[GV] The Dark Lord Returns?

Cassius · 1 [GV] The Dark Lord Returns? Sat Oct 13, 2018 9:40 am

Cassius

Pirate

Posts : 491
Location : Water 7
Join date : 2017-12-09

Cassius Sinclair
The Kraken
[GV] The Dark Lord Returns? D5da255ae42b2fbe08f85ac5f848e11c

Cassius sat at the bar top, his trademark pipe alight with a warm amber glow and thin trails of grey smoke wafting to the ceiling. He watched as Taz lifted a glass larger than his own body up and guzzled down the frothy beer inside.
You even old enough to drink? Cassius asked with a curious look.
Taz simply wiped the froth covering his face like a false beard with the back of his hand before letting loose a belch loud enough to make several heads turn and stare.
Taz dunno. He said with a simple shrug before upending the glass once more to finish out his drink.

Cassius simply offered a small smile and shook his head.
Honestly that amount of liquor should probably kill ya, your little body. Where do ya even put it all?
Taz didn't respond, instead the small dwarf placed the empty glass down and fell backwards onto the bartop. In the condensation puddle that had formed from his glass, Taz began rubbing his arms and legs in it as if making a snow angel.
Don't think I'll ever right understand you my friend. Cassius said, staring.
Taz knows.

Could it truly be? After all these millenia, the Dark Lord has finally returned to us. Praise be onto the outergods and the infernal realm. A voice suddenly spoke, drawing nearer to Cassius.
The fishman turned in his stool, looking over his shoulder to see an odd looking gentleman approaching him. The man was in torn clothing, old and ratty, appearing as if he had spent many years on the streets. His frame was nearly skeletal, with ashy skin more grey than white or pale. Cassius could see throbbing blue veins spiderwebbing all over the man's face, neck and exposed arms. As he approached Cassius, he realized the smell was the worst part. People often moved out of Cassius's way due to his own stench of the sea, but this was far worse. The man stunk of rot, decay and old death.

[GV] The Dark Lord Returns? Bloodborne_torch_axe

Cassius turned away involuntarily, not much got to the fishman, but this stench was nearly unbearable and the several drinks he had been enjoying over the course of the evening hadn't exactly helped with the sensation of nausea. To his great dismay however, Cassius realized this man had been referring to him when he had spoken his nonsense about some Dark Lord. Cassius felt the cold, spindly fingers of the man on his shoulder as he turned back to see him with a crooked, tooth missing smile. His eyes looked hungry, but not for food or handouts.

Oi, whatchu want? Food? I ain't giving any handouts tonight. Move on before they kick you out. Cassius said gruffly, shrugging the man's hand off his shoulder. He was in no mood to deal with crazies tonight.
Oh great Lord, my deepest of apologies. How dare I, an inferior mortal but humble and devout follower, touch one as dark and infernal as you? Truly I am not worthy. The man then fell to his knees at Cassius's stool to which Cassius simply stared down at him in confusion. The man had his head bowed toward the floor, chanting some strange words Cassius had never heard.

Around him the other patrons of the bar were beginning to stare as well. Down the bar, Cassius could see the bartender put down the glass he was drying and place his hand beneath the bartop, the classic storage spot for a shotgun. Great, it had been a good night too. The bartender had been friendly enough, serving Cassius and Taz for as long as they were paying. The people in the bar had mind their own business, keeping to themselves and leaving Cassius in peace and quiet. Now here walks in this loon to completely spoil Cassius's night.

Oi, get up you freak, I ain't dealing with no loony business tonight. Get up and get your bony ass outta here. No one's in the mood. Cassius said and the man stood once again to face Cassius.
Ah yes, of course my Lord, we must put on the facade that you are not who you truly are. Though, I must say the sooner we release you from this...rather pathetic looking live host, the better. I must say I'm quite perplexed as to why you would have settled for such an inferior life-form for your host, but the Dark Lord works in mysterious ways I suppose. Or rather, you work in mysterious ways. The stranger said with a deeply disturbing chuckle that made Cassius's scales itch uncomfortably.

Oi, you best be gettin if you know what's good for ya. Cassius said gruffly, now standing from the stool to give his full, imposing height. The stranger stood less than a foot from Cassius now, dwarfed by his size. At this point Taz had rolled over in his condensation puddle and was regarding the interaction curiously but said nothing.

Issues gentlemen? The bartender asked from behind Cassius, an old double-barrel in his hand but pointed away from Cassius and the stranger.
No trouble, if you don't mind, I'm going to take out the trash for you. Cassius said, grabbing the stranger by the front of his shirt and lifting him off the ground.
M-master? The stranger asked in startled confusion.
So be it, see it's the end of that then. The bartender said, lowering the gun back under the bartop.

Cassius crossed the bar floor to the front entrance, opened the door with one hand before shoving the strange man out with a hard push. The stranger stumbled backwards, trying to get his footing, tripped and tumbled down the three steps up to the main entrance of the bar, falling into a small mud puddle made from the passing showers earlier in the day.
It didn't have to be this way, learn to respect people's privacy ya creep.
With that, Cassius slammed the door and left the odd ball out in the cold mud.

