It was when he turned away from Sister Flight's body, and saw it. Ela was falling from the ceiling. In the chaos he had forgotten that Sister Flight had attached Tali's sister to the roof, and in killing Sister Flight he had made Ela fall. The distance was too much, he couldn't cross it in time, but he could try. He dashed to catch Tali's falling sister, but was too late. He was too late, Ela was right above the floor and Kaelen was about a meter away. He had to save her! He had to! He couldn't be responsible for Talyndra's sister's death! Ela had been caught, but not by him. Sister Mirror, the third Circus Light, had caught Ela.
--{REDACTED} / Sister Mirror--
[Level 21], [EXP to next Level: 1,358]
[Health Points: 480/480], [Mana Points: 20/20], [Stamina Points: 500/640], [Lux: 9]
[Attack: 60], [Defense: 60], [Dexterity: 20], [Speed: 100], [Intelligence: 30], [Wisdom: 30], [Adeptness: 30]
--Skills--
[Predictive Planning, Level 83]
--Sigils--
[The Sigil of Mirrors]
Kaelen: Sister Mirror... Put her down. Please.
Sister Mirror: Oh? Why should I do that?
Kaelen: We don't have to fight.
Sister Mirror: You just killed Sister Flight.
Kaelen: I don't want to kill you too. Just give me Elara back and we'll be fine.
Sister Mirror: You haven't even commented on my promotion. I feel offended.
Kaelen: It's a very nice promotion.
Sister Mirror: Maybe I'll just take her. After all I saved her. You let her fall almost to her death, but I stopped it at the last moment. I know you know that I tell no lies.
Kaelen: Well. I tried.
Sister Mirror: No.
Kaelen: No? What do you mean no?
Sister Mirror: I'm not fighting you. Not here and now anyways. You've killed five of our members Kaelen Calder, I'm not going to challenge you without making any preparations.
Kaelen: And what? You think I'll just let you get away with Ela?
Sister Mirror: Oh you will. Follow me and I slit her throat.
Kaelen: You think I'll believe you?
Sister Mirror: Are you willing to test it? Want to see what happens when you try me? Because I think you'll find that I'm faster than you are Calder.
She had a point, her speed stat was almost double his, he wouldn't make it in time if she did try to kill Ela.
Kaelen: Tch.
Sister Mirror: *giggling* Good boy. Now stay.
Kaelen: Excuse me?! -You! -No... Just get going. But know, I'll find you, and when I do you'll die.
Sister Mirror: Well that is the goal. For you to follow me later so I can kill you when I'm more prepared and prove I deserve this promotion.
Kaelen: Promotion?
Sister Mirror: The masks show rank.
Kaelen: Really? How many ranks are there? What's at the top?
Sister Mirror: Ah ah. No more questions Kaelen Calder.
Kaelen: And why did you guys kidnap me? Did you kidnap the other sixteen? If so, why? What's all of this for?
Sister Mirror, annoyed: I said no more questions.
Kaelen: Just leave.
Kaelen stopped talking, and didn't fight back as Sister Mirror simply walked away holding Ela. There was nothing they could do as long as she was holding her. He may have saved Tali, but they had lost Ela. He had lost.
-Tali-
When Kaelen came back for her without Ela she knew what happened.
Tali: You let her die, didn't you?!
Kaelen: She isn't dead. And I'm almost certain I know where she is being kept.
Tali: She wasn't here? But I-
Kaelen: Sister Mirror was threatening her, and she was definitely faster than I am, so I had to let her go. I'm getting out of here to hunt them down.
Tali: Let me help you.
Kaelen: Have you recovered enough to fight?
Tali: No, but-
Kaelen: Then I'm doing it alone.
Tali: Let me save my sister.
Kaelen: You can't save anything Tali. I'm going.
She watched him turn away and start to leave.
Tali: Aren't you going to help me go home too?
Kaelen: You aren't dead, are you? You can walk.
Tali: K-Kaelen-?!
He just left. Without her.
-Kaelen-
Hunting. He had to hunt her down, it wouldn't even be hard. He just had to return to the Big Top and kill her. He knew that she would be there and then he could kill her and eliminate all of the Circus Lights that he knew of. And then he could hunt more. And more. And more. And- After a day of walking, brewing, and preparing mentally, he reached the Big Top, entering it without hesitating. He was moved to the interior, the location outside of the world. He couldn't die here and risk another fatal error. He wouldn't. He had someone he had to kill and he wouldn't die until he succeeded. He wasn't going to-
[Health Points: 370/370 (-120) -> 250/370]
He throws up blood and collapses to the floor as he feels something sharp get thrusted into his chest. He had been stabbed by something invisible again! He wouldn't die! He wouldn't let this thing kill him! He-
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
[Health Points: 250/370 (-70) -> 180/370]
He summoned the strings and started swinging them around, chaining movements and alterations in momentum to rapidly increase the speed, he had to catch whatever was trying to kill him like this! He wipped them around to strike every inch of space in front of him-
[Health Points: 180 (-120) -> 60/370]
[Health Points: 60/370 (+4) -> 64/370]
[Notice: Death imminent]
HE WOULD NOT DIE! NOT DIE! NEVER DIE! NEVER DYING! HE WAS A GOD AMONGST MEN! HE-!
