Author: If you've read this far, surely you can give me a one star review? Pretty please?
.
.
.
.
.
*********
"Did I surprise you?"
I got snuck up on again! I instinctively teleported a hundred miles away before I realized it. My magic power stirred in the surroundings.
That man is dangerous.
"Oh? Weren't you the one calling for me? And now you're all the way over there? How rude. I only came because you called so desperately."
I rubbed my ears as his voice echoed from all directions, bouncing off the tunnel walls.
I'm certain now. He can speak the language of my previous world.
"You have no idea how much trouble you have landed me in. I should thank you for the broken ribs." He spoke nonsense.
The man's heels clacked loudly against the concrete. He was approaching me, but I didn't know from where. He was hiding his presence again.
All I knew was that he was getting closer.
"Show yourself," I said as threads of mana crisscrossed the area around me. If anything crossed them, I would know.
"Why, I'm already here."
The voice came from right behind my ear.
My elbow snapped towards where his head should be.
Whoosh. I hit nothing.
"You're very quick! I didn't even see you move!"
I hit nothing, but when I looked back, his face was an inch away from mine. He didn't move yet I missed, hitting empty air.
I flinched once I saw his eyes up close.
This person... this isn't possible! How is one of them here?!
My mind was in disarray, and my magic became chaotic.
He pulled back, sensing the disturbance. "Learn to read the room, young man! I mean no harm. It's just a harmless little prank. Yeesh, the younger generations have no respect for their elders..."
As if nothing could bother him, he raised his hands, palms facing towards me. He had left himself wide open and within striking range.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"You don't know who I am? Well, I can't say I'm shocked. Not everyone has the privilege of being well-informed."
Amusement danced within the man's eyes as he began lazily twirling a key between his fingers. I really, really didn't like how relaxed he was being.
He spoke calmly.
"I am the Keymaster. Ruler of the Hub. Gatekeeper of doors both seen and unseen. The one who determines who finds their way through and who remains lost in the darkness."
"The Keymaster?"
Of course, I have heard of him. Michael briefly mentioned him during study time. He was responsible for creating all the Level Doors and the matching Level Keys.
An entity that was older than humanity's oldest colony in the Backrooms. An entity that did as he wished. An entity that should never be provoked.
Learning that the man before me was the Keymaster made me more cautious. I gripped the lightsaber tighter, and my daedric armor materialized over my body for extra protection.
"It is you..."
I was well aware of how frightening I looked while wearing my armor, and yet, my confusion deepened when his grin grew inexplicably wider.
What kind of expression is that? Joy? Anticipation?
Is it... Hunger?
"Ehem," The Keymaster cleared his throat. "Just to be clear, if I wanted to hurt you, we would be having a very different conversation."
I detected no lies in his words and no hostile intent.
However, there was no way I could trust him.
"You're a Devil!"
The man before me was completely demonized.
He wasn't even trying to hide his twisted magic power. The hatred, the sorrow, the overwhelming malice—I felt it all too clearly. The blood-red sclerae was just the cherry on top.
The first person I attracted was the most dangerous type of all.
"It's funny you call me that. A Devil..." He said the word repeatedly as if testing how it felt on his tongue. "I can't say I don't like it, but you fit such a title much better. Just look at you in your adorable armor! Besides, I prefer to call myself a Guru."
The mention of a guru made me flinch. This guy... is he doing it on purpose? Nevertheless, I remained silent.
"It seems that being a so-called Devil isn't doing me any favors. You act like I'm your mortal enemy when I am quite the contrary."
"No, you're definitely bad news. I've had the displeasure of meeting your kind before."
"You wound me with your careless remarks. But it's okay. I forgive you."
Just seeing those eyes made me nauseous. I bit my lip to suppress the memories.
How can a Devil have reached this place? I came to this world to escape, damn it!
The Keymaster's magic power churned within his body. Hanging from his side was a keyring with numerous keys attached. He detached one that was almost see-through and held it in his hand, its edges glimmering faintly with reflected light.
What is he up to?
There was a pause and a sharp inhale. The Keymaster continued manipulating his magic power until it seethed inside him like boiling magma.
Seeing the volatile magic power brought my mind back to a year ago with Schtrom. "Are you trying to self-destruct?!"
"Hah! You have a sense of humor! But no, I am neither idiotic nor suicidal. Observe."
The Keymaster stabbed himself with the key. My jaw dropped, and the magic power I would use to contain the explosion stilled.
Red liquid spurted out. I immediately realized it wasn't blood.
The color was just an illusion. What I saw come out of his body was pure, unadulterated malice given form.
He twisted the key embedded within his abdomen. The crimson malice that was leaking like miasma switched directions as it was sucked towards the transparent key.