WORDS: 1004
NOTES: ###
DORIKI: +5 S&P & +5 S&A (In water);+5 E&D (Pugilist); +14 S&P
GEAR: ###
SKILLS: ###

Last edited by Cassius on Tue Nov 06, 2018 12:42 pm; edited 2 times in total

Cassius · 2 Re: [GV] The Dark Lord Returns? Sat Oct 13, 2018 10:11 am

Cassius

Pirate

Posts : 491
Location : Water 7
Join date : 2017-12-09

Cassius Sinclair
The Kraken
[GV] The Dark Lord Returns? D5da255ae42b2fbe08f85ac5f848e11c

After a few more drinks, Cassius had all but forgotten about the foul smelling stranger a few hours earlier. The night was drawing into the early morning and his head was beginning to feel far heavier than normal, his limbs tingled with the feeling of a strong buzz and his motor functions slowed to a point that was genuinely enjoyable. So often Cassius found himself on edge, to be drunk was a happy vacation from that worry and concern. Closing his tab, he dropped the beli on the bartop along with a rather generous tip for the bartender and his willingness to let Cassius handle the earlier predicament on his own.
Hey, you...you have a back exit I could use? Not in the mood to uh, ya know, uh deal with that freak if he's still out there. Cassius asked the bartender as he finished clearing Cassius's and Taz's drinks. Taz had returned to Cassius's jacket pocket about an hour earlier and was very much so unconscious, snoozing comfortably in his makeshift home.
Aye, through the kitchen, door on your right. Stay safe out there, it's a cold one tonight. The bartender said. Cassius thanked the man and made his way towards the back, finding the door where the man had indicated.

He opened the door and was immediately struck by the cold front that had moved in after the storms earlier in the day. The ground and air were still wet, a moderate fog had rolled through the streets while Cassius was inside and while it wasn't impossible to see, objects and buildings appeared more as blurry shapes than what they actually were. Then again, that may have just been the alcohol. Cassius chattered a moment in the cold before pulling up the collar of his jacket, buttoning it to keep any warmth in he could. He placed his hands in his pockets and began moving through the alley behind the bar that the door had dropped him in.

The streets were nearly barren at this hour, though he occasionally passed similar folks, making their ways home after a late night of drinking. For the most part though, his walk was in an eerie silence, made worse by the clinging fog and biting cold. Taz snoozed softly in his pocket and for a moment Cassius wished the small dwarf was actually awake, simply to keep him company and calm his drunken, paranoid mind. Up ahead in the fog, he could see the blurry outline of what looked like a person. However, unlike the others he had passed, this one seemed to be standing still rather than walking towards him to pass. Cassius squinted his eyes for a better look when he suddenly heard movement down the alleyway he was passing on his right.

The fishman froze, trying to see into the darkness of the alley for whatever had made that sound. After a moment he grunted,
Bah, stupid street cat or somethin, that's all. He said to himself, turning back to the sidewalk only to notice that the humanoid shape from before had vanished.
Fella must've figured out which way he was goin. Cassius said, convincing himself, though his scales began to itch again. He burrowed his face deeper beneath his collar and continued moving forward, back towards the docks and his waiting ship and crew.

As Cassius walked, he suddenly heard a scraping noise behind him and turned quickly, nearly losing his balance due to the alcohol inhibiting him. Behind him he could see three humanoid shapes in the fog now.
The hell you want? If you're with that freak from earlier, best for you all to go on and get. I don't want no trouble and I promise ya you don't want any either. Cassius shouted into the fog but received no answer. He grunted and turned back to the direction he had been heading,
Eh, fuck ya. Scram ya pansies.

As Cassius turned, he realized that there were now three other figures standing in the fog in front of him as well.
The hell is this shit? Cassius asked, Fine, if that's how ya wanna play it, but remember I warned ya. Cassius said, raising his hands and preparing for a fight. He was in no state to fight, but that's how Cassius knew to handle problems and he wasn't in the mood for any more of this silent treatment shit.

While we don't know the exact reason why you insist on resisting us Dark Lord, we've decided this mortal form you've taken is clearly corrupting you. As such, we've taken it upon ourselves to release you from the mortal coil that is plaguing you. We understand you may not enjoy it with your currently corrupted emotions and thoughts, but we promise that once it's done you will of course thank us and we can stand by your side for the age of destruction and carnage that you will wrought once you are freed. A familiar voice broke through the rolling fog, coming from the street to Cassius's left now. He turned to face it, only for a metal pipe to swing through the fog and smack him across the forehead.

Cassius's vision exploded in stars as he stumbled backwards, blood trickling from the wound on his forehead. He fell backwards against a building, catching himself as forms began to materialize out of the fog. They carried chains and weapons, stalking closer and closer to him, completely surrounding him on all fronts. His head swam from the alcohol and the blow to the head had only made matters worse, but never one to back down, Cassius stood and jumped into the frenzy. He punched at one of the creeps, sending him flying backwards and watched him be consumed by the fog. Cassius turned to take down the next one only to fall to his knee as a metal wrench rapped against his calf, causing an immense burst of agony.

Cassius swung his right fist backwards, connecting with his attacker's side. He could feel ribs break beneath his blow and the attacker shrieked in pain as he was flung against the building. The rest of his attackers descended upon him in a frenzy and although Cassius fought relentlessly, their numbers and his drowned brain were simply too much. His head hit the concrete of the sidewalk, the last thing he saw before the night went dark, were the chains being brought forward to bind him.

