7 - Ray
I really hated Greyson, all I ever did was blow up his house and his prized pet goldfish with it, that's all. Plus, that was a while ago, it doesn't give them a right to barge into my home and use me as bait to get everyone killed. I was just sitting on my bed, about to go down for dinner, when all of a sudden, the window burst, glass shards flew everywhere and Greyson and two other Wisps—Chester and William—jumped into the room, guns blazing.
I immediately jumped into action, my revolvers quickly flipping into my hands as I stood up from the bed.
"It's been awhile, hasn't it." I rasped.
"The offer for you to return and become a Wisp again is still on the table Ray."
"I told you Grey, I gave up on you filth years ago. I'd rather die than become a Wisp again."
"So be it."
Three more Wisps jumped through the window, these ones I didn't recognize.
"We've got you surrounded Ray. If you struggle your friends down there are all going to be toast."
"Bah." I laughed, "Friends. What a thought. You're alone in this world. As soon as you think you can trust someone, bam, they've turned on you."
"If you believe that, then how come you live with them? They could kill in your sleep without notice!"
"Simple," I responded, "I'm the ones that pay them. As long as they keep getting a flow of cash, there's no reason for them to turn on me."
"You're corrupt Ray"
"Heh" I laughed at the thought, "Wrong again. Corruption bows to me, I am it's master." I lunged
I punched my way towards Grey, making sure to be as quiet as possible so the others wouldn't hear me. Wouldn't want to get them sucked into all of this drama. But, after a few bruises and bashes I had only managed to take out two of Grey's cronies.
"It's useless." Greyson mocked, "By now the entire building is surrounded with Wisps."
I wiped the blood from my cheek, "I won't ever stop fighting, you can tear me down, kill my so called friends, and take my money, but I won't stop fighting, because that's who I am. I'm a marauder."
"Very well. It looks like you have chosen the wrong choice. Death."
The air sparked as an arch of purple lightning launched towards me. To evade the blast, I sidestepped and shoved one of his cronies into it, making a satisfying sizzle noise. I flipped the knife out I kept from underneath my sleeve, and caught it in my palm.
"Don't think I'm not familiar with your magic, Greyson." I panted.
"Well, are you familiar with… this?"
The air crackled as Greyson as the ring around his finger began to shimmer, releasing some sort of grey mist.
"Greyson—"
I keeled over in pain, the image of my mother and father were all of a sudden burned into my brain. Before just the thought of their smiling faces was enough to kill me, but now it was actually painful. Almost like someone was pressing a hot iron to my forehead.
"I call it, Searing Memory." Greyson added, "It takes your most painful memory and turns it into real, physical pain. If you do pass out from the spell, then you'll be forced to relive that memory. I had the spell crafted especially for you old friend."
I couldn't stand it, the pain was so overwhelming that I could feel my body starting to shut down.
"You… Little..." I groaned, the words wouldn't come out, I was helpless.
Grey walked up to my limp body and picked up my knife, giving me a slash across the eye.
"Take em' away boys."
As Grey's henchmen picked me up with their meaty fists, I could feel myself start to slip away, like I was losing circulation all throughout my body. As they hauled me out the window, darkness had fully smothered me and I slipped into nightmares.
I was back in my old home, gasping for breath. It was the same as it always had been, the old mahogany floor was perfectly accented by the mint green walls. The living room still had mother's old pink rocking chair, and the counter with father's pipe still sat next to the fireplace. I walked up the wooden stairs to the top floor, where my room used to be.
I stepped into the room with a big "R" on the door and was immediately hit with a wave of nausea, it was just as I remembered. The room was quite cramped, with only a bed, dresser, and closet crammed into the tiny space. But despite how tiny the room was, I still loved that room. I remember lying on my bed, reading books from the local library until I'd pass out. Then the next morning, mother would come to wake me up and we'd all have her famous strawberry pancakes in the kitchen downstairs
Then after we'd all eaten, father would go to his job and mother would take me out to the marketplace to go shopping. I had always loved the marketplace, the different sights and smells always seemed to amaze me every time we went out to shop. I always looked forward to these outings because sometimes she would let me buy something.
"Here you are Ray," She would say, "Only buy one thing. And give me the change when you're done."
I'd then go running down the streets of the marketplace, giggling with joy as I'd scope out the best thing to buy. One day, my mother had told me the usual, and I went in search of the perfect item to buy. As I scanned the marketplace, I noticed one single stand. It was very different looking compared to your other stands, instead of being made of bricks and wood, it was made of the ugliest wood I'd ever seen. It was rotting and bugs crawled through the holes in the mushy wood, a lone old man stood at the stand, a single red scarf for sale.
