"I'm blind!"
Orion found himself in a world of darkness. There was…nothing. Panic took hold of his heart, and Orion struggled to control his breathing. Orion scrambled away from where the Face Stealer had dropped him, praying that he could put some distance between him and his hunter.
A Hunter in the dark.
How was Orion going to fight like this? He had a weapons, but if he couldn't see his opponent, what good was that? He heard the Face Stealer approaching, steady Porcelain steps and mechanical clinking followed Orion. He was horrified beyond any reason or condolence.
He was going to die.
All that talk, all that hope, and look where he found himself. Orion had dared to dream. He was going to die obsolete. Sorrow mixed with his panic.
Orion tripped over his own feet, and his head slammed into the floor. He cried out in fear and terror. He was blind. He couldn't tell where the Face Stealer was, it could be right behind him and he would have no idea. How was a blind person meant to fight…
"The Shambler was blind."
Orion slammed his fist into the floor, and tendrils of moss cascaded across the entire hallway. He felt the feet of the face stealer, some seven paces away from Orion. He even found Andrea's still body, nearly ten paces away.
Orion stood slowly. He didn't quite have his sight again, but he was able to pinpoint where things were. The walls, his ally, and his enemy. He raised his knife. The Face Stealer took a steady step forward, as though it was unsure about the nature of the moss. It had every right to be, the moss would be its undoing.
The Face Stealer suddenly lunged forward, attamepting to grab Orions wrist with it's still working hand. Orion backstepped, allowing the Face Stealrs hand to swing through empty space. Orion then threw himself forward. His blade moving in a sideways arc, aimed at the side of the Face Stealers head.
It found nothing. Orion backsteppped again and threw his blade up defensively. He could tell where the Face Stealer was, but he had no way of actually knowing how it was positioned. It would make dodging harder, and would make landing a hit nearly impossible.
Unless…
The moss suddenly shot up the Face Stealers legs, covering its entire body. A wireframe of the Face Stealer appeared in Orions mind, an understanding of where it was and how it was standing.
It was nearly like Orion could see again.
The Face Stealer had chosen maybe the worst target to take the eyes from. Orion did not need eyes to see, and he sure as hell didn't need them to win.
He was going to kill this thing.
The Face Stealer lunged forward again,fist balled up. It aimed for Orions head. Orion threw his knife up, parrying the fist and sending bits of porcelain flying through the air. Orion kicked at the Face Stealers shin. He was discomforted by the feeling of his own foot hitting the moss. The Face Stealer lost its balance, and its momentum carried it forward.
Directly into Orions knife.
The knife slammed into the Face Stealers face plate. And a massive chunk of Porcelain was sent into the air. The copper beneath was exposed.
He was getting somewhere.
Orion side stepped, allowing what remained of the beasts momentum to carry it past him. The Face Stealer tripped on its own feet, slamming into the ground like Orion had just done. Orion did not miss the opportunity.
He rushed forward, knife above him. The Face Stealer suddenly stuck out its leg, slamming it into Orions stomach. Orion doubled over, and a nauseous feeling took hold of him. He stepped back slowly, pain radiating from his stomach and side.
The Face Stealer stood slowly, turning to face Orion. It raised its fists once more. The beast never seemed to tire, but the same could not be said for Orion. He breathed heavily, his every muscle feeling exhausted.
Orion wanted very badly to go to bed. He was nearly jealous of Andrea, he wanted to be the one sleeping.
But he wasn't, so he would keep fighting even if it meant tearing himself apart.
The Face Stealer shuffled forward slowly, more cautious of Orion and his blade. Orion raised his Knife once more. Orion needed to get to the key on the creatures back. He was sure that was the weak point.
However, the Face Stealer was incredibly defensive with its back, so it would be difficult for Orion to actually reach the key. Additionally, Orion had noticed that the Face Stealer had become exponentially better at fighting after taking Orions eyes and Andrea's ears.
Orion figured that if he destroyed the face plate, he might get his eyes back. That would give him an advantage against the Face Stealer, and maybe allow for him to reach the key.
So, face plate first, then the key.
The Face Stealer lurched forward, it's fist held up defensively. Orion readied himself to dodge the Face Stealers next attack. He had a plan, he just needed the Face Stealer to open up its defense.
For a moment, the two fighters circled around each other, a blind coward and porcelain monster. The world was silent for a moment. Orion was sure that the whole tower could collapse around him, and he would not notice. The only thing that mattered was the opponent infront of him. And that opponent soon struck.
A simple jab, aimed for Orions nose. It was slow enough for Orion to dodge, but that's because the jab wasn't the point. Orion had seen Andrea pull this truck before. The jab was only there to put Orion in the perfect position for a hook. Or in this case, since the beast only had one working arm, he would get a knee to the stomach. Orion wouldn't fall for it.
Orion ducked under the Face Stealers extended arm, putting himself on the beasts right side, away from a possible counter attack. Orion raised his knife, and slashed. He aimed for the side of the face plate.
The Face Stealer ducked down, the knife arcing over its head. It must've felt victorious for a moment, before realizing that it had fallen for Orions trap.
