It was always in the night that he chose to play the games he could’ve started up earlier that afternoon. It seemed to him that if he started them up so early, he’d have nothing to do, as whenever he wanted to go on, no one was really there. There was, of course, a small chance that they were online and his assistance was needed, but usually, that didn’t occur. Then there was always that chance that he was too lazy to start up, that he just wanted to sit down and relax on the couch; maybe watch a rerun of a movie or two in the afternoon. Maybe he could even try his hand on one of the multiple school projects that he got assigned, but those were never fun to do. Unless the project included sleeping in for the next day of school, of course, but that never happened, did it? Ugh. The fact that he rarely got on in the afternoon when everything was going on made him frustrated with himself…

There he was again, in the usual spot, sitting on the couch watching reruns of the TV shows that he hated…bad. His feet were in a tangled mess with the covers and then, at the end of his toes lay his cat, purring as it rubbed its fur against the soles of his feet. He could only frown at how it looked at him afterward, as if he was some living pillow that would forever serve it. The boy sighed and did his best to close his eyes, only to open them and turn. He yelped and fell to the ground, where he banged his head against the carpet. The cat hissed and leapt off the couch, only to slow its pace and pad forward lazily. The boy grumbled and rubbed the back of his head before standing up, staring at the screen before warily hitting the couch once again.

He pulled the covers over everything but his eyes and stared at the screen, his eyes glowing with the reflections of the characters. They started to water, but he didn’t bother to rub at them. He never did. The boy relaxed a bit, doing his best to try and make himself comfortable in the spot. The cat jumped on the couch once again, minutes later, and started to crawl over the covers until it sat not inches from his face, staring at it with putrid eyes, or at least that was what the reflection looked like. He grumbled at his whole appearance and turned, facing the other way and making his cat jump off once again. His feet ached and his eyes wanted nothing more than to fall asleep, but something deep inside of him told him he couldn’t. He still had something left to do that he had forgotten about for quite a while now.

What was it that he had forgotten? Was it some sort of homework assignment? Did he forget to feed his cat the disgusting food that it ran away from? Was it that he had forgotten to change his boxers the night before? Maybe it could’ve been something about ‘The World’…ugh, he hated that game and how it distracted him so much. He grumbled and threw the covers off of him. Cool air swooped in, making goosebumps run up his spine and the hair on his legs stand on edge. He took a deep breath, let it out, and got up. He looked to the stairs and then at the sight of his dog lounging about, its black nose hanging out over the stairs while his eyes and ears drooped down at his sides. He chuckled softly as he made his way up the stairs and stepped past him, half-sliding, half-bounding to his room. He was sure he had forgotten something…

He burst into his room and closed the door quietly shut behind him before starting his search. He came to his agenda first and looked through it twice, only to find that he had forgotten a math assignment. He’d do it in the morning. He growled and moved off, sifting through the numerous items of his desk and throwing everything else out of the way. It was a sure way to get a lecture from his mother, but what did he care? He always had so much time on his hands in the afternoon that he could’ve cleaned his room millions of times with a few hours extra up his sleeve. He stopped and scratched the back of his head, smiling guiltily at the sight of the computer flashing. He slid into the seat and opened the computer up so he could read it. He winced. He had totally forgotten about the mission they had been assigned…and they were going to leave without him if he didn’t come in the next…gulp…fifteen minutes. It had been delivered five minutes ago. He didn’t have any time to waste…or maybe he did.

The boy pulled on the VR goggles and grabbed the controller, his fingers flicking across it and hitting a few random buttons before the login screen came up. His fingers danced across the screen a moment later and then, he was logging into ‘The World’ once again for what didn’t seem like a joyride. It was more work that needed doing and work that he didn’t want to do…ugh.

Emerald eyes flitted open to the night air around him and to the busy streets of Mac Anu. It wasn’t as late as last night, but still, he could tell that most people were about to head to bed. It was probably the reason he got multiple stares from people for logging in so late, but what did he care? He walked leisurely down the stairs, not bothering to jog. It would attract too much attention and it only took five minutes to get there anyways. He started up the bridge, his steps still the same and his hair swiveling about behind him. He ran a finger through it, smiling lightly before turning around the corner to the long alleyway. It was almost pitch black in there, except for a few lamp posts that managed to get their light in there so he could see a bit. Then, once he turned, he sprinted, flying forward and making his way to the hideout. Okay, so maybe he was really late and he needed to get there fast. The boy grumbled and slid to a stop, turning abruptly before turning again and stopping at the familiar doorway that he had stood before just about twenty-four hours ago. He did his best not to look guilty of stealing a whole bag of chocolate chip cookies, then walked in, putting on his best light smile.