[Health Points: 64/370 (-70) -> -6/370]
[Notice: Skills leveled up]
[Death Watcher, Level 19 (+1) -> Death Watcher, Level 20]
[Error: Soul "YOU" not located]
[Error: Matrix undefined]
[Error: System failure]
[Error: Fatal error]
[Notice: {REDACTED} {POTOCOL} activated]
[Notice: System reboot attempted]
[Notice: Skills leveled up]
[Death Watcher, Level 20 (+1) -> Death Watcher, Level 21]
[Notice: Soul "YOU" located]
[Error: Soul corrupted]
[Error: No meaningful data salvageable]
[Error: Save State data corrupted]
[Error: Save State data not salvageable]
[Error: Save point not salvageable]
[Notice: Soul's Memories salvageable]
[Error: Event #2 no longer salvageable]
[Notice: Event #1 salvageable]
[Notice: Resuming Event #1 with Soul "YOU" and salvaged memories from {Death Watcher, Level 21}]
[Notice: Soft reboot engaged]
[Notice: Death imminent]
[Notice: Skills leveled up]
[Death Watcher, Level 21 (+1) -> Death Watcher, Level 22]
His mind snapped into place and his eyes shot open as he gasped for breath, waking up in a cold sweat, and began to pant.
Kaelen: *pant* W-what....? -No... No. No!
He sits up in his bed and looks around. It was his room. His bed. It can't be! It couldn't be! NO!
--You--
[Level 3], [EXP to next Level: 27]
[Health Points: 25/25], [Mana Points: 8/8], [Stamina Points: 60/60], [Lux: 43]
[Attack: 16], [Defense: 14], [Dexterity: 10], [Speed: 13], [Intelligence: 12], [Wisdom: 10], [Adeptness: 11]
--Skills--
[Death Watcher, Level 22], [Forge Mastery, Level 6], [Sword Mastery, Level 3], [Spear Mastery, Level 3], [Bow Mastery, Level 2], [Weapon Mastery, Level 1]
--Sigils--
[The Sigil of Resurrection]
He had lost... He had died and lost everything.
--Lost Stats of Kaelen Calder--
[Levels: 29]
[Health Points: 616], [Mana Points: 71], [Stamina Points: 900], [Lux: 37]
[Attack: 77], [Defense: 88], [Dexterity: 47], [Speed: 44], [Intelligence: 45], [Wisdom: 47], [Adeptness: 46]
--Skills--
[Exhaustion, Level 18], [Vision, Level 7], [Spirit Talker, Level 6], [Thrown Aim, Level 4], [Wind Luck, Level 4], [Increased Luck, Level 3], [Muscle Memory, Level 2], [Stamina Modification, Level 2], [Sword Mastery, Level 1], [Bow Mastery, Level 1], [Thrown Aim, Level 1], [Stat Steal, Level 1], [Fabrication Speed, Level 1], [Blazing Speed, Level 1]
--Sigils--
[The Sigil of Weaponry]
--Status Effects--
[Burning, Tier XVIII], [Bleeding, Tier I]
[Reclaim {Lost Stats}?]
[Yes / No]
It was all there. Everything that belonged to him was right there. It was his by right! And yet-!
[Notice: New Mission]
[Accept / Decline]
What could you possibly want now? What the hell could you possibly want from me?! What more can I give you?!
[Mission: Kill "Everyone"]
[Your home town, {REDACTED} has been declared as "in the way". Burn it all down. Kill everyone.]
--Rewards--
[All {Lost Stats} that do not negatively effect "You".]
[EXP: 27]
[Accept / Decline]
... Everything... Everyone... Talyndra. Ela. Renan. -Everything.... Give me... Everything. [Accept].
[Notice: Level up]
[Level 3 (+29) -> Level 32]
[Notice: "All" {Lost Stats} regained]
[Notice: EXP gained]
[EXP to next Level: 27 (-27) -> 0]
[EXP to next Level: 74,620 (-0) -> 74,620]
[Notice: Level up]
[Level 32 (+1) -> Level 33]
[Health Points: 641/641 (+10) -> 651/651]
[Mana Points: 79/79 (+2) -> 81/81]
[Stamina Points: 957/957 (+20) -> 977/977]
[Attack: 93 (+1) -> 94]
[Defense: 102 (+1) -> 103]
[Dexterity: 57 (+1) -> 58]
[Speed: 57 (+1) -> 58]
[Intelligence: 57 (+1) -> 58]
[Wisdom: 57 (+1) -> 58]
[Adeptness: 57 (+1) -> 58]
[Notice: Stats up]
[Attack: 94 (+8) -> 102]
Everyone... All he had to do... Was simply... Kill everyone. Every last person in this village. It would be worth it for the EXP alone. A large, toothy grin appeared on his face as he Fabricated some clothes and left his house. It was time to slaughter.
