Character Castle 2.5
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“I was contacted by an employer calling himself the Necromancer.” Sir Scary responded. A bit of terror twisted in his gut at the name but it wasn’t like he hadn’t expected it. He stifled a shiver, telling himself it was better than the alternatives. Secretly he was just relieved it wasn’t his father who’d made the contract.
After a moment, Sir Scary actually continued as if it didn’t really matter anymore.
“I have a virus affecting me and my behavior.” Alessio tensed. “It is not contagious, but it isn’t leaving my system. My payment is a cure.”
Did the Necromancer finally find a way to make it not contagious? No, probably not. Hopeful not…
But either way one thing was for sure.
“He was lying.” Alessio said, almost unconsciously curling his legs into his chest. Devils, he didn’t want to think of that, but he couldn’t hate anybody so much he’d wish the inevitable consequences of dealing with him on them.
“The Necromancer is a master manipulator and he’ll say anything you want to hear.” He mumbled “but I can promise you as soon as you kill me he’ll deal with you the same way. And if you back out now he’ll be out for blood, you’re best chance is to fake your death and hope he doesn’t care enough to inquire further.”
To be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
Now, to finish up. There were still a few more people.
Smirking to himself, Arsene approached the girl Alessio was talking to. Leana, wasn’t it? “Madam, you must be tired. I’ve arranged a room for you and Lady Crorie.”
Leana looked at him, clearly suspicious. So much for the perfect disguise.
“…Okay.”
Smiling, Arsene led Leana to the arranged room. Crorie would also be there, while Sherlock, Alessio, and mystery killer were in the other room. Once Leana was with Crorie, He’d go back to the others. Boy, that would be fun. Sherlock was not going to be happy to see him.
Opening the door, Arsene bowed. “Here is your room for tonight. An old friend of my is also in there, but I think you two will be able to get along.”
Leana, still eyeing him suspiciously, spoke. “Thank you.”
His work here was done. Now to get the armored guy.
“The Necromancer is a master manipulator and he’ll say anything you want to hear.” Not to mention creepy. “but I can promise you as soon as you kill me, he’ll deal with you the same way. And if you back out now, he’ll be out for blood, your best chance is to fake your death and hope he doesn’t care enough to inquire further.”
The Necromancer would try to kill him. That didn’t mean he would be able to. Even if Hades couldn’t win, he probably deserved death for all of the lives he took during the Gears War.
“Even if what you say is true,” Hades answered, “That cure is my only lead. And if I do complete the assignment and the Necromancer refused to fulfil his part of the agreement,”
Hades’ voice was still tensed and focused as he spoke. “Then I will kill him.”
You can only come to the morning through shadows: Tolkien
“Even if what you say is true,” Sir Scary said “That cure is my only lead. And if I do complete the assignment and the Necromancer refused to fulfil his part of the agreement,”
Here it came, like the hundreds of people before him.
“Then I will kill him.” He finished, steadily. Not someone who enjoyed killing or thought nothing of it. No that was a firm decision out of desperation. The kind of desperation that made anyone willing to kill.
Alessio’s hands tightened involuntarily, and he laughed – a little disbelieving and a little insane – fingering the corner of his hood.
“You want to kill the head of the entire occult underworld…single-handedly?” Ohh how he’d guiltily wished he could kill the … monster. Even wished sometimes he could make him feel just a taste of the absolute terror he wielded without a second thought. Alessio smirked dryly, a suddenly dangerous glint in his eye.
“You think your powers are special enough to stop a man who breeds … weapons -” As he gave the barest, mico-flinch, his gaze losing focus to stare at a corner of the ceiling. “just to see what devil-cursed monster he can make.”
Alessio laughed again, wrapping his arm around his knees a little tighter and fixed a stare at the man as if feeding off whatever reaction he might have.
“They say he’s already dead anyway.”
To be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
Caleb broke through the wall. Rock clattered on the concrete. It was a sewer and most fortunately a clean one that didn’t smell too bad. Sauntering through the opening, he looked up and down the narrow walkway beside the channel.
