The Path Unknown

18. Reminiscence (Part III)

     Kage sat under a tree in the middle of a plain on the 25th floor. It was known as the lone tree because of its remote space and not well-known area. A plain this remote normally held mobs or something similar, but this one was free. He knew that since the beta and, ever since then, this became his resting spot. Folding his hands behind his back, he leaned back ready to fall asleep.
     He needed a break from everything in this game. Over the past few months, he exhorted both experience and item farms till there was nothing of value. His sword was strong now that he added even more stats to it with his scavenging ability. This was the way he saw himself: strong enough to not worry, but human enough that he could recognize his strength wasn't perfect. It was times like these that any single person could catch him off guard and kill him with the slit of his throat, although he never fully fell asleep. It was like him to stay awake most of the time - even when "sleep" was necessary.
     Unfortunately, the silence and serenity were broken when he heard footsteps coming from somewhere far off. They seemed to be in a quick pace which meant that they were obviously running. He waved the thought off in his mind and dozed off again to try and sleep. While trying, without much success, the footsteps got closer and closer. It was gaining volume with every step. Kage stood up and started to turn to see what it was until it hit him. The two players collided into each other, with the unknown falling onto Kage. He laid there with the air knocked out of him and didn't bother looking at the player. Whoever it was, they didn't kill him so this must have been a mistake. However, the player didn't like the situation at all. She shrieked at the top of her lungs at the sight of herself on top of him.
     "Move back!!! Don't make another move toward me or I'll CUT your brains out!!!" She drew her two short swords.
     "Hey, you ran into me, don't be calling this my fault." Kage rubbed his head and stood up. "Now who the hell are you who just ran into the only obstacle on this giant-ass lawn?!"
     "You can't request that of me, and I did not hit you!"
     "Yeah yeah, you know you can't get amnesia in here so there's no use in trying to lie." Kage turned his back to her.
     She became severely aggravated. Taking her swords, she lunged at Kage with full force trying to take his life. He quickly sidestepped and drew his sword, connecting with her's and blocking the strike. Moving his sword up, he disarmed her right hand's weapon without cutting her with his own blade. Both of their skills' energies drained. She paused, looking at the sword that was just thrown from her hand now on the ground. This was impossible to her, she thought there was no one more powerful in the game than her; but now she realized that she was far from right.
     "How did you..?" She said in a calmed, but scared voice.
     "I asked for your name, didn't I?" He became stern.
     "Fine... My name's Michiko. There, I said it. What about yours?" She pick up her swords and sheathed them. "Return the favor."
     "Mine is Kage. What are you even doing out here?"
     "Well, you see... I started running away from a fight that broke out between a few players. I didn't want to be caught in the middle and- wait, why the hell would you want to know this?!" She became boisterous again.
     "Cause you happened to hit me with all this space around you. Now continue?"
     "Humph... I ran off this way. I kept looking behind me and hit you. I'm a solo, who do I care?"
     "So am I, and you interrupted my nap." Kage grinned.
     "That makes two of us then..." She looked down as she started to mumble.
     Kage looked at the girl. She looked as if she were lost in both emotion and game. He assessed her emotions as well as her body language. Her expressions darted between anger, confusion, feeling sorry, and... joy? She had an expression of joy in the added mix. It was odd of someone like her to have a soft side, especially after she tried to kill him within a minute of meeting her. It was correct to be sorry that she hit him, but joy? There was something wrong with her emotions or at least Kage thought. There might have been something wrong with him as well, he couldn't take his eyes off her.
     "Well, it's okay now right? I mean... You know what I mean... right?" Kage stuttered, there was something absolutely wrong now.
     "Why are you hesitating? Did I hit you too hard or something?" She looked at him, cocking an eyebrow.
     "Um, to be completely honest? I have no clue what's wrong right now..."
     "Hey, I'm sorry alright? I didn't mean to hit you. I'll be on my way." Michiko started to walk away.