WORDS: 1079
NOTES: ###
DORIKI: +5 S&P & +5 S&A (In water);+5 E&D (Pugilist); +14 S&P
GEAR: ###
SKILLS: ###

Cassius · 3 Re: [GV] The Dark Lord Returns? Sun Oct 21, 2018 7:14 am

Cassius

Pirate

Posts : 491
Location : Water 7
Join date : 2017-12-09

Cassius Sinclair
The Kraken
[GV] The Dark Lord Returns? D5da255ae42b2fbe08f85ac5f848e11c

The first thing Cassius could sense was a dull, throbbing pain that felt as if his forehead was going to split open at any moment. The darkness that he had been in for so long was slowly replaced with a soft, warm glow as the fishman opened his eyes and stirred from the land of unconsciousness. Without thinking, Cassius let out a soft groan from deep within his belly.
Ah wonderful, you're finally awake.
A sweet, sing-songy voice spoke suddenly and Cassius raised his gaze to find a slender human dressed in all black sitting across from him in a single, solitary wooden chair. The man looked Cassius over the same way a butcher would a fresh slab of meat. It unnerved the bound fishman, making his scales itch uncomfortably. Cassius opened his mouth to speak but found it dry as cotton, unable to really move his tongue. His lips chapped painfully and split as he opened his mouth for the first time in who knew how long.

Welcome back to the land of the living my new friend. The same man spoke, I'm sure you're parched. Here, allow me. He said, rising from his chair. Cassius watched him cross the room to a simple wooden table with two tin cups and a pitcher of water. From the looks of it Cassius was in some sort of large tent, lit lanterns acted as the only source of light and the only furniture were the simple chair and small table. As the man approached with the glass of water, Cassius attempted to reach out and take it, only to find his hands had been bound behind his back. Looking behind him he found himself bound to a large metal beam, his hands chained to the beam and, looking down at his feet in front of him from where he sat, could see more chain cuffs wrapped around his ankles and leading back to the metal beam.

Ah yes, you must excuse the bindings, but my followers mentioned that the strength of the Dark Lord flows purely through you. You really did a number on them, even killed a few. The man said with a pleasant smile, Here now, drink up.
Cassius's initial instinct was to refuse, but his mouth was so dry that the thought of a single drop of water was enough for him to accept it without a thought. If they were going to poison him or something, they would have already. There was no point in waiting for him to wake up.

My my, yes I'd imagine you would be quite thirsty after being out for two days.
Two days?! Cassius finally was able to speak, his voice a mixture of surprise and rage. Where am I? Who in the deep sea hell are you?
My, my, so much anger in this vessel. What could have been the reason for its selection I wonder. The man said, speaking to himself.
Oi, answer me-
Or what? What will you do? Try those bindings, I dare you. Any time you try to move one, another shortens. While not the strongest material, you're never able to get the leverage you need to break out through raw strength alone. It's quite ingenious really. Regardless, hush now and I'll answer some of your questions. The man said, returning to his seat across from Cassius, crossing his legs and folding his hands over one knee. The whole thing seemed a charade to this man, as if he had all the time in the world and found it all utterly amusing.

My name is Lucius Renee, I am the leader of this sect. You are currently within our compound in the middle of Greenie Pass, the vast wilderness that stretches across the remainder of the Lulusia Kingdom. Untouched and untamed, we find this spot exquisite for carrying out our rituals unburdened by the prying eyes of the kingdom. As for why you're here, my followers said they told you. You are the vessel, whether knowingly or not, of our Dark Lord, the greatest god to ever grace this world and it is through the release of your flesh that he will be brought back stronger and fiercer than ever. You should truly be honored that your sacrifice is what will be the beginning of the end, a fresh start as the Dark Lord lays waste to this world and rebuilds it anew. Your name will go down in history as the progenitor of the beginning of the world, the new world.

Oi, you're just as crazy as the fellow from the bar.

Lucius smiled, his teeth yellowed and rotting just like the men from the streets. It was now that Cassius could see beneath the mask that he had the same gray skin, veins pulsing beneath as if to burst through. He appeared sickly, no, worse, he appeared corpse-like.
Eccentric, perhaps, but crazy? No, I think not. In two days time you will see, that I promise. Once the celestial bodies have aligned properly, the bridge between our realm and the outer realm will be built and it is then that the Dark Lord shall be released from your mortal coil. He will be free to walk this world once more and the genesis will begin. Now, if you'll excuse me I have matters to attend to. Supper should be brought shortly, do make yourself as comfortable as possible. Lucius said, rising from the chair and departing through the flap of the tent.

Cassius simply sat in the dirt, trying his restraints to find what the mad man had said was true. When he moved his left hand, his right leg was brought closer and vice versa for the other limbs. He sighed, wondering how in the hell he had gotten himself into this mess and muttered, Yeah, thanks ya little shit.

WORDS: 979
NOTES: ###
DORIKI: +5 S&P & +5 S&A (In water);+5 E&D (Pugilist)
GEAR: ###
SKILLS: ###

Last edited by Cassius on Wed Oct 24, 2018 4:32 pm; edited 1 time in total

Cassius · 4 Re: [GV] The Dark Lord Returns? Wed Oct 24, 2018 4:29 pm

Cassius

Pirate

Posts : 491
Location : Water 7
Join date : 2017-12-09

Cassius Sinclair
The Kraken
[GV] The Dark Lord Returns? D5da255ae42b2fbe08f85ac5f848e11c

After about an hour of pulling at his restraints, testing to see how they worked and if there was anything he could do, Cassius finally gave up. They had brought him food only a few minutes after the strange man named Lucius had left, though they fed it to him rather than letting him free to eat for obvious reasons. Initially, Cassius had been reluctant to eat, refusing even to take a bite of the food that the strange, skeleton-like man held out on a wooden fork. However, his hunger got the better of him and he quickly devoured every scrap of the food the cultist could feed him. He felt ashamed of giving in to his baser instincts, but in truth if he was going to escape he'd need every ounce of strength he had.