There were multiple grumbles and groans that came from none other than Kai and Sen. Both were waiting in their usual chairs, watching him with gleaming eyes that told him ‘You’re late’. He threw his hands up and worded, ‘Sorry’ and then moved off to get changed into his usual uniform. He sure didn’t feel like going on some huge mission when he wanted nothing more than to sleep, but it was his job. He had a commitment in this game, one that he thought he would never get out of. He opened the door and closed it behind him, not bothering to lock it if it had something that enabled him to. He threw off his boots and tore off his jacket and then started to pull on the usual clothes that he wore. The pants, the shirt, the armor, the armguards, the gloves, a few bandages here and there, and then he was done, fully dressed and ready to go within about thirty or forty seconds. He stretched, letting his fingers stretch and then slid over to the door, which he threw open dramatically. He marched in, only to be dragged off to the side by Kai, who was doing his best not to laugh at his surprised expression.

Shenmock was thrown into the room first, followed by Kai and Sen, who were both laughing cheerfully, though at the sight of Zen, they weren’t exactly laughing and giggling. He looked wary of what was going to happen, his eyes drooping and his lips forming a frown. The reason for this was unknown to the three of them, but it was obvious: the mission wasn’t going to be a pretty one. The Fist Fighter picked himself up and stood at the attention of Zen, his emerald eyes flaring with determination just so he could give the guy some confidence. He was sure that the three of them could do it, but still…there was always that one chance. If Zen was frowning, everybody was frowning. If Zen was laughing, everybody was laughing…well, everybody got the point that they weren’t supposed to be the ones to cheer him up. If they did well, the three could only hope he’d be in a better mood and not look like he’d tear up a little girl’s doll so everybody could call the doll, ‘The Grinch’s little sister’. That would be bad.

”I’m not too happy for the fact that I’ll be having to send all three of you out to this mission, but it’s necessary. Please understand that it’s only because of numbers and what you’ll have to be doing. Each of you will have your own separate missions, or at least two of you will stay and one of you will leave. The thing they have is some sort of item or weapon or piece of equipment that is very much needed in the game. I didn’t get the specifics on what it is, but somehow, they stole it using their hacking skills and now have it hidden somewhere in the Lambda Server. The mission is basic, though I’m not going for the fact that I think the three of you can handle it. It’s not impossible, but it’s at least close to it.

Now, on to the plan. Sen, as usual, you’ll be handling the item and grabbing it from the building. I’m sure you’ll need some help with it, but I think we’ll be saving that for the end. That’s the main objective you have right now, but other than that, you’ll be going with Shenmock and Kai, though you’ll be hidden the whole way. They’ll be going in and trying to clear through a few foes while letting you get past. If anyone gets in your way, you know what to do. This is our basic plan, but if anything goes out of hand, send me a flash-mail of your situation and we’ll figure something out. If I’m needed, I’ll come, but I surely doubt that you’ll need be in such a situation. Shenmock; Kai; after you’re done taking them out, help Sen however you can and if anything else calls that needs you, do that. We need to take many precautions with this, so be careful. Especially you, Shenmock, as you’re not quite that experienced yet.” He folded his hands and smiled at their confident expressions. ”It’s about time you go, guys. There’s surely going to be a lot of people there, even in the night. Be careful and stick together, or else you’re surely going to lose a few things fighting hackers.” With that, he turned and faced the wall.

The three were silent for a moment and then, Kai filed out, followed by Shenmock, and then by Sen, who picked up the rear. The door opened and closed and then another door did the same. Each of them downed their cloaks and slipped on the hoods before moving out into the alleys of Mac Anu, on their way to Carmina Gadelica, the city in the Lambda Server. The boy could hardly contain his excitement, as he had always wondered what the streets were like compared to Mac Anu’s. Then again, he could only hope the alleyways weren’t as scary; he seriously hated when you went into alleys and followed the noises. Nothing good happened when you followed the noises. Ever.

Before he knew it, the three stood before the Chaos Gate. Kai’s hand raised and so they were off without another word. They hadn’t really said anything to each other, surprisingly enough. The boy could only wonder why they weren’t talking to him, but rather being silent. Maybe it was just a coincidence…yeah, probably. Golden rings engulfed them and a moment later, lights beamed down on him, making his eyes water momentarily before he rubbed them and stared at the city before them. Lights were everywhere, shops were everywhere, and he could see a lot of players wandering about. For a moment, he stood there and gazed in awe at the city. It was his first time going here…and he still wondered just how he had managed to get there. Then, a gloved hand grabbed him and so he was dragged off once again. He heard Kai and Sen muttering to each other and then they made an abrupt turn. The Fist Fighter stopped and moved off behind them. The alleyways were pitch black…ugh.

