Selfish Want and the Hand of Duty

The smooth steel and light that made the special containment level of the compound gave way to coarse stone bricks, flickering overhead lights, and eventually an elbow turn into the landing for the elevator and stairwell. John continued sparing Redd his mind-saving glances as both entered the wide room. On his left waited both the opening leading to the staircase and the polished, stainless steel doors of the elevator. He lunged for the elevator call button, but it had already begun its tell-tale, one-note song of "dings" as it traveled up without them. "Too risky anyways; it's the only elevator," Redd panted, "and they're on high alert."

"Then we'll fight our way up the stairs-" John had begun to say as he turned... and flinched away as he saw it: an impression in reality, a knot in the Dream that trailed down in a staircase-shaped spiral somewhere beyond the stone. That trail ended, in a glittering, man-shaped aura, at him.

"That's quite enough." The voice was well-known to all, by now. The red-bearded man stepped out of the shadowy passage and stood in the mouth of the hallway leading to the stairs. That familiar, grim dedication to the Lady of the Lake stood there calmly as he assessed each of them in turn. Galley's run slid to a stop as she ended just a few feet from the former Warden-Lord. Redd, for all her freedom from the blessing, could only cower before the man she readily identified as her leader.

Lord William Brighton
Level 65 Duelist
<Lord-Protector of the Golden Rose>
HP: 28,760/28,760 (30,080/30,080)
MP: 1,541/2,041
Stats: Str 101 (305) Agi 120 (367) End 230 (310) Int 80 Wis 80 Cha 49 Lib 7
Relationship: -173
Status Effects: Remembering the Rose
Qualities: Hate of Ariel, Hate of Barong, Hate of Daniel, Hate of Ishim, Hate of Ose, Hate of Preta, Hate of Puriel, Hate of Tennin, Memory of the Rose (Blessing of Health, Bulging Biceps, Greased Lightning)
Former Bearer of the Golden Rose, Lord of the Brighton Clan, Holy Warrior of the Order, Shadow Baron of Great Britain, Anointed Slayer, Inquisitor Proxima. Wishes the world for his daughter, and more importantly for her honor as the Warden. Recent incursions into his territory have made him exceptionally weary, but he redoubles his efforts to ensure his daughter rises to the height of her calling. Though proud of his daughter's progress, he is wary of her judgment and has a particularly strong hatred for you. This is despite, and because of, her insistence on protecting you.

Lord William Brighton had arrived in a state of casual dress that belied his intent to use the sword he had drawn. Its white-hot tip, enchanted to cut through matter with divine wrath, seemed to flash and spark in the low, dusty air of this modern dungeon. His collar was opened by two buttons, a state of dress that, on a man this severe, made him seem more ill-dressed than the near-totally naked boy he came to cut. Two black suspenders with gold clamps tightly gripped his pants to his muscled form. His huge fingers wrapped tightly under the ornate basket hilt of his dueling blade, but he did not move as his nostalgic gaze scanned the room. "How many times have I been surrounded by heretics, I wonder..." His gaze fell upon Redd, whose knees threaten to give out. His dismay seemed to fill her vision- "... but I've never counted a Hospitaler among them."

The redhead began to weep. John gave her another glance, but it did nothing to assuage her guilt. "Redd, pull it together!" He glared back at the old man and checked his new status.

Remembering the Rose, active effect
The former possessor of the Rose can recall a small part of the power they enjoyed as a Warden or Warden-Lord. Current effects: +204 Strength, +247 Agility, +80 Endurance, +Greased Lightning, +Bulging Biceps, +Blessing of Health.

"Bertha Redd," Lord Brighton declared, shocking the crying Hospitaler into silence, "who thought she could amount to nothing in the Order."

Her lip trembled, but she said nothing.

Lord Brighton's features softened. "The daughter of a famous family of Knights, whose own father had served as a captain by the time I was given my first title... a proud family, but justly so. You ever seemed dismayed, believing they were ashamed of their first daughter in generations who could not properly wield a sword." Redd's apparent sorrow grew. "But they were always proud of you, child..." Her eyes watered as she tried to shake her head, to deny it- "... just as I always have been."