Sighing, Cassius rested his head against the long metal rod stuck in the ground behind him. He closed his eyes, trying to organize his thoughts and figure out what he hadn't tried yet. Outside he could hear the cultists moving about every once in awhile, passing along his tent and talking amongst themselves. No one spoke normally, only in cryptic, deeply disturbing tones. Their words were like riddles and Cassius found them only confusing and irritating. There was no useful information to be gleaned from their conversations, only religious babble about dark lords and outer gods.
What have you gotten yourself into this time, mate? Cassius asked himself, his eyes still closed as he sunk farther and farther into despair.

Nothing good, nope. A tired, small voice sounded off and Cassius's eyes flew open.
Taz? Cassius hissed in a whisper as he stared down at his inner jacket pocket, folded over his scaly breast.
There was movement in that pocket, he could feel the dwarf turn over, rumpling the small bits of paper and cotton he had stuffed in there to form a bed,
Hmmm? A tired voice responded, stifling a yawn and Cassius could feel him stretch his tiny limbs.
They didn't find you? You're still here? Cassius asked, his tone still hushed so as to avoid detection.
Hrmfg. Was the only response and Cassius could tell Taz was in one of his more child-like moods, most likely still sleepy and waking up, but he had no patience or mood for it right now.
Oi, listen you little dwarf shit, wake up. This is serious, no time for messing around right now. So help me I will fall flat on my face and squish your little body like a bug if you don't get out here right now.

Silence.

Then, Cassius could feel irritated and sporadic movement in his jacket as Taz flip flopped this way and that before finally crawling out of the pocket and poking his head out from beneath the jacket to stare at Cassius.
Cassius stared back, sizing the little dwarf up and down.
The fishman stared, Taz stared back, then Cassius cracked a smile so wide his lips began to hurt from stretching.
By the seven seas, are you hung over? He said with a stifled chuckle, trying to contain his enjoyment of this entire situation.
Hrfmgh. Taz uttered, his eyes ringed with the deepest, darkest lines Cassius had ever seen.
Wait...have you been hung over for TWO DAYS?! Cassius asked, suddenly connecting the pieces.
Taz simply yawned, scratched at his messy flop of hair and shrugged without much of a care. The little dwarf looked around the dimly lit tent and then back up at Cassius.
Where at?

Cassius shook his head, back to business, I don't know. Some cultists took us prisoner from the looks of it. They said we're out in the middle of Greenie Pass but where exactly within that I have no idea. That's why I needed you to wake up so you could go find a set of keys and we can get out of here. Cassius said, raising his wrists to show the chains.
Taz stared at the bindings before looking back at Cassius, his eyes completely glazed over.
Oi, focus! Cassius barked and Taz shook his head, holding his temples in pain. Cassius rolled his eyes, but in a softer tone said,
Look here, I'm sorry for barkin at'cha but these freaks are looking to carve me up for their Dark Lord or some such shit so we need to get moving, okay?
Ohhh, Dark Lord of the Outer Gods? Taz asked, now suddenly laser focused.
Yeah, how did yo-
Ooooh if they think you're the Dark Lord, which Taz gets, sees resemblance, then you're in big trouble. They'll use the sacrifice of the Outer Realm Flesh Release to peel back your mortal skin, which binds the Dark Lord and confines him. Once they do that it's believed he'll be free to roam the world once more, releasing calamities across the land and ushering in an age of darkness unlike anything seen in known history.

Cassius simply stared at the small dwarf, who in turn stared back at him. He sometimes forgot through Taz's childlike personality and reactions he was indeed a walking encyclopedia of world history and knowledge. It was these random spurts that always caught Cassius off guard,
Honestly, I don't even want to know. Now can you go find the key?
The little dwarf groaned, a pout on his lips at having to leave the warm confines of his makeshift bed within Cassius's pocket, but quickly took flight.
Fiiiiiine. He groaned, buzzing out beneath the tent flap.
May the winds favor you and the night keep you protected you weird little fucker. Cassius said with good faith, though deep down his stomach turned at the thought of what might come with Taz unleashed on the world with no supervision. These freaks might not need a Dark Lord.

WORDS: 973
NOTES: ###
DORIKI: +5 S&P & +5 S&A (In water);+5 E&D (Pugilist)
GEAR: ###
SKILLS: ###

Cassius · 5 Re: [GV] The Dark Lord Returns? Tue Nov 06, 2018 10:55 am

Cassius

Pirate

Posts : 491
Location : Water 7
Join date : 2017-12-09

Cassius Sinclair
The Kraken
[GV] The Dark Lord Returns? D5da255ae42b2fbe08f85ac5f848e11c

As the minutes ticked by slowly, Cassius became more and more anxious. He reminded himself that he had no idea how large this camp was, how well lit, or even where they were. For all he knew, Taz was still searching through various tents, completely unsuspected and hounding out that key. However, the dread of any other fate crept into his mind and gnawed at his psyche with every second that the small dwarf didn't return. If they were found out, they would certainly both be killed and Cassius had no intention of dying here today. After what Cassius could only assume to be half an hour, the underside of the tent flared for but the briefest of moments and, squinting his eyes, Cassius could see Taz lazily float towards him, a tiny key in his hands. The small dwarf landed on Cassius's right shackled wrist without a word and inserted the key, twisting it to spring the fishman loose.

Oi, you made it back you little runt. Good on ya, where'd ya find the key? What's out there? Any idea where we are? Cassius's mind was racing with ideas of escape and moving forward, but Taz simply frowned and waved him off.
Shhhh, head, ow.
Oh, right, sorry mate. We really need to work on your drinking problem. Cassius said as his second wrist was unlocked and Taz drifted lazily down to work on his ankles.