     "WAIT!" Kage grabbed her arm.
     "Did I forget something?" She looked at him.
     He sighed, "No, never mind. You're just..."
     "Just..?"
     "Never mi-"
     "No, not 'never mind'. You're telling me." She took her arm out of his grasp.
     "It's just that, you're... very... beautiful. It's not very often I meet someone like you and, by that time, they're already in a party. I guess I haven't worked on my manners since I last met someone in the real world." He looked down, smiling at the thought of the outside world.
     "Oh, I see. You like me?"
     "Well you put that very boringly." He looked up.
     "Well, it's not that often that someone likes me even if I tried to kill him like two seconds ago. Why are you still turned on?"
     "Beats me, but if you like I could join a party with you? We work solo, I know, but I kinda want to meet up later if you don't mind.
     "Yea, looks like you know the spots to sleep too. Mind if I join you here, since you want to party with me? I just wanna be away from those guys right now." She went on the opposite side of the tree.
     "Sure..." He sat back down, "you won't try to kill me again will you?"
      She didn't reply, she had her head on the back of the tree. He sent the party invite, which she lazily accepted. Michiko, the girl of few words, looked to be as if she was a beta tester. She was well leveled, made her appearance one that would blend in, and didn't like to interact with everyone. You couldn't talk with the newer players because of their hate towards the players, now known as "beaters". It felt derogatory, as it was supposed to be. Kage technically was a cheater, though. He already found a console that gave him access to the Cardinal system and tried his hand at it. He didn't get all his items in a legit way, but no one knew and no one cared.
      A whole day passed as the two resided underneath the tree. The sun set and rose like it was supposed to, but the two didn't move an inch. Kage was fine with it, he would have done the same thing; but he doubted that she would have. She was on the run like a refugee. It seemed impossible that she'd even have time to rest like she did, but it felt like she really needed it. It seemed like they could go on forever like this. He couldn't, though, he had a job to do in this game and that was to get every last player out of this game. It was his destiny to finish the game and get these people home.
     He looked out into the distance, absorbing the scenery and the moment in time. He was here, with a party member, under the only tree within the radius of a mile. This seemed to be a dream in a virtual reality. It couldn't have been, though, because there were records in here. Everything was digitally engraved into the server's data centers. There was no possible way that there could be something that was a figment of imagination. No matter with or without a party leader, he had to leave - now. He got up and started his way, Michiko looked up and started to follow.
     "I thought you wanted to stay together?" She stated with a dab of sarcasm.
     "Yea, but I have a job." He kept his head foward.
     "What's that?"
     "To get everyone out of this game."
     She paused on the road, "Hold up a sec, you're going to face the next boss now?!"
     "That's what solo players do right? They do things solo. What's it matter to you, though?" He stopped and turned.
     "I have never been left and I am damn well not starting today. Imma be the one to leave. Now let's go."
     She kept on walking with Kage now chasing after her. She was different from everyone that he knew or saw before. She was either the diamond in the rough or the poor man's gold. He would have to figure it out along the way to the boss, otherwise he wouldn't know what to do.
      He stirred up a conversation between the two of them. They talked about a lot and, surprisingly, Michiko opened up more than he thought she would. On the contrary, she listened more than she talked. She was interested in his stories for a reason he did not know. He talked about his past, the present, and his hopeful future. The were aspiring, but almost impossible. With this death game still going, Kage had little to no chance of making his dreams for his future a reality. When she opened up, he listened with great intent. The two never once showed a physical sign of interest, but held their curiousness inside themselves. Deciding against the boss battle, the two went to another spot to sleep and talk. He didn't mind at all, he would get to know her better for a good reason. The faintness of having no player beside him faded as the doubts of his actions came to his mind. She would soon be his priority to protect.
