PP - F8: Third Time's a Charm

[Mari 1]

Mari covered her ears again, trying to drown out the voice. But it seemed to echo all around her, it seemed to pump through her very skull. "I know... I know.." Mari mumbled. Legs shaking as she took a step back, forcing her eyes shut as she knealt down onto the floor. "I know..I know I KNOW!" Her voice, shaky and broken grew in volume. "That's why I never plan on returning! I don't....I don't deserve it!" 

Mari shuddered, "This is why you don't want to be around me isn't it Life...." She mumbled to herself. "Just tell me you hate me Life..." She whispered to herself, nails digging into her skull. The woman's words; they were all true. Mari...Mari had become everything she hated. There was no way she could justify anything. No way she could ever look Celes in the face...how could she face Alkor ever again? Those warm amber eyes? 

Mari fell silent and refused to move; trying so hard to  block out the voice. It wasn't till Mari heard a familiar voice that her head shot up; wild blue eyes wide; dilated. "E...e....Evelyn...?" Mari asked, her voice cracked, barely above a whisper. There was her daughter; big blue eyes happy. Curled strawberry blonde hair sitting neatly above her shoulders. "Evelyn...? Mama...mama's here..."  Mari crawled toward her daughter. Wrapping her arms around the child and burying her face into the girls shoulder.

"It's ok....It's ok..."

[Life 0]

The room was silent, apart from the soft sobs of Mari and her daughter. Not even Sillith made a sound.. then he could hear it, hear her sick sadistic laughter in his head. It didn't echo through the room it just.. pierced his skull, a soft yet sharp, twisted laugh. He wasn't sure what to think at this point, he was torn. Why was it that he wanted to see her suffer? Why was it that he wanted to comfort her? It didn't make any sense at all. He dropped to the floor and gripped the sides of his head, he wanted this conflict ended already. The Evelyn copy was embraced by Mari, Sillith wasn't laughing for no reason. Evelyns eyes went red, the same as Ls eyes "Mama.. Mama" The copies voice wavered.. it was clear this was not Maris daughter "Why did you kill me Mama? Wasn't I a good girl? Didn't you love me?" The A.Is voice was filled with sadness. "You hate me don't you Mama! WHY!?" The copy pulled out a knife and closed its eyes lashing it out in a fit of rage and frustration. It sobbed and yelled with each swing cutting her deeply, surprisingly it barely did any damage to her healthbar. 

 

-Mari: 52/53

-Abandoned Evelyn: 1/??? 

[Mari 1]

Evelyns voice wavered and Mari felt a slash drive across Mari's chest Mari gasped in a shocked pain. Body shaking as she shook her head, trying to pull the strange apparition closer. "I love you..you were such a good girl...I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry..." Mari whispered. Evelyn pulled away and slashed at her again but Mari just accepted the strikes. They did such little damage, despite the menacing sounds coming from her daughter. 

Mari just didn't have it in her to fight back. Mari fell to the floor, shivering. Dull, lifeless eyes staring at an empty space in front of her, with each strike the Evelyn imposter placed on her body, Mari would flinch, but she barely uttered a sound, nor a word. She simply cried silent tears. Accepting her fate and her slow, pained death. This is what she deserved. "I'm a monster." Mari was finally beginning to understand that now.

 

Mari: 51/53

[Life 0]

Sillith was frustrated, this wasn't what she was expecting. Just because Mari 'accepted' she was a monster doesn't mean it made her one. She was a killer and she deserved every strike given to her, or at least, in Silliths eyes. "WHY WON'T YOU DIE MAMA? You don't deserve to be in this world.. while..while.. IM ABANDONED!" Evelyns words were harsh, L could hear them and continued to struggle with himself. Take a good look darling. This is what true justice looks like. And i couldn't have done it without you~ fufufu~ Yes..NO! His punched the ground hard, his fist nearly breaking on the rocky floor. He bit his lip until it began to bleed breathing heavily as Sillith flashed images of his dead, mutilated mother in his mind I.. i didn-Why do you refuse to accept who you are? I DIDN'T KILL HER! You're a liar! Don't try refuse to take responsibility for your actions. You will remain with me. Accept your fate as Mari has accepted hers. There was a long silence, his body shivered and he slowly picked himself up, his head hanging low. A glowing red coming from his eyes, the veins connecting to them strained as he was forced to watch the horror below. 

