The First of its Kind [Solo]

[Chris]

Lost? Not actually. Though the place is considered as one of the most dangerous place all over the Kingdom of Fiore and simply passing by may result into a horrifying nightmare, Chris had purposely taken the dangerous path as he track down a person who happened to wander around the base of the Mt. Three Head. Its not a mission but a personal task he decided to do. He knows the dangers lying ahead as he dare enter the territory of one of the infamous dark guilds ever established - Tartaros Guild. Without any definite information or even clear plan, Chris had already made up his mind.

Carefully scouting small parts of mountain area after area, Chris continues to observe the place his suspecting to be the route the person he's tracking have taken. Its not far from the rumored location of the said dark guild's base but its on the opposite direction. His suspicion about the person he's tracking being a mage of Tartaros decreases but its better if he still put his guard up. He does not know what might happen if he stray closer to the dangers of the mountain but even with his focus on, it can't be helped but be distracted as his mind get disturb as he see brief flashes of his grim past. How bad could it get in case bad luck also strikes in? Hopefully not.

[Chris]

Alone, Chris continued trekking the rough path that he has been following for the next minutes. There's no movements. No sign of life. Though the sun had just recently risen but only fade of light passes through giving Chris a harder time to adjust on the unfamiliar land. If there are sounds, only sounds coming from the cold breeze of wind is present whistling on ears each of the dead trees. The atmosphere is gloomy and so far, there's nothing for Chris to do than wait and watch each of his every step avoiding sharp rocks and poisonous plants. There's some weak spots of earth, too, broken twigs or dead bushes which he carefully avoids to keep his presence at minimum. He's the one hunting right now and he does not want to blow his location otherwise he'd be the one hunted by the resident pack of predators around the Mt. Three Head. So far, there's no signs of the person he's waiting.

Chris found himself nearly on the edge of the cliff, still, in the base of the dangerous mountain and deep in the woods. He has found a pathway not far from where he's currently at which appears to be being used by people occasionally. He just decided to distant himself so to keep himself unnoticed by those who were roaming the place on the same time as he does not want to encounter anyone other the man he's tracking. Well, not exactly tracking since he hasn't been following him at all. Waiting. It appears to be the better term as to what Chris is currently been doing. On the same time, as seconds passes by, he started to question himself as to what purpose he's doing this.

Standing still while looking straight ahead, blank and empty, he tries to figure it out but even then, his focus is still with the surrounding. Though he can't see anything other than pure white of memory, his eyes were still looking at the edge of the cliff down to the even larger part of the mountain's base. As vast as it is, the bigger Chris' nightmares seems to be. His ears my be hearing the winds blowing and the trees humming but inside his mind, he's hearing the voice of his past. His arms started to tremble slowly as if each moment he becomes angrier and more intense. Not a second later, as he heard a sudden rustle from the woods, he turned in attention only to see a small magical dark being looking at him which appears like have been attracted to his dark past.

[Chris]

Chris' blank and absent mind immediately came back as the sound of rustling bush started and as he looked towards its direction moving almost nothing aside from his head, he saw a small creature not familiar to most. Its not that Chris was disturbed or that he was enjoying what he was seeing and feeling several moments earlier but given his high level of awareness, he purposely throw all of his attention to the creature that appeared. Chris looked at it fiercely as he try to determine the said creature's behavior or as to why it suddenly appeared and based on the first few seconds of unshaken stare that each of them were giving the other, the creature's not intimidated with Chris' appearance at all. Nor Chris though its not that intimidating or bizarre at all. Its just about a foot in height, relatively small compared to Chris'. It has scales on its almost humanoid shape body, thin and webbed hands with sharp claws which appears to be similar to its feet, several appendages on its back resembling that of a chameleon. Adding its glowing red eyes, it will definitely make a normal person startled.

Seconds pass by and none of them were moved but it turns out that the small creature is not alone. Now aware, Chris moved his sight towards the movements on several places simultaneously counting a total of seven same creatures. Like the first one, the other six did nothing other than stare at Chris but they won't be staring at each other for long. As neutral as these creatures appear, it can't be denied that they have sharp claws in which seems ti be covered with red stains and as they curiously move their head, some of them started to open their mouths revealing set of sharp teeth grinning.

[Chris]

"Chupacabras?", Chris guessed and then mutters the species of the beings that had just appeared with a slight confused reaction on his face. He may not be exactly familiar to the said race but with their appearance, they were not some kind of baby trolls or monster dwarfs or evil elves. They may appear charming at first with their slow and cute motions but based on what Chris knows, they tend to mesmerize their potential prey and then attack. Though in this case, Chris is not fascinated at all but more of dismayed as he give out a sigh. He was thinking of something, though thanks to them he was able to get back to his self away from his illusive memories but then again, he's here for something important.