"Hello young one!" He said as I approached him.
"Hello!" I asked innocently, "How much is that pretty scarf?"
The old man gave me an inquisitive look, "You see young man, I never thought that anyone would want to come to my lowley stand so I never actually put a price on the old thing. But, I'll tell you what. How about… fifteen silver?"
I checked the money that mother had given me, exactly fifteen pieces of silver. As I handed him the money, he said to me:
"Be careful with that scarf now sonny. Wouldn't want anybody getting hurt."
This had always puzzled me, I had just assumed that he was warning me that it was a choking hazard, later I would soon find out what he truly had ment. The next day I ran back to the marketplace with my mother, to see if the man was still there, but he was gone. Even the old, creaky stand was gone. Not a single rotting splinter in sight.
A month passed and my father had come home from work. Father would always spend time in the casinos after work to calm down and so he wanted to take me to the casino with me as a little father to son talk. We spent the rest of the day playing around with slots and playing poker and craps together, pretending to gamble with lint and bottle caps we had brought from home.
Then, just before we were about to pack up and head home, a teenager, no older than seventeen approached my father. He was wearing a full black three piece suit and had a yellow scarf slung across his neck, gracefully tucked into his suit. His silver hair was messy but still neat at the same time, and his eyes were so pale they seemed almost alien.
"Excuse me sir?" He had said.
"Yes?"
"My name's Greyson Larse, would you consider playing a game of poker with me? I've heard you've made quite a name for yourself around these parts."
"Well, as long as it's alright with my son Ray here."
Grey kneeled down so he was on my level, "Is it alright if I play one little game with your father?" He cooed.
I nodded, clutching my scarf, "Ok."
He led my father to a playing table and they both sat down, my father placing me on a stool that was next to the table.
"Best of five?" The dealer offered.
They agreed and they began to play. My father was on quite a streak, absolutely wiping the floor with Grey, and winning some good cash in the meanwhile. And finally, it had come to the last game, father had one all 4 games so far.
"So, how much you willing to bet?" My father asked.
Grey reached under the table and pulled out a massive bag filled with platinum coins.
"All in." He laughed.
My father gawked at the sheer amount of money on the table. That was enough to buy an entire house, maybe two.
"Well, what'll it be?" Grey mocked.
Getting too cocky, my father answered the question, "Here's the deal boy. You win, I give you all my winnings plus…" He slammed down a massive bag from his table, "My life savings. All the money I've ever earned from this casino, it'll all be yours."
"Father." I thought, "You can't bet that! Our family will be ruined!"
I tried to stop him but it was too late, the cards had already been dealt, my fate was sealed. As Grey looked over his hand, he gave me a glance, a glance so wicked it made my stomach swirl and my head spin. I hated that smile, I hated everything about Grey.
Finally, after a long three turns, it was time to reveal their hands. My heart was pumping as my father showed his hand, a straight flush. I breathed a sigh of relief, there was no way Gray was going to top that.
"You shouldn't have gotten cocky old man." Greyson laughed and flipped over his cards to reveal his hand.
"A royal flush!" The dealer yelled, "The pot goes to Greyson!"
The colour drained from my father's face as he realized what he had done.
"You old fool!" Grey mocked, spit flying from his mouth, "You honestly think I would have risked everything I owned after I had lost all four games and not have been bluffing? It just shows how idiotic you worthless creat really are!"
As he stood there, mocking my father. There was only one thing that I remember, burning hatred. It was the first time I had experienced true hatred. Everything hurt, like someone had pushed me down and stomped on me multiple times. In that moment, there was only one thing I wanted to do, rip and tear and see Grey kneeling before me, his sneer turning into a frown as he pleaded for mercy beneath my feet.
"You creat will never amount to anything!"
It was getting really hot now, my rage becoming uncontrollable. As I stood there watching my father being mocked and shamed, my scarf began to glow and shift in the dimly lit casino light.
Rage, pain, agony, those words all make sense to me now.
I screamed and the scarf let off a flash of light, and rage overcame me, encasing me like a cacoon causing an explosion so massive the entire town must have seen it. As I stood there, rage taking over my body, I watched as everything around me caught fire and crumbled, the ashes of everyone who was in the casino burning away, never to be seen again. Finally, I had calmed down, my hatred turned into sadness as I went to sit down on the stool that used to be behind me. I hit the ground and realized what I had done, everything was gone, the charred bones of my father laid next to me. I could still hear his soft voice and warm touch.