 

Mari: 50/53

[Mari 1]

Mari flinched when Evelyn struck her again, her words hurt more than the physical blows ever could. Evelyn was right...Mari had no right to exist here...no right to feel the happiness and ease that had come to her as of late. How could she have fooled herself into thinking things were ok? they weren't. They were far...far...far... from ok. "I'll die soon..." Mari whispered as she clutched at the ground. Nails digging into the soft earth. A shout from above caused her dull eyes to flick skyward.

Strange enough there was an opening above her what appeared to be dirtied windows, one was open and there stood the dark figure of Life. Watching her. Watching her suffer, watching her slowly die. Mari at least assumed it was Life, she somewhat recognized the dark form. The glint of red....Mari couldn't see his emotion from so far below, but it didn't matter. He was safe. He was ok. 

Mari closed her eyes as Evelyn hit her again, mouth moving to speak words that none would hear.

 

 

Mari: 48/53

[Life 0]

L's eyes burned open for what seemed like an eternity of torture, he was being eaten alive. Through this pain however nothing could compare to the way Mari must have been feeling. She was already broken, and Sillith wouldn't be satisfied until she was dead. He though she wanted sick and twisted killers... why wouldn't she just leave her be? She's not breaking.. the way i want her too... She won't kill her daughter. What the [censored] is wrong with you? Sillith growled with anger and attacked him mentally again until he was on his knees, one hand gripped his long dark chocolate hair in pain while the other held onto the edge of the window, his eyes glued to the scene. Mari was trembling, she looked like an abused dog. Evelyn didn't look like she would give up. She only had one hp, it was illogical but he understood why she couldn't fight back.. You don't have to take it.. you're not a monster.. "JUST DIE! YOU'RE NOT MY MOTHER!" Evelyn lashed out again and again, there was a now murderous glint in her eyes, filled with hatred and anguish. 

[Mari 1]

Mari slowly sat up as Evelyn again slashed at her, Mari reached out with a trembling hand to pat Evelyn's soft hair. Her own daughter wanted her dead. One of her only friends wanted her dead. Her breathing, her life...it was just a hindrance  "I'm not...your mother..." Mari whispered, as she equipped her weapon. Her daughter...her own daughter looked upon her with such hate filled eyes. Mari gripped the dagger handle tightly in her hands. Shaking could she do such a thing? 

Mari took one last look up at Life, pleading with him -begging to show any signs that he was still her friend, but she saw nothing, and so she thrust the blade deep into her own chest. It was a critical hit. Ice began to form where the wound was. Her body's temperature quickly dropped, and Mari found it hard, almost impossible to move. Her lips began to turn blue as the eyes travelled down from her chest to her knees, freezing her to the spot.

Her eyes fluttered closed, at least she felt as cold physically as she did emotionally.

 

Battle Dice: 9 SUCCESS Frozen 2/2 Turns
Mari: 36/53
 

[Life 0]

Ls already widened eyes burnt with hatred at the tiny girl which lashed out at Mari. It wasn't human. It didn't have a life. So why didn't she just fight back. YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS SILLITH Shut it woman killer. I KNOW THE [censored] TRUTH STOP PLAYING WITH MY [censored] HEAD "IM GETTING OUT OF HERE!" L jumped out from the window shattering it and rushed over towards the frozen woman. "You want to help me kill mama?" L scowled at the pitiful creature and swung at it, sheathing his blade and vaporising it in a single swift motion. It let out a screech before all of its particles disappeared. Sillith continually played horrifying images over and over in his head, his mind tainted by her evil the bodies of the dead seemed to rise all around him attacking him though his health never dropped, blood oozed from the walls as screams seemingly shattered his eardrums. He moaned in pain falling again to his knees. Breathing heavily he looked to the ceiling of the room as if he where speaking to a god. "You've done worse. Show me everything you got. I can take it!" He got up again and began laughing. "You're pathetic you know that? You prey on people as if you where a carnivorous animal. You're nothing but a computer program. That's right i know what you are! There's nothing else that could explain all this bullshit! You're no human! You're not capable of feeling emotion! AND IM NOT YOUR SICK AND TWISTED LOVER!" There was silence, for the first time in what seemed like a millennia. He panted heavily and placed a gentle hand on the ice cube which held Mari. "It'll be over soon.. she'll pay for what she did" Meanwhile Sillith had just moved somewhere else. Inside of Mari. She wasn't going to let her 'prey escape' torture even in an icy tomb her mind would suffer worse than her body ever could. "Mama.. you lied to me. You don't love me.. Why mama? Why?!"

