Chapter 38: The first step: The first target
"Alright, this is it…" I whispered, standing on the roof as I strapped a wooden disk shield on my back I looted from one of the rooms along with a mana potion, and a few pouches of coin.
Took the shield just in case the stealth broke and I engage in open battle. Not to mention it was incredibly light.
I wasn't kidding when I said, I'm gonna butcher my way through Caneo.
There was only one thing in my mind now- Crush every skull I see.
There was this… inferno scalding my very soul, rushing a blazing riot of insanity. And blood was water to the blaze.
Each time I killed… Each life I took, the monsters in my head roared in laughter- raised a glass of bloody wine, and I don't why, but I raised a glass alongside them- each toast more intoxicating than the last.
Don't know after which kill… one thing led to the other, I was a rolling ball on a slant- don't know when but the line between innocent and guilty thinned so much that I no longer see it- I no longer care.
It all happened so fast that all I was seeing were targets, not life. I've already killed 9… what's a few more, right?
/ Argus… /
[What!]
/ You're… Just be careful. /
[Hm] was all that came out as I looked to the brightly lit buildings ahead. Part of me wanted to say, I will be… won't do anything stupid- don't know why I didn't.
My mind was no longer making sense… logic was but a blur.
I guess it was better this way.
So with a shield strapped on, a Mana Potion in, and the crossbow loaded- My dead eyes began the recon.
The building I landed on was the almost unoccupied 'D Building', and in front of me was my target's, 15 meters ahead with a 10 meter wide stone road between us.
On my right was the 'A Building', and on my 2 o'clock was the 'B Building' along with Soma's grand statue standing in the middle of four 3-story buildings.
From what I gleaned, every floor had 10 rooms, and each building had 30 rooms.
And unlike the last time, I now had the vantage view of the surroundings and the time to prepare my course of action- an opportunity I might not get again.
So I took my time, eyeing every nook and cranny of my surroundings.
And God! These guys were all insomniac!
Everywhere I rolled my eyes, I saw a Soma Familia member either strolling around or chilling with his or her bunch. Some even had their pets out with them, mostly those big scary kind of dogs.
Each floor had at least 2 people chilling on the bright-lit 'L' shaped corridors.
And the stone pathways were the worst. Each bench had a group hanging around. There was even an enormous group clustered below Soma's Statue … kinda like those popular kids. They stood close to a trumpet-like contraption- an alarm system; I assumed.
Stealth was as fragile as an egg. I kind of felt like Corvo at that moment- a part of me honestly welcomed the fight if they found me.
The only settlement of relief was that half of them did not have a weapon on them… a very welcome edge over them.
That wrapped up the recon, and I traced my steps back to the center of the roof.
And here I am again…
Once again on a roof, gazing at the stage ahead… just a step away with an uncertain heart and a shivering frame. But it was no biggie. Unlike last time I knew the cheat code now- Just take the bloody leap, I call it.
And so I did, I broke into the maddest sprint my broken legs allowed and hurled myself into the air using the railing as a launchpad.
My feet left the ground, and I was flying… not really, I just felt as though I was flying, but only for 2 seconds before… well, gravity.
But I covered 5 meters, and that was the whole point.
Blink took care of the rest- my fall stopped, so did the time as the familiar blue tornado began shinging, following my line of sight. And I stared hard at the corridor ahead, just between the two guys having parted ways and going back to their rooms, and the next moment I found myself crouching just between them, and behind their backs.
The Crossbow and the Karambit Flickered-Out the second my feet touched the floor- breath held, sights aligned and aimed at the unsuspecting head on my left. Trigger finger was as itchy as it could be, but I waited… waited for the Blink to come back.
And the moment it did-
-SWISH! KLUCK!
The bolt ripped through the air and sank itself into the back of his head, splintering his brain out of his skull. He didn't even know what hit him; it was an instakill.
"Huh?" came from behind me.
Time stopped even before his body could hit the ground, or his friend behind me could turn around as I activated Re-Directive Blink, and aimed the Exit Point to my right… just behind the back of his buddy, and initiated the Blink.
