I hate this place. I can’t believe Daeva has done this to me! I can’t be made of pure darkness! I looked after that town the best I could! Marowit and I have worked together to complete dungeons and I’ve only got him killed once and I’m sure it was by his own wrong doing not mine!

Cain’s thoughts flowed as he walked through the woods. The landscape was unlike that of the forest of Parowits, the trees were straight and evenly spaced with more than enough room to walk by without questioning your step. The light flowed through leaving no shadows to hide behind to project the illusion that you were walking within a place of freedom and not treachery. The road Cain stumbled upon looked to be highly maintained as the with the many others he had crossed. Yet he still did not feel comforted, his only thought was to gain as much distance between the villagers he’d slain and himself.

Snap. Crack. Tshh.

The sounds of heavy footsteps, leaves being kicked by the careless. He didn’t stop to look back.

“You’d turn around if you had half a brain traveler”

If Cain were confronted by this voice six days ago, he would have turned as he heard their footsteps and aggravated them into battle. Yet he kept walking, kept considering what Deava said.

I am made of darkness. But I can overcome it. I will overcome it. I am not just a tool made to kill. I’ve only killed when people have screwed me! I won’t kill anyone innocent. I haven’t killed anyone innocent. Not even the fisherman, they provoked me first!

“STOP! Traveler, you better stop or this arrow is going through your neck!”

Cain, deep in thought, was only able to pick up the keywords from the ruthless bandits behind him. Stop, Arrow, Neck. He slowly spun his head, keeping his stride away from the wreckage of a town he’d left behind.

“I Said Stop!”

Slowing his pace, dragging his cheap leather toed shoes across the cobblestones that unfortunately were as solid as new.

“And if I don’t”

And if I don’t I’ll just be revived once again by this stupid world!

The bandits were looking among each other quizzically, they’d already threatened him. Everyone before him had given up their supplies as soon as they heard their voices and seen their weapons drawn. No one would trade their life for a few measly belongings that could be acquired after a few hours of grinding.

“If you don’t stop, we’ll shoot you through the neck!”

“Try your best.”

He continued to walk away paying no attention to the group behind him.

If I can do no good what is my point in this world, I should just go back home, throw this damn headset in the bin and find a way to climb those damn walls!

SCHHHhhewww!!!!

The arrow cut clean through the hood of his cloak. He didn’t turn.

“I’ve seen imp with better aim than you.”

“That was a warning! If you don’t stop right now, you’re going to walk into bigger issues!”

“I guess I’ll just have to find out.”

Cain took the time to look behind him and face the bandits stalking him.

“Oh. So, there’s only two of you. I thought there’d be more.”

“There is! If you keep on walking you’ll run into a trap of twenty of us!”

Cain didn’t even blink, stuck in thought, full of anger towards Daeva.“Which way”

“If you follow this path another 500 meters you’ll be surrounded by us!”

“This way?”

Cain pointed down the road he was travelling as if asking a merchant where to find apples in the markets.

“Yes that way! If you give up you’re loot now, I’ll tell them to let you live!”

“But.. I can’t die in this world… I can’t even feel pain as a level 9…. What can you possibly do to me.”

“You’ve mistaken me for some measly NPC?! We’re a party of rogues, we trap those who come across our path! And as for you being level 9, we have ways to make you level up really quick”

The smirk on his face meant that he was telling the truth, they’ve done this before. He knew.

“And how would you do that..”

“Simply!”

His smirk grew wider, talking steps forward

“All we got to do is restrain them for a few hours, sometimes days, a couple have taken weeks. Eventually they give in, they join our party, we kill the beasts of the forest and they get to level 10. Then we can inflict real pain, it doesn’t take long before they’ve given up everything they’re holding! And we don’t gain even a single bit of negative favor as they give up their goods, we don’t kill them for it.”

Daeva said I am evil, I create death, I am the worst of the worst. Yet these people in the woods think they can threated and force people into level 10 then make them feel pain until they give up everything.

“No negative favour..? What’s wrong with that?”

“Only the stupid gets their favour into negative. There’s no business in it. You’d need a mind so concentrated on killing and revenge to even consider going negative.”

Cain turned around to look the bandit in the eye. He stood stoic, He believed that no man can go negative without being a murderer. Cain reached for the drawstring of his cloak and slowly pulled on it then with his left arm pulled the cloak down over his right elbow.

“Well… Bad luck for you two.”

“Who….. Who ar.”

Cain’s right arm reached over this left shoulder grinding the dagger out of its sheath following through to launch it towards the bandit’s heart. He was too shocked by Cain’s status pulsing above his head to retaliate. It pieced his chest. Critical.

NEW SKILL UNLOCKED: THROWABLE WEAPONS

The second had already started running, he was sure he could make the throw, but the effort in walking to collect it would be too much right now. He let the man go, hopefully this will lead to a better organized fight to come!

He took the time to walk over to the body whilst retying his cloak and flicking up his hood. Leaning over to withdraw his blade lodged into the bandits ribs, ignoring the potential loot on the ground. There was far too much on his mind, not only what he’d done to the town, but for the hopes of what he’d find ahead. Excited in the thought of the action that will take his mind of the thoughts tormenting him.

One hit. Easy. Couldn’t have been more than level 4. Better go find the rest. Where are the rest.

Within minutes of walking the road he could see two more of the dead bandits team standing ahead of him, he thought of removing his cloak, though after careful decision he felt he needed a real fight. If he was as Daeva said, a man of pure darkness and all he knew was killing. He may as well show it.

“Hi, your friends body is no more than a kilometer back if that’s what you’re looking for..”

The men readied themselves, one pulling harder on his already drawn bow string, the cracking of tension in the wood could be heard for miles by a keen ear. The Second looking left and right before planting his feet steady in the stones ready to charge after he hears the twang of the string.

“If you’re not going to shoot, then release you’re hold.”

“STOP! We’ll shoot you on the spot!”

“That’s what the last guy said. He missed.”

It wasn’t a kill shot but enough to stun him. He raced forward slicing the second bandit that couldn’t comprehend what was happening. As the bandit fell Cain stole his sword and with two hands crushed it into the blinded man.