all he could see though. He was getting worse and worse by the minute. Breaking further and further. He had to make them pay... pay with their lives... pay with their souls.

He could feel himself slipping. He had no idea what to do. He wanted to ask them for help, but did he deserve it? It wasn’t the first time someone had died for hurting him, but it certainly was the first time he had taken a life. 

The mountains with Kirbs and Ennakai. They had been ambushed. Enna killed one, and Dustin had to watch. He had forgotten all about that, and now he was regretting that too. That was different though. It was protecting Kirbs and Enna, not childish revenge. Now he was a murderer, and would probably have to appeal to Stryder to stay in the guild.

Or he’d have to leave.

As Dustin started walking, he’d been too lost in thought to realize they weren’t the only ones around here. There had been another, one that never goes in to attack, but only watches to see how they fight. He had so much information to give the head of the spear.

”He shouldn’t be too far.”

Not long after Dustin had sat down, a man approached the board. Turn, come on, just do it. He could be the one to help you... But alas he could not turn. Something held his eyes on the bar. Perhaps what he had done was heavier than he thought. Still, he had to do something or he was going to die of guilt.

The other player spoke and pulled Dustin’s eyes up to him. He seemed interesting and Dustin thought it might be cool to do this with him.

”I’m not lost at all, thanks. But I do need a little help.” He says, turning around and facing the player entirely. “Have you ever heard of the quest ‘Wail of the Banshee’?” He asked as he looked the other player in the eyes. “Name’s Dustin by the way, who are you?” The tall boy would ask as he reached out for a handshake for the introduction.

Dustin sat on floor 4, staring at the spot where it all went down. It felt like an eternity since that night, but it also felt like it just happened. Everything inside hurt, the bags under his eyes were full, his stomach was grumbling. He looked like hell. He felt just the same. Still though, he needed to do something. Anything.

He decided to go see the tenth floor, he had heard about a quest on that floor he had to try out one day. Now was the best time since he was cutting all ties.

He teleported up to the Tenth floor and made his way to the nearest quest board, making sure to hide his face, avoiding eye contact with all players before realizing he might need someone to help him on this little adventure of his.

Crap.

His hand wraps around his necklace as he stands outside a tavern before making up his mind and finally walking in. He sets down his drink, but sits at the bar by the bulletin board. If someone were to approach it, he could ask them for help. Problem solved. No need to make a big ruckus, or make too much noise. All he’d need is to wait.

@Xion

Anger sat in Dustin’s core as he watched the enemy player slide back across the snow. Arabelle was doing great in this fight but in Dustin’s eyes it wasn’t her fight. He didn’t want her to get hurt, and the same went for Jinx. They were both there, which was more than he could say for anyone else he knew. He couldn’t really blame all the people not there, it’s not like he told anybody but Jinx. Arabelle was smart enough to find Dustin on her own. It was more than he could’ve asked for. Unfortunately for the players attacking them, Jinx decided she wanted to come along.

Dustin’s hand grips tightly into a fist, and his eyes examine the player with the shield once again. His body was open, as he was planning to attack Jinx once again, and Dustin took this opportunity to dash in and focus his strongest attack right on the enemy’s face. His legs push deep into the snow, his body moves before the opponent has the time to react. Dustin had closed the distance in almost an instant, but the enemy had brought his shield up. Dustin’s left hand grabs the shield and pushes it down as he brings in his other hand to connect to the enemy’s face.

After his attack connected, the player stumbled back and fell down, exploding into a million blue shards. “That would make no sense. Why would I let them live after what they’d done?” He asks, turning to the other player that Arabelle was beating senseless, and Dustin looked down for a moment.
 

“I’m never letting anyone take my friends away from me again.”

Dustin watched as his guild leader materialized right in front of him, but he didn’t really see it. His eyes were practically staring through him when he asked his question. Dustin looked up at Stryder, right in the eyes and yet, all he saw was Greil.

“I’m good, how are you?”

Dustin looks back at the ground and turns around. His body had felt heavy ever since that day despite eating the bare minimum to survive. He had thought he knew the cost, and for the most part, he had... but he thought he could afford it.