The only thing that remained was Grey, he still stood there, looking down on me, his suit still in perfect condition. How he managed to survive, I'll still never know.
"Hey kid," He said smoothly, "Wanna join my crew?"
I sat up groggily unsure of what was going on. It appeared that I was in some sort of basement full of wooden tables and chairs. I peeked behind the table that I'd been propped up against, I still could barely move my legs but at least I could move my arms.
It looked like the others had come for me, which was a relief. Corra was walking menacingly towards that one chic with the massive shotgun. I chuckled, I knew exactly what she was doing. The bullets shot at Corra and instantly corroded on impact, like they had no affect on her at all.
"What the?" The girl stumbled backwards, confused and obviously unaware of Corra's morte.
"Don't you know?" Corra was right in front of the girl now, giving her the classic Corra style staredown, "I'm a marauder." She unsheathed her knives and stabbed the girl in the chest, making her reel back in pain and retreat down the room. As she ran into the darkness, I heard a scream then a bang as Rico and Alice stepped into the light, an unconscious shotgun lady at their feet.
"Special delivery!" Rico yelled, cocking his rifle, "Who here ordered pain with a side of misery?"
After Rico spoke those few words, all hell broke loose and the battle started. Rico fell back and started to blast Wisps from afar while Corra and Alice went into the frontlines. Corra with her knives and Alice with… magic? It looked like she was using magic but I didn't recognise any of the spells she was using and couldn't see any sort of waypoint she was castin from. Cornelius never told me she had a morte and could cast magic. This day keeps getting better and better.
I watched as Corra and Alice tore through the thugs fighting as one, their attacks in perfect unison. Corra with her knives slashing through the foes, while Alice used her morte, sending blasts of what looked like wind at her enemies. Finally, after much bloodshed, they had finally taken out the last of the Wisps. All that remained was Grey, standing in shock at all of the fallen henchmen that lay at his feet, moaning in agony.
Grey laughed nervously, "What now marauders, you gonna kill me too?"
I forced myself to stand, my knees buckling under my weight as I hauled myself upright, using the table to balance myself.
I cocked my revolver and pointed it at Grey's head, "It's over Grey, there's nothing you can do to escape this time. You're cornered."
Grey chuckled, "Oh Ray, I wouldn't get cocky if I were you."
The temperature dropped as Grey's body let off a flash of blinding light, filling the room and completely muffling my senses. Then in a flash he was behind Corra, my own knife that he had taken earlier at her throat.
"I know you care about this girl Ray!" He mocked, the flat of the knife pressing down harder on her throat, "Don't anyone move or I'll dye these floorboards red with her blood."
Rico, obviously pissed off, quickly cocked the pistol he kept on his belt, "I'm sorry big guy, but is that supposed to intimidate me?"
Grey laughed, his anger turning into pure bliss, "No, but this is."
I heard the sound of a gun being cocked and turned to see the ursa girl, with a shotgun to Rico's head. She had a massive gash on her side and it looked as if she was using some kind of magic to keep herself conscious, a sort of ghoulish glow shimmering in her eyes.
Rico backed down, "Alright you got me." He said, winking playfully at Olivia.
I scanned the room, maybe Alice could use one of her spells to get us all out of here, then we could regroup and come back. I looked at Alice but unfortunately, she didn't see me. She was too busy whispering something to herself. I watched as her hair started to glow a little bit and she disappeared, thankfully Grey nor Olivia failing to notice.
I looked at Corra, mouthing the words, "Stall." I needed her to buy us some time so Alice had the chance to work her magic, no pun intended.
"Ray," Grey's silver eyes pierced straight through me, "I'm only asking for one thing, give it to me and Corra will be returned safely to you. and guys can be on your way."
"You know I can't do that Grey," I snapped, "And even if I agreed, the beast has chosen me, it will refuse to be taken by anyone but me. You know that."
"Well," He said, his lips turning from a frown to a wretched sneer, "I guess I'll have to pry it off of you cold, dead body."
"Once again," I laughed, "That won't be happening."
"Well then," He laughed back, "I guess you won't if I do this then."
I watched as he moved the knife from Corra's throat and before I could react, stab her in the chest, Corra crumpling from the pain.