Once they were far enough in, Kai and Sen threw off their cloaks, letting the clothes hit Shenmock in the face. He grumbled and threw them out of the way before unclipped his own and throwing it off. He stumbled after the two and then came to Kai’s side. The Heavy Axe narrowed his eyes to look at him. He gave a smile back in return as if it was some great comedy they were getting themselves into. Not really. They made a turn and moved off to the walls, slipping on their masks and watching closely as they moved every closer to their destination. Sen motioned with a hand and so they went to the other wall, moving with the shadows and then peering around the corner. The boy could only frown at the sight of about three or four men leaning against the wall, watching like statues at the spot where they were. They couldn’t see the three, but they could sure see them.

He turned, only to find one less body with them: Sen. Where had she gone…? The boy looked up at her as she moved up and over the metal ladder. She looked down and then looked down at the men, waiting patiently for her chance at getting in. Once they took out the men, she would be able to get in. Then, they’d go on to fighting more men and hoping that she got in time, or else they’d be in huge trouble. He grumbled at the sight of the men fidgeting. They weren’t asleep; he had really been hoping to just beat up on them and find that they were asleep at their computers. No, they were obviously not asleep and they were obviously going to try and tackle them. They looked quite strong, but of course, with Kai along, nothing really seemed that intimidating to him. With that, Kai motioned forward and the two stepped out.

It took all of his strength for him to not choke on his own saliva as he gulped. There were four men over there and two of them; the men also looked to be good players, not to mention ones that didn’t fall asleep while they were playing a game. The candle didn’t give them enough light to see them crouching in the darkness, thus making it a bit easier for them, but still, his heart was skipping most of the beats and he was forced to take deep breaths. Kai chuckled softly in the darkness and patted him on the back before moving forward once again, sliding his body weight across the ground. They still couldn’t see them, by the looks of things, as the candle only lit some of the way. Three leaned against the walls near the door while one of them hung near the candle, holding a long blade and staring off into the darkness. He had his eyes right on them, but the two knew they couldn’t see past the darkness that hid them. The two pressed their bodies against the darkness for a moment.

”Frick, a Wavemaster…stay close, Shen. We’ll take the heavy blade out and then move off to the others. Expect a long battle,” the Heavy Axe muttered back to him. With a Wavemaster, they could resurrect each other, plus they’d have healing spells and quite a lot of a racket going on. The boy shivered and crept closer, his fingers sliding against the rough surface of the walls. A foot closer and they’d be spotted. They stay put for a moment, forming their own plans in their own heads before they went into action. They didn’t use spells for an ambush. Neither were great spell casters, after all, and plus, quick physical attacks would definitely do more damage. Or maybe it was the fact that their group preferred close combat rather than using spells and avoiding trouble.

Then, Kai sprang. He launched himself out of the protection of the darkness and into the fray, his axe immediately crashing into the man’s head and bashing him into the wall. Kai wrenched his axe out of the side of the man’s head, and then sprinted at the three men who were now up and alarmed. The two men put themselves in front of the Wavemaster, their weapons raised as one of the two Eagles charged in and swung his axe at them. There was a clash of blades, but he knew no more as he too sprinted into the battle. The man that had been blown into the wall from Kai’s axe was already getting up, rubbing at his head and trying to mutter a healing spell. The boy sprang at him, his left foot hitting the brink of his opponent’s shoulder before his right came out from behind and kicked the man in the chest. The man gasped and stumbled back, only to raise his blade and face the boy with the determination of someone trying to find his one true love even if he had to face death itself. Whoa, this guy either had anger management issues or he was glaring at some murderer that stood behind him.

Turns out, it was him after all. The man sprang, his blade swinging about and aiming for his legs. Without a second thought, the boy jumped, only to find that the blade was above and he had pulled it back around his head. The boy raised both arms and the sword connected, immediately pulling his feet back to the ground and making his knees buckle for a moment. He wrenched at his arm guards and moved to the side, his feet sliding across the ground as he brought his left hand about, smacking the man right across the face. The man growled and fell back a few feet, his sword dragging across the ground as he did so for a moment. The man rubbed his cheek, winced, and then resumed his oh-so determined expression so as to scare Shenmock. Very funny… The boy waited with the patience of a hunter stalking his prey, staring at the man, waiting for him to charge forward. He could still hear the clatter as an axe clattered with a blade. This wasn’t good; if he just stalled on this guy, Kai would be taking on three men, a Wavemaster among them. That made the odds on their opponent’s side, and they hadn’t done very well as to ambush them and score mounds of damage upon them.

The man, after fifteen seconds of wait, moved forward with slow movements, his blade dragging across the ground behind him. He smiled and laughed gingerly as the boy’s bare feet slid across the ground. They seriously needed something or else they’d never look professional. The boy slid across the ground, his fingers already curling into fists and his fists already launching themselves at the man’s open chest. One fist, two fist, black fist, blue fist…wait, that didn’t work. The boy hit the man with ease and then slid across the ground once again, his hair swiveling along and brushing past the man’s eyes. He knew he’d win if it was just one on one, but for now, he had so much to worry about. The boy propelled his elbow into the man’s chest and then slid one hand under his leg. The man couldn’t land a hit due to the fact that he was sticking with him like he was his shadow. He was doing that enough that if he so much as tried to pull up his blade, he’d find that it would be too off. The boy pulled his foot back, kicking one of the man’s feet from under him. A moment later, he grabbed it and swung it around him, though he could only drag him across the ground instead of miraculously throwing him across the alleyway.