Redd's eyes quivered. "M-My Lord, please-"

"Do not do this, Hospitaler Redd. Believe in the Lady."

That's enough, and too much. "You manipulative old fuck," John suddenly declared as he stepped forward. His Eye readied to peel away Lord Brighton's enhancement- but the Dream showed him the blade, showed it rushing through him and eviscerating all that he was. Shit-! He glanced down at the blade while he could still see it, neutralized it-

Sovereignty: Eye of the King suppresses Scalpel of the Angel of Blades!
-495HP

The blade still scored a brutal blow as it skidded across John's bare shoulder... but this damage he could survive. The white shirt Lord Brighton wore began to tear with the speed of his movements, and the blade came down for another swipe. The colored bands of reality sliced downward ahead, wrapped around Lord Brighton's brutal intent; John's body, far slower than his opponent, still managed to barely twist out of the sword's circular path as he caught Lord Brighton on the flank. Redd was to John's right now, and Galley behind him as she tried to join the battle; having no moment to spare, John unleashed his barrage.

Your serpent's bite was dodged!
Your quickcasted serpent's bite was dodged!
Your quickcasted serpent's bite was dodged!
Your quickcasted serpent's bite deals 283 damage to Lord Brighton!
Your quickcasted serpent's bite deals 283 damage to Lord Brighton!
Your quickcasted serpent's bite was dodged!
Your quickcasted serpent's bite deals 283 damage to Lord Brighton!
Your quickcasted serpent's bite was dodged!
CRIT Your quickcasted serpent's bite deals 909 damage to Lord Brighton!

One crit?! It must be our level difference- John could barely allow himself the time to think before Lord Brighton reacted to the lethal blows on his body. The older man leapt away and out of his enemies' reach as Galley tried to run around and flank. John cursed the old man; at the rate they were going, John would be down again long before his enemy was even winded. Despite this advantage, Brighton made the space between them... and, much to John's surprise, held the rapier upright behind his massive body. John searched for its telltale tip, but the old warrior kept it at just the angle to ensure John couldn't get so much as a peek.

Lord Brighton offered the tightest of smiles.

Damn it, he knows!

Galley paused by John... only to almost be bowled over as Redd threw her body at the Hound. The Hospitaler encircled the giant with her arms as she tried to leverage her weight and bring down her enemy. Fuck, Redd-! John was too late to stop her, now.

"Shit-" Galley anchored herself with one back step before raising her fist and giving Redd as controlled a blow to the back of the head as she could manage. Redd fell to the ground... alive and redeemed.

The entire affair played out in seconds, and in those seconds, Lord Brighton was upon them. John's eyes drifted back as he tried to glimpse the blade... only to have his vision vanish into the open palm of Lord Brighton's outstretched left hand. The man's meaty grip landed on John's face, anchoring itself to the front of his hair as he drove the base of his palm to censor John's glowing green Eye. John had only one option, now.

Sovereignty: Eye of the King suppresses Remembering the Rose!

The man coughed as his almost invisible speed slowed, but he didn't dare stop. The duelist stepped to John's new blind side and held the rapier up to drive it through his victim's ribs and lungs... only to have his wrist suddenly cracked by a kick from the recovering Hound. William grunted in brief pain before flicking the blade at Galley's face. She dodged with a short backstep as she kept her hands up, ready for any opening. The opening was John's: he took it and unleashed another barrage into Brighton with a single hand, this time targeting the wrist of the hand still stuck to his face. The old man couldn't dodge without letting go of his prize... and he refused to do so as he weathered the blows.

Your serpent's bite deals 283 damage to Lord Brighton!
Your quickcasted serpent's bite deals 283 damage to Lord Brighton!
Your quickcasted serpent's bite deals 283 damage to Lord Brighton!
Your quickcasted serpent's bite deals 283 damage to Lord Brighton!
CRIT Your quickcasted serpent's bite deals 909 damage to Lord Brighton!
Your quickcasted serpent's bite deals 283 damage to Lord Brighton!
Your quickcasted serpent's bite deals 283 damage to Lord Brighton!
Your quickcasted serpent's bite deals 283 damage to Lord Brighton!
CRIT Your quickcasted serpent's bite deals 909 damage to Lord Brighton!