      Two months later, after the floor was opened, Kage and Michiko made their ways to the newest level. They would defeat the boss and move on like they would have before. They knew each other: their likes, dislikes, pet peeves, and much more; yet they were not a couple. Kage wished they were, but, to not jeopardize their friendship, he did not advance. There was much more bonding needed before he'd even gather the courage to ask.
     The boss's layer was completely empty. Tracks left by the Knights of the Blood Oath's spies were present, understandably for the sake of returning to something good such as a look out point. Sure enough, the beacons' view of the area was largely needed. The labyrinth was large, with twisting spirals that seemed to be crystal or bone and the road gleamed like glass that was not transparent. Below all of the scenery held a black void, devoid of all life. This was a place that seemed very threatening with the right ascetics to instill the sense of loneliness, though Michiko stood next to him. Surveying the same as Kage, and more, she pointed out the boss's entrance. A hundred meters from their position stood a pad that would teleport them to the other side. There was no pad on the opposite side, meaning no second chances.
     The two made their way down without a word between them. They didn't need to talk to each other, they were solo players. Teleporting to the other side, they nodded at each other and opened the door. Flames ignited on torches scattered on the pillars' surfaces, bringing light to the dark room. The boss was now active and more than willing to slaughter them. Readying attack positions, the two took a dual-sided formation.
     Belle Mort, the Obelisk of Death, stood more than twenty feet tall with a metal-like exoskeleton that covered all but joints. The armor was rusty with vines growing on any side they could grasp. No facial details could be seen from him, underneath the helmet seemed to be only a void as dark as the one below them. He was like an armored shadow. The weapon he wielded was a long, serrated, scythe. Detailed in gold and jewels, it held a unique design unlike any other within the game's files. Opal engravings of letters and symbols unknown to Kage finished off the blade. Death looked so ugly, yet held a weapon so beautiful. That was this boss's paradox that perfectly mimicked the feel of a real-life death.
      The two didn't miss a heartbeat, sprinting as soon as the last of its five health bars filled to its max. They charged skills that set their blades afire, hoping they would do the most damage against a mob that was seemingly made from metal. They danced around it, orange streaks of heat hitting the sides of its sturdy legs and arms. This boss wasn't quick enough for the two of them. Moving at lightning fast speeds, they used any opening to hit the boss. His health bars moved slowly, yet constantly.
     After ten more minutes of constant damage output, the boss died. It was too easy for the two. Working as a compatible pair, they took the boss down without a health point lost. It felt dull and boring to Kage instead of the normal, invigorating battle that he had when he soloed the first few bosses. Michiko got the last hit bonus, while he got an item, experience, and Col. It wasn't as much as he liked or even preferred, but what she got was her's and he'd have to deal with it. They made their way to the top of the floor and opened it, with teleports immediately following. People darted left and right looking for new items for their own use. Kage and Michiko didn't want to be there and made their way out of town.
      Walking along the path talking, laughing, and sharing stories, some shrubs shook. Without warning, players came out from all of the foliage around them. Orange cursors floated above their heads, signifying they were player killers. Others, with green cursors, marked bait; but with the prey at hand, they drew their weapons to assist in the assult. Drawing their swords, Kage and Michiko took action. Guarding themselves from attacks, they made a plan. Kage struck a player, draining his health to its lower levels, then Michiko struck the final hit on them. They fought courageously for what felt like eternities, until something happened. Michiko was struck through her chest with a red-coated blade. She was in shock as the blade lifted her body. Finally, it was too much. Her body shattered in the air which took her fragments and lifted them towards the sky.
      "NO!!!" Kage shouted.
      Breaking the contention between the blades, Kage leaped towards the player who killed her; but failed as he escaped. The rest of them scattered in every different direction. They were successful at what they came here for. He fell on his knees weeping. He knew this would have happened, this is why he didn't want to have anyone by his side. Quickly opening the menu, he blocked all social interactions with any player - disabling messages, parties, and item sharing. He didn't want anyone anymore, he was better off alone again.