His mind kept playing that night on repeat. It was fuzzy for the most part, but he knew what he did. He would watch the final moments on repeat everywhere he looked. As his guild leader stepped down, Dustin felt the eyes on him again. He felt uneasy, and he was hoping that his guild leader would feel it too.

The boy used to be filled with such life, and youthful vigor. Now he was empty.

Dustin had been sitting in the cold for hours. He felt like a lost boy in a town of people trying to push him through the floor. Nothing kept him company but the biting chill of a wintery floor he had stayed on every night for the past few weeks. He would wake up, go home and feed his slimes and then come back up to floor four and waste away on a bench until it was time to go to sleep. It was his prison. This floor felt like hell and he felt like he deserved it.

Anymore he had trouble looking at his guild list. They all must hate him after what he did, and he understood. That’s why he had let himself go over the past few weeks. He hadn’t bought a single snack since that final strike. He would eat nothing but bread for the next few days and then crackers after that. The only thing he would drink was water from the field and that was only because his mouth was so dry from the crackers. You put yourself here, you deserve all of this. He berated himself in his mind as he stared off into space.

One day the chill that ran down his spine felt different. He felt like there were eyes on him, and not the ones he saw. He could feel someone staring a hole through his back, and not a drop of kindness in the daggers from their eyes. It was a new feeling. He had to move, away from that bench.

He opens his menu and it moves to the last viewed page... a message he had planned to send to his guild leader. He changed the whole thing, before sending it and standing up from the bench and turning around to see if he could spot someone familiar.

Nothing out of the ordinary spoke to him, but he still felt uneasy so he walked to the teleport gate to see if his guild leader had gotten his message.

[message]

Arabelle already had her scythe out and attacked before Dustin had the chance to step around Jinx. Anger filled his body like he was burning from the core, he wanted to push her out of the way and then beat these two down and be done with it, but the enemies had to go and start attacking his friends.

His heart starts pounding, practically beating through his chest, the world around the enemy had gone dark, all he could see was the player and Jinx’s hair. His blade drew back and his shield raised up, Dustin saw an opportunity. Two steps in the snow was all it took, one to the side and back towards the man with the shield. His glowing hand smashed straight into the player’s shield, sending tumbling back onto the makeshift sled and sliding across the snow. Dustin still couldn’t see anything but the enemy as he started backing towards Jinx.

Before Dustin could get back to Jinx, he heard the sound of a sword art behind him and turned quickly to see what happened. The knife user had gotten behind Jinx and slashed at her, but couldn’t make it past her armor.

Even though he hadn’t done any real damage to her, the man had made a fatal mistake. For the criminal charge of hurting Dustin’s friend, he would be sentenced to a savage beating hither to undreamt of. “You will pay.” He utters, clenching his fist and watching the players regroup.

kill them.

Dustin stands in disbelief, what was she not getting? What was he not getting? He knew this had to be done, but even still Greil doesn’t deserve it. A life is a life, no matter how corrupted or soiled, it is a life and Dustin is taking one away. Cutting it short. There’s so many experiences he won’t have, so many things he won’t see, so many words he won’t say and professions he won’t make. Who was Dustin to take all of that away? Kadin wouldn’t want this, but the dead don’t want anything. It’s the only benefit of being dead.

”What about Arabelle, a-and....me and the everyone else?! Do you not care about ANY of us?! Do we matter, so little to you, that you don't care how you impact us...?”

He watches her, appalled at what she just asked. “You’re not Kadin.” He says, before turning around and walking along the pathway to the enemy. They could sort the rest out among themselves, maybe she could decide it’d be better not to see him fall down this hole. This path he’s following is doing nothing but damning his soul.

His feet fall deep into the snow, the cold piercing his shoes and nipping at his toes. It wasn’t ideal, the cold weather and the even colder aura around the boy. He wanted to do this with no hinderance, but he had to be sure. If your ideas aren’t challenged then they’ll never be right or wrong. They’ll always be a mystery, no closure means no satisfaction or disdain. He was risking everything for this, including his sanity, but it would all be worth it to the boy.