John could feel the flesh harden and bones creak as he drove his fingers into the same spot, sending waves of damage through the old man's skin... but the lord of the estate did not release his grip.

Fuck! "Let go!"

"Surrender," the nobleman replied... and though John couldn't see it, the glowing edge could be felt through the Dream. It was poised to run him through; with a twist of his body into the air, he narrowly dodged the poker almost driven through him... and wrapped his left arm around the blade's "safe" mid-section. Before it could be withdrawn and slice all the tender flesh it found, John clamped his hand over the golden lip of the basket hilt, anchoring it with the same arm that pinned the weapon to his body.

John hugged the deadly razor for dear life. "Galley!"

The Hound needed no instruction. She dove back in, stepped, twisted, and put her entire body into a vicious haymaker aimed at Lord Brighton's face, striking him squarely in the jaw-

John tried to turn his head to twist Lord Brighton off his stance, but the Gamer was suddenly shoved away with enough **** to throw him across the room and slam his back against the opposing wall. The magical blade tip stabbed into, and through, the stone until the rapier was half-buried in the bricks behind John. Briefly stunned, he looked to Lord Brighton and realized that the old man had surrendered his prey, and weapon... just to catch Galley's fist in his bare hand.

Galley stared wide-eyed as the old man's fingers trapped her fist. A grunt of pain escaped her as he crushed it in a malicious grip.

Lord Brighton closed his open fist as Galley focused on withdrawing her hand... and crushed Galley's sternum with a single punch between her breasts. She jolted back but was anchored by his iron grip. His fist came back again, lower this time, and drove into her gut to lift her body into the air. John screamed as he readied to rush the bastard, but not before Lord Brighton's hands both reached up and grabbed her sides, his fingers digging into the skin and muscles over her ribs until they all bruised, and pulled her abdomen into a mercilessly rising knee. A crunching noise filled the chamber. Her eyes bulged and then whited out as her mouth filled with bile.

John yanked the wretched blade from the wall, ready to kill its owner with it. He was near the old man, his Eye neutralizing the empowering ability once again, when Lord Brighton wordlessly discarded the **** Galley with a single-handed toss.

"Opula." The sword suddenly wrung itself from John's grip to fly into its master's. John's Eye was still on cooldown and couldn't kill its flight. Realizing he was now running into the blade instead of with it, John stopped in his tracks and leapt back, putting a clean ten feet between him and the enemy. Lord Brighton’s grip on the handle was audible... and again he hid the blade and behind himself, just as he had done before. "You are alone again, Mr. Newman."

John's teeth were also audible. They hurt... but he couldn't stop clenching them as a bitter anger reigned. He hissed, "I'm going to pay you back for everything, you fucking psychopath-!"

"I could have killed her with a flick of her own chin." Lord Brighton's words were solemn. There was no pride or taunting there, and his eyes seemed almost sad to anyone not drowning in a want for vengeance. "You saw how readily I was able to control her after the first blow? The human neck is incredibly fragile, and efficiency oft demanded that I dispatch dangerous mages as quickly as possible. The hammer is an excellent tool to that end; a clean hit at the right angle on the chin, and the world ends for that unfortunate soul-"

"Shut... the fuck... up!" He wants me to drop my guard, to forget to keep him moving at a human speed... John made sure to continue keeping Lord Brighton's power down... all while struggling to calm down and strategize.

"You were able to restore the real arm of a Soulless." Lord Brighton backed away slowly... until he reached the stairwell exit. Now John's only way out was through the old man. "No one who has ever served the Order in recorded history has been able to do that; no alleged Champion of Gaia, no Warden, no divine **** in all the Kingdoms and all the universe. It was always an impossible thing, part of the curse suffered by the Soulless and others so afflicted. We will put aside for now what that might mean... because at the moment, I've just crushed several bones in her abdomen; she could be in very real danger if you don't help her now."

