[F7-SP] Soul Searching and a Change of Faith

[Kurou 0]

As Kurou sat inside his shop on the seventh floor, slumped down next to the anvil. He had a hard time taking his eyes off the coals that lay burning inside the furnace. Although they once glowed a searing red and gave off enough heat to liquify steel. They now sat there a sad shade of grey, only radiating the slightest hint of warmth. Needless to say the coals reminded him a lot of himself. "When I first began this game, I had a vision... I wanted to help everyone I could make it through this... I wanted to keep everyone I could safe.... and now look at me." 

Although it had been nearly a month since the tragic events, to Kurou it seemed like only yesterday. It all started one day when Kurou herd a large commutation in the streets outside of his shop. Rushing out to see what all the fuss was about, it wasn't long before the news reached his ears. Apparently a group of PK'ers had set up an ambush on one of the many mountain passes in the area and had massacred a whole party of players. Not knowing how to react to the situation, he noticed a group of players who had began to party up. After approaching one to ask them what they were planning to do. The player explained that they were going to hunt down the group of PK'ers and bring them to justice. Quickly accepting an invitation to join the party, Kurou equipped his gear and set off with the players.

Hiking up into the mountains, it didn't take nearly as long as he had expected to track down the group. After trying to convince the players to turn themselves over, it became evident rather quickly that the players where not going to hand themselves over without a fight and so a battle ensued. Although it seemed like they had the upper hand in the beginning due to their large numbers. It wasn't long before Kurou began to see his comrades start to fall left and right. Taking a step back from the battle, it became clear that they were not going to win this fight. Having already lost their advantage in numbers and knowing that the PK'ers would not stop killing even if they surrendered. Kurou knew this would be his only chance to escape with his life, if he stayed to fight any longer his eventual retreat would undoubtedly be noticed and he would be ran down like a dog. So he did just that and ran, not even bothering to turn around to see if his escape was noticed he ran as hard as he could, his feet pounding against the rocky surface of the path.

Once he was sure he was far enough away he stopped. Resting one hand on his knee, he quickly opened up his party menu before changing his mind and closing it. He didn't want to look to see if anyone else had survived. Returning back to his shop, it didn't take long for news to reach the town that the party had failed and every player had been slaughtered. "So... no one else fled... what does that make me?" He thought to himself upon hearing the news. On more than one occasion Kurou had been approached by grieving players who had known he had been in the party and who upon seeing him seemed to have gotten a renewed since of hope that their loved one might still be alive. In these situations he would either insist that the player had mistaken him for someone else, or give them the lame excuse that he had been scouting ahead when the group was attacked. Either way it didn't matter, their loved one was dead and do to his cowardliness he was still alive..... Which is what brought him to where he was now. Sitting alone on the floor of his shop watching the coals of his furnace die along with his soul.