Cassius rubbed at the chafed skin of his wrists, soothing them. It was good to be free again, nothing is more demoralizing to a living creature than being in chains. As Taz worked he yawned and said,
Dunno where we are. Lots of trees, middle of Greenie Bit Taz thinks. Many tents, like a whole city. Creepy guys wandering around, look half dead Taz thinks, but they're sharp and quick. Others too, chained up like Cassius in another tent. Not good, no, no, definitely not good. Taz said, shaking his head. Cassius paused and stared at the dwarf as he worked, lowering his own hands as his mind reeled.

Wait, others? What do you mean there are others? Where? Here? Fishmen like me?
Shhhhh. Taz said, holding a tiny finger to his lips as he freed the last of Cassius's shackles. He yawned once more, stretching and said, Taz will show you. Before drifting up to Cassius's front jacket pocket and placing himself there.
Okay dumb dumb, let's go go. Taz said, patting Cassius's chest before pointing towards the flap of the tent. Cassius rolled his eyes, but he had no choice other than to follow the dwarf's odd game.

Stepping towards the main flap of the tent, Cassius slowly poked his head through to look for any guards or patrolmen. A single sentry was posted and Cassius could see him walking the perimeter of the tent with a burning torch in hand.
Wait. Taz said quietly.
Wait. He repeated.
Okay, go! The small dwarf said, as if Cassius needed to be told how to slip past a singular guard. However, he did as the small dwarf instructed and exited the tent just as the guard rounded the back side of the tent out of view.

Two tents down and then left. Taz hissed through his teeth to avoid detection. Cassius crouched low, moving slowly as he tried to get his bearings. Around him were dozens upon dozens of tents of varying sizes. They appeared to be patch-worked together, having suffered through years of abuse from the elements, but it was also obvious that they were designed to be easy to take down, move, and set up again all within a matter of minutes. This cult effectively had the capability to destroy and build a small town in a single afternoon if it so needed to.
20...15...10...5...turn now. Taz instructed and Cassius did as he was told.

Three tents down the row, turn into one on right. Taz instructed and Cassius continued, nearly swearing as he stopped in his tracks, a cultist exiting one of the tents. In the night air and without a torch, Cassius could only hope the man's eyes needed a moment to adjust to the low light and he couldn't be seen under the cover of darkness. The cultist yawned loudly, stretching before scratching his head and moving on down the tents. Cassius breathed a nearly silent sigh of relief before continuing down the tents and to the one Taz had pointed out.

Stepping into the tent, Cassius looked about to find himself in a room with numerous maps, images and posted letters. A table with several Den Den Mushis sat in the middle while the walls were lined with the maps and written letters. Cassius walked towards the table, finding more maps beneath the Den Den Mushis as well as a journal with log entries.
What is this? There's no one in here Taz. Cassius scolded but the little dwarf simply jumped from Cassius's pocket and onto the table. He walked along the maps before looking up at Cassius,
Taz know this, show you first though. Look at the maps dumb dumb, LOOK at them. Cassius grunted in response but did as instructed and began looking over the maps. He recognized a few, one was clearly the topographical map of Baltigo. Red circles and arrows had been drawn with handwritten notes attached to various maps. On a far wall was an astrological map of the stars and a handwritten note of various dates when certain phenomena were scheduled to happen.

Wait a minute, Cassius said as things suddenly began to click together, looking over one of the maps of an island called Drum, these aren't just maps of where this cult has been. This is showing where different cells of the cult are right now and what they're doing. There are dozens of rituals either happening now or soon all across the seas. Cassius let the handwritten notes he was holding drift to the floor as he stared at the wall in shock and building horror, This isn't just some band of crazies, they're everywhere.

From his jacket pocket, Taz yawned and smiled, Cassius think Taz wasting his time, Taz told him it was good, not waste his time.
I wouldn't call this good, runt. Alright, take me to the people, we need to get them out of here. We're running on borrowed time as it is. Cassius instructed and Taz began relaying instructions to his captain.

WORDS: 1084
NOTES: ###
DORIKI: +5 S&P & +5 S&A (In water);+5 E&D (Pugilist); +14 S&P
GEAR: ###
SKILLS: ###

Cassius · 6 Re: [GV] The Dark Lord Returns? Tue Nov 06, 2018 11:52 am

Cassius

Pirate

Posts : 491
Location : Water 7
Join date : 2017-12-09

Cassius Sinclair
The Kraken
[GV] The Dark Lord Returns? D5da255ae42b2fbe08f85ac5f848e11c

Following his little dwarf's directions, Cassius made his way through the silent camp. The only light coming from the moon above, basking him in its warm yellow glow. He'd occasionally see guards walking about or doing their rounds, but with such a large tent layout it was easy enough to stick to the shadows and wait for them to pass. Only once did he have to grab a guard from behind and break the man's neck before he could alert the rest of the camp. The body lay in some bushes, mostly out of sight but Cassius had little faith that the rising sun in the next few hours wouldn't completely reveal what he had done. Locating the tent Taz had brought him to, Cassius entered through the main flap.

Inside he found a tent far larger than the one that had housed him, but twelve of those similar chain contraptions he had been in, all filled with people of varying races, sizes and ages. Between he and the twelve captives however was a guard, seated at a table and enjoying a meal in front of, what looked to be, the twelve starving prisoners. The guard brought a napkin to his lips, cleaning himself as he turned to see who had arrived through the tent flap.
It's about time you showed up, just about finished my meal. They been quiet- The guard paused as he saw Cassius standing there, not at all the cultist the man had been expecting.
Who in the outer realms are you? The man hissed, suddenly rising from his chair with more speed than Cassius had expected from such a frail looking body. As the man rose he hooked his arm around the back of the chair, tossing it at Cassius with great force.