“Hello!!” He yelled.
The echoing reverberated off the walls. Caleb smiled. He always wanted to do that. A pale light was coming from his left so he turned toward it. He could hear the other scuffling behind him. As he approached the light, he saw the ghostly form of a ladder. Scampering up, he found a manhole. Closed of course. A few bashes from the axe loosened it. Pushing it clear, Caleb poked his head out. Wind and rain greeted him. Blinded by the water, he ducked back into shelter.
Clearing his eyes, Caleb tried again. This time he was prepared and got a better look. The road was paved concrete, flanked by hedgerow. A mist was blown through it giving the area a mysterious feel. Climbing out, Caleb reached in to help the others. With everyone out, he closed the manhole. Couldn’t let some poor fellow fall in unawares.
A squeaking caught his attention. Something about it was familiar just not quite right. It was coming from behind the mist and down the road. It was getting louder. A rumbling joined it now. That ultimately moved the veil on Caleb’s memory. It was caterpillar treads moving faster than anything he had heard before. A sharp gust blew the mist and rain away. Four fast tanks were roaring down the road at them.
“Off the road!” called Caleb as he jumped into a ditch.
The tanks raced by. Bannerettes on the antennas snapped in the wind. One of the commanders wearing a leather helmet looked back at the group, surprised and worried by their sudden appearance. The column continued and was soon gone however. Caleb had caught a glimpse of the insignia on the tanks. A silver wolf over a black sword on a blue field. The flag of Gdansk, a fellow member of the Confederation of Lords.
With the clouds now gone, they could see the surrounding lands better. Behind the hedgerow rolling, green moors lazily rose to the skies. More specifically were engulfed by the skies. Most of the Confederation, most of the known world for that matter, were floating islands. How they flew was unknown. (WIP) Breathing easy, Caleb started walking. Civilization was close by. Find it and he would go home. Or just wake up from the craziest dream he had had.
In a few minutes, he found what he had hoped for. A small trading station. It wasn’t anything grand but seeing it after all that had happened made it feel so. Opening the doors, Caleb led the group in. A few head turned and locked on the hussar. He would stand out the most. Slinking to a corner, Caleb moved along a wall to the bar area. A beastman with reptilian arms and tail was cleaning a glass as he walked up.
“What’ll it be?”
“A soda.”
The bartender reached down and produced a glass bottle.
“Strange folk you brought.”
“I just hope this is a dream and I wake up soon.”
“You’ll need something stronger than that.”
“No this’ll do.”
The Devil saw me with my head down and got excited. Then I said Amen
“I just hope this is a dream and I wake up soon.” Caleb was saying to the…weresnake? bartender. All Nathair could think was he was hoping the same. This day never ceased getting crazier.
“You’ll need something stronger than that.”
No this’ll do.”
“I’ll take something stronger.” Nathair said, sliding to the counter where the bartender eyed him suspiciously. Yeah he probably looked weird enough in this world he might just be a crook. Something he’d never be.
“You got any money?”
“Of course.” He said raising his eyebrow slyly and clamping a shiny coin on the counter, but he didn’t take his finger off of it until the bartender glanced at it with suspicion but obligingly poured a cup.
“Pay up.” The reptilian man said, and Nathair cocked his head.
“Gladly.” He tossed a coin at him and the bartender caught it with one hand, then he dropped a couple more coins on the counter and swiped the glass before anyone could stop him.
He really doubted his currency of coinage would be worth much in this world but the bartender hadn’t had time to examine it yet so it was time to leave. Honestly, those were just a couple of pennies in his world but he consoled himself with the thought that they’d most certainly become a historical monument of a dead age and be worth thousands while scientists created elaborate theories on what time period and society they came from.
Ah yes, he had done his good deed for the day.
To be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
“We might as well get going.” Snaky punk says. I hear him climb to his feet. “It’s almost big enough to climb through now.”