-KLICH! SLISH!
In an uppercut, I swung my Karambit and shoved it into the back of his neck, shredding it through the other side of his neck, drenching my left hand in fresh warm blood while the man gargled … his eyes snapped wide open while a thud resounded behind my back as my previous kill fell on the floor. But I still wasn't done- Corvo's Blade switched with the crossbow in my right hand, and I drove the blade through his temple and eyes, skewering his skull with a blood-dripping blade. And just as he breathed his last I pulled the blade left like a lever, twisting… snapping his blood-spewing neck 90 degrees.
The horror I saw in his eyes as the life went out… his body had long lost the strength and at last, I let him slip, allowing him his eternal sleep as his body fell on the pool of his own blood, unmoving.
But I guess the two loud thuds woke someone up.
"Did someone knock?" came a voice from behind as a door opened, revealing a woman's curious head poking from the gap, but the curiosity in her limpid eyes flipped into sheer terror the second her eyes grazed past the burst skulls trickling blood and white goo down the corridor.
And just as her mouth opened-
-KLIRDH!
I popped out right in front of her and plunged my blade under her chin, shoving it through her skull in a single thrust up- as though mounting up it on top of a spear. The hysterical scream she never got to let out was painted- almost sculpted so vividly on her face. And the next moment, her body fell back into her room, closing the door like she never opened it in the first place as I pulled the blade out of her head.
"Is that convenient? How thoughtful of her to hide her own body…" I spoke under my breath as I flicked the blood and brains off my blade.
And that's when it clicked- There was no adrenalin shaking my body.
Quite the contrary to how I thought it would go down, my heart was indeed bent on thumping out of my chest, my wide eyes were darting left and right crouching low… but there wasn't even a drop of that panicky adrenalin.
Maybe I had gotten used to it? A little?
And speak of the devil- the sleeping adrenalin flooded my body like raging tsunami the very next instant. My shoulders shook as my ears picked up the 'oh so intimate' whispers which signified that a Rune is nearby.
A very unexpected… but a very pleasant surprise.
My eyes opened wide and a small smile couldn't help but curve my lips even though I was covered in blood and gore from head to toe.
Popping up the Quick Access Wheel, selecting and initiating Dark Vision… what my eyes found wasn't a Rune but rather a small glimmering silhouette of a cylinder. Below the silhouette, it was written- Bone Charm (13 meters)
A very unexpected, but a very pleasant surprise indeed.
Dark Vision also gave me all the knowledge I needed on the floor I was on.
Half of the rooms were currently empty, those that weren't only had people dreaming in, and the corridor was empty too, so I was free to waltz my way to Room no. 15.
And so I did, although crouched, and I found him… I found Caneo inside his room.
Behind the door of Room, no.15 was a burly silhouette of a man sitting behind a desk, lost… unaware of death standing on his doorsteps.
My eyes couldn't help but curve crescents. There was this tickling in my stomach, sending shivers down my body. My heart never stopped racing.
And as it turned out, the bone charm was in his room as well.
Now, that's two birds with a stone, isn't it?
So just like any other civil and respectful visitor, death softly knocked on his door twice.
-Knock! Knock!
"Ah! Whose mother died at this hour!" reverberated from behind the door as Caneo slapped the desk before getting up, and… pulling up his pants?
[Interesting…] I grinned wider, watching him brisk to his death, while I stood there waiting for fish to bite the hook with a Karambit ready in my left hand, and a Healing Potion in my right.
"It's Baba Yaga!" I chuckled, as he opened his door.
"Baba who?"
And the moment he did-
-KLTCH!
His growls froze as I popped right in front of him and drove my Karambit into his throat.
"Arde sends her regards~" I smirked, looking straight into horror in his eyes before splashing the Healing Potion on his face.
Oh! And that look on his face!
Pushing him into the room, I Flickered-In the potion and the blade before giving him a hard push.
Being an authentic Level-1 he was… even with a stabbed throat he only trembled a few steps back, but it was perfect- I only needed some distance between us.
