The Rogue Reaper (Sword Art Online)

Part 5: Mortem

"Wake up, friend."

Noct was shaken awake by a hand on his shoulder. His eyes immediately darted around the room and his left hand shot to his belt, but crouching beside him was only Loki.

"Loki?"

"You fell asleep," Loki said. "There are better places to nap, you know."

"Must've been the rain," Noct mumbled. He glanced out the window; the sky was black as pitch now, only lit by the occasional thread of lightning, and the rain showed no signs of letting up.

A tap on the shoulder and a pointing index finger directed his focus to the window near the door. What appeared to be a band of adventurers was about to enter the already-packed inn.

No, not just adventurers, Noct realized as they filed through the door.

"May I have your attention... PLEASE!" boomed the group's leader, who threw off his raincloak to reveal black and red light armour adorned with gold trims. Cloth braids hung from the shoulder guards, and a deep red and black cape flowed behind him. The slim young man's princely look was completed by a rapier, which hung from his belt.

The patrons of the inn gradually quieted down enough for the address to continue. At the back of the room Loki waited with Noct, who was already scanning for possible escape routes.

"That's Mortem," Loki whispered, "a soloer. The others are likely working under him; he is a fairly wealthy player, despite being a solo."

Noct didn't doubt him. His lord-like clothes and aura were enough to capture the crowd's attention.

"I have received word that the fugitive Noct, the former PKK of Mors Incarnatus is currently somewhere on this floor," Mortem announced. "Would any persons who have seen this criminal kindly volunteer your information to aid in his arrest!"

The players murmured and whispered amongst themselves, but nobody stepped up. Mortem's followers began to spread themselves throughout the room, hoping to overhear something or to convince those who would rather not stand up to tell them something.

"I know Noct, and he's a good guy!" said a voice across the room. "There must be some mistake!"

"I, uh... yeah! I agree! Noct isn't bad!" said another voice from the same table. Noct snuck a peek over his shoulder, and he thought he recognized several members of the Mythic Knights and some other guilds he knew there. Some other players joined in, and the volume in the inn rose higher than its previous level.

"He's the one with the spiked black armour, right? He saved one of my friends!"

"I've never met him, but he looks like a jerk!"

"I'm a PKK, and I worked with him. He's not a PK."

"Don't trust him! He's shady as fuck!"

In the commotion, Noct wondered if he could sneak back to his inn room without raising too much suspicion. Mortem's men were standing all around the room, and he was quite far from the exit.

"It seems you're well known," Loki whispered to Noct. "You have a reputation."

"Two reputations," Noct said. "I'd rather be without the one that was forced on me."

"That's why we're here today, isn't it?"

"SILENCE!" Mortem yelled, unexpectedly. The room quickly quieted. "I have asked the PAA to guard the Warp Portal and the gate sentries to stop everybody passing through." He began to walk down the isle with slow, deliberate steps. "Now, would anyone... Anyone, care to share what they know... about this rogue?" Noct detected a hint of an edge creeping into his voice in the last words. "If they would kindly?" Mortem smiled and looked around. Noct felt his gaze rest on his hooded back. "What about you? You've been quiet... Noct."

Noct stood up and turned around, facing the bounty hunter prince. He unhooded himself, prompting gasps and reactions from the crowd, and stared Mortem dead in the eyes.

"Here I am," Noct said. "What do you want?"

"Ah, you show yourself at last! I had a feeling that was you, sitting there. Did you think you could hide from me?" Mortem shook his head, amused.

"Now, what do I want? I want you to come with me, and you shall turn yourself in for your crimes peacefully," he proposed.

"I haven't committed any crime you think I have. So no, I refuse."

Mortem's eyes narrowed. "Then we shall do it the hard way. I am not leaving this place without you, after all."

The hired men were still visible in Noct's peripheral vision. "Duel me," he challenged, smirking. "Or do you need your escorts to do your fighting for you?"

"Do you take me for a fool? Don't insult me." Mortem motioned to his men. "Get him outside."

Two men stood at Noct's back, and forced him out into the rain.