The fishman swatted the chair away, allowing it to splinter on the earth beneath his feet as the cultist dove at him with his fork and knife. Cassius grabbed the wrist of the hand with the knife, but wasn't focusing on the fork as the cultist drove it into his chest. It hurt, no doubt about that, Cassius had never been stabbed by a fork before. However, it didn't go very deep, the metal prongs bending a bit beneath the opposing forces of the cultists' strength and Cassius's body.
Enough. Cassius said, yanking hard on the man's arm with the knife and snapping his wrist. Before he could scream in pain, Cassius placed a hand over his mouth, allowing him to scream into it and muffle the sound from alerting anyone outside. The knife dropped harmlessly to the ground.
Taz. Cassius said, but the dwarf was already ahead of him. Out of the pocket and retrieving the knife from the ground, the little dwarf flew upwards and drove the steak knife into the screaming cultist's throat, silencing him for good. Cassius allowed the body to drop to the ground, looking down at it as blood pooled from the wound, Cassius reached up to his chest and, in one quick motion, yanked the fork out with a bit of a grunt.

Still have the key? Cassius asked Taz, who nodded and produced the small shackles key.
Good, go ahead and get started, I'll see if I can't break some of these chains. Cassius said, stepping forward to the first prisoner while Taz moved onto the second with the key. He bent down and said,
My name is Cassius Sinclair. I don't know why they took you, but we're all getting out of here. No one deserves this. Cassius said, grabbing the scrawny man's left hand shackle and yanking the chain apart.

Ha, imagine that. A pirate saving me, or are you maybe a Revolutionary agent? Bah, who cares? Job requirements don't matter when you're taken by the crazies, do they? The man asked Cassius, though he seemed to stare beyond Cassius more than at him. Looking at him more closely, Cassius could see that he was dressed in the shredded, filthy remnants of a Marine's uniform.
Aye, the irony is palpable. Cassius grunted as he continued working on the chains.

Imagine my surprise when I come to check in on you, make sure you're comfortable and what not, only to find you missing. A familiar, horrid sounding voice came from behind Cassius as he finished yanking off the imprisoned Marine's last shackle. Taz had already managed to free three others. Cassius turned over his shoulder from his crouching position to see Lucius standing in the entranceway of the tent. Cassius sighed and stood. As he turned to face the cult leader, he caught Taz's eye, staring at Cassius for further instructions.
Keep going Taz, I'll take care of this. The small dwarf nodded and continued on his way while the freed prisoners stepped back and away from the crossfire that was sure to ensue.

You know, when they brought you to my camp I thought there was no need for chains. I figured you'd be civil, see and honor the great gift that the Outer Gods bestowed upon you as the vessel of our Dark Lord. I wanted to treat you like royalty, like the savior of our kind that you house within your body. Alas, when my men showed me not only the wounds you had inflicted upon them but the two men you had flat out killed, I knew it couldn't be so. Still I held out hope that maybe after you awoke, saw your predicament and we talked, perhaps then you would come around and the two of us could be friends...or at least friendly, as we ushered in the new age. Unfortunately, you've made a few mistakes too many.

Oi, ya done? I'm tired of listening to your mouth run. Cassius said and Lucius simply chuckled,
Eager to die, are we? Alas, I won't be killing you today, but I do promise to inflict such a high level of pain on you in the next few moments that you'll beg for death. The tall, wiry man said as he pulled his rapier free of its sheathe.
Talk is cheap, let's see if you can back it up. Cassius said, readying himself for this fight. Behind him Taz had freed over half of the prisoners, he only needed to stall long enough for Taz to free the rest and then they could make a run for it.

With great speed, faster than even Cassius, Lucius was upon him. The man jabbed and stabbed, scraping his sword along Cassius's body as the fishman did his best to avoid any direct hits from the blade. He couldn't keep up, but the more Lucius moved in on him, the closer the cultist got and the easier Cassius's life became. As he stabbed towards Cassius's left arm, the fishman sidestepped it at the last minute, the blade slicing through the arm of his jacket but giving Cassius the opening he needed. The fishman punched forward, disrupting the water in the air and generating a small shockwave with enough force to knock Lucius back. The man stepped back, his arms wide and trying desperately to steady himself from falling. Cassius didn't relent however and moved in closely for a Thousand Tile True Punch to the gut. He felt Lucius's organs move and bend around his fist, the man was lifted off his feet by Cassius's strike as the air in his lungs whooshed from between his lips like a punctured balloon.

Lucius returned to the ground, on all fours now he was coughing and choking on his own spittle, trying to regain his breath.
Like I said, talk is cheap. Cassius said, raising a foot to deliver the finishing blow to the back of Lucius's head.
Perhaps, but here's another proverb for you fishman, there's strength in numbers. With that, axe heads and swords began tearing at the walls of the tent just as Taz finished releasing the last of the prisoners. Cassius lowered his foot and looked around as more cultists cut their way into the tent, surrounding them.