He could feel himself crying, calling out for help and kneeling in the snow screaming at his weakness. Neither voice had been enough so he pushed them out. It had done nothing but made matters worse. He could feel both pain and emptiness but nothing else, no sympathy for the man he’s about to kill, no empathy for the people who know him. It was dark and cloudy and he was alone, but he had to keep going. A few tears stream down his face, this time though it wasn’t his mental image of himself tearing up. He stayed ahead of the girls to try to keep his wavering constitution a secret, but if they looked closely enough they could see the snow melt from sporadic tears falling onto it.

Crunching, rhythmic but chaotic. Three people out of sync crushing the snow beneath their feet, trekking a distance hither to undreamt of. Creaking and cracking, another set of feet, rushing in close behind them. Closer... closer...

closer...

Dustin stops suddenly and jumps back behind the girls using his torso to knock the enemy down. Two orange cursors floated above two players who looked ready to make sure they have a reason to be orange. Dustin had forgotten they weren’t far. “You have no tact what so ever.” Dustin had clocked another enemy not far from them, watching them. He didn’t want to point him out so as to avoid putting the girls in danger without good reason.

The player that had charged so carelessly pulls the shield off of his back and rears his sword up, resting the tip of the blade on the top edge of his shield. Dustin used to used that stance too, considering it was a common stance though, it made sense.

Even in the commotion, there was still a pitter patter on the snow underneath Dustin. Tears seemed to melt snow faster than fire.

((feel free to engage enemy 2, I just didn’t want to write too much without you all getting a say in anything))

Enemy 1: 300/300 HP | 35 MIT | 25 DMG (30 and 45 on small crit and big crit respectively)

Enemy 2: 300/300 HP | 35 MIT | 25 DMG (30 and 45 on small crit and big crit respectively)

Dustin: 580/580 HP | 58/58 EN | 15 DMG | 8 MIT | 2 ACC | 4 EVA | BH: 5

Dustin can’t help but feel horrible for what he had done to Jinx. He knew she had a tendency to panic, and yelling at her was almost as bad as attacking her out here in the field. She sat there with her ears covered as Arabelle points out what Dustin did wasn’t nice. “I know.” He says quietly. He couldn’t bring himself to turn around and face them again, because maybe if he didn’t he could go on and kill this man. Maybe if he didn’t have to see the people he was hurting then he wouldn’t hurt so bad too.

Maybe he can run.

The tank uncovers her ears and starts asking more questions, Dustin’s least favorite kind. What ifs, they make Dustin’s head spin, and he’s already in a bad enough way. Making him lose it can only make things worse. Then the last question grabs his attention and sets his focus back on the main path he had formed for himself. Arabelle had taken his side but he wasn’t sure anymore. He knew where this was headed couldn’t be good, but he wanted Greil to know what taking a life costs. Dustin hadn’t earned his way into the guild he was in, he barely knew anyone in the guild but these two here. And they felt distant.

Dustin’s mind was cloudy, and it was like he was walking through a blizzard alone in the dark. Arabelle was basically saying he was right and to keep going, and her voice felt close. Really close. Cold and empty, but close, making Dustin feel less alone in the dark, but Jinx’s voice offered warmth, familiarity. She called out from great distance with her muffled voice and weak words, but they felt comforting. Differing opinions both offered the same benefits, but in different ways. 
 

The worst part was, he didn’t know which to follow.

He opens his mouth, stopping dead in his tracks and thinking. Her question had broken his train of thought, his autopilot ride to vengeance and managed to put him back in control, even for a little. But he was sure she wasn’t going to get the answer she wanted. Neither of them were.

If someone hunts me down, I can’t kill them for doing the same thing I did. I know the price I have to pay for this, and it’s the same price Kadin paid, And the one Greil is about to pay. Violence begets violence, I know. I can’t kill anyone but Greil. I can’t just throw away lives because I feel wronged. Greil has to pay though. For Kadin, for Shino, and for Amara. Even if it costs me my life.