The seven... no, eight chupacabras continued staring at Chris and like what he suspected, they start to show their lustful tongues and are ready to jump in. Without any other choice, Chris slowly moved his hands backwards reaching for his dagger while trying to not get more attention on what he's planning than he currently have. Slowly, the chupacabras took step and coming from about all direction, Chris has already got a grip with his weapon. It did not took long. On a third person's perspective, shrieking and squishing noises were heard representing a short and quick fight. Chris put his dagger back without any stain of blood showing that even as violent as he may appear, Chris does not simply take lives given the creature's nature.

[Chris]

So much for a distraction but Chris has already apprehended the small creatures that tried to take on Chris. Even with their numbers, they were no more than small dolls with sharp teeth and long claws. He was able to take care of the resident creatures of the lifeless forest but his business in this range of land finished. As he give out a sigh, he walks away leaving the unconscious bodies of the creatures and proceeds to look for a vantage point. The pathway is just close and fortunately none slipped away or that if the was, none actually noticed Chris' presence. Well, there might be some other else but its not the one he's waiting for.

Hours have passed and Chris end up sitting inside a large hollow tree with a good and wide vision not only from both sides of the pathway but also and open field not far all in the woods at the base of Mt. Three Head. At the moment, it was as if Chris' location or better yet, his very spot was the only spot with life. It was like it was the only one giving a light on a vast land covered in darkness. Not a minute after, the vast land covered in darkness would have set of lights staring to appear after another. That's the glowing pair of eyes of the rest of creatures lurking around the place but can't do anything but stare to where Chris is at. There was like a mutual understanding on who's on top of the food chin at the moment and for the next minutes, it even increases in numbers. Also add the attracted birds flying on the sky and the humming all over.

Chris was sitting flat on the ground, with one leg bend while the other is extended. One of his arm lying on his bended leg while the other one is playing his weapon. His eyes were far observing many things. He's breathing slowly and hoping that the person he's waiting will eventually show up.

[Chris]

Minutes have passed nearly reaching an hour in total by there was movements not far from him. As expected, he had stayed and watched a route taken by those who dared wander the dangerous place. Not by many but only those with specific purpose may it be dark or not. There was a man walking on the very path he's watching and without blinking, Chris continued to observe the person. He's trying to recognize the man whether it was the person he's waiting for.

Chris was still sitting with his eyes following the man from the distance and from what he could note, the man appears to be a simple traveler. So, a traveler that dared taking a route full of risk. He's completely dressed with a think coat and his face covered with the hood. The man is also carrying a large back pack which appears to be hindering his pace due to its weight. There's nothing for Chris to get worked up seeing that its not the man he's waiting for nor the man he intend to track. His focus on what's he's doing may still be at hundred percent so with his motivation at the moment but it might change in case the man was ended up the one he's waiting for. There's something about the person messing up with Chris probably because it has something to do with his undesired past. He was ready to let the man out of his careful and keen watch but with a extreme coincidence, things seems to be happening in accordance to what he's doing.

On a very quick moment, Chris saw something. He saw something which made him remember everything. His eyes sharpened and his body pierced. The wind blew the same time the man looked towards Chris' direction. Chris saw the man's face. Its not the same person he was waiting for but there's similar between the two: The burned mark on their faces.

[Chris]

Sure looking back on his past is definitely wound opening but this is not the first time. The first time had a stronger effect since for the past years, Chris thought that he has already moved on but he's not. He was doing a mission at that time and almost got off course by a simple glimpse of his not so good history. This time around he's prepared to face it and as he do so, he clenched his fist and gripped his weapon tight. He's not making any noise but if his emotion will just be able to make a sound, it'd be shouting in anger which might be heard all over the woods. He simply watched the man pass by on the direction parallel to him and waiting for the proper time to act. He has waited for an hour and been here in the cursed wood of the Mt. Three Head for more than 3 hours. He can wait for but Chris preferred to start tracking his pray and feed his lust for... a past's retribution.

Chris has found his prey. Not exactly the same person he's been waiting for to pass by but the same species if he'd just classify them as animals. His distance is not far over a hundred feet away and he's still careful with his movements trying to not let the one he's following realized that he's being followed. Fortunately there's no hindrance this time such as local creatures that Chris had encounter in the past days he happened to stray around the said mountain. If there is, hopefully it won't draw any attention to expose his location. Hopefully.