 

Mari: 36/53 - Frozen 2/2 turns

[Mari 1]

The girl struck at Mari again, but Mari couldn't do anything, not that she wanted to - if she hadn't been frozen in place she would have attempted to hurt herself again. Mari's head was lowered, eyes downcast. Even as she heard a light thumb next to her; and the shatter of glass from above. Whatever it was. Mari no longer cared. She heard Evelyn ask if whoever or whatever it was wanted to help kill her; followed by a screech. Then - there was an odd silence. Yet, Mari's shadowed eyes did not once waver from their fixated place on the ground. Her tears were dried up, and she was done with everything.

IT wasn't till Mari heard Life shouting that she lifted her head, blue eyes watching as he shouted words to the ceiling. Words that she didn't quite understand. He was yelling at someone? Mari parted her lips, opening them to speak. To ask who 'She' was. But a very familiar voice just echoed in her head. Mari's pupils dilated. She shook her head and lowered it again.

"Because monsters don't feel such emotions..." She murmured  dryly. Her eyes drifted back up to Life. "Want a front seat to the death of Mari?" She asked him.
 

 

Mari: 35/53 - Frozen 1/2 turns

[Life 0]

L wanted to believe he was back to normal, he really did. His eyes however didn't lie. They didn't glow as vibrant as they did when Sillith was in complete control but something didn't seem right. He looked back down towards Mari, eyes filled with pain. "A front seat?..." A small grin spread across his face. You know, now that he thought long and hard about it. Being bad, wasn't so bad after all. Mari wasn't going to die and neither was he, they're simply witnessing what everyone else was, a game of death. Wether it was Sillith controlling him or not, he could hardly tell, being bad was righteous and after they were done here, he was sure Mari wouldn't be the same either, hell even if they left as of this moment Mari wouldn't be the same.

He walked in front of her frozen body and placed a gentle hand on her forehead and trailed it down caressing her cheek. "You know.. i heard from god today, and she sounded just like me. 'What have i done, and who have i become?'" His hand griped her pink hair tightly and pulled her head back, leaning in close as he spoked, the side of his cheek rubbing against her lips as his mouth was once again inches away from her ear. A twisted smile was stuck on his face as he spoke "I saw the devil today, and he looked.. a lot like me. So i looked away, and I turned away. Im getting closer and closer to the end every day. Im not the same person you first met, so just give up on looking towards me for comfort. You're as alone now.." He pulled away from her slightly and exhaled hotly onto her frosty neck. His hand squeezed her cheeks as he licked her neck from the base slowly towards her jawline quickly leaning back in "As you'll ever be! However before i leave you.." He began to chuckle darkly. His hand which squeezed her checks then lifted her chin with a single finger. He stared deeply into her cerulean eyes closing in on the distance left between them and kissed her deeply, his tongue reaching into the back of her throat. It was short and sweet, a few seconds but an eternal moment. Their intertwined saliva slowly trickled from his lips as he pulled away straightening his posture. His body towering over hers, he wiped the remaining saliva from his bottom lip "You're so debased and tarnished even Alkor wouldn't touch you" With that he slowly began to walk away from her, his body being enveloped by the darkness. The only thing he left her behind with was the prolonged and leisured dark laugher of a now insane Life. Being bad never felt so.. Good~

[Mari 1]

Life grinned at the prospect of watching Mari die, he sat in front of her, a warm hand resting on her forehead, before it fell down to her cheek. His  voice, it was so dark...so virulent and wicked. He spoke strange words, almost as they were from a song or rhyme as he tugged harshly on her hair, tilting her head back. Mari winced but didn't give him the satisfaction of pushing him away. SHe shivered, "Life...stop..." She whispered as she felt him lick her neck. It wasn't human, it was animalistic. Tears fell down her cheeks as she felt her heart break. The Life she once knew...was gone. Before she could do anything he forced a kiss upon her - this wasn't the same innocent kisses that Daeron stole - nor the warm and comforting softness of Alkor, this wasn't...wasn't right.

