[SP-F22] Trail of Blood

[Morgenstern 1]

Follows up shortly after: <<Unyielding Rage>>

They now stood at the edge of Coral. It was a normally peaceful town, but today it was a town for interrogation. If they were ever going to find his sister, than they were going to have to find out the last places she was seen at. He looked back, his eyes meeting Chaos's. "Well, are you ready? Until I tell you to, don't say anything. Just follow my lead. We don't want to scare her off... She knows who I am, so that's gonna be pretty hard already" He would nod, moving into town. He knew what house to go to and knew that Chaos would meet him there. Chaos would be in the shadows due to him being orange. After a good five minutes of walking, he would stop at the house, Chaos materializing in front of him. The man would reach to the door knob and twist it. Unlocked. Silently pushing the door open, they would walk inside the house. 

[Morgenstern 1]

They moved through a unlit hallway. An opening would show itself to their right. Chaos would halt him with his hand before moving around the corner before giving a powerful stomp. The stomp had enough force to bring up an immortal object sign and send a jar through the house. Loud movements would happen afterwards, Chaos springing into action into the room. As Jonathan moved around the corner, he found Chaos with his weapon thrust through a tall girls stomach and stuck to the wall. The girl was gasping, her eyes wide with fear. Jonathan's own eyes would widen and he would shout. "WE CAN'T GET INFORMATION IF YOU KILL THEM" Chaos would look at him with his eyes glazed over. "Don't be stupid kid. We are in a settlement, her health won't drop. However, we can scare the sh*t out of her. Now, Elsea. You are going to come with us quietly without attracting too much attention. Do that and answer my questions and I can assure you nobody important gets hurt" 

[Morgenstern 1]

The girl, still afraid, would nod her head. Chaos would remove his weapon from her body and she would fall to the ground. Chaos would then produce a pair of handcuffs and attach one to each of their wrists. "Jonathan. Your job when we get out there is to keep the guards off of us. They will prevent our escape if you don't. They won't attack you however, they are only programmed to apprehend the one with the orange cursor" He would nod in compliance and throw a hood over the girls head. They would then move out of the house. As they did so, Jonathan would quickly make a scan. Luck was on their side. Guards were not lined outside the house. However, there was one walking by that seen them and he reached to his side. Producing some sort of gun. Pointing it up, the guard would pull the trigger, an orange smok would raise up before producing a loud crack to pierce the town's silence. Then, the guard would charge. "Keep him off, orange players aren't safe in safe zones" 

[Morgenstern 1]

Nodding, Jonathan would turn towards the guard, pulling out his weapon. The guard would charge straight towards Chaos as if he didn't matter. Growling, Jonathan would activate his <<Charge>> skill and slash the Guard. The blade would create sparks as it ripped open the guards chest. The guard would fall onto the ground and be knocked several feet back. However, it would show no change. Getting up, it now seemed to focus on him. Frowning, Jonathan would look up, noticing a temporary orange cursor. 'That isn't any good' He would turn abck to look at Chaos who was making a break towards the exit. Two more guards however, were already joining the first one. "So, how many of you will end up showing up? Trust me, I will just kill myself if there is an infinite number" The guards returned no words for him, but instead began to charge him. 'Here we go then I guess. I am really hoping that I can take them all' 

[Morgenstern 1]

The guards would charge, unstopping. Taking a breath and focusing on the battle, he would blow the first blow, kicking the guard away with his foot. He didn't have to aim to deal damage, but just keep them at bay. He would sidestep the next sword swipe and knock the guard back with the flat of his blade. He would then successfully counter the third guard's attack, using a spinning attack to deal one massive blow launched at his side. The guard would fly back, rolling onto the ground. However, unfazed it would get up again. Looking around, he had already moved up to six guards and several players and normal NPC's were beginning to look onto the battle to. "Damn, this might not turn out good. Anymore and I won't be standing a chance" His weapon would give off a strong glow, and his energy was still quite high. Grimacing, he would would look for defensive options. How much longer would it take for Chaos to get her out? 

