Drider#4

	The sun breached the sky, sending rays of colour spreading across the sky.  My eyes opened one by one as I flinched from the bright light glancing on my face. I shivered in the cold breeze, it seemed that the blanket had fallen off me while I slept, presumably off the building. I could see the people moving below me like ants, they made trails through the city forming lines as their lives moved in a predictable manner, unaware of the hidden half this city seemed to hold. I stood up as the light made an entrance into the world. The two girls, I had robbed of futures, the people I had casually hurt in order to cheer myself up and my life I had seemed to have been forced to abandon; All of these things span through my mind, I would have to change something.

	I donned my illusion, hiding my monstrous form with that of a believable if strangely dressed human girl. Descending down the long staircase from the room I decided wholeheartedly that I would find out something about what had happened. Walking through the halls of the hotel felt strange. It felt like I was walking through a dream, guided by a string to a fate I couldn't hope to understand, like I was trying to follow a yellow brick road that would never take me to the emerald city. There were people in the halls, but as always they didn't even seem to notice me. Was this an aspect of power? Pondering these mysteries I kept on moving until I was in the lobby of the hotel. I paid my tab and walked out, likely confusing the receptionist.

	Drawing a path through the streets I felt like I was watching silhouettes, faceless people moving as if they were only acting out the motions. I navigated through the city, keeping out of people's way like I was invisible. I could feel the drive to cause these faceless beings pain and suffering, -hurt them- it called to me -it will make you feel better, it will make you forget- but I didn't want to forget, I never wanted to be the monster that was hunted down to that room. I never wanted to be the monster that would like and survive off suffering. I needed a new name, I couldn't keep pretending things could go back.  I laughed to myself, nothing like the dry chuckle you would hear from someone reflecting and being all philosophical, I giggled, giggled like a girl. Maybe I'd pushed myself too hard lately but I found the way that I seriously thought I needed to change my name was not something I apparently was ready for. I calmed myself down after a minute or two, but I had attracted some strange stares, from the people on the street, it seemed I wasn't invisible after all just hard to notice. I pushed my way through the crowd, no one stopped me, but it felt good to actually be seen for once, seen and noticed by a crown staring at a girl who was dressed in an outlandish skintight suit and laughing like she was told the best joke she had ever heard. But noticed none the less.

	I felt like I actually had a chance to find something out, at least until I noticed one man staring at me with nothing but pure terror in his eyes, he was wearing a suit and tie, carrying a briefcase and holding a coffee in his hand. I had to do a double check, had I let my illusion drop? No, but before I could speculate further he ran, ran like he was being chased by the beasts of hell. I made a move to chase after him, but I was slow in this form, too slow to chase a man through the busy streets. Was he something like the girl who had attacked me or was he something else entirely?

	No one seemed to pay heed to our 'exchange' so I acted in par and kept walking through the city, this time worried and cautious. I had to find out what he saw and figure out how to find someone who would talk rather than try and kill me. I moved as swiftly as I felt comfortable, looking for anything out of the ordinary. I searched through the streets and alleyways,  I searched almost everywhere I could find, all the while ignoring that nagging itch to take out my frustration on the people around me. I stepped carefully as I traversed the surrounding area, I could sense something was wrong, a shadow moving just outside of my vision. I was on edge now, something was following me, maybe that man from earlier.

	Soon it was night, I had wasted most of the day trying to find something to tip me off as to what was going on. I wandered to the some of the brighter parts of the city nightlife. Here people gathered, not  the people who would be seen by the gaze of the general public. You had drunks, gangers, women looking for a quick buck and the men looking for the same. This was a place I had no reason to come to in my previous life. As usual people ignored me here, a fact I was grateful for, as some would look at my outfit and no doubt make some assumptions about my profession.   Everything here seemed stagnant and hazy, no one made fast movements. Soon, however, there was a change in atmosphere. People seemed to disappear from the streets and alleys, soon I was alone. I knew something was up “Come on out,” I called “I know you're watching!”

	Out of the shadows stepped a man dressed in some sort of outlandish garb, he looked like he was a knight, dressed head to toe in full armour. “You have no place here monster.” He said to me, his voice was low and gravelly the kind you'd expect from a chain smoker. “You best be on your way out.”

	I did not want this to happen the same way the hotel did, “I yield” I said stepping back. “I just need some help finding out what's going on. I don't mean harm.”

	The man showed no sign of letting up, place his mail gilded hand on the hilt of his sword “Spout none of your lies monster, I am fully aware of you killing the Red Sword.”

	 “Okay hold on for a second,” I say slowly moving back farther from the man “None of this was my intention” The man's helm betrays nothing of his reaction as he simply says nothing and takes a step forward. “Please. Just believe me, I don't want any of this.” The man draws his sword as if he was deaf to my plea.

	The knight stood at the ready “You may pray to whatever god you have Beast.” he spoke in a low tone that I almost didn't hear it and lunged forward. Hundreds of thoughts rushed through my mind, I made a move as to drop my illusion, this warrior wasn't very fast, not nearly the speed of the girl from earlier. I made a plan, I could probably jump to the wall and begin to bombard him with projectiles and use the terrain to my advantage, I could simply use my magic to fight him, dancing in and out of range in order to tire him out. In the end however I never did dismiss the illusion, I never even tried to dodge as the sword plunged itself into my gut. This caused the knight to back off in surprise as I fell to my hands and knees, the sword still pushed through my stomach.

	I pushed myself to my feet and pulled the sword out and let it drop to the ground. I looked at the knight, holding my stomach “ I must restate, I don't want to fight you,”

	The knight seemed to steel himself “And I must restate, I want none of your lies.” he made some kind of hand gesture and the sword called itself off the ground and into his hand. I realized at this point that flight might be a better choice the  trying to sway this man with my words. The injury had already healed and I dismissed the illusion. The knight chuckled, “Are you ready to fight whore?”

	I was slightly taken aback I knew however that this was unnecessary  I surrounded myself in a black cloud and spread dark smoke out all around the area. The knight took a defensive stance and swung his sword in a defensive manoeuvre of a blind man striking out against an assailant. I was already gone however, the wall provided a convenient route of escape.

	I made my way over the buildings towards the city limits. I was visibly upset about what had happened that night. Maybe it was best if I left the city and lived on my own in the forest, I took a break by sitting down on the roof of a warehouse. Looking out over the industrial area of the city I began to idly spin webs. However, I wasn't alone on this roof forever. Soon there was a girl up there with me, I didn't know it yet, but this may be the most importance meeting of my life.