Head low and shoulders hunched, Akuma fell and tumbled rather than ran, as he moved down the forest’s slope with an unstable and uncoordinated movement. Even now, as he moved faster than ever before, his mind nearly tore as the phantom pain from his legs anchored themselves in his mind like needles that drove unforgettable memories and hardships into his psyche. Yet, as a frighteningly real sensation of danger and fear pervaded Akuma, the same could not be said for the duo of Players that he was racing towards.

Mocking laughter, harsh and haggard as the speaker damn near coughed up a lung from laughing at his own joke, filled the enclosed field. In a brittle voice that growled with uncontainable glee, the taller of the two stepped forward as he twirled his daggers with mesmerizing ability.

“Well, if ya’ll ain’t coming to Daddy... Then Daddy is coming to ya’ll!”

In a banshee’s howl of battle, the man streaked forward. Black overlapping cloth and leather armour flared behind the rogue as he bore a vicious grin at the Corrupted Wolves and their pack leader. Even in the light that shone through the open forest canopy, the man was a shadowy blur. All weapons and bared teeth as his mocking words turned to peels of laughter. Then, he was gone, diving into the midst of the surging monsters.

Akuma, head up and eyes scanning the scene before him, felt a bit of loss and confusion as he watched the man throw himself into battle. Afterall, while fighting may be fun for some people, the pain received from countless bites and claw attacks would cause many to shy away from such actions.

However, as he trekked forward and tumbled down the final bit of space, he saw that the rogue was still alive as he held back multiple [ Corrupted Wolf ]s at a time. What he also noticed, was the second Player that remained latched onto one of the trees.

He had the look of a boy-next door. Medium height and thin, the boy’s mop of brown and blonde hair that dangled just before his long eyelashes and honey-colored eyes would make any girl jealous. He had the kind of cute and innocent look that would have girls friendzoning him for years.

Or rather, would’ve, if not for his shaking form that huddled against a tree of the Corrupted Forest. Eyes, askant and wide, watched his rogue partner that literally dived and jumped about in the midst of the thrashing pack of wolves. Lost in the mosh-pit of fur and claws that moved in frantic motion, the rouge’s obnoxiously loud laughter was the only sign that showed he was still alive and kicking even now.

Turning away from the mosh-pit that was only building in intensity and fury, Akuma swept his gaze back towards the second player. As he did, the boy’s eyes met his own and the two shared a moment of recognition of the other’s presence. Akuma merely watched with a critical eye as he analyzed the weaponless figure before him. The boy in turn, drew a queer and halting smile at Akuma as his eyes rapidly switched between looking at Akuma and looking at the wolves.

Akuma, watching his actions, couldn’t help but smile to himself as he saw the concern in his eyes. Here he was, a random person showing up in the midst of danger, and with a brooding demeanor that spoke of no ill-fuckery. To the boy, it must’ve seemed like he was another wolf, just in the form of a person.

Recognizing the sentiment, Akuma’s inner smile grew to form on his lips. His sword, ringing free from the leather sheath, twirled in deadly anticipation in his hands as he turned his attention to the true battle. Now at a fervored pitch only a short distance away from him.

Legs, wobbly and slighted wounded from the fall down the slope, dragged across the forest floor as Akuma advanced into their midst. His sword, humming its song of death, plunged itself forward as Akuma released attacks and abilities in a violent display of power.

You dealt an attack: - 12 HP

You dealt an attack: - 13 HP

You dealt a Critical attack: - 18 HP

Your blow has crippled the target. Target is rooted for 2 seconds

[ Cleave ] has dealt: - 12 HP

[ Cleave ] has dealt: - 12 HP

[ Cleave ] has dealt: - 12 HP

...................

Akuma’s strikes, powered by his newly enhanced strength, shredded through the Health Bars of the Corrupted Wolves. Their howls of greed and hunger were abruptly changed as pain flared among all the wolves due to the AoE ability of [ Cleave ]. Yet the skill was merely the beginning of their misery.

