The Morality System

It was a head injury. That much was obvious. How bad it would turn out to be would be revealed in time. Dulce stayed by his bedside day and night, hoping and praying he would wake up.

After a few days, she forgot to use her crystals. She was so distraught and caught up in Jacob's condition that she wasn't thinking about it. On the fourth day, he woke up.

"Dulce," Jacob said weakly.

"Yes, Jacob?" Dulce said.

He looked her in the eyes and said, "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I still love you, just like I said I would."

Dulce realized she didn't have her youthful appearance up. At first, she was horrified, but then she processed what he said.

"Really? You don't reject me?" She said.

"Of course not," he said, coughing.

She was the happiest she had ever been. She finally found love again. The thing she had been searching for through this whole nightmare of working for Dorian.

She stayed by Jacob's bedside the whole rest of the day and night. He passed in the night. Dulce broke in that moment. She went numb. She continued her employment with Dorian, continuing to deceive unfaithful men, blackmail them, and kill them if they didn't pay.

If anything it was easier now. She had found true love again, and she would never find that again. She was doomed to be alone for the rest of her unusually long life. She had nothing left to lose.

It has been 3 years since Jacob died. She had a tragic life and story, but she made her choices. She made them every day for the last 3 years. She wasn't going to change. She was lost.

"Dulce, I know you'll say no, but I'll give you a chance. If you vow to get clean of crystals, I will spare you," I said. "I know your story. I know about Bert and Jacob. I know about Dorian's manipulation. I'm giving you a chance to start a new life. Please take it."

"I can't. I have nothing left. I have nothing to live for," Dulce said. A tear dripped down her face. "Make it fast. I don't want to see it coming." She lowered her head to look at the ground.

"Very well," I said. I summoned a giant spike and shot it through her heart.

Dulce's knees started to buckle. "It hurts," she said. She collapsed into a heap on the floor, dead. Dulce transformed back into a sad woman in her 60's. A woman who led a good life for 30 years until her husband passed. A woman who once had a bright future ended in darkness.

"I know. I know," I said, thinking back to my own death. This kill I wasn't proud of. It had to happen, but it was nothing more than a tragic death of a tragic life.

[You have defeated a great evil (Dulce). You have gained 3 justice points (6)]

[You have defeated pure evil (Dorian). You have gained 4 justice points (10)]

'You forgot again didn't you?'

[Yes]

'That's ok I guess. I got it eventually right?'

[You did]

'I think I'll save up for an ultimate ability.'

[Affirmative]

[You have killed. Dark aura increased by 5 (-85)]

Thinking about what crystals did to Dulce, I couldn't do them myself. I took all the learning crystals out of my pack and put them on the ground. Then I smashed them with my foot.

With everyone in this building dead, I walked down the stairs and exited the building. I knew there were some crystals in crates on the 3rd floor, but I wasn't about to get caught because I took the time to smash all the crystals under my boot.

My view on crystals was completely altered. I couldn't look at them as pure boosting items anymore. They did have detrimental effects on their users and the effects were bad.

Through Evil Eye revealing parts of Dulce's memories, I found out that 100% toxicity made you lose your mind and you just became a rage monster that attacked anyone it saw until someone killed you.

What was done was done, but I wasn't going to collect or sell any more crystals. And I would make it a mission of mine to take down the crystal market. I would make Abigail get rid of her intelligence crystals.

I made my way back to Sally's. The doorman was about to give me a hard time again for his amusement, but when he saw my face, he just let me pass. When I got inside, Sally was showing Abigail how to bartend.

I walked past them behind the bar, went upstairs, and got in bed. Dulce's kill really got to me. Abigail entered the room and got in bed with me, facing me.

"What happened? Are you alright?" She said. She looked concerned.

"I'll survive," I said. "I just had to kill someone that I really didn't want to, and it got to me."

"I'm sorry. Do you want to talk about it?" Abigail said.

"Sure," I said.

I told her about meeting James at Beer and finding out the location of the Red Tail Fox Company. I opened up to her about Soul Inquiry. I had to explain how I got the answers out of James. I didn't tell her where I got the ability, just that I had it. She didn't ask for any answers I wasn't ready to tell.

"Have you used that ability on me?" She asked.

"Yes, but only when I first met you to make sure you were safe," I said.

"Oh, ok. Go on," she said.

I told her about the raid on the Red Tail Fox Company building and the fights I went through to get to the top floor. I told her about Evil Eye to explain my kills. I told her about the confrontation with the boss, Dorian, and the confrontations with Bruno, Nico, and Dulce.

I told her Nico's and Dulce's backstories and explained that having to kill Dulce was the reason for my mood.

"I'm sorry, baby. Let's go to bed. I'm sure you'll feel better in the morning," Abigail said.

"Ok. Thank you for listening," I said. I kissed her. She turned around and I held her as we fell asleep listening to the sounds of each other breathing.