That's impossible! How does he know that...?
Demons and Devils were the sources of their own demonic mana. It was common sense that the only way to take care of them was to kill them.
A cure was more or less non-existent.
And yet, before my eyes, The Keymaster stripped away his malice completely. The key, now pulsing red, vanished within his cloak.
"How... how do you know how to do that?" My voice came out strained. My high affinity with magic power wouldn't dare lie to me.
Standing before me was not a Devil. Not anymore.
"A magician never reveals his secrets... and I have lots, I tell you!"
"!"
I grimaced as information entered my head. Too bad for him, the following injection of knowledge revealed everything there was to know about his keys.
An advanced application of magic? No, I can't call it just magic anymore. Amazing...
I relaxed slightly but stayed on my toes. There were still many unknowns about this man.
The Keymaster took my action as a sign that my doubt had lifted. His eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
"Good. You've got some sense in you after all." He clasped his hands together, tapping his fingers against one another in a slow, deliberate rhythm. "Now, don't misunderstand. I am extremely pleased to find you. And, because I'm in such a positive mood, I'll even make you a promise."
He raised one finger.
"I won't harm you. That is simply not what I do."
I detected no sign of deception. He speaks the truth.
The Keymaster continued after a brief pause.
"Although... I do want you to meet someone. An acquaintance, more or less."
"You mentioned that you've been looking for me. It seems you're not the only one." Skeptical, I replied, "And if I refuse, you clearly suspicious-as-hell-individual?"
"Don't reject me so quickly!" He cackled. The Keymaster was having fun. At least, it seemed that way to me. "Not to worry, you will be convinced."
The Keymaster's words sounded threatening, but my haki hadn't detected a rise in his combativeness.
Fuck. I'm getting curious, and curiosity killed the cat or something like that!
As much as my brain whispered stranger danger, I also wanted to give him a chance.
This is what I've been looking for.
With risks come rewards! Life is full of gambles. Besides, I'm confident enough to handle the consequences.
This is exactly what I wanted anyway.
"There's no need for convincing. I'll hear you out." I said. At the end of the day, this could be a worthwhile distraction.
"No, no, no! That will not do. I have decided to persuade you to come along willingly." The Keymaster gave me a sly look. "You must be curious why I've been searching for you."
I can't deny that. "Do enlighten me. What does a Devil want to do with me?"
Given the circumstances, it's natural for me to be curious.
He paused, letting the mystery linger.
"Tell me already," I said impatiently.
"Alright, alright. To be honest, I don't know the reason. Your existence is captivating enough that my introverted colleague came out of their domain to ask for my help, that much I know."
My eye twitched. "So it wasn't even your idea to look for me. You got my hopes up for nothing." This guy must like messing with people.
"Consider it a blessing that I know exactly where to find the right answers."
"You talking about your colleague?"
"Yes. A lovely fellow, that one."
"Lead the way then."
"But first, I need to win you over."
Okay, he is messing with me.
Once he finished talking, the Keymaster snapped his fingers. All the Level Doors in the Hub I opened, closed shut.
"Shall we?"
"Before anything else, does the name Schtrom mean anything to you?"
I observed for the sign of the slightest twitch. If there was a small chance that he was connected to the Keymaster...
"Who is she? Did she come here with you?"
"No... never mind. Besides, Schtrom is a guy's name."
Perhaps it was for the best that my past wasn't catching up to me.
The Keymaster created a doorway with another one of his keys. "We need to travel very far, so we'll use this Simple Door I developed a long time ago to travel a million steps in one," he proudly explained.
The Keymaster had created a Gate, much like Shin.
"A long time, you say? How long?" I said, a bit impressed.
"You look quite young, so it would be before you were born."
This guy beat Shin to it. Still my brother is a genius for making it from scratch at such a young age.
"Now then, let us not dally any further!"
He went through the gate. I dedicated a moment to feel for danger, of which I felt none. I stepped through as well.
The gate he created wasn't connected to another Level like a Level Door. It simply led to a different area of the Hub. It was far away enough that my magic power hadn't reached this place.
"This is what, exactly?"
I looked at him, then the multitude of people around us.
The tunnels that made up the Hub had been dug into to create rooms. What should have been cylindrical has been carved to resemble features of the modern world.
A gym, living quarters, and is that fucking Starbucks? They sell flavored almond water and made it taste like coffee? How does that even work?
It was the closest thing I could call to civilization.
From what I could see around me, hundreds of wanderers were going about their day. My haki detected thousands more.
Trading, chatting, reading a wanted poster as they sipped on their pumpkin-spiced almond water... these people were living.