I roll the fire opal in my hand again, singeing my fingers and – frankly – not caring. The world’s still a little funny…
“Do you need help getting to the opening or can you just stumble along reasonably?” Snake-Punk is smirking – I can hear him smirking. It sounds like Oscar.
… welp, at least Oscar’s not here talking about getting me ‘actual, professional help!’ or grounding me.
I’m in my twenties. I should be too old to ground, but when you’re injured… well punks, let’s just say that parents (adopted or bio) tend to not take that nicely.
(Pretty sure Grimm killed all those punks… Equally sure they deserved it before I got caught in the crossfire.)
Hm. Do I need help? Actually that’s a good question.
“I mean, if ya got a spare boot in my size hiss-priss punk.” I mutter. I wonder if he hears me. I don’t care.
I’m on my feet – it’s not the first time I’m half-barefoot and it won’t be the last but I sincerely hope it’s the last time my feet get hurt – and shamble to the opening.
“HEEEELLLLOOOOO!” reverberates off the walls.
Heh. Yeah. It takes a few years for that to get old.
And – ya’know – a bunch of Shad attacks ‘cause they’re attracted to noise, but hey, who’s counting?
(Grimm was. Grimm was counting.)
More banging. I open my mouth but ya know what? He’s banging metal – that’s unlikely to lead to a river. So I let the Ax-Punk bang metal.
A ladder. Great. That’s gonna be fun on my foot.
I hook Umberuin onto my back – Drake designed this harness after my last one broke. Grimm designed the first one. – and pull myself up by my arms, resting my weight on my good foot every few rungs. No point in exhausting myself when there could be …
… actually, now that I’m thinking about it, where are the Shads? Like, even if there aren’t Cold Shadows in this realm, shouldn’t there be some other dangerous thing haunting every step you take?
Like, it’s been a bit abnormal there. Aside from an Abyss-locked genius loci that had his brains eaten by Shads it’s been … like, crazy peaceful! Like, no one has died. I think I’m the only one that got hurt (of course, how embarrassing, this has never happened before… yeah punks, I think ya got the idea…) anyway, peaceful.
… I should really watch my step – the ladder’s slick with water and more is tumbling on my head. Caleb sprung a leak with his extra hammering but doesn’t look like it’ll turn into a flood yet. I’ll have strong words for him when I get out of here…
He sticks his big hand over mine. Okay fine. He can touch me this once just. But only this once cause it’s wet.
Out of that tunnel …
… what …
What is this? Why is there so much space? Where is the ceiling? Where are the walls? What is happening? Why? What is this place? Why? Where is the ceiling? Why is there water dripping everywhere? How big is this place? What’s going on?
I want to go home. NOW.
I’m gonna kill the evil genius loci and go home.
What’s squeaking? What is that?
Why is there so much water? It’s pulling my smoke down!
I pull what I can back to me and swing Umberuin back out. I feel the ground. Solid – firm – unnatural. Some Overlander nonsense.
What is with all the water? Where is the ceiling? Where are the walls? Why is everything so oPeN?
Wind. Okay, that’s familiar.
Okay. Think. This is just a stupidly big chamber – seen some before just not this big. So there are lots of houses. Must be farmland under an Orb. They have their sprinklers going.
Yeah, okay. That makes sense. What does not make sense is why the sprinklers are over the homes. But, ya’know what? This isn’t my home and I’m not gonna judge this poor planning.
Heh, Oscar’s gonna have a…
… what the crumbling orb is that? What the shattered tunnels? What the Abyss? What?
“Off the road!” screams Ax-Punk.
This. Isn’t. A. Road.
You know what? Who cares?
I’m in a ditch now beside ‘I decided to coat my body in metal scales’ punk.
The … things go away.
Are they … this place’s Shads? Well, no. otherwise, we’d be dead. Because I don’t know how to even fight that.
THINK YOU IDIOT!
Metal. Machine.
Oh. More Hiver nonsense.