For minutes, he followed the man who seems to be taking a route going deep the woods and probably to the base of the mountain where it was said that a path leading up would most likely to be found. It only means that as he continue to follow the man, Chris might ended up on a pit full of hyenas. Even a single lion wouldn't make it out alive against a pack of said creatures. He might be compared to one of the big cats, the most powerful one, but he wouldn't take chances so he still took an utmost care.

[Chris]

It did not took more than a half hour of trail until the person Chris has been following suddenly stopped. He couldn't have realized that he's being followed since Chris has been wary on his every move even on how he breath though he does not hold the man's senses. It might be so sharp that he was able to or he has set up something in order to learn things like that. Either way, Chris stopped on the very same time the man did. There was no specific sound to pay attention with other than the steps they were making so just to make sure, even with such distance, Chris decided to pause. He stood still by a tree without any movements and without anything inside of his head other than waiting as to what the man will do. He makes sure that even if the man happened to gaze onto his direction, he wouldn't be seen. Add the dark and few light on the woods to his easy to blend appearance to the environment, he's safe. Chris waits as he watch the man who seems to be waiting for something or someone, too. The man's looking left and right on the junction of the road as if there will be people arriving and not long after, there were men who appeared.

Three other men has arrived and met up with the person's he was following. They were having the same dress code like the first one and that even though Chris can't see their faces because of his distance, he already believed that they were of the same group, the same group he suspects to be the one on his nightmares. It happened a long time ago but it still affect a tough man like him. To where ever the four of them will go, Chris has already made up his mind and that he's certain and ready to whatever happen next as he follow the group. His weapons are ready and so his mind.

[Chris]

Chris had them followed and tracked fine and as they reach the group's supposed destination, he decided to take another path circling around to go for another view. It won't be hard since even they had climbed the slope of the mountain, they did not go higher. There were just dead trees and extruded rock plates. Chris decided to head west ward with a light a bit dimmer and might be an advantageous for him as he close in and instead of taking almost the same mountain stair that the group he's tracking had taken, he made his own. Its easy for him to climb such stiff rocks even without safety harness. Its not a joke. He does this stuff serious. His arms were enough to pull himself and his legs were enough to push himself. He does not worry about getting ahead of the others other than making noise with accidental loose rocks. He was like a mountain lion above the mountain watching his prey right down. He kept his distance shorter considerably than earlier as they take a stiff mountain path.

From his view, Chris can see an open section of a mountain slope surrounded of nothing but rocks. It was a dead end place and no way out. Perhaps its the destination of the group he's been following. Chris was curious but he still did not try to give his location out. He patiently wait until he get close enough for a confrontation but as terrain made him miss his target with his sight, they suddenly disappeared. For a split second, he missed his target but they can't be gone that fast. If they had, he would have noticed them climbing up the mountain walls but no, they did not. It was strange. Chris rushed and upon reaching the open field, he jumps down boulder to boulder. There's no one around aside from the alive torches lighting up the path. There's no one other than himself... and a shadow approaching him.

[Chris]

Chris may have acted hastily but he did not let himself jump on the pit of enemy off guard. He's well aware that the moment he took a step in to the enemy's domain, as he look for the men that had just disappeared, everything may happen. Now, someone's behind him. Chris Stood still as the man approach from the shadow. He's ready and alert with his senses all up just waiting on what will be the man's action.

"Stranger. Are we lost?", the cold voice of the man threateningly asked Chris.

Chris payed less attention nor does intended to answer back the man questioning him as to why he trespassed a place which seems to be a sacred or private to their kind. And if he would just dive back to his past, he would well recognize that the inscriptions and symbols curved on the floor and on the walls were similar. Actually, those symbols were like the larger versions of the symbols he used to see. Symbols which belong to the person Chris had his anger to the past years of his life. This time, he's about to confront it.

"Answer! Stranger, you have forfeited your life by simply entering this place.", he adds on a more malevolent way.

Keeping his breathing normal and still acting cool, Chris calmly moved trying to show the man asking him that he was like really caught and won't be able to do anything right after that. But Chris is prepared. He turned around and slowly move his eyes observing the man. His arms were calmly by his side though showing no intention of drawing any of his weapons while the man has already been pointing his blades to Chris. He did not react at first but as he see the face of the man, it can't be helped but be swayed by his emotion. The moment his body reacts involuntarily, out of anger or hatred, the man took one step backwards as if he was frightened by Chris' aura but not long after, the man mockingly grin.

"So death!", the man announces and as he move, two more figures appear from his shadows. Two more men wielding same sword appears to apprehend Chris and as the imminent fight is about to start, Chris has already reached for his dagger from his back to fight them as quickly as possible.

