#balzo

As suited for this as I am, even I'm stuck in confusion at the moment. Sureshot held me by my cowl refusing to let me budge, even as I wiggle to escape. Their grip was strong. After God's attack and torture chambers open, they still hold me. Tapping again the words they had written.

-where is justice -yellow cloak simple halo -follows like a puppy

My reading wasn't the best. But the message had become clear. I tap the word justice with my foot and shrug. Sureshot seems unhappy with that answer. The blue clad soul shook me but the movement was enough for me to wiggle free. Immediately dodging away and getting by some cover. A glare hard at them and angrily shrug again.

They draw their weapon. The arrow is aimed at me.

I grip my daggers tight. Bracing for what may follow. That moment didn't come as another archer approached and stole away Sureshots attention. They hadn't noticed me. A blessing.

Sureshot does watch me leave, my movement caught their eyes. Like prey in the sights of a predator. Not often the song in my head rang with bells and concern, and it was worse then solo-ing an Elite beast.

~~__::::::::::::::__~~

I settle into my old and normal patterns and tunes. Only with an extra foe that hunts me down on occasion, but with Sureshot looking for Justice, I didn't need to do anything about the matter. Sure, I'm plenty curious why they came to me about it, but not curious enough to get shot about it.

I can't get past the new notes in the song my daggers sing. Which is silly as a thought because I know there isn't any song really, just my mind making nonsense notes from the sounds of battle.

But as I cut down a rather irritating Balzo, it's wing severing and the formerly flying creature hitting the ground, I find myself glancing back, seeing more Balzo and several pesky Arciere instead of the golden glow of a halo I think I still expected.

The notes were lonely.

Some even still ringing as dull.

My frustration was shown in my sloppy looting and misaimed Takedowns. How dare I miss Justice. I know that's what this is. I was finally free of them and able to take as much as I wanted. My relics, my treasures, my bones, and the blood I spilled. All mine and for me.

So I force my daggers into the bodies of my foes. Taking on everything. Making the song like it used to be. Violent and quick. Blood and fire. Bones and relics. My vivid greed against the teamwork of the others, but still, the occasional note came off as…

Lonely and… something else.

██████ ████ ███ █████ █████ ███ █████ ███ █████

~~__::::::::::::::__~~

Whispering. That's what I was hearing.

██████ ████ ███ █████ █████ ꋫ꒒꒒ █████ ꋫ꒒꒒ █████

I shake my head. I am in Cocytus at the moment I hear voices in my head. Adding lyrics to my already false music. At first, I think maybe Lucifer has a new trick, but eye contact with the fallen being shows no shift in his usual behavior. Still just rage, fear, and anguish.

Not the eyes of someone to add soft whispers to a made up and usually violent tune. My blades ring against Lucifer's frozen heart, Takedown acting as a dodge from the strike the boss preforms.

██████ ꀟꅔ꒒ꅂ ███ █████ █████ ꋫ꒒꒒ █████ ꋫ꒒꒒ █████

Soft words whisper as the blades keep striking. Calling me out on the maybe softer feelings I may have formed.

The part of me that misses Justice must be singing now.

I shake my head and dodge around an Elite Mazza and strike it from behind. Lucifer seems to favor the Last Betrayal spell this fight and I'm getting tired of these elite beasts.

██████ ꀟꅔ꒒ꅂ ███ ꀟꁄꅔꃴꒄ █████ ꋫ꒒꒒ █████ ꋫ꒒꒒ █████

As the words in my head continue to taunt me, my blade work gets sloppier. I curse myself and shift my grip; attempting to get a metaphorical grip at the same time. My chest puffs and shakes, imitating hard breathing. I can feel irritation with each rise and fall, my grip tightens to the point I should be white knuckled. My focus shakes.

I don't understand.

So I force my mind to go blank. To hear nothing but the sound of metal against bone. Ink against stone. I feel nothing. Not the crash of impact, the burn of flames, or the sting of ice.

I only zone back in when my song is shaken away. Some other soul having grabbed my shoulders in some sort of celebratory shaking. We had won.

I wait and watch everyone cast their spells and gather their rewards from the chest. I watch everyone leave. And I'm left alone in the silence of Cocytus. Just me and the empty sounds, as I pass the chest of treasures, I find myself wandering to the edge of the stony ground. I glance at the strange place I figured was a void.

Only to find it was the smoothest lake ever. Cold and clear. Reflecting a pitch dark sky. The water stings, but I stick my feet and legs in, the hem of my robe getting soaked as well.

The sting is familiar like the ice Lucifer casts our way.

I grip the rocky outcrop and keep dangling my feet in the water. It's strangely calming and almost makes my mind feel… alive. Like a memory is in the back of my mind and I can almost bring it to the front.

The water gets colder. Sending shivers through me.

The cold starts to sap some of my ability to feel after some time, but I stay put. Part curiosity and part not wanting to return to the Dark Woods. Can I stay long enough to see Lucifer return or another group pass through? I wonder if this would be a way to maybe get more souls into the fight…

I kick my feet, causing imperfections and ripples in the water, my thoughts drifting. The freezing water was said to be a lake, at least, that's what Dante says. I see rumors that say it may be a river. It's the place of traitors and lamentation, that is why Lucifer is here. The traitor to God who seeks to repent.

So how come he is still here?

More ripples. Surely slaying all of us rebellious souls for this long -however long it has been- should be repentance enough.

I shake my head and my shoulders shake. Look at me, thinking like a philosopher or religious soul. I don't actually care for all this. The lore of this place. I just want parts of it. The shining stones, the relics, weapons, clothing, halos, and the value held in the bones.

The glittering things I can make mine. All mine.

The glittering, golden things.

My head tilts. The lyrics whisper in my head again.

██████ ꀟꅔ꒒ꅂ ███ ꀟꁄꅔꃴꒄ █████ ꋫ꒒꒒ ꒄꅂ꒦ꎡꉖ ꅔ꒒꒒ ꒄꅂ꒦ꎡꉖ

ꋫ꒒꒒ ꒄꅂ꒦ꎡꉖ ꅔ꒒꒒ ꒄꅂ꒦ꎡꉖ

All mine all mine.

I still struggle to make it out, but the tune and the feeling are getting clearer to me. The part of me longing for that damned soul Justice. They glitter so brightly. Maybe it is my greed that wants and misses them. That settles the irritation and part of my churning feelings. The lyrics die down for now. Letting me tune back into the freezing water.

It was almost peaceful once more, but ripples keep appearing even as I still my legs. Ice groans and creaks as a familiar presence reforms, dragging itself to the icy surface. Skulls bearing fresh tears and heart struggling to beat.

The chest I have yet to open remains put. It glitters. The gateway out starts to fade as Lucifer settles into the icy trap that keeps him here.

He looks down at it in confusion one large hand reaching for the exit or maybe the chest. I bolt. Frozen legs carry me forward as I use both my dash and Takedown to aid my movement.

I would never hear the end of it if Lucifer somehow got out through the gate or if I actually waited till the next group.

The exit feels sharp as it is now backed by bone and glittering red eyes catch me. But then. I'm in the Dark woods, right in the front area. My legs are dripping cold water, my robe is soaked with the same freezing water. I probably look like a spooked rabbit with how I stand here, chest rising and falling. Eye sockets wide. Body shivering.

But there was a thrill to it, the rush had caused it's own rightful feeling and song.