The Heart is a Void: Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 125: In the Dark of Night

As the players left the Hunting Lodge, an announcement flashed up in red text:

[NEW FEATURE UNLOCKED: MARRIAGE SYSTEM!

You may now choose to propose to another player, and then apply for marriage in a Marriage Hall. This scenic, white building has been added to several major towns and cities.

Marriage has several benefits, including an increase in strength, and the ability to participate in some extra events and quests. In the interests of tolerance, we have permitted marriage between any two characters, regardless of gender.

If your partner accompanies you to your room, then, as long as you both approve, you will be able to enter a virtual space which lacks the game's typical restraints. This was done in partnership with the 'Full Body Dive' virtual reality team.]

An accompanying announcement followed:

[Please note that this is a stopgap measure, in order to ensure players' comfort and well-being during this turbulent period. We have heard many complaints about players' needs not being met, and we understand that players were upset when told that this feature was nearly done but was being kept back. Since this feature was in the works, we have optimized it in order to partially improve your situation. We understand that improving the game is not a current priority, but do not wish to make your condition more cumbersome than necessary.

The work on fixing the fundamental issues of the game is making good progress, and we hope to have you released within the next three days.]

"Bread and circuses," Danemy said drily. "If we were really being released in three days, they probably wouldn't bother with this."

"Yeah, weird choice, though I'm sure there'll be a queue of players getting married soon," Starfighter said. "But what was that about the game's 'typical restraints'?"

"I'd assume that they mean on genitalia, which the game tends to hide," DicingDevil said. "That's a common practice, to avoid sexual abuse cases, and all that. But presumably they've added some spaces which don't hide it, and allow for partners to simulate sex. Of course, there's probably a long-ish process to get in together, to ensure consent or whatever."

"There's a lot of abuse that you can do, even with the hidden genitalia," Starfighter noted. "But forget I said that."

"Ah yes, a subject you're infamously expert at," Crucis said.

"Hm, an 'expert'? That sounds quite nice, actually, like some kind of achievement. I should put it on a business card."

"Of course. Anyway, do we have a clear route to Kruxol?"

"Yeah, I've been getting fairly up-to-date information from others in this area, I think we should be able to get back without much trouble. There's a few groups of players wandering around up here looking for a fight, but we can easily stay out of their way, it's a big place," DicingDevil said.

The ride back to Kruxol was straightforward, with DicingDevil guiding the group along a weaving, carefully-planned path towards the town. He often checked his map to make sure, and adjusted if his Guild chat alerted him to any potential delays on the way. They dropped off Vladimir and Konstantin near Mokra, but Starfighter said that he'd like to at least see the celebrations from a distance, and tagged along.

As they neared Kruxol, Crucis saw a large lunette of light bursting above the town. The DeathGang celebrations had already begun, and the Guild's players must have started in procession around the streets carrying bright torches.

The sound of swords and spears clashing rose softly from the East of town, mostly drowned out by cheers and taunts from Kruxol.

Veering to the left, Crucis saw that a group of about fifteen players was still fighting with a few low-level DeathGang players who were trying to reach Kruxol.

"There's still fighting going on?" Starfighter said. "These guys are stubborn."

"Yeah, Darys says it's a bunch of small players being stubborn, they had fled earlier but now are back to fight again," DicingDevil said. "Fortunately, we were prepared for the more serious resistance earlier. But these guys are stubborn, you're right."

"Small players, eh? So it should be easy?" Crucis asked.

"Yes, let's go and help. Crucis, you coming?"

"Count on it."

"And Starfighter?"

Starfighter saluted, and followed the DeathGang players going to the East.

As they neared, they saw an intense fight going on. Scanning the group of players, he saw that most of those fighting against DeathGang were only in the level 20-30 range, and the DeathGang players here were not that much higher. The larger DeathGang members were typically in Kruxol already, starting the celebrations, since they couldn't delay it indefinitely just to help out with the occasional Eastward skirmishes.

However, he picked out a level 49 player deep in the fray, fighting heavily against the DeathGang players, and a level 53 player on a [Fleet Donkey] mount hovering at the edge of the fight and attacking DeathGang members from the flank.

Drifting closer, a wall of noise and screams assaulted him. Looking more carefully at these two threats, he recognised the level 53 player as Azrawl, the player whom he had conversed with at length before entering the labyrinth.

While Crucis guided his mount into the trees North of Kruxol, sneaking around them and planning to ambush Azrawl, DicingDevil and Akshel charged straight into the fray on their mounts.