It was actually quite hard to fight this guy, as he had to stay close to him so often or else he risked getting smashed in the face by a blade. The man slid back across the alleyway and picked himself a moment later, swinging his blade around him so as to keep him away from him. Sure, it worked, but it had done nothing but scrape the side of his shirt. He couldn’t narrow his eyes and look to the other battle, seeing as the slits that he could see through were only meant to be forward and not to the side. He could see the corner, sure, but nothing more. The Heavy Blade once again moved forward after a ten second break, his blade flashing out in front of him and aiming to cleave off Shenmock’s head. The chances of that happening were slim to none and once again, the man used the same tactic he had used before. He pulled it around again, aiming at his feet this time around. Though the boy had ample time to jump, he just didn’t jump far enough.

He was on the ground in seconds, a blade already coming down at him. He did his best to roll, but still, the power thrown into the attack was immense enough that it took a huge chunk out of his hit points. A steady flow of blood came out, though most of it was concealed in the darkness. There was always that chance that he could turn the candle out, but then again, that would only be when they were otherwise doomed, which was definitely not right now. He muttered a quick healing spell and watched the man in front of him do the same. Crap, this battle will drag out. Ugh, I hate long battles, especially ones with hackers. He was careful not to charge, but to rather hold his pose and prepare himself as if nothing had been done to him. He knew well enough that Kai would ask the same way if he was put in the situation. Showing weaknesses would spell so much doom for him. A lot of it.

The boy, as he was turned to the man, couldn’t help but notice that Kai was obviously having trouble with fighting three. While he was fighting one and getting things easy, the man had to deal with three foes, one of which could easily take him out in a few hits with his magical spells. The man didn’t see that his gaze was averted, but nonetheless, he charged at the boy, his blade pulled back and his eyes flashing. The boy knew that Kai needed his help desperately. The Fist Fighter moved off to the right and kneed the man, and without further ado, sprinted off to Kai, who was locking swords with a blademaster and otherwise being watched by the other two, yet on occasion, one would sprint in and try to get him off guard, though the Heavy Axe always managed to slide out of the way and bash him upon the head.

Without a second thought, he pulled one of his new hand axes out and thrust it in the direction of one of the men watching, who happened to be a whipmaster. Boy was he seeing a lot of different classes these days. The small axe twirled through the air, a low zinnnngg following as it cut the last of the air and sunk into the man’s back, making him snap up and yelp out in pain. The man, for a moment, stood still, but then his hand crept around and wrenched the axe out of his back. There was a low groan as he saw the blood and then he turned around, his whip flashing out as the boy came forward. The Fist Fighter did his best to smile, but the whip still managed to whack his shoulder, making his slide a little less smooth. He got there, though, and pushed himself off the ground, his body already pulled in a spin position. He barreled into the man, his fists sinking into his chests and sending him back into the axe that Kai was already swinging about.

The man let out a low scream and crumbled to the ground. He wasn’t dead, but he was close enough that he had trouble moving any of his bones. A moment later, he was up, though, a healing spell already having been thrown at all four of them. The Wavemaster grinned, but as Shenmock turned to him, it disappeared, followed by an aura that made shivers run down his spine. It was a dark aura that was almost concealed by the darkness; the violet mixed in was the only thing that even hinted that it was a spell. A sort of circle came around the two and they were forced to back against each other as dark forms started to creep out of it. Two forms and that was all, though they weren’t comforted by the fact that there was more than one. For a moment, it swirled around, and then, a moment later, the darkness surged into the ground and two explosions of Ani energy occurred. They weren’t blasted back in some forum, but due to the fact that they were pressing their body wait against each other, they were only sent staggering and stumbling about in a strange manner. They weren’t stupid enough to stay like that for long and when the chance opened itself, they were back together, but this time with more trouble. Four men surrounded them and who was in the middle? Two. Great; now they were teaming up on them.

People could say that they were done for and that the Wavemaster would easily take care of them with an arsenal of his spells along with the weapons that were already being prepared, but other people could say that if the two had enough skill and took out the Wavemaster, they might have a chance at beating the rest of them, just as long as they didn’t leave one open for too long. The whipmaster was the first to come, his whip coming around his body and whacking Shenmock’s armguards. They rattled for a moment and his whole body vibrated for a moment, but he recovered, though the damage had been enough to shake him. He was tempted to lunge at them, but still, he held his ground. They’d attack when they’d attack…or would they even come close enough for them to do anything? The heavy blade that he had fought earlier was the first to charge at them, his blade pulled back in an arc and his lips curled back in a feral snarl. He swung it at Kai first, only to find that the attack was easily ducked under and then, an axe dug into his chest, sending him staggering back to the others.