[Chris]

Three is to one. That's how the first confrontation with the men Chris has been tracking turn out to be. He's waiting for this time ever since he's young and hopefully, he's already made himself capable of handling the troubles of his past. It was the reason he trained so hard every day and shaped himself as to what he is now. This moment, its all about the confrontation. But what's with all the monologue?

Chris draws two of his daggers, the black combat knife with his left and the ranger knife with his right. He's a knife specialist and a great hand to hand close quarter fighter. If its all about physicality, he'd easily able to top most of his opponents considering his buffed physique. He firmly gripped both of his weapons, bulked up the muscles on his arms and legs as he firmly took his stance. His left with the combat knife on reverse grip ready to anticipate and parry any up coming sword attacks as he hold it downwards. His right with the ranger knife on a tight hammer grip positioned in front of him ready to cleave the opponent given any chance. He was like a jaguar ready to pounce in a pack of enemies with both of his claws armed and ready. And so he did.

One of the man who had just recently appeared out of nowhere charges first with his sword ready to go for a full swing motion. He clearly is aiming for an instant kill judging from the broadness of his strike reach. It will surely cut even a trunk of a small tree, though not flawlessly, it will still but that's only for stationary target and not the likes of trained and combat expert like Chris. With the man's almost fluid motion, Chris was able to dodges it by simply lowering himself as there's no need for unnecessary parrying and on the same time, he took one large step which then allowed him to use the momentum of his very movement to thrust his right elbow to the man's torso. Even with his large build, Chris was still able to move swiftly. His strike was followed by cutting the man with the ranger knife as he extend out his right arm. It may sound it all happened fast, it did, but its still not over.

The assault was immediately followed, almost just a split second in difference and that the third of the man was on his move. This time, the man is holding his weapon with both hands and the force will surely send flying sword attacks. But that's if he's that powerful. Chris had just send an attack with his right arm and that the weight of his body is going to right. he used that moment to allow himself pivot rather faster than he'd just do normally. He turned around clockwise and around the same time the enemy's two handed strike hits nothing but the ground, Chris has already rotated with his left foot extended going to the man's face. It connected. Chris sent two of his three opponents flying backwards with just a second in between. But then again things were just starting.

[Chris]

The fight continues as it just passed through the first minute of the confrontation. Chris managed to send two of his opponents backwards rather quickly but even with just received injuries, they're still not done. Chris won't hold back. He have strict rules which he follows and that he does not usually end any of his opponent's lives if its not part of the mission objectives but this has been his personal mission ever since.

"Blargh! Argh... ah!", the man who got hit on the face angrily shouts.

Chris took a neutral stance once more right after sending the two attackers backwards. As he watch them on a small distance, he's annoyed by the noisiest one. The one he kicked right through the face. Surely, it hurts like hell since Chris legs were as hard as steel. That's just a metaphor... but still. In contrast to how loud the said man was making, the one Chris hit first and manage to cut on his mid part was in silent like him. The same case with the last of the man was was still not making his move. They might be planning something but as second pass by, the more noise that fool is making, Chris get's irritated even more and he decided to attack this time.

He lowered himself and propelled his large body forward with each of his steps. He's indeed like a jaguar. He first give his attention to the noisy one as he was going to his direction and knowing this, the other two did not simply watch. Chris saw them reacting to his move and that anticipate they'd strike their weapons down to the path Chris was about to take. He's aware of it so he quickly stopped half way through. His powerful legs allowed him to in which caused dusting of the dirt around. The next thing he did was to sidestep and approach the two men afterwards. Of the two, the first person who noticed him was the panting man whom Chris cut earlier but not long after the other man did so. Chris sidesteps with his left feet and as he stop and land with the right, he once again, used his left to kick the same man. There were still dust around and with what Chris had recently did, it adds more dust all over the place. Chris standing fine. One enemy down. One enemy stunned. One enemy missing.

From the dust, a sword has sliced through splitting the dust into two. It was the sword of the third man, the first of the men Chris faced. The same person who sentenced Chris death. He won't let him, though. Chis managed to dodge but got his vest sliced. It did nothing though.

[Chris]

With two remaining opponents, Chris has managed himself quite well. Its expected since he won't allow himself to be just a level around them as he was intending to be far stronger and superior than them on the first place. If not, all the trainings and hardships that he worked out for will be pointless. Either way, the fight continues with CHris having the upper hand even though the enemies got the number but not for long as they'll go down one after another.