[Morgenstern 1]

The six guards would charge at once and he would take the only option left to him. A quick way to dodge them all. He plunged Judgement into the ground and leapt upwards off of its guard. Spiraling into the air, he would kick off the closest building to launch at one guard. Tackling him, the guard's weapon would skid from his hand. Grabbing it and shortly examining it, he would find that it was a curved sword. Great. He still had the full skill in that. He would take on the next two guards as they came, slashing into their chests, and knocking their weapons out of their hands for them to retrieve it. He would knock down another two until he got to the last one. This guard had no weapon. As he struck the guard would pluck the weapon from his hand, tossing it to the ground. It was at this moment, Jonathan knew he had lost. The guard punched him in the gut, throwing him back into the ground and dealing a high portion of damage. 

[Morgenstern 1]

"Oh... so this is how my journey ends huh?" He would hop over to Judgement, pulling it out of the ground and then pointing it towards the onciming guards. However, more had appeared, amounting to twelve in total. "I can't take on six, how is 12 gonna work?" Then half of the guard fell, opening a path. Chaos revealed himself to his eyes and shouted, "Lets go!" Charging after him, Jonathan would sheathe his weapon. They wouldn't stop sprinting until they were well out of the town. "W-wha... Where's the girl?" Chaos turned and waved him over. "Not to worry, shes not far from here. She won't be going anywhere unless a player interfered" Jonathan would follow silently into the quiet foggy forest of Floor 22. He hadn't spent too much time on thi floor, unless it was at the Lake of Reflections. After walkimg a couple of minutes, he found the girl tied up to a tree, left in a position to hug it. "See, I told you she wouldn't be gone" Chaos told him.

[Morgenstern 1]

Chaos looked over at Elsea and cut the ties from the tree but not her hands. He would then look to her and say, "Well, sorry but we need some information. You see, my friend and I here are looking for one of your friends. You should be quite familiar with Penelo. You were one of her friends that never showed up that day, in fact you were retreating" Chaos's look was almost dark as he spoke and every word seemed to be another attack. "So, any and all information will be of good use to us" The girl, frightened, shook her head. "I don't know anything. I haven't heard anything from her in months. I figured she had already been tracked down and taken" Chaos did not seem amused by her answer. "So, what you are telling me, is that you know nothing and this has been a large waste of my time. Fine then" He cut the ropes in between her hands and looked over to Jonathan, his glare as sharp as daggers.

[Morgenstern 1]

Chaos would sheath his sword and then turn back to her girl. "Elsea, for your crimes against the Uprising including Treason and Deserting your duty as a member, I hereby lay upon you the harshest punishment I can bestow. Death. As Leader of the Uprising I will be witness and your death shall be executed by Morgenstern, formerly of the Celestial Ascendants" Jonathan's eyes widened even further. "Wait, WHAT! We came here for not information, not to kill anyone!" Chaos would glare at him and shout, "That is where you are wrong. We came here to kill her unless she gave us the information. Now, kill her and let this be over with" Tears in Jonathan's eyes he would shout back, "WHY? Why does she need to die?" Chaos would quickly snap back. "One, because I told you to. You gave me your oath and said you would do as demanded. Also, if she tells Penelo of us coming, she could go into a even deeper hiding. We would never find her" 

[Morgenstern 1]

Jonathan would yank the weapon out of its sheath on his back, pointing it at Chaos. "Why don't you do it then?" Chaos's eyes lit like a fire. "BECAUSE I DIDN'T TELL MY DAMN SELF TO DO IT! KILL THE GIRL IF YOU EVER WANT TO SEE YOUR SISTER" Jonathan took a step back, his eyes wide. Chaos was dangling him by the string. Chaos had something he wanted. He turned to Elsea, mouthing two words. "I'm Sorry" The girl's eyes would widen with horror as she screamed and began to scramble away. A tear in Jonathan's eye would fall down his face as he activated the charge skill. With a newfound burst of speed he would catch the woman in three powerful strides. Swinging his weapon with power and percision, the blade would sweep through the girl's body in one strike. Her body would be horizontally cut in two before it burst into shards that would fall around him. Falling to his knees, tears would weep down Jonathan's eyes. The orange of his cursor would deepen as it became permanent. 