This time, the whipmaster and blade user came at them, their weapons at the ready as they came forward. The whipmaster was the first to attack, seeing as he had a twelve foot range, and like a snake, let the whip come forward. Instead of going for Shenmock, it went after Kai, who didn’t exactly look prepared to dodge something snaking forward so fast. The boy immediately pulled one of the small hand axes out and thrust it at the whip, catching it mid-way and sending it clear out of the way. The boy slid a foot on the ground and launched himself off the ground, letting his foot slide into place where it should’ve been: his face. The man fell back and hit the ground, a string of curses following as he got up and watched as a blademaster charged at the two. It didn’t take him another two seconds to realize that he was coming at him, seeing as he was the trouble and that Kai would completely destroy any of them who dared to charge.

The boy cocked his head to the side before letting himself fall as the blade was swung around and then down to the ground, where it banged against the stone. The glint of an axe and a pained yelp followed as Kai shoved the axe up into his chest, making crimson splatter to the ground. It was at this point where the Wavemaster would come in and call a La Repth in order to heal them. It was at this point, too, when Shenmock took the initiative to attack the one person that needed tackling. The boy pulled yet another hand axe out and thrust it at the Wavemaster. A scream followed as it came into his side. Sure, it wasn’t a whole lot of damage, but three physical attacks was enough for his demise. A moment later, the boy had grabbed him by the scruff and was already kneeing him. Before one of the party members could throw a healing spell to him, he was on the ground, X’s for eyes and his tongue out with a bit of blood coming out as if he were in some kind of comedic anime.

With that, the boy turned, facing the other men and watching their putrid stares at the corpse of their comrade. It wouldn’t be long before he’d be a ghost and they’d be able to revive him, though it would be troublesome to deal with getting his spell points back to full and the like. For now, they just had to deal with the remaining men and hope they didn’t try their hardest to heal him. Instead, the men charged, their eyes flaring with new determination to beat the men who had come for some unknown reason. That unknown reason wasn’t unknown in the least, but still, they liked to presume that they were after something else so they wouldn’t get too worried. The heavy blade pulled his blade back and swung it around to Kai, this time pulling it around in the motion he had used as Shenmock. Instead of blocking, the man slid out of the way, the blade smashing into the ground inches from his toe. The man growled at the Eagle that was already preparing his axe for more.

The Fist Fighter, on the other hand, had harder things to deal with: a blademaster and a whipmaster who both looked to be in a bad mood. The boy grumbled silently to himself as the two men – people who looked like ordinary players of ‘The World – or he could say two hackers, charged at him, whip lashing out and blade already being thrown forward to attack. He had fought a whipmaster before and not to mention a person who had issues with it. It seemed a tad easier to fight this guy, though, as he wasn’t going full throttle yet and there was a blademaster to get in his way and make things a bit troublesome if the two wanted their share of them. He heard them yelling orders to each other, but he didn’t bother to listen as they came forward at him. One blade was upraised while a whip was already being pulled back and forward in the position it was used to attack someone. That someone was Shenmock.

The boy slid to the side as the whip coiled around the air, hissing in his ear and making him want the battle to finish all the more. There was a moment when it hung lose there and then it was pulled back, only to be thrown at him once again. He hit the ground like a sack of potatoes, watching as the end of the whip hissed at him once again. The Fist Fighter pressed his palms into the ground and rolled forward, using his palms to push himself forward towards the man. Before he could throw his whip at him again, he lunged at him and tackled him head on, sending him back out of the range of the blademaster’s sword. It was like a blur then as he pressed his knee into the man’s chest and pulled his fist back to punch him like he was in some street fight. Yet it really wasn’t like that at all, as the blademaster was already there, swinging at him and slashing up his side. The boy was tempted to yelp, but held it and jumped back from them, sliding across the ground and likely scratching his feet up in the process. The whipmaster got up, growling at him as he did so.

The two faced him once again, only to find one more body facing them at his side. Two sets of hands gripped their own axes. Shenmock held a hand axe in one while Kai stood at his side, an enormous axe gripped tightly with his hands. The men looked slightly intimidated for the fact that they had already managed to take out two of their strongest, but still, they were trained to fight actual players rather than simple monster fights. ”You go for the whipmaster. I’ll handle little blade boy here,” Kai mumbled under his breath just so he could hear. Then, he sprang into action, his axe pulled back in a wide arc and then coming forward with a crash. The boy twirled around and thrust an axe at the man. There was a gentle thump as the axe sunk into the man’s arm. He pulled another out and tossed it to his left arm before thrusting it at the man from the other side. Another thump followed and so he, too, sprinted forward. Sen would disapprove of the style that they were using, but they couldn’t leave the men open so they could resurrect their allies.