The impact of these high-level players was felt immediately, with many players falling left and right. Their opposition began to scatter out of the way of their charge, but were quickly hemmed in and surrounded by DeathGang players.

"Don't let them out!" DicingDevil commanded. "If they'll keep trying to come back, let's finish them once and for all!"

When the level 49 player leapt in to guard his allies, entering fierce combat with DicingDevil, Akshel quickly buzzed around this player with [Stealth Cloak] and placed a firm armlock. With the level 49 player's arms twisted firmly behind his back, DicingDevil easily cracked his helmet with a [Mordhau] and then dismounted, leaping down to stab the player to death on the soily earth.

Seeing this new tide of DeathGang players, Azrawl cautiously backed away from the fight, hoping to flee and return once these strong players were gone, but he was interrupted by a rough stab just beneath the back of his neck.

He noticed Crucis' black-clad arm rearing up behind him to attempt a [Chokehold], and instantly spurred his donkey to flee into the trees. This broke through the grip, and he careened off, scraping harshly against some trees in his haste.

Crucis had checked on the [Fleet Donkey] mount before attacking, and, while it was faster than a typical donkey mount, it was much slower and less manoueuverable than his own. His [Coelophysis] trotted nimbly between the trees, shadowing Azrawl calmly.

As Crucis neared, Azrawl's riding became unsteady and panicked, frantically barrelling past trees and causing the donkey's hit points to decrease as violent scrapes began to appear in its side.

The sound of his donkey, colliding with the trees around him, almost harmonised with the sound of drums coming from the DeathGang celebrations in Kruxol.

As the donkey tried to squeeze between two nearby trees, following Azrawl's hasty command, Crucis leaned down and used his sword to slash a cut in the donkey's back left leg.

The donkey shuddered, off-balance, beginning to fall under repeated strikes to the back legs, and Azrawl was thrown violently forwards into one of the trees.

As Azrawl's helmet smashed against the tree and began to ring out loudly, he tore it painedly off and found blood pouring across his face. Trying to regain his balance on the donkey, he found that it was falling helplessly to the ground, and he crashed down blindly after it.

He lay on the ground, and for a few seconds almost seemed to lose consciousness.

Since Crucis had spoken to Azrawl before, he used [Voice Spoofing] to hide his identity. Due to the desperation of Azrawl's flight, and the lack of light at this time, it was unlikely that Azrawl would have noticed much about his pursuer yet. So Crucis opted to use the Queen's voice from Ganféan's court, since it wouldn't reveal much about him.

"Watch out for that tree!" he began, then paused. "So, why are you still fighting DeathGang? Why didn't you just give up?"

"Miss, I'm just doing this for my friends and Guildies, they've suffered under DeathGang for too long... They were fighting bravely, so I joined in," Azrawl replied.

"Well, you're done now. I guess you couldn't protect them... At least you have time to regret it."

"I don't regret anything! They were inspiring, fighting back even after defeat. Not like the petty tyrants in charge of your Guild, who make everything dull as nails!"

"A man shouldn't follow his heart so easily, hm?"

Crucis used [Lunge], and his sword burst through the wound beneath Azrawl's neck, which had spread slightly higher after the collision with the tree. Drawing his sword upward, he felt the wound widening as he cut into Azrawl's neck.

As Azrawl tried desperately to grab his own sword, which had fallen to the side as he dropped from his mount, Crucis kicked it calmly out of the way.

"Why still try? Isn't it easier to let go?" he asked to no response.

Switching to his dagger, his quickly knelt down and used [The Ripper] to slash a deep, gradual gash across the back of Azrawl's knee. Although Azrawl kicked tiredly at Crucis' chest, it did little damage. Soon, both of Azrawl's legs had turned into a bloody mess behind the knees.

Crucis kicked lightly at Azrawl's right kneecap, which swung out of place and hung painfully in a twisted position.

Azrawl's blood spread across the muddy ground, forming small pools in his footprints.

Crucis began walking away, seeing that Azrawl was unable to rise, and was still bleeding to death gradually. However, he heard some commotion from nearby, as a few players fled into the trees again to hide from DeathGang's assault. They were followed closely, and a few began to fight desperately against their faster pursuers.

"OK, so no reply. You said your allies were important to you, right?" he said to Azrawl, still disguising his voice.

He took a couple of long, light steps until he was kneeling next to Azrawl's body again. His dagger passed quickly through Azrawl's ankle, tearing through it.

Crucis got up and switched to his sword, hearing the screams growing louder as Azrawl bled out agonisingly.

Azrawl's screams attracted the attention of some of his comrades.