Flickering the Crossbow out, I shot bolts into his knees, shattering them into splinters of blood and bones, forcing him on his knees before me.
And the man kneeled, clutching his blood-spewing throat… dying to scream out the agonizing pain waving off his shattered knees as he glared death at me… a blood-soaked masked man, closing the door before strolling into his room as he owned it.
While the first thing I did was to jog to his desk… and guess what I found?!
You guessed it!
"Dude! They have porn mags in here! That's so awesome!" I grinned as I counted the books, "Hey Caneo, you wouldn't mind if I borrowed them, would you?"
"klrk!" the man responded with more blood spilling out of his mouth.
"Of course, you wouldn't!" I cackled, sending them all to my storage before setting my sights on the bone charm, shimmering above my head.
Don't know where he got the strength from… The Healing Potion, probably.
-LIRK!-WOOSH!–Thud!
He lunged at me with all his might through broken knees in a final fit retaliation… only to fall flat on his face as I dogged his pathetic attempt while laughing at his scrunched face.
Trembling, the man looked up- eyes flashing in brutality so horrifying - with a hand stretching out for me, clenching and loosing, just daring me to come close while the other hand clutched to his throat.
While I... was done playing.
-SIWSH! -SLIRDH!–KLR!
I shot another bolt at his outstretched hand, nailing it bloody on to the floor.
Caneo's eyes stretched so wide, I thought they'd fall off their sockets. But the gaping hole in his throat made sure he made no sound, his crippled knees made sure he only trembled harder through the torment ravaging his body. And now the nailed hand will make sure that he stays still.
Strolling to trembling Caneo, I crouched before him and took off my mask.
The realization dawning in his eyes was clear to see- he recognized me at first glance. After all, it'll be hard to forget the guy who once stabbed through your balls with a spear.
While I gazed into his eyes with the apathy of a ghoul, "You know Caneo, being greedy isn't wrong… I mean, that's how you get rich. But out of greed you hurt my only friend, "I spoke in a voice so gentle as I brushed my bloody fingers through his hair, "You shouldn't have done that… you went way too far. Did you want revenge on me? Then you should've come for me instead… it would've been a fair game, I promise."
His face had long lost the color... his eyes were begging now, his hand clutching his throat tighter- the hand nailed on the floor never stopped twitching, neither did his legs.
Slowly my hand retreated. And I Flickered-Out the crossbow, and aimed it at his head at point-blank range, intensifying his tremoring body.
Even with a gaping hole in his throat, the man still shook his head, begging me not to do it. No words were coming out of his mouth, but I could still hear him crying for his life.
While I gently smiled and whispered, "But you didn't… you and friends, Soma too… you all hurt Lili. And now you die for it, and I assure you… no one will miss you, because there will be no one left to!"
And the next second, a pungent stench of urine began wafting from him while his pants darkened in color.
As the hope for mercy faded, he snapped his eyes shut… not in acceptance of his fate, but in sheer utter horror of death. He scrunched his face to the limits, his teeth gritted tight, his body convulsing as he laid having peed in his pants.
But the bolt did not come.
The convulsions ceased soon, as well as the trembles quaking his body. His horrified tightly clenched eyelids slowly relaxed as he dared his eyes open, blatantly flashing in them were the blazing hope and relief. Hoping that I was merciful… relieved that he still drawing breath.
And the moment our eyes met, I grinned, raising an eyebrow, "Oh! I was just wondering when you'd open your eyes… and when I'd-"
-SWISH! KLIRSH!
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
An_Imperfectionist
An_Imperfectionist Sorry that it took so long! Exam forms had begun getting forwarded in my college... And I had gotten way too behind my studies because of writing. So I decided that I won't write until I've caught up with everything... written every pending assignment. Not to mention my sleeping hours had gotten messed up too... I was sleeping when the sun was up and shining, and 'sipping my morning coffee' when it was dark outside. We're also moving into a new house.
Things were actually a little too out of control than I would admit.
Word Count: 2462
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