By the Waterfalls [closed]

White water cascaded down a series of rocky outcrops, the noise increasing steadily as he grew closer and closer to the edge. A deafening roar of water where the plume of vapor hung over the plunge pool, the kind where torrents poured over mercilessly with the strength to crack skulls and mash brains on the way down, into the swirl deep enough to drown anyone if they survived the fall. Slow-flowing, languid in pace until one sat at the top where rapids flicked up against the surface, the scent of lichen and moss most foul in the air for leagues across. Boulders rose out of the waters like the bows of a sunken fleet, hissing off from afar for those lost in their drowned crews.

Trees veiled in the lightest of mists, the festoons coiling around each branch delicately before gnarling at their cracks, turned the gray-scale world into a deeper monotony, the scenery around becoming dark silhouettes in the blanket of white. Every object in sight was suffocated by it, swallowing it up until it vanished without a trace. The usual cerulean empyreans above could do nothing to stop themselves from being overwhelmed, their dim traces of lambency only a myth in the dullness of it all.

Only the suicidal would climb the cliffs to reach the top of the falls; the mist dragons made the feat near impossible with how much they enjoyed blowing players off the edge to their deaths. Yet, here he was, standing at the very edge of the spilled lake, looking on at the void ahead. Those creatures didn't really do much. He didn't really mind if they blew him off the edge either.

Footsteps echoed in the valley. Callum smiled, but he kept his back to the newcomer, his eyes looking at them out of the corner of his eyes, over his shoulders. "It's impolite to sneak up on people when they're one foot into the grave, you know." He didn't sound very concerned about his life. "What would you have done if I fell?"

"Not much." Mason replied with a small shrug as he talked to the boy. "You have two other lives, so it doesn't really matter to me what happened to you." There was also the fact that he didn't know this person either so he didn't have much of a care in the first place.

He didn't really care for the fact that he risked himself getting up here. He still had a good many lives left. He could afford the risk. "Sides, you already put your life at risk by being up here, so what did it matter if you were at risk of being scared to death?" The mage stuff his hands in his pockets

His response was a dry laughter, a mechanical laughter that lasted a brief few seconds before he spun on his heel, turning to the face the player. "I'm surprised you know I still have three lives, Mr. Mage," Callum replied sarcastically, jaded green eyes scarcely emitting a glow in the dense fog. Though there hadn't been any news of anyone losing a life yet; most of the players had been playing rather carefully without taking unnecessary risks. It was the first level. They'd be pretty incompetent if they lost a life on the easiest stage.

Reaching up to readjust his scarf, a shaky breath emitted, but whatever cloud that would've came out was disrupted by the fabric that blocked it. "You're right, though. I wouldn't be scared by the likes of you."

Mason shrugged. "In this world I'm not so scary." He still had his fighting knowledge but he didn't have the strength he did in real life. Most of that seemed to go into his magic skill. Even if he had magic on his side, most of his spells took way too much time to do anything in a one on one fight. Honestly he felt useless in this world and he didn't like it one bit.

"So what brings you up here anyway?" Mason asked the stranger. He didn't mind not really knowing the person in front of him. He didn't even know if they would even see each other again after this. Who knows.

Why was he up on top of the falls? "I'm not sure myself." That wasn't generally an answer he would give out, but it was the only answer he could piece together to synchronize a somewhat suitable answer for the player. The fog was unlikely to clear up anytime soon. Fog was constantly there when the mist dragons were around, and they were too cowardly to pick actual fights. There was little reason to eliminate one as well.

Callum hopped off of the stone he stood on, landing on the grassy and rigid patches nearby. With a few steps, he found an obscure figure in the mist, and it was easy to make out the dark hair and green eyes within the gray-scale world. "Would you believe me if I said I was seeking salvation?"

"You can say it and I will accept it as an answer but I don't know how much I believe it." Mason said, he didn't really care about the exact reason as to why someone was up here, it was usually just conversation. "I just wanted to explore so that is why I'm up here." It was good to get away from people, and to have knowledge of the grounds of this world. It would probably help him at some point later on.

Without much of a reaction given, Callum blinked before moving closer to Mason, the fog no longer able to detract his figure, each and every feature distinguishable just as he was able to see the mage in front of him. Disheveled black hair and gray-green eyes, taller by about half a foot or less. Exploring was a rather plain reason however, his fingers coming up to readjust his scarf slightly. "Though there's nothing up here except a higher chance of death," he replied innocently. "No player has climbed this high before."

"Maybe I'm looking for nothing. Avoiding a lot of players is kind of my specialty." It was also something he liked to do, he didn't like being around a lot of people for a long time. If this was a spot players didn't come often then it was probably worth the risk of death to come up here and avoid them. "Seems worth the risk to me."

Interesting. He wasn't blown off by the mist dragons then. They must not be playing around at this time of day. "Then this would be a perfect place for you," Callum responded, unable to find an opening for what he would like to say. This player was very plain and didn't react much. "You fit the lone wolf type, Mr. Magic."

Mr. Magic? That sounded familiar.. the nickname did too.. Mason's eyes narrowed. "Do I know you from somewhere?" There was something familiar about this person but he couldn't quite place it.. He really needed time to think on it. Though what the person said about him really did fit him. He was always the lone wolf though he did work with one other person on occasion.. Was Laine worried about him?

That was a peculiar question to ask. Was it something he had said? Ah, right. Callum shook his head. "Apologies, that was a slip-up. I meant to say mage," he responded simply, pulling on the fabric of his glove. His eyes drifted to glance at the bracelet around his wrist before they fell back on Magic, a curious expression etched across his features. "Why would you think we've seen each other before?"

Mason's gray green eyes scanned the boy again, something was familiar but he still couldn't place it. He was probably going to be spending a while thinking about this. "Well your slip up reminded me of someone I used to know a long time ago.. though I can't remember exactly who.." This was going to bother him for a while.. Mason sat down on the ground with a small huff as he thought back.

"I've never met you." His voice was flat, monotone as he watched the mage take a seat. There was no one he knew that looked like this; he had never seen this player outside of when they had all woken up at the fountain. It was not enough to supplement an interaction where he would remind Mason of anybody. Callum kept his hands folded behind his back. "It's a mere coincidence if I remind you of anyone." That was all. Even that much was unlikely, however.

"Jeez relax, I wasn't saying you were them, just saying you reminded me of them." Mason said letting some of his own hostility get into his voice, but he kept it under check for now. He was still going to think on that. Well this conversation was turning into something he didn't like.

Oh, that managed to get a small rile out of him. "Why should I?" The corners of his lips turned into a smirk, his eyes looking down on the mage with a dangerous glare. "I don't like the idea of being similar to someone else." Callum had stepped closer, the name label floating over his head visible as much as he could see Magic's own name in shimmering letters above.