"Uh, uh, uh!" he scoffed, "See where I stabbed her? It's right next to the carotid artery, one more step and a single slash will kill her, your precious assassin will be on the floor and you'll have to cope with her death. Living each day knowing that you were the cause of her downfall."
I stopped, he was right. There's no way I would be able to live with myself if she was killed, but under these circumstances, I had to do something. I just had to stall and hope Corra could hang in there while Alice did whatever she was doing. I was about to give up, when there was a flash of light and Julian appeared behind Grey, throwing him off his balance.
"Hey there," He said, in his ear, "This is for scratching my sword, punk."
Julian rammed his sword into Grey's back at an angle so perfect that it didn't strike Corra, giving her time to get out of Grey's hold. Blood spilled out of Grey's side as he fumbled, trying to keep his balance.
Corra was barely conscious, I could tell she was trying not to pass out as she lay on the floor, steadying her breathing.
"Heh, you fools think that's enough to kill me?" He teased, his hand glowing as blood spilled from his mouth. I watched as an arch of purple lightning shot off of his hand and time seemed to slow. As I watched the lightning streak towards Corra's helpless body, it finally settled on me. There's just some things in life you can't change. I was doomed to be lonely from the beginning. I was living a fate worse than death, destined to watch everyone I knew drop dead in front of me.
No… I won't let that happen.
I watched as the lightning hit Corra in the chest, blasting her back against the stone wall with a thud. Blood was splattered against the rock that she was lying against, her eyes rolling back in her head as her body, once moving swiftly and fluidly was motionless. Rico immediately reacted and shot at Grey, cursing as the bullet hit Grey in the chest, making him crumple.
I pushed myself to walk as I struggled over to Corra's unconscious body. My legs felt like they were on fire as I trudged over to her, my knees creaking as I limped. As I approached her, I was hit with a sense of nausea as I saw her listless body, lying on the cold stone floor in a puddle of blood and dirt. Her jacket had been completely burnt, only charred bits of fabric lay around her waist, the scarlet colour turning even redder from the blood that had soaked into the fibers that remained. Parts of her hair had been singed and her white undershirt was now blood red, not a single drop of white lingered.
I checked her pulse and let loose a sigh, she was alive but was barely holding on. If we didn't get out of here soon my greatest fear would soon become reality. I needed to get her to safety so we could finish off Grey, but where? I tried to look for any safe spots in the room that wouldn't be in the line of fire, and that's when I saw it, the rope that Corra had used as a pulley. It was lying on the ground, half of it had been singed off but it looked like it could still have some sort of use. I grabbed the rope off the ground and used it to harness Corra's body to my back. Her blood soaked into my fur as I climbed the wall, trying to reach the rafters.
I'd experienced plenty of pain throughout all of my experiences, but nothing I had ever done amounted to the suffering I felt as I climbed the wall. Every mere lift of the leg was pure agony as I felt the muscles in my thighs being ripped apart and being put back together again. The stone dug into my bare, ungloved hands as I climbed higher and higher, causing even more blood to spill across the jagged stone wall. Each movement felt like a risk, like at any second my body would give into the sweet release of death and I would fall down onto the floor, not only crushing Corra, but all of the dreams and ambitions she believed in with her.
I took a massive breath with every action, trying to hold on. I knew I couldn't recover from one misstep. One tiny mistake would be all it would take for me to fall thirty feet onto the blood soaked ground, adding even more blood to the mass. I was so close now, just ten more feet Ray, you got this. Every act was pure agony, my legs flared as invisible knives stabbed my calves and thighs, dragging me downwards.
Just five more feet.
I felt like I might pass out as needles dipped in alcohol were jammed through the skin underneath my fur.
Come on Ray, push yourself, just one more step.
My blood soaked hand touched one of the wood beams that supported the building, and a rush of ease floated over my body like a sea of happiness washing away all pain. I somehow managed to hoist myself on top of one of the beams and untie Corra, carefully placing her on my lap. She looked even worse now, the colour had completely drained from her face, causing her to look even more ghastly.
I could hear clashing from underneath me, I needed to hurry, wouldn't want to have to haul anyone else up here. But I was getting ahead on myself, I needed to rest my body and check on Corra.
I checked her wrist, no pulse.
I put my ear to her chest, no pulse.
I put two fingers on the side of her neck, no pulse.
I felt a single tear start to form at the corner of my eye, but I brushed it away. Now was no time to mourn, now was a time to be who I was meant to be.
I was Ray Meji, and I was going to make Greyson pay.
My scarf started to glow and I felt rage overtake my body as I drifted into nightmares.