Leaving Azrawl to die, Crucis swung around to see two level 30 players charging at him. He parried one's sword, then used an elbow to charge the other one and barrel them to the ground a short distance away. He saw that the player who fell was a female, named [Maginata].

He snuck beneath her to place a [Chokehold] along the ground, and felt her shivering coldly as she realised that she was trapped.

"Please, don't... Please, please..." she whispered, pleadingly.

He quickly used [Thrash] to slash a few gaping wounds in her neck. Her skin separated easily, and eventually her movements were stilled by a fierce, chillingly cold [Punch] deep into the wound.

Her male ally was still wandering around hesitantly, trying to make out what was going on in the darkness. As he neared, he was reluctant, unable to tell Crucis clearly apart from Maginata. However, seeing the stabwound on her neck, he threw caution to the wind and swung his sword fiercely downwards.

Crucis hoisted Maginata's almost-dead body on his shoulders, and used his body to toss it upwards, deflecting her ally's sword. She took a firm, bloody blow to the side of the head, with the sword getting caught up in her hair, and as the sword became limp - its wearer alarmed at having struck his own Guildmate so dramatically - Crucis grabbed it by the blade with [Sword hold].

He wrenched it across Maginata's red hair and into her ear, lodging it inside and killing her.

As her ally tried to withdraw his sword, Crucis leapt up, and complacently aimed a [Lunge] beneath the player's ribs.

By now, the [Nightmare] effect had given him a strange appearance, with the right side of his face appearing as a white, hollow human form, like a Greek sculpture, and the left side a many-eyed, green reptilian mass.

"Monster! Monster!" cried his foe, keeling over.

"Part of me is," Crucis replied calmly.

He leaned forward, and slashed at the player's neck with [Thrash] until this opponent died as well.

Checking his inventory briefly, he saw that he had received a couple of drops from Azrawl, meaning that Azrawl had also died.

Standing up over the two corpses, he looked around, and realised that the [Nightmare] effect had also produced two large white, bat-like wings stretched out on both sides.

The air here was thick with black smoke, and he walked across it calmly, listening as the remaining sound of battle faded and his DeathGang allies swept up the survivors.

He could only make out a brief flare of sword-fighting among the trees far to his left, where one fleeing player had been tracked down by a DeathGang member and launched a hasty resistance.

Soon, the faint sound of hooves could be heard, as the stronger DeathGang players ran in to take down this last survivor.

Crucis guessed that the survivor would soon be forced to give up the fight and flee. The trees were thick to his left, and fleeing through them wouldn't be practical. That would mean that this player would be forced to flee in Crucis' general direction, across an area where the trees were more open. If Crucis could intercept this pursuit, there would be no hope of escape.

Finding a bush, Crucis knelt down to conceal himself, then used [Arbiter].

As the movement of the trees and wind began to slow and stutter, under the heavy lag, Crucis crept slowly but determinedly towards the left, where the survivor would probably begin fleeing. He heard the patter of loud footsteps as the survivor's flight began.

As he got into position, Crucis used [Stealth Cloak] to get himself an extra few seconds of invincibility. Although he used it, the move didn't trigger immediately.

As soon as the lag ended, and the refreshing, cold feeling of the night air enveloped him again, the [Stealth Cloak] triggered, and he became invisible for a further few seconds. The survivor, a badly-damaged male level 42 archer named [Imgenin], was barrelling across the wide path between the trees, straight towards Crucis.

Imgenin had tried to briefly struggle against a level 34 DeathGang member who had chased him down, but gave up as he saw a group of stronger DeathGang members approaching, and fled through the nearest available corridor where he wouldn't get caught up on the trees. His sword skill was decent, and he had developed a decent amount of Strength early on in order to use a heavy bow which he had obtained through donations.

As he heard his pursuers struggling to pinpoint him amongst the darkness and low-hanging trees, he felt a surge of confidence, and headed forwards quickly.

However, his heart almost jolted backwards as he saw a figure materialise in front of him, staring straight at him.

He tried awkwardly to change his direction and evade this enemy, but the enemy agilely matched his movements and stayed within range. As he desperately leapt to get past this foe, he was grabbed in a firm [Chokehold], and violently dragged down into a kneeling position to stop his run.

Looking to the side, he was horrified to see a group of many lizard-like eyes looking back.

"Oh, come on!" he shouted. "A creature appeared out of nowhere? What the heck kind of luck is that?"

A blade pressed immediately to his throat. A few of the DeathGang pursuers were slowing down, slightly reluctant on seeing this fearsome creature on the path.