Lucius rose slowly to his feet and pointed his sword at Cassius,
You know, when I first saw you brought into our camp, I experienced a euphoric joy unlike anything else I've ever felt. For I believed that the herald of the end times had just entered my presence. A lifetime of work dedicated to finding and releasing the Dark Lord culminating in a single, triumphant moment of pure luck. Can you imagine a feeling a such as that? Decades of work. Now that I see, now that I feel you and spend time in your presence, I find doubt creeping into every corner of my brain. If you are what we believe you to be, you are nothing like what was promised. I believe now, there is only one way to truly know if you are the vessel of the Dark Lord, and that is to ask one of your own kind.

Behind him, Cassius could hear one of the prisoners - a young girl dressed in rags that had once been a beautiful scarlet dress - scream in terror and panic as the cultists grabbed her. Cassius turned to make a move for her, to help her, but the cultists were too many and too fast. One produced a knife as Lucius began chanting in a strange language Cassius had never heard before. The other cultist held her firmly around her shoulders with one arm and pulled her head back by the air with his other hand, baring her pasty white neck to the world. The cultist brought his knife across her neck in a slow, deep cut, the girl's screams becoming muffled and muted as he cut. The blade left her knife as Lucius suddenly fell silent. The girl's body, freed from the cultist's grip, dropped to the ground and for a moment, everything was completely still. Cassius only stared at the body in complete horror and building rage before Lucius began chanting once more, slowly and quietly but building in volume and speed.

As he did, the body of the girl became shrouded in a dark miasma as it was lifted into the air right before Cassius's very eyes. Whatever was happening here certainly couldn't be real, there was no way it was real. This was a trick or the work of one of those blasted Devil Fruits, magic wasn't real.

DrazenKaff! Lucius shouted from behind Cassius and the girl's body suddenly exploded in a massive cloud of black miasma that sent everyone within the tent flying outwards. All the remaining prisoners were thrown clean off their feet, the remnants of the tent that hadn't been shredded by the cultists were blown away like a napkin in the breeze. Cassius was thrown backwards, along with the cultists and even Lucius, by this great and powerful burst of energy. Dust and dirt were kicked up in whirlwind, blinding those who dare look at the center of this miasma. As Cassius sat up and raised his hand to block out the whipping winds and dirt, he stared into a thick cloud of darkness, purple lightning streaked through it like its own miniature sky before an inhumane, animal-like noise fractured the night sky. It was so loud Cassius had to cover his ears to prevent them from being damaged. The smoky miasma began to contort and expand, taking shape into some sort of creature Cassius had never seen, before exploding outward to reveal a true monstrosity towering above the tents, cultists and Cassius alike.

WORDS: 1979
NOTES: ###
DORIKI: +5 S&P & +5 S&A (In water);+5 E&D (Pugilist)
GEAR: ###
SKILLS: ###

Cassius · 7 Re: [GV] The Dark Lord Returns? Tue Nov 06, 2018 12:39 pm

Cassius

Pirate

Posts : 491
Location : Water 7
Join date : 2017-12-09

Cassius Sinclair
The Kraken
[GV] The Dark Lord Returns? D5da255ae42b2fbe08f85ac5f848e11c

The creature towered above them all, standing well over 5m in height. It breathed heavily, strands of its fur seemed to twist and contort from its body, as if moving freely on their own accord. The beast surveyed those that surrounded it, staring first at Lucius, then the fallen cultists, turning its head towards the prisoners as they carefully began to stand up and marvel in terror what had been brought about. Finally its eyes settled on Cassius and a feeling of pure and utter terror, unlike anything he had ever experienced raced through his spine. His veins turned icy cold and a tingly in his extremities pervaded his being. He felt frozen in place, unable to move or even think properly as he stared at this demonic creature.

Oh great Izuzu of the Midnight Hunt, we welcome you to the inner realm, the land of mortals and bountiful feast. We summon you tonight for a singular task, to sniff out a fraud among us and confirm our deepest fears. This...thing claims to be the vessel of your brother, our Dark Lord. Look upon him and confirm our fears, that we placed misguided trust in such a traitor. Lucius bellowed up to the hulking creature, pointing at Cassius who simply regarded him with an annoyed, hate filled look.

For a moment, there was only silence.

You then are the one who summoned me here? The beast spoke without opening its mouth and Cassius realized he was hearing the monster's voice within his mind rather than with his ears. The voice was deeper than any one naturally could reach, like nails on a board it caused him actual discomfort to hear the creature talk.
That is true my dark prince, I am a humble servant Lucius Re-
Unfortunately that would be the last thing Lucius Renee ever said as the monster's large fist suddenly rose and crushed the head cultist beneath it. The creature scooped up his bloody, crushed remains and siphoned it into its mouth, using its own hand as a funnel. Wiping the remnants from its maw with its other hand, it turned to gaze upon Cassius once more. This was enough to shock the prisoners back to reality and they all began running in various directions. The cultists, seeing their leader crushed beneath the beast of their own making, followed suit, though some still stood around in complete confusion and shock.

Summon me to this wretched place without a right, without request. Insolent children playing at games they can't even begin to understand. Izuzu said with utter contempt, though Cassius wasn't sure who he was talking to. Gazing down at the fishman, Izuzu looked him over once more,
Vessel of my brother? I think not. Though what you are...I have no idea. Certainly more than what you appear, but with an essence completely opposite of my kind.
Izuzu regarded Cassius for a long, silent moment before saying,
We'll find out what you truly are once you're resting in the pit of my stomach. The demonic beast said, snatching Cassius up off the ground with its massive paw before he had time to react.