”Taking a life is a big deal, and it should never simply be glossed over like a bug on a windshield.” He says, turning towards Arabelle and scowling. “There’s a price to pay for every body someone drops. But Greil has taken too many lives and yet to pay the price. No one else is doing anything, they all just turn a blind eye to the killing in this world and if I have to die to let someone know it needs to stop, anyone, then...” He stops himself. He doesn’t know what to say next. Part of him wants to stop, to wrap Arabelle in his arms and ask her to take him back to his place. But instead he turns to Jinx, looking her in the eyes and then to the snow between them.

”Then I die.”

He says, answering her question and finishing his sentence in one fell swoop.

”Like I said, I know the price, a life for a life. Greil has taken three at least. Kadin, Shino, Amara, they all died to that piece of garbage, and he has yet to pay the toll.”

As Dustin cuts through the snow, trudging along with his two favorite people in the world in tow, he gets assaulted by the barrage of questions (mostly from Jinx) and he gets fed up. But instead of exploding and shouting at her, Dustin just bottles it up. His anger would soon be released anyways, so why not just hold on a little longer?

He feels a tug on the back of his shirt. His fists tighten, his jaw clenches and he turns slowly. He listens to her speak, her voice soft and broken, and while he watches he can’t help but want to yell, scream, throw something. But no, she was making her case, he would have to ignore her or tell her the truth.

”I know... I know this won’t fix anything. I know what I’m doing won’t change that my brother is dead. I never said this man deserves to die.” He says, watching the two women, before turning back around. “I’m not the only one who’s lost a brother, and I know if I kill him I won’t be any better a person but I don’t care. I don’t care if you all hate me, I don’t care that I’ll become the very thing I hate the most. If I can stop him from killing even one more person I can die a happy man. I can avenge my brother and save a life.” He turns around, walking towards Jinx speaking in his angry voice. “I KNOW WHAT I’M DOING IS WRONG. I KNOW EVERYTHING IT WILL COST ME, I NEED TO DO THIS.”

His voice lowers, his eyelids fall along with his gaze as he turns around looking like he was just rejected by the girl of his dreams and she killed his dog. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to yell.”

Dustin turns to Jinx with no expression at all, he still didn’t know how to tell her what he planned to do today. She knew to an extent what he was willing to do. She knew he wanted to confront the guy, but he was sure she hadn’t realized he was ready to throw everything away just to get revenge for his little brother. “Yes, I’m sure I could kill him with no issue. I kill monsters all the time.” He says, before turning back to Arabelle. “And it’s not been a while, we just started ‘talking’ a few days.” He turns around and starts to walk, the snow crunching under his feet as he goes.

”I know where he is. I know exactly where he is.” His voice which is usually filled with life felt dead even to him. He must sound alien to them, they’d never seen him like this. It didn’t bode well either, he was sure if he was already this broken before even getting to the man, a fight wouldn’t go well either. “It’s a decent walk though, get out now if you don’t wanna deal with the cold.” He says in an attempt to rid himself of the worry of the two girls behind him. One of them had been through a lot with the boy recently, the other knew what he wanted to do for a while. Neither of them know how long he has waited to take the life of this man, and neither will even know the toll it would take on his mind.

”I’m sure you two would like to know the name of the man I’m hunting down...” He utters quietly, looking at the white ground before each step. No confidence, no bravado, just an empty husk that looks like the boy they both knew so well. “But it doesn’t matter, as it will be a name soon forgotten. One that has no meaning, no bearing on the world we live in.” He stops and turns around. “Soon it will be nothing more than a word and a memory, it will call to no one and bring nothing. No point in committing it to memory.”

He had to make sure they understood there wouldn’t be anything to stop him. He was telling them he knows what he’s doing is wrong, he knows it will alienate him from the rest of the guild. “The name of the man, is Greil. Remember it only for today as you will never hear of it again.” He says, before turning to the woman he so desperately wanted to see past this, 

“And he killed my brother, that’s why he has to be put down like the rabid dog he is.”