"Well, let's see," Crucis whispered, drawing out a coin with one hand and pressing it coldly onto the back of Imgenin's throat, which bowed downwards under the pressure.

It was cold, so Imgenin shivered heavily at the metallic, unexpected touch of the coin, and inadvertently cut his throat against the edge of the blade hanging in front of it.

"What have I done? I don't deserve this! You should die, you... reptile!" Imgenin said, crying but remaining defiant.

"Why are these people pursuing you, if you haven't done anything?" Crucis sneered.

"They're evil! It's not my fault!"

Imgenin was surprised at the sound of his attacker's voice, which sounded like a human, and he realised that it was strange how a glowing, white, statuesque human hand was the one holding the dagger to his neck. Glancing at his attacker again, he surmised that a white, mannequin-like half of the face was speaking, with an undertow of a low-pitched growl coming from the reptilian side.

"Wait, what's wrong with you? Is this a nightmare?" Imgenin said.

"I don't know if you did something, or nothing," the white, glowing side of the face spoke, with an almost soothing tone. "And even if you were, who knows whether it was right or wrong? So we only have one choice: flipping a coin."

Leaving the coin pressed deeply into Imgenin's skin, like a brand, Crucis moved his arm to upend Imgenin's legs, sending Imgenin's head slipping down onto the edge of the slightly-tilted blade. As Imgenin desperately writhed his upper body and tried to avoid his throat sliding harshly against the dagger, the coin flew into the air and landed on the ground.

"It's too dark down there, could you take a look for me?" Crucis said.

He used [The Ripper] to roughly slice through the remains of Imgenin's torn-up throat, sending Imgenin's head to the ground beside the coin.

Looking up, he saw DicingDevil trotting up beside him. "Well done, that's the last of them."

"Nice of you to leave him for me," Crucis replied.

"Yeah, well. Most of our players were too scared to approach, by the time I reached he was practically dead. So it was an easy decision."

"Hey, I had to turn on the glamour a bit. It's a time for festivities, no?"

"Fair enough. By the way, one of your victims was a female with red hair. Hope you didn't disturb the prophecy, right? Heh."

"Well, it's always a pleasant surprise when a prophecy is disrupted. But it's unlikely, her skin wasn't really like a swan's, though," Crucis said. "More like a newt. Not that I'm one to talk."

"Yes, you're a bit lizard-like yourself at the moment."

"Quite."

DicingDevil laughed. "But how do you know that she's newt-like? Felt her up?"

"Sometimes you have to get up close and personal for penetration, you know, if you really want to leave 'em red, raw and bleeding."

"That much is true. But penetration by a reptile? Did she consent to that?"

"Yeah, she was begging for it, you know, saying, 'Please, please...' Anyway, let's go back to Kruxol. I'll deal with the priest, then join you guys."

"Yep, time for some celebrations. It'll be a nice break."

"Definitely."

As Crucis began to join the DeathGang players returning to the town, he stood still for a moment.

"Wait a moment," he said, leaning down to pick up the coin. He quickly felt its upside, which contained the recognisable contours of a large dragon shape which decorated one side. He flipped it over subtly to the other side, then rose up. "Heads. And there's one right next to it, what a coincidence. Quite auspicious."

"Yes, definitely. But that coin is soaked in blood, it looks like something from a Satanic ritual. You should do some sort of incantation over the dead corpse, maybe he'd come over to ask for donations like a streamer."

"I doubt that I can bribe Satan with indulgences. He's like a punk rock musician, he wants soul, not money. Well, if not a ritual, we can try the next best thing. You know, I wonder, if I place it in here, will someone reach inside to pick it up?"

He placed the coin into the open neck of Imgenin's corpse, nestling it above the flow of blood. It shone out in a chalky white shade, tinted with its native gold, in the starlight.

He added a few more, nestled deeper into the corpse's head.

"Awfully generous of you," DicingDevil said. "But it's an interesting social experiment."

"Precisely. In fact, if people are forced to pay attention to these corpses, maybe they'll become more reluctant to fight back in the future. It's a bit gruesome. A few coins in them, with a bunch of desperate players who'll fish them out, it could get tongues wagging and make everyone more nervous."

"Quite true," DicingDevil said, slitting a few coins into some more grotesquely-injured corpses as they made their way back. "It's one thing to have heads on a pike, it's another thing to get people to look at it carefully."

A billow of thin smoke had formed above Kruxol, matching the dark clouds that swarmed across the horizon. Crucis wondered if these clouds, and the occasional flashes of lightning among them, related to the warning which had come earlier about it being dangerous in the wild later tonight.