Hey, Search says that nonsense is spelled ‘non’ and ‘sense’ because it’s not science? I love calling all Hiver junk nonsense just on principle ever since she said that.
I mean, I was calling it that before…
Focus!
It’s not as watery now.
Wait, where are you going? You are NOT leaving me in this strange unnatural place!
Okay. This is better. There are walls and a roof. This is good. I can work with this…
Metal-Punk is getting a lot of unnecessary attention.
I think I’ll hold off on the fire opal. Like, everyone is smoking in here anyway. Just … use Umberuin as a staff a bit more than ya need to, okay?
“What’ll it be?”
“A soda.” Ax-Punk says.
Clink. “Strange folk you brought.”
“I just hope this is a dream and I wake up soon.” Ax-Punk be speaking everyone’s secret wish right now. Unfortunately I can’t dream up whatever the flying-Shad THAT is outside.
“You’ll need something stronger than that.” I’m guessing that dude is a bartender. I make this educated guess on location, the smell of alcohol and the shape of the, ya’know, bar.
“No this’ll do.” Ax-Punk you are crazy that will not do.
“I’ll take something stronger.” Snake-Punk says.
“You got any money?”
“Of course.”
I hear the coin hit the wood.
“Pay up.” Why’s the barkeep smell like snakes?
“Gladly.” Clinking of coins.
Do … I have any money?
I swipe at my pouch. It’s gotta hole, but it’s always had …
… well. That is a new hole.
Of – Abyss – course.
Okay. What do I actually have available?
Knife. Check.
Smelly socks and a shirt. Check.
Pants. Check. Okay, so far so good.
5 fire opals. How many did I think I had earl … who cares. That makes it six if I count the one I slipped back in its pouch. 2 of them are grenade form.
Better not let those show.
Uh – oh look! That piece of pottery I was gonna give Search!
And … the tiny doll for Vi. It’s kinda cool, it’s smaller than the palm of my hand – could barely fit the Abyss-doomed thing in anyway. I ain’t pulling that out. (I bet it’s hideous. Cause punks would totally do a blind guy dirty like that.)
And my coin pouch… do they use the same currency?
I mean, technically, they could rob me blind anyway since I can’t see…
…
That … is horrible and I have spent too much time around Search’s dad…
…
… still can’t believe someone murdered the punk. He was actually a nice guy.
Sooooooo. Back on topic. Coins. Currency. And the fact that I don’t know how it works here.
“Hey Ax-Punk. Which of these coins will buy me whatever Snake-Punk’s having?”
When life knocks you down, wait 'til it passes over you and then attack it from behind.
Approaching the armored guy, Arsene smiled at him.
“Hello sir, you must be tired?”
The man looked at him, nodding.
“Very well sir, I’ve arranged an apartment, please come with me.”
The man obeyed, granted he look very suspicious of him. They went up the apartment, with Arsene unlocking the door. Immediately, he was greeted by a pillow being thrown. With lightning-fast reactions speeds, Arsene evaded. Unfortunately, the pillow hit the armor dude.
“GO TO SLEEP!” Ah yes, Sherlock. He had nearly forgotten about him.
“My brother.” Arsene explained.
“Noted.” the armored guy answered.
Internally, Arsene was laughing at this point. But he had to keep up the act. “Pardon me, I think you dropped this.”
Arsene held out the tool the man brandished from before. The man look really confused, but accepted the tool.
(That would be his lightsaber)
“You want to kill the head of the entire occult underworld…single-handedly?” Alessio spoke with a twisted smirk on his face.
“You think your powers are special enough to stop a man who breeds … weapons -” Whether or not he spoke with anxiety or fear, Hades didn’t know. As for his power, he had enough enhancements to survive a war, so it was possible. “just to see what devil-cursed monster he can make.”
He was already a monster, he couldn’t be corrupted more than he already was. “They say he’s already dead anyway.”
…Timur once said he was dead. The freak behaved like it.