Akuma’s [ Copper Claymore ], wielded in his divine hands, graced through the air upon invisible wings as it cleaved and crippled the monsters before him. The large two-handed sword struck out multiple blows every time Akuma swung it. His Strength, now more than double its starting point, wrought death to the wolves as it simultaneously deflected and parried the constant streams of attacks.

In moments, Akuma had already considerably thinned the pack of Corrupted Wolves, slaying four of their number and dealing a noticeable amount of damage to the others with his new skill, [ Cleave ], and various harassing strikes.

Finally, as he cut down his 5th opponent, he saw the reckless rogue from before. The rogue’s outfit, layered coverings of dark colored cloth and leather armour, were ravaged from the innumerable claw and bite attacks from the monsters. Damaged and nearly ruined as it was, the wrecked attire did little to quell the rogue’s enthusiasm that painted itself across his face. Unnaturally pearly white teeth highlighted across the man’s dark, mocha toned skin. The man, aged in his years at over 70 years old, was riddled with countless scars and naturally healed wounds that reared their head beneath the man’s ripped clothes. However, it was not the man’s age or scar covered form that shocked Akuma as he came within reach of the man. Instead, it was his actions.

Knee deep in dead Corrupted Wolves, the old man blasted out a crazed laugh as he spoke in a native Irish accent. “Hehehe...come yer you mutts. Daddy has a hankering for some meat and you look to be fat and full. Let’me just take a piece off your rump. Just a piece. A nibble. A slice!”

The man’s voice, aged and raw like whiskey, growled out an almost pleading call to the Corrupted Wolves. However the wolves, practically pissing themselves as they watched the man, remained stocked still as their heads pivoted to look for a possible way out. With a banshee’s howl though, the man gave them none as he actually launched himself at one of the wolves. The wolf, frightened and scared, bucked like a horse as the man rode it.

“Git it girl! Git it! I haven’t had this much fun since Operation Snake Eyes. WoooHooo! Git it!”

The fun, as much as it was for the man, lasted for only a moment before the pack of wolves pounced on him and his mount, sending the battle once more into a scrum. As he went down though, Akuma joined him. The duo, choking on wolf fur as claws sought to make them mince meat, erupted with their skills and strength as they fought valiantly.

In only a minute of fighting, the two had clambered out of the pile of Corrupted Wolf bodies. Each, gasping for breath as they took in the sweet and fragrant forest’s scent, literally dragged their bodies out of the mess before standing. Akuma, wobbly and with his sword as a crutch, watched the rogue do a kip-up that sent the permanent smile on his face to widen even more as the crow feet near his eyes crinkled.

“Now that,” the man thundered between his gruff laughter, “was a good showing mate. A damn fine showing!”

Akuma, almost stumbling from the rapid and harsh strikes to his back from the rogue’s enthusiastic patting, rolled his eyes in exasperation before obviously clearing his throat to grab the man’s attention. When the rogue stopped his celebration and turned to regard Akuma with tears of laughter in his eyes, Akuma motioned with his free hand to the monster in front of them.

Growling, low and dangerous, the [ Corrupted SilverFang Wolf ] hunched its shoulders as it snapped its fanged teeth at the duo of warrior and rogue. In turn, Akuma and the man next to him shared a knowing look at each other.

“Well,” the rogue next to him spoke in his heavy accent as he twirled his daggers, “do you wanna go? Or...? Hell, fuck it. I don’t like the look of the doggie. BATTER’S UP!”

And like a bullet from a gun, the man was off as he charged headfirst into the creature’s maw with his dagger’s shredding through the monster’s large health pool. Akuma, at a loss for the man’s lack of strategy or tactics, watched as the Irish warrior assaulted the Corrupted SilverFang Wolf with a fury. Shaking his head, Akuma joined in on the fight, launching his two skills, [ Heavy Strike ] and [ Cleave ], before pummeling the monster to submission with the rogue.