 

The ice finally melted away, and Mari fell forward - landing on her hands and knees. Shivering. What had..what had Life just done? Why....why? Mari choked back tears as she sat back; wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She couldn't trust him any more, she had to get away from here. Away from Life. But...how? Should she use her only teleportation crystal? What was the point...

 

What....was the point....

Mari typed a message to Alkor.
 

To: Alkor
From: Mari
Subject: (None)

I've slipped through the cracks of a dark eternity...
There will be no more breaths wasted on a beast such as I.
May you find happiness with your dearest Grandma Thom.
-Amari.

 

 

 

Mari cried, she cried silent tears as she held a dagger with shaken hands, again, this time to her neck. Life was right..how could Alkor ever look at her the same way? How could he even think of such a tarnished, hideous beast as herself? Mari didn't plan on leaving Aincrad once someone had beaten the game...she felt she didn't deserve to face the bright lights of reality. Now...now..

There was nothing left.

"I'm sorry...."

Battle Dice: 5+2 = 7 SUCCESS
9 Damage

 

Mari: 26/53

[Life 0]

It was a long and dark journey for L, down the corridor of forgotten dreams. He wondered how long it would be before his actions caught up with him, Sillith was done with him. Her influences finally paid off, and Mari was next in line for a long ride of torture. A message to Alkor? TskTskTsk Amari, what do you hope that will achieve? Do you want him to see you like this? See you for the monster you are? Look at the gravestones in front of you, do you really think you can atone for your sins? Even if you where to die it wouldn't make things right. Your killings have greatly outweighed your own life, you're worthless now. What good is a person who's life has been degraded as much as yours has? 

 

A few moments later there was a light noise in the silent room, it was a message. Sillith had cut off Maris message from sending to Alkor and sent a fake one back to her. The sound echoed as an impatient yet suppressed laughter could be heard. That should be him, don't you think?

 

 

To: Mari

From: Alkor
Subject: (None)

I used to think that birds could fly,

and all fish, gifted to swim

but battered wings can't get you high

and missing scales are a chance too grim.

I know what you've become and i can no longer be 
bothered to waste my time, trying to save a lost soul.

[Mari 1]

Mari lay alone on the floor; no longer having the strength to even strike herself down. Her face was pressed in the cool mud. Her hair was disheveled and her clothes were crumpled and stained with dirt and ripped from battle. Her eyes were puffy and red, she looked a frightful mess. The thoughts, the voice seemed to echo in her head again, but it was simply saying things she had already come to know. She was unable to atone for her sins. Her death wouldn't make anything right - but it'd stop the destructive force she had become, there was no good in her.

A ping signalled a message; and against her better judgement and will Mari opened it. Her brows furrowed, the message was from Alkor....but; it wasn't an Alkor-like message. The last half, yes that seemed like something Alkor would say, but the first few lines? That didn't seem right to Mari. Alkor wouldn't write such a thing, she gave a small sigh and pressed her face into the dirt. Perhaps she could just spend the rest of whatever pathetic life she had here. "You're right." Mari said in a defeated tone. "All I do is kill. What use am I."

[Life 0]

It didn't take long for L to finally find the exit of the cave, these types of dungeons sort of became second nature to him by now. What he considered an exit to the cave however was just another shrine dedicated to Sillith which would require a sacrifice of some kind, hopefully it would be as simple as a blood sacrifice. The shrine upon first inspection was rather bleak for a shrine of Sillith, it almost seemed like a dirtied red. When he looked closer he found that it was very, very similar the first shrine he came across which required a blood sacrifice. He smiled, it seemed like a free ticket out of here to him now. Except when he cut his wrist, the blood that trickled into the shrines vile didn't do anything at all. "You have to be kidding me.." He thought for a moment what other liquid might be required to fill the vile, but he didn't want to do anything to ridiculous without further consideration. He emptied the vile and rested it back on the shrine, thinking hard for a moment. The first shrine was a vibrant, pure, crimson. This one seemed to be a dirtied and bland red, almost like a brown or maroon. "I suppose impure blood is needed to pass this area" He looked around the room for a moment, normally if one does not complete the sacrifice for this cave then you would become an offering to Sillith, he could smell the rotting bodies from failed participants but he couldn't find them. "I don't want to risk it, perhaps Mari's blood will do" He turned back and began to backtrack back to the room filled with corpses and to his surprise she was still there, laying face first into the dirt. 