Chris distanced himself from the cluster of dust and he waits for it to be cleared before he acts again. It did not take long as the enemy, himself, made the effort to clear the things which were blocking his visions and as he look towards Chris, Chris has already made his move. He was already on his way to strike the man with both of his weapons, his left hand first with the combat knife ready to stab the man if he successfully render the enemy's weapon then will be followed by a large cleave with his right hand holding the large ranger knife. That's what he's planning to do and has pictured it out happening inside his mind for several times already within just a second. That's how focus he is with his with his every move thinking of its outcome but its not perfect. As his first strike connected which then pierced the man on his left shoulder, he stopped midway with his follow up strike the moment the noisy man among his opponents appeared. It was so random that he just jumped straight towards the two fighting men. It was like he's not thinking clearly and just launched himself hoping to hit Chris by chance. It was pathetic.

Watching the three of them locked into a single fight, everything happened fast and that one would normally have hard time to tell which attack connects and which strike did not but one thing for sure, after it turned out as an immediate two versus one, it quickly became one on one as the noisy one fall down to the ground. Seconds have just passed and as quick as time pass by, so Chris' opponents. Now, one remains... so far. There's four of them earlier and the other one is missing if its just the numbers but that's not it. Out of this three men, only one is familiar, the last one remaining. The other two who were already down were not of the four men Chris was observing and they're probably somewhere else. Either way, there's no way to confirm it other than confirm it from the man himself. Chris did.

With dust clearing, the first of the battles end. Chris was standing while breathing casually though there's some trace of exhaustion only but to his eyes. Exhausted of hating the men. Both of his weapons back on their respective sheathes aside from his two remaining guns - his arms. He's holding the man by his head lifting him from the ground with his a single arm. The man's petite so its easy for him. Though the thing not easy for him is touching the face of the man with the same burned mark on his face.

[Chris]

As the initial confrontation ends, two of Chris' opponents were knocked out and were lying helpless on the ground while the last one is being held by none other than Chris, himself, with just one powerful arm. He's serious and he's not messing around and though his grip is increasing, he won't really crush the man's head even though he was laughing as hell as Chris do so. He probably thinks Chris will kill him. Chris might have but that won't really make him different from the people he's trying not to exist. There's just one thing he wants to know.

"What has happened to your group?", Chris asked the man, calmly but with traces of anger with his tone.

Bloods were starting to flow from the hand of Chris as he hold the man's face tightly. The veins on his arms were starting to get more visible but before he could hurt the man further, he let him go and so he fell to the ground. There's nowhere for him to go and nothing for him to use. They're the one remaining around and that the weapons available for him to use would be the Chris' very own weapon or he dare run and go for the other weapons several feet away. He was no choice as Chris got him cornered. He's still laughing while gushing some amount of blood. He seems to think different but he did responded back to Chris.

"Wh... who are you? why'd you care, stranger?" the man coughs out blood before he could proceed but he's not dead. He's probably loosing his consciousness. He wont die with his injuries or loss of blood enough for him to answer Chris.

"Hak... hak... I see... is it for revenge? You won't get it! Hak... hak... we're even stronger than before... vicious than before... "

"...rotten than before."

Chris was simply looking down on the man and as it finishes the delirious words coming from his mouth, Chris said something. Something about his views on the same organization that once made a dark part of his past. He showed his dismay but not long after, he'd notice that the man has already lost his consciousness. Either way its not the end of his search.

[Chris]

It may appear that the thing made him so worked up this days is over as no appearance of the other men was made for the next hours around the very same spot he was in. Chris did not left the place thinking that they might be just somewhere around and will eventually be back. He waited for a couple of hours and he's just sure on what's he's doing, that the enemies he waits for will definitely be back, he would have waited days just to know more of them. Clearly, the answers he got from the men he defeated were not enough. On top of that, even if he would ask those men, they have no lives anymore. The moment he took them out, it appeared that they took a pills or med which killed them right after and that the last thing he heard from them was the cursing words of the man. He did not have an opportunity to interrogate them more and it can somehow be blame on his actions.

Everything's wasted. But one thing for sure, those who's been devouring Chris from his fast has finally resurfaced. Thinking its about time to confront the dark of his past, he all got worked up once again. But not now. Chris decided to go back to his guild house and heed the approval of his guild master to pursue his personal mission. He can't just easily go away without official leave if he did so. Some other time for this is not the end.

Before anything else, Chris left the mountain part and decided to head back the the village where he could then travel back to Falcon City but it appears that he had wandered too far and almost near where most mages of dark affiliations were at. He was not scared or anything but his guard is already up. Of course, who wants to walk in the territory of the enemies unarmed and unguarded? Chris knows what's he's capable of but he does not want to strain himself further. Little more carefulness is just what it needs for a safe travel here in Mt. Three Head.

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