You have partially slain a [ Corrupted SilverFang Wolf ]

* Gained 28 Experience

* Gained 3 Copper Coins

* Gained 1 Smooth Fur

It was only as the beast died, howling to the sunlit sky one final time, did the remaining pack of Corrupted Wolves flee towards the shrouded forest. Blurs of dark fur that surrendered themselves to the Corrupted Forest dispersed from Akuma’s view as the pack of surviving wolves ran. As they did, the once rowdy fighting grounds stilled. Akuma, still gripping his sword in hand, turned to regard the old man and the young boy as they gathered together.

As they stoodd apart, Akuma caught his breath and he took in the duo with a greater eye for detail.

The Irish man, with dark skin that was scarred and damaged from numerous injuries, was taunt and rigid as his muscular form fidgeted constantly. Taller than Akuma at around 6’2, the man’s lively yellow eyes flickered constantly in erratic motion while his hands taped and touched his twin daggers with a gentle caressing motion. It was the same motion with which he stroked his impressive and well manicured mustache and goatee. As Akuma watched him, he couldn’t help but feel the man was a bit...abnormal. His well groomed and clothed figure clashed with the wild and constant fidgeting motions he made. Still, of all his characteristics, the deadly air that hung around his form like a cloak was one that Akuma would never miss. The man was a trained killer, and that one lived far longer than most others in such a career.

[ Leo the White ]

Level 5 Rogue

In sharp contrast, was the boy that beamed a welcoming and jovial smile at Akuma. Small in height at 5’8, and with a thin form that highlighted his childish face, the boy was filled with youthful innocence. Boundless joy seemingly radiated from the teen as he stepped forward towards Akuma. However the motion, carried out by a beaming smile, came to an abrupt end as the teenager tripped over his long and flowing attire. Stripes of colorful cloth that wrapped itself over his thin frame and acted as a shoddy robe, became tangled in his feet. Just as he was about to fall though, Leo’s hand shot out to grab ahold of the boy by the scruff of his neck. His eyes never left Akuma as he did so. Instead, they sized him up. Similarly to how one would compare a piece of clothing or shoe.

[ TimTam ]

Level 3 Minstrel

“Ah...” The awkward and cracking voice of a young man going through puberty came from the colorfully clothed TimTam as he patted himself and greeted Akuma with a beet-red face. “Thank you, sir...Akuma. You really saved us there, and uh...well, uh... Thank you?”

The squeaky voice of uncertainty brought a hidden smirk to Akuma’s face. He wondered, did he ever sound like that when he was a kid? As he pondered on the question, his small impish grin disappeared as depression sunk in. He still was a kid. Just...one that was alone now. And childish actions and thoughts had no place in his world now.

Shaking his head and dispelling the dark thoughts, Akuma gazed at the two once more before merely nodding his head and moving away. Slow yet grounded steps carried Akuma away from the duo and towards the location that the pack of Corrupted Wolves ran towards. However, before he could only take a few steps, a blur of black flashed past his right side as the Rogue, Leo the White, appeared with a smirk that paired so well with his mischievous eyes.

“Have trouble walking sonny? You a bit broken inside? Na, na. Don’t answer, I already know it. The awkward twist of your hips. The overextension of your knee. The fucked up gait you have. It’s your first time walking in a while. What was it?” he continued nonchalantly as he stared directly into Akuma’s shocked gaze. “Brain damage? No... can’t be. You’re eyes ain’t crossed. Hehehe. So what? Prosthetics in real life wouldn’t have such an issue. So....spinal damage. Am’I right? HA! Of course I’m right. Hear that Timmy! My brain works just fine thank you very much! Don’t need no Personal Caretaker like you following me around in real life or in Ascension Online.”

“Sir...” TimTam whined as his shoulders fell in defeat.

Ignoring the boy, Leo continued analyzing Akuma for a few brief moments before he stepped forward with an odd glint in his eyes. “Let me tell ya something,” he began in his deep and gruff voice that strained from years of yelling and no doubt heavy drinking. “Many of ma friends are in the same boat. Able to walk, but refuse to. It is a choice afterall. But, Daddy has the solution. All you need to do is...”