 

He approached her cautiously making sure not to wake her from her seemingly deep slumber, she had been tortured to the point of exhaustion. He began to hum to a sick song that played out in his mind picking her limp body up and resting her on his shoulders like she was slaughtered game. Awhile later they arrived back at the exit to the cave, he rested her body gently on the ground and took out his blade. The cold steel sliced through her skin with ease, a thin cut which allowed for some blood to seep from her arm and into the vile in his palm still humming along to the song as if taking the blood of another was child's play. He placed the vile back into the shrine and Maris' blood began to glow a bright red as the shrine sucked it into its complex. The shrine sunk into the ground and the room began to quake lightly, the floors around him began to crumble one by one until the platform which he and Mari stood on was all that was left. Below he could see the bodies piled up of dead men, it had to be fake of course, 'it was only a game' he reassured himself. A small red glowing path appeared in front of him, it led to a dead end wall at the opposite side of the room but soon, that also crumbled.

 

The red path solidified and he walked fast over it not wanting to miss his chance, leaving Mari behind. He equipped his heart of the forest pendant and thief treads to increase his chances of finding loot and examined the hallway carefully, normally there was a chest hidden somewhere near the exit but he couldn't find any until however, he noticed a slight crevice in floor which sucked out the light from the hallway above. "Thought so, lets see what we've won this time" He stomped at the ground and the pathway crumbled slightly, he got at his knees and began punching at the remaining rock until the hole was big enough to fit him and his knuckles bled. The rock was old and weak it seemed, purposely made for players with high strength to be able to break through. He could smell the fresh air from the jungle from below, he was definitely near the exit now. He hopped down into the hole and looked back behind him, covered in vines was the chest he was searching for, the treasure he initially sought after upon first entering the cave. 

 

He opened it carefully and a deep look of satisfaction riddled his expression, laughing he picked up the Knightmare steel inside the chest, perfect materials for his new weapon he was looking to make. His cloak and arm gaurds resonated with the darkness of the material, all of his gear was made or obtained from the rewards of Silliths dungeons, perhaps they had a connection beyond his understanding. With a satisfied grunt he put the materials into his inventory along with the mass of Col beneath it and turned back walking the rest of the way through the mysterious tunnel. He could hear the soft pitter patter of rain from the outside and pushed the leaves and vines away from the hole like exit which seemed to be leading out of the other side of the mountain and back into the thick rainforest, almost like a sewerage pipe. A sick smile etched permanently into his being the rain poured down heavily onto his head. "And so the acid rain pours over the rusted world of pretend, and the eyes ease open and it's dark again"

 

Loot Dice: 22(20+2) ID: 5658

 

Loot: 800Col, Knightmare Steel x3 (mats)

[Mari 1]

Mari awoke when she felt a pang of pain run across her arm. Mari's cerulean eyes widened in fear as she instinctively reached for her dagger; assuming she had been attacked. Her health had gone down; but it was Life, and he held her arm allowing blood to drip into a vial. "W..what? Life?" Mari questioned. But he completely ignored her, he hummed a strange song in  a mischievously sadistic tone - as though he was happy...ecstatic to be performing such actions. 

Mari ripped her arm away from him, not bothering to look at whatever sick thing he was doing. "Guess I was to trusting." She muttered bitterly. She had thought Life was a friend. A tad troubled, yes. But still, a friend. There was a rumble followed by what sounded like stone crumbling away - Mari turned to see Life going down a corridor. She followed, smelling fresh air.

By the time she had gotten out of the cave; Life was long gone - and she was left alone to her own devices.
Mari didn't know what to do from here. She didn't feel like she deserved to walk Aincrad; or even reality. She lowered her gaze to the floor as she chose to sit down. She was tired; too tired to deal with the harsh reality of her actions. Mari found herself nestling into the jungle floor - troubled eyes fluttering closed. Sleep took hold once more, as Mari's head filled with blood stained nightmares.

 

 

 

Mari: 18/53

[Mari 1]

COMPLETE


Mari 400 Col + 1 SP
Life: 1200 Col + 1 SP + 3 Materials