The whip hissed as it came forward, lashing at his shoulder and making his light armor clatter against the body. He struggled not to wince and continued his charge, already crouching into position for a large-scale jump. The man let it fly once again, coming straight where his neck would’ve been if the boy hadn’t moved off to the side and launched himself into the air. The air caught his hair, making it look so elegant for him to pull his body in a circle before kicking at the man and making his cheekbone crunch at impact. The boy pulled it away, pulling himself around and letting a final hand axe slide back into the man’s back. There was another thump as it connected with his bag. The man trembled for a moment and then fell to the ground a moment later. Dematerializing took place and so the two men were alone, the candle flickering lightly.

A moment later, it was out.

Darkness had fallen and all he could see was black, black, and more black. The slightest hints of light from the city of Carmina Gadelica managed to come in the distance, but other than that, they were deep within the allies of the Lambda Server. Gone was the light that usually shone them and so darkness had come. Kai had deliberately put out the light and so now they couldn’t see anything. Great. Sure, it was for precautions and if someone came in, they’d see them immediately, but still, putting out the light still put them at a risk unless they enjoyed spamming spells at the next person who walked out of the door. The two were aware that Sen had already crawled through one of the few trapdoors that had been lain about as to provide shortcuts for the members, but still, they were uneasy as to the fact that there might be more of them bustling about inside. If there was ten, they were as good as dead, but if there were one or two, they’d be better off. Those that stood in between were unanswered. They didn’t know whether or not they could handle that many alone.

The two leaned against the walls that stood next to the door, waiting like statues for the creak of the door opening. For all they knew, Sen could be the one creeping out of the door, but still, any creak and they’d pounce the one who dared come out. They knew they couldn’t make a racket out here, but before it had been necessary. The two of them probably did attract attention and all, but…still, there were different reasons for different things. They couldn’t say anything to each other, but rather pressed their bodies against the wall and waited for any sign of movement. In the distance, he could see the lights of Carmina Gadelica and for a moment, he thought he could hear a yell of merriment as a player got a rare item out of a trade, but he was not sure. He almost slumped down, but stopped himself mid-way, knowing that he’d be getting a lecture if he didn’t stay straight and get ready for anything. Just sitting here bored him…

He was aware of the presence of Kai standing a few feet to the side of him, pressing his slightly bigger body to the wall. A small question came to him: was he chewing wheat? He listened intently for any signs of chewing, but found none, only the silence that swept through the allies. A minute passed and then another two, and then two more. Five minutes had gone by in silence except for the occasional screech of a cat and the rustle of garbage being flung about by the wind. The boy pulled up the gloves a little higher and tried to look at his fingers. All he could see was the outline of them, nothing more. He almost sighed, but then, a creak came and the door opened slowly. He could hardly make out his shadow, but he knew very well that it wasn’t Sen. The man rubbed at his eyes, grumbling and muttering a curse under his breath before Kai sprang.

The man’s gruff arm came around his neck and then pulled back, wrenching the man back. There was a muffled scream and the slow thump as the man did his best to take the man out. The boy flicked a hand axe in the man’s direction. It cut through the air and, a second later, hit the man’s chest, making a low gasp creep out of his mouth as he fell to his demise. Both of them resumed their position as if nothing had happened, but they knew very well that they would’ve been caught if it weren’t for the boy’s aid in the ambush. Now all they had to do was wait…now that no one was coming in, he knew very well that they were going to file out. He could only hope that there weren’t going to be too many this time. He did his best not to gulp as he heard a hand pull the knob a bit to the right. The door slowly creaked open slowly. He tensed, waiting for the door to close before he sprang at whoever was coming. The door slid to a close quicker than he expected; this guy must’ve been better than the others. The boy sprang, doing his best to make the same move as Kai. The figure managed to duck under the attack… Wait, what? That was impossible to know where the figure was in total darkness! A sword slid to his throat and a soft laugh came, one that he faintly recognized as Sen’s. Great. She had caught him.

The Heavy Axe did his best not to laugh at how the position had turned out. It always seemed to happen this way. Sen seemed to always get under his defense and slide a blade to his throat. Ugh, she seriously needed to practice targeting other people other than him…maybe like Kai. The blade came away and was sheathed. ”Do you have it?” Kai whispered, facing the alley that they were supposed to traverse through. He removed his mask and from the looks of things, had some wheat in his mouth. Or at least that’s what Shenmock thought he saw. The man inched forward and crouched down, his fingers scurrying around to find something unknown. They curled around something and then, a spell was muttered, followed by the flicker of a light. The boy couldn’t help but smile at the wheat that was hanging out of his mouth. Was he trying deliberately to look like a farmer or was he just trying to annoy him with that act…?