[Morgenstern 1]

"I am a killer now. There is no denying it" he would quiver as he spoke. Chaos would place his arm on Jonathan's shoulder. "A necessary evil if we want t accomplish our goals" Jonathan shook the hand away and turned on the man. "Was it really? That girl would have had a family, people that care about her. She had a life ahead of her!" Chaos shook his head. "You are thinking on this all wrong. You aren't thinking of what you gained, instead you are thinking of what she lost. She concerns herself and you need to concern yourself. She will have plenty of other people to mourn here. Come, we will report back to the guild hall. We will report with the others. Hopefully this mission wasn't all for nothing" Jonathan would stand, watching the last of the shards fade into nothingness. "Yeah..." He would say quietly. Turning to follow Chaos, he would sheathe his weapon. He had chosen the wrong path and was now being forced into decisions he wouldn't normally be making. 

[Morgenstern 1]

As they reached the guild hall, it was only them and Aya who hadn't ever been given a mission. As they walked in, she took a look at his cursor and a shadow passed over her face. Chaos would speak to her immediately, "I'll return shortly. There is another matter I need to attend to" As he left, Jonathan watched him walk off into the distance. When he turned back to Aya, he was met with a fist into the face. "YOU COULDN'T LAST ONE DAY? YOU ARE WEAK AND PITIFUL" Crushed into the wall, Jonathan would look at her with a deeper sorrow in his eyes. "I didn't want to kill anyone, he made me!" The girl would stomp towards him and lift him up with one hand. Her face betrayed her own rage. "NO JONATHAN! He didn't make you. You did!" Jonathan's eyes would widen. "But he told me t-" He would be thrown to the ground and kicked with full force, his life draining quickly. Her face full of anger she advanced him on again. 

[Morgenstern 1]

"Do you not see it? You are so blinded by yourself. You are placing the blame on others for your mistakes. You didn't have to kill anyone! You didn't have to come here! You wanted something, and you willingly killed for it. You don't understand it. I am not the Sin of Greed, you are! I never fit in this damn place, I am only here to protect my guild that is under the rule of Chaos" Another slam to the face would leave him feeling dazed. "W-What? Greed?" She would toss him onto the couch where he would slump back. "Yes you. Sin of Greed. You killed for something you want, something you were promised. If I said I would give you your sister if you killed three people, you would kill all of them with little hesitation" Jonathan would shut his eyes, try to shut the world out. Her words were true. He had killed that person out of complacent Greed. Something he wanted him blinded enough to follow someone with beliefs he didn't have. 

[Morgenstern 1]

"What do I do now? How can I make up for it?" Aya's anger would fade from her eyes as she sat on the couch next to him. "There is nothing you can do. She is dead, plain and simple. You are a monster, plain and simple. I wonder if the Aincrad Police Department will be after you now for questioning" Jonathan would look blankly at her. "The what department?" Sighing she would look at him. "It was recently developed by Hestia, and they have been tracking recent killers and orange players to 'bring them into justice'" Jonathan looked away. "I have made a mistake. I shouldn't have killed that girl" Aya would look at him, her eyes just as sad as his. "Well, I don't think it really matters anymore. There is more to do" Jonathan looked at her appalled. "What do you mean that there is more to do?" She would point out the window and his eyes would follow to find Chaos about to walk into the door. "Chaos has returned, and he doesn't look pleased" 

[Morgenstern 1]

Chaos would burst through the door looking at Jonathan. His face greatly shown his anger and Jonathan was afraid that it was at him. Luckily, it wasn't. The man would breathe in before telling him, "Alright, you can leave Penelo to me. Once the other Sins get back I'll pool my information. However Jonathan, we have another problem that I need you to deal with. If we are going to ever find her, we are going to need as much help as we can get and remove all distractions. Recently, a player has been thwarting all scouting parties I send and capturing every troop from the Red Claw or my personal militia" Chaos slammed down a piece of paper which Jonathan would pick up and read. It was a description of the man. Most features were unknown but he was cloaked and wielded a one-handed straight sword. "So, what do you want me to do with him?" he would ask Chaos. He didn't want to kill anyone else. As Aya said, he didn't want to be led by his own greed. 