Then, swifter than the Corrupted Wolves retreat, Leo brought his foot forward to kick Akuma in his shin. Immediately pain, mild yet persistent, flared on his right leg. As the pain throbbed, a flash of anger appeared in his mind as Akuma readied his sword to force back Leo. As he turned his vision to Leo though, the anger in him died as he faced the happily grinning Irish man.

Leo, sporting a shit-eating grin from ear to ear, laughed heartily while he spread his arms wide in a Christ-like symbolic action. “The secret sonny, is to simply feel. If you can feel the pain, it means your leg is still there. Still attached and able to be moved. The only thing stopping you from your freedom, is the prison that you trap yourself in mentally. Break free from it, or let it contain and belittle you. It is your choice.”

Akuma, hearing Leo’s words of wisdom, felt stupid as he heard the older man’s basic yet mindopening knowledge. It was as if Akuma was using a tool for years now, and finally saw someone use it properly and in a way he wasn’t doing so before.

Momentarily lost in his mind at the implementations of the knowledge bestowed to him, Akuma grounded himself back in reality as he turned to thank Leo. The man though was no longer next to him. Instead, a maniacal grin split his face as he raced and leaped across the many dead monsters on the ground to claim the loot. Watching the man as he transformed into a kid in a candy shop, Akuma helplessly shook his head. Mentally thanking the man and remembering his name, he would not soon forget the kindness of the man. Still, there was much to be done and he would see it through no matter how difficult. So, with slower yet noticeably longer and smoother steps, Akuma concentrated on his movements and on the phantom pain of his legs as he strood forward and toward the dark of the Corrupted Forest.

Yet he didn’t make it more than fifty feet before the ruffled sounds of people behind him joined his own steps. Turning, warrily and with his hand hovering over the hilt of his blade, Akuma saw Leo effortlessly dragging young TimTam by the scruff of his neck. The boy, TimTam, who looked no older than 16 or 17, had a helpless look of acceptance on his face as he allowed himself to be dragged by Leo willingly. The older Irish man in turn had what could only be described as a hyena’s grin as his head swiveled left and right.

It wasn’t until the trio of people were within arm’s reach did Leo halt his walking, and direct his yellow cat-like eyes towards Akuma.

“What,” he spoke in a far too chipper tone.

“What?” Akuma, beguiled by their actions, spoke for the first time since meeting the strange and unlikely pair. “Are you heading in the same direction? Or just looking for a way out?”

“Nope,” Leo purred as he leaned closer with a tilt of his head, “I’m following you. And Timmy here is my lackey. So where I go, he goes. And I am going where you go. Fun isn’t it! Having a lackey I mean. I’ll let you be lackey number two. But Timmy is lackey number 1, so unless you fight him to the death, you are stuck at number two.”

Akuma, with a confused look on his face, regarded both the energetic and oblivious Leo, and the puppy-like TimTam, as he remained rooted in his spot. “No,” he began once more in his monotone and stoic voice that brokered no nonsense, “that’s not what I’m asking. I meant, why are you following me?”

“Oh!” Leo, speaking in a voice that only harbored nonsense, backed off as he continued to drag TimTam by the scruff of his neck. “Well obviously because you’re a fun guy. Plus, I’m always interested in seeing what trouble can be reached. So, what trouble and mischievous are you making here in the heart of the Corrupted Forest? No lambs come this far, which makes you a wolf. So, little pup, what are you hunting? And can Daddy take a bite out of it?”

Akuma, statuesque and unmoving in his stance, broke his stoic facade as a small smirk blossoms on his face. It sooned bloomed into a feral grin as Akuma regarded the man that smiled back in his canine grin that matched his cat-like eyes of mischief.

“I’m hunting something...dangerous. Want to join?”

Akuma’s smile transformed to match the feral one that Leo had. Between the two, TimTam looked helplessly toward the sky in a silent plea for salvation.