John did his best to read Galley's sheet with only his peripheral vision. She still had HP remaining but was ****. That said, nothing there indicated lethal damage; at worst, she'd be in discomfort on waking. John would heal her back soon enough... but not so soon as to fall for Lord Brighton's ploy. "Moira doesn't want you to die. That's the only reason keeping me from killing you."

You cast Move on Lord Brighton!

The old man jolted slightly... but remained anchored to the ground. "The Order will not move aside for you... not until justice is served."

Cursing, John used Equilibrium to fill his mana to full, bringing him near the halfway point of his health, and a few heals to put him a bit higher. The Gamer unclenched his fists... but kept the fingers of his right hand hidden and focused all but 200 of his mana into a Ruin spell. Ruin and Restore scale about the same, it seems like... so if I healed Galley for over 14,000... well, that's gotta give this asshole something to think about while I drag these girls out of here, right? Lily and his mother flashed into John's mind; he cursed the circumstance before him, now.

"More to the point: you steal those exact words from my mouth, Mr. Newman. The Warden's wish is all that kept you alive when you humiliated and nearly assaulted her again, that time before my very eyes. You corrupt everything around you; you twisted a loyal Hospitaler, no doubt assaulting even her-" A quiver of rage had slipped into the old man's words, and he stopped himself before he could lose control. "Can you not see the results of your actions? How selfish are you to think yourself as the victim, even righteous, with all you've done?"

"I saved your daughter and more- look, we both know the score-"

"I know everything you've done to my daughter-"

"-but you're not just going down for what you've done to me-"

"-and your crimes mount with every passing day-"

"-you're going down for everything you've done."

"-and yet I will spare you the **** you deserve."

The two men grimaced as they spoke in unison, each too alert to miss the dismissable claims of the other. John broke their silence, "How could you order them to kill babies in their cribs?"

Lord Brighton's expression did not change... but his voice came so frail as to be a whisper, "Only one person in the chain of command wanted them to be spared, no matter the danger to mankind, no matter the cost... and my selfish want could not stay the hand of duty."

Another silence.

Lord Brighton still wasn't attacking... and the reason was obvious enough. The Knights were probably scrambling to respond; the stairwell would soon be choked with guns, swords, and armored soldiers ready to "subdue" John. They probably thought their bullets did nothing since they didn't register on his body; John was suddenly keenly aware of the fact that they'd never know when he crossed over from healthy to dead until holes finally started appearing where their bullets landed. I can't stick around for this Ruin to keep charging up. John needed to throw Lord Brighton off, make the old man misstep... and that anger, that hint of rage, was pulsing red in the Dream body of the enemy. John's thoughts formed the words, and tendrils of darkness reached out from him to squeeze that sliver of bestial hate.

"You're a fucking zealot... but don't worry. I'll do better than you... once I steal the Rose from Moira."

Lord Brighton's eyes widened in shock... and then twisted with the fury of a father. The red filled his body and vision-

John neutralized Lord Brighton's ability once more... and charged.

Lord Brighton answered in turn, once again rushing his left hand towards the boy's face as he kept the rapier hidden with his massive body. Caution gave way to arrogant bloodlust; the Lord misstepped as the rage at such a threat to his daughter filled his mind. He would take any wound to spare his men, but he would do anything to spare his daughter. John raised his hand, revealing the green, unhealthy glow of the tip of his middle finger, his longest finger, to have it touch Lord Brighton's extended hand-

Lord Brighton pivoted. His hand withdrew... and his sword hand summoned all those years of target practice to shoot the rapier forward and impale the offending hand, hoping to sever the glowing fingers. Lord Brighton missed but only by so much.

-1,125HP
Gamer's body failed! Real damage sustained.
Critical damage: right hand (breached). Bleeding -2HP per round. Consciousness maintained.

Lord Brighton's form had been too vicious; the glowing tip had stabbed into and then far through John's palm. Said hand was now slightly held up as it remained impaled in the middle of the blade. What would it take for him to spare John's life, now? The realization of his lack of self-control could not overcome the fury of a father whose daughter was now thrice threatened by her ****.