“GO TO SLEEP!!!” the body double yelled, hurling a pillow at the door to scare them. Just in time, the door opened, hitting someone.
“I’m too tired for this.”
You can only come to the morning through shadows: Tolkien
“Hey Ax-Punk. Which of these coins will buy me whatever Snake-Punk’s having?” Blind-Guy asked.
Snake-Punk? Seriously.
I hate everyone here and I hate my name. Nathair thought dully, but he smiled smugly at Blind Guy and twirled ethe drink. Honestly, he had no clue what he’s just bought and was hoping it was actually worth it. Who knew how awful this world’s alcohol was compared to his world’s?
“I’ll share mine if you ask nicely.” Nathair said as if Blind Guy was an incorrigible five-year-old. He was really enjoying picking on the snarky guy. Prince Leander never made clever retorts and it was considered bad practice to verbally torment nobility especially during economic instability. So…this was perfect.
To be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
“GO TO SLEEP!!!” Raged that annoying Evil Doppelganger, throwing a pillow at Arsene who just walked in. It hit Con, which was hilarious actually. Alessio bit his lip and ducked a little.
“My brother.” Arsene said, to which Alessio blinked, the information visibly loading like it was the blue screen of death.
“Pardon me, I think you dropped this.” The sassy robber added handing Con is sword-hilt. Hilarious, round of applause for the kleptomaniac, Alessio thought rolling his eyes almost affectionately.
Anyway, Alessio hurled his pillow flat in Evil Twin’s face to avenge Con. Totally to avenge Con.
“Goodnight.” Alessio said pointedly at Evil Twin, and then glanced at Sir Scary. Yeah, he hadn’t been swayed in the slightest. Devils, he didn’t want to see another person die. He fell back on the bed, suddenly realizing he couldn’t simply ‘grab his pillow back’ now because he was handcuffed. Devils.
Of course, he was only thinking of that to avoid thinking about all the memories this conversation had brought up. And the fact that he was sinking, suffocating in the mattress. Goodbye any chance of sleep now. His heart had accelerated enough to hammer its way out of his chest now. His skin was crawling and melting. He was sinking. Ok he hated this bed it was so soft it was going to murder him…
Alessio finally kicked the blankets off the bed and dropped on top of them.
“You take the bed.” He grumbled.
To be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
Hades had gotten the short end of stick hundreds of times, but this one really stung. He was just trying to get to sleep, when a blanket and pillow landed on top of him. This was followed by something heavy jumping on him. Three guesses on what it was.
“You take the bed.”
Cursing, Hades bolted straight up and knocked Alessio off himself. Grabbing his head, Hades bashed his own head into Alessio’s skull. It hurt, but not as much as it would for Alessio. He didn’t even have biological bones, they were all made of a light, but durable alloy with nanomachines (He’s still heavier than the average human).
“Get in bed and go to sleep. This isn’t a request.”
You can only come to the morning through shadows: Tolkien
He hadn’t been that freaking close how could he possibly have fallen on top o – actually he was so sleepy at this point that was completely believable.
Alessio darted back but that didn’t do much because darting back was all of, what, two feet? Just in time for Sir Scary to yank him by the head. Alessio kicked him in the stomach just as the guy bashed his skull! He growled softly, whipping a knife into his one free hand, mentally cursing hysterically.
“Get in bed and go to sleep. This isn’t a request.” Sir Scary threatened. Alessio glowered at him murderously, biting back the urge to wince or rub his throbbing head.
“You want to make me, sir.” He hissed. He would’ve apologized if Sir Scary hadn’t hit him. But he wasn’t going to let it happen again he wasn’t going to be bullied or pushed around ever again even if it killed him.
He really wanted sleep though.
To be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
Leana slipped into the room, he opened the door for, hoping this wasn’t a trap. Some sick joke. That the other woman was really in here… But also sort of hoping she wasn’t.