Inspired by how the Face Stealer had knocked out Andrea, the attack with his knife was merely a distraction.
When the Face stealer looked down, Orions fist was already sailing up to meet it. Flesh and skin met porcelain, and a vicious cracking noise echoed across the hallway. Orion felt the faceplate shatter under his fist. The Face Stealers head lurched backwards, sending shards of Porcelain through the air.
Orions hand ached with a burning pain. His middle finger felt dislocated. Orion screamed out in pain. He nearly sobbed, the sudden pain was so intense. So intense, that he barely even noticed that the world was still black.
"No!"
His one advantage was gone. The faceplate was destroyed, but he didn't have his eyes back. Orion panicked, and then he felt a fist slam into his chin.
Orions head flung backwards, and his neck ached from the sudden movement. Orion tasted blood in his mouth. He attempted to raise his knife, but the Face Stealers knee slammed into his stomach before he could.
Orion gasped as he fell to the ground. His knife fell to the ground somewhere nearby. Not near enough though. A kick met Orions bad side. He screamed out in pain as his wound was assaulted. Another kick came, and Orion nearly felt himself fall into unconsciousness.
The Face Stealer fell ontop of him, one of its knees slamming into Orions arm, pinning it in place. Another fist found Orions head. The Face Stealers limp arm swung back and forth and it continued its onslaught. Orion felt cuts open in his skin, and blood pooled from his nose. He felt the alluring pull of unconsciousness.
"Please…I just want to sleep…"
Orion felt himself go limp. His muscles wouldn't move. He was Hopless against the Face Stealer. This was how he died.
The Face Stealer raised its arm one last time, its fist now surely coated in blood. This final attack would be Orions undoing.
But the attack never came.
The inner mechanisms of the Face Stealer came to a creaking halt, as a dense layer of moss forced itself between the pulleys and springs.
The Face Stealer tried to move, copper grinding against moss. But it was paralyzed. Orion had his opening. He screamed and forced himself to sit up. He reached to the beasts back, grabbing the key, and with every ounce of strength he had left, he ripped it out of its socket.
Orion fell back down as the beast became truly still. Orion felt it's body begin to disentigrate, and Orion fell into a deep slumber.
***
Orion awoke with a start. He sat up suddenly, every muscle screaming out in resistance. He blinked a few times, and then suddenly realized with relief that he could see again. He breathed heavily, taking in his surroundings.
The Face Stealer was dead, a corpse nowhere to be seen. Orion felt a smile creep onto his face. He had won again. He closed his eyes to check his stats.
[NAME: ORION]
[TITLE: N/A]
[GIFT: DECAY SEARCHER]
[BLESSINGS: N/A]
[PRIZES: N/A]
[CHARMS:N/A]
[VOUCHERS:N/A]
[KILLS: 2]
Orion was remissed to find that he had only increased his kill counter, and the rest of the stats chart remained a mystery to him.
That was when Orion suddenly remembered something crucial, and his heart sank.
"The timer!"
Orion forced the stats chart to change to display the timer. And he became paralyzed with fear.
[NEXT EVENT:1:25]
"NO!"
Orion had been passed out for over thirty five minutes, and whatever event that was coming was only a minute away. Orion realized with horror that he had only a minute to get back to his apartment with Andrea. That was the only place where the two of them had a chance of staying safe.
Orion rushed over to Andrea, who still laid silently on the ground. Orion tried shake her awake, but it was to no avail.
[NEXT EVENT: 1:03]
"God dammit!"
Orion wrapped Andrea's arm over his neck and pulled her up. She was larger than him, and his muscles were already sore, so the task felt nearly impossible. Every part of his body burned as he began to shuffle down the hallway with her.
[NEXT EVENT: 56]
Orion gritted his teeth and he pulled Andrea along. He wasn't sure how far his apartment was, but he knew making it in under a minute would be nearly impossible.
[NEXT EVENT: 49]
Orions side ached, and he felt blood spill out and leak into his clothing. The blood around his nose and mouth had long since dried up, and Orion only then realized how sore his entire face felt.
[NEXT EVENT:31]
Orion kept pulling, and he felt himself nearly sob. He had won his fight, he had killed the Face Stealer, but now he was up against something more terrifying. He had no idea what was coming, but he and Andrea had agreed that staying inside his apartment for the event was smart. And now here they were, in the eye of whatever storm was coming.
[NEXT EVENT:26]
Orion tripped, falling to his knees and letting Andrea fall infront of him. He tried to pick her back up, but his muscles hurt too much. He had exerted every part of his strength in the fight with the Face Stealer, and he had barely enough left to even pull himself up.
[NEXT EVENT:12]
"Please help! Someone please!"
Orion cried out, his voice echoing through the empty hallway.
[NEXT EVENT:03]
Orion stood slowly, knife in hand. He would need to face whatever came alone.
[NEXT EVENT:02]
Orion raised his knife, and he took a defensive stance. He wasn't sure if it would do anything, but he needed to try.
[NEXT EVENT:01]
"Please…someone save me."
[NEXT EVENT:00]
Suddenly, to Orions terror, every door to every apartment opened. And all the Beasts were set free.