[Morgenstern 1]

Chaos looked at him as if he should already know the answer. "I don't care as long as they aren't a thorn in my side anymore. Kill, capture, whatever it takes" A breath would release from Jonathan's mouth. "I'll capture him if able. I am not killing anyone else" Chaos gave him a smile. "If you see him, Orik might be a good help when it comes to strategy" Jonathan would nod, pushing open the door and stepping off into the darker caverns of Floor 21. As he did, his eyes met three people. Fyre, Orik, and Raven who had returned from their missions. 'I wonder if they were forced to kill anyone' he would think to himself. Fyre took one look at his cursor and chuckled. She would then push past him as would Raven. As Orik would try to go around quietly, Jonathan held out his hand to stop him. "I need your help Orik. Chaos sent me to apprehend the guy capturing and knocking out his forces" Orik would nod, knowing what he was talking about exactly. 

[Morgenstern 1]

Orik would push silently past him, moving to the planning room. It appeared that Fyre and Raven had moved to go speak with Chaos in the main area. His eyes would meet Orik's as he said, "Our foe's greatest weapon is the element of surprise. We have no idea of his identity or his whereabouts. Our only goal should be to thwart this idea. This player is powerful, but he strikes from the shadows. Few escape him" Sucking in the information like a sponge Jonathan would nod. "What should I do to stop him then?" Orik would look to his eyes. "We bait him out. Our target is cautious, but he hasn't once met his match while out in the field. He suspects every single one of us can be beaten. If we put you in the group, after he would attack one of the group members, you can engage him from there" Jonathan would nod. It wasn't a bad plan. Also, having something to do would keep his mind off of his own actions. "Did you find anything on Penelo?" Orik would shake his head and move from the room silently. It was impossible to read what the man was thinking. 

[Morgenstern 1]

As Orik would walk out of the room, Jonathan would think. He had to find out where the most attacks had been. He had to find out where his target would be. Also, he would have to request some help so he could have his bait group. His train of thought was interrupted when he heard shouting from Chaos. He came around the corner hearing, "...GET AWAY? You had her in your grasp? How could this happen? Explain!" Fyre glared at Chaos, obviously angered by his outrage. "Simple. She had outside help from the same person that had been thwarting our plans previously. While I might have normally been able to overpower him, his element of surprise allowed him to get away"

Chaos turned, seeming like he was a ticking time bomb. "Alright. I have decided play time is over. My main point of this mission was completed. Now, its time to move in for the secondary. Jonathan is going to lure this player out, meanwhile, we will track and capture Penelope before he even has the chance to protect her. Two birds with one stone right?" 

[Morgenstern 1]

Jonathan moved out form the corner, confronting Chaos. "Wait, we could have just tracked her this entire time?" Chaos would turn on him. "Just do your job, Jonathan. You don't understand what the purpose of our mission was. Now, do your job and Penelope will not have a chance at escape this time. Once again, she is only able to get by on the help of others. Take away the help and she is nothing" Chaos smiled. "First, travel to the sixth floor. Go South deep within the forest and find the guild called Red Claw. Once that is done, Travel upon one of the lower floors in the open, and sure enough our mystery man will come to find you. We will travel on the floors until we can find Penelope with the Track. Easy said and done" Gritting his teeth Jonathan would begin to walk out of the building. He had been outsmarted by far. Chaos had seemed to recently pick up on the ability to formulate decent plans. Had he been influenced or taught by someone else? 'What if Chaos isn't the one pulling the strings? What if he is the one being manipulated?' 

[Morgenstern 1]

As Jonathan began to move back towards the teleportation gate he hesitated for a moment. He had dug himself deeper into something than he had ever wanted to. He was now a killer, and not only a killer. A killer who killed for personal desires. "How could this have happened? Once upon a time, I had pushed to protect every single player in this world. Now, I am an enemy to all" A tear would trail down his face. 'What monster have I become? I can't ever face my friends again... Though, they probably wouldn't want to talk with someone like me anyway' The only worse killer in the game then him, was now someone who killed for pleasure. He had no justification for swinging his weapon on a player. Wiping the tear off his face, he would look to the sky, but only find the glowing crystals of floor twenty one. He felt like a caged animal, desperately wanting free from the restraints he had been put under. He should have told Chaos that they weren't going to kill the girl, but his sister had been on the line. Something he had wanted. He didn't need Chaos to find her, but here he was being totally reliant....

"Damn, what am I doing?"