"I can't believe you! Taro put so much stock on you being calm and collected and then you do that! Do you know how hard it was just to invite you? She hated letting you go somewhere that she couldn't guard, but she did it for you! And this is how you repay her? She was tired enough and now she's gone!"
"It's not my fault! And why would it be hard? Why did she leave me if she wanted to protect me?"
"She loves you! She knew that she couldn't allow herself to guard you 24/7, so she wanted you to start a group that could!" Masa paused and looked down, blushing. "Don't tell Taro I said that. She'd kill me. It's supposed to be a secret."
"If she loved me, she wouldn't have left me behind! I don't need protecting!" A jar of quills went flying and hit the wall beside Benji's head. Benji's eyes went wide.
"You don't realize how much protecting and guarding she does. The system updates haven't been from Land of Shadows' creators! She has spent hours creating tools to protect everyone, and she still spent 18 hour days out in the field! She left you to people who could spend those hours protecting you! Why do you think she sent Kohl with you? She saw a protective second in command who would do anything for you and would ensure you didn't end up like her!" The room went silent as both men panted, eyes angry.
A beeping sound interrupted their stare-down and a notice popped up in front of Masa. He quickly read through between opening his player menu and equipping his mace. Benji's anger turned into confusion.
"What are you doing?"
"Levi left the building, which means that Karla and Joey will follow. They're looking for my sister, and I'm going to follow and help out because she has most likely done something stupid," Masa said, checking the clasps of his armor, not that he needed to thanks to the system. He pulled up the player menu again, but paused and looked back at Benji. "Are you coming?"
-..-..-
Levi and the twins stood shocked, staring at the bloodied and bruised Taro as she stood in front of a group of seven player killers. They couldn't even make a sound, and if they were honest with themselves, they were safer that way. Titan's Fist was known for their swift and violent ways of killing, and it was clear that they were prepared to show off those skills. Taro didn't seem to know they were there, and it was most likely better that way, as well. She seemed to be struggling without the distraction.
Karla was the first to snap out of it, her breathing coming in short pants. She stumbled back a bit, not taking her eyes from the stream of blood steadily dripping from Taro's wounds. She opened her mouth a bit wider to scream, only to have a hand placed over her mouth and her back pressed against someone's chest. She squeaked and looked up.
"Stay quiet, Karla. She doesn't need to know about us," Masa whispered harshly as he nodded his head to the two boys. Karla noticed Benji beside her guildmaster and gasped lightly behind Masa's hand. "Don't do anything stupid, Benji!"
"Woah! Look at that spirit. Why don't you just give up? We might keep you around for a little while." Taro gripped her daggers even harder than before, the cuts on her hands pouring out blood. It hit the ground before dissipating.
"I just haven't started fighting yet," Taro spat, her breathing heavy. She squinted as some blood ran into her eye. The group of player killers laughed and the leader took a step forward. The warning Masa had issued to Benji went out the window as Benji stepped forward, drawing his sword.
"Taro!" Taro's eyes whipped to look at Benji, wide and horrified. The grip she had had on her daggers loosened and she opened her mouth as if to say something. Nothing came out, but Taro wasn't the only one who heard Benji call out, and suddenly all seven of the other guild's members were rushing toward the group, Taro long forgotten. It was Benji's turn to look scared. He had fought on the front lines, but Titan's Fist was off limits for the Sun Guild, their levels too low to handle the onslaught of murderous players.
"Taro!" This time it was Masa who called out, gathering Joey and Karla to his chest and turning away to protect them. Levi stood completely still, just a few paces away. Taro didn't spare any time, not wasting the time to have the system assist activate. She sprinted forward, launching herself over the offending players and in front of her allies, dropping her daggers as two swords materialized in their place. She stood in a defensive stance in front of the party of five. The group slowed their sprint, unsure of what they had missed between conversation they had been having with the woman moments before, with daggers held firm, to the oncoming fight with that same woman several paces away with long swords.
"Wait... Taro?" The leader stopped, slowing his run until he stood a few feet away. "As in Taro, the founder of the Shade?"
"Oh, are you afraid of her," Levi hissed snidely. The other player killers had stopped behind their leader, but they were not above raising their weapons again. "Sorry. Sorry."
"We simply have heard of this 'Taro' and his strength, but it turns out that he's a she. Never would have seen that coming," the leader said, a smirk growing on his face.
"Is that a problem?" Taro's gaze was like fire, searing and intense. The leader's smirk grew wider as he shook his head.
"No, no. Of course not, you just had me thinking. A moment ago, we had you bleeding and panting, so close to death, and yet you are somehow this great player and leader. I heard you were one of the causes for the haven guilds. What a let down," the man snorted. "Oh, how wrong I was. Of course our guild would be stronger than some goody-two-shoes who's never killed before."