The gate dropped us right in the middle of the road. Eventually, hundreds of gazes fell upon us. The usual shuffle of movement and the murmur of conversations came to an abrupt halt.
"The Keymaster is here!"
One shout was all it took. Numerous legs shuffled backwards. They kept their distance from us, their faces full of fear, apprehension, and even respect. Those feelings were mainly directed towards the Keymaster. Some had even begun to squeeze past the gathering crowd to flee.
"I don't get it." His persuasion skills needed some work if this was how he was planning to convince me.
"That's because you don't know who these people are yet."
The Keymaster smirked.
"Your camp had some rude 'visitors,' didn't it? Everyone you see here, each of these humans... they are your enemies. They are part of the group that was attacking your camp." He emphasized his following words. "They are from the Major Explorer Group, also known as M.E.G."
M.E.G.
It was briefly mentioned by the principal. I think he called the gunmen part of M.E.G.
Look at that, I'm learning things already. I figured those gunmen came from another group, but I hadn't expected it to be so massive. The fact that they were based in the Hub as well meant we were practically neighbors.
Unlike the mere hundred, mostly new wanderers in the UBSS, the thousands here were full fledged survivors of this world.
The Keymaster said calmly, "You understand now, yes? They are numerous, knowledgeable, and superior in every aspect. Your camp wouldn't have stood a chance without your help." He paused for a moment, then continued, "With the introductions out of the way, I'll leave you to it. Kill them."
I turned my head sharply. I might have misheard. "What did you just say?"
"I said," he spoke slower, "take the initiative and kill them all. Only you can do it. What else could give greater satisfaction than destroying your enemies?"
The Keymaster spoke truthfully. He was serious about killing everyone here.
"Are you crazy?! What kind of logic is that?!" His words struck a chord in me. I grabbed him roughly by the collar of his coat. "What do you take me for?!"
Gasps rippled from the spectating crowd. All the wanderers flinched yet were stuck in place, unable to look away.
"Hmm, many things. Sensible, for one. Capable too. Why wouldn't you wipe them out? They wouldn't have spared the people of UBSS," replied the Keymaster, before brushing off my hand. At least, he tried to.
My grip only tightened. "You're fucking crazy. These people are innocent."
"Calm down, boy. Certainties are rarities in the real world. Can you say with absolute confidence that none of them agreed to proceed with the attack on your camp?"
I frowned, but not because what he said had some sense.
Just what is he trying to do do here? He has a point, but I'm not lacking brain cells. Only a complete fucking idiot wouldn't see that he's egging me on.
"There's nothing to consider here."
I stood my ground.
"Are you certain that's the right choice to make?"
The Keymaster became silent. Scrutinizing. His eyes were a pale grey now that he wasn't demonized. If I had to describe it...
The calm before the storm.
I tensed up.
After a silence that lasted too long for my liking, the Keymaster bursted out laughing.
"Hehehe! I'm just messing with you!"
"..."
I stared at him, not knowing what to think. This wasn't what I expected.
It was strange.
He wasn't lying about kidding around now. But, he also meant it in his heart when he told me to kill them.
"You really are crazy." That could be the only explanation. I said what came to mind, then I let go of him.
The Keymaster straightened his clothing in mock offense. "No manners whatsoever. Tsk, tsk. I just washed these and you blemished it with your hands..."
After smoothening out the creases, he continued.
"Nevertheless, I forgive you, my young friend."
"Not your friend."
"My young, fellow living being," he said without missing a beat, "Let us get to the real reason why I brought you here. What I have in mind will be beneficial for you and your camp, so whatever I do, just follow along."
"That's so damn sus..."
Right on cue, a group of wanderers cut through the crowd and stood before us. People wearing formal attires were escorted by numerous gunmen with their weapons holstered.
"Remember to agree with whatever I say." The Keymaster directed sneaky winks my way. I got it already! Just hurry up and get this over with!
A middle-aged man built like a wrestler stepped forward. He studied me from head to toe, before turning to the Keymaster. Courteously, he bowed, and the rest followed suit.
"Benevolent Keymaster, it seems you have found the Black Devil! That is fantastic news!"
Surprisingly, they know about me.
Wait, who the fuck are you calling a "Black Devil?"
Yes, I've seen myself in the mirror, and yes I'm all black and daedric as fuck, but out of all the fucking names they could have picked out there...!
"Yes, it is indeed great news! Prepare your best alcohol for I have found my successor!"
My outrage didn't last long.
""What?!""
The nearby wanderers and I exclaimed in unison.
"Your s-successor?! The Black Devil is your successor?!"
"You heard me right. Spread the good word!"
The Keymaster had a shit-eating grin on his face.
0_o
You can't just—
What the—
Hold on just a fucking minute!