As Izuzu brought Cassius to its mouth, he suddenly recoiled in shock. Squinting through the night sky, Cassius could see the glint of a metal knife barely protruding from the side of the demon's head.
Taz. Cassius whispered to himself, more in surprise than anything else.
Insolent pest, you dare strike me? Join this creature then if you so desire. Izuzu bellowed as he swiped at the side of his head with his other large paw. Taz however was far too small for the hulking beast to catch and darted around the monster's head like the world's most annoying gnat, except this gnat had a knife.

While the strike to the head had done little other than annoy and surprise Izuzu, the next strike was enough to send the monster recoiling as Taz targeted a more supple and tender area on the beast's face. Cassius dropped from the monster's grip as Taz drove the knife into the demon's eye, causing him to lose Cassius and grab at his eye in pain. Cassius dropped to the ground and rolled, looking up at the beast for any sign of Taz.
Go go go, run now! Taz said from Cassius's breast pocket. The little monster had already made his way back to his "home" before Cassius had even realized it. If under different circumstance, Cassius may have even chuckled, instead he simply ran for his life through the small village of tents.

Behind him Izuzu had yanked the small knife from his eye and tossed it away. He stomped and swung around himself in rage, tossing cultists about and splattering them into the ground. Cassius didn't bother to look back, only continued running as the demon gave chase. Due to his larger size and impressive speed, Cassius could feel through the bounding of his feet, Izuzu was gaining on him rapidly.
He's cominggggg. Need a plan, need a plan right now. Taz babbled, panic in his little voice.

Cassius looked about frantically as he ran before noticing a stand with pre-lit torches for the guards to take. Turning towards it, Cassius snatched one and tossed it at the row of tents separating him from Izuzu. The dry tents caught instantly and rose to create a large wall of flames between the fishman and this nightmarish creature. Izuzu recoiled in surprise, hissing in anger and rage as Cassius pulled two more torches free.
Fire, me thinks he's afraid of fire. Fire bad for him, fire good for us then. Taz babbled, his fear making his speech even worse than usual.
Me thinks you're right my friend. Cassius agreed before turning and running further through the camp, two torches still in hand.

Izuzu eventually composed himself and moved around the wall of burning tents, continuing his chase after Cassius. By now Cassius had managed to leave the tent village the cultists had set up, behind him the fire had spread and was burning through it like wildfire. Izuzu however showed no sign of stopping and followed Cassius into the forests of Greenie Bit. As Cassius ran, he held the torches out, igniting the plant life around him and starting slow burns to force Izuzu into a zig zag pattern if he was going to follow. Each time the beast had to avoid a small blaze, gave Cassius a bit more of a lead on him.
I can't run forever, I need to think of something. Cassius thought out loud and suddenly he found himself at a cliff overlooking the sea.

Jump, jump Cassius, jump! Good swimmer, get us out of here. Taz sang and for a moment Cassius thought the little dwarf was right, but at his core he knew he couldn't just turn and run from this creature. He had to do something, anything to at least prevent Izuzu from leveling Lulusia, even if it only slowed the beast down for a time. Looking to either side of him were two massive trees marking the end of the forest. Deeper in he could hear Izuzu rampaging through, knocking through trees and brush as he went. Cassius had to move quickly before he arrived. Bringing the torches to the brush at the base of each tree, they caught quickly and formed a wall of fire just before the cliff as tendrils of flame snaked up the trunks of the trees and spread to more beside them. Moments later Izuzu came crashing through the forest and stopped short, just before the wall of flames, staring at Cassius on the cliff.

This is your ploy then, to simply hide behind fire? And what? Wait until I become bored with you and leave? Bah, fires die, my patience knows no limit. I am as old as time itself, waiting for your hope to die will be of no issue mortal.
You talk a lot for someone...something that has no idea what it's talking about. Now eat shit and die. Cassius said as he punched forward, moving the water vapor in the air from the sea around him towards the burning fire. As a result, a massive cloud of burning steam was generated that covered Izuzu and made the creature's skin begin to boil. He let loose a terrible shriek so loud, Cassius could feel his ears bleed a bit. The demon writhed and swung about, knocking over trees and crushing the burnt brush around him as he pounded at his burning flesh. Cassius took one last look at the demonic beast before diving off the cliff and into the sea below.

Two Days Later

Cassius sat outside a cafe, reading the local newspaper. The execution was slated to sometime tomorrow and he was currently waiting for his crewmates to join him while they finished cleaning the ship. It had been two days since his little abduction and encounter with a beast conceived completely of the deepest, darkest nightmares. The only mention of anything that had transpired out in Greenie Bit came from a single newspaper article which read:

Wildfire claims lives of dozens of homeless sleeping out in the wilderness of Greenie Bit. Several survivors found rambling madly about demons, sacrifices and a fishman savior named only "Cassius". Authorities are chalking this up to delirium due to exposure from the elements and stress from being involved in a natural disaster. Though, they are on the lookout for a fishman matching the description given by the survivors and a small dwarf who the wish to bring in for questioning. Whether these two supposed rescuers were lost in the blaze or not remains to be determined.

Cassius nodded in thought silently as he finished reading the article. No trace of Izuzu apparently, or at least nothing the government was publishing. Cassius knew what he had done in no way had killed the demon, momentarily delayed it or sent it into hiding to recover perhaps, but it was still very much so out there. The only solace he could take was the fact that the people he had took time to rescue evidently had escaped with their lives. For today, that was enough of a victory. He closed flipped to the next page just as the sound of a tin can being kicked about joined the symphony of chattering cafe guests around him.

[exit]

WORDS: 1745
NOTES: ###
DORIKI: +5 S&P & +5 S&A (In water);+5 E&D (Pugilist)
GEAR: ###
SKILLS:

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