[color=Cadetblue][u][center][h3][url=https://youtu.be/cHhoVDzh4kY]Arc I:[/url] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UBYt8sts5k]Corpse Collector[/url][/h3][/center][/u][/color]
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[color=8493ca][u][center][h1][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5OEN-XfbDI]Deep[/url] Ground [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB6sOhQan9Y]Online[/url][/h1][/center][/u][/color]
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[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/1wKNcEo.jpg[/img][/center]
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[color=f7941d][i]"Shit...Shit....Shit!"[/i][/color]

The sound of energy bolts, bullets, and really whatever else was decided to been launched away rang in the air as a [url=http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6205/81794017.a0/0_7f655_30736c08_XL]girl[/url] ran through the streets of the eternally darkened Faded City. She full well knew the risks when she decided to steal from nor one, but all the Colored Guilds. Granted, her pursuers didn't know who or what they were shooting at either but the Avatar currently titled U.N. Owen Was Her didn't want to stick around to find out. Clutching her hat over her head with one hand, she twisted around and fired off more shots with her pistol into the darkness.

They wouldn't be able to see her, for her Player Status was kept concealed from prying eyes. All her pursuers saw was an invisible mark in constant motion across their vision and the status input on their own interfaces showing that a treasure had been stolen each from of the Colored Kingdoms vault.

Well, not exactly everyone. The Black Guild seemed to be lacking in the girl's stash of goodies. And who could blame her? The Ebony Strykers were a joke, if not pure legend at this point. It might have been a powerful and influential force in the world of Deep Ground Online at one point, but all that had changed when the former Black King had been caught in some internet scandal. Shame and stigmas were brought up against the Dark Guild until only one member remained as a true Player of the Ebony Strykers.

The enigmatic Moon Rider, the current Black King, and the one who had sealed off her Guild's gates from the world forever.

[color=f7941d][i]"Not for long though,"[/i][/color] Corpse Collector mused to herself. [color=f7941d][i]"Just a few more things to cross off my list before I can take out the moon bitch myself. Heh, wow, I must really be a badass if I can outrun the Colored King's finest! Kicking Moon Rider's ass is going to be piss poor easy!"[/i][/color]

With a final grin of victory, U.N. Owen Was Her showered another volley of shots back to her attackers before outright disappearing completely. The shimmering motion of invisibility was no more and the chasing scouts from White Kingdom finally took pause. By they realized what just happened, the mysterious Player was already logged out of Deep Ground Online.
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[color=8493ca][center][b]“Attention all players. I, the Black King, ruler of the Ebony Strykers, am allowing any and all to join my Guild. This will be the first time I have done so in the entirety of Deep Ground’s launch. Please, choose your allies wisely.”[/b][/center][/color]
That message had been relayed all over Deep Ground in the last day or so, and those curious enough to venture into the matter further would no doubt be replaying those exact words through their links all around the world. The world…it had changed so much….how did it become like this? When did the future become entirely reliant on some video game? And yet, that was how it always was. And that was how it would always be. 

Now and forever more.

These thoughts swirled and bickered in the mind of a certain individual; the one who had sent that very same message in fact. Any and all people to freely join her Guild….what was she thinking? Did countless years of tradition and experience not teach her anything? Not a single thing? Were the words of her leader, the one granted title of the former Black King, wasted on her? 

Yes…and no. Things had changed. Times had changed.

There was no doubt in her mind that the adults of their society cared little for her endeavourers; and indeed, most people past the age of nineteen had deleted her calling card from their own links, grumbling about the damned game and going about their own predetermined lives. But the Payers…they were what really mattered to her. A game without Players was no game at all.  It was only a mindless sport.

Knowing she was well secured in her hidden location, she closed her eyes to concentrate. The afternoon sun had begun to wane slightly, and school had just let out the youth of tomorrow into the end of a radiant Thursday. People both online and in real life would either be gathering to formulate new plans and strategies, or test their hand against fate and play alone. 

Purple Crown Academy usually had massive centers within the building for these gatherings, although she preferred to stay away from the rest. It really was better this way. Realizing that she had stalled long enough, the girl willed herself to give into the global link that connected everyone’s brains to the World Interface. It wouldn’t be long now and….

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She opened her eyes to see a darkened city surrounded by a low mist around her, encompassing all within her view. A place that remained enigmatic in the massive map of Faded City ever since the program’s initial launch. A flashing screen that only she could see appeared over her head for a few brief seconds.
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[h3][u][center][b]Welcome, Moon Rider-Black King[/b][/center][/u][/h3]
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The Black King. Yes, the full gravity of her earlier actions now weighed heavily on her. Players from far and wide would finally gain the chance to join the elusive Black King and her Ebony Stryker Guild. Having followed the rulings of the previous Colored King, she had never allowed any player to join, cutting them down if they ever dared. 

But now….things were different.

A Player calling themselves the U.N. Owen Was Her was running rampant all across Deep Ground Online. Someone that had actually managed to steal from all of the other Colored Kingdoms and was so far unobtainable...well, it was flat out impossible. Every Colored King was a Level 9 Player and had rightfully earned their title and power. To steal from them was to enact a death wish upon themselves from fronts.

Rumors abounded, some accusing that this was the first signs of the Black Guild's dreaded return. Who else would do something like this, to intentionally invoke the ire of the Guilds? Surely it had to be the Black King, Moon Rider herself? Except...no one knew Moon Rider's true identity, let alone her Avatar considering she had cut herself off from the other Guilds. To see people blame her so easily and readily...it was disgusting. Obviously it was just a ploy by U.N. Owen to draw her out into the public again.

The Colored Kings were smarter of course, but that didn't stop them from pinning the blame on Deep Ground's Ghost. And so they bought into it, turning a blind eye at the true culprit. That was what had been the second reason Moon Rider made her proclamation just a day before. Her first and foremost reason was something only known to her.

Snapping back to reality, the Black King turned around to find a lone throne that was so dark, it almost glimmered in the low light. Her District. Always cold and empty. No one dared to hunt or dual in the city with pristine black glass on the buildings, reflecting all things. Perhaps that would change? 

Yes…perhaps it would.

Placing herself on her throne, she crossed her legs and rested her cheek onto her pale knuckles. Dressed in a long coat that was as black as her long hair, the girl’s tinged purple eyes narrowed. A deactivated Beam Saber-a Legendary Armament in itself-hung on the side of her waist, as if the weapon itself was lazy. Now she would wait. Now she would bide her time and welcome anyone, regardless of rank or Guild, with open arms. 

And then…then the Black King would begin the journey towards her ambitions.