Leana froze. Eyes fastened on the bed. An actual bed. Just the legs, were almost a foot off the floor. And the actual mattress was a foot above that. The sheets and pillows were white. The pillows were large, and fluffed like clouds. No one has white things..?
Glancing both ways, she dropped the bag between the bed and the wall, and… smiling in her eyes jumped on the bed. Spreading her arms wide, and sinking her face into the cushion. Paradise. Absolute paradise. She had the strange urge to giggle.
But guilt and grief rushed her simultaneously. “What am I doing?” She whispered and pushed herself up while looking around the dark room. “Where did my brother die? On a bloody battlefield? As my father watched? Has Dada been crying himself to sleep, each night? On the dirt. In mud? Crying for Mama, and the child he saw die?” Oh, Star Breather… Leana’s throat closed, and tears rushed to her eyes again. Hoping the other girl truly wasn’t there, she slipped off the bed… also not wanting her dirty clothes to muss the bedspread… and wept on the floor. Hugging her knees to her chest.
——
Jominkreesa
'Forth now! And fear no darkness!'
Crorie had been quietly getting ready to go to sleep. That is, until, she noticed the other girl was crying. Arsene mentioned she would be there and that she was a friend of Alessio. Normally, Crorie would just ignore her, but she couldn’t get it off her mind. But she couldn’t afford to care. Complete apathy and lack of feelings was what kept her alive. Yet Arsene never had to do that. He very much behaved however he liked. He was free.
Envying it would get her nowhere though. What would Arsene do in a situation like this (Crorie herself didn’t know what to do)?
“He’d steal something. He did steal something.”
That is, Crorie assumed the candy was stolen. But none of that helped her in this situation. Getting up, Crorie took a blanket, putting it on the girl.
There was an awkward pause.
“WHAT SHOULD I DO?!” Crorie thought as she tried to think of a solution. What if the girl only yelled at her? What if she just came off as weird? What if she made it worse?
“Don’t feel. It will only hurt in the end.”
You can only come to the morning through shadows: Tolkien
“I’ll take something stronger.” said one of the company.
Caleb wanted to be alone for a bit.
“You got any money?” said the bartender.
“Of course.”
Did he even have money? For his answer, the man put a small coin down. The bartender dutifully poured a glass.
“Pay up.”
“Gladly.”
More coins appeared and the man took the glass to another table. Caleb watched him leave.
“Hey Ax-Punk. Which of these coins will buy me whatever Snake-Punk’s having?”
Caleb looked at the other man and saw the blinding film over his eyes. He held a purse out, careful to keep a good grip. Inside were coins with strange stampings. Caleb looked at the bartender.
“Don’t look at me like that. I ain’t gotta clue. That last fellow left something odd as well.”
The coins he had left were brownish and a little shiny. Tapping two together, Caleb check if they were even metal. The clack proved that. Next he bit one and tried to break it. Once more it held.
“It tasted like copper.” pronounced Caleb.
“They are a little larger than a denar. Should be worth the same.” replied the bartender. “Your friend left enough for you to drink as well.”
A second glass appeared and a second shot was poured.
“The name is Caleb by the way. Caleb Leckie.”
He held out his hand then remembered the stupidity of his action.
The Devil saw me with my head down and got excited. Then I said Amen
Something warm enfolded Leana. Thick. Nice. She sniffled and glanced up to see a face above her. Almost frightened with uncertainty.
Silence stretched, but Leana tried to smile at her in thanks, meeting the woman’s eyes.
But the woman only said, voice tight, “Don’t feel. It will only hurt in the end.”
Leana’s smile faded a bit. True. Memories of her father came again… The question is if it’s worth it. Worth the pain it takes to love… and be loved. She could almost feel her mother’s arms around her. After the Dhole died. “Thank you. That… was kind.” Leana swiped her eyes and pulled the blanket around her tighter. “What we have to decide is… if love is worth the pain.” She breathed softly, staring at the carpet, before looking back up to the woman.
—–
Jominkreesa
'Forth now! And fear no darkness!'
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