”Yes,” she whispered in return, already approaching the intersection in which they had come through. ”I got through. That’s all that matters. Anyways, there aren’t really any men left other than one I left…he’ll have quite a scare once he goes out into the city and finds no one by the door.” She turned her head, her blonde sheet of hair whipping about her face in a graceful manner. ”We’ll need to go around a different way. If we go right, we’re bound to run into trouble.” She frowned and looked to the right. They could already hear the distant yells of men. The three quickened their pace, moving straight.

There was a silence between them for a minute until Shenmock managed to try and actually get a conversation going on for once. ”So what’s the item, anyways? There can’t be something that puts CC Corp. in mortal danger.” He frowned and crossed his arms, his eyes flickering back and forth from the candle to Sen, the candle to Sen. ”Unless they work from within CC Corp. and somehow knows how the system works…but still, they wouldn’t just put an item in there that puts them in mortal danger if somebody finds it.” He threw his hands up into the air. The candle flickered for a moment, but after a brief moment, it came back to life. ”Seriously,” he ended.

Kai was the one to answer the question first before Sen could grasp the question and answer confidently. ”That’s not our business, you see. It’s likely not an item, but something one of the Administrators maybe…carried around while playing and dropped. Maybe a hacker somehow managed to steal it. Anyways, it’s likely just information on how to get through the system.” He shrugged. ”I’m guessing that Zen told us that for confidence alone. I doubt there’s something that’s that high a caliber.” He ran a head through his hair for once, scratching the ponytail that hung down a bit. It was strange to see him doing that to his hair and for once, he wondered why he had gone to that kind of hairstyle. It was a bit strange to see someone wearing a ponytail when they were playing a man. Plus, it could be used for holds…then again, any piece of hair could be used to hold.

Sen seemed to agree with Kai’s statement wholeheartedly. ”This really didn’t seem like such a hard mission other than the fact that we had to take care of four men. I’m sure you didn’t have a whole lot of trouble snagging that item, Sen, with your skill and all that.” She blushed slightly at the comment, but then resumed her normal expression again. ”It just…didn’t seem like something that was much harder than the others.” He let out a deep and long sigh that seemed to run and echo across the walls. His emerald eyes seemed to dampen a bit from their usually gleaming color as he took another step forward. He stared at the walls and at the numerous boards scattered about on the ground before letting out another sigh.

Kai let out a sigh like his own, but it seemed to be more of annoyance than of a troubled one. ”If you haven’t noticed, we’re still not done with the mission, Shen. There’s still getting out and giving the item to Zen, who’ll deliver it to Vann, and then to where it belongs. There are still men lurking about and if we run into any, we might be in a harder situation than before. We might have Sen, but I’m taking a wild guess that she’s going to be gone the moment we encounter our enemies…well, when it seems necessary she’ll come in but not when it seems that everything is lost.” Something light came out in the distance. All of them stopped dead in their tracks, watching the light as it shown farther and farther in their direction. It was coming from the side…oh crap.

”Put it out, put it out!” Sen hissed, already looking around for some sort of hiding place. A ladder came into her view and a moment later, she was up and over the edge. She hit the ground just as Kai managed to blow it out and press his body against the wall. Shenmock was right behind him, pressing it on the other side and hoping for the best as three men became visible, walking leisurely about and talking, though he was sure they were actually on the lookout for the two of them…or three of them, if they really managed to find Sen in her hiding spot. They were far enough that they couldn’t see them, but they held one candle. If they saw them, they weren’t going to be able to use the element of surprise. Well, if they put it out, they wouldn’t be able to see them, but still, in their panicked frenzy, they’d attack. Kai pulled the candle lightly off and tossed it to the side, where it hit the ground. It wasn’t loud enough to alert them, but rather just a noise that you heard whenever you went on a walk through the alleys. Kai pulled the plate (or whatever the candle sat on) and then, threw it like a Frisbee at the candle. There was a clatter and a few yelps from the men as the candle hit the ground and the small flame was out.

”Rue Zot,” the boy muttered as he pulled on the mask and sprinted in the direction of the men that were already panicking and trying frantically to find the candle so they could light it up. The pillar of ice came up, throwing him up into the air along with a bit of gracefulness to add with it. With an elegant front flip, he came down, two hand axes slipping out of his grasp before he grasped his Yawara tightly with both hands. There was a silence that followed as one of the men yelled in joy as he grasped the candle in one hand. He was about to mutter a Vak spell to light it, but it was too late. Two axes thumped into his shoulders, followed by the full weight of a boy crashing down upon him. The other two were assaulted by two swings of the axe via Kai, who had valiantly come charging in after him, but not with as much gracefulness. His power made up for it, though, so that was…more painful for the others?