Nor could John's pain as his body reverted to **** flesh overcome his urge to defeat Lord Brighton. To the horror of both, John shot his hand deeper onto the blade, the widening near the base cleaving further and further into his ruined hand... until he managed to flick his finger into the opening of the basket hilt from which Lord Brighton's wrist extended. Lord Brighton released the sword as the hand approached-

... and felt a tap on the knuckle just above his wedding band.

He stepped away, calling out, "Opula!" The blade was far less kind to John as it ripped away from his hand, cleaving clean through the space between his middle and ring finger as blood and meat were gouged out of his hand. More damage, and more reason to nearly pass out from ungodly pain, but John kept his eyes open, glaring at Lord Brighton as the latter's outstretched hand waited to receive the rapier-

CRACK.

Like the splitting of the Earth, Lord Brighton's right hand suddenly exploded in fissures and shattered sections of blackening meat bathed in equal parts blood and green light. The fissures traveled up his arm; too preoccupied by this ruinous power, Lord Brighton missed the blade handle continuing to rush at the ruined digits. With a wet, crunching noise, it shattered what remained of the duelist's primary hand and wrist into rotten, hardened chunks. Deep, dark streams of blood rained as the energy traveled up his arm, across his elbow, and came to rest as it rotted away most of his upper-arm. The blade, no longer properly gripped, convulsed upwards before clattering to the ground and scoring the floor with its scalding edge. A human howl of agony screeched from the former Warden-Lord's lungs as ruinous energy continued to eat at the insides of his bleeding, dismembered flesh.

CRIT! Your Ruin deals 18,282 unaspected damage to Lord William Brighton!

Lord Brighton... was nearly defeated. John stumbled towards the fallen sword, reaching for it with his left hand, his only functional hand, and sloppily grabbed its gilded grip as the elder warrior writhed in an unprecedented pain. The noble lord, the veteran soldier, the slayer of demons... cried as his body was racked with an unholy fire poured into what nerves remained of his arm. Sweat broke out on his face long before John stumbled over to him and, with **** in the younger man's eyes, leveled the luminescent blade with the Lord's twisted expression of torment. "For everything," John repeated, his voice hoarse, his own agony unreal as he was **** to remain awake through it. His thoughts had similarly drifted away; only bloodlust and **** remained.

Lord Brighton produced a charm from his pocket with his remaining hand... and it glittered with magic as he hissed through his teeth, "Heal my wounds, noble Lady-"

"Like Hell!" John's eye flashed green at the amulet. A pop-up appeared; he had no time to read it. Quickly he neutralized this apparent trump card from the scoundrel who thought himself a savior-

Sovereignty: Eye of the King suppresses Never-ending Fountain Pen!

John blinked at the pop-up as his rage finally let him consider the charm properly...

"Your... eye flashes... every few seconds," Lord Brighton managed... and his body suddenly surged upwards as he Remembered the Rose.

John's eyes went wide as he stabbed at where Lord Brighton's head was a moment ago. The musclebound Lord cocked his left fist back only enough to get momentum. His shirt tore all over his torso as he ripped the fist forward with the renewed power of his holy goddess, and what remained of Lord Brighton's cursed arm flew apart in a bloody explosion of bones and tissue as he twisted his body with a killing ****. John could only barely follow any of these movements and soon saw nothing but the fist as it grew, and grew, and-

CRIT! -594HP

... crushed John's nose, upper-jaw, and most of the front of his skull into a broken mess.

John's face popped away from the sudden explosion of kinetic ****, sending the youth falling backwards and away before cracking the back of his head on the stone floor. The blade fell harmlessly to his side, its dangerous tip creating a small niche in the bricks.

Lord Brighton stood, panting... and the last of his mana drained away, removing the protection of the Rose. With an exhausted chuckle, he looked over the boy as the pain slowly returned. "If only you... weren't such a villain... perhaps you'd have made... a fine... suitor..." Quietly, and alone, Lord Brighton smiled down at his felled enemy... and fell to his knees before collapsing face-first next to the same.