"But, I have," Taro said, not breaking her stance. "I just don't go looking to do it, and I never do it for selfish reasons like you do. Now, are we going to fight or are you going to do what's right and walk away?"
"Taro," Benji whispered, but Masa shook his head.
"Let her do this," Masa said, glancing over his shoulder, still shielding the two twins. Karla was sobbing into her guildmaster's chest, and Joey was trying to peer over his shoulder, but failing in the process. "She's got the upper hand now."
"But, she's bleeding."
"That's just the system. She may look half dead, but with us here, she'll win for sure." There was no pause between the end of Masa's statement and the move of the leader of the enemy. The leader flung himself forward, the others following suit.
The battle was over nearly as quickly as it started. Before they got even close to the group, Taro had jumped forward, left hand sword piercing the leader's side as she flipped herself over his shoulder, tearing her blade free. It took half of a motion to land a slash along the stomachs of the others with her right and paralysis set in due to the shock of the situation. Taro landed gracefully on her right foot behind them all, spinning on the ball of her foot. Her face was blank as she watched the players drop.
"Y-you-"
"There have been many names for me, so what you're about to say isn't as creative or hurtful as you think it will be," Taro said, walking toward the leader who spluttered and gasped for breath. Masa was busy tugging Levi and the twins away, Benji staring at the scene before him in awesome terror. Taro knelt down beside the leader. "The wound isn't fatal, so don't worry. I don't kill without a reason, and there is no reason to now. You will be taken back to Shade Tower where you will either be held or join. Either way, system limitations will be placed on your player to ensure you don't kill again."
"What are you," one of the others asked, holding their stomachs as 'blood' seeped onto the ground. Taro looked at him blankly, but reality was clearly hitting her as her eyes looked less cold and more uncertain than they had before. She looked away.
"Masa, can you call for a team to pick these men up?" Masa nodded, opening his player menu and whispering for the twins and Levi to do the same. They quickly transported away, leaving a shocked Benji, seven groaning player killers, and Taro alone next to the Titan's Fist guild hall. Taro didn't look at Benji. "This is why I sent you away, Benjamin. I have this thing that makes me want to protect you, and in the end, it'll get us all killed."
"What just happened, Taro," Benji asked, stunned. Taro still didn't look at him.
"I already answered that," she said softly just as Masa warped back into the alleyway they were in. Taro stood up, turning away from Benji. "Masa, take him back to his room. I'm going home, so don't bother me. I'll be back in the morning to start the meeting. I'll see you at 10."
"Okay," Masa said. Benji rushed forward toward Taro, but it was too late. She had disappeared from her spot, leaving nothing behind to signify her ever being there in that place. Masa huffed, looking around at the scene of guild soldiers gathering the enemies who struggled but were careful not to lose anymore HP. "Benji, go back to the tower. Levi will bring you to the rest of your guild's quarters."
"But... Where does Taro stay in Shade Tower? I have to talk to her," Benji said.
"She hasn't lived in Shade Tower for a long time now," Masa says, walking toward the rest of the group as soldiers finished subduing the murder guild members. "She hasn't since you left, Benji. I hope you realize she did a lot for and because of you. Now, go back, Guildmaster Benjamin."
-..-..-
Taro sat on the edge of her bed, her player stats displayed before her. She sighed tiredly, dragging a hand over her face.
"Not strong enough," she murmured. "If I don't get better soon, I'll let everyone down. Then we'll all be dead." She closed the menu and fell back onto her bed, staring at the wooden ceiling of her room. She winced and rubbed a hand over her chest as a sharp pain lanced through her. "Damn it all!"
A knock sounded at the door, but Taro made no move to answer it. The pain wasn't passing like it had before. The knock sounded at the door again, this time heavier than before. Taro groaned, but made no move to answer it yet again.
"Taro," someone shouted from the door. Taro still didn't move to get up, but she pulled her menu and disarmed the lock on her apartment. The door swung open and Soren rushed in. His eyes were hard as he sat on the bed beside her, leaning over to pat her cheek as she paled. "How is it? I got a notice that you headed home without stopping back. Are you stupid?"
"Probably," she responded, pressing her chest a bit harder as she paled a bit more.
"But that's what's kept you alive, I guess."
"Not feeling so alive right now, Soren," she hissed. The damned pain was consuming all of her thoughts and she felt faint. The room was feeling colder and colder and her head was pounding. "If this is it, Soren, I want you to-"
"You're fine! None of that," Soren said, cutting Taro off. "Now, on a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being the worst pain ever and once being a pin prick, how bad is it right now," Soren asked, opening his menu and summoning a bucket of water and some towels. Taro groaned.
"An 11," Taro said before stilling. "You haven't told anyone have you?"
"No, but I think you should."
"I will eventually, but I have work that needs to be done here first," Taro said before her world went black.
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