The man slid back on the ground away from the candle as it was flung out of the way, hitting the wall of the alleyway and hit the ground, still in an unknown place. The two didn’t know where they were going, nor where anybody was, but still, the element of surprise was enough to make up for it. The boy, after getting two hard-earned punches in, rolled off the man and staggered back in the darkness, feeling for the wall. The faint outline of a shape came up in front of him, followed by the heft of a dagger. The boy ducked and rolled out of the way as the man made frantic slashes in all directions, trying to find the boy with sudden anxiety. Shenmock stumbled as he moved back to where Kai’s battle was going on and then faced where he thought the Twin Blade was. His cool breath reverberated off the mask and made a drop of sweat squeeze its way down the side of his forehead. He closed one eye, doing his best to focus on where his opponent was, and then slid forward, his hand coming up to meet with what he thought was a blade. Instead, he found the blades crashing into his side and sending him stumbling back to the ground. He was completely blind here!

He raised his arms in defense and faced the darkness, looking for any hints of movement among what seemed like the darkness that a cave produced when you were deep inside of it, your cell phone battery lost and your flashlight out. Well, sure, that had happened before; thank God for tourists. The boy moved to the right as a sharp-looking shape – obviously one of his two daggers – came forward and slashes into the air. Another shape came forward at him that looked exactly alike to the other one. He ducked and let the sole of his foot slide across the ground until it met with the man’s foot. There was a cry as pain shot through the man’s body. A foot had connected with his chest and was now sliding off, followed by a hard fist. “Who are you?” he managed to whisper as he pushed himself off the ground and looked frantically about. The boy wasn’t about to answer with a cheesy line, but rather moved to the side of the black outlines that he saw and then, he struck, moving like a cheetah and striking him fast with a quick punch. It was more like a punch you’d use when boxing, but who cared? Damage was damage, and if he tried too hard, he might just lose balance and get himself stabbed in the back.

Then, the unexpected happened as he stood back. His vision shook for a moment as an axe crashed into the back of his head. He didn’t know what had just happened there, but a moment later his character was on the ground, unmoving. A candle flickered open and blinding light came into his eyes, making them water for a moment. James actually bothered to rub his eyes; the sudden light really just…hurt them after being in darkness so long. He was kicked over, but instead of moving around and acting like a dummy, he stayed put. He tried to reach a hand back to his head, but before he could reach it, he found crimson splattered about. Two hands grabbed him and thrust him back to another body, which had a sword at its neck. He was aware that it was Kai and when he looked up and stared around for who had smashed him with an axe, he couldn’t help but smile lightly under the mask at Kai’s small mistake. He was aware that the man would be apologizing for his mistake as a mentor, but still. They were in total darkness; they couldn’t see and they most definitely had accidents along the way. Sen would save them, right…? Or was she already running away?

“These must be the ones that broke in,” one of them muttered, pressing the tip of his sword closer to Kai’s turtleneck. The two sat there, motionless like statues, watching the men as they went about looking like the kings of the universe. A spear came at his own throat, pinching at the turtleneck and making blood ooze out of it. They were finally caught, huh… The boy didn’t move to try and get up, but rather sat and waited for Kai’s brilliant plan to come into mind, or at least Sen’s. He was aware that he wasn’t going to have one at this point; the situation had come so fast that none of them had a chance to think about what they would do if they were caught. That’s what they got for fighting in the darkness too long…or hanging around in it, as some people would say (or Sora). The spear pressed harder against his neck as they questioned him, but he didn’t answer, even when the man pulled his spear back.

“We’ll take them to the hideout. Wait, where’s the item?” one of the men asked. He moved forward and patted their pockets and patted every other body part that could have it. He found nothing but the clothes they wore. He growled and looked at them with intense crimson eyes. “You don’t have it, do you? Well, we’ll just have to take you in for a while to get some stuff out of-“ Then, his voice was cut off as something dropped down behind them. There was a sweep of the sword and the candle was out. There was a cry from the man and several good-sized stabs that were thrown about the area. A full minute passed as the one person they knew did her best work in the darkness as if she had been doing the work for the past one hundred years…or maybe ten months. Then, the candle flickered once again as she muttered a Vak spell. She stood there, mask off, running a hand through her hair and looking at them with a dashing smile.

The boy couldn’t help but stare dully at her expression and how effortless she made it look. How dull… ”You guys looked like you needed some help from me…so here I am.” She threw her hands up in the air. ”I’m sure you guys could’ve handled them on your own, but still, it hurt me to watch them interrogate you, and I’m sure Shen would’ve spit something out if…” She ended it there and stopped before moving off back into the alley, whistling a soft tune as she went. She gestured for the two of them to come. They stared at each other and Shenmock noticed the numerous ‘Sorry’s’ being mouthed from Kai, who was frowning as if he had committed the worst sin in the world, or at least ‘The World.’ The boy shrugged instead and followed Sen, gesturing for him to come. They downed their cloaks and for the first time, Shenmock delved into the streets of Carminda Gadelica, for once happy that the mission was over.

Or was it…?

Well, probably.

Fin~

Shenmock: 1 Level, Meteor Hammerchain, Thunder Cloak